The bank run came quickly, though it wasn’t exactly unforeseen.
With the Empire shifting its focus toward development in Amellia, a massive cash flow was inevitably redirected there. On top of that, the Empire implemented a currency purification policy in Amellia—exchanging local foreign currencies for the Empire’s own currency, the Gael, to ensure monetary uniformity.
The policy itself wasn’t flawed; in fact, it greatly facilitated the Empire’s control over the region. But it also created new problems.
Currency in the Empire’s mainland started to shrink. Suddenly, a new territory with nearly eight million people was added to the system. If each person held just 100 Gaels, that alone would drain 800 million from the Empire’s cash reserves.
Doesn’t sound like much?
True—if a nation can’t spare 800 million Gaels, it’s either very small or already collapsing.
But the Empire was neither. And the people in Amellia didn’t just hold 100 Gaels each. Some had less, but many had far more. Add to that the influx of capital, merchant funds, and bank cash flow—the mainland began to resemble a malnourished, pale man, visibly unhealthy beneath the skin.
The cash shortage in the mainland was reflected everywhere. The Empire delayed payments on foreign war bonds and even considered defaulting. Domestically, it tried to force excess goods into foreign markets, including the Federation, through aggressive trade negotiations.
All of this pointed to one thing: a currency crisis.
The fastest way to solve it would be to print more money. But printing money would devalue the currency. The Gael-to-Sol exchange rate had already hit a record low, while the Empire still relied heavily on imports.
Most domestic resources were already exhausted. Though Amellia was rich in copper, that was just copper. Military manufacturing required a wide range of metals. Just one battleship’s construction and ammunition needs forced the Empire to import vast quantities of metal ore.
Considering all these factors, the Empire’s government chose not to print new money in the short term. Instead, they opted to ride it out until the situation stabilized.
Of course, this was also partly because the Emperor wanted his portrait on the new banknotes—a proposal the ministers opposed.
The cash shortage had always been there; now it had simply exploded.
It had been three days since the bank run began.
In that time, the Finance Minister, the Emperor, and other ministers had been scrambling to calm the situation.
But some problems can’t be solved with public statements—especially issues that affect personal wealth. People become irrational and panicked.
As Lynch predicted, the Gephra Financial Index began to plummet. Major companies couldn’t withdraw funds from banks. To shield themselves from the sudden storm, they needed cash—lots of it.
Where could they get cash?
Answer: the stock market.
Just days ago, they were buying back shares. Now, they were dumping them.
Heavily indebted companies, pressured by banks to repay loans, began liquidating assets as well.
It was like a flood. To survive, everyone had to climb higher—whether on strangers’ shoulders or their own. They had no choice anymore.
All that remained was instinct—the will to survive.
Some wept in despair. Others celebrated their gains.
The wine in their glasses was as red as freshly drawn blood. Men and women danced wildly. Famous socialites strutted around in revealing outfits, flirting without inhibition.
The entire house was steeped in a strange mixture of smells—alcohol, tobacco, incense, sweat, and a flood of hormones.
Lynch stood by the second-floor railing, chatting. Even in that short time, he saw several men disappear with one or more women from the hall.
After making absurd amounts of money, indulgence was inevitable.
This was just a gathering of minor nobles, a fringe group—but its allure was unmatched.
The young Count had merely hinted at throwing a celebration, and his office was flooded with calls from people begging for invitations.
In the face of financial disaster, even power bowed to wealth.
“To Lynch!”
Suddenly, the young Count on the first floor raised his glass. His face lit with manic devotion, as if he were worshipping a god. His eyes practically glowed as he looked up at Lynch.
The guests followed, lifting their glasses toward the second-floor corridor. Lynch raised his own and smiled in acknowledgment.
Jania looked on with a trace of emotion. Setting her glass down, she said, “They respect you deeply. They even admire you.”
Lynch smiled, as if it were only natural. “If I can make everyone rich, then I’m a god.”
Arrogant as it sounded, there was no trace of false modesty in him. Another might have seemed pompous, but to Jania, it felt just right. Lynch possessed a charm unlike anything she’d seen—something entirely separate from power.
She exhaled lightly, leaned forward with her arms on the railing. “So, what are you planning to do next?”
“Is that His Majesty speaking through you?” Lynch asked calmly.
Jania turned to look at him, her expression complex. Lynch was unlike anyone she had ever known. Even after months together, she still felt like she didn’t truly understand him.
“Aren’t you angry?” she asked. “Most men would be furious in this situation.”
That was her expectation—and most people’s. When a woman you’re close to suddenly helps someone else test you, it feels like betrayal.
Even the closest relationships might freeze under such circumstances.
But Lynch didn’t flinch.
“Why should I be angry?” he replied.
That rhetorical question caught Jania off guard. She kept her head turned toward Lynch, frozen for a couple of seconds, then shook her head. “I don’t know. I just thought it might hurt you.”
Lynch replied immediately, “I’m not that fragile. And you won’t hurt me.”
“Is it because I can’t get into your heart?” Jania asked suddenly—an unexpected question that even surprised herself.
She regretted it the moment it left her mouth. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
Lynch raised his hand to stop her. “You’re not entirely right, but you’re not wrong either.”
“Life is short. Just a few decades, tens of thousands of days. It feels like a lot, but it really isn’t.”
“Every time we sleep, we’re one step closer to the end. We’re all heading toward death. Why make the journey harder for ourselves?”
He swirled the wine in his glass. “I enjoy being with you. I believe you feel the same. But we’re adults living in a real world. We have to keep moving forward and also take care of responsibilities.”
“Let’s not let unhappy things ruin the happy ones.” He shifted his glass toward hers, and they clinked and drank together.
Whether she understood his meaning or came to her own realization, Jania became more direct.
“His Majesty asked me to find out how to solve the current problem.” She had thought this would be difficult to say, something to be approached delicately. But now, the burden seemed lighter.
Responsibility was one thing. Pleasure was another.
Everyone had tried to explain things, issue statements—but none of it worked.
Nearly all banks were in crisis, which meant the economic order itself had suffered massive, devastating damage.
If this wasn’t resolved soon, the Empire’s economy might collapse.
The Emperor had run out of options. It wasn’t the right time to announce the printing of new currency. So, he turned to Lynch.
Lynch sipped his wine, his tone relaxed. “The bank run and savings panic, simply put, come from fear that the banks are out of money. If the banks can show they still have cash, the panic ends.”
Jania stared at him. “The problem is, the banks don’t have money—unless we tap into the national treasury.”
She lied. The treasury didn’t have money either.
The Baylor Federation had just approved a massive slate of military projects. Gephra had done the same, along with new battleship plans. All of it required money—a lot of it.
There wasn’t enough in the treasury to solve this crisis. His Majesty didn’t even know how much was needed. If he released funds blindly and still couldn’t fix the issue, it would just waste money and worsen the situation. He felt like he’d lost control—and could only ask Lynch.
Lynch’s answer was so simple that Jania wasn’t sure if he was brushing her off.
“When I want to buy something but don’t have enough money, I borrow from someone else…”
“A country does the same.”
