” ..how did you know that?”

widely.

Count Espera frowned as he put down the white wine he had not drank.

How could a guy who hasn’t graduated from the academy know the situation in the southern part of the empire?

Even if you think you have used the information guild… the zodiac has no interest in the southern part of the empire.

The world moves with money, so the information guild has no choice but to sell information that can be used for money.

The news from the southern part of the empire that no one cares about is not handled by the intelligence guild either.

But how could that man in front of him understand the situation and draw conclusions?

“Isn’t it simple?”

crooked.

Rommel pours the wine placed on the table into a glass and continues to speak.

As if there was something more hidden, Rommel leisurely drank wine and looked at the Count.

Slowly raise your hand and present three reasons.

Rommel opens her mouth by gently folding the index finger among the index, middle, and ring fingers.

“First, the Kingdom of Spesha wants to devour the Empire. No matter how much the Kingdom of Spesha has pioneered a new route…it’s safer to go east through the Ottoman Empire than an untested new route. We must pass through our empire unconditionally, and this is the place where the ships of the Kingdom of Spesia pass, the southern part of the empire.”

“..Isn’t that too much of a guess?”

” ..well. Judging by the count’s expression, the count seems to know everything…”

“Okay, tell me more.”

The Count clenched his chin with his arms crossed.

Count Espera decided to hear more about Rommel.

The sincerity that a non-human person from the South was interested in and diligently researched it is palpable, but it was because Rommel’s argument was as the Count had envisioned.

“Second, in terms of the international situation. We are in a very important position. No matter how much our Empire declines, the Empire is an Empire. The Ottoman Empire and the Holy Ruth Empire try to keep our Empire as allies. Under the circumstances..If the Kingdom of Spezia starts a war against our empire…the international situation has no choice but to support our empire. Besides, the kingdom of Spesha has recently been in a noisy state with the Otman Empire and the new sea route. From the perspective of the Kingdom of Spesia, which is being raised, external intervention must be avoided unconditionally.”

This time the middle was folded.

“Third, it seems that the Kingdom of Spesha is noticing itself. However, the southern part of the empire is a thorn in the eye. Then there is only one way.”

” ….pirate. “

“Yes, it’s a pirate. It’s also a private pirate.”

Privateer, privateer pirate.

State-recognized pirates and pirate ships.

A ship that distributes a certain amount of looted goods with the state instead of being arrested even if it seizes a ship from another country.

“Besides, pirates move as individuals, unless they are allied with each other. Even if caught, the background is unknown. There is only a heart attack and no physical evidence. In other words, it is a point organization.”

The point organization is difficult to discern behind the scenes.

There are so many people behind the scenes that countless organizations monitor each other and give orders, so even if the person who caused the incident is caught, the person in the end does not know who gave the order.

” …. “

“And the Count held a banquet to stop the rumors from spreading implicitly and to solidify the status of Count Espera, and he punished the Gedes family by example.”

” ..you can’t leave the canal business to a bastard like that.”

“You are right.”

“As you all know, the canal business is a business that takes several decades. It goes through generations, so a close relationship between family members is essential. I mean.”

” understand. “

The recently rising Gedes family and the Espera family alone could not succeed in the canal business, so the Count joined hands with the Gedes family.

To be precise, he made a pact with the head of the Gedes family, but the Count decided to fight the Gedes family after hearing rumors about the bad behavior of James, the eldest son of the Gedes family.

What happened today is just an excuse.

Understanding the count’s attitude today, Rommel posed another question to the count.

“Did you envision the canal business because of pirates and the Kingdom of Spesia?”

“It’s similar, to be exact, it’s an additive factor.”

“Does that mean…?”

“It’s to check the new route.”

Ten years ago, the explorer of the Kingdom of Spesha deviated from the existing route and started sailing in the opposite direction.

Everyone in the world thought that the explorer was dead, but a few years ago the explorer returned safely and explained everything he had seen and heard to the king.

The fever of pioneering a new route in the Kingdom of Spesha began.

The Kingdom of Spesha, which had suffered losses from trade through the existing sea route, tried to make up for the loss and take huge profits through the new route.

