Chapter 20: An Interlude (A Certain Merchant Guild Leader, Part 2)

Things had taken a bad turn. Honestly, he wasn’t sure how many concessions they’d have to make, and at worst, they might be forced to accept unfavorable terms in all future deals.

“Chairman…”

“...Is it possible to crush that bastard guild?”

“Yes, sir. We’ve had an eye on them for a while, so we can move quickly. Shall we proceed?”

Now was the time. He’d crush them to the ground. If they could secure a trade deal with the Paraiso merchant ship, this town could enjoy stability for some time. Some of their goods were hard to believe, but above all, that thread and cloth. If they could maintain a steady supply of those, they could navigate the current difficult situation.

And all that had been jeopardized by the greed of a few idiots…!

“Do it. Crush them completely. If anyone complains, show them the results. Damn it, this was going to be a good deal…!”

“Understood, sir. We’ll have it done today.”

“If anyone tries to resist, take them down along with them. They’ve likely been colluding behind the scenes anyway. Even if they haven’t, we don’t need fools who can’t read the changing tides.”

“Yes, sir. Alright, you lot, let’s go! Time to clean house!”

Until now, he’d tolerated their antics because of connections, but they were no longer needed. Any guild that defied him would be cast out. Killing them might be excessive, so he’d settle for expulsion, but survival would be nearly impossible. The areas beyond this town were lawless wastelands. Reaching the capital would be their only chance, but anyone capable of that wouldn’t have defied him in the first place. He wasn’t asking for servitude; all they had to do was not openly defy him.

The cutlasses they’d acquired in the first exchange would be put to practical use. Their craftsmanship was remarkable—almost unbelievably so. If they could secure regular shipments, these could serve as strong bargaining chips. The metalwork would surely appeal to the nobility in the capital.

They had to close this deal at any cost. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the fate of this town rested on it. To be honest, he had been making plans to flee, but this opportunity was too good to abandon.

“Still… it’s quite the spectacle…”

The Paraiso crew.

When they’d informed him that they’d dealt with the raiders, he hadn’t known what to expect. But then they’d started hanging the bodies of the dead men on an unused pier in complete silence. Expecting chaos, he’d quickly dispatched guards to maintain order. When he asked about their intentions, they told him it was a warning. They mentioned he could remove the bodies after a few days if he wanted.

Apparently, they’d managed to fend off twenty raiders who had boarded simultaneously, without taking a single injury. They captured three alive and handed them over to him. Grateful, he’d accepted, though they would face execution regardless. They didn’t need to be interrogated—their public execution would serve as a warning.

“For now, the discussion is scheduled for noon. Until then, let’s see how much we can clean up. We need as many cards in our hand as possible.”

Though small, there were other port towns nearby. If they diverted their trade elsewhere, it would be disastrous. Lately, every port, including this one, was in decline, but the arrival of these goods could be their salvation. Conversely, without them, they’d be finished.

Despite being in the midst of a war, the kingdom was being torn apart by internal strife. He had no idea what the people in the capital were thinking, but even food shipments that used to come in through trade had dried up out of fear of being looted. They managed to get supplies by sending their own ships, but most of their fleet had already been seized by the authorities. The uneducated masses clamored for independence, but doing so would simply make them easy prey for the surrounding lords.

In these dire times, having exclusive access to high-quality goods would be a lifeline.

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. If he wasn’t careful, someone else could seize control, but that’s where his skill would shine. If he could monopolize the trade while carefully distributing the goods among the nobles to keep them in check…

“Damn it, why can’t people act with a bit more forethought?”

Anyone with a bit of sense would see what needed to be done!