Veteran of the Northern Front - Chapter 28

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Asakusa

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Veteran of the Northern Front ◈

Chapter 28: The Camellun Siblings (1)

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Thanks to Perez, my initial capital had grown considerably.

I had decided where to invest it too, so all that remained was to act.

Normally, I would have invested through the trading companies that did business with the fortress.

But...

‘I can’t trust anyone who might have been in cahoots with Perez.’

Unlike other units, which received supplies through their supply corps, Camilla Fortress used operating funds provided by headquarters to purchase its own supplies. As a result, the fortress had frequent dealings with local merchants.

Considering Perez’s character, there was a high chance he had exchanged kickbacks with the merchants supplying the fortress.

‘While I’m at it, I should replace all the suppliers.’

I had already chosen a trading company to use in their place.

“Ren, go call Kram for me.”

“Yes, sir!”

Since this involved outside business, I decided to leave it to Kram.

A short while later, Kram entered my office.

“You called for me?”

“I want to entrust a job to you. Is that alright?”

“Please give me your orders anytime.”

“It isn’t anything difficult. I need you to find a trading company.”

“A trading company?”

“Yeah. There should be a small company called the Camellun Trading Company operating in the northeast. Contact them.”

“You want us to establish ties with them. What reason should I give for approaching them?”

“First, casually let them know that we want to entrust them with supplying the fortress. They’ll come to us on their own after that.”

“Understood. But...”

Kram tilted their head, seemingly unable to understand.

“Why are you looking for them? If they’re a small trading company, won’t they be of little help to the fortress?”

“For now, perhaps.”

“What?”

[Camellun Trading Company]

It was currently a small trading company with neither capital nor anything more than a single shabby wagon.

However, exactly ten years from now, its leader’s keen eye and the chaos of the times would allow it to grow enormously, becoming one of the Empire’s five great trading companies and the largest merchant house in the East.

‘In the story, the Camellun Trading Company is still crawling along the bottom. If I don’t establish ties with them now, when will I?’

I intended to bring them over to my side for the future.

Kram, who had left the fortress to find the Camellun Trading Company, returned four days later.

Unlike when Kram had departed, they returned to the fortress with a wagon.

“Just as you instructed, I have brought the head of the Camellun Trading Company.”

Inside the shabby wagon, a young person who appeared to be in their mid-twenties and a girl with an innocent appearance stepped out.

Perhaps having noticed from Kram’s attitude that I was the superior here, the young person respectfully bowed to me.

“I heard you were looking for us. I am Kane Camelun, head of the Camellun Trading Company. It is an honor to meet you.”

I had heard that Kane came from a fallen noble family.

Sure enough, they were quite familiar with proper etiquette.

“Nice to meet you. I am Ubel Graum, the person in charge of Camilla Fortress. And this is...?”

“Ah, my younger sister. She follows me around and helps with the trading company.”

“My name is Reina Camelun.”

She looked about fifteen, with a youthful-looking face.

The corners of my mouth twitched the moment I saw her, but I managed to hide it.

“First, I apologize for inviting you here so suddenly.”

“Not at all. More importantly, I heard that you wish to make a supply contract with us. Is that true?”

Kane asked in a doubtful tone.

Kane’s suspicion was understandable.

Not just anyone could obtain a military supply contract.

‘They guarantee steady long-term profits, so competition is fierce. There are plenty of cases where people can’t win a contract without connections in the Imperial Army.’

Of course Kane would be suspicious when offered such a contract by someone Kane had never met, especially when the company was so small.

“Hmm. Let’s move somewhere else first.”

“Understood.”

As I led them toward my office, I quietly asked Kane a question.

“Come to think of it, I heard that the price of evening primrose rose sharply a few months ago after its medicinal effects were discovered. I also heard that it still shows no sign of falling, perhaps because demand is so high. When do you think the price will come down?”

“Haha... I believe it will take a little longer for the price to fall.”

“I see.”

Kane answered in a slightly awkward voice, while Reina wore an innocent smile as though she knew nothing.

The others may not have noticed, but I clearly saw it.

For a brief instant, her expression stiffened before smoothing out again.

‘Hmm.’

Lost in thought as I walked, I soon arrived at my office.

“Please, both of you, have a seat.”

I offered them seats, asked Ren to bring drinks, and slowly began.

“The reason I invited you here is that I have a request for the Camellun Trading Company.”

“A request?”

“Yes. If you grant my request, I will entrust all future supplies for Camilla Fortress to your company.”

All the supplies.

That was no different from handing over every military supply contract for the fortress.

The scale of the deal exceeded Kane’s expectations, and they looked bewildered.

“Y-you’ll entrust all the supplies to us? Is that truly what you mean?”

I smiled.

“Of course.”

“Why would you offer this to a small trading company like ours...?”

“Some time ago, I happened to hear stories from people who had done business with the Camellun Trading Company. They said that although your company is small, it knows the value of trust. As it happened, I had reason to change our suppliers, so I made this proposal.”

It was a lie that I had heard rumors about the Camellun Trading Company, but there was no way for the two of them to know that.

Finding my explanation believable enough, Kane nodded.

“So that is how it is. I understand your intentions, my lord. But before we discuss this further, may I ask what you would like to request from us?”

I chuckled at Kane’s somewhat resolute expression.

