Dictator From Outer Space

Chapter 209: The Price of Changing the Rules

The airship Altemaho had returned.

The whole territory, not to mention the nobles, was in an uproar.

They had never expected that Altemaho, which was no different from a scrap of metal in the floating continent, would come back.

In fact, if anyone in Astera was asked, they would answer that it was impossible.

Altemaho looked as if it had not suffered any damage on the outside, which made people cheer even more.

“Oooh!”

“Open the dock! Prepare the ropes!”

As the staff ran over, the Denoba merchants hastily held a meeting.

“How did this happen? Didn’t you say that the possibility was close to zero?”

“Calm down. Altemaho may have returned, but no one knows if there is any cargo in the hold.”

“And there is no guarantee that it is worth more than 20,000 gold. We just have to demand as the contract says.”

They glanced at Baron Vandus, who had a calm expression on his face.

According to the contract, the cargo in Altemaho’s hold had to be worth more than 20,000 gold for the deal to be finalized.

And the price evaluation of that cargo was based on today’s market price at the central exchange.

“I don’t know what they brought, but it won’t be worth 20,000 gold. They say that gold nuggets roll around on the floating continent.”

“Haha, even that famous Elvrande open-pit mine is not that much.”

They all laughed, but they could not hide their anxiety.

If there was more than 20,000 gold in the hold, the deal would be completed normally.

That meant that the bond deal worth 33,000 gold would also be carried out normally.

Baron Vandus would take away 33,000 gold.

He might even demand a stake in the South Continent Company instead of gold.

As the situation reached this point, the merchants felt their mouths dry.

‘What did those intelligence guys do? They said there was a 99% chance that they wouldn’t return.’

‘They might not have gone to the floating continent in the first place. We just have to check the hold carefully.’

Soon Altemaho landed on the dock.

Leobold praised the crew under Granden who came down using planks as stepping stones.

“The voyage was successful. It’s all thanks to you. You’ve done a great job.”

Granden gave an awkward smile at the people’s cheers and looked at Leobold.

“My lord, I have a lot to tell you, but I think you should check this first.”

“What is it?”

“It’s gold from the floating continent. Let everyone see it and verify it with a scale.”

“Gold. It was worth risking landing on the floating continent. Who’s there?”

One of the merchants stepped forward.

He was a fat merchant named Zerod who was also a shareholder of the South Continent Company.

“It’s probably just ore anyway. You can’t weigh it with a scale. We’ll process it separately and let you know the content.”

It was a trick to buy some time, hoping that something would work out if they delayed until today.

But he was pushed by Leobold’s finger snap and leaned his head into the chest.

And he witnessed gold nuggets.

“Ooh…”

An unadorned exclamation escaped his lips.

No one handled gold as much and as often as merchants.

But that was all processed gold from refineries.

Even merchants who dealt with minerals would rarely see such gold nuggets.

Especially when they were full of chests.

Leobold brought a fist-sized gold nugget to his face.

“It’s quite heavy for gold. You should be able to confirm that this is real gold.”

“O-of course.”

Zerod took the gold and almost dropped it.

It was twice as heavy as silver he usually handled.

That alone told him that it was all gold and the merchants turned pale.

He said he would check it and left a clear bite mark on the gold nugget.

The clear yellow shine, heavier than expected weight, and soft characteristics were all perfect for gold.

There were such gold nuggets in chests full of them.

This amount of gold would easily exceed 20,000 gold in value anywhere on the continent, not just at the central exchange.

And in the hold, there were not gold nuggets but ore with clear veins of gold piled up like small hills.

The merchants who came closer and looked into the chests and hold showed a desperate expression on their faces.

Leobold crossed his arms and said,

“That settles the contract. Calculate according to today’s market price at the central exchange as promised. It looks like it will easily exceed 30,000 gold…”

“M-my lord…”

“And the bonds I bought… Tell the market that I will exercise all the rights.”

The market of Denoba was not a noble, but he was treated almost like a king and had a significant influence throughout Astera.

