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Chapter 97 - 97 90 Unscrupulous Merchant _3

97: Chapter 90, Unscrupulous Merchant _3 97: Chapter 90, Unscrupulous Merchant _3 Perhaps it was due to a lack of food security, or maybe it was a reluctance to feed their competitors.

Either way, Baron Katelai pushed for the transaction as soon as the agreement was reached.

Given the complex situation in Layton County, neither Hudson nor Katelai wanted to be the first to act, making the deal particularly unusual.

People kept disappearing from the Maple Domain, which infuriated Baron Katelai to the point where he even formed a patrol team for protection.

Meanwhile, a rat plague broke out in the Mountain Domain.

Countless large rats swarmed in and consumed a great deal of food, leading Baron Hudson to roar around the forest on his Earth Bear.

This strange situation continued until the population of the Maple Domain decreased by half, finally bringing peace to both domains.

The truth was not important.

In any case, both lords explained it thus to the public: the trade simply didn’t happen, and anyone who dared to say otherwise would face consequences unless they could provide evidence.

The surplus food in the Maple Domain was smuggled in by a cunning merchant known only as ‘Rat,’ who Baron Katelai paid a handsome price to purchase.

The increase in population in the Mountain Domain was due to aid from various branches of the Koslow Clan.

The benefit of having a large clan was that each family could contribute one or two hundred people, quickly accumulating to over three thousand people.

Just after the trade was completed, Baron Katelai once again visited the Mountain Domain while Hudson was busy avoiding suspicion.

Having been shortchanged once before and continuing to bear the risk of being taken advantage of again, Baron Katelai’s spirit was utterly crushed.

However, he had no choice.

The farming season was fast approaching, yet his domain not only lacked livestock but also pitifully lacked farming tools.

Seeing the opposite side tilling the land rapidly, while the farming speed of his own domain was as slow as a snail, unsettled Baron Katelai terribly.

The war was to blame.

The livestock belonging to the former lord had largely ended up in the bellies of the Rebel Army.

The few iron farming tools managed to escape the Rebel Army’s grasp initially but were eventually melted down into weapons.

One could probably find fragments of these weapons on the battlefield.

However, even if found, they are now useless, corroded into waste by rust.

Having suffered from a food shortage once, Baron Katelai did not want to experience it a second time.

While the issue with the livestock could not be resolved immediately, the shortage of farming tools could easily be remedied.

In order to avoid going hungry next year, after much hesitation, Baron Katelai finally mustered the courage to pay another visit.

Guests were always welcome, and Hudson never neglected his customers.

He even offered drinks and snacks, a considerable upgrade in hospitality compared to the last visit.

Regrettably, Baron Katelai’s mind was not on these details, making Hudson’s effort entirely wasted.

“Honorable Baron Hudson, my unexpected intrusion is mainly to purchase a batch of farming tools from you.”

Having dealt with Hudson a few times and knowing his straightforward character, Baron Katelai didn’t beat around the bush and stated his purpose directly.

This was not like the previous transaction where he was at Hudson’s mercy; this time, things were slightly better.

Theoretically, he could melt down weapons into farming tools and not have to buy anything.

Unfortunately, as a native of the Northland, Baron Katelai’s life principle did not include “turning weapons into plowshares.”

Even though his warehouse was still stocked with a considerable number of weapons not currently in use, and despite knowing that visiting now might end in being fleeced, he still came.

“Absolutely, agricultural tools are in the warehouse at the back.

Feel free to go there and pick out what you need.

However, due to the recent surge in prices, the cost of producing farming tools has increased, making them a bit more expensive than before.

But you can rest assured that as the largest farming tools supplier in the Southeastern Province, our prices are certainly the cheapest.

Of course, the Mountain Domain only does wholesale business and does not accept individual business.

We do not sell combination goods separately, and all goods have a minimum order quantity of two hundred pieces.

Each transaction must not be less than five hundred gold coins.”

Hudson enthusiastically explained.

Of course, the restrictions added at the end are entirely ad hoc.

Such high thresholds are not only meant to swindle people but also take into account Master Hudson’s appearance fee.

With his reputation as a “Divine Archery Knight,” even if he were to serve as a mercenary, the minimum cost would be two hundred gold coins.

There would also be bonuses for killing enemies and a share during looting.

This is at least twenty times the price of a regular knight, and that’s at the lowest standard.

If Hudson were to take on the task willingly, he could probably demand five hundred gold coins, and there would still be a crowd of people lining up to invite him.

The only reason is that with his abilities as a “Divine Archer” to penetrate armors and slaughter the Plate Armored Cavalry, he could effectively deter those from the Northland.

Maybe he couldn’t halt a large-scale cavalry charge, but faced with thirty to fifty Heavy Cavalry, he could decimate half of them before they even reached him.

In not much time, he could wipe them all out on the battlefield.

However, this perilous lifestyle was not what the peace-loving Hudson desired.

Despite the high price from the outside world, Master Hudson remained unmoved.

He could refuse to accept any orders, but his appearance fee remained uncompromised.

Since he personally received the customer, this expense must be included in the selling cost.

Calculated with a minimum appearance fee of two hundred gold coins, if one deal didn’t turn at least a two or three hundred gold coins profit, it would be considered a losing transaction.

With soaring prices and an unfavorable environment for further increasing the price per unit, Hudson could only bundle sales to increase the contract amount and thereby seek excess profits.

Massaging his forehead wordlessly, Baron Katelai once again affirmed that the man in front of him was a cunning merchant, rather than a noble.

If possible, he would like to turn around and leave, avoiding the exploitation of this cunning businessman.

Regrettably, this was the only seller now.

Even if he could buy individual farming tools elsewhere, they would most likely have been wholesaled from here.

He simply did not have many other options.

“Then I must trouble Baron Hudson to lead the way!”