Chapter 221 Astral Tech Counter 2
— Morning - Tessia Kingdom —
This morning, a piece of news sent ripples of excitement through the people of the Tessia Kingdom. As they tuned in to the live press conference, the anticipation in the air was electric. It wasn't just any press conference; it was a momentous event, especially for those residing in Sector Alpha City. News had been abuzz about a significant announcement from the Astral Tech Corporation, and the entire city held its collective breath.
The camera feed showcased a magnificent stage adorned with banners bearing the Astral Tech logo, all set against the backdrop of Sector Alpha City's iconic skyline. The atmosphere was charged with reporters from various news outlets eagerly preparing their questions, and the crowd gathered at the venue seemed almost restless.
Then, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. Aryan Sharma, the CEO and representative from Astral Tech, stepped up to the podium, and the hushed crowd leaned in, their eyes fixed firmly on the screens.
"Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of the Tessia Kingdom, and residents of Sector Alpha City," Aryan began, his voice resonating with significance. "We are here today to make an announcement that will shape the future of our beloved Tessia Kingdom."
The camera panned to capture the audience's reactions within the press conference. Excitement and curiosity danced in their eyes, reflecting the sentiments of viewers watching from their homes.
Aryan continued, "Astral Tech Corporation has always been dedicated to the betterment of our people. We have tirelessly provided clean, efficient energy solutions to fuel our nation's progress. Today, we take another significant stride toward that very goal."
A profound silence fell over the crowd as Aryan unveiled the announcement. "We have chosen to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the people of the Tessia Kingdom by revising the terms of our agreement with the Royal Family. Instead of paying for the Sector Alpha City Island in installments, we have opted to make a one-time payment in the form of gold bullion."
Gasps and murmurs of surprise rippled through the audience, likely echoing in living rooms across the kingdom. The camera captured close-ups of onlookers, their expressions a mix of astonishment and gratitude.
Aryan continued his explanation. "To make this possible, Astral Tech Corporation has decided to leverage our advanced technology, such as high-efficiency clean energy generators, as collateral to secure a substantial loan from the Golden Empire Group Bank. This loan will cover the entire cost of purchasing Sector Alpha City Island and provide the Royal Family with much-needed funds to revitalize the Tessia Kingdom's economy and infrastructure, all in one transaction. The total value of the gold bullion we will provide is an astonishing 250 billion US dollars!"
"Goodness! 250 billion US dollars! The Tessia Kingdom's annual revenue is approximately 30 billion US dollars. This is more than eight years' worth of the Tessia Kingdom's revenue!" This thought raced through the minds of most who heard Aryan's announcement.
While the explanation and the enormous amount of funds announced shocked the people, their views and opinions on this revelation were quite contrasting.
For the majority of Tessia Kingdom's citizens, who were born, raised, and subjected to the royal family's propaganda through compulsory education, this news filled them with pride and optimism. They saw it as an opportunity for the royal family to receive a substantial sum of money upfront, without waiting for installment payments, to improve their lives.
However, those who were more informed held a different perspective. The sudden appearance of such a large quantity of gold bullion, more than 250 billion US dollars' worth, could disrupt the Tessia Kingdom's gold market if released all at once. Gold bullion was primarily used as emergency reserves and a guarantee for the country's currency. It was rarely used for day-to-day transactions.
Furthermore, those knowledgeable about the Curtained World and its intricacies understood that Greed, the founder and owner of the Golden Empire Group, had a close relationship with Daniel, the founder of Astral Tech Corporation. This raised suspicions that the choice to pay the Tessia Royal Family in gold bullion might have been premeditated, with the intention of ultimately benefiting the Golden Empire Group.
In the eyes of these individuals, the decision made by Astral Tech Corporation to provide the gold bullion seemed to be filled with underlying motives and potential consequences that extended far beyond the surface.
— Tessia Royal Capital - Royal Palace —
In the opulent throne room of the Tessia Kingdom Royal Palace, King Lucian Justius sat upon his ornate throne, his countenance a tumultuous mixture of consternation and resignation. The grand chamber, bedecked with rich tapestries and bathed in the soft radiance of chandeliers, could not conceal the gravity of the news that had recently reached his ears.
Lucian, a mage well-versed in the intricacies of the Curtained World, had astutely perceived the malevolent intent concealed within Astral Tech Corporation's recent maneuver. He comprehended the potential repercussions—the disruption it could incite within the gold market—and the covert motives shrouding this ostensibly benevolent gesture.
