Chapter 127

As Balt and Chris left the room, an elderly bald man entered the room where I was.

“I am Feolonia Margerita, a member of the Hamburg 10-man committee. I came at your Excellency’s call.”

“Thank you for coming. Would you like to have a cup of tea?”

“It’s an honor.”

Feolonia listened to my words, sat in the empty chair, and said while sipping the tea I poured.

“This tea is really delightful. The refreshing fragrance especially pleases me.”

“I brewed it with lemon peel from Italy. That’s why it has such a fresh aroma. By the way, have you made your decision?”

“Yes, your Excellency. However, before that, I have a question to ask you.”

This was indeed a behavior characteristic of the head of the Margerita family, which oversees many merchants in a commercial city.

Even in a position where she had to bow down, she showed caution by refusing to sign without reviewing the contents of the contract.

Thanks to such virtues, she must have surely avoided numerous unfair transactions that could lead to inequitable treaties and deals.

“Very well, what would you like to ask?”

“Our Margerita family will become your Excellency’s vassal. However, every loyalty comes at a cost. How much do you intend to value our loyalty?”

It wasn’t just avoiding inequitable treaties and deals; it was a threat because they were cornered.

Even if negotiations fail, her family would face ruin—I must admit there was a certain fierceness in that attitude…

Even if her hand gets bitten, the wounds wouldn’t be fatal.

But the longer it takes to heal those injuries, the more disadvantageous her position becomes in this war…

They must have analyzed the information gained through their intelligence network and concluded my situation, hence they’re playing their cards.

But… even in the era when we only had a count’s territory, I threatened dukes, so I cannot lose the initiative this easily.

So I clapped my hands three times with a smile and said.

“Hans, the guest is leaving.”

“Yes, I will prepare wine, snacks, and some souvenirs.”

This signal indicated that I was lying, so it was a cue for the servant to act as if he was responding…

Perhaps Feolonia thought it was a signal to expel her, as she spoke in a desperate tone.

“Your Excellency, your Excellency!!”

“We have many others to negotiate with besides you. Others from different families will come soon as well… of course, if you wish to leave, I can send you back without any issue.”

As soon as those words ended, a soldier knocked on the door outside and said.

“The head of the Dannylea family has arrived. Shall I let them in?”

I hadn’t even signaled, but noticing the servant’s arrival…

It seems that either the head of the Dannylea family actually came, or Balt and Chris responded intuitively…

“Someone from a different family has already arrived. So, are you really thinking of negotiating here?”

Feolonia deeply bowed her head and indicated her surrender.

“No, your Excellency. Just give the order.”

Under normal circumstances, Feolonia wouldn’t fall for such a flimsy trick.

She would have surely verified whether the head of the Dannylea family had genuinely come.

Because it’s rare for someone to appear at such a timing, and if they did, they would likely join forces with their long-time ally to protect their interests.

However, as the options become limited and the urgency increases, the likelihood of making a mistake rises.

But for now, I’ve succeeded in reeling her in, so I should abandon such assumptions and put a leash on her.

Then, I knocked on the door and said.

“I’m busy talking with the head of the Margerita family, so pass on that we’ll talk later.”

As I spoke, Feolonia’s expression brightened a bit.

“You’re lucky; had you made a foolish decision… the opportunity would have gone to the Dannylea family. Here, take this contract.”

“I will read it.”

Feolonia skimmed over the contract I gave her and said.

“Leaving aside the wine and sugar, you want me to purchase herring… thousands of tons every year? How am I supposed to sell all of that?”

“I assure you, in time, you will be asking for an increase to ten thousand tons.”

In fact, since Senior Willem Beikelson developed a method to process herring at a low cost, the industry has expanded to employ over 200,000 people in herring processing alone.

At that time, it was an enterprise involving 200,000 people, so certainly, hundreds of thousands of tons of herring must have been produced and supplied, and all sold.

However, the man in front of me seemed to doubt that, responding in a suspicious voice.

