32: Chapter 32 Sorry, my shareholders disagree.

According to our preliminary financial model, the estimated net profit from the 'calamity alloy' business alone for the next year would be enough to fully purchase three prosperous territories the size of Blackstone Territory in the Kingdom's Central Province.

These words were like a heavy hammer, striking hard at the heart of everyone in the square.

Silence. A deathly silence.

Even the air seemed to solidify due to that astronomically large number.

The greed and astonishment on the faces of the noble officers froze into an almost dazed expression. Their mouths hung open, Adam's apples bobbing, yet they couldn't utter a sound.

Fully purchase three prosperous territories?

What kind of concept was that?

It meant that all the wealth they had accumulated over a lifetime of struggle, or even their entire families' wealth over generations, seemed like a laughable pittance in the face of the name "calamity alloy."

This was no longer a question of getting a share.

This was a question of whether or not to miss a trend that could change their family's destiny, or even allow them to ascend their social class!

Karl Byron, who had been left aside, had his facial muscles twitching violently from extreme anger and disbelief.

He could feel that the army he had painstakingly rallied, this iron fist that was supposed to be his instrument for settling accounts with his brother and demonstrating his military might, was seeing its morale disintegrate at a visible speed—no, it was reorganizing.

In front of that enormous, illusory figure of wealth, the traditional glory and military deterrence of the Byron Family, which he represented, were as fragile as ice and snow under the sun, utterly vulnerable.

"No! Nonsense!" Karl finally broke free from his shock, letting out a deafening roar.

His Battle Qi erupted without reservation, golden flames gushing from the seams of his armor, like tangible rage.

The stone slab ground beneath his feet cracked, and spiderweb-like fissures instantly spread out, a violent wave of air abruptly expanding from him!

"Levi! You devil who incites people! Today, I will cut you down with my sword to set things right!"

He took a sudden step forward, transforming into a golden streak of light. The longsword at his waist finally unsheathed, piercing the air with a shriek, striking directly at Levi on the podium.

This strike, condensed with the full power of a Gold-rank warrior, was enough to level a small hill.

However, the anticipated scene of blood splattering did not occur.

Just as Karl's sword edge was about to touch Levi's clothes, an even more dazzling magical radiance suddenly lit up in front of him.

"Clang!"

The sharp clang of metal colliding with a magic shield stung everyone's eardrums.

Blocking Karl was the bearded knight captain who had been staring at the enchanted battle-axe earlier.

He had, at some unknown point, drawn the magic longsword inherited from his grandfather from his waist. Pale green wind runes flowed across the blade, barely parrying Karl's thunderous strike.

At the same time, two other noble officers moved.

They swiftly took advantageous positions, one on the left and one on the right, their weapons simultaneously drawn. They subtly formed a small Three Talents Battle Formation with the bearded captain, completely blocking all of Karl's attack routes.

The golden flames of Battle Qi and the azure glow of magic intensely collided and intertwined in mid-air, sparking with crackling sounds.

"Barton! What are you trying to do? Rebel?!" Karl's eyes were bloodshot, staring intently at the bearded captain in front of him, his voice squeezed out from between clenched teeth.

The knight captain, named Barton, gritted his teeth, resisting the immense force from Karl's sword. Veins bulged on his forehead, but the resolve in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

He spoke slowly and gravely, word by word: "Lord Karl, we are your loyal allies, not your mindless swords. Now, Lord Levi's safety concerns the future of all of us! Until our investment returns are guaranteed, no one can harm him!"

"Exactly!" another baron echoed, his voice not loud but exceptionally clear. "This is the common interest of all our allied families!"

The four words "common interest" were like an invisible giant hammer, completely shattering Karl Byron's last shred of dignity.

His army, his allies, were now drawing swords against him for the sake of the 'waste' in his eyes, for that illusory 'investment return'.

This humiliated him more than a direct defeat.

Levi seemed completely oblivious to the tense standoff before him, which was enough to make one's heart stop.

He even wore a gentle smile on his face as he slowly walked down from the podium, directly into the midst of those glittering weapons.

He gently raised his hand and placed it on Captain Barton's sword, which trembled slightly from the exertion.

"Captain Barton, and everyone, please lower your weapons." His voice was calm and gentle, carrying a peculiar soothing power. "I think my brother is just... overly excited about the future development prospects of Blackstone Territory, and got a bit emotional for a moment."

