Chapter 297 : The Sky Dragon's Method
Chapter 297: The Sky Dragon's Method
It was raining again.
In this city, rain poured down every other day, so ordinarily it wouldn't have been worth noticing.
But today...
I couldn't help tilting my head in confusion.
As I walked toward the parking lot to get into my car, I stopped for a moment and stared up at the sky.
“Maria.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Have monsters approached the city?”
“I'll check immediately.”
Maria promptly contacted several people, and less than a minute later she gave me her answer.
“No. There haven't been any reports.”
“...I see.”
“Understood.”
“May I ask what concerns you?”
“The weather isn't good.”
Every drop of rain that fell over this city was produced through artificial rainfall.
The Meteorological Administration adjusted it according to the city's circumstances.
Naturally, on major occasions such as mayoral elections, festivals, or other large-scale events, they avoided making it rain whenever possible.
The G20 Corporate Summit had been the same.
Since it was a massive event where the heads of the corporations ruling the city gathered together, they poured rain until the day before, then maintained clear skies throughout the event itself.
Yet...
“Isn't today the Annual Shareholders' Meeting?”
The Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Stingray.
On the day when the royal family of the city known as the Stingray Group would discuss and decide important matters concerning its future...
The weather was this gloomy.
Personally, I didn't particularly dislike cloudy or rainy days.
Still...
The sharp scent unique to Anti-Rain was enough to sour even a perfectly good mood.
If it affected me this much...
How much worse would it be for the picky directors and major shareholders?
“It seems the organizers failed to coordinate properly with the Meteorological Administration.”
“Someone will be fired.”
“Most likely.”
Even in a world where robots and machines handled nearly everything and automated factories mass-produced goods...
Human error...
Was still inevitable.
So this was probably just another mistake.
Thinking no more of it...
I climbed into the limousine.
“W-Wait! That's...!”
“The Crown Prince! Aaron Stingray is here!”
Click! Click! Click!
By now, I had become accustomed to the relentless barrage of camera flashes.
The moment I stepped out of the limousine...
I began walking toward the Corp Headquarters Building with Maria.
The reporters immediately surrounded me and bombarded me with questions.
Apparently, unlike the other conglomerates, I didn't employ bodyguards, making me seem like an easy target.
“Chairman Stingray! Please look this way!”
“VBS News! Do you have anything to say regarding the recent abnormal stock fluctuations among Stingray subsidiaries?”
“There are allegations that you struck some sort of deal with the Mafia! Would you care to comment?”
“There are opinions claiming that the competition over shares between you and Stingray Entertainment President Kalia Stingray has made life even harder for ordinary citizens. What are your thoughts?”
“Please step aside.”
I deliberately lowered my voice with obvious displeasure as I warned them.
Startled...
The reporters instantly fell silent and hurriedly moved aside.
One young reporter—whether from excessive enthusiasm or simply lacking common sense—kept trying to approach me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his senior smack him on the head and drag him away.
Ignoring all of them...
I entered the building and headed straight for the grand conference hall where the Annual Shareholders' Meeting would be held.
Perhaps because I had arrived a little late...
The conference hall was already crowded.
The reporters who had been granted entry were busily preparing their cameras and interviews.
Meanwhile...
The ordinary shareholders had already taken seats facing the front of the hall.
My seat was at the table to the left of the central podium.
On the giant screen above the stage, the words:
『Stingray Group Annual Shareholders' Meeting』
shone brilliantly.
Then...
I happened to make eye contact with someone seated among the directors opposite me.
It was none other than Kalia.
Looking at her...
I greeted her lightly.
“Kalia.”
“Have you been well?”
“...Brother.”
Her expression contained both fear and anger.
And...
Defeat was already written all over her face.
That expression alone convinced me that the strategy I'd chosen hadn't been wrong.
I had no desire to humiliate my younger sister in a place like this.
Besides...