“Such a volume of trading doesn’t happen except for grains like wheat, barley, or beans. As your Excellency knows…”

I interrupted him.

“True, selling a few thousand tons just to citizens, nobles, and soldiers cannot be done.”

One could even assert that commerce in this era is restricted mostly to citizens and nobles from cities, which constitute about 10% of the population, so the market is limited.

Because the serfs, who account for roughly 90% of the population, end up with almost nothing after paying taxes and are fully self-sufficient.

Therefore, it is common for serfs to engage in monetary transactions only two or three times a year.

This is because most goods and food are too expensive for them to purchase.

“A person like you knows this…”

“But herring is different. It’s so abundant that pickled herring goes for just 2 or 3 silver coins locally. It doesn’t even exceed 1 gold coin when you tally up the total cost of transportation.”

Upon hearing that, the head looked flabbergasted and stared at me with a dazed expression.

“Well then, I can’t sell at a loss either, so I’ll say I’ll sell it to you for 15 silver coins, no, perhaps 2 gold coins. So, you’d likely sell it for around 3 gold coins. This way, serfs can buy 1 kilo of pickled herring for about 3 or 4 silver coins. Considering that the cheapest salted meat in the market is priced around 8 to 9 silver coins per kilo, it’s half the price.”

“But pickled fish spoils quickly, doesn’t it?”

“If pickled right, it can last about a year, so don’t worry about spoilage. Don’t you think the serfs would buy it?”

“And whatever means they use, the nobles will buy up all that food to cut costs for the soldiers. Thinking about the lower laborers in the cities… as you said, thousands…”

Feolonia, in her excitement, drooled a bit while speaking.

“No, it seems transactions of tens of thousands of tons could indeed be possible. This is incredible…”

“If we can maintain this level of trading, you too could one day become a noble with a title by buying land in the territory around Romania from the Emperor like the Tosrio Duke of the Medica family, don’t you think?”

“We’re merchants. Even if I were to earn a lot of money, how could I completely suppress the other families in this city and make them my vassals?”

While she said that, there was no trace of rejection in Feolonia’s voice regarding what I had said.

Surely, at the point they decided to sell out and pledge their allegiance to me, they must have dropped all the bonds built while coexisting until now.

“Isn’t it possible? A merchant has to survive, even if it means licking the soles of the rival’s shoes. If you grow strong enough that they feel they’ve provided sufficient sustenance for you, they’d likely gladly become loyal vassals. But instead…”

Before I finished speaking, Feolonia knelt before me like other vassals, placing one knee on the ground and bowing her head.

“Though I may not be a vassal belonging to your Excellency’s territory, as long as your Excellency protects the interests of our family… I will serve as your Excellency’s vassal. Please receive my loyalty.”

I was slightly irritated at being interrupted, but since what I was going to say was something like ‘I will guarantee your interests, so follow me,’ it was no issue.

Then, I handed her the sword I had been carrying.

“This is the price for that loyalty. As long as you pledge loyalty, I shall protect the Margerita family with all my strength.”

“Thank you, your Excellency. And I have a request.”

I nodded in response, urging her to speak.

“We request to receive a monopoly supply of sugar from your Excellency, but we prefer not to charge a fee when we supply sugar to other families. Is that acceptable?”

“Is that going to be alright? The price I supply to you is at around 80% of the current price. Even if you charge a bit more, no one would complain.”

Upon hearing that, Feolonia wore a truly wicked smile.

“I’ve already betrayed them. However, I still need them, so… I’ll try to gain their goodwill with a reduced price for sugar.”

Since I initiated a monopolistic contract, if the very first one gives away one of the biggest profits…

Surely, any hatred or animosity toward her will gradually vanish.

And even if Feolonia quickly takes over the distribution networks or markets of the remaining four families, there will be gaps during the process…

Those intermittent gaps would work out favorably for me.

“Do it that way. Then I look forward to working with you, Feolonia Margerita.”

After concluding the negotiation with Margerita, I gathered everyone and returned to Nante Castle as quickly as possible.

Now I must prepare for war.