How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

171  President 3.5

"No, there'd be no profit in that. Sure, we could earn something from a fixed fee, but it wouldn't be enough to make ends meet. I've got thousands of employees to feed, you know? Besides, I don't think the upstart merchants and small businesses would appreciate a fixed cost."

I nodded, taking in her words.

 It made sense in a way.

 A fixed fee might have been easier to manage, but it would have also alienated the smaller merchants who couldn't afford to pay it upfront.

By taking a percentage, Clara ensured that everyone paid their share according to their means, which allowed her to extract as much value as possible from each transaction.

It was a system that might come off as manipulative and greedy, but in the end, it was necessary to maintain some semblance of order in this place.

The bridge was the lifeline of the academy, and without someone like Clara managing it, chaos could easily erupt.

Merchants would undercut each other, prices would fluctuate wildly, and the flow of goods would be disrupted.

By controlling the market, Clara kept everything running smoothly, albeit at a cost to those who had to operate under her watchful eye.

"It's about maintaining balance," Clara continued, her tone taking on a more serious edge. "If I let them run wild, the strong would crush the weak, and the market would collapse. This way, everyone gets a piece of the pie, and I make sure the pie doesn't get eaten all at once."

Her logic was sound, even if it was ruthless. In a place like the academy, where so much depended on the steady flow of resources, someone had to take charge.

Clara had taken that role upon herself, and while her methods might not be the most ethical, they were effective.

"Making those with means pay more and those who don't pay less—it's an effective and logical move," I remarked, my tone casual but tinged with genuine curiosity. "But don't you think you'll just make more enemies among those high-class merchants? They'd probably try to break into your monopoly."

Clara chuckled softly, her gaze still fixed on the bustling scene below. "They could try, but the market is like a game of chess, Riley. Every move has already been anticipated, every piece carefully placed. By the time they make their move, I've already won. Besides, cutting off my monopoly would mean cutting off my ties with the bridge... and that, my dear partner, is impossible."

21:47

Clara had orchestrated her control over the bridge with precision, ensuring that any attempt to undermine her would come with significant risks.

However, her unshakeable confidence didn't eliminate the potential for resistance.

Large merchants were not out of options, and while Clara's monopoly seemed unbreakable, there were still avenues they could explore.

"The Gatefall Bridge isn't the only viable option for them to challenge your monopoly, you know," I countered, watching her reaction carefully.

Clara arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Are you implying they could attack me directly?"

"Not exactly," I replied, leaning forward slightly. "But it is a viable option if they're bold enough. Besides, the construction of another bridge isn't exactly an impossible notion, is it?"

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Clara's eyes narrowed slightly as she considered my words.

The idea of constructing another bridge, one that could rival the Gatefall Bridge, wasn't far-fetched.

While it would take time and significant resources, a collective effort by the high-class merchants could indeed pose a threat to her dominance.

They might not be able to directly cut her ties to the current bridge, but they could create a new one, bypassing her control altogether.

"Another bridge... huh," Clara mused, her voice trailing off as she pondered the implications. Her gaze drifted from the bustling activity on the Gatefall Bridge below, her thoughts clearly somewhere else. "Is it safe to assume you've been informed of such information out there?"

"Who knows," I replied, keeping my tone light and nonchalant. "You can take what I said with a grain of salt."

She looked at me all annoyed and unsatisfied.

I couldn't exactly tell her that my information was based on the future events from the game.

In the near future, after Liyana arrives, new bridges and gateways will be constructed along the northern and western sides of the academy.

Although these new routes don't directly affect the business flow of the eastern side where the Gatefall Bridge is located, they will pose a significant problem.

Merchants might start using these alternate routes, traveling north rather than east, just to avoid the heavy taxes and fees imposed by Clara.

Her monopoly wouldn't be completely broken, but it would be threatened.

While Clara had the means to reestablish her dominance, even after such disruptions, a simple warning like this should be enough to keep her sharp and cautious about the potential implications.

"Although your words are all in theory," Clara finally said, her eyes narrowing as she processed the information, "it is without a doubt plausible at best. Now I understand why everybody wants you so much, Riley... Maybe I should officially join the race?"

"Please don't," I replied, half-joking, though there was a hint of seriousness in my voice.

She chuckled, a melodic sound that echoed in the air between us. "Fufu, you really are something, Riley. But you've given me much to think about."

Her expression softened as she regarded me with a mix of amusement and genuine consideration.

It was clear that I had successfully planted the seeds of caution in her mind.

Clara might have been confident in her control over the Gatefall Bridge, but even she knew the importance of staying one step ahead in a game as complex as this.

"Anyways, enough talking about my business," Clara said, her voice taking on a more playful tone as she shifted gears. "Why don't we talk about yours now, shall we? That's why you came here without notice, right?"

"Yes," I replied, setting my cup down. "Did something happen on Dorothy's side?"

"Hm... nothing particularly noteworthy," she said, pausing to think. "Although my sudden support for her campaign did surprise her a lot, she seemed rather neutral about it."

"Neutral?" I raised an eyebrow. "Was she not curious about your sudden involvement?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Oh, she was," Clara replied with a knowing smirk. "Dorothy is a meticulous woman. Eccentric in nature, too, but very sharp. Still, despite the surprise, most of the questions she asked me were simple. Nothing that indicated she was trying to dig too deep into my reasons for joining her side. Almost as if she didn't care."

"Didn't care?" That didn't sound like the Dorothy I knew. "What do you mean?"

Clara's smirk deepened as she leaned forward slightly, her eyes gleaming with intrigue. "I'm a merchant, Riley. A cold-hearted and greedy merchant~ Seeing through lies and deception is my forte. And trust me when I say this: that woman's face is covered in lies."

Her words hung in the air, and I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine. Dorothy was hiding something. But what?

"Go on," I urged.

"It's just a feeling," Clara continued, crossing her legs as she leaned back again, still gazing out over the bustling streets below.

"But it didn't seem like she was fully intending on becoming president. There's something else on her mind, something bigger. The way she reacted to my support, it was almost like... she was satisfied. Like something inevitable was already set in motion, and my help was just a bonus."

"Inevitable?" I echoed, my mind racing. "So, you think she has another goal in mind?"

"She's playing her cards very close to her chest. Too close. It's not that she doesn't care about becoming president, but that may not be her endgame. It's as if she's waiting for something else to fall into place."

"Any idea what that something could be?"

"Who knows~ most of what I said are just speculations on my side, so you can take what I said with a grain of salt~"

'This woman is too petty….'

"Ah, you won't have to worry about getting involved," Clara reassured me with a sly smile. "I made sure to cut you out of any informational matters, so you're safe from her list of suspicions for now. But it would be a different matter if she investigates herself, though~"

I nodded at her words, letting out a small sigh of relief.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind being called by Dorothy to see through her intentions myself.

The only reason I hadn't done so yet was because I wanted to observe her actions—see if she would willingly choose her fate, the one that led her to doom in the game.

 But now, with things unfolding as they were, Dorothy was becoming an even more mysterious character to me.

If what Clara said was true, it was safe to assume Dorothy had a deeper plan for this election.

In the game, she became a villain after miserably losing the title of president to Princess Snow or one of the other main heroines Lucas supported.

That loss turned her into an unsatisfied mid-boss of the story, suddenly turning evil for the sake of being evil, which never quite made sense to me.

Now, even though I had given her the chance to avoid that fate through Clara's support, it seemed like she was planning to throw it all away.

It was as if she intended to pass the opportunity to someone else, deliberately stepping out of the spotlight.

And if my guess is true that someone was rather close to me….

'It can't be right?'