Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Intelligence on Black Forest Island
Behind every merchant ship that sailed in and out of the harbor was a wealthy merchant, and most of these merchants, in turn, had intricate connections to the Nobility.
This was perfectly logical. After all, nobles of all ranks controlled various resources, making it incredibly difficult for a commoner to get into the shipping business.
Setting aside the complexity of obtaining a license, the price of a single ship was astronomical, far beyond what an ordinary person could afford.
Take the transoceanic passenger ship Duane was currently on, for example. Nearly thirty meters long and seven or eight meters wide, its market price was at least one thousand Gold Coins!
He had originally wondered if he could buy one himself, but that thought vanished the instant he heard the price.
He had only recently amassed a little over twelve hundred Gold Coins by selling off some of Carter’s collection. If he spent it all, he could probably buy one ship, but he wouldn’t even be able to afford the subsequent maintenance costs.
However, he could first set his sights on a medium-sized cargo ship, around twenty meters long, capable of ocean transport.
Even though it would still cost three to five hundred Gold Coins, it was a more realistic target.
With a ship, traveling between Black Forest Island and Silent Harbor would be much more convenient.
Otherwise, he would have to wait for months, or even half a year, every time he needed to buy something.
If no ships ever sailed to and from Black Forest Island, Duane might truly be stranded there.
This was one of the reasons he wanted to speak with the captain of the "Sea Bird."
The Sea Bird was the name of the lead cargo ship, and its captain, Conaberton, had extensive experience sailing to and from Black Forest Island.
Duane had asked Owington to invite Captain Conaberton over not only to solve the potential problem of being stranded on an isolated island but also to learn about the situation on Black Forest Island from him directly.
Before long, a middle-aged man wearing a black greatcoat and a captain’s hat, led by Owington, arrived at the bow of the passenger ship.
"A pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency the Baron!"
Captain Conaberton politely removed his hat and bowed, revealing his bald pate. A gentle breeze blew past, lifting the few strands of hair he had combed over his head.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Captain Conaberton. We’re counting on you to lead the way this time."
"It is my duty."
Captain Conaberton was very courteous. As the captain of the lead ship, he would receive a few extra Gold Coins for his services.
In his mind, Duane’s reputation might be poor, but he didn’t really care.
As long as the client was generous and willing to pay, that was all that mattered.
"I was wondering, what did you wish to speak to me about?"
Duane nodded. "There are indeed a few things I need your help with."
He then began by asking the captain about the situation on Black Forest Island.
The written descriptions in Lloyd’s book were clearly not as detailed as the captain’s firsthand experiences.
According to Captain Conaberton, he used to sail the Silent Shore, and his first trip to Black Forest Island was to transport exiled criminals.
The harbor on Black Forest Island had been left behind by previous pioneering nobles. Although crude, it was fortunate that the Civil Servant there had maintained it, so ships could still dock.
As for the conditions on the island itself, Captain Conaberton didn’t know much.
However, he suspected they weren’t very good.
This was because he was only allowed to stay within a limited district in Broken Wave City. When he asked why, the Civil Servant would just hem and haw, afraid to say more.
If nothing else, the public safety situation was surely terrible.
That night, a merchant from the island found him, saying he wanted to sell a batch of hides from wild beasts and Low Level Demon Beasts.
From then on, Captain Conaberton began making a trip to Black Forest Island every six months to haul away hides for sale.
This continued for three years, until the merchant on the island informed him a few years ago that hide production could no longer be guaranteed. After the business ended, Captain Conaberton abandoned the Black Forest Island route.
It was also around that time that he started plying the ports along the Great Michaelson River, taking up inland trade.
The Bald Captain briefly sized up the young Baron before him.
Duane’s golden hair and sky-blue eyes made him look spirited and handsome, but ’can a young man like this really survive on Black Forest Island?’
Captain Conaberton hesitated for a moment. Out of a sense of professional courtesy, he couldn’t help but offer a warning.
"Baron, Black Forest Island has been a land without a lord for many years. Numerous criminals have been dumped there over time, and they’ve likely formed gangs. They might resent your arrival. You must be careful!"
Duane nodded. He had already foreseen this possibility.
"Thank you for the warning. I will be careful."
Standing to the side, Kaelon’s brow furrowed slightly. His very presence was for the sole purpose of protecting Duane.
"Captain, do you have any idea about the strength of the people on the island?"
Captain Conaberton shook his head. "That I don’t know. Like I just said, even when I was doing business with the island’s merchant, my movements were restricted to that one district in Broken Wave City."
"But don’t you worry. Even if there are Warriors on the island, they probably aren’t very strong. After all, who with any real power would want to live long-term in a place where even birds won’t shit?"
Duane couldn’t help but rub his nose. ’I feel a little offended.’
"Captain, if there were more hides or other goods for sale, would you be willing to do that business again?"
Black Forest Island had many Demon Beasts. With his three squads, plus Kaelon and Raymond, Duane was confident he could hunt enough to produce a good supply of hides.
Captain Conaberton hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
"My apologies, Baron. I’ve built up a stable business along the river ports these past few years. I only agreed to this trip for Julian because I happened to have some downtime."
He explained, "If I start making regular runs to Black Forest Island, I’ll likely suffer a significant loss, and it would also be bad for my reputation."
Duane nodded in understanding.
Whether those were his real reasons or just excuses, it was clear he didn’t want to resume the Black Forest Island business.
Duane couldn’t force the issue. After all, he really couldn’t guarantee the captain enough profit at the moment.
Nor could he use his status as a noble to compel him, as the Kingdom had laws.
Moreover, the captain was a subject of another noble. If he were treated unfairly, he could appeal to his own lord’s court and sue Duane.
That would only make Duane’s reputation even worse, and then it would be even less likely that anyone would be willing to work with him.
Of course, Duane hadn’t considered using threats of violence. At his core, he believed in making money amicably. ’It’s just business; if this deal doesn’t work out, there’s always the next one.’
And just then, Captain Conaberton pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Baron, I have a friend. His business isn’t very busy; he’s still in the startup phase. He has some experience in sea freight, but there’s still a gap between him and the veterans."
"If you truly have enough goods to sell and are interested, perhaps I could put you in touch."
Duane’s eyes lit up.
’Just starting out is fine, and a lack of experience is also fine.’
What he needed right now was a link to the outside world.
"No problem!"
Duane said, "How about this: after we reach Black Forest Island, I’ll have to ask you to stay for two days. Once I have a preliminary understanding of the situation, we can discuss this matter further."
"Two days..." Captain Conaberton was clearly thinking about his schedule.
Duane immediately added, "Of course, I’ll cover the food and drink for you and your crew for those two days, and I will also pay you an extra fee for the delay and lost work."
Captain Conaberton laughed. "Since you’ve put it that way, I must comply with your arrangement!"