She appeared completely occupied discussing matters with the surrounding directors.
So I simply left her alone.
Our brief battle of nerves ended anticlimactically.
After waiting a while...
The figurehead CEOs of the shell investment companies I'd established through Kim Cheolsu and Jeren entered one after another.
Each respectfully greeted me with stiff confidence before taking their assigned seats.
Likewise...
The directors and shareholders who had chosen to support Kalia gradually entered the conference hall.
After exchanging uncomfortable glances with me...
They quietly sat down.
Finally...
“The Chairman is entering.”
The Emperor of New Valhalla City.
The Chairman of Stingray slowly entered the hall in his wheelchair, accompanied by the current executives.
Immediately...
The reporters began furiously operating their cameras.
Before long...
Hundreds of shareholders had filled the vast conference hall beneath its towering ceiling.
Once everyone had taken their seats...
And the camera shutters gradually fell silent...
The CEO delivered the opening declaration.
“Honored shareholders.”
With those words...
The Stingray Group Annual Shareholders' Meeting officially began.
Following the CEO's opening declaration...
The meeting proceeded as it always had every year.
Verification of attending shareholders and their voting rights.
Approval of the meeting agenda.
Reports from management.
Approval of the financial statements and audit reports.
Each item was handled in order.
Throughout the process...
Representatives from Kalia's side repeatedly raised objections.
The declining market share of Stingray-produced Modules.
Criticism regarding the Production Colony that had fallen to the claws of the [Mystics].
'They're finally starting their offensive.'
Although their tone remained polite...
It was obvious they were merely trying to criticize and undermine the current management.
As expected...
When the meeting finally reached its main event...
They revealed their true intentions.
“Honored shareholders.”
“Our next agenda concerns the appointment and reappointment of the Board of Directors.”
“As of today, the terms of Chairman Drake Stingray and five members of the Board have expired.”
“We must now determine whether to appoint new directors or reappoint the current ones.”
“Anyone wishing to make a statement may now come forward to the podium.”
Silence settled over the conference hall.
In previous years...
No one would have approached the podium.
Or...
Supporters of Chairman Stingray would have delivered speeches endorsing his reappointment.
But today was different.
Kalia quietly rose from her seat.
She walked toward the podium.
Then she spoke into the microphone.
“Honored shareholders.”
Kalia's speech began.
“The reason we've gathered here today is for change.”
“For the past two hundred years, the Stingray Group has stood as one of New Valhalla City's greatest pillars.”
“All of this has been made possible through the tremendous achievements of our current Chairman, Drake Stingray.”
“However—”
Her tone shifted.
“That also means our company has continued operating under nearly identical strategies and visions for two centuries.”
“Technology advances.”
“The world changes.”
“And those changes continue accelerating.”
“In the midst of that transformation...”
“I cannot help questioning whether an executive team that has grown accustomed to two hundred years of prosperity can truly lead us toward a better future with a superior management philosophy.”
From there...
Kalia naturally began criticizing the current management.
She carefully avoided topics that might provoke excessive backlash.
Instead...
She pointed out only enough issues to create concern, steadily persuading the ordinary shareholders through her speech.
'Whoever wrote that speech did an impressive job.'
Granted...
Individual investors didn't possess particularly large voting power.
But Kalia was already behind me in terms of share ownership.
For her...
This speech was the equivalent of clutching at straws.
Naturally...
I had no intention of sitting quietly and watching.
Once Kalia stepped down...
It became my turn.
I rose from my seat.
“Honored shareholders.”
I began with almost identical words.
“I understand Director Kalia Stingray's concerns.”
“However, Chairman Drake Stingray has successfully guided this group until today.”
“I agree with some of Director Kalia's criticisms and concerns.”
“Even so...”
“We must not become so focused on short-term achievements that we lose sight of our long-term vision.”
One option had been to ride the momentum of Kalia's speech and announce my own candidacy for Chairman.
But...
