As soon as I returned home, it was not Chloe who welcomed me, but Kris.
Usually, Chloe would come out to greet me, so something must have happened.
“Is something wrong with Chloe? Is she sick or something?”
Thinking about it, Kris isn’t a servant or a maid in our house, so how would she know?
I could just ask the butler here.
However, contrary to my expectations, Kris answered right away.
“I heard that the Baron was coming and went out to greet him when I happened to run into you. She told me there are many things she needs to report, so I should wait in my room.”
One of Kris’s arms was filled with a large stack of documents, hardened like iron.
“We have completed the inventory of the Spice Guild’s assets, including the real estate, properties, and goods that we might be able to take.”
There’s one clear reason why people are trying to buy up the position of tax collectors.
To profit, regardless of whether they collect more taxes than the money they spent to buy the position or extort assets.
For me, revenge and a warning to Albert are more important than that...
But money is inherently better the more you have, so I should gather every last coin I can.
“Plus, I’ve finished all my tasks.”
“Good work, Kris.”
Upon closer inspection, I noticed dark circles under Kris’s eyes, and her complexion seemed a bit dull.
I had given her a break after the sugar sales ban was lifted.
But right after that, she must have lost sleep organizing the entire inventory of the Spice Guild’s vast assets and figuring out what we could take.
I’ve also been working hard, not just dumping work on my employees.
“Lately, Chloe has been so busy that she seems to be feeling very lonely.”
“You have also worked hard, Baron.”
“Thanks. Now, please go ahead and report.”
“Yes.”
Kris immediately began explaining with a summary of the report.
“Let’s start with the properties in Florence. The Spice Guild headquarters, a warehouse covering 250,000 pyeong in the suburbs, five carts with iron wheels, 900 wagons, 1,000 pack horses, and 600 cattle. There are also 18,000 gold coins, 60 tons of pepper, 0.5 tons of saffron, 2 tons of cloves, and 1 ton each of nutmeg and mace. I’ve omitted the details of other artworks and jewels, which are in the report.”
So they’ve got 18,000 gold coins and a stash of various spices that large?
And why on earth does the warehouse need to be 250,000 pyeong?
I’ve been saving a lot of money lately, and in terms of income, I thought I was not inferior to most merchants.
But those who have amassed wealth over centuries are on a whole different level.
“The Emperor would be surprised to see their asset list.”
It’s not that he would be shocked that the Spice Guild is wealthier than him, but rather that they’re managing such vast assets under the name of the “Florence Spice Guild.”
“Besides that, here’s the asset list of the Florence Spice Guild distributed across the country. They have mansions in major cities, including Latina and Visconti...”
The Spice Guild focuses on trade with infidels.
Of course, they’re puppets of the wealthy, but for trading, they must have “merchant ships.”
Otherwise, they can’t transport goods.
“We have five sloops with a capacity of 250 tons and three caravels with a capacity of 450 tons. The crew comprises about 550 employed sailors.”
If these were military ships, each vessel would carry around 140 men.
That’s because in a naval battle, one has to cram cannons, gunpowder, and people into the space at the cost of cargo capacity to gain an advantage.
However, merchant ships take only the minimum number of crew needed for combat, trade, and sailing.
To maximize profit, they have to carry as much trade goods as possible.
“That’s why they have only 550 people across eight ships.”
“There are other assets, but when converted to cash, they total around 3,000 gold coins.”
“I see. Then what do you think we should take with us, Kris?”
Kris pondered for a moment before answering.
“First, I think it’s right to share the cattle, horses, wagons, and spices like pepper with His Majesty, the Duke, and other noble individuals who have helped us. Keeping too many cattle and horses will be a financial burden, as they require significant upkeep. Since the spices have little use aside from large consumption during banquets, it might be best to distribute all of them.”
The size of my territory isn’t that large to begin with.
So, even if I stockpiled so many cattle and horses, the serfs wouldn’t be able to use them all.
Moreover, my territory focuses on commerce rather than agriculture...
“If we’re not farming, we actually don’t need that many livestock.”
If the Duke Visconti had a vast expanse of land and people, he could just assign one cow per household to cultivate the land and see immediate effects.
