Episode 170
Zeke looked at the pamphlet Boris had brought him, his expression one of disbelief.
The pamphlet detailed an upcoming investor presentation for the development of a blackstone mine.
Boris, who had compiled the information centered around Vincenzo Rossi as per Zeke’s instructions, spoke up.
“The company hosting this presentation is one of Vincenzo Rossi’s front companies.”
Zeke pondered for a moment before something clicked in his mind.
“Now that you mention it, Dario’s reputation as the ‘Steel King’ is partly due to his ventures in the mining industry.”
“Yes, he’s heavily invested in mining. What’s suspicious is that whenever Dario’s side entered a bid, rival companies often withdrew due to unexpected incidents.”
“The Nostra family must have had a hand in that.”
“Even if the other side suspected foul play, they couldn’t prove it. Most of the time, the representatives would suddenly die or fall ill.”
Zeke recalled hearing that Dusk had cursed Dario’s competitors.
“So they used curses for that. Crafty bunch. But does this blackstone mine project follow the same pattern?”
“Most likely. They gather investors to raise funds, use that money to bid for mining rights, eliminate competitors as I described, and then develop the mine. Later, they force high-stake investors into debt, seize their shares, and sell the mine at a high price.”
“They’re quite cunning when it comes to shady dealings.”
“Since mining is Dario’s main business, there’s a high chance Vincenzo himself will show up if we engage with this company.”
Zeke nodded.
“Alright. Apply as an investor under the name Zeke Murray. If they see the Mithril mine investment from Graham Bank, they’ll take the bait.”
“Understood.”
Boris prepared the documents and expressed interest in the investment presentation. The response was swift.
Surprisingly, Vincenzo Rossi himself reached out to arrange a meeting.
‘To catch a wolf, you have to enter its den.’
Helly was a city bustling with various corporations and trade guilds, boasting a plethora of renowned hotels.
Among them, the Siemens family’s 30-story skyscraper hotel stood as a landmark and symbol of wealth in Helly.
With his face altered by a cloak, Zeke headed to the Siemens Hotel’s sky lounge.
As he stepped out of the magical elevator, staff guided him to a private room.
Inside, a bald man rose to greet him.
“Mr. Murray! A pleasure to meet you. Welcome!”
The man was none other than Vincenzo Rossi.
Short and portly, Vincenzo extended his hand to Zeke.
With his face disguised, Zeke appeared as a businessman in his thirties. He shook Vincenzo’s hand, his voice deep and composed.
“Thank you for the invitation.”
Vincenzo offered Zeke a seat and ordered food.
Soon, staff brought out an array of unfamiliar dishes on lavish platters.
Vincenzo uncorked a rare wine, worth ten gold per bottle, and poured it for Zeke.
“I hope it suits your taste, Mr. Murray.”
Zeke savored the wine’s aroma and took a sip.
He nodded.
“Excellent. Is it from Jupiter Mountain?”
“You recognized it immediately.”
Zeke had merely read the wine’s details from a system display, but Vincenzo seemed impressed by his knowledge of fine wines.
As they dined, Zeke initiated the conversation.
“I was surprised to hear from you first. I thought I might be too late to get involved.”
Vincenzo waved his hand, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“Not at all! If you join as an investor, Mr. Murray, this venture is as good as secured.”
“That’s reassuring. I was fortunate with the Mithril mine, but I’ve heard blackstone is a different beast.”
Vincenzo nodded, agreeing with Zeke.
“Indeed. While Mithril is valuable, some consider blackstone the most precious mineral. It’s also known as fairy stone, more valuable than the finest magic stones. It has metallic properties and holds magic, making it ideal for crafting artifacts. Even when a vein is found, the yield is low, so it commands a high price.”
“Fascinating.”
Zeke prepared to cast his bait.
“Let me be direct. Is there a cap on this investment?”
Vincenzo was taken aback by the question.
“A cap, you say…?”
“I’ve been fortunate with recent ventures, including the Mithril mine through Graham Bank. My funds are accumulating, and you never know what might happen with money. I’d like to place it in a reliable investment.”
Vincenzo swallowed hard.
“Ha ha. A cap, you say. How much are you considering, Mr. Murray?”
“How about a million gold?”
Vincenzo nearly choked on his wine.
“A m-million?”
“Would that exceed the cap?”
Vincenzo dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief.
“Ha ha, a million gold. For that amount, I’d need to consult with the board.”
Zeke nodded.
“Of course. Take your time and let me know. If there are other promising investments, do tell. Graham Bank has offered favorable loans using the Mithril mine as collateral, so I can raise more funds.”
Vincenzo beamed at Zeke’s words.
To him, Zeke seemed like a nouveau riche who had struck it big with a single investment.
‘People like him can be easily swayed to pour money into investments without fully understanding them.’
Vincenzo put on his business smile.
“There are plenty of opportunities. I’ll prepare a guidebook for you.”
“Sounds good. I look forward to it.”
After finishing their meal, Zeke and Vincenzo shook hands and parted ways, promising to meet again.
Zeke left the hotel, boarding a waiting luxury carriage.
Once inside, he removed his cloak, reverting to his original appearance, and contacted Boris through a communication device installed in the carriage.
“Boris, can you hear me?”
It was a long-range communicator made with high-compression magic stones, arranged by Fainan.
