Chapter 27
The silence was brief.
Soon after, the Count looked at me and said, “Do you think it’s expensive?”
“That’s correct.”
“Isn’t the price of wheat about this level?”
“I’d prefer to get it at a slightly lower price. Farming has been quite productive over the last decade, hasn’t it? Not just here in Enfelrum, but in almost every agricultural city on the continent. You must be having a bit of a hard time dealing with the accumulated grain, am I right?”
“…….”
The Count seemed momentarily speechless at my words. After a brief moment of eye contact, he burst into laughter and began to speak.
“Haha. I can’t take it anymore. You’re right. It’s actually a bit difficult to handle. There’s plenty of supply, but the demand is limited. So?”
“I will buy a lot. So please give me a discount.”
“I didn’t expect you to know our situation so well. Alright. What price are you hoping for?”
“I want the price to be 7 silver coins.”
“……That’s a bit difficult. It’s not like I’m selling in bulk right now, is it?”
Given that the Count ran one of the representative grain-producing cities in the east, his scale was extraordinary.
He firmly stated that 500 million was not considered a bulk purchase.
If he was the lord of Enfelrum, he certainly had the right to say such things.
Ultimately, to get a discount, I needed to make a bulk purchase.
‘Should I leverage Abel?’
I would need his guarantee for the bulk purchase.
My contemplation didn’t last long.
“Alright. Let’s do this. I will purchase at least thirty platinum coins’ worth of wheat from now on. How does that sound?”
Thirty billion.
For even a wealthy Count, that was a pretty tempting amount.
Upon hearing the figure, the Count’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Do you really have that much?”
“With the wealth of the Seltarion Marquisate, isn’t it possible?”
“I know that. But the question is whether you can access that wealth. I’ve heard things have changed, but I don’t think you have that kind of authority yet.”
“What if it’s my elder brother’s guarantee?”
“……Are you referring to Sir Abel?”
“Of course. Who else could I refer to as such?”
Abel Seltarion.
I had created a direct communication crystal with this man precisely for situations like this.
For me, thirty platinum coins was indeed a burdensome amount.
However, for Abel, who was prominently discussed as the next heir to the Marquisate, such an amount was well within his capability.
The number of businesses he was currently managing was significant. Given Abel’s attitude when we last met, I was confident he would readily invest around thirty platinum coins the moment I requested it.
The Count’s expression gradually hardened at my words.
“Are you saying that the one who wishes to purchase the wheat is not you, but Sir Abel?”
Although he was quite off-base, it was a reasonable deduction from his standpoint.
Despite being the scion of a prestigious family, I was merely the youngest son, and I had just recently been released from confinement.
It was understandable that he might think I could easily propose thirty billion.
‘He could think that way.’
He could very well conclude that it was Abel who truly wished to purchase the wheat.
This was a fortunate turn of events for me.
Even if a famine were to occur, I would have a solid shield behind me to absorb the backlash.
“……To be honest, you’re right, Count.”
“……I thought as much. …Are you perhaps planning to wage war from the Marquisate?”
“Well, I’m not sure. In any case, it’s true that I want to purchase wheat for magical research. Though… it seems my elder brother also requires a large quantity of it.”
The Count’s expression was still firmly set, pondering what I had said.
Goodness.
Anyone would think that I was purchasing grain in bulk to prepare for an actual war.
He couldn’t even imagine a famine, so it was a plausible deduction on his part.
While sipping a cup of tea, the Count finally broke the silence and spoke heavily.
“If he guarantees it, then… I can certainly trust you.”
“Then let’s discuss something more constructive. If I purchase thirty platinum coins’ worth of wheat, how much can you discount?”
“Hmmm. How about 8 silver coins?”
Hmm.
Not quite what I had in mind.
In such cases, it was best to aim low first.
“7 silver coins would be perfect.”
“7.5 silver coins.”
“Who else would be buying such a quantity of wheat in this situation? Only our Seltarion Marquisate can present this option.”
“Hmmm….”
“Let’s clear out some stock while we’re at it. This would be a good choice for you too, Count.”
Upon hearing my words, the Count glared at me.
“Goodness. I never imagined you would be so bold…”
“A deal where both parties can smile is the best kind of deal, isn’t it? If we settle on 7 silver coins, I believe it would be a satisfying deal for both of us.”
“……I can’t resist. Let’s do that.”
“Thank you.”
“If I purchase about thirty bags of wheat for seven silver each… Just by rough calculations, it should exceed forty thousand bags. Have you thought of a way to transport it?”
Since I had already negotiated down to seven silver, I felt hesitant to request a delivery service.
Well, that was something Abel would handle for me.
Transportation and storage, all of it.
It was best to pass on the bothersome tasks.
“Let’s do this, my lord.”
“How so?”
“I have a communication crystal. It can connect me directly to my elder brother. I’ll have a brief conversation with him, then return here. The main outline is already somewhat set, so it would be best to discuss the specifics then.”
At my words, the count flinched slightly.
“…Directly?”
“Yes. My elder brother lent it to me for a moment.”
“It seems Lord Abel cares for you quite a bit. A direct line, indeed…”
The direct communication crystal he was imagining was probably that 3 billion-won phone.
I had no intention of clearing up any misunderstandings.
“How long will it take?”
“It shouldn’t be long. About five minutes will be enough.”
“I’ll wait while having a cup of tea. I’ll guide you to a quiet place, so come back once you finish your talk.”
Thanks to the count’s graciousness, I was able to take a short break.
After moving to the secluded spot the count had shown me, I meticulously checked my surroundings.
Given that this world has magical devices like CCTV, it would be troublesome if such things were present.
The mana I spread throughout the room detected nothing. If there were such magical devices, it would be normal for them to show at least a small response.
