Chapter 1251 - 1176: The Calamity of Dam City
"Breaking news, breaking news, suspected pirates or sea monsters near David Reef, all passing merchant ships please reroute..."
A voice, crackling with static, echoed across the port from the lighthouse on the dark rocky coast of Dam City.
The sea mist shivered, lead clouds dispersed, and under the dark skies, morning sunlight was nowhere to be seen.
On the dim docks, sailors, porters, and brokers all raised their heads, gazing at the towering lighthouse from where the sound came.
The person in the lighthouse wasn’t yelling loudly, yet his ordinary broadcasting voice was enough for the entire port to hear.
This is a new invention by the alchemist from Windmill Land, now acquired and controlled by the Falan Royal Family.
Charles personally named it "Horn" (phonetic translation), because its shape resembles a trumpet flower.
This is something the Holy Alliance hasn’t developed; instead, it was studied by the alchemist in Leia.
It’s roughly the size of a wardrobe, essentially transmitting mana, covering layers of demon bat wing membranes to broadcast sound.
Leia looked toward the lighthouse, then at the sparse crowd on the dock, and sighed.
He picked up a newspaper, looking at the headline "Shock! Pope actually with four Witches...", for a moment struck speechless.
The news of Horn marrying four Saintesses had already spread throughout the empire.
In recent days, various conservative and Divine Essence Sect newspapers wanted to cast Horn, the Pope, into Fire Prison, nailed to the cross.
But what can be done? What now?
How many legions does the Pope have? How many legions do your Divine Essence Sect conservatives have?
After previous events and the encouragement from Dawn Island, Leia’s stance gradually shifted towards the Holy Alliance.
Since the Holy Alliance helped Dawn Island gain independence, wouldn’t it be normal to help us Windmill Land become independent too?
Speaking of close ties, their Windmill Land’s Saint Father’s Association is managed by the next Truth Elder, Armand.
It’s a pity that at first, a wrong judgment was made, which slightly annoyed the Saint’s Grandson.
But Leia is confident that if the Holy Alliance truly wishes for Windmill Land’s well-being, they will surely employ him.
He might not be the future Shepherd Leader of Windmill Land, but Windmill Land must become independent.
Never again wanting to lower his head.
From the port into the town, he hadn’t walked far when Leia saw a swelling crowd from street end to street beginning.
Bankers in elegant formal attire, brokers in silk vests, and even shopkeepers and employees dressed up.
They crowded at the entrance of Dam City Stock Exchange, stood under colonnades, shouting loudly, like a storm confined to the street.
Isn’t it just five o’clock? Where did so many people come from on the street?
Leia was initially stunned, then came to realization.
Today is the issuance day for the Holy Alliance’s Dragon Sleep Mountain Range railway stocks.
These bustling brokers, bankers, even shopkeepers, and employees taking leave are here for the new shares.
Anyone with eyes and brains knows this railway can drive and profit the development of numerous industries.
Though the railway is a novelty, the Holy Alliance Government guarantees it.
Dividends are between 6% to 8%!
Though not as profitable as high-interest loans, the risk isn’t as high either.
Normal high-interest loans only allow minor nobles to earn from small citizens and middle-classers.
Who can lend out high-interest loans of several thousand or tens of thousands of pounds? Who dares to lend it out?
Leaving them at home only gathers dust, and now with grain prices plunging and inflation soaring, keeping them at home is a loss.
Naturally, it must be taken out to profit, at least balance out the inflated prices.
The Holy Alliance’s national bonds and industrial bonds were originally among them, not only balancing inflation but earning slightly.
No wonder Charles cursed the Falan people for crazily buying Holy Alliance bonds, as those bonds were the only place to ensure assets don’t depreciate!
Otherwise, funds and talents from the entire empire would flock to the Holy Alliance?
Not only can they appreciate, but you can also be promoted.
But with more and more buyers of Holy Alliance national and industrial bonds, interest rates have continuously decreased annually, now only ensuring assets don’t depreciate.
The old nobility and rentier class started to grow anxious again, seeking newer fields for profit.
Isn’t it just fortunate timing now?
The Holy Alliance’s Dragon Sleep Mountain Range Vincent Railway Company issued the latest stocks, each share 1000 Dinar, paid over ten installments.
Like a chain explosion, this news immediately spread along waterways and major streets.
Though Windmill Land is far away, it’s definitely not the last to learn the news.
