Chapter 60 – Leverage

  Lucien did not wait long after finishing his manuscript and speaking with Riven. There was another front that could not be delayed any further.

  Crownspire Publishing.

  He activated his wristlink and initiated a holo-call to the Rendon’s.

  The projection formed quickly, resolving into Gareth’s broad, expectant face and Theo standing slightly to the side, leaning casually against a desk cluttered with print samples and equipment diagrams.

  “Lucien,” Gareth greeted, already smiling. “I was just about to contact you.”

  “I figured we should talk first,” Lucien replied. “About the machinery upgrades.”

  Gareth nodded immediately, expression sharpening with focus. Behind him, the faint hum of the existing presses could be heard, steady but dated.

  “Yes. I’ve been reviewing the current setup. Some of the presses can still be salvaged with component upgrades. Not everything needs to be replaced outright. But if we want to scale, certain core units have to go.”

  Lucien folded his arms thoughtfully.

  “We can’t halt existing orders,” he said. “The first book is still moving. If we replace everything at once, we’ll delay fulfilment.”

  Theo nodded. “That’s what I told him too.”

  Gareth pointed toward a layout projection behind him. “We can stagger it. Replace one primary unit while the others continue operating. It slows us temporarily, but it won’t stop production.”

  Lucien inclined his head. “That’s what I was thinking. We can do a phased replacement but not do a full shutdown as it will delay many things.”

  Gareth’s grin widened.

  “Also,” Lucien added, “did Theo tell you about the loan details?”

  Gareth laughed out loud, the sound booming through the projection.

  “Yes, yes, he told me everything. Refinancing the existing loan and securing additional funding.” He shook his head, almost in disbelief. “I’ve been smiling like a madman since he told me.”

  Theo cut in dryly. “That’s an understatement. He’s been walking around like he won a lottery.”

  Gareth waved him off. “I already started planning what to order and where to place the new units. The layout changes, the workflow adjustments, everything. When opportunity comes, you prepare”

  Lucien smiled at that. The enthusiasm was genuine.

  “Then you’ve already prepared a draft order list?” Lucien asked.

  Gareth’s expression shifted slightly, becoming more measured.

  Gareth continued. “I have an idea. Two mid-range automated presses to replace the oldest manual lines. A binding upgrade. And improved cutting precision modules. We can salvage part of the existing assembly for secondary runs.”

  He paused, then frowned slightly.

  “The issue,” he continued, “is price.”

  Lucien waited.

  “We’re small,” Gareth said plainly. “Our order volume is limited. We’re not ordering enough units for vendors to give us their best quote. Large presses get priority pricing because they buy in bulk. For our scale, we don’t need that many machines, but that also means we’ll likely pay more per unit.”

  Theo nodded in agreement. “They won’t treat us badly. Just… not preferentially.”

  Lucien considered that quietly.

  It was a structural disadvantage of being mid-growth. Too big to remain modest. Too small to command leverage. Small-scale growth often meant paying a premium for access to capacity that larger entities secured more cheaply through volume.

  He tapped his fingers lightly against the edge of his desk.

  After a few seconds, he spoke. “Let’s call Polvin.”

  Theo raised a brow.

  “The bank?” Gareth asked.

  Lucien nodded. “He might have relevant connections. They deal with multiple industries. Machinery suppliers, logistics, raw materials. He may know who to approach.”

  Theo nodded slowly. “That’s not unreasonable.”

  He initiated another call.

  Polvin joined almost immediately, his holographic projection appearing beside the Rendon’s’ feed. He greeted them with composed warmth.

  “Mr. Ashborne. Mr. Rendon. Theo.”

  After brief pleasantries, Lucien explained the situation succinctly.

  “We’re upgrading printing machinery. The challenge is pricing leverage due to limited order volume.”

  Polvin listened without interrupting, hands folded calmly.

  When Lucien finished, Polvin smiled.

  “I anticipated this.”

  A data file flashed into the shared holo-space.

  Lucien glanced at it and paused.

  The list was extensive with machinery vendors, component manufacturers, Ink suppliers, paper mills, logistics partners, and regional distributors.

