CH276 Monopolistic Ambition

***

It was no wonder Pinchcoin and Haggleworth were left in awe of Alex's money-making capabilities.

After all, what could be better than convincing someone to hand over their most valuable asset, and as well have them pay you for the privilege of taking it?

The eyes of the two gnomes had been pried open to a new world… the world of monopolistic capitalism.

"Once I expand my library, especially if I can secure the archives of the major associations—Alchemy, Forgesmith, Runesmith, Swordsmen, Archery, Martial, and Mage—I'll finally have enough data to let OmniRune autonomously train the two Sub-AIs I need." Alex's thoughts brimmed with certainty.

"I'll only need to monitor their progress."

He allowed himself a smile.

"I am finally beginning to reap the benefits of spending so many years on OmniRune. And this is just the beginning."

Taking up the paper marked with the Rune-Net Expansion header, Alex jotted down a new note.

He and Haggleworth had previously discussed sourcing training materials and textbooks for the School Alex was having built. At the time, they had agreed to rely on the Enclave's public library as the foundation. But now, Alex's ambitions stretched far higher.

"If I can obtain the libraries and databases of every major organisation in the world, I'll become the owner of the one of –if not—the most comprehensive knowledge repository on the continent. From there, generating tailored learning materials for my academy will be trivial. In fact…" His grin widened, "…our standards might surpass even the continent's premier academies."

He stepped back, satisfied.

"And to think, I wouldn't have come up with this if not for the pressure of limited time. Truly, opportunity walks hand-in-hand with adversity—one only needs the boldness to seize it from adversity's jaws."

Indeed, had it not been for Earl Drake's imposed urgency, Alex would likely still be grinding away at each problem in isolation, solving them one at a time. Now, he had found a solution that struck them all down in a single stroke.

They say innovation is born from either laziness or constraint. Alex was beginning to see the truth in that saying.

"It will be best if I can secure information on Magic Armours, craftsmanship recipes, runic inscriptions, and Array formation designs." His eyes gleamed with intensity.

"With knowledge of Magic Armours, I can begin tailoring my Tier III Rune Tattoos to rival them. I can already imagine specialized tattoo archetypes: Knight-type tattoos, Mage-type tattoos, even Hunter-type tattoos—perfect for the Fangs, who will likely form the backbone of my proposed Special Operations unit. Not to mention, such intel will let me dip my toes into Magic Armour design well before Wilbert matures into a true Magic Armour smith in a few years."

"Alchemy, Forgesmithing, and Runesmithing recipes will be invaluable for my journeys to the distant planes. After all, what makes Pangea superior to other realms if not its mature magical and metaphysical technology? Having a library of advanced techniques in a lower world is an advantage not to be underestimated."

He tapped his quill against the parchment, his grin widening.

"With more Array designs, I can expand my catalogue of formations. And with the limitations on my Rune-Tech platform now lifted, just that alone can refine my Rune Tattoos and Spells—not to mention the higher-grade Arrays I'll eventually design. The possibilities are endless. I can already nurse ambitions of formations beyond what this world has ever seen."

Alex couldn't help feeling giddy. Without delay, he exited the Sanctuary's pocket dimension.

He quickly drafted a message and sent it to Pinchcoin and Haggleworth, raising the timeline for the continent-wide rollout of Rune-Net servers.

Moments later, Haggleworth called back.

"Young Master Alex, I've reached out to my contacts within the major organisations. While they are intrigued by the product, they aren't overly eager. There is still reluctance on their side."

"Makes sense," Alex replied without missing a beat. "As far as they're concerned, this is still untested technology. They've yet to see it."

"Should we market it as already being used by the Enclave?" Haggleworth suggested.

Alex shook his head firmly.

"No. I don't want the Palace tied too closely to the Enclave. Endorsement is one thing, but if the Palace is seen as a subordinate organisation, we'll end up in political waters I'd rather avoid."

"Understood, Chairman." Haggleworth adjusted smoothly. "If you prefer a purely business route, then might I suggest an auction? If we can pit the major organisations against each other, it will force them to buy the servers—likely at an even higher price."

Alex's lips curved in approval.

"In that case, we'll either need artificial scarcity to make the buyers feel they're acquiring something exclusive…"

His eyes gleamed as a sharper thought struck him.

"…or better yet, we can place a truly premium product up for auction. Something that will showcase the high calibre of our catalogue. If we can impress their representatives in that moment, their purse strings will loosen of their own accord."

"May I suggest we use both strategies, sir?" Haggleworth countered smoothly.

Alex raised a brow.

"Oh? And what do you have in mind?"

"We can use a premium product—if we have one—to draw as many faces to the auction as possible. Then, with such high attendance, we'll release a limited number of servers for bidding, announcing that the auction's final price will determine the baseline price of the servers afterwards—say, a 30% increase post-auction."

Haggleworth's tone carried a spark of excitement as he added,

"Furthermore, only those who successfully bid for servers will be granted the privilege of entering the final round—to bid on the premium product that will serve as the climax of the event. That alone will drive them into a frenzy."

Alex took a moment to consider the idea carefully before eventually agreeing.

"Not a bad idea at all, Haggleworth. But for it to work, we'll need to ensure the attendance is broad enough—especially organisations with rivalries or old grudges. That way, we prevent any chance of collusion in the background. Without it, those sly old foxes who will represent the organisation will definitely try to seize any chance to take advantage of us, if they can."

"You needn't worry, Chairman," Haggleworth assured with quiet confidence. "I'll make certain every major power on the continent is accounted for."

"The real challenge, then," Alex murmured, "is the bait. The premium product must be extraordinary. Something ordinary won't catch the eye of Royals, Grand Duchies, or Council members."

"Indeed, Chairman," Haggleworth agreed. "While our recent acquisitions are respectable, they pale in comparison to what's required to truly captivate the top echelon."

Silence hung for a moment as Alex tapped his finger against the study's table, deep in thought. Then his eyes lit up.

"Oh, yes. I might just have the thing."

Haggleworth's voice sharpened with intrigue.

"Really, Chairman?"

Alex smirked.

"I think so. Start spreading signals about the event. I'll confirm within a few days whether my plan will pan out."

"Understood, Chairman." With that, the call ended.

Alex immediately retreated back into his Sanctuary pocket dimension. He rifled through the rune table until he found a particular sheet of parchment.

Unlike his other notes, this paper carried no title. Yet a glance at the repeated terms across it made its subject clear…

Interspatial Storage.

Alex's lips curled into a grin.

His plan to bait the Royals was simple: create a unique interspatial storage artefact.

Simple in theory.

…If only it were truly that simple in practice.

***

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