“Are you worried that I might ask you to do something illegal?”

“If that offended you, I apologize. I merely wished to settle the matter clearly.”

Kane meant that they would refuse if my request violated Imperial law.

Impressed by morality that did not suit a merchant, I reassured him.

“Don’t worry. I won’t ask anything like that. I only want the Camellun Trading Company to procure the item I request.”

“What item could it be...?”

“Wheat.”

“What?”

Kane looked as though they could not understand why I wanted wheat.

“If you need provisions, can’t you simply obtain them through nearby trading companies without making a separate request of us?”

As Kane said, the wheat needed to feed the fortress soldiers could be obtained from nearby trading companies anytime.

However...

“The amount I intend to purchase is rather large.”

“If the amount is large...”

“At least 3,000 silver worth.”

“What?!”

“If possible, I am also willing to conduct a credit transaction.”

A credit transaction was a type of credit transaction in which goods were received first, then paid for later at the price when they were received.

Kane stared at me as if I were ridiculous.

“No, what could you possibly use that much for? I heard that Camilla Fortress has around five hundred soldiers stationed here. Are you expecting reinforcements?”

“No.”

“Then what...?”

I had expected this reaction, so I simply sipped my tea.

The Empire harvested wheat twice a year, in spring and autumn. As I had mentioned before, several years of abundant harvests had made wheat very cheap.

‘At the market, wasn’t it one silver for two sacks of wheat?’

At current prices, 1,000 silver, or 100 gold, could buy enough wheat to feed the fortress soldiers for a year.

And 3,000 silver was roughly three years’ worth of food.

Considering that Camilla Fortress had received food supplies quarterly until now, it was an excessive amount.

Perhaps Kane had never imagined I would request so much wheat. They scratched their cheek awkwardly.

“Hmm... I never expected you to request wheat, and 3,000 silver worth at that...”

“Is it difficult?”

“Forgive me, but grain is not a particularly attractive commodity for a small trading company like ours.”

I understood what Kane meant.

‘If Kane accepts this proposal, the company will be transporting nothing but wheat for a while and won’t be able to handle other goods.’

In this world, wagons were the only means of transportation besides ships, so trading companies mainly dealt in high-profit goods whenever they set out on a trading run.

That was especially true for small trading companies.

From Kane’s perspective, wheat had low profits and took up too much space.

Kane would not want to devote valuable time and effort just to handle it.

“I understand your difficulties well. That is why I intend to offer a military supply contract in return. Wouldn’t it be good for the Camellun Trading Company to accept a temporary loss and look toward the future?”

“Hmm, even so, acquiring that much will require us to buy more wagons and hire workers...”

“You seem concerned about whether it is worth enduring the inconvenience.”

With a meaningful smile, I turned my gaze to Reina, who was sitting beside Kane.

“Then what does your younger sister think?”

Kane flinched at the sudden question.

“What? Wh-why are you suddenly asking Reina...?”

Why?

Are you really asking because you don’t know?

I smiled at Kane, who had grown somewhat tense.

“Because your younger sister appears to be the true owner of the trading company. Am I wrong?”

There was a simple reason I said this.

In the game, Reina was the head of the Camellun Trading Company.

The Camellun Trading Company would rise to prominence a few years from now, and Reina would step forward as its proper leader.

That was why I had been inwardly startled when I first saw Kane.

‘I never imagined Reina had an older brother.’

I did not know whether the future Reina would inherit the company from Kane or, for some reason, unexpectedly become its head.

‘But one thing is certain. Reina is the real power behind the Camellun Trading Company right now.’

Even though everything had already been exposed, Kane denied my claim.

“Haha... Saying Reina is the owner of the trading company is going too far.”

Kane’s words did make some sense. Reina might simply have been learning the business under Kane, then become an adult and taken the position of company head.

That was why I had tested Kane on the way to the office.

“President Kane.”

“Yes?”

“You may not know this, but the price of evening primrose has already fallen.”

Contrary to what I had told Kane, the price of evening primrose had dropped long ago.

Evening primrose had shaken up the merchant world a few months earlier. Anyone who truly ran a trading company and paid attention to commerce could not possibly be unaware of changes in its price.

It would be like someone claiming to work in the stock market not knowing whether the KOSPI index had risen or fallen since last month.

“That...”

Just as Kane realized he had been deceived and tried to make an excuse, Reina, who had remained silent until then, spoke.

“Brother, that’s enough.”

“Oh? You are admitting it more readily than I expected.”

“Now that you have already seen through us, making excuses will change nothing. Still, it is curious.”

“What is?”

A gentle, innocent smile formed on her lips.

“Even if my brother made a slip of the tongue, that alone would not be enough to determine that I am the true power behind the trading company. How did you find out?”

“Let’s just say it was a hunch.”

I shrugged and pretended to be calm, but it was a truly sharp question.

‘As expected, I can’t underestimate her just because she is young.’

I could not let Reina’s appearance fool me.

How many players in the game had been burned after falling for that innocent smile?

The Golden Spider of the East.

That was Reina’s epithet.

To avoid further questioning, I naturally changed the subject.

“More importantly, isn’t there something else we should discuss now?”

“That is true.”

“Lady Reina, you understand how much this deal will benefit the trading company, don’t you?”

“I won’t deny it.”