  All categorized, annotated, and cross-referenced.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  Theo let out a low whistle.

  Gareth stared openly.

  “You prepared all this already?” he asked.

  Polvin inclined his head modestly. “I was planning to bring it to the café tomorrow in person. Since you already called about it, I am sending it now.”

  Lucien scanned the list again.

  It was comprehensive.

  “Mr. Polvin,” he said, “you seemed to know what I would ask.”

  Polvin smiled faintly. “It is not difficult to predict that expansion would require supply chain reinforcement. As a bank executive, I interact with a wide range of industries. These are contacts we already work with.”

  He continued evenly, “I have spoken with each of them personally. You will receive their best possible quote regardless of order quantity. Minimum order requirements will not be enforced.”

  Gareth visibly swallowed.

  “Regardless of order quantity?” he repeated.

  “Yes,” Polvin confirmed. “They are aware that this request carries weight.”

  Theo exchanged a glance with his father.

  Lucien’s expression remained composed, but he understood the magnitude.

  These were not small vendors.

  Several names on the list were major industrial players.

  Gareth’s voice grew slightly rough.

  “Some of these companies… they wouldn’t even take our calls if we tried directly.”

  Polvin’s expression softened slightly, though his tone remained steady.

  “Mr. Gareth, when you speak with them, do so normally. This is business. You are not to approach them as though you are asking for charity. They have significant exposure with our bank. Their operations rely heavily on our financial instruments. They will treat you appropriately.”

  Theo’s brows lifted slightly.

  Polvin added calmly, “There is no need to walk on thin ice. Negotiate as equals. You are not small in this context.”

  Lucien nodded once.

  “Since Mr. Polvin has already spoken with them,” he said, “let’s proceed confidently. I won’t involve myself in the negotiation directly. I don’t understand machinery at that level anyway. Gareth, you handle it.”

  Gareth straightened slightly.

  “And if there are complications,” Lucien added, “I can have Dorian or Lunessa assist.”

  At the mention of Lunessa, Polvin’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

  He maintained composure.

  “That will not be necessary,” Polvin said smoothly. “The suppliers understand the importance of this engagement.”

  Internally, however, he thought differently.

  If Lunessa personally intervened, it would not be negotiation. It would be final judgment. The companies on that list were all clients of Lunecrest Bank. Many of them were deeply dependent on its capital lines. If she appeared at their office, smiling politely, no one would dare delay or dilute terms.

  Using her would be akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

  Better not to escalate something that was already secured.

  Polvin continued outwardly, “I do not believe it will come to that. Everything has been arranged so that this proceeds without friction.”

  Inwardly, he thought, I have given you every possible advantage. If she actually intervenes, I can only pray for the suppliers.

  Gareth looked almost overwhelmed.

  Lucien inclined his head slightly toward Polvin.

  “Thank you,” he said sincerely.

  Polvin waved a hand gently. “It is only appropriate. As your liaison with the bank, providing support where possible is expected. The chairman has instructed me clearly to assist your growth wherever reasonable. This is not a burden.”

  Theo crossed his arms, looking at the list again.

  “This changes everything,” he muttered.

  Gareth exhaled deeply, emotion flickering across his face.

  “For years,” he said quietly, “we were careful not to even dream of contacting names like these.”

  Polvin responded calmly, “Negotiate confidently.”

  Lucien allowed himself a small smile.

  The machinery would be upgraded.

  Orders would continue without interruption.

  Pricing leverage would be secured.

  Crownspire would not stall at the threshold of its own growth.

  “Proceed with phased replacement,” Lucien concluded. “Keep me updated. But handle it your way.”

  Gareth nodded firmly now, confidence returning.

  Theo gave Lucien a thumbs up through the projection.

  Polvin inclined his head slightly, then added, “You only need to decide what you require and place the orders. Once confirmed, we will handle the payment routing.”

  Gareth looked up.

  Polvin continued smoothly, “Upon your authorization, the payment will be transferred directly from the approved loan allocation to the suppliers. There will be no unnecessary delay in processing. It will be streamlined and efficient. Documentation will be synchronized with both your internal accounting and the bank’s records.”