With the speculative character and customs of Windmill Land, would they let such an opportunity pass?
Even if there’s risk, first they must hype it up, then reap a wave.
The speculators and rentier class’s only concern was fearing it was a scam.
Over the past decade, the Leia Region has been relatively stable, but the Falan Region has seen a tumultuous ten years in the financial sector.
Charles VIII modeled after the Holy Alliance, reforming exchanges across the regions in an attempt to replicate the financial miracles of the Holy Alliance’s rise.
Unfortunately, his ancestors left him a heavy historical burden—credibility was too low.
Even though reforms were made, they were ineffective because the Falan Royal Family fundamentally lacked national credit.
The King’s power was too immense; if he wished to default, he would do so, with precedent for defaulting, and people did not trust the royal family.
Thus, these reformed exchanges became the front lines for Holy Alliance bonds and stocks to attack the Falan financial sectors.
Regardless, these reforms provided ample venues for financial activity.
Therefore, various classic financial scams began to unfold; a relatively simple one being discovering mines-raising funds-extracting-high dividends-buyers entering-issues running-buyers flying to conclude.
Having suffered losses for several years, people became somewhat wary.
But this caution melted like snow and ice under the glow of the Holy Alliance Kingdom’s Expo.
Many people, mostly city citizens and wealthy rural classes, witnessed or even personally rode the spring machine.
Imagining that if the spring machine could pass through the Dragon Sleep Mountain Range’s pass and directly reach Norn, it was akin to establishing a new trade route, immeasurably shorter than the water route.
"How much can the Holy Alliance benefit from this? And what can we gain from it?" Lemmings looked ominously at the crowd before him.
He always believed that for Windmill Land to truly become independent and prosper, the most important thing was to eliminate this speculative atmosphere.
This was the poison in Windmill Land people’s veins.
It brought them immense wealth and adventurous spirit, yet equally cultivated a mindset of insufficient diligence and a tendency to take shortcuts among Windmill Land’s petty bourgeoisie.
The cowardice of Windmill Land people was different from that of Thousand River Valley people.
The latter were cowardly because of the past, while the former were cowardly in waiting for the future.
If they do not overcome this flaw, they will never become independent.
"Woo—" A bizarre cacophony broke Lemmings’ train of thought.
Frowning, he looked toward the sea, wondering what sound that was.
Yet after a while, he still couldn’t make sense of it, so he simply shook his head and left.
Halfway through, he began drafting a new article, specifically critiquing Windmill Land people’s speculative habits.
Perhaps begin with the tulip mania from a few years ago.
Despite the railway stocks right at hand, Lemmings decided to avoid confronting them directly for now.
After all, he still needed their assistance in training troops and diplomatic support for independence in the future.
"Woo—"
The sound interrupted Lemmings’ thoughts once again.
Turning around again, the sound seemed to come from the seashore near the port.
Feeling something amiss, he rolled up his newspaper and trotted through the alley back to the main street.
The sky was still dark, and the sea fog hung thickly, obscuring vision.
Yet beyond the fog, there seemed to be a shadow of a large ship.
Not only Lemmings, but many residents and café guests came out, puzzled by the scene at sea.
Apart from those still queuing for new trades, people were perplexed.
What was that sound?
Was it a ship?
"No, no way!" Lemmings shouted, feeling his throat tighten.
That was no sea vessel, no mere ship!
The shadow behind the fog intensified, its shape unlike a ship but akin to an iceberg.
Before the crowd could unravel the mystery, accompanied by a tearing sound, a massive tentacle ripped through the dense fog.
The mist clung to its fleshy suction cups, trailing backward endlessly.
With a loud crash, the lighthouse at the harbor was severed in half.
The lighthouse keeper screamed as he fell from a height, with a cloud of dust ending in silence.
What sort of massive creature was that? Lemmings lifted his head.
Dark smoke billowed, drifting over its dark green skin and knotted muscles.
Every time a tentacle was raised, it crashed into a building, sending bricks and tiles flying, sweeping a beam aside to send dozens of people flying, reduced to mincemeat and shattered bones.
With a head the size of a house and tentacles longer than a battleship, it was surprisingly a giant octopus.
Its eyebrow-less head featured two lighthouse-like eyes, staring directly at everything before it.
It gazed over everything like a king, and it gazed at Lemmings.
Lemmings’ heart nearly stopped.