He could not refuse because the seal of the market was stamped on this product deal.

The merchants realized then that they were cornered at the edge of a cliff.

Now there were only two choices.

To fulfill the bond deal and go bankrupt or cling to Baron Vandus’s pants and beg.

Of course, even if they chose the latter, there was no guarantee that the damage would be reduced.

Still, they clung to Leobold’s pants like a kraken wrapping around their belly.

“My lord! I have something to say to you!”

“I have a family! A rabbit-like wife and fox-like children… No, that’s not it!”

Of course, Leobold had no intention of canceling the deal.

Who would be crazy enough to give up 30,000 gold?

He looked at the merchants and said firmly.

“I trust that you will fulfill the contract with the trust of Denoba merchants. Don’t you think the market is also looking forward to this deal? Let’s start trading quickly. There’s no time.”

No time?

At the same time, the clock tower at the dock rang once.

It meant that noon had passed an hour ago.

Surely the contract was until today, so they might have been able to do something if they delayed it.

The merchants found Leobold’s inexplicable smile suspicious, but they decided to resist for now.

“We’ll go bankrupt if we give you 30,000 gold like this.”

“Elvrande won’t sit still if we give you a stake in the South Continent Company. They are the major shareholders, aren’t they?”

“There’s no other way.”

Zerod and the merchants looked at each other’s faces and nodded.

There was a saying at the Denoba central exchange.

Being strong is not enough.

The one who can change the rules is the real winner.

People believed that Denoba merchants valued trust more than their lives, but that was because they didn’t know them well.

Merchants could be crueler than elves when dealing with weaker opponents.

Of course, they tried to be fair as much as possible because repeated failures would threaten the status of the central exchange.

But in such a big deal, there were very few forces that could say anything even if they changed the rules.

Baron Vandus would protest, but the trial would take years, and he was likely to run out of money.

“Let’s cancel this deal. The South Continent Corporation has a stake in the Elvrande family, so the market will have no choice but to accept our excuse.”

The reason why Elvrande gave the development rights to the South Continent Corporation over Denova was because the market was an elf and most of the shareholders were merchants from Denova.

If Baron Vandus demanded his share according to the contract, Elvrande would probably back off.

The monopoly development rights of the South Continent Corporation would also vanish.

“We still have to show some sincerity.”

“Let’s end it by adding a thousand gold more as a premium. I’ll talk to the market.”

“Fine. Let’s change the rules and hold on.”

The merchants made their own conclusion and contacted the market of Denova through the communication device.

There were only 10 hours left until April.

***

The commercial city of Denova had a market instead of a king.

He was not a noble, but he had more influence than most kings.

This had to do with the strategic location of Denova.

He had maintained the balance of Astera by supporting the human kingdoms when Elvrande seemed to be strong.

The elves despised Denova’s unique behavior as a bat, but they had to lower their voices because one of the great families had invested heavily in it.

Elvrande was a very conservative country and did not accept any changes, especially in finance.

That meant that in Elvrande, securities, stocks, checks, rights, and anything other than money had no effect.

There was no law that elves should not make money, so some elves who felt frustrated invested in Denova, and that became the driving force for Elvrande not to touch Denova lightly.

But it would all go up in smoke if Elvrande took military action.

Denova felt threatened by this and strengthened its military power by training its own army and hiring mercenaries, but it was no match for Elvrande, which had 2,000 elven knights.

However, it was enough to function as a strategic buffer.

When the human kingdoms seemed to be pushed back, they helped with fundraising and supplying goods.

From the elves’ point of view, they could not be angry enough because some of the great families were investing in it.

Anyway, the market of the commercial city of Denova received an urgent contact through the communication device nine hours before March ended.

It was a contact from the merchants who wanted to completely invalidate the deal that was made a month ago.

Philip Grenkor, the market of Denova, moved his long ears slightly as he heard the details.

“…You want to throw away a deal worth over 50,000 gold? Are you out of your mind?”

