‘It was the same during Kim Seonggeon’s time! Actually, it was the same back with Jegal Hyeon, too. I suppose that’s just the nature of those who play with money.’
‘Especially those who deal in interest.’
When they lend money, they bow their heads and say thank you. On the other hand, when it’s time to pay it back, they act like masters. It’s the same when you entrust them with money. They take your money with a thank you, but the interest they give back from rolling that money is tiny. No, it’s practically nonexistent.
The difference between the lending interest rate and the deposit interest rate is vast.
‘They call them fees. They’re just flat-out thieves.’
Operating costs, commissions—they use every excuse in the book to take a cut.
I thought I wouldn’t have to see this kind of behavior since finance isn’t well-developed in this world. I didn’t expect to see it here. It was just that there were so many large holes in the territory that it hadn’t been visible until now.
‘Looking at it now, it’s quite significant.’
After cleaning up the major problems, I found another massive one here.
“I set up this merchant group to generate revenue for the territory and make it easier for people to get daily necessities between castles.”
“T-That’s right, isn’t it?”
“But these guys aren’t just making a profit from trade; they’re raking in massive gains through an interest business?”
“They said they needed capital to operate the merchant group…”
“It’s always been done this way in the past.”
Look at this. The Administrative Officers don’t seem to realize what’s wrong. They’re naive. So naive. It makes me wonder how I’m supposed to trust these officers to manage the territory’s household.
‘Then again… it has always been like this. Administrative work and merchant work are different, after all.’
Who was I to blame?
I, who possessed memories of Earth where the technology of playing with interest was highly developed, couldn’t be the same as them. It is the nature of a merchant to legally snatch money through all sorts of excuses and fill their own pockets.
I smiled brightly at Esty and Pling, who were looking at me with blank expressions.
“That’s total bullshit.”
“Pardon?”
“I said it’s bullshit. Don’t you get it? They’re just barking like dogs.”
If it were a merchant group they founded themselves, I wouldn’t care. But a merchant group created directly by our family shouldn’t be run this way.
‘I told the hunting dog to go hunt, and now it’s eating all the meat itself.’
I thought it was a loyal dog, but here was a dog biting its master.
Only after hearing my explanation did Esty and Pling’s expressions harden. These two are incredibly loyal to the territory. They’re just naive; once taught, they move for the sake of the territory.
I asked them, “What did I say we should do with the bastards who spout nonsense?”
“We… boil them.”
“Right. That’s it.”
It looks like I’ll have to perform a cleansing ritual before winter arrives.
I immediately summoned the people from the territory’s merchant group. Those operating under the name of the Ophern Merchant Group were summoned instantly. Every single one of them.
‘This is why power is great.’
Normally, this would have required a lengthy process. However, since I held the titles of Territory Administrative Officer and Inspector, it didn’t take long at all.
“Ahem…”
“…”
Everyone’s faces were dark, as if they had guilty consciences. They must have heard how I handled those who committed corruption.
‘If they knew, they shouldn’t have done it in the first place.’
This is why money is terrifying. Blinded by money, people become greedy. Without even knowing that greed is tightening the noose around their own necks! These people were exactly like that.
“Let’s see.”
I first examined the ledgers they brought. And then…
“This is trash.”
Rip!
I tore the thick stack of documents in half.
Their eyes widened in shock at the display of strength. Only the Administrative Officers I brought with me remained standing calmly.
“Pling.”
“Yes!”
“Search them. Leave nothing unturned.”
“Yes, sir!”
As if he had been waiting, Pling led the Administrative Officers to begin searching the merchant group’s office.
“Wait!”
“You can’t do this!”
They tried to block Pling and the others, flustered because they hadn’t expected us to move so suddenly. However…
“Shut up and stay still. Anyone who moves will be executed.”
“B-But… the Count…”
“This is the authority of the Inspector.”
“…”
“…”
As soon as I stepped forward, the commotion died down.
“Search here too! Hey! Over here!”
While Pling and Esty led the Administrative Officers in the search, I scanned the surroundings.
‘Found it. How classic.’
A painting hanging slightly crooked caught my eye. One side of the frame was darkened with finger marks, as if it had been touched many times.
‘How could they not know?’
These people clearly don’t have a hobby for art, so it’s suspicious that a painting is even hanging there.
“Let’s see. I wonder where they hid it.”
“Ha… Hahaha… W-What would we be hiding?”
As I walked toward the painting, they began to hold their breath. One person was even foaming at the mouth from shock.
“What do you mean, ‘what’?”
Crunch. I ripped the frame off with force. In that moment, a small safe was revealed.
“Oh!”
I heard Pling cry out in surprise while he was leading the search.
“Pling, be quiet and get over here. Unlock!”
Click.
I threw the safe open with magic. Inside…
“It’s a pile of gold.”
“Ooh!”
Gold bars and jewels, which held high value even in this world, took up one side. And next to them…
“This is the real deal. Take this.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
There were files packed tight—documents they had undoubtedly hidden.
“I wonder who hid these?”
“…”
“…”
No one answered.
The inspection didn’t take long.
“You guys really helped yourselves, didn’t you?”
I set this up to fatten the territory, but they were the ones putting on weight. You should take a reasonable profit, Tsk!
The purpose of the territory’s merchant group was to facilitate the exchange of goods between each castle. Since capital is needed for operations, profits must be made. But it should always be within a reasonable limit.
