NOVEL NEXT Chapter 65
The city of Perugia I arrived at is about the same size as Guillaume City in terms of its population.
The number of citizens living in the city is 10,000, and with 20,000 other residents, the total adds up to 30,000.
Even in densely populated Korea, this would be considered a town, so the city itself felt rather bustling for a rural area.
“There’s quite a crowd.”
It’s not like it has a port like Guillaume City or is a transport hub, but this area has a pretty large plain and ample water for agriculture.
It makes sense that a city would naturally form in such conditions.
Wherever there’s a city, there would obviously be a guild I’m looking for.
“Young Baron, there’s a small blacksmith shop over there.”
Hearing that, I went inside to take a look.
Inside, there seemed to be about three people: a blacksmith and an apprentice, but seeing them resting instead of working during peak hours…
‘It doesn’t look like all the blacksmiths in this city are swamped with work or anything.’
No, in small-town guilds, they generally only make items consumed by the town and its outskirts, so the odds of other workshops having a similar environment are high.
Even if I offered them a job, they wouldn’t refuse since they’d be too busy.
“Looks like I made the right choice coming here.”
At that, Chloe showed genuine joy as if it were her own success.
“That’s fantastic!”
“Not that it would ever happen, but if the blacksmiths here were so overwhelmed with work that they were buried, I’d have to look elsewhere.”
It’s an unavoidable situation if you want to earn money, but just thinking about riding in a cart for days without any suspension is truly horrifying.
“We’ve looked around enough, so now, let’s meet the blacksmith guild master first. Weapon and armor production takes up the biggest share of military supplies.”
There are also items like meat, grains, bread, cheese, and alcohol, but the scale of weapons and armor far exceeds the combined transaction value of everything else.
So it makes sense to prioritize resolving matters with the blacksmith guild.
“Let’s hurry. We need to find other guilds that can handle supply for the other divisions as well.”
As I entered the blacksmith guild, the guild master came running to greet me as if he was on tiptoe.
Not that he was actually barefoot or anything, but…
“Oh my, is that you, Medici Young Baron? What brings someone like you to our humble guild?”
The guild master and senior artisans might not be noble by blood, but in terms of social standing, they aren’t much different from lower nobles.
Since they may not have the same upbringing as aristocrats, they still keep their ears close to central information like nobles do.
Artisans are rarely affected by central changes, but when they are, the aftermath can be quite severe.
‘Who would’ve thought that this mere young baron would receive such a warm welcome?’
How did he recognize me?
“I’m not a high-ranking lord or count; do you really need to make such a fuss?”
Upon hearing that, the guild master shook his head.
“The news of you rising to the rank of young baron just a year and a half after coming of age has spread like wildfire, even to this backwater. I’ve heard you even managed to sort out military supplies for the First Division. Although our guild is small, we understand the importance of military supplies as blacksmiths.”
Being a third-rate blacksmith, that is, someone who hasn’t even gone through an apprenticeship and just learned the trade from his father at the local forge, has nothing to do with military supply.
What they make is probably just kitchen knives suited for serfs heading to town.
However, artisans belonging to even a small guild must stake their lives on military supplies.
That’s the main consumer of weapons, and if the weapons they forge catch the eye of someone important and make a name for them, their worth skyrockets.
The guild master beckoned his subordinates.
“Bring that thing in my office! The one complete with a sword and armor!”
“Isn’t that a masterpiece?”
“If our young baron wears it, it will be a point of pride for the Arezzo family for generations, so bring it here!”
This guild master seems quite decent.
Instead of trying to bribe me for supply contracts with petty cash, he’s offering me his finest masterpiece as a gift.
He appears to genuinely want to showcase his guild’s skills and his own sincerity.
“It’s here.”
Though it’s true that the path to rise is not just based on skill alone, a minimum level of first-rate ability is necessary to be a contender.
What kind of weapons and armor will something made by such a person have?
The sword and armor were even more beautiful and of much higher quality than I had expected.
Not overly ostentatious, they were elegantly adorned with gold workmanship, sturdy enough that I felt reassured they would protect me against arrows or bullets in battle.
It’s not easy to achieve a balance of beauty and functionality.
“I like it.”
“We don’t put this much effort into making every single item. However, with my skills as the guild master, I have no intention of delivering poorly made or shoddy products.”
If he claimed he’d make all his supplies like this masterpiece, I would have walked right out of here.
Military supplies are all mass-produced.
But how could they make them with the highest quality?
‘Even after automated machines start rolling out, that won’t be easy either.’
Before becoming a young baron, it might have been different, but now I stand in a superior position compared to the guild master of a small town.
So when I extended my hand for a handshake, he bowed at a 90-degree angle while grabbing my hand.
“Thank you!”
“I haven’t even mentioned any business yet.”
“My apologies, young baron.”
I sat comfortably in a chair and spoke.
“The king has entrusted me with military supplies for the Second Division. However, our Medici merchant group doesn’t have the capital to establish production facilities to cover the supply right away. So, we need a reliable guild to make the necessary items for us.”
Of course, if I outsource production, the scale of my profits will undoubtedly shrink.
But without incurring large initial costs, it’s perfect for expanding my business.
Just like how comprehensive trading companies are operating this way in Japan, Korea, and advanced nations worldwide.
‘An average operating profit margin of 0.5%, and even a 30 billion won project gets assigned to new recruits at their companies.’
Of course, my profit margin exceeds 30%, but that’s just drawing inspiration from how it works.
“I’m looking to request weapons, armor, tools, etc., for the First Division from you. Can you manage that?”
The guild master didn’t say an outright yes to my request.
Instead, he contemplated deeply before replying.
“How much time can you give us?”
“A month, or rather, 40 days.”
“If we activate all the blacksmiths in our city, I believe we can somehow meet that deadline. After that, we might need to recruit more apprentices and masters for stable production.”
“I also plan to make similar proposals to other guilds. Supplying military goods isn’t just about weapons and tools; there’s more involved.”
Upon hearing that, the blacksmith guild master’s eyes lit up.
Seeing the smile on his lips, he must have grasped what I intended to convey.
Considering the dedication behind the masterpiece he made, I’m giving him this special opportunity.
‘Let’s inform other guild masters about this great opportunity and squeeze a bit more out of the masterpiece value.’
“I will make sure to pass that on. Then the young baron won’t even need to visit as they will come seeking you.”
“Great, then let’s get into the serious price negotiations. Considering it’s bulk supply and that the supply scale remains consistently steady, isn’t there a better deal for the blacksmiths than military supplies?”
This is why the price difference between annual subscriptions and monthly ones can be nearly 1.5 times.
Because they’re guaranteed regular purchases, they think it’s beneficial to lower the price a bit.
Plus, the tools and weapons made by blacksmiths have a longer timeframe between production and sale, unless it’s custom-made…
‘The longer they remain in stock, the bigger the risk that they won’t sell.’
Given all those factors, even with a substantial price drop, the other side won’t be at a loss.
“How much are you thinking? Speak freely as your heart desires.”
Upon hearing that, the blacksmith guild master’s face stiffened quite a bit.
But I’m a merchant too, so I have to maximize my profits.
So we need to negotiate a deal that we can both accept; no, one that allows me to claim as many benefits as possible, right?
“If opinions differ, we can narrow the gap through conversation.”