Back at the dormitory, Luo Miu activated the brooch’s built-in inquiry function to observe the market’s reaction.
Almost all materials had begun to show small but steady increases, with Silver Bell Marrow—his main target—soaring by a full twenty percent!
“It seems the first wave of shop goods really was cleared out.”
Luo Miu wasn’t at all surprised by this result.
The game’s store used a tiered pricing system.
When players emptied out a particular material, the price wouldn’t drop for a while; instead, it would rise step by step through each tier.
Stage one was at the normal price, while stages two and three each saw a twenty percent increase.
Once the third stage was cleared, the store would enter a two-game-week restock period.
During that time, it would be impossible to buy the alchemy material from the Academy’s official channel.
In other words, after that, materials would only be obtainable from the secondary market.
This time, Luo Miu had set his sights on the material crisis in the main storyline and the timing gap between shop refreshes.
On top of that, Kaixiya had already started collecting quests, and next weekend the Academy would be announcing the second round of exams…
It was simply the perfect hand!
“Good steel should be used where it counts, Sylvia.”
Even though they had bought in bulk, Luo Miu didn’t see any flaw in her strategy.
With abundant capital, and purchases made at just the right time and for just the right items to meet group demand.
However, as a high-level Alchemist, Sylvia usually got her Silver Bell Marrow directly from the alchemy workshop’s supply.
So, it was difficult for her to immediately realize what Luo Miu’s real target was.
Plus, with Ibuki Rei as the intermediary… losing a bit of initiative was only natural.
But… who said Luo Miu’s only supply was the market?
“Thank you, Professor, for your generous gift.”
Shutting off the brooch, Luo Miu felt his whole body relax.
Having both goods and money in hand truly was the best stress reliever!
Now, the biggest variable left was that trade caravan far away on the border of Russell.
According to the game’s original plot, they’d lose their way in a snowstorm, encounter bandits, and disappear.
Which meant the timing Luo Miu had chosen for his sell-off would perfectly match the market’s demand, allowing him to unload quickly at a high price.
The market reaction from the sell-off would also impact the value of the materials Sylvia held.
Even with a conservative estimate, he’d be able to win seventy percent of Sylvia’s profits.
As for an even more dramatic result?
Unless someone, regardless of the cost, helped me snowball my gains into an avalanche…
No, impossible.
Where would you find such a living Buddha in this world?
“I’m just here to make money, not to have her act like my lackey.”
Luo Miu shook his head with a wry smile and closed his eyes, letting his consciousness sink into the Secret Chamber of the Illusory Sea.
“Let’s see if there’s any new bug to exploit today…”
*****
At the same time, in the Eastern Dormitory District, within Ibuki Rei’s courtyard.
Cherry blossoms drifted down like snow, a subtle fragrance wafting in the air.
Yet the atmosphere on either side of the stone table was colder than the night outside.
“Lady Kafnir.”
Ibuki Rei pushed the brooch’s projected screen to the center of the table, the “Silver Bell Marrow” price curve glaring in red.
“Lord Luo Miu’s designated final sell-off day is thirteen days from now.”
“We must ensure the caravan arrives at the Academy’s teleportation array no earlier than the afternoon of the thirteenth.”
“The other side has already started locking down the market. We have no leeway to make money from reselling. This one strike must decide the winner.”
“There’s no need to worry about the caravan.”
Karenina picked up her teacup, the warm tea steaming gently between her pale fingers.
“I’ll make sure they appear at just the right time, in just the right place.”
Her gaze landed on Ibuki Rei, tinged with an appraising sharpness.
This Eastern woman was far from simple.
Whether it was her unfathomable martial skill, or the keen business sense she was displaying right now, both were far beyond ordinary.
Even in the Russell court, it would be hard to find someone so well-rounded.
And yet, such a person obeyed Luo Miu’s every word.
“He seems to trust you greatly.” Karenina set her teacup down, her voice cool. “Why?”
“I dare not presume to guess Lord Luo Miu’s thoughts.”
Ibuki Rei did not avoid the probing gaze, answering calmly.
“I simply wish to do this—I wish to see for myself the landscape he points toward, nothing more.”
“Of your own free will, then…”
Karenina murmured, accepting the answer:
“That’s just like him.”
Since the classes were divided, she hadn’t received any “test questions” from that man for two days now.
And today, Ibuki Rei came with his “plan.”
That in itself was a new trial.
“Did he tell you to do this?”
“His guidance is never spoken outright.” Ibuki Rei bowed slightly. “Surely, Lady Kafnir, you understand that well.”
“But I have his permission to act in Lord Luo Miu’s name.”
“That is enough.”
Ibuki Rei was certain she had not misread Luo Miu’s intentions.
“Hah, truly a man shrouded in mystery.”
Karenina’s brows finally eased.
She, too, was a test subject.
Karenina sensed it: Ibuki Rei had also been chosen by that man as a “candidate.”
And this time, the target was the Valentin family—the Russell Empire’s open and hidden enemy for a hundred years.
Luo Miu had even calculated with precision that the key to controlling the caravan lay within the power she, the Princess of Russell, could wield!
Could there really be such a terrifying coincidence in this world?
Impossible.
From the moment he drew Ibuki Rei into his team as a “prize,” today’s game had already been set.
“No wonder… he’s Mother’s examiner.”
Karenina muttered quietly, her heart a whirl of emotions.
That man was even younger than she was.
Yet he already stood at a height unreachable by most, doing things no one could see through—plans enough to influence an entire Academy.
To match wits with him was like grasping a magic sword with a will of its own.
Follow its edge, and you could cut down anything; but defy it, and the first to be devoured would be the sword-bearer herself.
“By the way, you mentioned before that he added a proportional clause to the contract.”
Ibuki Rei recalled their previous conversation and analyzed:
“I think he did it not only to encourage the other party to sign, but also to test the squad’s teamwork.”
“Proportion… Seems it’s also one of the grading criteria.”
“That’s what I think as well.” Ibuki Rei nodded.
“Very good.”
Karenina showed not the slightest hint of retreat.
Since the test had begun, there was only one answer.
Go all out, show the examiner proper respect, and win this wager by the greatest possible margin.
That was certainly his intention.
“Timing. Timing is everything. If this is a test, then waiting passively is not what we should do.”
Karenina pressed further:
“We have to make sure the goods in Luo Miu’s hands fetch the absolute highest price, not just something reasonable.”
“The very moment he’s sold everything and the demand is filled, the caravan arrives—signaling the bursting of the bubble.”
“Only then will it count as a real answer.”