NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12
In the Blacksmith Guild of Florence, curses and rough words flew about like whoosh.
“Does this make any sense? Which crazy bastard is selling steel for this price?!”
The guild master slammed his hands on the table with a bang bang.
His hands should’ve hurt, but the anger was so overwhelming that he didn’t even look like he cared.
“Sure, you can throw cheap scrap iron into a furnace and crank out some ore! But making steel takes hammering until your shoulders dislocate! And this price is just ridiculous!”
The guild master was about to blow a fuse; he felt like he might die from frustration.
After monopolizing steel to control military supplies like weapons and armor, even basic tools were barely keeping them afloat.
Now that the advantage of steel monopolization was shattered, life was only going to get tougher.
And competitors weren’t just going to play nice; they’d be clawing at their own skin to push the guild out!
“If this continues, we’re all done for! We’ll be toast!”
The days of cozying up to the higher-ups for survival were completely over.
“Can’t you petition to Duke Sforza or the royal family for help? Our guild’s rights have been violated for centuries, we need a favor!”
It was a world where nobles who did politics were also merchants; it made sense that if they were hit, it would also affect the pockets of the high-born.
The high-borns knew both their power and their wealth were connected.
Protecting merchants like one’s own body was the norm but…
“Master, those guys handle steel. The cost of steel is a huge chunk of weapon prices; which noble would stop the price of steel from dropping? Even if you suggest it to the city council, they’ll definitely shut it down.”
To high-ranking nobles like barons, the price of a suit of armor or a horse wasn’t that significant.
In fact, these dignitaries often commissioned custom-made armor that could cost more than a castle!
But even a baron has dozens of knights or heavy cavalry under him.
These guys struggle to even afford one suit of armor.
The high-borns are aware of the plight of their knights and wouldn’t stir things up.
“Damn it, that lousy Duke Visconti! If it were something else, we could resist the infringement of our guild’s interests!”
The guild master held his head in despair.
He felt a pounding headache and let out a sigh.
“How much have we lost exactly?”
“About 1,758 gold coins. This is just an estimate, and it seems the losses will only grow from here.”
“10% of our sales just disappeared. Good heavens.”
Though numerically it was only 10%, the repercussions would be far-reaching.
Supply of steel would be flooded at prices 30% lower than before, and all the nobles consuming steel would be secretly trading in Duke Visconti’s steel.
Having secured steel at a low price, they’d cut off unnecessary business with the guild.
“If only they’d sold it at the same price as us. This wouldn’t have happened…”
“And starting this month, 15 noble families, including the Earl of Bofang, have informed us they will stop trading steel, weapons, and armor, and they want their advance payments back…”
When the guild buys in bulk, they must pay a 20-30% deposit on the price.
This is because the guild uses that money to purchase necessary materials, tools, etc. to manufacture products.
Once the deal is made, that money is spent immediately.
So what, are they expecting to just ditch the sale because they changed their minds?
“Tell them to shove it! We made it clear that advance payments are non-refundable! Damn this!”
They could cut off the outflow of advance payments.
But if the money continues to dry up, paying staff salaries will become difficult, along with repaying loans taken to set up the workshop.
If this situation drags on long-term, bankruptcy could become a very real scenario.
“Is there really no clear way out?”
“We have no way to counteract this.”
“Damn it, how are we going to deal with these bastards…”
While pondering, an astonishing idea struck the guild master’s mind.
“Even if Duke Visconti has a backer, trading a monopolized guild item without royal consent is outright illegal, right?”
It’s illegal and goes against the imperial decree.
However, in a world where social hierarchy is valued more than justice, it’s pointless if nobles turn a blind eye!
“What use is it if the nobles are ignoring it?”
“Change your perspective. If those breaking the royal decree get pillaged, who can they appeal to?”
While Duke Visconti may be secretly meddling, trading steel isn’t a legitimate economic activity.
Thus, if wrongdoers face injustice, they can’t report it to the authorities…
Even if the duke’s illegal traders get pillaged, it would be hard to publicly sanction them.
