Conflicts Of Interest Often Begin From Trivial Matters (5)

Idlen’s argument was to incite a chocolate crisis.

The required volume was quite large, and Idlen mentioned that she had gathered Kanapa from all available merchant ships, including those of the Lilith Trading Company, for this purpose.

Although she knew that chocolate could be made with Kanapa, the method of how to make it was still shrouded in mystery, so this was the best Idlen could do.

“How do you plan to incite a crisis?”

“Previously, the Black Gold Merchant Company appeared at several ports in the Central Continent, but recently they have remained completely silent. I plan to utilize that.”

“Utilize it, shall I hear how first?”

Idlen nodded and handed over the documents she had brought. The contents were a proposal to disguise the Dust of Sands and Lilith Trading Companies as the Black Gold Merchant Company to release chocolate in bulk.

It included a condition that they would take 20% of the generated profit, and a clause stating the remaining amount would be replaced with essential supplies needed for the Ingrad Domain.

She was certainly a quick-witted woman. It was now a time when the Ingrad Domain needed other things more than ‘gold.’ This was because it was a period when food and living supplies would become scarce.

Time was needed until the harvest, and due to the nature of the Ingrad Domain, there was not much space for growing crops.

The only abundant things were timber and medicinal herbs, but there was a limit to distributing those to the outside as well.

Since the volume requested by the Briden side was not yet large, there was also a limit to simply increasing the warehouses and storing items.

“But to represent the Black Gold Merchant Company, you will need the help of the beastkin, won’t you?”

At my words, Idlen cautiously opened her mouth.

“I would like you to station a certain number of them on each merchant ship.”

She likely intended to use them as a brand, but it remained to be seen whether they would cooperate with humans other than me in places other than the Ingrad Domain.

To put it bluntly, they had been exploited by humans until recently. To be precise, it was a situation where it was unknown whether they were being exploited because of the Berserk state, but the result was that humans used to hunt Berserk whale beastkin to squeeze out oil or use the meat for food.

The whale beastkin could not be ignorant of this, and even if they were a people who had lived for a long time without being hostile toward humans, living together and merely coexisting were two different things.

“I will try to persuade them… but I don’t know if it will go well. You know the circumstances roughly, don’t you?”

“I know it was an era of persecution. I only mentioned it to make the work go smoothly. I plan to make the proposal once, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll give up quickly.”

After saying I understood, we moved on to the next topic. Primarily, the plan was for the Dust of Sands Trading Company to monopolize the resale of the chocolate and distribute it into the interior of the continent.

The profit they would gain was the margin as a so-called middleman; although it was the part I disliked the most, I simply nodded, thinking it was an important task to dry up the Empire’s funds.

‘Since… the standards of good and evil are already meaningless…’

“How many times the profit do you think will remain?”

“It’s no exaggeration to say that the Central Continent is currently… suffering from Black Gold fever. Everyone is curious about where it’s manufactured and who the owner of the Black Gold Merchant Company is. It’s no exaggeration to say the world’s attention is focused on it.”

It was not something I had done while anticipating this. It was just for the sake of earning money and was a task carried out solely to prevent the Imperial family from discovering the identity of the chocolate.

However, I did not know that this would become a large ripple and shake the world. But Idlen was suggesting we make it even bigger and have a proper go at it.

As a merchant, it was natural to chase profit. And I thought there was no need for hesitation in squeezing those in the Empire who could already be considered ‘enemies.’

“Let’s do it. I’ll support you actively, so let’s clean them out properly.”

We were able to shake hands, and it was the moment we entered the operation to squeeze the Empire, hoping it would not lead to a situation of ‘same bed, different dreams.’

Afterward, I led Idlen to the secret location where chocolate production took place, and after giving her a tour, I showed her the various types of chocolate; looking at a quite surprised Idlen, I spoke.

“Processed foods like this can produce various flavors depending on the production method.”

“It’s amazing…”

Idlen was genuinely admiring it.

If the existing one was literally just ‘Nama Chocolate,’ targeting flavors that the people of this world were generally vulnerable to by making the sweetness strong, I thought I could move on to more diversification now.

Product development had already progressed, and by adjusting the cacao content and the amount of sugarcane sugar, various flavored chocolates could be produced.

Furthermore, I prepared a perfect set including milk chocolate and white chocolate using condensed milk and cocoa butter, even down to the colors; seeing this, Idlen’s eyes were beaming with hearts.

“A box containing 10 chocolates can be considered one set; what do you think of this configuration?”

“Five types of chocolate… both the colors and everything are so wonderful. By any chance, could I taste them?”

“Go ahead.”

Then I handed her a box, and Idlen repeatedly rinsed her mouth while carefully tasting each one.

I wondered if there was a need to go that far, but eventually, after eating all the chocolate, Idlen spoke to me with a happy expression.

“I think this one box I just ate would fetch the daily operating cost of a noble family.”

“Has it become that expensive?”

“For a box this size… I think I could receive 10 large gold coins.”

