I Became A Black Merchant In Another World

The treasurer of Guillaume, Louis de Fadorne, had a smile that stretched from ear to ear for the first time in a while.

He’d successfully bribed council members, including those affiliated with Mayor Guillaume, a man luckier than Louis, who’d managed to become mayor.

He was convinced he could milk the young lord from the Toscana Empire, Fabio de Medici, for all he was worth.

‘As long as we all get a good piece of the pie, we’ll be just fine.’

“Head of HR, the weather’s lovely today. How about we grab a drink after the council meeting? My treat at a fine establishment.”

But the Head of HR turned him down.

“I’m not in the mood to drink today. Perhaps another time.”

“I was going to break out my best bottle just for you.”

“Sorry, but I think I’d suffer a dreadful hangover if I drank tonight.”

The treasurer found it odd that the HR chief, who would normally be the first to join for drinks, was refusing him.

He wanted to ask what was wrong, but the mayor had arrived to preside over the meeting, so there was no time to pry.

‘If he’s really feeling sick, I’ll send him some good medicine.’

He was reluctant to spend on medicine, but taking care of his allies would secure their loyalty for the long run.

“Let’s begin the meeting,” the mayor declared.

As the meeting started, Louis’s smile broadened.

The money hadn’t yet flowed into his pocket, but stripping down that young Medici lord was bound to bring him a fortune.

Even if he funneled some into the city’s treasury under the guise of customs duties, it would still be enough to sustain him and his allies.

Because of this, Louis found it hard to focus on the various agenda items brought up at the meeting.

“And now, let’s discuss what to do about the merchant from the Toscana Empire, Fabio de Medici. Treasurer, please tell us about his infractions and alleged crimes.”

“Yes, Mr. Mayor.”

Louis opened his prepared documents and began to read aloud.

“Fabio de Medici is accused of tax evasion, unauthorized business activities, and disregarding legitimate orders from administrative officials while conducting his trade.”

According to the plan, the HR chief and other council members in his faction were supposed to raise a commotion, denouncing Fabio as a villain.

But for some reason, they weren’t following the agreed script.

Seeing that things weren’t going as he had envisioned, Louis started to feel uneasy.

‘Could I be the one getting outmaneuvered here?’

But with his sword already drawn, he had no choice but to swing it.

If he killed his opponent, he could survive, but if he sheathed his sword now, he would surely be struck down in turn.

He stood tall, as if he were on the righteous side of justice.

“The estimated amount of tax evasion is about two thousand gold coins—roughly twenty thousand pounds. This is just a preliminary figure; a thorough investigation might reveal even greater tax evasion.”

Two thousand gold coins would be about the annual income of a town with a population of over a thousand.

Even if Guillaume was a wealthy port city compared to others of similar size, that sum was no small amount.

Louis hoped he could divert at least fifty gold coins into his own pocket from this deal.@@novelbin@@

‘Right now, I’m just taking a small reward, but in the future, I might be able to pocket a steady stream.’

“As the treasurer of this city, I believe it is my duty to recover all evaded taxes in full.”

Negotiation is always essential when extracting a bribe.

In practice, if I wanted to extort a hundred gold coins, I should say something like this:

‘Normally, I’d have to charge you three hundred gold coins, but as a favor, I’ll reduce it to a hundred.’

By showing such a generous concession, even the most virtuous deity would be impressed. I’d get my hundred gold, and the person paying the bribe would feel relieved, having saved two hundred coins, sleeping soundly with satisfaction.

Holding a grudge over losing a mere hundred coins would be like a heretic in this kingdom’s corrupt standards, or so Louis thought.

“While seaweed is indeed a luxury item, it is also a necessary product for our kingdom’s nobles. So how about we show some mercy and reduce the charge to fifteen hundred gold coins?”

Louis thought this was a fair proposition.

By reducing it from twenty-five hundred to fifteen hundred gold coins, he could claim to have shown mercy, and Fabio wouldn’t have reason to complain.

In fact, Fabio should feel grateful and perhaps slip him five hundred gold coins as a gift.

‘I could pocket at least a hundred of those coins for myself.’

