NOVEL WEB Chapter 18
It’s the basic fuel required for the operation of all kinds of artifacts and magic circles.
Depending on how you synthesize it with objects, you can create all sorts of useful magical substances.
It’s the stuff that powers all the trains, cars, trucks, ships, and even flying vessels in the Empire.
The source that lights up the magical lamps illuminating the streets of the Empire.
This basic necessity is used for the heating, cooling, cooking, and even heating bath water of the common folk.
And even now, mages are sweating and toiling to research it, continually increasing its usability in real-time.
That is the elixir.
I know nothing about economics.
But even I understand how much of a hot item elixir is, worth a whopping fortune.
It’s an absolute value that surpasses gold itself.
The reason why only the Arcal Empire and the desert kingdom of Tramata in the West are recognized as the only currencies throughout the continent is that these two countries are the only ones producing elixirs, allowing purchases of elixirs only with currencies that circulate in those two nations.
Anyway.
It’s filthy expensive and filthy useful.
Getting your hands on it means becoming rich is just a matter of time!
But why!!
Why is it bursting forth right in the middle of the abandoned factory in the slums of the capital! Why!!
Does this even make sense?
If there was a source of elixir in the heart of the capital, we couldn’t have missed it, right?
Elixir is worth so much!
People are out there with their eyes wide open, searching for it!
It was in the heart of the capital, and now they can’t find it, does that make any sense!!
“This is strange, Witch. Why has this source of elixir not been discovered until now?”
“The absorption stone is truly… truly enormous. I’ve never seen one this big before. It seems the absorption stone is swallowing all the mana waves of the elixir, which is why no one has discovered the source until now. The search for the elixir’s source fundamentally relies on detecting the faint mana waves that rise from the ground.”
“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Witch, what is the quantity of the source?”
“We need to conduct more precise scans to be sure, but judging by the amount that’s gushing out and the mana density contained within, there should be at least 100 billion barrels or more. This is the minimum estimate. There’s a good chance it’s much more. Generally, the more deposits there are, the higher the mana density and the easier it is to process. This is the elixir with the highest mana density I’ve seen to date.”
Everyone looks at me simultaneously.
Internally, I feel like I’m about to die.
But I can’t be making faces in front of everyone.
I smiled.
“This is a blessing.”
“Ah, holy one!! You really do know!!”
“I was wondering why you’d buy useless land!”
“You surely must have glimpsed greatness beneath the garbage and debris! Thank you, holy one!!”
Don’t talk to me.
This world must want to see me suffer under the goddess’s wrath.
In the blink of an eye, I’ve become the great saint who performs miracles again.
No!!
I want you all to fail!!
Why is business thriving!!
Please, call me a useless saint and leave me alone!
If only I could disappear without a trace and avoid getting struck by lightning!!
“But how will we monetize this gushing elixir?”
“That’s right. No one here has any expertise related to elixir.”
“And there’s no one here who has experience running a company.”
While everyone was in distress, my gaze was fixed on one person.
Yes!!
It’s not over yet!!
I’ve got Jonathan Karma, the legendary trash entrepreneur who ruined an entire doll factory!
If it’s you, you can definitely mess this up even with the elixir!! Absolutely!!
“Jonathan Karma, right?”
Everyone turned to look at Jonathan Karma.
Thanks to my body modification, I look clean, but with his shabby clothes he certainly doesn’t look like a successful entrepreneur.
It’s obvious.
Given that he’s looking like this at his age, he clearly lacks a sense for business.
Plus, he looks just like Scrooge.
He looks like he could embezzle and misappropriate just as easily as he breathes!!
Perfect!!
Embezzlement! Misappropriation!! Incompetence!!
He’s just the type of talent I need!!
“This must be divine guidance. Mr. Jonathan Karma. Please establish a company, process elixirs, and sell them. I believe you can definitely pull it off. I want no one but you. I think you are the one chosen for this moment.”
I spoke as clearly as possible for everyone to hear.
This way, when this guy ruins the company later, everybody will blame me!!
The moment he fails, I’m instantly the incompetent and corrupt saint they’ve always said I was!
Everyone will curse and leave, and then I’ll be safe from the goddess’s wrath!
At my words, Jonathan Karma trembled as if touched.
“…Fate is truly strange. When I struggled and desperately tried everything, I was pushed into hell. But now that I’ve given up everything, such an opportunity arises. I guess the saying that you need to be alive to grab opportunities truly means something.”
Jonathan Karma rises from his seat.
And he bows respectfully towards me.
“You’ve given me a new life, holy one. I will stake my life on making this a success. I will make you the richest in the Empire.”
I smiled with satisfaction.
