I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 319: The Crown Prince’s Teacher (4)

After concluding the contract, I immediately got into the carriage with the Crown Prince.

In public, I had to pretend to be the uncle and nephew, but in private, I had to return to the roles of the Crown Prince and his vassal.

"I apologize for making you wait so long, Your Highness."

"You were doing something for the Empire, so of course, I had to wait."

"Your words lighten my heart."

When the Emperor first entrusted the Crown Prince to me, I honestly felt a little uneasy, as if the sky had turned slightly yellow.

But perhaps due to his excellent education, the Crown Prince didn't act up towards me at all.

He understood that when we travel together, I couldn’t bring many attendants, and he would miss out on participating in social events of the Holy Empire.

But he accepted it without protest and ate simple meals at inns with no complaints.

"Other young lords usually insist on preparing and eating the finest food when they travel."

Considering that it's common to carry cooking equipment, and even beds and bathrooms, with them when they travel...

A person of the Crown Prince’s status, if you look only at his mindset, would definitely fall into the top 3-5%.

"How was the meal you were served by the Duke of Saxony while you waited?"

"It was simple for a noble meal, but it was delicious."

Considering the high status of the Duke, the fact that he felt the meal he arranged was humble is impressive.

Thinking back, I’m truly amazed that this young lord is traveling with me, a man who values practicality.

"Still, the sausage, sauerkraut, and beer were quite good. I should ask the royal chef to make these for me occasionally."

I tried the sausages and beer here too, and they tasted worlds apart from those in Toscana Empire.

I can understand the difference in sausage, but why does beer taste so drastically different?

Could it be the water or climate difference?

"There's a branch of Rothschild Trading here too. I’ll contact the branch and find an inn that serves good sausages."

"Sometimes, even food meant for ordinary citizens tastes good when you eat it. Maybe it’s because we’re traveling."

"Great food is wonderful, but if you eat it every day, it gets tiresome. The best thing is to eat a variety of foods in rotation."

"To hear that from the owner of Restaurant Rothschild, I see. Well, then, tomorrow for lunch, I’d like to try something called Schweinshaxe."

"Then, you should also try Schnitzel. It’s finely chopped pork, flattened, and fried. I’ve heard it’s excellent."

Taking on the role of the Crown Prince’s teacher isn’t something I’m exactly thrilled about.

But since I’ve taken it on, I need to get the most out of it.

It’s crucial to gain as much favor from the Crown Prince as possible before this journey ends.

"By the way, Baron. What kind of contract did you sign with the Duke of Saxony?"

"I signed a contract to provide them with a steady supply of weapons and food at 15% below market price."

"It’s a structure where both the Duke of Saxony and Toscana Empire can gain significant benefits. The Duke will be able to secure military supplies at lower prices, and we will gain considerable profits."

Both the Duke of Saxony and Toscana Empire can profit greatly from this deal.

However, just like ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) when solving problems, you can’t judge by just looking at the surface. This contract has a hidden toxic clause that the Duke of Saxony didn’t foresee.

To hide this, I even mentioned becoming a double vassal to blind his eyes.

But our Crown Prince only sees it as a mutually beneficial contract...

I need to properly perform my duties as his teacher.

"Your Highness, to govern the country well, you must see the essence of everything happening around you."

"Father said something like that too."

"In this contract, there’s a trap the Duke of Saxony didn’t notice. Do you know what it is?"

"I'm not sure. On the surface, it looks like a contract where both sides will benefit."

On the surface, yes, it does seem that way.

But let’s change the perspective a bit.

Who’s more desperate?

The one selling surplus food and weapons, or the one buying them?

"Right now, it’s like the calm before the storm. There’s a slight tension in the air, but people’s daily lives haven’t changed much. Serfs are focused on farming, merchants are busy with trade, and nobles are diligently collecting taxes."

"Even in Vitenburg and everywhere in the Holy Empire, it feels so peaceful that it doesn’t seem like war is coming."

"In peaceful times like this, the treaty I signed would indeed seem like a good deal for both sides. But, what happens once the war actually starts?"

The Crown Prince opened his mouth wide after hearing my words.

"The prices of food and weapons will skyrocket."

"Why would the prices skyrocket?"

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"Once war breaks out, demand for weapons will rise, and the army of tens of thousands will need food. Plus, parts of the land will be plundered, and production will decline. In such a situation, food and weapon prices can’t help but rise."

"And rising prices mean the value of those goods is increasing, and that means they’ve become rarer. The weapons and food we supply to the Duke of Saxony will be their lifeline."

Of course, we will make a fortune in return.

It’s similar to a patient paying a hefty fee for treatment when they have a rare disease or are gravely ill.

But there’s a big difference between me and a doctor.

Doctors must save their patients if they want to keep making money and live.

As for me, I’d kill the Duke of Saxony if it suited my interests—only if I can cover up the mess afterward.

"The Duke of Saxony will be like a thirsty deer, desperately searching for water, knowing he can’t get it, but still digging the ground for it. Right now, he’s only buying a small portion of weapons and food, but..."

In the 21st century, there's something called "food security."

It may sound like a complicated term, but basically, it’s asking if Korea can survive just by the food it produces.

In the global, high-tech age, it’s taken for granted that food is imported from other countries.

But after a certain insane country declared war on a nation where a comedian is president, food prices in Europe spiked, shaking the nation for a while.

Governments strive to ensure food self-sufficiency to avoid such a crisis.

But if the Duke of Saxony becomes reliant on us for food and weapons?

"Relying on us for food and weapons is like getting addicted to alcohol. Drinking a lot once or twice isn’t bad for your health and can help you lift your mood."

"...I see."

"But if you drink heavily for a month or two, you’ll become dependent on alcohol. Without it, you’ll experience hallucinations, tremors, and lose your sanity."

Though it’s not as drastic as opioids or fentanyl, alcohol is highly addictive.

If you fall into alcohol addiction, you won’t be able to live a normal life.

"The Duke of Saxony will become dependent on the food and weapons we sell. Once the timing is right, we’ll cut off the supply. Then, the Duke will be unable to get food and weapons and will destroy himself."

"That’s truly a frightening thought."

I could see the Crown Prince’s hand trembling slightly.

But the wisdom of England doesn’t end there.

"By the way, how can we only make this deal with one side? Once food production increases, we should propose the same deal to the Deus faith faction."

The Crown Prince opened his mouth wide.

"They say happiness doubles when shared, right?"

Of course, the deal will make us the only ones happy, but as long as it benefits both Toscana Empire and me, that's all that matters.

"Oh, and the more intense the war gets, the more favorable it will be for us. But it seems like there’s no sign of fighting yet. In this case, I think I should start playing a little trick."

"What kind of trick?"

"I’ll make a deal with a third-rate mercenary group nearby and have them play the role of bandits for us."

If you want to watch a fire across the river, it’s common sense to start the fire yourself, right?

This is the basic principle of international diplomacy.

I learned this even in games where you protect your country by building a harmonious family.