Centered on Kabul, this invisible battle left the surrounding adventurers caught between laughter and tears.
Some low-grade materials they had been stockpiling suddenly sold for double, even triple their usual price. Yet before they could celebrate, the magic potions and magical equipment they needed for their own adventures soared in price as well, leaving many adventurers who had saved gold for days staring helplessly at the market.
The Troy Chamber of Commerce naturally suffered the hardest blow in this war. Their massive purchase of magical materials had originally been meant to put Michel in his place—to let him know who was boss in Kabul's main city.
Yet Troy never imagined that the Michel Family would have such staying power. Not only had they refused to yield, they kept pouring raw materials onto the market. Troy was now stuck in a dilemma. If they gave up and admitted defeat now, the raw materials they had bought at two or three times the original price would make them lose everything. But if they continued, their liquid funds had long since run dry, and they simply could not keep it up...
Troy now faced two possible outcomes.
First, Michel's raw materials would be exhausted. Troy would gain a monopoly over magical materials, equipment, and manufacturing centered around Kabul's main city. They could then appropriately raise the prices of equipment, potions, and accessories, and once Michel's stores had nothing left to sell, begin swallowing up their shops and claim final victory!
Second, Troy's funds would fail to hold out. Once their massive capital had been converted into raw materials piled in warehouses while Michel continued providing the market with a stable supply, Troy would be completely defeated. As the loser, they would have to sell their goods at prices several times lower than what