NOVEL NEXT Chapter 130: Pay What You Owe!
In the Jade-Faced Academy's most lavish conference room, Headmistress Suri faced the Owners, a group of seven mind-bogglingly wealthy individuals or factions that owned shares of the Academy.
Yes, unlike most institutions of higher learning which were generally owned by the government or owned themselves, the Jade-Faced Academy had private ownership: the House of Azi, the House of Angra, Elektra di Elektra, the Red Cloud Theocracy, Vel'Asha, the House of Uriah, and the Moonborn Syndicate. Yes, duplicates are quite obvious here.
Elektra is the ruler of the Red Cloud Theocracy, and Vel'Asha the leader of the House of Uriah. Both controlled about 25% of the shares each, leaving 23 for the House of Angra, 22 for the House of Azi, and 3% for the Moonborn Syndicate.
At least that's how it used to be in the past. After basically inheriting the House of Uriah from Gaiseric, Mithras inherited their 12% stake as well, currently hesitating between acquiring more or selling to the highest bidder.
On the surface, however, Mithras still let Vel make decisions on the Uriah's behalf—having full confidence in their alliance.
And so…poor Suri in essence faced her bosses. The Pashas of the Moonborn Syndicate occupied half the seats, a number that formed a sharp contrast with their actual stakes in the Academy.
Closer to Suri, Vel'Asha and Elektra faced one another, with the House of Angra and Azi's representatives sitting at Suri's left and right. Elektra kept her head lowered, no doubt trying to avoid Vel's gaze. Vel on the other end never once shifted from target, fixing her former student with unusual intensity.
"Hum…hum! So…we're here to handle a somewhat disturbing and uncomfortable situation. Though I make decisions on your behalf, you're the Owners of the Academy, meaning its assets belong to you…yet all those assets combined are still not enough to pay what we owe our Prince," Suri started the meeting, making the Moonborn Pashas wince in discomfort.
"The GR examination results alone were enough to make us go bankrupt. But then you got all the records the Prince and his crew have broken, and things quickly get out of hand.
Let's not even mention the astronomical numbers of Credit the Astalon have accumulated. Just the five-star Suites and various gifts we owe them have exceeded what we can pay out.
It doesn't help that His Highness…is the government. An absolute and horrifying government that dares to decimate Fylkirs and kick gods to the curb. Trying to delay or avoid the payout is a ticket straight to the afterlife. It's not worth it. But we also can't realistically meet our obligations. So…the Grand Priestess proposes…that we just pay it all in cash.
It's not like His Highness is that interested in the suites and assets anyway. Cash makes his eyes sparkle more. The Grand Priestess' words, not mine.
I've taken the liberty to make a detailed breakdown of what we owe…and it all adds up to 5.4 billion Ener Crystals."
"Pfffffffff!" Barely had the numbers crossed Suri's mouth that a Moonborn Pasha choked on his tea, spitting it all out and coughing nonstop. Others had more contained reactions, but except for those who already knew the numbers coming in, all dropped from their seats.
For the sake of perspective, 1 Ener Crystal has the purchasing power of a $50 bill. We can therefore understand why even the ultra-rich of the Purple Dawn was losing it—not that it helped.
"Needless to say, prosperous as the Academy may be, it cannot afford to pay such an astronomical sum out of pocket. We pay half, you pay the rest. And to be fair, those sick rewards were set up by the Pashas and Azi to tease students with unrealistic expectations, so not making you shoulder the consequences alone is already the best we can do.
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Owners, please pay your bills. Going by the percentages, the Pashas have 81 million to pay in total. Lucky you. The Academy pays 2.7 billion. Lady Elektra owes about 675 million.
Same for the Queen-Regent because the prince is shameless and his love for money doesn't shrink for beauty, and the rest can do the math themselves cause just saying the numbers is giving me a dizzy spell," poor Suri said in a weak and deflated tone, putting the details of Mithras' bank on the table while the Pashas clutched at their seats, large veins beating on their temples as their eyes went bloodshot.
"Since when do Ener Crystals grow on trees? That boy is so evil! Who raised him? Why is he so evil?"
"Can't…can't we reason with him? Send him girls or something! I will even send my son's wife! There has to be another way! So much money! How can we afford to lose that much money for zero benefit?!" One after the other, the Pashas lashed out, refusing to give up the millions they'd accumulated over generations of hard, criminal work.
