LIGHTNOVELONLINE chapter 69
69 – Sell Everything Except Your Wife and Children (1)
After the banquet was over. To be precise, after the atmosphere of the banquet was ripe, the Habsburg Crown Prince immediately left the banquet hall and headed to the port.
“Are you here?”
“Okay.”
The crown prince jumped onto his ship, which was anchored in the harbor, and grabbed him by his tie.
“Huh…”
The crown prince passed through the deck, entered his captain’s room, and closed the door.
Whisk.
As if he was exhausted from some kind of fatigue, the crown prince collapsed into the rocking chair.
“Bathory.”
Suddenly, he opened his mouth.
As if reciting a magic spell, or calling someone’s name.
“Bathory.”
After calling twice, a red mist began to stir in the prince’s shadow.
“Haam. Why are you calling me?”
The voice that came out of the fog was that of a young woman.
“I was sleeping well for a while.”
The fog soon took on a human form, becoming a human with white hair and red eyes.
What’s unique is that the woman’s ears are long and pointed.
“Can you understand?”
“What?”
“The kingdom accepted the offer.”
“No.”
The woman, Bathory, sat down with her butt on the desk in the captain’s office.
“You idiots in the kingdom, don’t you know anything about the value of currency? They’re uncivilized.”
“Even if it is barbaric, there is a degree. Even if the entire kingdom is barbaric, the leader who leads that country should not be like that.”
The crown prince pounded his chest with a red face, as if he was venting his anger.
“Do they really know anything? The meaning of imperial currency being used.”
“Is this the person who is trying to swallow up the kingdom using that as an excuse to say such a thing?”
“Because it’s so absurd.”
The crown prince tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling.
“A kingdom that has not fallen for 500 years can spread its legs like this just by opening its ports and letting people smell the empire’s money.”
“How vulgar an expression is, isn’t it, Crown Prince? Isn’t it what the Crown Prince wanted, to be attacked so easily?”
“I never thought it would be this easy.”
The crown prince covered his face with both hands and squeezed his face.
“Hasn’t the empire been able to surpass a country like that for 500 years?”
“Uhm…”
“Bathory. “What do you think?”
“Well, it’s always the same pattern, so I’m not impressed.”
Bathory crossed her legs and yawned long.
“No matter what kind of stupid thing the kingdom does, a hero always pops up to cover up for it all.”
“This is a different case. It is called economic invasion.”
“So, even if you do something like this, it’s always been like that?”
Bathory reaches forward.
The red energy flowing from her hand spread out like a map.
“Do you think the kingdom has survived so far because it is such a great country? You’re welcome. It’s not that the kingdom is good, it’s that the talented people in the kingdom are good.”
“Hero…”
“Currency erosion? Ah, a merchant hero will definitely emerge. A hero who will open his mouth like a dragon and wipe out all the Thalers sent in by the empire.”
Bathory jumped up, stood on both feet on her desk, and stretched out her arms in front of her.
“Oh, the great merchant who saved our country from the economic invasion of the empire! Nostrum, forever!”
“Ha.”
“How many times have I heard this?”
“I don’t even want to hear it.”
The crown prince bit his lower lip and continued to tap the handle with his hand.
“The good news is that Morgania is trying to join hands with us…”
“That’s how they used to be.” They looked to see if they had something to steal from the empire, and if they ate it and felt bad, they spit it out right away.”
“What if it’s sweet?”
“What could be so sweet as to give up a 500-year dynasty? Those who are crazy about that power.”
“…Well. This?”
The crown prince took out a glass bottle next to the rocking chair.
“I think this is enough.”
“Are you really going to do that?”
“It’s already spreading, there’s nothing we can’t do.”
The glass bottle was full of white powder.
It has a somewhat rough feel to it, calling it flour.
“I think it is possible with silver.”
“Really? Hmm. Then a hero who creates a drug that neutralizes Baekun will appear?”
“Ha…”
“Don’t be annoyed. What should I do if it’s true?”
Bathory spread his arms her and began to spin around on his desk her her her her.
“When the plague broke out, the kingdom developed a drug that could antidote the plague.”
“There were rumors that they had made a medicine against the plague even before the plague became prevalent.”
“When a large number of monsters appeared in the contaminated zone, Charlemagne Geo Nostrum, who was the king at the time, found 12 sword masters and wiped out the plague zone.”