Zerod, who was in Baron Vandus’s territory, explained their position sufficiently.

It was dangerous because the stake of the South Continent Corporation might be transferred.

Philip sighed and scribbled something on a paper.

“So you want to gain profit instead of trust, right?”

“That’s right.”

“If you drag on for a few hours, the deal itself will be invalidated, and Baron Vandus won’t be able to do anything about it?”

“You can see through the whole plan at once.”

“Baron Vandus will appeal to the central exchange, but he won’t be able to withstand the trial that takes years and run out of money?”

“The amount is so large that the Bagran royal family might complain a bit, but I think you can easily handle it with your influence.”

That was because Philip was an elf, and not just any elf, but a high elf with the most noble bloodline.

He was from a lineage that produced champions of God, and he became the market of Denova, so there were various rumors about him in Elvrande.

But there was no one who could say anything directly to him as an elder of a great family.

So Philip used his influence to make money diligently.

But he also had to draw a line.

Changing the rules like this was something that should be avoided even if the opponent was weak.

The merchants whined that they would suffer a lot of damage.

They also hinted at the damage that Denova would suffer if the stake of the South Continent Corporation was transferred.

“We have to suffer some damage so that Denova doesn’t suffer more. Do you want the South Continent Corporation to lose its exclusive development rights?”

“If you make a decision, we will drag on time. Please do us a favor.”

They were truly shameless people.

‘You bet on gambling and when you lose you overturn the board.’

Philip could not ignore their request as he was their leader.

But he thought he needed to hear Baron Vandus’s side.

He felt uneasy because Altamaha returned just nine hours before March ended.

‘If this is all according to his plan.’

He had to prepare for the worst, not only as a military commander.

Philip felt the need to find out what Baron Vandus was thinking as the market of Denova.

So the merchants who entered the barony had to hand over the communication device while grumbling.

“Is this Philip, the market? This is the first time we meet like this.”

He must have heard that he was a high elf, but he came out like this because he had nothing to lose.

Philip decided to get straight to the point.

“I’ll ask you bluntly, Baron Vandus. What are you going to do if the deal is invalidated?”

“Are you talking about the contract we signed a month ago? The exclusive deal for the floating continent goods and the securities?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s surprising. These merchants want to invalidate it… They don’t care about losing trust?”

“We can afford it.”

Trust was certainly important, but money was more important in some ways.

30,000 gold was close to the annual operating cost of a decent territory.

Considering that Bagran was in trouble because of 40,000 gold, it was important.

Of course, Bagran was in that situation because of the continuous war for a year.

Philip said quietly.

“Those who have power can change the rules. That’s the law of Astera.”

Denova was not as powerful as Elvrande or Zaium, but it was a commercial city with more influence than a small kingdom.

He could easily ignore the protest of a mere baron and not lose his credibility.

There was no one who could replace them.

But Baron Vandus said something unexpected.

“Then do as you please. If you drag on for a few hours, you can save money and maybe protect the stake of the South Continent Corporation.”

“…We can offer you some convenience instead of invalidating the deal. We can give you preferential fees for trading with Denova…”

“Why don’t you just withdraw your merchants?”

If they didn’t inspect the goods, the contract would not be established, so they didn’t need to play mind games and just withdraw their merchants.

Philip frowned and asked again.

“Are you sure?”

“I should ask you that. Are you sure you want to treat me like this?”

“We have the power to handle this situation.”

“If you have decided as the market of Denova, I can’t help it. But remember this. If you ever want to trade with us again, 30,000 gold won’t be enough.”

Philip couldn’t say that it wouldn’t happen.

It was a typical threat, but he couldn’t hide his uneasy feeling.

He ended the communication and reviewed the data on Baron Vandus and his territory from the beginning.

A mercenary of noble origin who became a lord suddenly.

He defeated the villains who oppressed his territory and made a lot of money from anthracite mines and bluefish.

And then he borrowed an airship from the royal family and sent it to the floating continent.