“It would be impossible unless he intends to advertise a blatant violation of the empire’s law.”
If it were just the guild master fighting against the duke, even if he were to violate some laws, judges would side with the duke.
It would certainly be labeled as ‘consensual relations’ no matter how heinous.
That’s the beautiful legal system of the empire.
Anyone who protests against it becomes a delinquent and a traitor.
But if there’s a public lawsuit about the duke outright breaking the law, Duke Sforza wouldn’t keep quiet.
“If this comes to light, sure we may be doomed, but Duke Sforza will not let Duke Visconti get away unpunished.”
In short, even if the duke loses a lot of steel, the potential loss is so great he can’t afford to raise a complaint.
Everyone knelt in awe of the guild master’s crazy idea.
“If there’s a chance of this coming to light, we should have Tony lead it. If we offer him a workshop in the guild as a reward, he’ll surely wag his tail.”
Even a small workshop would cost at least 50 gold coins.
Even if skilled craftsmen earn well, saving 50 gold coins would require saving every penny of salary for ten years.
It’s a sum worthy of risking one’s life.
Plus, if it works, great for us; if it doesn’t, we can blame someone else!
Truly wicked.
“Let’s contact the bandits.”
Today, our steel factory is humming along smoothly.
Now we’re gearing up to extract 20 tons a day and in a few months, nearly 40 tons of steel!
And all the steel we pull is being sold at a massive 600% profit.
While I’m pocketing most of this cash, the duke hasn’t exactly asked me for a payoff.
Seems like he’s securing immense political influence by secretly sliding steel into the pockets of other nobles.
Well, I’m not interested in politics, so it’s no skin off my nose.
In fact, as long as the duke’s coin rises, so does my value, so it’s better if he handles all the political stuff!
“If only it could stay just like this for now.”
Once I go home, my father, who is now a former baron, will be pestering me to buy a title of knighthood with money to elevate him back into the nobility.
I still have some things to do, so I can’t head back just yet.
No, if I did, I’d probably get stabbed by some guys sent by the pissed-off blacksmith guild.
Thoroughly enjoying my leisure time, I double-checked the site.
“If I had known, I should just have stayed a serf; what is this nonsense?!”
“Are you serious?! You’re getting a lot of money, but you have no time to spend it?!”
Hearing that, the craftsman raised his hammer.
Once the apprentice blacksmiths who were once serfs quieted down, the elders started their rant.
“In my day, we didn’t get paid while learning skills! Huh? But now you’re whining while getting paid and being free from serfdom, what the hell is that?”
Across the Toscan Empire, or anywhere on the Almanya continent, it’s common knowledge that apprentices don’t get paid while learning.
Yet in our steel factory, you receive a whole silver coin after just a month!
“Is that why you little punks have enough energy left to complain?”
“Please spare me, I’ll never complain again!”
“Hah, compared to my times, the world is too good to you. Remember to thank your lucky stars today.”
Then those kids were dragged off by their younger seniors by the scruffs of their necks.
Those brats would be stirring molten iron until they’re on the brink of death today.
“When serfs join as subordinate workers, things are so tough they don’t have room to bully anyone, so they adapt quickly.”
In other workshops, if a former serf joined, it’d be a scene that would make 21st-century school bullying seem cute.
But here, there’s no discrimination against former serfs.
The ones being dragged off will probably suffer a lot today, but later, their senior will buy them a beer and they’ll bond over it.
Indeed, social discrimination is easily solved by just throwing in lots of money, right?
“Once those former serfs get a little skilled, we could aim for 40 tons a day!”
With greater quantity, the profit per kilogram might decrease, but since we’d be selling more, the total profit would definitely climb.
“Thinking I might clock out early today?”
Just as I was about to leave early after a long time, a servant from the duke’s family approached me rapidly.
From the outfit, he looked like a proper noble with the title of knighthood. Just what could this high-up human want?
“Big trouble! Our steel shipment was ambushed by bandits!”
… sigh, what a pain.
“Duke is urgently looking for you!”
I can’t imagine a duke being clueless about such incidents, but why exactly are they looking for me?