Chapter 113 (1/2)
「………What are you talking about? There is no way we would trade with the Grond Trading Association anymore. Or rather did you actually think that you still can do business in this town?」
I heard the voice but could not make any sense of the words that it was saying.
What? What does that mean?
「In this town there is no company or a merchant that would sell goods to you. There is no way you don’t understand that? Not a single piece of evidence came up, but there are just that much circumstances pointing at your company. Even an idiot would avoid doing business with you.」
「Wha, What does that mean?! What are you talking about!!」
「Do you even have to ask? It is about the incidents with the disappearance of money. Not even mentioning us or the companies affiliated with those two, you even went for the companies with some degree of influence without any care. What is the point of playing dumb after going that far?」
The presidents of Ochalea Trading Association and Fugine Trading Association nod to the words of the president of Munaito trading association.
With a screech as if something got stuck between the gears, my mind comes to a halt.
I know that I have to do something, but I have no idea what.
「To be honest, I did not even imagine when a day would come when mister Grond will retire from commerce…」
「That’s okay, I cannot believe it myself as well, but considering that he came without making any preparations, the result is obvious. Probably after selling off all of his inventory he plans to receive peerage, lands and a name at the Empire and spend peaceful retirement days there.」
The president of Ochalea Trading Association gives me a look from which I can not distinguish if it is filled with contempt or disgust.
We had many conversations, therefore I can painfully feel the disappointment for my abandonment of the trade well in that look.
「Wa, It, Please wait, what? What is the meaning of all this?」
It’s not right, not right, not right, there is no way those three firms didn’t take hold of information on the list of the companies that became victims.
The list of the victims that I have obtained contained nothing but names of small to medium-sized companies that did not even come close to big trade associations.
Including us, none of the trading companies with a lot of power, like those three, should have suffered any damage.
「It is annoying but we cannot allow ourselves to take any more losses out of pride or reputation as well. That is why we came here to throw a white flag. To return the money we received in the deals with the Grond Trading Association.」
「Wha, what is that supposed to mean, didn’t you bastards come here to bend the knee, so you can get leftovers from the money recasting that our company wil…」
「Huh? Money recasting? What is that about?」
To my thoughtless reply, I only received puzzled words with a dubious look in return .
We just not on the same page. The information does not match up.
(Any, Anyway I have to somehow get a deal for the stock replenishment or it will be a problem!)
Though there is no legal power to a verbal agreement, but with a company as big as ours, it will not be easy to prepare the necessary amount of goods for its operations right away.
So unless you talk it out to some degree before signing the contract, you will not be able to prepare if a situation was to change somehow.
I already made agreements with trading associations in other towns to unload goods to them.
If I were unable to procure required goods then it will result in penalties for the breach of the contract which means a huge loss.
「Ple, Please wait a moment. It seems that there is a serious disparity in our perception of the situation.」
「Disparity in our perception you say?」
「「…?」」
The president of Fugine trading association makes a doubtful face, while the other two glance at each other.
Apparently, they saw from my behavior that something is strange.
「Eeh, First, let us calm down and talk it out…」
At that moment.
Knocking comes from the door, and the subordinate enters the room.
「What! I am in the middle of important negotiations!!!」
「Its… Well… There are people from those three companies over here that would like to urgently report something to their respective presidents.」
Hesitantly announces the subordinate.
「Hmm, our subordinates should be understanding that we are in the midst of negotiations as well. Since they came despite that, it should be something of great importance. I would like to receive permission to let them into the room.」
I should not allow that.
My intuition as a merchant whispers that to me, but I have no means to prevent it.
「Well, yeah, I do not mind.」
I had no other choice but to say so.
Each of them asks pardon for the intrusion and for a second looks at me with the eyes that have a hint of steel in them as the enter.
Which exasperated my uneasiness even more, and the fact that I do not have even a single way to respond to this situation made it even worse.
Going to a president of their companies, each of them passes message in a whisper.
At that moment, the eyes of every president open wide.
Not even a sliver of the previous 「Well, let’s talk it out」 atmosphere can be seen in their gazes that all turned to me.
「…Ah, I see, so all of it was just acting.」
「He, he was just buying time. And that is so it would all be revealed precisely with this timing!!!」
「No matter how you look at it, this is just bad taste!! I did not expect that I will be made into this much of an idiot!!!」
All three of them were expressing a feeling of anger with their whole bodies without even trying to hide it.
They rise up as if saying that there is nothing to talk about anymore and head to the exit.
「Wa, Please wait, just what exactly has happened?!」
「So shameless. We just received a message that money had disappeared from our vaults. And it is exactly the same amount as we received in our dealings with you.」
「WHA?!」
「Aah, good grief, it is our complete defeat this time. I will order an investigation, but surely we won’t find any evidence anyway. And we will have to fulfill the contract that we just signed after losing money from your company.」
「Aaah, damn! As if it is not enough that with the influence of the latest magic storm we sold goods to the guild at the dirt cheap price. Saying that we are in the deficit is a huge understatement.」
「Just how long will it take to recover from this.」
「This… Please wait! Please listen to me…!!!」
「You are being persistent!! I do not want to even see you anymore. This is likely the last time we meet face to face!」
Shouting those words at me, the president of the Fugine Trading Association who was leaving the room last, loudly slammed the door.
「…」
All I could do was just stand there like I was completely frozen.
「Pre, President…」
「…Get out.」
「…Ha?」
「I said get out, you cretin!!!」
As I raised my voice almost in a scream, the emotions rising up overtook me.
「Hiii, I, I am sorry!!!」
Even the figure of the subordinate that was leaving the room in panic was stirring annoyance within me.
「GRAAAAAAAAARAAAAAAAAAAAARAAAAAA!!!」
Simply to quell my anger, I grabbed the piece of furnishing from nearby and threw it into the wall.
A porcelain figurine that probably cost several gold coins shattered to pieces with a loud crash.
「Haa, Haa.」
I felt like I heard a rat squeaking.
I spot a rat that wandered in here from somewhere rush away from my sight.
「Fucking shit, Haa, haaa~…」
I sat on a sofa, linked my hands together and made a deep breath.
(Don’t overcomplicate things. Anyway, I have to make the next move.)
「Master, there is something that I would like to discuss as soon as possible.」
「Ooh, Fegner. I also have something I want to confirm with…」
「…No, it looks like I was one step behind. Please, check this.」
「…? Is this the list of victims?」
I am surprised that Fegner brought me information that I wanted to confirm even before I ordered for it.
「Yes, the first sheet is the one that our company has and the second sheet is the one I got via my personal routes.」
「?! Wha, What is this? Their contents are almost completely different!!!」
I quickly pass an eye over the list.
「Early Trading Association, Bead Trading Association… Including three companies from before there is nothing but companies that had deals with us!!!」
「And there are other bad news.」
「There is still more?」
I let out those words like a groan.
「It seems that money had disappeared from those three companies as well.」
「I know that. Just a moment ago our negotiations were ruined because of that information…」
「No, news only start from there. In response to that, the government decided to take action. They will most likely come for an inspection in a few days.」
「What?! When time is so precious…!!!」
During an official inspection, not only will it be harder to perform dubious activities but the legally performed deals will also be suspended.
In this situation, it will be like having weights on all four limbs.
「Aaah, Shit, why did it become like this!」