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Chapter 149 - 149 108 Out of One's Control_2

149: Chapter 108, Out of One’s Control_2 149: Chapter 108, Out of One’s Control_2 The goods transported back and forth between the Alpha Kingdom and the Orc Empire are all in high demand locally, and they’ve been booked in advance, so there’s no need to seek out customers.

I originally thought that as long as I monopolized the supply of orc slaves, customers would come knocking.

The reality proved me wildly wrong.

The Nobles of the North and the native nobles operate in two completely separate circles.

The news of Baron Katelai holding a large number of orc slaves has only circulated among their own circle, outsiders are completely unaware that he has become the biggest slave trader in the Southeastern Province.

If the news is slow to get around, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Other nobles will get the message sooner or later.

The crux of the problem is that he sent people to notify some nearby nobles, explicitly telling them that he had a large number of orc slaves.

Their response was a dismissive – “Noted”!

“These damn Nobles of the South, all for the sake of face, they even disregard their own interests!

They know their territories lack labor, yet they don’t consider buying some slaves to supplement.

Just wait, there will come a time when they regret this…”

After sending silent curses to all native nobles’ families, Baron Katelai frustratingly realized that the problem still needed to be solved.

Slaves are not other commodities that can be locked up for a long time, these guys have to eat.

There are thousands of additional mouths to feed, and the daily cost of feeding them quickly adds up to a significant amount.

What’s more, in order to monopolize the slave trade, Baron Katelai has already put his entire fortune on the line, and, backed by his clan’s guarantee, he accumulated a considerable amount of external debt.

Now he only has enough funds to keep his domain running.

If he can’t sell these slaves in time, he’ll be declaring bankruptcy next month.

“How is it, Uncle Holman?

Has anybody shown willingness to make an offer?”

Baron Katelai asked hopefully.

He had to send his most trusted Knight Holman to find someone who would be the first to buy.

After all, the thresholds of these Noble Lords are high, if a noble doesn’t visit, it’s highly likely they won’t even get to meet the person in question.

“Katelai, prepare for the worst!

Initially, when everyone heard about the cheap slaves for sale, they were excited.

But when they found out that we were selling orc slaves, their faces changed.

Even the orc slaves we offered for free were turned down by them.

The reason being they might frighten the domain people and those in power have to take responsibility for all domain people.

Of course, not everyone is turning away.

Some nobles are interested in the fox girls, cat girls, bunny girls, and leopard girls…

if sold at a low price, they expressed an interest in buying them.

Another noble remarked that he has some connections in the Coliseum, so if we had orcs from the Five Royal Clans for sale, he could help us get in touch with them.”

After hearing Knight Holman’s explanation, Baron Katelai almost choked on his own anger.

If even free slaves are being refused, how hateful must these orcs be?

Are they only interested in fox girls, cat girls, bunny girls, leopard girls …?

Is he some kind of extravagant, conscienceless noble?

Although among the slaves he purchased, there were indeed a few different races’ beauties, those were to be used for networking and expanding connections, not for individual sale.

If they were sold individually, even if the price were high, a single beauty of a different race would not fetch more than a hundred and eighty gold coins.

Unless the beauty of a different race also happens to be a noble orc, or a member of the Five Royal Clans, then there might be a chance of fetching a higher price.

But orcs of noble lineage, are they that easy to capture?

Even if the slave hunters are driven by greed, survival is their first priority.

Contacting the Coliseum is even more absurd, capturing orcs from the Five Royal Clans and selling them as slaves, do they consider the bureaucrats of the Orc Empire as already being as good as dead?

Normally, everyone indulges in smuggling trade, or captures a few slaves, without causing a big commotion, because protection money is paid in advance.

As long as they’re alert and don’t provoke the big shots in the Orc Empire, and don’t land straight in the middle of an orc army, there is a seventy to eighty percent chance of coming out unscathed.

If someone in the slave-hunting team acts recklessly, provoking people that shouldn’t be provoked, or doing things that shouldn’t be done, if provoked the orc retaliation could result in catastrophic losses for all slave-hunters operating in the orc empire during that period.

That’s not even the worst-case scenario.

Even worse, it could instigate a military conflict at the border.

“What, even Baron Hudson is not interested?

His mine could use plenty of labor force, these dumb orc slaves would make the perfect disposable workers.”

Baron Katelai struggled to ask.

The worst-case scenario would be to pick out the most beautiful women from the slaves to sell to nobles, then sell the strongest of the other species to colosseums.

Pick out the easy-to-manage, farming-agenda slaves from the remaining lot to use in his own domain.

The leftover useless slaves would then need some pleading to friends, to get the favored nobles to help lighten the load on account of old friendships.

The ones that still cannot be dealt with, would then have to undergo an emotional clearance sale.

Sell them at a severely reduced price to some unscrupulous mine owner, recouping any amount possible.

Baron Katelai’s bulk purchase of slaves was incredibly cheap.

In theory, as long as handled properly, he should be able to recoup the costs.

Succeed and he’ll make a fortune, fail and he’ll break even.

Even if losses were incurred, they wouldn’t be drastic, so this type of deal is worth gambling everything on.

Unfortunately, plans are one thing, reality is another.

To profit from a monopoly, one condition had to be met first – high demand.