This excuse was given with extreme cleverness, both resolving Karl's awkwardness and affirming everyone's motives.

Captain Barton exchanged glances with the other two officers. Feeling the steady force from Levi's hand, they slowly withdrew their weapons.

The suffocating tension in the square finally eased somewhat.

Levi turned to Karl, whose face was ashen and chest heaving. His smile remained unchanged: "Brother, you see, everyone is here for the prosperity of the Byron Family, just in different ways. We can absolutely sit down and discuss how to make the cake bigger, in a more civilized manner, can't we?"

Without waiting for Karl's reply, he turned to face all the noble officers and announced loudly: "To thank everyone, to thank all our far-sighted partners for casting their first vote of trust in Blackstone Territory, I have decided that any noble who signs a letter of intent to invest on the spot will enjoy a five percent exclusive discount on the original price of the 'initial shares' they subscribe to!"

He held up a finger and wiggled it slightly.

"Please note, this offer is for a limited time of one hour."

With a "boom," the crowd erupted.

A five percent discount!

For that astronomical profit expectation, five percent could represent a gold mine!

"Lord Levi! I want to subscribe for two thousand gold coins!"

"I'll offer three thousand! I want the best part!"

"Don't push! Line up!"

Just then, a loud and solemn voice interjected, silencing the clamor.

"Such a great undertaking, blessed by divine grace and benefiting the region, should rightfully have a glorious witness!"

Everyone looked over to see Archbishop Gregory, his face beaming with compassionate smiles, pushing through the crowd.

His small eyes gleamed with undisguised shrewdness, as if he saw countless fat sheep waiting to be shorn.

"The Lord does not wish to interfere too much in the internal affairs of the Byron Family. However, this 'calamity alloy,' which can be used to protect the kingdom and improve the lives of the people, is truly a manifestation of the Lord's grace on earth." Gregory stated righteously, "To ensure that this grace is not tainted by greed, the Church is willing to invest a batch of 'religious assets' and requests a 'board seat' to supervise the 'moral use' of the funds."

What a masterstroke of getting something for nothing. Levi sneered inwardly, but his face showed an expression of extreme surprise and joy.

"Your Grace's suggestion is truly timely! To receive the supervision and blessing of the Church is the supreme honor for our Blackstone Territory!" He immediately winked at Evelyn beside him.

Evelyn understood. From a stack of documents, she pulled out a pre-prepared agreement with a Holy Light cross emblem embossed on its cover and respectfully presented it to Gregory.

"Your Grace, this is our 'Special Cooperation Agreement for Sacred Capital' prepared specifically for the Church." Levi enthusiastically introduced, "According to the agreement, all Church investments will be 100% used for constructing welfare facilities for workers within the territory, including but not limited to free clinics, public canteens, and children's education schools. All account details will be publicly disclosed to all residents quarterly, to demonstrate the Lord's benevolence and glory. We fully welcome the Church to dispatch clergy to supervise the entire process."

Gregory's smile froze on his face.

He looked down at the agreement; every word was filled with "benevolence" and "glory," yet there was not a single word about "profit sharing."

He was supposed to put out real money in exchange for an intangible reputation for "charity" that he couldn't personally profit from?

This wasn't an investment; this was clearly asking him to be a patsy for donations!

Gregory clutched the exquisite agreement, feeling as if he were holding a hot iron, his face alternating between green and white, looking extremely displeased.

Levi no longer paid attention to the embarrassed Archbishop and instead gave orders to Evelyn.

"Evelyn, begin."

"Yes, My Lord."

The succubus lady elegantly waved her hand, and a team of well-trained attendants, who had been waiting, immediately sprang into action.

Each of them carried a stack of beautifully printed "Blackstone Mining Development Fund Subscription Agreements" and precisely distributed them to every noble officer present.

Those officers, who had just been in a tense standoff, had now completely forgotten about the ashen-faced Karl Byron.

They gathered in small groups, heads huddled together, arguing in low voices and bargaining over better investment shares or certain clauses in the agreement.

"I want the revenue rights for Mine Shaft No. 3! I'll offer five thousand gold coins!"

"Why? Barton, your connections are all in the north, and this mine's output is mainly sold to the south. It's most suitable for me!"

