The first thought that crossed my mind was the annoyance toward the guy who had poured cold water on soone trying to enjoy themselves.
I wasn’t so pervert driven by sexual pleasure, so I quickly sensed the seriousness of the situation.
“Since the report hasn’t co in yet, I take it you just got notified?”
Antonio lowered his head as if admitting his mistake.
“Yes, I was notified just two hours ago. So, I’ve been running the store and business normally while trying to figure out how much sugar stock we have. I’m also checking if I can buy sugar from the spice guilds in other cities.”
The Florence guild acts as the head of the guilds in other cities.
To be more precise, it’s like the president of an association.
Now that the spice guild master has directly imposed a sugar sales ban on us, it’s only a matter of ti before other guilds follow suit and tell us not to sell to them.
“Buying sugar from other cities is practically impossible. Just think about it; if Antonio were the spice guild master, would he make such a foolish mistake after drawing his sword?”
“...Still, I’ll check just in case.”
“I’ll contact Guillau City and see if we can smuggle in as much sugar as we need.”
Guillau City has beco quite prosperous and is noticeable even in the Lyon Kingdom.
Of course, sugar sales would be thriving there.
If I were to buy it all, the wealthy rchants of the Lyon Kingdom would gladly sell it to .
If sugar were a spice like pepper, cloves, or nutg that’s only produced far away in India, I would have truly been out of luck.
‘If that were the case, I might have had to bang my head against the spice guild master right away.’
“And how much sugar do we have left in stock?”
“Since we use sugar in large quantities, we always stockpile a considerable amount when we buy. We should be able to last about a month.”
Like other spices, sugar doesn’t spoil.
“A month isn’t too short, but it’s not exactly a lot of breathing room either.”
If I can rush to Guillau City and bring in sugar through smuggling, I could extinguish the fire that’s dropped at my feet.
Even if I get hit with customs duties while buying from foreign spice guilds and rchants, I’d have to pay several tis the normal price.
However, compared to the losses incurred from not being able to supply desserts if the sugar supply is cut off?
‘I can’t lose sight of the most important part due to a small profit.’
Even if I incur losses from sugar, I can make up for it sohow with seaweed or coffee.
But if I fail to cover the problems arising from sugar and lose trust?
That would leave a wound that can’t be healed by seaweed or coffee.
Antonio cautiously asked.
“Should we stop selling desserts to outsiders?”
“We can’t do that. That’s exactly what that damn spice guild master wants. I’ll find a way to smuggle in sugar, so keep normal operations running. No matter what, accept any unexpected large orders that co in.”
If I were the guild master of the spice guild, I would probably place an unexpected large order just to screw us over...
If we receive orders while we have no sugar stock, we’d truly be in trouble.
‘It would be like pouring chili powder and salt into a wound.’
And just then, I heard soone urgently knocking on the door.
“Mr. Antonio! The Pereira family is holding a large banquet tomorrow with several nobles, including Marquis Grimaldi! They’ve requested 100 strawberry shortcakes, 800 peach parfaits, and 80 kg of tiramisu! We’ll need to gather all our chefs to et this order!”
So those Pereira bastards are teaming up with the spice guild master to tornt us?
I had suspected for a while that they would bow their heads in gratitude only to turn around and be eager to smash to pieces.
It’s not surprising or shocking, but it’s damn painful.
“Sir! This ti, Baron Collonna’s family has placed a bulk order for grape cakes, parfaits, and various desserts using grape jam. The deadline is in three days!”
At this rate, we might run out of stock within three weeks?
If I can’t smuggle it in, it’ll be a huge problem.
My hands are trembling slightly.
Spice guild master, I’ll really crush you under my feet.
‘...I hope Albert isn’t behind this.’
But I quickly erased that thought from my mind.
It seems true that he’s a jealous and insecure piece of trash.
He wouldn’t go out of his way to antagonize by crossing his wife’s family.
I pressed my forehead and let out a deep sigh.
“I can’t believe this, really.”
But there must be a way if I look for it.
After all, there’s a saying that roads naturally form when people travel.
Chloe and I had planned to enjoy a mature day together, but that plan has fallen apart.
However, I didn’t have ti to dwell on such sentints right now.
I imdiately called for Sebastian.
“The butler just arrived.”
“Tell him to hurry in.”
Sebastian hurriedly opened the door and entered.
“What on earth is so urgent that you called for so hastily?”
“The spice guild bastards have placed a sugar sales ban on . And they’re intentionally placing large orders to drain my sugar supply so that I can’t sell desserts.”
“Normally, soone who’s doing well becos a target of jealousy, but isn’t this crossing the line? We should contact Baron dici imdiately and...”
Albert is unlikely to be directly or indirectly involved in this matter.
But he’d love it if I were in trouble, even though it’s not his ss.
He’s not the type to jump in to help.
He’d make all sorts of excuses and wait until I suffered a significant loss.
‘In the end, he might help , but...’
“Sebastian, this is a problem I must solve on my own.”
I gestured for him to co closer.
As soon as Sebastian leaned in, I whispered.
“Baron dici has an inferiority complex toward . You know why the House of Farnese ford an alliance with the dici family, right?”
His eyes widened in realization.
“I think I misspoke. This issue must be addressed at our dici family level. We shouldn’t seek Baron dici’s help, but how about seeking advice from the forr baron?”
Seeking advice is tantamount to asking for help.
And while my father is retired, he still holds far more power within the family than soone like ‘Albert.’
‘He could probably do anything except for ousting the current baron, Albert.’
“I’ll keep that as a last resort. Where’s Kris?”
“She was with , but as soon as she heard about the urgent matter, she ordered our trading ship to prepare for departure.”
I can’t say this to Sebastian, but aside from being a long-ti acquaintance who has seen since childhood, Kris seems better.
She anticipated that I would be heading out before I even revealed any problems.
A sound ca from outside the door.
“It’s Christina Modina. May I co in?”
“Co in.”
As soon as Kris entered, she reported to .
“I’ve ordered our ship, the Slough, and the Carac to prepare for departure. You should be able to set sail as soon as you arrive at the port.”
It takes about three days to reach the nearest port from Florence.
‘Preparing for the ship to set sail will also take about four days.’
Scraping off barnacles on the deck, loading food and water, and bringing back the crew we hired for our trading ship.
“Very well done. For now, I’ll grant Sebastian full authority, so no matter how much it costs, go to Guillau City and gather as much sugar as you can. It would be even better if you could fill the Carac to the brim.”
“Yes, understood.”
Sebastian didn’t ask any more questions and walked out.
But perhaps out of caution against any spies that might be inside?
There was a hint of relaxation in his stride.
‘As expected, I have good subordinates.’
“If you’re not going to Guillau City yourself, are you planning to visit Alsini?”
If I use the relationship of selling seaweed to him and buying coffee, he’d surely give as much sugar as I want.
But then I’d have to beco a servant of the Alsini family.
“No, instead, I’m thinking of taking this opportunity to secure land where we can cultivate sugar.”
“Where on earth could you possibly grow sugar...”
There’s exactly one place.
A place where quite a few people live, not too far off, resembling a ‘foreign country.’
No, to be more precise, it’s the territory of a fanatic knight order that’s crazy about the Deus religion.
“I need to et Duke Visconti. Kris, you follow .”
And before half a day had passed, I was granted a private audience with the duke.
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