However, if the Kingdom of Spesha completely pioneered a new route, the Otman Empire, which had accumulated enormous wealth through intermediary trade with Espera, a port city for a long time, had no choice but to suffer losses.

The Ottoman Empire also knew that, so they were keeping the Spesha Kingdom in check.

The count in front of Rommel also did not like the development of a new route in the Kingdom of Spesia.

“You’re drawing too big a picture.”

“The big picture? Merchants always have to look to the future. Although they have the status of a count, the essence of our family is commerce.”

“Even so, I know that the new route has many problems.”

” right. “

As Rommel said, the new route pioneered by the Kingdom of Spesha has too many problems.

As it was going to a completely new area, there was a problem of stability, above all else.

“The risk of Scurvy is very high. I don’t know if the new route is attractive enough to take that into consideration, but…”

“Hahaha, Scoby, yes Scoby. Damn, the curse of the sea is saving our family.”

Scurvy, a terrifying disease that claimed the lives of millions of seafarers in the past from the 15th to the 19th centuries.

At first, a feeling of lethargy and drowsiness appear, and over time, malaise, loss of appetite, and dry skin appear.

If symptoms worsen, skin discharge and gums begin to bleed.

If time passes from here, internal bleeding occurs and eventually death.

Scoby was a fear that anyone living by the sea knew, and people still think that it is a curse that the god of the sea does not grant to humans because the sea is not allowed.

So, when people set out on a long voyage, they unconditionally perform a ancestral rite in the sea before setting off to sail.

As such, Scoby reigned as a fearsome creature among the sea people.

” ..Are you afraid of Scoby?”

“You’re talking natural, how can you not be afraid of a terrible disease that kills people?”

” …haha. “

But Scoby is not a curse.

The symptoms themselves are similar to a curse, but this is just an abnormal reaction from the body due to a deficiency.

scurvy (壞血病).

Scoby’s true identity was scurvy.

A disease caused by bad eating habits that do not take vitamins at all.

In the old days, people who were unaware of the existence of vitamins simply died from scurvy without help.

Rommel wanted to say there was a way to prevent Scoby, but…

The treatment for scurvy could be used as a good negotiating card in negotiations with the Count, so it was better to leave it alone.

“Anyway, to summarize what the Count said, you’re saying that the number of privately owned pirates, that is, pirate ships under the orders of the Kingdom of Spesia, is increasing.”

“That’s it.”

“Would you believe me if I told you that I have a trick to solve that problem?”

” ..what? “

For a moment, the Count almost lost the cup he was holding.

A shocking remark that just came out of that kid’s mouth.

Hearing Rommel’s promise to deal with the pirates who caused countless nobles to suffer, the Count touched his chin with a trembling hand and swallowed his saliva.

“What do you believe in?”

“It didn’t work out anyway, so he turned to the canal project. As far as I know, the canal project costs quite a bit.”

” ..her. “

As Rommel said, the canal project is costly.

As it is a business that requires several decades of investment, the amount of money required is astronomical.

It was a project that could not even be implemented without the support of the state, but it was possible because of the Count family, who recently swept money.

And the canal to be drilled was also small, so I was able to try it.

“Please delay the construction a little bit. It’s a project that will take several decades anyway.”

” ..You are right, but it is not an easy matter to decide.”

“Then I’ll give you a piece of valuable information.”

” Information? “

The Count tilted his head at Rommel’s words.

“Yes, it is very important information. It is information that cannot be found even if you search all information guilds on the continent.”

“..can you hear me?”

“As long as you give me the resources and authority I need to solve the problem.”

“Okay! Listen to that information and judge it! If it’s useless information, you won’t get anything from this estate.”

Rommel smiled as he slowly raised the corners of his mouth at the Count’s words.

And Rommel began to speak.

“I’ll show you how to cure Scoby.”

” what?! “

In an instant, the Count got up from his seat and looked at Rommel.

As a result, the dishes on the table fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.

Now, the Count didn’t even notice anything like that.

“I will give you the strength to defeat Scoby, which is called the curse of the sea.”

“This..crazy.”

All the Count could do was spit out swear words.

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like