Chapter 28: The Illusion of Choice
Subheading: "The people don't need to know you rule — only that they can buy into the dream."
I. The Royal Stock Charter
As King, you issued a new decree across the realm — echoed and adopted by other nations you've economically subdued:
"To encourage innovation and competition, the Crown authorizes the establishment of a public market for the sale and trade of company ownership shares."
The world erupted in excitement.
Merchants scrambled to list their ventures
Nobles poured family fortunes into "public stakes"
Foreign governments requested guidance on "modern investment reform"
They thought they were becoming stakeholders in the future.
They didn't realize you already owned the future.
II. The Great Market Web
You unveiled the Central Exchange Tower — built beside Vaultspire — a monument to trade, equity, and ambition.
The first global stock market.
Companies were required by law to:
Register all equity trades
Disclose all shareholders of record
Submit annual reports — verified by your auditors
Use your central currency for all transaction settlements
Every "free market" ran on your rails.
III. The Secret Holdings
And now the twist — what the public never saw:
Every major listed company (over 97% of global GDP) was either founded, rescued, or funded by one of your conglomerate's subsidiaries
Through silent holding corps and proxy investors, you retained 75–85% control of every key industry:
Energy, food, transport
Arms manufacturing, magic tech, information networks
Jewelry, banking, entertainment, medicine
Each company had thousands of "owners."
But you held voting control through special executive shares, quietly protected by system-controlled trust structures.
Even companies hostile to you publicly?
Their "hostile board takeovers" were orchestrated in private rooms you owned.
IV. The Puppet Economy
The stock market made people feel powerful.
They celebrated when "their shares rose."
They protested when "market manipulation" occurred.
They argued about "market freedom."
None realized:
You controlled price movements
You approved executive appointments
You stabilized or destabilized industries at will
Freedom was an illusion.
Ownership was a performance.
System Alert (Silent Mode): Stock Protocols Engaged
✅ Global Exchange Framework Complete
✅ Sovereign Ownership Firewall Active
✅ You may now:
– Freeze assets in hostile territories
– Issue or revoke dividends globally
– Simulate economic cycles to influence public behavior
– Enforce loyalty through equity manipulation
New Title: Architect of Ownership