Eli hurried back to the Great Library, his mind still buzzing from the previous night's lesson. Learnville's market square roared with excitement—traders waved parchments like battle flags and shouted over each other.
"Iron Forge Co. up 20%!""Timber Mills down 30%! Panic or profit?"
Signs flashed, promises soared, and Eli's heart pounded. He felt the pull to act—to buy, to sell, to chase the storm. But Benjamin's words echoed:
"Stay calm. Know the difference between investing and gambling."
Inside, Benjamin sat by the window, quietly observing the chaos beyond. A knowing smile curled at the edge of his lips.
"You feel the pull, don't you?" he asked as Eli sat down."That's Mr. Market—a wild beast made of a million minds. Some days he's euphoric, offering absurd prices for your wares. Other days, he's depressed, begging you to sell for scraps.Tell me, Eli... would you let a madman run your business?"
Eli shook his head.
"No... but it's hard to ignore him. Everyone's shouting what to do."
Benjamin leaned in, eyes sharp as a hawk.
"That's why temperament matters more than intelligence.The greatest investor isn't the one with the sharpest mind, but the one with the steadiest heart.You must be honest with yourself. Admit when you're tempted, but never let Mr. Market take you hostage."
Eli frowned.
"But how do I stay steady when prices are crashing?"
Benjamin smiled and reached into his robe, pulling out a worn sock.
"Think of stocks like socks, Eli.""If socks at the bazaar dropped 20% in price, would you panic and sell the ones you own? Or would you buy more while they're cheap?"
Eli chuckled.
"I'd buy more—especially if they were good socks."
"Exactly," Benjamin said, his grin widening."A dip is a sale, not a disaster. Buy wisely when prices fall. Sell wisely when they soar. And most days? Do nothing. Focus on what matters—the businesses behind the prices. Their profits. Their dividends."
Eli pictured a stall filled with discount socks and smiled.
"So I just hold... and don't check the market every day?"
"Right," Benjamin nodded."Check your investments only four times a year, like the seasons. Any more, and you risk feeding a habit—a toxic one. Build strong habits, not blind willpower. Willpower fades in a storm.And when you make mistakes—and you will—admit them. Write them down. Frame them. Hang them like trophies on your 'mistake wall'. Each one is a scar that teaches you how not to bleed again."
Eli imagined a wall in his study, filled with parchment notes of failed trades, each one a hard-earned lesson.
"I'll learn from them," he whispered.
Benjamin smiled.
"Good. Tomorrow, we talk about protecting what you build.We'll start building your financial fortress—a plan for your coins."
As Eli stepped back into the night, Mr. Market's frenzy still echoed across Learnville. But the storm sounded distant now.Eli walked with calm steps and a steady heart.