Restart:Untalented Man

Chapter 151 Visitation

?"What brought you here, your majesty?" Luis asked. His secretary comes in with two cups of tea shortly after.

"Just doing a brief visitation. I had some free time today so I thought I could check up on you guys. Care to tell me how my financial company is faring these days?"

Riz could guess he would hear a piece of good news by simply looking at Luis's face brightened up. He wondered how this man handled negotiation if he couldn't keep a poker face.

"The company has flourished in recent years." Luis got up to his feet and walked to his desk. His hand is searching for something among the towering files. Once he found it, he passed a file to the king. "Here, take a look."

Riz grabbed the file and promptly opened it.

The file Luis gave contains the current circumstance of his financial company. According to the report, his Royal Bank has been established outside the kingdom. Naharog, Tetherswest, Vofors, Bagyarosia and Inver. Only Cerdeauxia manages to block their expansion there.

He was not surprised. That republic has a strong financial system and Matthew does not give him any chance to enter the nation.

"Doesn't this mean we dominated currency in these places?"

"Yes, your majesty. It is a well-known fact that Royal Bank only issued Ryn currency. If a person wants to withdraw their deposited money, they'll get the money in our currencies."

"Did we receive any resistance about this? Currency is a pretty important topic for independent countries." Riz asked. He has stationed many of his spies throughout neighbouring countries to thwart their attempts to create their currency.

However, he doesn't know how long his action would be effective. Suspicion will surely arise when everyone who raised this issue is suddenly killed or disappeared.

Luis shook his head, "No. Given the fact, we export a lot of goods, merchants are in favour of using our currency to trade. As it is widely used among merchants, common people follow the suit as well. However..."

"What?" Riz frowned Did his thought just jinx the problem?

"Recently, there are talks in the streets of Naharog about the proposal to make people store their money in church instead of our bank. We don't know what degree the level of seriousness is."

Riz mumbled in an audible low voice, "So they've begun to move, huh."

He had known those dragon worshippers won't stop at spreading their religion alone. Now, they began to demand a right to keep the coin safe. Next, they'll demand the right to issue their currency. Then, what's next? Would they try to strangle the monarch with financial and public opinion?

"Operate the bank like usual. Leave the investigation to me." He returns to read the document in the file. This time is about the student loan.

In general, there are currently 20,402 students enrolled in university. 18,362 students applied for a student loan. In terms of both grade and practical results, each of them is outstanding. With an average tuition fee of 5,000 Ryn for four years, the bank expects to get the money back in two years.

He continued his reading page by page. No matter how trivial the content is, he never skips it. Contrary to the outside of Luis's office, the atmosphere inside is now very quiet. Only the sipping noise Riz made once in a while was heard. After forty minutes or so, he handed the file back.

Luis took the file back, but he had something else to say, "Your Majesty, the bank received a formal letter from the King of Inver."

Surprised plastered on his face, "That's something I didn't expect. What did he want?"

"He wants to take a loan from our bank. A total gold worth 10 million Ryn. Should we accept it?" Luis asked.

"Is it because of the war? Does the bank even have that much money?" Riz answered a question with a question.

Slowly, Luis nods his head, "Yes, we believe the reason behind the request is war. And we do, actually have that amount of money."

"Then, why not? You can negotiate with him by yourself. 10 million is too much in my opinion. Try to reduce the amount of money given while maximizing the gains on our side. The payment doesn't have to be in terms of money. It can be in terms of ores which are abundant in their kingdom."

"Understood, your majesty. You can leave it to me. Is there anything else you wish to know?"

"None, you've written everything in detail." Pointing his finger upward, Riz said, "I'm going upstairs and see Charles."

"Let me escort—"

"You don't have to. I can go on my own." Riz rejected the offer. He steps out of Luis's office and makes his way there.

....

2nd Floor, Gatharix HQ.

Perhaps because Charles had heard about the king's arrival, the door to his office was wide open. Charles himself is waiting for his arrival. "Please come in, your majesty."

