I Became A Black Merchant In Another World Chapter 80

In dramas and movies, even the villains seem to have a sense of loyalty.

However, the reason such villains appear is that there are no genuinely evil characters in real life; they are artificially created because they look cool.

The executives of the spice guild didn’t show a single impressive quality that t my expectations.

“Well, I’m fine with this; it’s easier for since they’ve been spilling their secrets.”

I saw Judge Andante reassess the information I had gathered, and Mancini sighed heavily.

“I knew these rchants were base creatures obsessed with making money, but this has gone far beyond the pale. How can they sell fellow believers of Deus, dressed in human skins, to infidels? How? How?!”

Chief Judge Mancini slamd his hands down on the desk before him.

“Are you telling they can sell the faithful of our empire to infidels?!”

Before that, it’s a bigger issue that they lent money knowing the serfs would never be able to repay it, turning entire villages into slaves to be sold.

Just as when in Ro, one must follow Roman laws, in terms of common sense in the Toscana Empire, the villagers had voluntarily borrowed money, and in return, the won beca sex slaves, and the n were sold as galley slaves—this was seen as a ‘free choice’ like being inducted.

It’s far worse than when instructors in training camps ask, “Did you get dragged in?”

“In this case, selling precious citizens to infidels is the main issue.”

“Calm down, Chief Judge.”

“Can this be cald? Those poor souls will now be oppressed by infidels and forced to worship their false gods.”

No, the real issue for those people isn’t worshiping another god instead of Deus, but that their lives have been ruined by the spice guild.

“How do we recover spilled water? What’s important now is to bring down the hamr of justice on those scoundrels. Isn’t it your chance to be an agent of justice?”

Upon hearing my words, Mancini smiled.

His ambition for promotion was evident; it seems he would do anything to beco the Chief Judge.

“That kind of person can indeed be of help to .”

After showing a wicked smile, he turned his head and cleared his throat, seemingly embarrassed by his excitent.

“Ahem, I was so taken aback that I displayed such a foul deanor.”

“I completely understand. I felt the sa rage when I heard the confession of those facts.”

“The despicable act of selling our empire's won to infidels is utterly unforgivable. And naturally, the rchants leading the spice trade will be implicated.”

Mancini began to spit out his words.

“The rchants are obstacles to imperial authority. So why don’t we take this opportunity to weaken them? What do you think about completely uprooting the spice guild and taking it all for yourself? You could gain enormous benefits.”

You want to wipe out the spice guild and then take it all?

Honestly, if I were to ask the Emperor for permission, he might grant it. However, the rchants would undoubtedly co after with swords.

“If I boast about winning the lottery in a poor neighborhood, I’d soon end up as a corpse.”

I too would et a grueso end at the hands of an unidentified assassin.

Even when I stretch out on my bed, I’m careful about where I do it...

“If I take down the spice guild and the rchants, I could also reach the Chief Judge position.”

While the rank difference between a Chief Judge and a High Court Judge is only one level, it’s roughly equivalent to the difference between a managing director and a company president.

Not only does social position matter, but the amount of clean gifts I’d receive from countless people would also be incomparable.

“If that guy lasts until retirent, he could even aim for a barony in the judicial nobility.”

“Chief Judge, you might get indigestion from eating too quickly. After all, both you and I could face sad circumstances after this matter concludes.”

Mancini had only recently been promoted to Chief Judge.

But already aiming for the Chief Judge position is pushing it.

If you’re too greedy, you might genuinely die, my good sir.

He placed a hand on his forehead and sighed.

“Thanks to you, I was promoted five years faster than my peers. So, regardless of anything else, I should heed your words. At what point should I report back?”

“Draft a record indicating that the guild master and executives of the spice guild sold won of the empire as sex slaves to infidels without authorization. Beyond that, probing further would have a counterproductive effect.”

“Indeed, even uncovering this much would be a monuntal achievent.”

The spice guild is among the top five guilds in our empire.

If Mancini has the record of uncovering all their corruptions and judging their leadership, he’ll surely be able to rise to the Chief Judge position.