Great.
Just look at that hot air he’s blowing.
It’s obvious he wants to gain trust and then crash and burn.
Richest in the Empire?
Isn’t that exactly what scammers love to say!
Perfect.
Mr. Scrooge.
Please go and ruin everything.
Just like you did with that doll factory.
“You can fail if you must. No matter how many times you fail, I will only use you. This is a bond formed by the goddess’s guidance.”
I laid down groundwork, that even if he messes up, I’d still force everyone to keep using him until they leave.
Even if Vice President Yodel gets so sick of it he drops dead.
Well done, Jonathan Karma.
Now go destroy the Lilia Church’s finances.
At my words, tears flowed from Jonathan’s eyes.
“I will… I will definitely succeed. Holy one, as you wish… Definitely.”
Yes. Yes.
Just go ahead and mess this up.
I approached Jonathan Karma with a grin and hugged him tight.
Fortunately, the chance of me dying under the goddess’s curse is still there.
***
After the conversation ended, the saint returned to heal the poor again.
The saint tirelessly treated person after person, never showing a hint of exhaustion, always sporting a smile.
Watching the saint quietly heal others felt like a halo was emanating from his head.
That’s a true saint.
Not only healing people but also caressing the hearts and souls within them.
Jonathan Karma gazed earnestly at the saint’s back for a while before finally beginning to walk.
“Witch. Excuse me. May I speak with you for a moment?”
First of all, Jonathan approached Erpa.
“I assume you heard what the holy one just said. Can you spare a moment? Please come to my house.”
“Of course.”
Erpa readily followed Jonathan to his home.
It was a shabby house, but Jonathan showed no shame.
He knew he could escape from such a place anytime.
“This is my wife Oliviera and my daughter Cecilia.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Witch Erpa from the Mage Tower.”
The four of them exchanged polite greetings and then sat around in the living room.
Jonathan explained the orders the saint had given him, and Oliviera and Cecilia nodded enthusiastically at his words.
“Of course!! Naturally!!”
“Let me help, Dad. I’m going to do it for the holy one!”
Seeing the two women passionately shouting, Jonathan nodded with approval.
“I knew this would happen. The Saint of Healing has healed us all. Not just our bodies, but our souls as well. We owe it to repay that grace. Let’s all be thankful for this chance that has come again.”
Jonathan’s words piqued Erpa’s curiosity.
“He healed my daughter’s illness.”
Jonathan explained everything that had happened to Erpa in calm tones, leaving her unable to hide her surprise.
“The rot disease is known for being incurable. To think such a disease could…”
“We spent all our assets on various medicines and treatments, but all we could do was slow its spread and reduce its contagion. Yet, he wiped it all away with a single gesture. I will undoubtedly repay the grace I’ve received from the saint.”
After making that statement, Jonathan looks at Erpa.
“We need various techniques for processing elixirs. The best way would be to recruit talented individuals who have conducted extensive research in elixir-related fields at the Mage Tower. I believe you would be able to recommend them.”
“Of course. The Mars Tower branch has many individuals with elixir-related expertise. Just the Tower Master Jurgen himself is one of the top experts in precision elixir processing in the entire continent.”
“Perfect! Please arrange a meeting with them. I would love to scout them as research staff for our company, but if that’s not possible, I’d like to at least establish a technical partnership. I trust that you will convince them well, Erpa.”
“Leave it to me. I will do my best to help in any way I can.”
“That will be sufficient. Just that much, please. The rest will be handled by me, my wife, and daughter.”
“To deal with elixirs requires astronomical amounts of money. Can you manage that? Should I recommend you some experienced managers or people who have made a name for themselves in business?”
Jonathan laughed at Erpa’s words.
“I know the Tower Master Jurgen as well. I used to meet him fairly often when I was younger. When you return home today, ask him about my name. He’ll explain what kind of person my family is.”
Erpa felt her curiosity pique.
After wrapping up her meeting with Jonathan’s family, she hurried back to the Mage Tower.
And she approached the Tower Master’s office, asking who Jonathan Karma was.
“Jonathan Karma! Haha! Long time no see! How do you know that name, Erpa?”
Erpa relayed the story that Jonathan had told her to the Tower Master.
At that, the Tower Master was even more surprised.
“His daughter had the rot disease… Goodness. How could such an unlucky life exist?”
“What kind of person is he?”
“If it weren’t for that immense misfortune, he would be a billionaire by now.”
Jurgen burst into laughter.
“He’s a self-made legend who went from being a penniless street urchin to creating one of the top three distribution networks in the Empire! About twenty years ago, everyone involved in business knew the name Jonathan Karma.”