I genuinely hated that idea.
Returning to headquarters would naturally mean abandoning the Academy.
That was something I absolutely did not want.
Therefore...
The option I chose was maintaining the status quo.
“For two hundred years, Chairman Drake and the current Board have led this company without issue.”
“The experience and wisdom accumulated over such a long period cannot simply be dismissed.”
“Nor can we casually assume they are incapable of adapting to change.”
“We should pursue steady growth built upon stability and experience.”
Who would've thought I'd one day be making a speech like this?
The irony left me feeling somewhat hollow.
But...
There was no helping it.
Life truly was ironic.
“Chairman Drake is both the history...”
“And the future...”
“...of this company.”
With those concluding words...
I stepped down from the podium.
Some nodded in agreement.
Others looked unconvinced.
Judging by the reactions...
Support seemed evenly divided.
Considering how hastily I'd prepared that speech...
It had gone rather well.
After Kalia and I had both finished speaking...
No one else came forward.
Following a brief deliberation regarding the director candidates...
The meeting proceeded to the vote.
“We will now conduct voting for each director candidate.”
“Shareholders, please select one of the following for each candidate.”
“Approve.”
“Reject.”
“Or Abstain.”
“This vote will be conducted by secret ballot.”
Following the CEO's instructions...
Everyone lifted the electronic voting panels that had been distributed.
Naturally...
Voting power depended upon one's share ownership.
'At present...'
'I originally held 14%.'
'Then I acquired another 9% under my own name...'
'And an additional 7% through the shell investment companies.'
'That makes...'
'A total of 30%.'
Kalia currently possessed roughly 23%.
The gap was 7%.
Even if every small shareholder voted in her favor...
It wouldn't be enough to overturn the result.
'I should be able to relax.'
There was no way the Chairman of Stingray would suddenly decide to step down and support Kalia.
Even if he did...
With my 30% stake, I could simply block her during the subsequent executive management vote.
She would never become Chairwoman.
In truth...
The outcome was already decided.
Judging from the atmosphere alone...
Her side had already lost.
Thinking that...
I reached toward the electronic panel to press:
『Approve』
for:
『Reappointment of Drake Stingray』
At that exact moment...
Something impossible happened.
Creak.
Creeeak.
Despite having absolutely no intention of doing so...
My hand moved on its own.
It was trying to press:
『Reject』
'W-What...!?'
I desperately resisted with all my strength.
But I couldn't stop my arm from moving by itself.
At this rate...
I'd be using my own money to hand Kalia my vote.
'What the hell is happening...!?'
In an instant...
I activated the [Cloud Spider] Module.
Using the tension of the threads...
I forcibly pulled my own arm back and hurriedly pressed:
『Approve』
My vote was cast.
The immediate crisis had been resolved.
Yet cold sweat trickled down my back.
At the same time...
Anger surged through me.
I shot to my feet, ready to confront Kalia.
Then...
I sensed something profoundly wrong filling the conference hall.
Something...
Was strange.
I couldn't explain it with words.
But something was undeniably wrong.
Every shareholder sat staring blankly at their voting panels...
Like people whose souls had been stolen.
The figurehead CEOs I'd installed.
Even the reporters seated in the back rows.
All of them simply stood there...
Like people missing a vital screw.
They weren't moving at all.
It felt as though everyone present...
Had become puppets.
As though every human in the room except me...
Was being controlled by something.
“What...”
“What happened...?”
My first suspicion was magic.
Someone controlling all these people through some kind of spell.
But...
If it were magic capable of affecting this many people simultaneously...
I should have sensed overwhelming mana.
My sensors remained perfectly silent.
And then...
There was one person besides myself who remained completely normal.
Sitting calmly in the Chairman's seat at the center of the conference hall...
He looked at me and chuckled.
“Are you surprised?”
Before I could even demand an explanation...
He spoke first.
“This is the Sky Dragon's method.”