Yet, despite his keen awareness, Lucian found himself ensnared within the convoluted web of political machinations. The majority of Tessia Kingdom's populace, steeped in royal family propaganda and bereft of comprehensive education in economics and market dynamics, had enthusiastically embraced Astral Tech's gambit. To them, gold held profound symbolic value, reinforced through generations of royal family preference for gold as a magical ingredient in their rituals.
This public perception had been deliberately cultivated by the royal family, who taught their subjects to revere gold above cash. However, this instruction was rooted in the royal family's desire for control, intentionally keeping their citizens ignorant of economic intricacies. As a result, the people enthusiastically welcomed Astral Tech's gold payment, unaware of the insidious trap set by the corporation.
Yet, the sheer magnitude of the gold, openly offered for the betterment of the people and quantified in monetary terms, posed an unprecedented quandary. It couldn't simply be absorbed into the royal family's magical reserves for their rituals. Moreover, converting it to cash would disrupt the nation's gold market, a domain in which the royal family had substantial influence.
This precarious imbalance in the Tessia Kingdom's economy left Lucian feeling akin to a pawn on a chessboard, hemmed in by a paucity of viable moves.
Deep within Lucian's heart, there simmered an intense resentment aimed squarely at Daniel, the mastermind behind Astral Tech Corporation. This was not merely a calculated move; it was a ruthlessly orchestrated gambit. The royal family found themselves trapped in a position of stagnation, devoid of a clear path forward or backward. They were consigned to a passive role, condemned to await the unfolding consequences of Astral Tech's audacious actions.
"Fucckkkkkk!! Damn you, Daniel! Damn You!!" Lucian's anguished roar reverberated through the throne room. He unleashed his fury upon the objects within his reach, heedless of decorum, cursing Daniel's viciousness as he grappled with the unyielding predicament before him.
In the hushed confines of the throne room, the courtiers could only maintain a foreboding silence, their lips sealed in apprehension of the king's wrath potentially turning against them.
One amongst them had contemplated offering counsel but was promptly dissuaded by a senior courtier nearby. They recognized that standard solutions were inadequate for this predicament.
Resorting to their usual methods, such as deploying a police force to apprehend Daniel, was unfeasible. The royal family themselves had a historical penchant for favoring gold over cash. In the past, they had deliberately insisted that anyone seeking their protection donate gold, which they then utilized in various magical rituals and readily traded for cash.
However, this practice was based on the assumption of modest quantities of gold, which could be introduced into the Tessia Kingdom's market without causing upheaval. Furthermore, they couldn't divulge Daniel's concealed intentions to the general populace.
Most individuals in the Tessia Kingdom had been deliberately kept oblivious to matters of economics and state administration, a strategy that facilitated their governance. Exposing these intricacies would require educating the masses, which was contrary to the royal family interests.
Additionally, they couldn't risk one of their own revealing this information. The royal family had ingrained the perception of gold as a symbol of sincerity and irrevocably intertwined it with their grandeur and image. Consequently, anyone exposing this clandestine maneuver was gravely imperiled by the stringent lese majeste law, deliberately enacted to suppress dissent among their population.
The royal family's intensive propaganda had successfully indoctrinated many Tessia Kingdom residents, who eagerly demonstrated their loyalty by wielding this law as a punitive weapon against anyone perceived as slighting the Tessia royal family. Thus, the prospect of anyone stepping forward to expose the truth remained remote.
In Lucian's shoes, there existed no alternative but to begrudgingly accept Daniel's cunning maneuver. The urgency of the situation compelled him to expedite the transfer of the city to Daniel, given that Daniel had already arranged for the full payment. While he could have potentially negotiated with the Hightower, Since they also need gold for their magical rituals, but the exchange rate would likely be far less favorable than what the royal family typically commanded in the Tessia Kingdom's gold market. This realization left Lucian feeling both unwilling and deeply frustrated.
Furthermore, with Lucian's magical powers sealed, his standing in Cyrus Ashborn's eyes continued to diminish. Neither of them had discovered a means to unseal Daniel's powers, and their pride prevented either from approaching Daniel to request his assistance. This impasse left Lucian with no discernible way out of this predicament, a reality that weighed heavily upon him.
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