“A clan master was chosen who could select everything from b*stard nobles to orphans and even slaves from the empire.”
“Damn.”
The crown prince grabbed his face her with his hands again.
“Are you saying that no matter what the Empire does, it can’t overthrow the Kingdom? Is it because they’re afraid that another hero will emerge?”
“Oh my. Was he just a person with that level of perseverance? What about our crown prince?”
“…No. Not at all.”
Under the hand covering his eyes his, the corners of the crown prince’s mouth his his twisted bitterly.
“I am a human being who always does my best. Even if this ‘present’ is meaningless, maybe the ‘next’ me will struggle to death just like the current me.”
Hehe…”
“In that sense, do you know who the person I fear the most is?”
“Of course I know. Isn’t that why you avoided contact as much as possible?”
Bathory grabs my neck with his own hands this time.
“Saint Geo Nostrum. King of Incompetence.”
“Yes. I am the most afraid of him.”
It was a sound that would make others snort in shock, but the crown prince was sincere.
“Maybe this incident was also done by Saint Geo. I will experience how I can destroy the kingdom.”
“The kingdom is falling?”
“In that way, the current kingdom will be destroyed. But…”
“As a result, the kingdom will not fall.”
“…As a matter of fact, a hero will appear in history who destroys the masterpiece written by the crown prince of the empire. Just as it has been the case for 500 years.”
The hero will not appear.
Expecting that much may just be praying to God.
“Still.”
The crown prince got up from the rocking chair.
“Even if this time means nothing, I will risk my life for the present.”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s how you become the crown prince.”
“Bathory. I have decided.”
The Crown Prince placed his hand on the map hanging on the wall.
“The number of thalers entering the port of Sirene is reduced to a minimum.”
“How do you plan to distribute Thaler?”
“Once the peace agreement is completely concluded, our ports will also be opened.”
The crown prince pointed to the south of the empire, the land facing the Sirene territory.
“Casablanca Port opens to welcome guests from the kingdom.”
“The monkeys in the kingdom will be shocked and scared.”
“Then it’s even better. When they return to the kingdom, they will realize how trapped they were in the well.”
“Okay. Then Thaler can make them feel the need so that they can use it in Casablanca?”
“Yes. Install a currency exchange booth. Post a guide and encourage it to be a good experience.”
“Is the price reasonable?”
“No. Those who will be Jeon Seo-gu are treated to a ‘full course’ and told to beat them up later when they come on a large-scale trip.”
In an instant, the empire’s policy is decided.
“It would be a good idea to lay down some gambling boards and build a new casino. And above all…”
The crown prince lightly rubbed his thumb and index finger.
“I want you to be treated well so that you can take the medicine and enjoy it.”
“Hehe. As much as you want. Then shall we proceed with sending it to Sirene’s territory?”
“When trading with the kingdom, merchants are asked to pay gems instead of thalers.”
“Oh my. Jewelry?”
In return for purchasing goods from the kingdom, gems, not thalers or gold, are paid.
“Do you think we can get the right price? How about we get rid of our malicious inventory?”
“Gold still has value. We should melt it down, make commemorative coins, and sell them. And that’s all we need to carve cheap magic stones into jewels and give them away.”
The crown prince grinned, pointing to the cuffs under his suit.
“Anyway, the kingdom doesn’t have the ability to distinguish between cubics yet. At least in Sirene.”
“If a hero who can even distinguish cubics comes out – hehe, sorry. I’ll stop.”
At the sight of the crown prince, Bathory giggled and bowed.
“If you succeed, you’ll be lucky, and if such a hero appears, all you have to do is persuade him to switch to the empire, right?”
“Yes. Use the shadows to your heart’s content. Don’t leave the management of the upper level to those under your command.”
“Oh, isn’t this Miss Erwin’s company? Our kids are a bit rough… ?”
Bathory lifted his upper lip and smiled.
Her fangs, illuminated by the moonlight, were sharp and straight down.
“As long as you don’t get caught, you can do anything.”
“You said something just now? Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Anything.”
The crown prince looked up at the ceiling, pondering the word ‘anything’.
“For the empire’s aspirations, for my aspirations, I will do anything.”
* * *
The crown prince left.
