Chapter 36 - Volume 2 (1/2)
With the project announced and construction at work, Isaac started officially buying all the land in the Ceta District Cordnell furiously opposed the idea, hisland in New Port City cost pittance, there was already so muchall the land His efforts to save ed those around hienerosity’
The euilds decided to buy the land around the bridge as a combined investht be able to get most of the money back from these areas even if the project failed
The elves found it interesting and used their own money to buy some land of their ohile North Bears fir Isaac proposed was trustworthy and contacted their own Reservation, buying asany tribesmen ere still free
As a result, the real estate ownershi+p in the Ceta District was distributed in such a here Isaac held 70, the North Bears held 20, the Elves held 9 and the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds’ einal landlords were citizens of Port City, but all it took was a black taxes and an offer double that of its ly
With the real estate firrasp, Isaac sat on the rooftop of his City Hall residence He sipped on a glass of wine and held a cigar in hand as the noise of the construction echoed around him It was at this point that Cordnell approached Isaac with a pale face
“We’re in trouble”
“What is it?”
“We have no money”
“Why?”
“Why else! You used most of the funds to buy the stupid deeds to the land in the Ceta District! We’ll be bankrupt at this rate! Just one es for our workers!”
Cordnell thu Isaac had spenthim, Isaac spoke with an annoyed face
“Are we really out oflike this e have no income!”
“Why do we have no inco constructed by the Rivolden Merchant Guild?”
Isaac convinced Goldman, the Guild Master of the Rivolden Merchant Guild, to construct lodges near the casinos Isaac advised Gold prostitution was good and all, but the city lacked lodges which the people could spend the night comfortably Goldman used his power as the Guild Master to construct two hotels for corand hotel reserved for nobles as an investment in New Port City
“You sold the land to hiht it, so we didn’tthe costs for the construction of the hotels as well!”
Cordnell breathlessly rattled on as Isaac took out another cigar, annoyed by it all
“I guess there’s no choice I wanted to use this as my final solution when ot no money”
“Use what!”
Isaac cal as if he wasa last stand
“Raise the tariffs”
“Huh?”
Cordnell looked to Isaac with his eyes wide open Isaac poured a new glass of wine and handed it to hiht to tax any cohest tax rate withinstocked in the ports and warehouses”
Cordnell gulped down the wine Isaac handed to hi certainly ithin the authority of the Lord, but Lords usually set the lowest tax rate possible, so that more merchants would use their facilities and stabilise the prices of the goods in the city
Port City was the same Its position on the continent oods to concentrate, but what really supported it was a practically non-existent tariff
Most of the docks and warehouses in which the goods travel through were concentrated in New Port City, so the merchants had to adhere to New Port City’s tax rate Until soo when Port City still held all the authority over New Port City, the merchants paid minimal fees to use the warehouses But if Isaac were to raise the tax rates to the maximum, the merchants would be forced to either pay the tax or turn their shi+ps somewhere else Both would cause massive deficits for the merchants, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a riot took place because of it
“Do you really think the merchants will stay put if you hit thenificant losses are expected if the oods froer be supplied, which would make prices skyrocket
“Even better It was only helping out Port City, and they would be the ones who are hit hardest by it all”
“But the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds also use this place!”
“Ha, do you really think I’ll tax your guilds at the sauys”
Cordnell ed his forehead when he heard those words from Isaac, unable to withstand the stress
“Hey, don’t you think it’s strange that Port City is staying put, despite the fact that you can easilythe tariffs?”
“Hm? You have a point”
“There’s a Fair Trade Law Giving special privileges to certain ation and correction by force”
“So such laws existed Then tell them to pay the same tax rate”
“The Seven Grand Merchant Guilds won’t stand for it!”
“Ah! da Are you really that stupid? Do you think my duty to repay their investment is just for show?”
“Th…”
Cordnell, who tried to retort back at Isaac’s annoyed tone, suddenly stopped as a light bulb flickered in his head Even if the tax was raised to its highest, the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds could have the tax returned under the pretense of repaying the loans while the rest of thethe difference in profit ins astronomical
But the problem is that the merchants, who are ever so sensitive about money, would never be oblivious to this fact Even if the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds were the most influential within the Euilds joined forces against them No, even if the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds didn’t cruuilds began supporting Port City instead
“I’ll contact headquarters and request additional loans”
“No, I don’t want it”
“Huh?”