"Quiet! Stop arguing! Look at the supplementary clauses, priority purchase rights are based on military rank and family status!"

What was once a military confrontation scene had, in just a few minutes, completely transformed into a bustling commercial negotiation meeting.

The air was no longer filled with killing intent, but with the crisp clinking of gold coins and the sweet, fermenting scent of desire.

Under Evelyn's orderly command, a long table draped with red velvet was brought out, on which sat ink bottles, quill pens, and sealing wax.

The first to sign was none other than the bearded knight captain, Barton.

He wrote his name without hesitation, then solemnly took out his family crest seal and pressed it firmly into the melted sealing wax, leaving a clear mark of a lion.

Having done all this, he let out a long sigh, as if he had accomplished a major life event.

Where there was one, there was a second, a third...

The noble officers lined up, one after another, signing their names on the agreement and stamping it with their family's wax seal, representing their family's credibility.

Each crisp thud of the seal was like a death knell tolling in Karl Byron's heart.

He was completely isolated.

He stood there, watching helplessly as the punitive force he had brought, in front of the younger brother he despised the most, eagerly transformed into the first batch of "shareholders."

His authority, his military might, everything he prided himself on, was shattered into worthlessness before these thin sheets of parchment filled with clauses of interest.

An unprecedented, bone-deep sense of humiliation swept over him, making him tremble uncontrollably.

He felt as if he hadn't come to settle scores, but to attend a grand public execution specially prepared for him.

The night wind was exceptionally cool that evening.

Levi stood on the highest terrace of the castle, overlooking the brightly lit Blackstone Town.

In the square, bonfires blazed, and the residents danced and sang around them, their cheers growing louder and louder.

Today, to celebrate the "successful financing," all residents involved in the preparation work received double their wages.

For them, this was more tangible than any grand promise.

Footsteps came from behind him, and Evelyn approached him, bringing with her a faint, cool fragrance.

"The financing data has been compiled, My Lord."

Levi turned around, took a heavy leather coin pouch from his In my arms, and handed it over.

Gold coins clinked inside the pouch, making a crisp, pleasant sound.

"You've worked hard, Evelyn. This is your bonus, a performance reward for exceeding the financing target."

Evelyn took the coin pouch, but her movements lacked the joy of an ordinary woman.

She didn't open it; instead, she placed the pouch in her palm and weighed it up and down, like the most precise scale.

The crisp clinking of metal sounded rhythmically a few times inside the pouch, then she looked up.

Her purple eyes behind crystal lenses gazed calmly at Levi, without the slightest emotional fluctuation, only pure business.

"My Lord, according to the supplementary clause of the 'Chief Operating Officer Employment Agreement' we signed, my sales commission should be five per mille of the total financing amount."

As she spoke, she pulled out a list filled with numbers and precise calculation formulas from her folder and handed it to Levi.

"After deducting taxes and merchant guild fees, my due commission is one thousand three hundred and twenty-one gold coins. The coin pouch you gave me contains approximately one thousand two hundred and eighty-four. That's thirty-seven gold coins short."

Levi looked at the detailed and clearly organized commission calculation list. The source of every fund, the calculation of discounts, and the final total were all perfectly clear, even clearer than the accounts in his own mind.

He was slightly stunned at first, then burst into laughter.

The laughter sounded particularly hearty in the night.

He looked at the meticulous succubus before him, who had even calculated her boss's accounts so precisely. He felt no offense, but rather a strong sense of admiration and... caution.

He realized that while he was transforming this world with modern management and contractual spirit, he had also personally created the most formidable "enemy"—a top-tier, high-performing employee who was absolutely loyal to rules and would absolutely use those rules to secure the maximum benefit for herself.

"You're right, it was my oversight." Levi smiled and counted out another thirty-seven gold coins from his own pouch, adding them to hers. "Next time, I'll have the finance department calculate it directly."

Evelyn took the gold coins, counted them one by one in front of him, and after confirming they were correct, put them away with the previous pouch.

"Thank you for your generosity, My Lord." She bowed slightly, her tone still the unruffled professional one. "If there are no other instructions, I need to verify tomorrow's building materials procurement list."

Watching her turn and walk away, her figure still swaying gracefully yet full of "efficiency" and "professionalism," Levi's smile deepened.

This feeling was really not bad.