  Theo let out a soft breath. “That makes it clean.”

  Lucien nodded. “Good. That removes one more friction point.”

  Polvin added, “You will receive a structured payment schedule as well. If phased payments are required due to staggered deliveries, that can also be arranged without complication.”

  Gareth straightened further in his chair. The earlier hesitation about supplier pricing had been replaced by something closer to controlled excitement.

  “Understood,” he said. “We’ll finalize the equipment list and reach out to the vendors today.”

  Lucien shifted his attention back to Gareth. “How long will it take to implement the changes?”

  Gareth did not hesitate.

  “If the machines are readily available,” he said, “we can complete the core replacements in less than two to three days.”

  Theo nodded. “Most large suppliers keep at least a few mid-range units in stock. Especially the ones designed for modular installation.”

  Gareth elaborated, “Installation itself is not complex. Once delivered, fitting them into our floor plan will take half a day at most per unit. Calibration might require another few hours, but nothing extensive.”

  Lucien considered that timeline.

  “So, if delivery is immediate,” he said, “we’re looking at roughly two days to transition the first stage.”

  “Yes,” Gareth confirmed. “We’ll run the remaining presses while installing the new ones. Output might dip slightly during the changeover window, but it won’t stop.”

  Theo added, “And once the first replacements are operational, output increases immediately.”

  Gareth nodded. “That’s when the real difference starts. The automated units operate faster, cleaner, and with less waste. Binding precision improves, cutting waste reduces, and batch processing becomes smoother.”

  Lucien leaned back slightly, calculating silently.

  “With increased output,” Gareth continued, “we can then plan the second wave of upgrades. Replace the remaining older units gradually. Once the full transition is complete, efficiency will stabilize at a much higher baseline.”

  He paused briefly, then added with quiet satisfaction, “At that point, we’ll be able to handle larger orders without hesitation for bulk requests and also regional distribution expansions. No more cautious rationing of print capacity.”

  Theo glanced at Lucien. “Which means you won’t have to worry about delaying releases because of print limitations.”

  Lucien allowed himself a faint smile. “That’s the goal.”

  Polvin listened to the exchange calmly, then said, “If you anticipate scaling further within six months, it may be wise to negotiate maintenance agreements in advance. Lock in servicing terms while leverage is strong.”

  Gareth nodded thoughtfully. “Good point.”

  Theo immediately began noting it down.

  Lucien appreciated the way the conversation had shifted from uncertainty to structured expansion. What could have been a stressful upgrade was now a coordinated execution plan.

  “Once output increases,” Gareth said, “we can also consider secondary product lines. Short-run specialty prints. Collector editions. Hardbound variants.”

  Theo’s eyes lit up slightly. “Limited runs with higher margins.”

  Lucien observed that with interest. “One step at a time,” he reminded them gently.

  Gareth laughed softly. “Of course. First, let’s stabilize. Then we can expand to them.”

  Polvin added calmly, “Growth that compounds steadily is preferable to explosive expansion that collapses under its own weight.”

  Lucien inclined his head in agreement. “That’s precisely why we’re doing this in phases.”

  Theo leaned forward slightly. “Once the first machines are installed and tested, we’ll send you live output numbers. You’ll see the difference immediately.”

  “I’m not concerned about numbers,” Lucien replied. “I trust your expertise on the technical side.”

  Gareth gave him a long look. “And we trust you on the strategic side.”

  There was a quiet understanding in that exchange.

  Each handled their domain.

  Each reinforced the other.

  Polvin’s projection shifted slightly as he prepared to disengage. “Once orders are confirmed, send me the authorization forms. I will ensure payment processing is prioritized.”

  Lucien nodded. “Thank you.”

  Polvin inclined his head once more. “It is within our mutual interest.”

  The call ended shortly after.

  The holo-projections dissolved, leaving Lucien alone in his room once more.

  He remained seated for a moment, thinking.

  Crownspire would not stall, Inkspire would not slow, and the café would expand.

  Each system was being reinforced in parallel.