And once he managed to extort money this way, he could look forward to a steady stream of gifts, creating a flourishing economy where everyone was happy.

The mayor and the other council members, however, all wore hardened expressions.

It was then that Louis instinctively realized he’d made a grave miscalculation.

‘These men aren’t exactly above greed either.’

Mayor Guillaume turned to the councilor next to him.

“Minister of Justice. Is there any truth to this?”

“Misusing the law can lead to such claims. However, seaweed is classified as a medicinal herb, subject to only a five percent duty. It seems the treasurer is forcing it into a luxury item category, claiming a fifty percent tax evasion on the sales revenue.”

The law can be twisted to fit any agenda.

In this era, if a noble raped a commoner, it was often glossed over as ‘consensual,’ and the offender would be forgiven by taking her as his mistress.

If the roles were reversed, however, the offender’s entire family would face execution by the most brutal means.

Everything operates on such principles here, so while the treasurer hadn’t committed any grave offense...

“Furthermore, Fabio de Medici is an associate of Duke Visconti of the Toscana Empire. Treating him poorly could lead to diplomatic issues.”

While it was unlikely that Duke Visconti would actually start a diplomatic incident over Fabio, everyone knew that if it were just about levying higher taxes, the duke would simply soothe the matter by pinning the blame on some scapegoat.

However, once the card of ‘diplomatic issues’ was played, someone would inevitably pay the price.

Any other problems could be resolved within the city, but a genuine diplomatic fallout could bring trouble even to Viscount Jacques de Guillaume, the owner of this land.

“Therefore, I accuse Treasurer Louis of diplomatic misconduct, abuse of authority, and bribery. As such, I invoke the Justice Minister’s authority to request his immediate beheading.”

Louis’s vision went black.

He had given so many gifts to the Minister of Justice over the years.

And yet here he was, stabbing him in the back.

“All in favor, please stand.”

At the mayor’s command, everyone in the room stood up.

“Regardless of the issue, someone who almost caused a diplomatic incident must be punished severely.”

“Ever since seaweed sales began, the city has been prospering…”

“A man blinded by personal greed deserves death. He has no honor.”

While the mayor’s faction standing up was expected, Louis’s supporters showed no signs of remorse, even though they should have felt at least a little twinge of conscience.

But politicians always find ways to justify their actions. They had likely convinced themselves they were serving justice.

“That kind of man cannot be allowed to live.”

The mayor, seeing that everything was playing out as planned, delivered his judgment.

“In the absence of Viscount Jacques de Guillaume, I, Brio de Frau, will issue the ruling. I hereby strip Treasurer Louis of all titles and command him to leave the city with his family by noon tomorrow.”

Banishment—a social death sentence.

Typically, when banishment was politically motivated, some time would be given to gather possessions.

“Before you leave, all of your properties, assets, and wealth will be confiscated. You’re permitted to leave with only the clothes on your back.”

I had only suggested expelling Louis alone, expecting him to get ambushed by bandits outside the city.

But the mayor and his allies had taken it upon themselves to show excessive loyalty.

‘Maybe they’re hoping I’ll reward them even more for their loyalty.’

As the verdict was read, Louis cried out.

“You fools! Do you know how much you’ve taken from me? How could you do this? You’re worse than pagans! Just gut me now!”

Hearing this, Louis’s supporters winced.

They weren’t feeling guilty—at least not entirely. They were more concerned about him exposing their corruption.

“What are the guards waiting for? Beat him and throw him out!”

And so, Louis was flogged and expelled.

From that moment, the real power of Guillaume shifted entirely into my hands.

“Sebastian, isn’t the world a terrifying place?”

Sebastian smiled at my words.

“Yet you’ve handled it quite well, young master.”

I did indeed handle it well.

But I doubt things will go this smoothly in the future.

The higher I climb, the stronger my enemies will become.

“Young master, I wish I had only good news to deliver, but there is one unfortunate matter.”

I had barely scaled one mountain when I found another.

“Baron Medici has requested some assistance from you.”

Damn it, that wretched brother of mine.

Why does he always have to bother me?