Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 278: Business Man

No matter how chubby he looked, and no matter how low a Baron’s noble title ranked within the grand hierarchy of aristocracy, Finch was still a noble by birth and by right. And if there was one thing nobles were inherently good at, it was recognizing opportunities and seizing them without hesitation. There wasn’t a single opponent they wouldn’t challenge, nor a single situation they wouldn’t exploit if there was even a flicker of advantage to be gained.

That was precisely what Finch was doing now. He had seen an opportunity, a small one perhaps, but valuable nonetheless, and he had instantly latched onto it with the efficiency of a seasoned merchant. He didn’t know whether any of the other students here possessed spatial affinity or a teleportation ability of their own, but it was better to act first, to claim the opportunity before anyone else could. Once he took the lead, others would hesitate to contest him.

Besides, Finch believed no one would dare challenge him over the teleportation ring, despite his rank as the 200th student, the weakest in the class. After all, he had just announced that the Tenth Sun himself had entrusted him with the teleportation ring. And with the careful phrasing he had used, most of the students were bound to interpret that as him having the Tenth Sun’s personal backing, the backing of a Wargrave, a figure of immense status and power.

Of course, that assumption was entirely false. But Finch didn’t mind. What mattered was not the truth, but the illusion of it. He had never explicitly said he was backed by the Tenth Sun; he had simply chosen his words carefully, allowing others to draw their own conclusions. It was a subtle play of words, an elegant deception, a tactic nobles had mastered for generations.

And, as was always the case in any form of business, there would always be complaints. Just that this time, it wasn’t a single voice, it was several.

Many students protested loudly that five points was far too much. They had each been given only five hundred points when they first received their point cards, and most had already spent a portion of that on basic necessities like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and towels. To them, five points wasn’t a negligible amount, it represented time, effort, and hard-earned resources. They were unwilling to part with even that small sum.

But Finch merely ignored their grievances. He wasn’t running a charity. This was business, his first business transaction, in fact, and he had no intention of making discounts or slash-off sales. In his mind, it was simple economics: his service was valuable, and if people wanted it, they would pay for it.

A few students tried to reason with him. They argued that the forest might not be that vast, that they could simply walk out on their own, and that if Finch truly wanted more customers, he should lower his price. Their words were met with the same response, a calm, unbothered silence. Finch didn’t even bother to acknowledge them.

Meanwhile, several students had already made their decision. They stepped forward, one after another, approaching Finch with their point cards in hand. To them, five points was a small price to pay for convenience. Wandering aimlessly through an unknown forest could take hours, time that could be better spent training, studying, or resting. Paying Finch was the logical choice.

A broad, satisfied smile appeared on Finch’s face as he began his work. One by one, he tapped his own point card against theirs, each confirmation sounding like music to his ears. With every transaction, his grin widened. The small digital chime of successful trades rang repeatedly, echoing softly through the air.

Even the top ten students began stepping forward. Finch froze briefly, uncertain. These were not ordinary classmates, they were heirs and heiresses to Ducal and Marquis households, individuals who held immense influence both in and outside the Academy. They were also the strongest in the class. He wouldn’t dare demand payment from them; that would have been social suicide.

But to his surprise, they paid willingly. They understood the silent rule of nobility, taking advantage of someone beneath them without compensation was disgraceful and dishonorable... when other were watching. Paying the small fee of five points was nothing to them, but it maintained their dignity and family reputation.

After a few moments of hesitation, Finch finally accepted their payment, bowing slightly in acknowledgment. The princes, princesses, and the rest of the top ten transferred their points without complaint.

”Bro, you don’t actually expect me to pay, right?” William asked with a teasing smile, his tone playful.

”Who’s your bro?” Finch snorted back, his expression sharp despite his round cheeks. ”Pay up. Consider it punishment for calling me ’Fatty Wang.’”

William chuckled softly, shaking his head before transferring the five points. He knew Finch too well, this show of toughness was just a facade. If William ever needed a teleportation later, Finch would gladly offer it for free.

Asher, standing a short distance away, simply watched the entire exchange. He could see the satisfaction gleaming in Finch’s eyes as the chubby boy basked in his growing pile of points. Shaking his head lightly,

Asher allowed a faint smirk to form on his lips. When the teleportation ring had been in his possession, he had imagined dozens of combat applications for it, ways to combine it with his attacks, ways to outmaneuver opponents in battle. Now, in Finch’s hands, the same artifact was being used for commerce and profit.

’Everyone has their own way,’ Asher thought to himself quietly.

Minutes passed. Finch’s small business thrived. By the time the line of customers had ended, he had successfully received payments from one hundred and fifteen students. The remaining eighty-three chose to refuse his offer, insisting they could find their way out or simply didn’t want to part with their points. Finch didn’t mind in the least. He hadn’t expected everyone to agree from the start.

Still, the results spoke for themselves. In less than ten minutes, Finch had accumulated a total of five hundred and seventy-five points, a remarkable haul by any standard, even by Asher’s. For someone of Finch’s standing, this was an enormous gain.

”Everyone, hold each other’s hands,” Finch instructed with a gentle tone, straightening his back as if he were commanding an army. ”I will teleport us in a few seconds.”

Immediately, the paying students followed his directions, forming a wide circle, hands interlocked. Finch’s expression turned serious for the first time. He turned toward the group of eighty-three who had refused his service, his tone calm yet edged with businesslike confidence.

”I will return to this mountain in thirty minutes,” he announced. ”Then, I’ll wait for another thirty minutes after that. Meaning, you have an hour to wander around aimlessly and return here. But by then, my fee will have doubled. Ten points, not five.”

A few of the students who refused snorted quietly, unimpressed, while others simply folded their arms, maintaining an air of pride. None of them replied, but their silence spoke volumes, they believed they could find their own way.

Finch, however, didn’t seem to care. He turned back to his group, his expression bright once more. Then, his gaze shifted briefly toward the Tenth Sun standing behind him.

”Aren’t you joining us, Tenth Sun?” Finch asked respectfully. Of course, he wasn’t demanding payment, he was simply inviting Asher to join the teleportation circle.

”No need,” Asher replied calmly.

In an instant, a silver streak of light flared around him, and before anyone could blink, both Asher and Virelass vanished from the mountain, leaving nothing behind but a faint ripple of wind.

Finch blinked in surprise but quickly composed himself. His customers were waiting, and keeping them waiting was bad for business. Taking a deep breath, he guided a small stream of Astra from his Astra veins into the teleportation ring. The artifact pulsed faintly, glowing with a blackish-blue hue. Then, in a flash of gentle light, Finch and the one hundred and fifteen students vanished from the mountaintop.

The remaining eighty-three students were left alone on the desolate mountain, scattered across the rocky surface, some standing in silence, others sitting with arms crossed. Whether they would find their own way out or be forced to pay Finch’s doubled fee later... their fate remained uncertain.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE: Only 30 golden tickets to get to 1,000 golden tickets. CHARGE!