―“Yes, boss. I hear you.”
“Is the bug we planted on Vincenzo working?”
―“Yes, we’re receiving the signal.”
“Good. I’ll be there soon.”
Zeke headed to a nearby luxury hotel.
He had already reserved a suite under the name Murray.
Upon reaching the suite, he found Boris adjusting the long-range communicator and relay device, eavesdropping on Vincenzo’s conversation.
“Boss, Vincenzo is on a crystal call.”
Zeke sat beside Boris, listening in.
―“Quick, get me a direct line to the boss! Hurry!”
Vincenzo’s urgent voice came through, followed by static and another voice.
―“What is it?”
―“Boss, I have news about the blackstone investment.”
There was only one person Vincenzo would call “boss.”
‘Dario Totlino.’
One of the bosses of the Nostra family, Dario was on the line.
Dario’s voice was laced with irritation.
―“You’re bothering me with this?”
―“W-well, someone has offered to invest a million gold in the blackstone project.”
―“A million?”
Dario’s tone shifted upon hearing the amount.
He responded slowly.
―“Tell me more.”
Vincenzo recounted the earlier meeting.
―“He’s a young businessman named Zeke Murray, the largest shareholder in the Mithril mine investment from Graham Bank. He’s a billionaire in his thirties, seemingly eager to find new mining investments after his recent success.”
―“Zeke Murray. The name sounds familiar. Is his background solid?”
―“You know how meticulous the Graham folks are. If they’ve vetted him, he’s clean.”
―“The blackstone project is a setup for a scam, and he’s willing to invest a million without thorough research?”
―“He even asked for other investment opportunities. He plans to leverage his Mithril mine for cash.”
Dario paused, considering Vincenzo’s words.
He spoke again.
―“Could it be a trap?”
―“We did some digging before the meeting and found nothing suspicious. He’s an immigrant from the north with Alensia citizenship. He seems to have ties with the Reinhardt Trading Company, but we’ll need to look into that further.”
―“Reinhardt Trading Company. They’re on the rise, even catching the Empire’s attention.”
―“Yes. If we reel him in with this project, we can assess his assets and eventually pull him into our pre-planned investment traps, possibly even acquiring the Mithril mine.”
The Mithril mine, successfully invested in by Graham Bank, held immense value.
If they could seize Zeke Murray’s shares, they could sell them for a hefty profit or pressure Graham Bank.
After some thought, Dario spoke slowly.
―“Have you set a follow-up meeting?”
―“Not yet. Should I reach out?”
―“Arrange a time. I’ll meet him myself.”
Vincenzo was taken aback by Dario’s decision.
―“You want to meet him personally, boss?”
―“My grandfather always said, to judge a person, you must look into their eyes. I’ll see for myself if he’s an asset or a liability to the family.”
As Zeke eavesdropped, a sly grin spread across his face when he heard that Dario Totlino himself was coming to Helia.
“This is going to be easier than I thought.”
Meeting Dario, the boss of the Nostra family and a renowned businessman, was no small feat.
Zeke turned to Boris. “We should strike when Dario arrives in Helia.”
“Are you planning to kidnap him?”
“There’s information we need to extract from him.”
Boris frowned. “Getting past his guards to kidnap him is one thing, but escaping the city is another. You know this is Siemens’ territory.”
Siemens, with its pro-Empire stance, would undoubtedly side with Dario, an Empire-affiliated businessman.
Zeke nodded. “I’ve got an escape route in mind.”
“Where to?”
Zeke pointed upward with his finger.
Boris looked surprised. “Up? You mean the sky?”
Zeke chuckled. “Exactly. We’ll take Dario and escape through the sky.”
A few days later, Zeke received another message from Vincenzo, inviting him once again to the Siemens Hotel.
As Zeke entered the hotel lobby, Vincenzo greeted him with a smile. “Welcome, Mr. Murray.”
After the warm greeting, Vincenzo leaned in and spoke quietly. “We have a special guest today.”
“Who might that be?”
“You might know him—Dario Totlino, the Steel King.”
Zeke’s eyes widened in surprise. “Isn’t he the Empire’s mining tycoon?”
Vincenzo nodded with a grin. “Yes. He has ties with our company, and when I mentioned you, he was intrigued. He’s here on business and wanted to meet you.”
Zeke grasped Vincenzo’s hand tightly. “My goodness, Mr. Rossi. Dario was my role model when I entered this industry. I can’t believe I’ll meet him in person.”
“Haha, Dario is also looking forward to meeting you. Let’s head up.”
The two took a secure elevator to the top floor, reserved for someone of Dario’s stature, far above the regular guest rooms.
As they stepped out, Zeke noticed the hallway was heavily guarded by members of the Nostra family and knights dispatched by the Siemens family.
“Anyone would think a king was visiting,” Zeke mused, assessing the guards’ skills.
Most were of the Purple Knight rank or lower. “Have they stationed the Blue Knights inside?” he wondered. The most troublesome were those with bloodline abilities, as their powers could vary widely.
At the door, Vincenzo’s assistant announced their arrival.
“Let them in,” came Dario’s voice from inside.
Following Vincenzo, Zeke entered slowly. But his eyes flickered with surprise.
Seated next to Dario was someone he hadn’t expected to see.