Ch.151Neighboring Countries (3)

“Ugh, damn those Rotharing bastards.”

The merchants and artisans in the imperial regions adjacent to Rotharing are in a miserable state.

Would you believe that goods brought from distant Dijon are cheaper than those from the neighboring village?

Common sense dictates that no matter how much you reduce manufacturing costs, transportation expenses are unavoidable, yet those greedy pigs from Rotharing have somehow managed to do it.

It’s because the higher-ups granted them customs exemptions and the like.

Life is already tough enough due to the aftermath of the civil war, and now it’s impossible to make a living with these customs exemptions—it’s gone too far. Many have already closed their businesses and become tenant farmers for nobles who are short-handed after the civil war, or gone to work in the mines.

“Haaa…”

“Oh, you’re here? What did they say?”

“They said it’s none of your business.”

“…”

What’s even more infuriating is that the bigwigs see this situation and feel no sense of concern whatsoever.

To rulers with strong religious inclinations, selling goods with interest is sinful. Merchants who make their living this way are despised, considered lowly people who must pass through hell at least once before reaching heaven when they die.

Yet they still tax these activities to extract money. Taxing something essentially acknowledges it, but their contemptuous view remains unchanged. Disgusting bastards.

Anyway, because of this perspective, the higher-ups couldn’t care less whether we live or die.

Artisans receive some support, but merchants are completely abandoned—worse, they’re fueling this situation by praising how cheaply goods are being supplied to their territories.

Even though they can’t collect customs duties, they think providing cheap goods helps post-war recovery, but they’re such short-sighted fools.

“Sigh…”

“What are you all doing here?”

“Ah, Elder. Just lamenting our situation.”

An elder merchant interrupts the group of merchants huddled together in commiseration, wearing an expression of disbelief.

In my youth, during economic downturns like this, ambitious young merchants wouldn’t gather to complain—they’d trample their colleagues to survive and climb higher. Today’s youth lack that drive.

“Lamenting…? You all seem too young for that.”

“Haha… what else can we do? How can we compete when goods from Dijon are cheaper than those from the Empire?”

“Tsk tsk… Do you all think the same way?”

“…”

The elder merchant looks around and feels slightly dizzy realizing everyone shares the same thoughts.

No, lamenting is for old folks like me who’ve already bought property and settled down with little time left to live, not for bright young people like you.

I was just going to tease them, but… hmm, I should change my approach. It’s not like I need to earn more at this point anyway.

“Aren’t you all giving up too quickly?”

“But…”

“Well… I don’t usually like giving away the answer from the start, but I suppose it’s fine. Intermediary trade.”

“…Elder.”

The young merchants are dumbfounded by the elder’s words.

Haven’t we already considered intermediary trade?

No matter how cheap Rotharing’s goods are, taking them elsewhere besides the Empire would be unprofitable due to transportation costs. We’d have to skip several meals just to break even.

The southern nations are geographically closer, but the massive Alps stand in the way, making crossing difficult. As for Albion, with the sea between us, why would they come all the way to the Empire when they could buy from the closer Caroling?

“Focus on Albion.”

“…?”

The elder merchant’s confident attitude makes the young merchants curious.

This man before them isn’t just an ordinary old man—he’s someone who survived as a merchant in this feudal society full of hostile conditions. Unless he’s gone senile, he wouldn’t speak nonsense.

“Well… even for a merchant, if you live to my age, you typically have at least one connection in high places. That connection told me something.”

The elder merchant says nothing more and leaves, leaving the young merchants confused about what’s happening. However, some of them begin to emanate an atmosphere completely different from their earlier lamentation.

……….

“…So, you’re asking us to come to the Empire?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Edward, King of Albion, receives an unexpected proposal from the Empire’s envoy.

Imperial trade.

For Albion, an island nation with barren terrain that requires external exchange, having more trading partners is naturally beneficial. There are no downsides from any perspective.

However, it’s somewhat suspicious that the Empire is proposing this first.

“I understand the Empire is already struggling with domestic demand. Would it be acceptable for our merchants to come to the Empire?”

Normally, nobles wouldn’t bother with information about such base commercial matters. However, Albion’s nobles, whose nation’s survival depends on foreign trade, possess some knowledge of commerce and don’t view it as entirely beneath them.

That’s why Edward refers to his country’s merchants as “our” and uses terms like “domestic demand.”

“…It’s about price stabilization.”

“Stabilization?”

“Yes. Currently, the Empire cannot impose any customs duties on Rotharing goods due to our treaty with them.”

“Hmm… I see what you’re getting at.”

It’s essentially a workaround—albeit a rather sophisticated one.

From Albion’s perspective, there’s no difference between buying goods from Rotharing-Caroling or from the Empire. Wouldn’t Rotharing goods sold in the Empire without customs duties be the same price as those sold within Rotharing territory?

The Rotharing-Caroling United Kingdom is geographically closer, so the round trip might differ by a few days, but since everything moves by sea anyway, and the time difference isn’t more than two weeks, it’s all much the same.

Above all, market diversification is not something Albion needs to refuse.

“A reasonable explanation. However, unlike Rotharing’s merchants, Albion’s merchants have been self-reliant for generations and rarely listen to the government.”

“…We’ll spread rumors that all goods sell well due to shortages, and offer the same privileges we gave to Rotharing.”

When Edward essentially says that’s the Empire’s problem, not Albion’s, the imperial envoy’s face stiffens slightly before making various promises.

Although market diversification is welcome from Albion’s perspective, it would be a matter of national pride to grant favors without receiving tangible benefits. The envoy shows slight displeasure but doesn’t openly express resentment.

“Thank you, that should help me convince our merchants. Hmm… let me ask, is this all you came here for?”

“…Your Majesty?”

“Wouldn’t you feel shortchanged if you traveled all this way just to discuss trade? Aren’t the Holy Empire and Albion facing the same enemy?”

“…!”

The imperial envoy realizes what Albion’s king is suggesting and his face hardens.

This slightly exceeds his authority.

His Emperor ordered him to attract Albion’s merchants to the Empire, discover any treaties between Albion and Rotharing, and build friendly relations—not establish an alliance, which is different from mere friendship.

But… he can’t postpone this golden opportunity by claiming he needs to know the Emperor’s intentions. Albion might change its mind during the back-and-forth, or another envoy might take over.

I can’t choose an option that might give someone else this opportunity.

Above all, His Majesty sent me to Albion to prevent an alliance between Albion and Rotharing. Building an anti-Rotharing coalition would surely please the Emperor.

Well, it should be fine. Even if I’m overstepping, it’s just once, and the magnitude is small. Given the importance of what I’m bringing back, and how it aligns with His Majesty’s intentions, I should be pardoned.

“Indeed, Your Majesty. That enemy has historically led powerful armies to conquer territories, and recently even destroyed a kingdom with a thousand years of history.”

“Hahaha, I’m glad we understand each other. Though not as much as the Empire, even with the sea between us, Albion cannot rest easy given that nation’s belligerence.”

Unlike their earlier tense trade negotiations, the two now converse in a remarkably cordial manner.

The emergence of a new hegemonic power is unwelcome to neighboring countries, who must do whatever they can to curb its rise.

While physically attacking the Rotharing-Caroling United Kingdom together might be difficult, they can certainly establish mutual defense treaties targeting a specific country and coordinate policies to support each other while checking their common enemy.