Chapter 1041: A Strange Wound
“A vertically integrated conglomerate…” Roland murmured.
“What?” Victor blinked. “If you have questions about the plan, I can explain it again—”
“No, thank you.” Roland waved a hand. “I find it interesting. Feasible, even. I only want to know how long it will take you to raise the capital.”
Victor’s eyes brightened. “I knew you would understand. Forgive me for saying so, Your Majesty, but if you were a merchant, you would own a great Chamber of Commerce.”
It might have sounded like an insult in another kingdom. Here it was the sincerest compliment a man of Dawn could offer.
The model Victor had described reminded Roland of vertically integrated corporations from his previous life—businesses that controlled production, supply, and distribution under a single roof. He had never expected to encounter the concept articulated this clearly, by this man, in this world.
What an interesting person.
More than that: an opportunity. In the past few years, his domain had expanded rapidly and brought with it a tangle of management problems. Most of the industries in Graycastle were run directly by the Administrative Office. Officials spent their days managing people and funds; departments swelled and grew slow. Because the officials’ personal fortunes had nothing to do with whether these state enterprises turned a profit, they worked to the king’s orders and tried to keep things stable—no more, no less. Useful in the early stages, when quick centralized action mattered. Ill-suited to everything else.
That was why Roland had confined himself to heavy industry. There were not enough workers, not enough trained administrators, to develop light industry as well. An expansion project as simple as another steam engine assembly plant still required enormous capital and a trained workforce. It was easy to give an order. It was not always easy to carry it out.
But here was another option.
Private investment. Let the businessmen organize things themselves. He had no reason to turn down a man who had arrived before Roland had even thought to invite him.
Foreign company, he noted. Profits flowing back to the Kingdom of Dawn. He did not mind it much. The production would remain in Graycastle. The jobs would remain. The tax base would grow.
After reaching a preliminary agreement, Roland walked Victor to the castle gate. “When you’re ready, I’ll arrange for the new cotton seeds. But I need to say this in advance: if another merchant comes to the Administrative Office asking for the same seeds, we’ll sell them at the same price. I want as many goods on the market as possible. Lower prices benefit my people. I hope you understand.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.” Victor’s confidence was easy, unhurried. “Merchants of Dawn do not fear competition. My father always said that from the moment we are born, the contest has already begun.”
Roland stopped him at the last moment. “One more question. My minister found that you paid taxes to Longsong Stronghold six years ago. It would have been simple to avoid. Why didn’t you?”
Victor considered it. “At the time, the lord promised to provide convenience and protection for merchants who paid. He honored that promise—he kept the road between Border Town and Longsong Stronghold safe for us. I am happy to pay for a stable environment. It is good for business.” A slight pause. “Unfortunately, most of my peers would rather spend large sums on merchandise than on stability and security.”
Roland watched him go. What a serious businessman. He’ll serve as an example for every private entrepreneur in Graycastle.
He turned back toward the office.
“Your Majesty.” Nightingale’s voice dropped suddenly at his ear, tight with something he almost never heard from her. Anxiety. “Lightning is back. She seems to have gotten into serious trouble—”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. I only just received word from Sylvie. Maggie brought her back—took her straight to the hospital.”
Roland’s chest went cold. “She’s hurt? Take me there now.”
“Yes.” Nightingale reached out and pulled him into the Mist.
They arrived fast.
His first sight through the hospital door eased something in him: Lightning lay without bruises, without blood, her breathing slow and even. Whatever had happened, she was past the worst of it.
Then he noticed Nana.
She stood at the bedside with her hands in her lap, staring at them as though she had never seen them before. None of the quiet satisfaction that usually followed a healing. Only a tight, confused frown.
Maggie crouched beside the bed, wiping sweat from Lightning’s forehead. She flinched when Roland entered—the look of someone who feared they had done something unforgivable.
Lightning herself lay curled against the pillow, cold sweat on her brow, murmuring faintly. A nightmare just below the surface.
“How is she?” He looked at Nana. “Where’s the wound?”
Nana raised her head. Slowly, she pointed to her own chest.
“Nightingale.”
Nightingale stepped forward, lifted the girl gently, eased off the windbreaker, and began to unbutton her blouse. When the collarbones came into view, she stopped.
“Your Majesty—this is—”
He leaned in. A thumb-sized mark, a few centimeters below the hollow of Lightning’s throat. Eye-catching against white skin, but only a scratch. Normally a witch’s body would close such a wound without treatment. For Nana, healing it should have taken less than a thought.
Nana’s voice, when it came, was barely above a whisper.
“I can’t heal her. No matter what I try, the wound will not close—as if my ability has simply stopped working.”
Chapter 1041: A Strange Wound
Translator: TransN Editor: TransN
“A vertically integrated conglomerate…” Roland whispered.
“What?” Victor was stunned. “If you’ve any question about my plan, I can explain it again—”
“No, thanks.” Roland waved his hand. “I think it’s an interesting plan, and it seems feasible. I just want to know how long it’ll take you to collect enough funds for it.”
Victor’s eyes shone with joy. “I knew you would understand it. Please excuse me for being blunt, Your Majesty. If you were a merchant, you’d definitely own a great Chamber of Commerce!”
