I Became A Black Merchant In Another World Chapter 101

Our governor, Nakdoru, welcod very warmly.

“Haha, among those who believe in the Deus faith, we should be wary of everyone, but you and the Visconti family are exceptions. Although we may believe in different gods, aren’t we still allies who care for each other?”

That’s just how life works.

When it’s sweet, we swallow it, and when it’s bitter, we spit it out.

Today’s ally can easily beco tomorrow’s enemy, depending on profit and loss, to the point where it’s not even surprising.

However, no matter how wicked a scamr might be, the mont ‘self-interest’ and ‘the other party’s interest’ align, they won’t pull a scam.

Why? Because if they stab you in the back, they’ll lose the benefits they currently enjoy.

Governor Nakdoru and I are currently bound by the gunpowder trade, so as long as it benefits both of us, we’ll stick together until the end.

“I pray for the blessings of the gods to be with you, Governor.”

“I’ll gladly accept that. By the way, what brings you here this ti?”

“Don’t you need more gunpowder and matchlocks? We’ll be sure to serve you well this ti.”

The wars happening in the Toscana Empire are generally predictable to so extent.

When waging war against other Deus followers, they must issue a ‘declaration of war’ in advance.

About 200 years ago, they even agreed on the battlefield and timing to conduct battles like knights, although they don’t do that nowadays.

The materials consud don’t significantly deviate from what the Ministry of Military Affairs and the temporary War Ministry (an organization created when war breaks out) have proposed.

So if you suddenly show up and ask to buy more, the nations on the Albanian continent can’t help but ponder...

‘But Governor Nakdoru is engaged in constant warfare with dozens, if not hundreds, of tribes.’

Moreover, since the frequency of battles is so high, no amount of gunpowder is ever enough.

“Indeed, things like gunpowder and matchlocks are never enough. But doesn’t the Toscana Empire also constantly face a shortage of gunpowder?”

Until last year, there had been a chronic gunpowder shortage crisis.

But nowadays, they are overflowing with gunpowder, begging to sell it.

‘Except for the nations on the Albanian continent.’

“Actually, after beginning trade with you, Governor, we’ve significantly increased our gunpowder production scale. So now we can provide a larger quantity.”

When it cos to selling goods, the most important thing is not to give the other party the impression that you’re taking advantage of them.

That’s why traditional market vendors always say things like, “Oh, if I sell at this price, I won’t make anything,” and even big business tycoons will say, “Your company is struggling.”

Why do they insist on such lies and complaints?

If the other party feels like they’re being taken advantage of, it’s obvious that the ladies buying from traditional market vendors will try to haggle for a lower price.

Big business tycoons know that if they don’t act like they’re struggling, employees will request higher bonuses, which would cut into profits.

If I start saying sothing like, “I’ve recently produced gunpowder at a rate seven tis higher,” that guy would definitely start talking about ‘Thanos.’

‘Gotta deceive them just enough.’

“Also, can you win a war with just gunpowder? Money is necessary too. Just how desperate is it that a certain sage from our continent once said, ‘To win a war, you need money, more money, and even more money?’”

I can’t rember who said it, but that’s a saying attributed to a great figure of the Holy Roman Empire.

It’s a truth taught in every military academy around the world.

“That makes sense. So how much will you sell?”

“I’ll sell 2,000 matchlocks and an additional 40 tons of gunpowder. I think I can reliably supply you with 60, or even 70 tons annually moving forward.”

“I appreciate that. But will you continue to accept only gold as paynt?”

“I also accept other forms of art. However, I will not accept black slaves.”

Engaging in the slave trade weighs on my conscience, and after calculating various aspects, it’s a terribly inefficient endeavor.

What would I gain from importing black slaves when I don’t even have colonies in the New World?

Am I going to drive away serfs and create a population of the poor?

“Slaves are quite good, you know? Just a bowl of rice and they’ll work all day without resting.”

Serfs know that they need to work to survive.

They work hard with the thought that if they work a little more diligently, they can eat their fill during harvest ti.

In our territory, where we offer performance bonuses by reducing tax rates for serfs, they even work on weekends.

But slaves know that no matter how hard they work, they’ll only receive a bowl of rice at the end of the day.

