I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 246: Industrial City Abito (8)

The people being manipulated rarely even realize they're being manipulated.

It’s only after the manipulation is over that they realize they were being controlled like puppets.

As the saying goes, people who fall victim to scams often don’t realize that they’ve been "designed" for the scam until it’s too late.

Of course, the best scammers are those who can make the victim not even realize they’ve been scammed until it’s already too late, and then they run away without leaving a trace.

"Neither the Holy Empire nor the Kingdom of Lyon will ever suspect that I am behind this, right, Sebastian?"

"They won’t realize it."

The Kingdom of Lyon and the Holy Empire are in a state of cold war.

To be more precise, they both want to use the extreme measure of war, but for various reasons, they are holding back.

In such a situation, if a huge economic loss occurs in the Holy Empire due to foreign influence...

The high-ranking individuals will naturally come to the reasonable conclusion that it was the work of the Kingdom of Lyon.

"The Kingdom of Lyon will try to deny it no matter what. This time, they’ll claim that they have nothing to do with it. But the Holy Empire won’t believe that. They’d sooner believe that crabs walk forward than accept that."

Even if doubts arise in their minds, without proof, if the Kingdom of Lyon continues to deny involvement, they might begin to believe them, especially if their excuses sound reasonable.

Even if there’s a strange feeling, they’ll have to accept it and move on.

Even if the ones making excuses are individuals who will eventually become enemies, they’ll have to take it at face value.

"But, Baron, didn’t you use a fake identity to impersonate a ‘merchant’ from the Kingdom of Lyon? And all the ones who tried to embezzle part of the sales money or betray you were handed over to the Holy Empire?"

Criminals, even if they are murderers, their lives are precious.

I agree with that.

I'm not sympathizing with them on a human rights level, but the idea that heinous criminals can still serve a public purpose by being executed in public to enforce the severity of the law, that’s something I understand.

In fact, the reason capital punishment is still carried out worldwide is not so much to serve the victim's family, but to suppress the desires of potential criminals by instilling the idea that killing someone leads to death.

So I just used their lives for the public good (my own family’s benefit).

Everyone ended up happy through the death of irreplaceable trash.

This is utilitarian behavior.

"The Holy Empire must have suffered an enormous loss this time."

"Yes, the ones who were sustaining the economy have collapsed in an instant."

Imagine someone who used to earn 1 million won a month now earning 800,000 won.

On the surface, it seems like a small loss...

But when someone barely survived on 1 million won a month, cutting even a bit more from their income would make survival impossible.

This is why systems like basic livelihood security exist.

‘But there’s no such welfare in the Holy Empire.’

"Those nobles of the Holy Empire, who are now forced to sell their children to slave traders to survive, will need someone to take the blame. Once they realize that the root cause of the betrayal is ‘merchants from the Kingdom of Lyon,’ they’ll gladly claim that all this chaos is because of the Kingdom of Lyon."

"The high-ranking individuals in the Holy Empire must be pleased, knowing that the Kingdom of Lyon caused this mess."

Even in the medieval times, public opinion played a crucial role in decisions to go to war.

You might think that in an era without democracy, what public opinion could possibly matter.

But even if the high-ranking individuals decide to go to war for their own interests, it is the serfs who, as expendable soldiers, will be sent to fight.

If those at the top have no intention of fighting, soldiers will desert, and in the worst case, the bottom-ranking soldiers could even turn their guns on their superiors.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

And now, the reason for fighting against the Kingdom of Lyon is being provided to them.

‘Many high-ranking nobles in the Holy Empire must be happy about this situation.’

Sebastian clapped his hands lightly.

"Your strategy, Baron, truly seems to pierce the heavens."

I know he meant it as praise, but being Korean, I can’t help but feel like some foolish general who thinks he’s understood the mysteries of heaven and earth.

There’s still much to do, so I should change the subject.

"So, how did you manage to find a way to continue smuggling into the Holy Empire?"

There are people who have never done drugs, but there are no people who have tried it once and then never again.

What I’m selling now, cotton and wool, is a bit like that.

Back in the day, when the most basic shirts cost 200,000 to 250,000 won, people reluctantly bought them at that price.

But now that smugglers have normalized prices and made them half of that, who would want to go back to the previous prices?