You may be happy and think that things have been resolved very easily, but you are also a person who will make all kinds of plans to take advantage of such a situation.
‘For the time being, I will focus on the County of Sirene.’
If thaler is distributed in earnest starting with the Earldom, it will take at least 3 years – 2 years at the earliest.
“Grey. You had a hard time. The person I expected didn’t come, but I think it was resolved thanks to your interpreter.”
Carmen praised me for wearing comfortable clothes.
As she had stood up quite sharply to greet the crown prince, Carmen seemed very comfortable at this moment, when all tension had eased.
“What’s left is to somehow block the empire’s capital or prevent it from coming in…”
“If we leave it alone anyway, it won’t be using Thaler any time soon. It will probably be used for pranks.”
“A joke?”
“Isn’t the face of the Emperor depicted on the back of the Taler banknote?”
I unfolded the bill.
“I guess I’ll use it to play like this.”
He lifted his middle finger and cut into the emperor’s face.
“…Do you know how much it costs?”
“The people will not know the value of the number written here. Since it says 10, they will think it is 10 gold.”
“Ha…”
“The story of the people is not important to us, so should we talk about money on the other side?”
About how to make money positively and healthily.
“The Empire will bring Thaler.”
I don’t know.
“Are thalers ambiguous? Then they will bring anything valuable, be it gold coins, or jewels. Or even imperial silk.”
“Instead of cash?”
“Yes. That means entering Siren’s territory…”
But if it’s about making money in a dark direction.
“I don’t like it. Even if the market opens first in Sirene, I hope Gibraltar is where the most imperial capital comes in, not Sirene.”
“Are you planning to absorb the empire’s wealth from Gibraltar?”
“Yes.”
“…Can you afford it?”
“That means preparing something very valuable that we can sell.”
“The gamble of Gyeongryong will take time to prepare.”
Carmen shook her head seriously.
“No matter how plausible the gamble may seem, even the merchants of the empire will not spend money foolishly. Gambling is only for those who gamble, and those who do not will die even if they do not gamble.”
“Is that so? Then you won’t invest?”
“We will make an investment, but it still takes time to create Gyeongryongjang. Can you prepare it within 3 months?”
None.
Gyeongryongjang is a concept that needs to be considered over at least 2-3 years, and is not something that can be created right away.
“Mother. Merchants do not make money flow in only one direction.”
“What else do you have to sell? Wait. You, no way.”
Carmen glares at me with her eyes wide open.
“You’re not trying to sell your father again, are you? You’re not planning to call the Count to another woman and say something strange to her, like, ‘You’re my stepmother,’ right?”
“I could do it if necessary… Ugh.”
Carmen pulled my cheek.
“Insolent guy. How dare you say that out loud in front of me?”
“Well, then you should compensate accordingly.”
“Ha. You mean to make an investment that will bring about the same amount of economic benefit as if you didn’t bring in a stepmother? So, what are you trying to sell?”
“First of all, I will sell my father’s pictorial.”
“…”
A photo or a pictorial.
“I will send my mother a separate cut of my father. I also have a personal photo taken without my father’s knowledge.”
This has already been prepared to some extent through Chairman Erwin.
“Well, do you think something like that will sway me?”
“Yes.”
“It may shake, but you can’t make a ton of money out of it!”
“That’s why I’m selling Gibraltar.”
I took a stance holding the sword and stretched it straight down.
“We sell titles.”
“…What does a title have? Do you think a person from the empire will buy a title from the kingdom? They will immediately lose their heads for treason against the empire.”
“It is not a title from the kingdom. It is a title given specifically by Gibraltar.”
Although it has no material value.
“Where there is demand, there is supply. If there is someone who wants to buy it, it is up to them, no matter how much they ask for it.”
If there is someone willing to pay, if they want to sell it, they can sell it as much as they want.
“An honorary knighthood medal received from the Crimson Margrave of Gibraltar.”
“…”
“Beyond the kingdom and empire, stand proudly in front of the Margrave and be recognized. Experience a kingdom-style title conferment ceremony. Also, the experience of receiving a ‘baptism of the sword’ from Crimson Gibraltar.”
I extended my sword to the kneeling person once to the shoulder, once to the other side, and once to the head.
“There are many things you can sell other than gambling, mother.”
Selling.
Recognition from the Sword Master.
With a specially made badge.