It sounded like Victor was degrading the king by comparing him to a merchant, but Roland understood that for a businessman from the Kingdom of Dawn, praising someone’s business talent was the sincerest form of flattery.
The business model suggested by Victor reminded Roland of modern companies that had an integrated system for production, supply, and marketing in the previous world where he had lived.
He had never expected that he would hear such a detailed commercial development plan from a man in this world. Compared to the conventional Chambers of Commerce, Victor understood more advanced concepts. He planned to include both production and sales in his business. He was willing to provide technology, employ a large number of people, and be responsible for his own profits and losses.
Roland thought that this might also be an opportunity for himself.
In the past few years, his domain had rapidly expanded, but many management problems had also emerged. Most of the industries and projects in Graycastle were directly operated by the Administrative Office. The officials had to spend lots of time managing people and funds, which made the government departments overstaffed and greatly affected the government’s administrative efficiency.
Since the officials’ personal interests had nothing to do with the profit and loss situation of these “state-owned enterprises”, they only worked according to the king’s orders and tried their best to maintain these enterprises’ stability. In the early stage of development, such enterprises, under the total control of the government, could quickly meet the kingdom’s demands and complete some high-risk projects, but they weren’t suitable for all economic endeavors.
Given these realities, Roland had only focused on developing heavy industries. Neverwinter did not have enough workers and the Administrative Office did not have enough qualified officials to develop light industries.
It was simple to give an order, but it was not always simple to carry it out. Even if it was just an expansion project, like building another steam engine assembly plant, he would still need lots of money and many trained workers.
But now, he realized that he had another option.
He could encourage private investment and let the businessmen organize things. He had no reason to turn Victor down, who came to him even before he adopted such policies.
Although it was a “foreign company”, whose profits would inevitably go back to the Kingdom of Dawn, he did not mind it very much since its production department would remain in Graycastle.
After reaching a preliminary agreement, Roland accompanied Victor to the gate of the castle. “By the time you’re ready, I’ll be able to provide you with the new cotton seeds. But I need to tell you something in advance. If some day someone else wants to imitate you and comes to the Administrative Office asking for the seeds, we’ll sell the seeds to them at the same price. I
want to see as many goods on the market as possible because I want to make prices more affordable for my people. I hope you understand that.”
“I understand, Your Majesty,” Victor replied, with a confident look in his eyes. “Merchants from the Kingdom of Dawn never dread competition. My father always said that from the moment we were born, the competition has already begun.”
When he was about to leave, Roland stopped him. “Wait, I’ve another question. My minister found that you paid taxes to Longsong Stronghold six years ago. Why did you do that? It was easy for you to not pay at that time, wasn’t it?”
Victor nodded. “Yes, it was, but back then, the lord promised that he would provide conveniences and protection for merchants who paid taxes. He honored his commitment and protected us when we were traveling between Border Town and Longsong Stronghold. I’m happy to pay some money for a stable environment. It’s a good thing for a merchant, but unfortunately, most of my peers would rather spend large sums of money on their merchandise than pay for stability and security.”
Seeing the merchant leave, Roland thought, “What an interesting person and a serious businessman. He’ll serve as a good example for the private entrepreneurs in Graycastle and lead the trend in the development of light industries.”
He turned around, wanting to return to his office. Suddenly, Nightingale anxiously whispered in his ear. “Your Majesty, Lightning is back, and she seems to have gotten into serious trouble—”
“What happened?” asked Roland.
“I don’t know… I’ve just received a call from Sylvie. Maggie brought her back and took her directly to the hospital!”
Roland’s heart suddenly sank. “She’s hurt? Take me to the hospital now!”
“Yes.” Nightingale reached out her hand and pulled him into the Mist.
…
They quickly arrived at the hospital and saw the little girl lying in bed.
He felt very relieved when he opened the door. Lightning was lying there with no bruises or blood stains. She was breathing peacefully and regularly. It seemed that she was already out of danger.
Nevertheless, he quickly noticed something was off.
Nana didn’t look relaxed like she usually did after completing a treatment. Instead, she seemed confused, knitting her brows tightly and fixing her eyes on her own hands.
Beside the bed, Maggie was taking care of Lightning and wiping sweat from her forehead. She appeared nervous and winced when she saw Roland, as if she had done something wrong. Lightning was in a cold sweat and groaning slightly, as if she was troubled by a nightmare.
“How’s she?” Roland looked at Nana. “Where’s the wound?”
Nana raised her head and slowly pointed to her own chest.
“Nightingale.”
“Yes.” Nightingale stepped forward, carefully picked up Lightning and took off her windbreaker. After that, she started to unbutton her blouse. When she revealed her collarbones, she suddenly stopped. “Your Majesty, this is—”
Roland came closer to the bed and saw a thumb-sized wound several centimeters below her neck. It was particularly eye-catching on her white skin, but it was only a scratch. Normally, for a witch, such a minor injury would quickly heal without treatment.
And healing such a wound should have been a piece of cake for Nana.
However, what Nana said astounded him.
“I can’t heal her…” Nana murmured. “No matter how I tried, the wound just wouldn’t heal, as if my healing ability just stopped working all of a sudden.”