Thinking to myself that one could pull a terrifying middle margin, I asked.

“You’ll be able to… earn a lot, won’t you…?”

“If we fill all the merchant ships… I think we could earn at least 20 to 30 million large gold coins within a month.”

Bolb had already earned that many large gold coins, but that was literally limited to the demons. Considering he had taken out over 50 ships and earned nearly 2 million large gold coins quickly at the beginning, it meant that prices had either skyrocketed or that it could be taken as a middle margin, which was why she made this proposal.

Furthermore, I thought a merchant company as large as the Dust of Sands Trading Company would usually be circulating that much money, but Idlen gave me further explanation.

“Because the atmosphere is flowing strangely, the South is also in a state of keeping a close eye on the situation.”

“….What do you mean?”

“The Terakan Empire is massive. It can be called a giant collective that has grown its size by absorbing many ethnicities and histories. However, recently, rumors about the Empress have been circulating subtly that there might be a problem with her charisma, and the movements of several high-ranking nobles in the South are also unusual.”

Perhaps the spark I fired was preparing to burn brilliantly. Since the Ishtain Domain had already declared independence, the fire was indeed lit.

A fire at one’s feet; it remained to be seen in what form the Empire would flaunt its intentions toward us, but I was not thinking of defeat.

‘But why is the Dust of Sands Trading Company in a hurry for funds…? Could it be..’

“Pardon me, I have something I am curious about. Is the Dust of Sands Trading Company also… supporting someone?”

At my question, Idlen gave a bright smile. Then she spoke as if telling a light story.

“A tiger lives in the South. That tiger, with very sharp teeth and a brilliant brain, always lives with freedom on its lips. But it just so happens that someone who ardently loves that tiger is in our trading company, you see?”

“…It seems there is a noble whom Mr. Amode is supporting?”

“I wished to support the owner of Ingrad, but since there were quite a few aspects viewed opaquely… this can be said to be the limit with only my will.”

“Well, I think this is also fine. And if it’s goods to be brought in… if possible, food types that can be preserved for a long time would be good.”

“Processed meats and nuts wouldn’t be bad either, right?”

“Anything is fine as long as it can be stored for a long time. And could you also prepare various types of fruit?”

“Fruit would be difficult to store, wouldn’t it?”

“It’s because they all have a use. I’m counting on you.”

Idlen said she understood. Afterward, we began transporting the chocolate to the harbor, and as I watched the process of loading it onto the ships, I only hoped it would return as items that would give the Ingrad Domain room to breathe.

To deliver the document of the severance with the Empire, I was able to hire mercenaries and send them to the capital of the Empire, but my mind was complicated as I watched the departing mercenaries.

“Full-scale containment will begin, won’t it?”

At my question, Linda, who was by my side, spoke.

“I think containment began a long time ago, as the borders are already blockaded.”

“Indeed… but I heard they don’t block going out; have you looked into that?”

Nodding at my question, Linda told me the results of the investigation so far.

“You know that the Ingrad Wall is also being divided into sectors, right?”

“I know. Although I only know about the Hamern Barony side in detail…”

“Hmm, first of all, there are a total of three noble families that received orders to support the management of the wall. One is a viscount family and the other is a barony. However, in reality, the place where the Hamern Barony’s influence acts does not block people coming and going to the point where it should be considered that they do not blockade us. But the other two places are a bit different. We have no contact with them, and one is the Noble Faction while the other is the Imperial Faction.”

“Does the Hamern Barony not belong anywhere?”

At my words, she shook her head and spoke.

“I know they were Imperial Faction nobles. But it seems they intend to enter under the command of the Margrave of Ishtain this time.”

Branne de Ishtain; I don’t know with what thought she declared independence, but I thought that thanks to that, the military force that was going to come to ‘subjugate’ us would be divided.

I expected about 200,000 to come toward us, and nearly 400,000 troops to move toward the Margrave.

The problem was the battlefield; although they had re-enthroned the Atoon royal family, it seemed it would take time to build strength and unify the command system.

‘Is it a relief that the elite troops are tied up at the front lines…?’

“This is information investigated by the Information Guild; first, there are a total of seven domains that have decided to move with the Margrave of Ishtain. In terms of scale, they say it’s about similar to Atoon. So even if the Empire mobilizes its army, it’s expected that they won’t be subjugated in a short period.”

“I see. What other information has been sent by the Information Guild besides that?”

At my words, she went “Ah!” and information about what I was waiting for flowed from Linda’s mouth.

“According to Lucia, they say they have obtained Breadfruit Tree seeds. A lot of money was involved, but they say they were handed over readily.”

“That’s good. I don’t know how well they will grow in the Forest of the Demon Dragon, but if we can just spread them quite widely, we’ll be able to resolve the chronic food problem to some extent.”

“But will they really taste like ‘bread’ from the tree fruit?”

“We’ll know once we eat them later.”

Afterward, while listening to Linda’s report, I only tried to cool my complicated head as I finished the day’s schedule.