It’s similar to expanding the company’s cargo truck fleet, but our guild already has plenty of livestock and wagons, including reserves, so it’s just additional maintenance costs.
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As for spices, as Kris mentioned, aside from large-scale consumption during banquets, there’s little purpose for stockpiling.
“So, I think we should just take the Florence Guild’s mansion, warehouse, cash, jewelry, and artworks. The mansions in other major cities, the ships, sailors—all of those are valuable, but if I try to hoard everything alone, I might face backlash. I should consider distributing them.”
Even just those eight merchant ships hold a value of over 10,000 gold coins, but the ships and sailors are real money pits.
With a slight exaggeration, maintaining those eight merchant ships and their crew would cost at least 2,500 gold coins just for upkeep.
It would be nice to have mansions in other major cities, but we don’t have any problems with our current guild.
“We should share the guild’s mansion and warehouse with His Majesty, the Duke, Judge Mancini, and those who helped us with this matter. It might be good to take the mansions in other cities and the merchant ships, sailors, cash, and jewels.”
Kris tilted her head.
I suppose she’s surprised because what I said doesn’t align with common sense.
However, the fact that she doesn’t argue or question me means she believes I wouldn’t make foolish choices.
“We’re currently occupying a significant market share in Florence. If we take the guild’s mansion and warehouse too, it’ll provoke other guilds in the capital. While we can handle the Spice Guild ourselves, if the entire guild unites against us, it’ll be tough to fend them off.”
“Though the Duke and His Majesty will ensure that the Medici Guild won’t fall, if they all join forces, it’s certain we’ll take a significant hit.”
The reason I could scold Albert this time and nearly cut the Spice Guild in half is that the “entire guild” did not band together against me.
If they had all come after me to kill me at once, it would have been hopeless.
“So it might be good to expand Café Medici and the Medici hospital not just in Florence but also around other major cities.”
“It seems there’s no one among the nobles in the provinces who hasn’t heard of Café Medici and the Medici hospital. Desserts imitating those from Café Medici are popping up in local banquets, and the local nobles have been trying to admit their wives into the Medici hospital for months.”
After over a year of anxious waiting, everyone must be rushing in.
“If Café Medici in Florence aims for the best of the best, it would be good to target a diverse clientele in other cities.”
Over 60% of nobles above the rank of baron in the Toscana Empire live in Florence.
So while aiming for the best is fine, if we target only the “very high-ranking individuals” in other cities, we’ll run into deficits.
“We should maintain the same quality of service but lower the high end by one level and the low end by about four levels. The Medici hospital should do the same.”
By lowering the low end to that extent, the price will drop to a level where general artisans or merchants in the city can afford it if they put their minds to it.
And by lowering the high end by just one level compared to the capital, it’s inevitable that well-off nobles will have to come to Florence even if prices are several times higher...
“This way, we can maintain and expand the market’s premium value at the same time.”
“To do that, it would definitely be cheaper to utilize mansions in major cities. I understand. But why the merchant ships?”
At that question, I smiled broadly.
“This is really confidential, so you’re the only one who knows.”
Typically, when I say “you’re the only one who knows,” secrets tend to leak, but Kris isn’t a woman who’s light on her tongue to begin with.
I had even verified her trustworthiness by attaching a high-ranking assassin from the Information Guild, and they said there was no chance of leaking confidential information.
“All other privacy-related matters have been burned away.”
Then, I whispered the secret in a very low voice.
Upon hearing it, Kris’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth.
“Just how far can you see, Baron?”
Living in a world progressing toward globalization, I have a very broad perspective.
“A little broader than you think.”
“Indeed, Baron...”
Her voice was so quiet I couldn’t hear it.
“I also want to take a break today, so is that all the urgent matters?”
“Yes, Baron.”
“Then Kris can also clock out now, and send the other employees home too.”
“Understood.”
Even after hearing I could leave, Kris didn’t turn back.
Does she have more to say?
“Chloe is preparing something special for you. Please go in quickly.”
... Thinking about it, that damn guild master made my cat playtime go to waste, didn’t he?
And she said she was preparing something.
With a light step, I dashed into my room.