"The benefit…is not getting your skull crushed, your bank accounts deleted, your wives reassigned, and your assets repossessed by the state. You're free to say no, but may the smart folks make smart choices, and let's live to fight another day," the Angra Representative said in a mischievous tone, pulling out her Sid Card to transfer 621 million Ener Crystals to Mithras' account!
"That's a man of focus, for sure. I have never seen a nobleman more determined to be a bandit," Vel'Asha said with a mix of stupor and appreciation, pulling out her Sid Card, and transferring 675 million to Mithras' account.
Elektra simped a little, sending some extra because why not. Since money can buy happiness here, we might as well secure as much happiness as we can with all the zeros in our bank account.
A reasonable approach. The rest followed begrudgingly, but when the turn came for the House of Azi to pay its bills…
"One…two…12…billion?" A confused Suri read the numbers, blinking continuously.
The yearly budget of a hegemonic faction such as the Red Cloud Theocracy is 24 billion crystals. The Angra Theocracy, that continental empire, kept its yearly spending at about 100 billion. But the House of Azi put 12 at Mithras' feet, 12 bil outright?
Even Elektra's sneaky bonus seemed insignificant in comparison. This wasn't just wealth…but the equivalent of a developed nation's GDP! Why?!
"We naturally have our reasons. The House of Azi is willing to invest in the Prince of Astalon. This gift is a show of goodwill, sincerity, and a request for an honest meeting between the Twins and His Highness," the Azi representative, that same mysterious woman Mithras had met earlier, said.
Vel and the Angra representative studied her with blank stares, their thoughts unknown.
The meeting ended moments later, and as the power brokers left the conference room, leaving Elektra and Vel behind, the system's voice boomed in Mithras' mind.
[Ding! Ding! Ding!]
[The overall spending of Matriarchs on the host has exceeded the 10-billion mark!]
[Hidden Quest: A Smile Worth a Thousand Bankruptcies…completed!]
[Achievement: Idol of the Sun…unlocked!]
Elektra and Vel left afterward, one with a smile on her face…while the other had turned chalky white.
---
Meanwhile, Akamana stood in a reclusive tower of the Academy, sitting by an ornate bed, on top of which rested her bestie: Menaka.
The latter's skin had never looked sicklier, sweat dripping as she shook and spasmed nonstop.
"It's okay sis, we will find a way, we always do. If I must kneel at your son's feet and kowtow a million times, I will. If I must go to Balmaria…or the Higher Planes…I will. Whatever I have to, but I will save you for sure.
Pride…ain't worth my bestie," holding tight on Menaka's burning hands, Akamana said. A sigh sneaking out as she lowered her head in frustration.
A week? 24 hours? No one could tell for sure. Menaka had no time to waste, but as Akamana was about to swallow her pride and beg for help….
"So dramatic. Didn't expect such a strong and lawless woman to make that fine of a drama queen.
Maybe I should have..." A tall and imposing raven-haired figure appeared at Akamana's right, resting one hand on her shoulder and aiming the other at Menaka.
"M-Mithras? You…already knew?" Akamana's eyes stretched wide, her jaw dropping in shock as her moist eyes stared at Mithras.
"Don't overthink it. Ishtar only has one mother, whom she loves very much. And my sister's heart…will not be broken on my watch," Mithras said in a calm and straightforward tone, unleashing Solar Genesis and Majesty at full force!
"Heal!" Mithras ordered, prompting tongues of solar flames and scarlet rays to coil up Menaka's form, stabilizing her condition and cleansing the horrid power wreaking havoc inside her…in the blink of an eye!
Akamana's lips curled in a silly smile, but as she turned to embrace Mithras, she noticed that her cutie was gone, replaced by Ishtar, whose gem-like eyes shone with a mix of joy and nostalgia.
Menaka's skin regained a rosier shade, and her eyes opened, landing on Ishtar at the first shift. The trembling resumed immediately, warm tears trickling down the dragoness' eyes as Ishtar leaned in, adjusting her mother's hair with sweet and gentle strokes.
"Baby…my baby…I am…so sorry!" Menaka burst into tears, grabbing Ishtar's thighs, and hugging her daughter's legs as if her life depended on it.
As this played out, Mithras stood on the Academy's highest vantage point: his mansion's rooftop—watching the stars aligning in the sky alongside the waxing moon.
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[Name: Aurelian di Hadubrangr]
[Destiny: The Weaver's Greatest Sin (divine class)]
[Complete Data Cost: 500 million]
[Unlock? Y/N]
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[Name: Hakim di Rashukan]
[Destiny: The Tribulation (divine class)]
[Complete Data Cost: 500 million]
[Unlock? Y/N]
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