‘Nothing here.’
Well, if they were eavesdropping in a place they deemed quiet, it would certainly break any semblance of trust.
So, it was likely they didn’t engage in such nonsense.
I immediately infused mana into the crystal and waited briefly until I got a response.
Inside the round crystal, Abel’s face appeared.
— “It’s been a while.”
“Yes. I contacted you because I have something to discuss.”
— “Is there something going on?”
In response to Abel’s question, I briefly explained my situation.
I was negotiating with the count to purchase wheat in Enfelrum. I also conveyed that I needed thirty platinum coins and his guarantee to buy the amount of wheat I desired.
After listening to all my words, Abel nodded.
—”Quite a peculiar request. A guarantee shouldn’t be difficult. As long as you can lend me your hand in return.”
“If you could help me complete this transaction, I would surely lend my support to you, my elder brother. Of course, I may not be able to be publicly involved right away, but my heart would certainly lean in that direction.”
—”Alright. I accept your proposal. You’ll need support for the transportation and storage as well, right? I’ll help with everything.”
Oh.
The fact that he was offering to support without me even saying anything was quite pleasing.
“I appreciate it.”
— “But then…”
“Yes?”
— “Would it be alright if I also invested in that wheat?”
Well, why not.
There was no reason it couldn’t be done.
Even if I were to buy wheat worth 3.5 billion, considering that Enfelrum is known as an agricultural city, there should still be plenty of wheat remaining.
What if Abel swept up all that remaining stock?
It was evident that it would greatly benefit him when he eventually inherited the marquisate.
Money is something that burdens you when you have none, not when you have plenty.
“I don’t mind at all… But what makes my elder brother confident enough to invest?”
At my words, the corners of Abel’s mouth, reflected in the crystal, lifted slightly.
— “My intuition. After hearing your story, I felt a good vibe. I don’t think I’ll incur any losses. Even if I do suffer losses, I won’t hold you responsible, so don’t worry about it.”
“You can do as you wish. I’ve managed to lower the price to seven silver per bag, so you can decide on the quantity and purchase as you see fit. After all, I have limits on how much I can buy with the money I have.”
— “Thank you.”
Thank you indeed.
The line of humans will surely grow richer.
It’s a blessing for me.
“If you happen to succeed… I hope there will be a reward for me as well.”
As I casually brought it up, Abel smirked slyly.
— “You seem so confident that i’ll succeed, don’t you? Good. Since it’s thanks to you that I’m trying this investment, if it turns out successful, I’ll make sure to give you a reward.”
Neither Abel nor I mentioned anything about failure.
I knew the future.
And Abel, perhaps sensing something through intuition, seemed to feel it too.
“Then I’ll head to the Count. Oh, by the way, big brother.”
— “What is it?”
“Since you’re buying wheat, I’d appreciate it if you could keep my purchase a secret. Please let everyone know that you made the purchase instead of me.”
— Is it because of Adolf?
“Yes. Ever since I visited the Count’s residence, if news spreads that you’re buying wheat here, it would naturally raise suspicions, wouldn’t it? If it’s known that I’m buying wheat as well… I’d probably end up quite exhausted. Let’s keep it as a coincidence.”
— “I understand. Is there anyone else besides me who knows you’re buying wheat?”
“Only you and the Count are aware.”
— “I’ll inform the Count. He’s sharp when it comes to business, so he should be able to keep that secret.”
“Thank you.”
As I entered the office with the crystal ball in hand, the Count welcomed me warmly.
“It’s been a while.”
— “Nice to see you, Count. I’ve heard everything from Kyle. I’ll vouch for him. And regarding the purchase of wheat…”
Soon, the two began whispering to each other.
From what I could overhear, I gathered that their conversation was about…
“Wow.”
Six hundred platinum coins.
That wasn’t just my purchase; it was the amount Abel was planning to invest separately.
To have the audacity to pay six billion for wheat.
He was putting his faith in just his instincts.
Abel Seltarion.
If he had become a gambler, he would have been quite successful.
‘He’s really going for it.’
Even for Abel, six hundred coins was no small sum. If the harvest this year went well, he would certainly face significant consequences.
Since it was wheat worth six billion, well…
There wouldn’t be any way to resell that quantity.
In other words, it meant a sudden block in cash flow of that magnitude.
But if it succeeds?
During a great famine, wheat would be a commodity that couldn’t be sold for love or money, leading to a massive windfall.
At the very least, a return of tenfold would be expected.
‘Six thousand billion, huh.’
While it might not shake the entire empire, it could significantly impact a particular region of it.
‘That’s quite a profit.’
It wouldn’t just go into someone’s mouth, so I felt I could benefit quite a bit from it too.?
Despite the massive deal being finalized, Count Frantel maintained a serious expression throughout.
Perhaps in his mind, he was envisioning the Marquess family drawing their swords for war.
War could drive food prices sky-high.
Any merchant would want to hoard goods and sell them at high prices.
‘He must have had no choice but to let go of the goods.’
If he hesitated to secure profits here, he might have faced the wrath of the Marquess family.
From the Sword Master, Marquess Remton, to the top and elite knights of the family.
The military might of that family was truly tremendous.
When parting with those goods, he must have considered that.
Thus, he let go of six billion worth of wheat.
With the crystal ball in front of Abel, a high-level magical contract was drawn up.
We both signed it.
Now, there was no turning back.
The magical contract used for such large transactions imposed massive penalties for any violation.
Once you signed, you had to uphold the terms written within.
‘Alright.’
One of the clauses in the contract stipulated that I wanted the secret of my wheat purchase kept hidden, so I felt assured.
Seeing the Count signing with a flourish, a smile crept onto my face.
—
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