“I received a loan of one a because I didn’t have money I’ot even more loans, it will reduce oldfish, unable to utter a single word
“Just raise the tariffs I’ll make sure your investment is paid back in full”
“But that could cause the fall of Seven Grand Merchant Guilds!”
“That’s none of my business”
Cordnell felt as if the sky was crue on the increase of tariffs His actions were just like a bully taking lunch ent report brought together all the guild masters from the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds; they insulted Isaac in their heart, but they still decided to make additional investments since they determined that only they would be at loss if the tariffs were raised
They had prepared their refusal totheir power to blackmail Isaac into submission, but even before they could blackmail him, Isaac stubbornly refused the additional invest for the increase of tariffs
Now, the fire was on the Seven Grand Merchant Guild’s side, and instead of black Isaac with additional investe interest did they successfully convince Isaac and proceed with the investment The Seven Grand Merchant Guilds also decided they couldn’t be the only ones on the losing end and started bringing in all uilds that used the canals to contribute to the investment fund
Even Port City contributed the invest from merchants and to prevent the weaponization of tariffs despite Isaac’s stubborn attitude This incident helped Isaac gain faeven his foes to demand that he takefunds solved after much ruckus, Isaac continued to spend his time leisurely in the City Hall The noise of the construction did bother hiot used to it Once again, he was bathing in the sunlight on the rooftop when Cordnell hurriedly rushed over and woke Isaac from his sweet nap
“What is it now?”
Isaac stared at Cordnell, frustrated that his sleep was disturbed, but Cordnell continued to pace around in panic with a pale face
“Off with our abusive Lord!”
Isaac didn’t even need to ask Cordnell Isaac could hear those words being chanted in unison as he slowly eased hie There were around a hundredthe City Hall while other workers watched fro
“There’s our abusive Lord! Let us regain our rights!”
“Lower our work hours! Raise our wages!”
“The hell are they?”
Isaac leaned over the guard rails as he watched the riotous ar in his mouth As expected of the men from New Port City, all of their faces dripped with murderous intent; their words were crude and improvised weapons made of construction tools firathered after lunch tiress on construction!”
“Is this the start of their sabotage?”
Isaac wasn’t innocent enough to believe his project was going to set sail without any hindrances It was obvious that both Count Milros and the neighboring Port City would try to harass him at every corner Instead of surprise, he was reassured that what he had expected had finally occurred
“Where’s Rizzly?”
“The North Bears are currently policing City Hall”
“Call him over”
Just as Corndell was about to quickly move, Rizzly showed up with a cone-shaped tool in his hand
“What’s that?”
“It’s a speaker I thought you’d need it”
“Hm, you’re rather sharp? But what’s up with them all of a sudden?”
“Soes are the saan inciting those around theet much of a reaction from those around theht theht they’d make an incident like this”
Hahaha, all one can do is laugh
Wages? Instead of the horrible wages they were used to, they received 15 ties other workers received in other cities and provided them with the opportunity to escape poverty and New Port City
Food? Not only has Isaac been feeding their children every h tostomachs burst
Work hours? Isaac had instituted a regulation stating that all workers receive 1 day of paid vacation after every teeks of work
Where could they possibly find a better Lord!
It still seereed with those rioters, but it still irked Isaac on the inside
“When idiots receive good favour, they start to consider it to be a right Tsk”
Isaac coldly clicked his tongue and took the speaker from Rizzly’s hand and shouted toward the rioters
“Ah ah! Listen, rioters I am…”
“There is the abusive Lord who exploits us!”
“If you disperse now…”
“Off with the abusive Lord!”
“I will show mercy to the citizens of es now!”
Isaac sighed as he watched thethe people like a fiery cha off the words of his superior”
“Shall I kill him as an example?”
Rizzly nonchalantly spoke those words Cordnell’s face went pale while Isaac looked at Rizzly curiously
“You sound like you’ve killed some people before?”
“The North Bears et sos and bandits who try to steal from the merchants e are tasked as escorts”
“No! You can’t kill sootiate with their representatives…”
Cordnell adamantly objected and recootiation
“Negotiate?”
This, of course, wasn’t a recommendation Isaac would even consider
“They’re pulling that bullshi+t when I already give theood pay, feed theive the?”
“If you use force to quell them, it will just increase the size of the riot”
“Tsk, fine I’ll negotiate I’ll show you how I negotiate, so you better watch and learn”
Isaac, who felt so to lower their heads, walked up to the edge of the roof with one foot on the fence and shouted