Everyone would want to buy the smuggled goods, and smugglers who recognize this demand would undoubtedly get involved.

When the prohibition of alcohol was enforced in the United States, people made grape juice that turned into wine after sitting in the shade for a week to still consume alcohol.

In Russia, they even processed industrial alcohol or hand sanitizers into drinks.

"They can’t outright ban the trade of cotton and wool, right? All we need to do is take the fabric and sell it to other merchants at half the original price. That’s all."

I was overcomplicating things.

There are already plenty of merchants addicted to the half-price fabric, so all I need to do is sell it to them at that price, and they’ll take care of selling it.

Then, just like drug addicts keeping their secrets tightly guarded until they’re caught, these merchants will be just as careful with the confidentiality.

Even if they try to expose it, it would just lead to the conclusion that it’s the work of the Kingdom of Lyon.

"But, Baron, if we’re selling it at the same price, wouldn’t it be better to sell it domestically rather than to the Holy Empire or the Kingdom of Lyon? That way, transportation costs would be lower and we’d make more profit."

If we just focus on smuggling, there’s practically no chance of being caught.

The wool and cotton produced in the Rothschild factory are all sold overseas.

However, the prices are so low that the wicked people from the Holy Empire and the Kingdom of Lyon are buying the products we sold at a cheap price and reselling them in the Tuscany Empire.

It would work if we played the role of a deceptive merchant and made it seem like that’s what’s happening.

I have no problem deceiving the Emperor...

‘But no matter what, I don’t want to destroy my own country.’

It feels like an act of treason, and I would feel like a traitor to my nation, much like someone like Lee Wan-yong or Park Jae-sun, who collaborated with foreign powers.

‘A person must maintain a minimum standard.’

After all, I’m a noble of the Tuscany Empire and a decent person with a conscience.

Ah, of course, the standards for being decent and having a conscience come from the East India Company.

"If we push too hard, we might get caught. Besides, making money by selling mass quantities of fabric at this price is cutting off our own hands."

When the economy collapses, so do businesses.

But if I collapse the economy of the Tuscany Empire just to make money?

That’s a foolish choice.

"Exactly as you said, Baron, there’s no need to rush. Even in just one month, with the factory not even fully built, we’ve already made a profit of 20,000 gold coins. There’s no need to be greedy."

Based on what I’ve seen, the looms and spinning machines in the factory are only 500 units each.

We’re not even halfway to our minimum goal of 1,000 units.

If we reach that minimum goal, the profits could double...

‘No need to rush.’

"People must know when to be satisfied. I think this is enough for now. So, how’s the development of Avito?"

"Very smoothly. The students from the Department of Technology, benefiting from the Baron’s grace, are building factories and various sewage facilities while constructing houses, and already a small city that can accommodate about 1,500 people has been established."

It’s amazing that in less than three months, a city of that scale has been created.

While it’s easier to build houses in the medieval times compared to building apartments, still...

‘Money really is the best thing.’

Investing 400,000 gold coins without hesitation probably resulted in that outcome.

"We’ve met the minimum requirements to recognize the city legally, so we need to select a mayor and other officials."

The city is going to grow rapidly, so we need to prepare accordingly.

‘If you start something without a plan and it goes wrong, you won’t be able to take responsibility.’

"According to the dean of the Department of Technology, by the end of this year, a city capable of housing 8,000 people will be built."

We’ll have to secure the surrounding land now.

If I let other forces profit off the surrounding land while seeing the city grow rapidly, I won’t let that happen.

I need to buy it all up before the land prices soar, just like the coin market...

Once the land prices skyrocket, people will be thrilled with a little bribe.

"By the way, the land compensation for the investment I made hasn’t been given yet. Should I expect that?"

"Avito City, lots 5, 6, and 7."

These are about 4% of the planned development area for the city.

Since Sebastian’s investment was so large, I’ll give him a big share.

"Thank you, Baron."

"Also, the right to recommend a mayor."

This is my favor to Sebastian.

I won’t recommend a strange person, so he’ll recommend good candidates.

"If they’re capable, I don’t mind recommending Sebastian’s children. And if anyone’s still without a job, I’d suggest enrolling them in the Department of Technology. I plan to do bigger things, after all."

If we’re building a city, we might as well make it an ‘innovative tech city.’