“If he doesn’t manage to make any significant accomplishnts afterward, he’ll end up in a position of a temporary appointee just before retirent.”

In any case, it would be an achievent he could boast about for the rest of his life.

“And make sure to write this in the report.”

“What should I write?”

“ntion that the atrocities committed by the spice guild were directed and tolerated by the four major rchants, including the dici guild, but that all statents are deed perjury aid at reducing their sentences.”

In this era, with power and sufficient wealth to offer appropriate gifts to the officials, anything is possible.

It’s feasible for a duke like Visconti to have a murderer acquitted, but that’s a privilege reserved for the duke.

Even soone of my rank can quickly uncover all statents, evidence, various records, and even the personal information of investigators and their families regarding cris I’ve been accused of.

So it’s impossible for the rchants not to see this report we’ve drafted.

“They aren’t just nobles by na; even the average barons wouldn’t dare lift their heads in front of such high-ranking officials.”

“So, the rchants deeply implicated in this incident will have no choice but to realize Judge Mancini’s rcy.”

“Indeed, what they said is technically true and not perjury; they can’t pretend they didn’t know we deliberately covered up the truth.”

Such things occasionally happen in any country.

A kind prosecutor or judge might cut off just the right amount of a high-ranking official’s cri.

Suddenly, a person who was originally slated to be “skipped over” in their performance evaluation becos a “candidate for promotion” and lands a prestigious position.

If the rchants don’t want to endure the unfortunate event of the ‘deliberately concealed truths’ being revealed to the world...

They will try to silence us by offering appropriate compensation.

“Perhaps a suspicious gift might pour down on as well?”

Even if that doesn’t happen, at the very least, they’ll signal to maintain good relations in the future.

“Alright, I’ll handle this case up to this point.”

“That’s a wise decision. How long do you think the sentences will be?”

Mancini began tapping his fingers on the desk in front of .

After pondering for a mont, he spoke.

“Most of the matters can be handled at my level as a Chief Judge. Frankly, using my power to cover up a murder charge is easy.”

Regular judges don’t have the authority to prosecute.

However, High Court judges possess prosecutorial and judicial powers, allowing them to perform such feats.

“But this case is too large. I’ll likely have to escalate it to the High Court Chief Justice or the Chief Justice himself; thus, I can’t be certain about the exact outcos…”

Mancini lowered his voice deliberately.

“The guild master, of course, along with the entire executive board’s families, will be wiped out. If it involves a religious trial, the main offenders will face burning, and the rest will be beheaded. Even without a religious trial, they’ll find it hard to avoid beheading.”

So, even the families of those involved would face death.

Well, I don’t feel any sympathy for them.

After all, those guys were the ones who cut off my sugar supply and tornted ; they’d undoubtedly co after Chloe later on.

How do I know? This industry is like that.

“They take down their rivals without any negotiations or considerations for their opponents.”

That’s how you can have it all.

“Is that so? I understand.”

“It’s the best outco for both of us. And there are plenty of cris committed by the spice guild, aren’t there? I’ve instructed the clerks of the High Court and other officials to focus solely on docunting the cris and associated evidence.”

That’s a strange asure upon reflection.

To secure physical evidence regarding tax evasion and slave trading, they’d need to seize valuable items like money or goods in warehouses.

It wouldn’t make sense not to touch any of that.

“Are they expecting to just pick up the goods in their warehouses as they please?”

Furthermore, they would probably launder the origins of various properties through record manipulation, swallowing up the profits for themselves.

I admire the clear-cut give-and-take relationship.

“Thinking about it, I haven’t yet conducted the punitive tax collection. I’ll make sure to hurry with that.”

We understand each other without having to say anything.

“Then hurry along.”

After having a productive conversation with the Chief Judge, I quickly left the room.

While it would be nice to profit from the assets held by the spice guild, there was sothing more pressing at hand.

“Damn that Albert; he clearly watched the spice guild’s ruckus, knowing I’d be in trouble.”