Anyone who knew the situation would say he was crazy.

Where did he send a ship to?

“But he succeeded…”

According to the testimony of the merchants, it seemed true that he secured gold worth at least 20,000 gold.

“Baron Vandus wouldn’t be unable to dispose of that much gold… If he takes time to dispose of it and helps the Bagran royal family financially…”

What if he acquires more airships and forms a fleet to send to the floating continent?

The possibility was very low, but he had already succeeded once.

Who could guarantee that there was no way to land on the floating continent?

Philip paced around his office for a long time.

He felt like he had made some mistake.

Meanwhile, time kept passing by.

Ding!

A loud noise came from the clock tower outside his office, and Philip looked up.

“4 p.m…”

Considering that the central exchange of Denova closed at 5 p.m., it meant that there was only an hour left in reality.

Even if they hurried to inspect the goods now, it would be difficult to finish the deal normally.

Of course, Philip had the authority to delay the closing of the central exchange.

But he couldn’t bring himself to touch the communication device.

Finally, the central exchange closed and the merchants reported with a cheerful tone.

“Thanks to your decision, we were able to protect 30,000 gold or the stake of the South Continent Corporation. We really appreciate it.”

“We will reward you later so you won’t regret it. Please take care…”

The merchants flattered him, but Philip was not comfortable.

He couldn’t shake off the thought that he shouldn’t have changed the rules like this.

‘If the arrival of the airship on the last day of March was not a coincidence, if he planned everything.’

If that was true, Denova might have to pay a price beyond imagination.

***

The furnace of the forge burned all night long.

Carson, the administrative officer, watched with a satisfied smile as the workers made gold bars.

He was happier that the contract was invalidated than that Altamaha returned with gold.

“It’s good that we didn’t get involved with those merchants, my lord.”

He didn’t seem to be aware of the various consequences that would arise from invalidating the contract.

He must have managed a considerable amount of finance as an administrative officer of a barony, but he seemed to have a limit in his vision.

But Leobold didn’t expect much from him either.

“It’s enough for you to take care of this territory’s affairs.”

He drew the big picture and Arma made detailed plans, so other talents just had to help them.

Anyway, according to the administrative officer, the expedition secured about 30,000 gold worth of finance for the territory.

That was only counting pure gold nuggets without touching them.

“The forge has been burning all night long, but there is a limit. And we can’t separate gold from ore here.”

“We’ll have to pay a fee and entrust it. Where would be good…”

“The closest place would be Count Lantis’s territory.”

“Lantis Baron…”

He was one of the great lords of Bagran Kingdom and had a considerable status in the east.

But as a lord, he was no different from a king in his territory, so he couldn’t really influence other territories.

He just gave him some concessions because it would be troublesome if he got on his nerves.

Anyway, Count Lantis’s territory was large, so it had enough facilities for refining.

Baron Vandus’s territory had enough finance but lacked talent, so it was difficult to operate a refinery right away.

Leobold nodded as he looked at the satellite image.

“That should be fine for entrusting. But we don’t have to reach out first.”

“We’ll just spread some rumors.”

“How much will our total finance be after that?”

“If we deduct the fee for refining ore, it is estimated to be about 47,000 gold.”

It was too much money for a barony to handle.

But for Leobold who had a plan to rule over Astera, it was just an excuse.

“Leave it to the administrative officer and use the rest of the money to buy airships.”

There were three airships in Bagran royal family now.

The remaining two were smaller than Altamaha’s but they were good enough for expeditions.

But Prince Ruad might make a different choice after hearing the rumor that he brought gold from the floating continent.

“Count Lantis might also encourage him. His usual tendency suggests that the possibility is very high.”

“He thinks I’m easy to push around.”

“As always, those who have power can change the rules.”

That’s right, it happened frequently on Earth as well.

The principle of power was more important in Astera, where it was a daily occurrence.

Leobold hoped they would make a wise choice.

If they tried to change the rules, they would pay a tremendous price.