"Sure." He then stops Charles, "And no need to make me a drink. I already had a cup of tea at Luis's office."

"If you say so...Would you like to see the performance of Gatharix Steel?"

Riz nods, "Words sure travel fast. You're right, let me see it."

"Here." Charles Waine, the current manager of Gatharix Steel passed a thick file to him. Thicker than the previous file on the first floor. He already expected that.

Around a year ago, he decided to separate the iron and steel division from Gatharix Mining Company into Gatharix Steel. With that decision, its manager, Charles Waine also elevates to the position of a head manager like Luis.

Due to steel slowly becoming one of the most common materials, letting it under his mining company may hinder its growth prospect.

His decision proves to be right when Gatharix Steel expands rapidly. At present, they offered plain carbon steel, wrought steel, weathering steel and stainless steel.

Not long that, a problem occurs. The only known mine located in Coreton, Ryntum was exhausted.

As he already foresees this circumstance, the company operation doesn't get affected too much. He has diversified the company's source of raw materials. Mainly, from Inver and Sidgean.

Another note to mention, the Gatharix-Coreton Steel Mill as he named it has undergone a massive expansion to become an integrated steel mill. The mill is covered from receiving raw materials to iron making, steel making, casting, roughing rolling and product rolling.

He also added storage for various materials and products, shipping area, mill administration, workers' welfare, maintenance and lastly safety and security. Right now, the plant has covered a total area of 1,000 acres.

"So, you think 2 million tons a year is not sufficient?" Riz asked Charles.

"Yes, your majesty. The demand grows larger and larger. In the future, we'll have a shortage of steel to supply to the market. Since we're the only producer of cheap steel, our shortage will cause a tremendous impact on the continental market."

"It's certainly not enough to meet the demand in the future." If he is not mistaken, steel production output during the industrial revolution could go as high as hundreds of million tons. "Building a new steel mill is an expensive capital expenditure. Based on this report, we do have money to build another mill. The problem is the location."

"Do not worry about the location, I've one place in mind."

Riz exclaimed, "Oh!!..." It seems like Charles has thought this through before bringing up this topic to him, "...Tell me about the location."

"I think an area around southern Baroks would be suitable for the new mill. That place is near Inver and the coal mine in Rogvor, so the cost of transportation would be cheaper. Since we have optimized the Coreton mill, we just have to build by following the same layout."

"Sure, you have my permission. Make it happen." They then proceed with discussing miscellaneous issues happening in the steel company.

An hour later, Riz rises from his seat and walks out of Charles's office.

As he had done just now, he moved to the third floor where the Gatherix Mining Company was located.

Jason Patterson, the head manager was given the responsibility to find mines and buy them. His kingdom lacks minerals yet they need tons of them. Anyone can see this weakness as clearly as the day.

Often, they had to face obstacles from people who wanted to take advantage. To solve this, he uses the most efficient and effective method. The 'hard' way.

On the fourth floor, he meets with Emily Emiliano, the head manager of Gatharix Paper and Publishing Company.

Two years ago, a bold move to patent the printing press allowed his people to gain access to his blueprint, which allows them to start their own publishing company. Because of that, the number of entertainment types of books published increased exponentially.

To prevent any false knowledge spread, any academic books need to be written permission from the ministry of education before they can be published.

As for newspaper publication, Riz still maintains total control under the reason of preventing fake news, confusion and chaos. Not that he'll give up his control over the media so easily.

Numerous emerging competitors didn't perturb Emily in the slightest.

She manages to retain the title of number one publisher by introducing the categorization of book genres such as fantasy, romance, horror etc to help both authors and readers find a genre that suits their taste.

The meeting he spent with the head managers of the remaining company isn't that long though.

A fifth floor is just a place where the clerks of Gatharix Weapon handle the paperwork. The pivotal figure of his weapon company is in another place.

The sixth floor to the eighth floor remains vacant for now while the ninth floor is his office.

Nothing much he can obtain there.