The Conquerors Path Chapter 985 - 983-Making The World Change.

"The food was delicious as always."

With a grin on my face, I commented after finishing the satisfying meal, and my remark quickly drew a smile from Athena as she answered back.

"Good, and don’t hesitate to ask for any kind of help if you need it."

Her words came as she began clearing the dishes. I pitched in to assist. Initially, Athena turned down my offer, yet she soon relented, allowing us both to handle the cleanup together. Once done, we relaxed a bit while she washed the plates. Without pause, she brought up something unexpected during the task.

"Oh, right, the documents you asked for are already prepared and kept at the main table. You can have a look at it."

"You are only telling me this now?"

A wry smile crossed my lips as I questioned her, and Athena, eyes narrowing slightly, shot back while continuing to scrub the dishes.

"If I had said this to you before, you would have rushed off to it without enjoying the feast first."

Raising my hands in defeat, I responded.

"Guilty as charged, though I will be going to deal with that. I have some things to settle based on that. I will be gone for some time."

Concern flickered in Athena’s gaze at my statement, causing her to halt briefly and meet my eyes.

"Don’t worry, I will be fine, and I remember to ask for help if I need it."

At last, Athena yielded.

"Sigh... I know I can’t stop you, though I do hope you can be more careful. Right now, the whole world’s eyes are on you. You stay as the eye of the storm."

"I know."

I replied while stepping closer and offering a slight bow, after which Athena gently pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Go on, do what you have to do."

"You know I will."

After that exchange, I exited the kitchen and made my way to the main table, picking up the neatly stacked documents before retreating to a prepared room. Securing the door behind me, I settled at the desk inside and dove into the papers. It wasn't long until I grasped every key detail within them, my thoughts racing through the information as strategies adjusted accordingly.

Pondering those insights, I rose from the seat. Just a handful of minutes had passed in reviewing the entire stack, so now it was time to advance with the upcoming discussions and initiatives I'd already launched. In a fluid motion, I sliced through spatial barriers, traveling at velocities beyond ordinary grasp, until I materialized in another chamber.

...

Navock City.

Near The District Owned By The Earth Company:

One of The Headquarters:

Once inside the space, I scanned my surroundings, then strode out from the opulent and meticulously appointed chamber. Positioned just beyond were my dedicated secretaries, Eira and Luminara, who managed all my affairs.

The dark elf Eira featured smooth dark skin, flowing brown hair, and warm brown eyes, complemented by her modest chest and curvaceous hips. She donned a alluring yet professional secretary outfit—a crisp white blouse paired with a sleek black skirt ending mid-thigh, finished off with sheer black stockings that enhanced her striking appeal. Her extended elven ears quivered eagerly upon spotting me.

Luminara possessed radiant, silky skin, a blend of black and silver locks, and deep black eyes. Her elegant, slender frame highlighted generous curves, snugly contained in a fitted gray blouse and matching skirt that hugged her thighs. Nude-toned stockings accentuated her limbs further, adding to her captivating allure.

"Welcome back, Master." ×2

Their greeting echoed in unison, as Eira and Luminara inspected me closely, checking for any signs of injury.

"Don’t worry, as I said before, I am fine."

"Forgive my interest, I just wanted to make sure."

Luminara voiced her concern, and Eira chimed in right after.

"Indeed, you should have seen how worried she was when she heard the news!"

Luminara's mouth quirked at Eira’s teasing, and to prevent their usual sparring from escalating, I intervened.

"Let’s head to the meeting room. You guys need to tell me everything done and if the work is finished. If done well, I still remember the reward I promised the two of you."

Excitement sparked in their gazes at my words, prompting them to compose themselves and guide me to the conference area. Soon enough, I was seated and listening to their updates.

....

The conference space retained its impressive vibe, boasting a expansive glass panel that overlooked the city's stunning panorama.

Settling into the prime position at the table's end, the plush leather seat yielded softly beneath me. I reclined, legs crossed, observing Eira and Luminara. They held themselves rigidly like top-tier aides, though hints of thrill, fatigue, and that familiar edge of rivalry peeked through their teamwork.

"Alright," I declared, my finger drumming steadily on the surface like a metronome. "Give me the numbers. I want to know exactly how much the ’Earth Company’ has shaken everything while I was away."

Luminara advanced initially, serving as the backbone of our monetary endeavors. Flipping open a hefty, leather-covered tome, her tone rang out steadily as she delved into the Entertainment & Intellectual Property Sector.

"The cultural impact has been... unprecedented, Master," Luminara started, her gaze flicking over the pages. "The release of the ’Classic Symphony Series’ has effectively monopolised the noble music scene. By introducing the concept of ’Copyright’—which we’ve enforced through the Merchant’s Guild—we’ve seen a 410% increase in sheet music sales after the Royal Philharmonic performed The Four Seasons. We are no longer just selling music; we are selling the right to play it."

"And the hardware?" I asked.

"The ’Mana-Acoustic Resonance Box’—the simplified phonograph you designed—is the must-have item for every Duke and Baron," she replied. "We’ve sold three hundred units at a 600% markup. Because we patented the vibration-to-mana conversion crystal, any bard playing your compositions in a public tavern must now pay a 5% ’Performance Royalty’ to the Earth Company. They complained at first, until they realised the popularity of the music tripled their tips."

Eira joined the discussion, her pointed elven ears flicking with sly satisfaction. "On the literary front, Master, your ’Great Detective’ has become a plague. The serialisation of The Adventures of a certain detective has caused a literal riot at our printing presses. We’ve moved over 50,000 copies in this kingdom alone. We’ve had to invent the ’Paperback’ format just to keep up with the demand from the commoners."

She halted, a grin tugging at her mouth. "The ’mystery’ genre simply didn’t exist two months ago; now, every noble is wearing a deerslayer hat and carrying a magnifying glass. It’s reached a point where the Navock City Watch is complaining that citizens are trying to solve crimes themselves, often interfering with actual investigations."

A laugh escaped me, the vision of feudal aristocrats dabbling as sleuths pulling an amused smirk across my features. "I suppose I should apologise to the Chief of Watch later. And the bottom line for the quarter?"

"Total net gain across all entertainment subsidiaries sits at 800 million Gold Crowns," Luminara announced, her eyes gleaming brightly. "To put that in perspective, that is more than the annual tax revenue of a country. We are no longer a company; we are a sovereign economic power.

Next being the Lifestyle & Commodity Revolution.

"It’s not just the arts," Eira continued, leaning toward the table with her intense dark gaze. "The ’Distilled Spirit’ project—the Vodka and Gin you suggested—has decimated the local ale market. The nobles find the clarity of the alcohol ’divine,’ and because we control the distillation columns, we have a total monopoly on high-proof spirits. We’ve also seen a massive surge in our ’Ready-to-Wear’ fashion line. The zippers and buttons we introduced? They’ve replaced laces in every high-end tailor shop in the city. We’re charging a licensing fee for the button-mould designs alone."

I gave a nod of approval. The plan was succeeding. It formed another key goal of mine to reshape this world's customs across various fronts. How I longed for the conveniences of the modern age.