Yet, they had taken far too much. Not only that.
“This is the kind of thing back-alley thugs do.”
They had run an interest business. It wasn’t just a matter of lending money to our Administrative Officers and getting it back.
“Oho? The interest rate is quite something, isn’t it?”
“T-That’s just the normal interest…”
“Normal interest starts at 200%? And you even take prepaid interest? You crazy bastards.”
If they lent 100 gold, they only gave ninety gold. The ten gold was taken in advance as interest. And when it was time to collect, they took back over 300 gold. If the payment was late, it was even more.
“You’re natural-born! You’ve got a real talent for this!”
It seemed Max, whose head I had personally lopped off, wasn’t even at this level. This was the level of loan sharks. I told them to organize a territory merchant group; I never imagined they would transition into becoming territory loan sharks.
The most important thing was…
“The taxes paid every year and the scale of the profits are different.”
The money that should have been paid to the family went into their pockets instead.
‘If Father had been born with as much talent for business as he was for martial arts, my life would be so much easier.’
I trusted them and left them to it, but they were eating away at the family. Unlike general merchant groups, a merchant group operated by the family shouldn’t be like this. They should bring profit to the territory while conducting business. It was only natural that a directly managed merchant group should hand over all profits to our territory, excluding operating funds.
Yet, not even half had come in.
“Merchant Guild Master.”
“Y-Yes.”
“You also inherited the position of Merchant Guild Master, didn’t you?”
“…”
He was silent. Even without a word, it was certain. Both he and his father must have been the Guild Masters here. Since this was a merchant group that had been tied to our family for about three generations, his line must have continued similarly.
‘This is why things rot when they remain stagnant.’
The time had come for a fresh start.
“You damned Merchant Guild Master.”
“Yes…”
As I looked at him, his face turned a dark, deathly gray. He might have sensed his own situation. It wasn’t a pleasant sight to see a man who looked to be in his forties acting this way. But there was no room for sympathy.
“Let’s die. You have to pay for your crimes.”
I sent a report to my father.
‘First, let’s recover the money.’
The funds they had embezzled—all the money was recovered for the territory through the Administrative Officers.
‘There’s a lot.’
The amount was so substantial that it added even more surplus to our already comfortable treasury.
From the moment the recovery was complete, I immediately began a complete overhaul of the merchant group.
“P-Please spare me! If you just let me live, I will show you my loyalty…”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
I immediately dealt with the Merchant Guild Master, who was clinging to my trouser legs.
Sizzle!
A powerful slave brand was burned into the man who had lived grandly as the Merchant Guild Master.
“Aaaaargh!”
I specifically placed it on his forehead.
‘I almost wanted to engrave the word “Slave” there too.’
His family members, who had grown fat alongside him, were also branded.
“You grew quite fat from living in luxury, didn’t you?”
Just how much had they stolen? These people were overflowing with more grease than I was, and I’m a noble. After living as slaves for years, or even decades, all that grease will surely melt away.
“That’s settled.”
All those who had fattened themselves were dealt with. Only a few survived. Since all the ones who could be called ‘operators’ were handled, the only ones left were the lower-level members who handled practical affairs.
‘The ones who actually roll up their sleeves and work are people like this.’
After cutting out everyone involved, these were the only ones remaining. No one said a word, but their eyes were full of fear as they looked at me. At the same time, there was admiration.
‘They know how I handle my business.’
For these subordinates, now that their superiors had been wiped out, this was their opportunity. They knew my personality—that I would reward them thoroughly as long as they got the job done. Being merchants, they were quick-witted.
“W-We can do a good job.”
“I know. You’ll probably be fine just maintaining things.”
Even if I left it as is, the merchant group would run. They might creak occasionally, but since they were the practical staff, they would adapt quickly. They would also show their loyalty while carefully watching my mood, having seen what happens when things go wrong.
However, I had no intention of letting them run it like that.
“This is why having only one isn’t good. You have to make them compete.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Split it!”
I split the single merchant group into two. Though there were only two for now due to the small scale, I planned to split them further in the future. Now there were two Merchant Guild Masters.
“Drop the name Ophern. Yes, this will be good. Let’s call one the Pollen Merchant Group and the other the Maim Merchant Group.”
“Since it’s divided into two, are they named after Pollen and Maim Castle? The residents will like that.”
I shook my head at Esty’s question.
“No. I gave them those names to remember the guys who died after eating away at the territory.”
“Pardon?”
I looked at the two trembling new Merchant Guild Masters and continued.
“Don’t forget. If you’re caught committing corruption, you’ll end up like Pollen. Also, you saw Maim get a complete overhaul once, right?”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“We will work hard!”
“Good. Always keep that in mind. I’m giving you these names so you won’t forget. Ah, of course, don’t go telling the residents of the castles.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Once I applied some pressure, they were completely focused.
“Good. You may go.”
Look at the two Merchant Guild Masters as they start moving and bowing. Even without looking, it’s clear they won’t be committing any corruption.
“Ha… Hahaha…”
Esty could only look at the two of them with a sheepish laugh.
“Well then, Esty. Now that we’ve overhauled the merchant group, it’s our turn to be ground down.”
“Pardon? Ground down?”
“We have to work now.”
We have plenty of capital. We have the manpower. It’s time for another round of development!
“Come on, move!”
“…”
Look at them. Isn’t everyone burning with motivation!