‘Even working 16 hours won’t be as efficient as working hard for just three hours, right?’

So, considering the maintenance costs, aside from the satisfaction of having slaves, it’s just a loss.

“I want to have slaves, but other countries don’t look kindly on ‘black’ slaves. It harms the empire’s reputation, so I endure it with tears in my eyes.”

“There’s no beast that can be worked as cheaply as a slave.”

It may seem cheap except for the purchase cost of a slave, but when you account for all the other costs, it’s a loss.

In reality, the reason slavery disappeared in Arica after the Civil War is not due to ‘human rights awareness,’ but because it was fundantally an issue of ‘cost-effectiveness.’

“I’d like to personally check if there’s anything we might want to buy, is that okay?”

“Go ahead. After all, you’re soone I can trust.”

With this, I now had the authority to trade with all the rchants near the Nador region.

Then it’s ti to take the next steps for the wisdom of the British, right?

There’s a wickedness that we commonly don’t know about Britain.

Well, at this ti, Britain hadn’t yet evolved into a ‘homosexual nation,’ so it’s a rather common and trivial cri...

When so bearded fool, not holy or Roman, ascended as emperor in so empire and invented the technology for making ‘foundational stone fields.’

Upon learning of this, the British executed a long maneuver.

It wasn’t theft, but they brought gunpowder manufacturing technology that benefits the world for a paynt of 130 kg of gold in printing and transport costs.

To put it simply, it’s akin to transferring nuclear missile manufacturing techniques onto a USB drive.

“The one who sold this technique must have been a high official or a key figure in the Holy Roman Empire. Naturally, they would have known the imnse value of that technology.”

But I bet they couldn’t resist the temptation of the gold ingots that would say, “Hello, I’m a gold bar!” and ended up selling it.

“Of course, there must be such rchants in Nador as well.”

If they’re trading with the indigenous pagan tribes of blacks, they’re like the trash trading with North Korea in our country.

There’s bound to be soone who would sell their organization for a huge amount of money among a group of trash.

If soone would sell their own country, wouldn’t they sell their organization too?

While I was comfortably resting, leaving all the tedious tasks to my subordinates...

Finally, the opportunity I had been waiting for arrived.

“Baron, a senior mber of the Akbar Trading Company wishes to see you urgently.”

As I expected, among those doing bad things, there was indeed a rotten one who exceeded the level of common decency.

If there had been such a traitor in our rchant guild, I would have granted them the rcy of being sunk in the middle of the sea right away.

‘The enemy of my enemy is my ally.’

A person who betrayed an organization as toxic as radioactive waste must be a good person.

It’s the sa logic that while the Communist Party is bad, soone who abandons the Communist Party and surrenders becos our ally.

“Make sure to thoroughly inspect if they’re bringing any weapons and let them in.”

Still, I can’t completely rule out the probability that this guy is an assassin.

Even if there are fanatic assassin organizations in this world like the Assassin’s Creed, I should still be cautious.

Before long, a man who looked like a skin-headed version of Lee Wan-yong ca in.

I don’t want to discriminate against people based on appearance, but if soone like that ca to interview at our guild, I would definitely reject them without a second thought.

He had the kind of face that looked like he would sell his own family.

‘Just looking at him, I can’t even imagine what he’d sell out.’

“Hello, Baron dici. I’m Abdullah, an executive of the Akbar Trading Company.”

“It’s a pleasure to et you. Seeing soone as distinguished as you makes feel good.”

In truth, I didn’t feel very good, but what’s social life?

Even if I’m uncomfortable, I should be smiling when dealing with people.

“By the way, are you really going to give 3,000 gold coins?”

Seeing him start off with the money talk, my trust level rises a bit.

Yeah, these traitors don’t lie when they’re betraying their allies.

When they’re driven by greed for money, they don’t lie either.

When these two things co together, their trustworthiness goes up to par with a loyal subject.

“Is that all you’d give ? If it helps, I could give you double that.”

Once I start selling gunpowder to Ifriqiya, I could raise the price to three or four tis what it is now.

But if I save on initial investnt costs, I’d be a fool.

Abdullah took out what looked like a ‘book’ containing first-class secrets from within his clothes.

“This is a map depicting the geography of the northwest and west of Ifriqiya. It’s also our trade route.”