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

"The food was delicious as always."

After finishing the hearty meal, I commented with a grin, and that simple remark was plenty to bring a smile to Athena's face as she answered back.

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

Athena mentioned while beginning to clear the dishes. I pitched in to assist. Initially, she turned down my offer, but eventually she relented, so we both handled the cleanup together, finishing up with Athena washing the plates. Without a second thought, as she scrubbed away, she brought it up out of nowhere.

"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?"

With a helpless grin, I questioned her, and Athena, eyes slightly squinted, shot back while continuing to wash the dishes.

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

I threw up my hands in defeat and 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."

Her expression filled with concern at my statement, Athena halted briefly to gaze at me.

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

Athena at last gave in.

"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 planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.

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

"You know I will."

With those words, I departed from the kitchen and made my way to the main table, where the organized stack of documents waited; I grabbed them and proceeded to a room prepared for my use. Securing the door behind me, I positioned myself at the desk inside and dove into reviewing the papers. It wasn't long until I grasped the full scope of the information contained there, my thoughts racing through every aspect as my strategies adjusted accordingly.

Reflecting on those ideas, I rose from the seat. Just a handful of minutes had passed to absorb the entire collection, so now it was time to advance to the upcoming discussions and initiatives I'd already launched. In a fluid motion, I sliced through the folds of space, traveling at velocities beyond ordinary understanding, until I materialized in a chamber.

...

Navock City.

Near The District Owned By The Earth Company:

One of The Headquarters:

Upon entering the space, I scanned the surroundings before exiting the opulent and finely appointed chamber. Just beyond the door stood my pair of dedicated secretaries, who managed all my affairs—Eira and Luminara.

The dark elf Eira featured deep-toned skin, brown locks, and brown gaze, her modest chest paired with generous curves below, clad in a seductive but restrained secretary outfit: a crisp white blouse and a sleek black skirt ending mid-thigh, complemented by sheer black stockings that made her appear irresistibly appealing. Her extended elven ears quivered with delight upon spotting me.

Luminara boasted luminous pale skin, hair blending black and silver strands, and deep black eyes. She remained stunning and slender, her ample bosom neatly contained in a fitted gray blouse and matching skirt that hugged her thighs snugly. Flesh-toned stockings accentuated her limbs further, enhancing her alluring presence overall.

"Welcome back, Master." ×2

Both uttered in unison, as Eira and Luminara eyed me from head to toe, apparently 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, with Eira chiming in right after.

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

Eira's comment caused Luminara's mouth to quirk in annoyance, and to prevent the pair from clashing further, I interjected.

"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."

That prompted a sparkle in both women's eyes as they composed themselves and guided me to the conference area. Soon enough, I was seated and ready to listen to their updates.

....

The conference space retained its impressive vibe, featuring a expansive glass pane overlooking the city's splendor.

I claimed the position at the table's head, the plush leather seat yielding softly beneath me. Reclining slightly with legs crossed, I observed Eira and Luminara. They held themselves rigidly like top-tier aides, though hints of thrill, weariness, and that familiar edge of rivalry flickered just below their united front.

"Alright," I declared, my fingers 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 pillar of our monetary efforts. She unveiled a hefty, leather-covered tome, her tone steady as she prepared to detail the Entertainment & Intellectual Property Sector.

"The cultural impact has been... unprecedented, Master," Luminara started, glancing 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 sly grin forming. "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."

I let out a laugh, picturing nobles in costume as amateur sleuths, which drew a amused smirk to my lips. "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 gaze gleaming. "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, edging nearer to the table, her intense eyes sparkling. "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. It was succeeding. This was yet another goal of mine to reshape this world's customs in various profound ways. How I longed for the modern times.