The representative Etruscan merchant participating in the Mukhae trade was none other than CEO Caruso. Even before he became a great merchant, he distributed tobacco purchased from the coast of the Giresin Sea to the Central Continent, and through this, he established himself in the commercial world.
"However, from a merchant's perspective, traveling under the escort of warships feels completely different from crossing the sea empty-handed. We can only touch the trades that yield high profits."
For voyages that seemed unlikely to fulfill the dream of striking it rich, recruiting sailors was a struggle from the start. This was because no sailor would jump into the sea to earn a mere 10 percent. For instance, while cotton from Uttar Agra was of high quality and in steady demand, it did not yield a significant profit even when purchased. This was because cotton woven in the Central Continent was also available, meaning it was replaced whenever prices soared, making it impossible to maintain a high market price. Consequently, for ships heading to buy cotton, the Etruscan Kingdom could not find sailors even if they paid wages higher than the market rate. From the sailors' perspective, this was because they could not expect the performance bonuses that would come with a successful voyage. Goods like Astrakhan furs yielded substantial profits. However, sales channels were unstable. Furs were seasonal, and no one knew whether Astrakhan furs or tanned goat skins would be in fashion among the noble ladies of the Central Continent the following year. There was also an incident where a southern merchant defiantly returned with a sailing ship full of Astrakhan furs, only to commit suicide while clutching a pile of hides that had become dirt cheap.
"We are always anxious. The sea routes are uncertain, the products are uncertain, and the sales channels are uncertain."
The price of anxiety was money. Of course, that was assuming success. However, Sancha, unable to abandon the belief that somewhere there surely lay a Shangri-La where one could easily make a fortune despite stability, asked.
"Couldn't we just trade things like pepper?"
Pepper has stable sales channels and is highly profitable. However, Petrucia smiled bitterly. Pepper was the very item they could never touch.
"If you get involved in a field like pepper, you will face systematic checks from the Republic from that point on."
A tactic the Republic frequently used was to deliberately release a large amount of their stockpiled pepper just as a pepper merchant ship of the Etruscan Kingdom was arriving. After falling victim to this a few times, no, even once or twice, we were likely to go bankrupt
"It's so filthy and despicable, I swear it's best not to even go near it. We must not have any overlapping items with the Republic."
Even if one barely manages to survive, they won't even urinate in the direction of the Republic, nor will they touch the industries it operates. That is why CEO Caruso succeeded by targeting a niche market. These are items that the Republic refuses to handle because the demand is certain, but the backstory is suspicious, or the supply is unstable.
Tobacco is a prime example, and opium or gunpowder that occasionally flowed in from the Moorish Empire were the cash cows that earned him seed money. However, since it is difficult to enter the mainstream market with these types of goods, focusing solely on such trade prevents one from expanding the size of the merchant guild beyond a certain point. Had it not been for the luck of meeting Ariadne and multiplying his capital hundreds of times, CEO Caruso would have ended up as just an average tobacco smuggler, someone known only in the back alleys and unable to attain any proper status. But those days are over now.
"How happy I was when Unaisola started its regular uphill journeys!"
Petrucia beamed with a broad smile. Unaisola, with CEO Caruso in office, began sending out regular fleets starting in the second half of 1927. Of course, jumping into the pepper competition immediately was out of the question. However, thanks to the ability to ensure safe voyages, they were able to diversify into items like cotton from Uttar Agra products that yielded relatively low profits but offered steady trade. Even if the profit margin for cotton was minuscule, if they could safely purchase dozens of ships' worth and the market absorbed it all, wouldn't that be the very stable and lucrative paradise Sancha had dreamed of?
"Your Highness, it is all thanks to your grace."
Petrucia bowed deeply toward Alfonso. She was deeply grateful to Prince Alfonso for establishing the autonomous commercial city of Unaisola. It was not merely because the Etruscan merchants had gained an opportunity to expand their scale. Until he became independent and ran his own trading company, he had not realized how reassuring and comforting it was for CEO Caruso to have a permanent base on land.
Hearing this sudden praise, Alfonso smiled bitterly. He still had a long way to go. He tried to estimate just how much investment would be required and what kind of investment for the envoys of the Etruscan Kingdom to settle locally and guarantee the free trade of their own merchants, or to securely occupy the land route connecting the Giresin Sea and the Carapont Sea. It was a daunting prospect.
"...It falls far short."
After all, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Petrucia laughed loudly.
"I'm telling you, Unaisola can now assemble and attach its own escort fleet!"
She added.
"Of course, my father didn't include me in that, though."
Petrucia's Veloce group was not affiliated with Unaisola. One reason was that it was deemed inappropriate to keep them under Unaisola, given that they had been sent out of Bocanegro to diversify political risk. However, there was a bigger reason. Joining Unaisola was a significant privilege, and CEO Caruso even told his own daughter to prove herself and break through the competition to get in.
"But I can't defeat the daughter of the sea goddess!"
Excited Petrucia giggled.
"The top tier of Veloce is now at a level where it is eligible to join Unaisola!"
"I'll knock out anyone who denies it. I was confident I could do just that."
However, Petrucia had not forgotten a single shred of humility
"I was really lucky. When I say I was lucky, I mean the timing."
She reflected on the exciting adventure, her first success, and, so far, her last.
"I left in early summer and returned in the height of autumn. The items I brought back were ceramics, and my destination was Sergio, a city on the coast of the Giresin Sea."
Steady goods like pepper, other spices, silk, and gold were not items that a novice like Petrucia could touch. Even though the Republic of Porto did not send out its regular fleet during that quarter, there was certainly a merchant somewhere in the homeland who had stockpiled those items in warehouses. She cut through the unusually quiet seas, selected an item with no high-ranking competitors, namely, Oriental white porcelain, and filled her ship with it, hitting the jackpot
"But then, suddenly, starting in late autumn, pirates began causing chaos at sea!"
Sir Manfredi, who had been listening quietly from the side, asked urgently.
"Is the area where pirates ran rampant the sea near Acereto?"
It was a look of desperate hope that his reasoning was right, no, wrong.
"Um... No, not really."
Sir Manfredi felt somewhat despondent. It was actually a good thing that the fishermen hadn't flocked out as pirates because the security in the Acereto region had collapsed. Once that happened, it would take more than ten years at most for the tyranny of pirates to subside. But if that wasn't the case, where on earth had these Acereto pirates suddenly appeared from?
"I didn't see anything on my way here. The sea in turmoil right now is the Yante Strait, which connects the White Sea and the Giresin Sea."
To be precise, it was the southwestern part of the Giresin Sea, which connects to the Yante Strait. It could be considered almost the exact opposite of the western part of the White Sea, where Aseretto was located. The pirates who primarily threatened the merchants were originally the forces of Pasha Nazir. The remnants, having had their mainland bases wiped out, scattered to small garrisons on islands or along the coast. Now, they ran rampant and ferocious without restraint in their pursuit of establishing their own independent forces.
"White sea, is White sea, alright?"
"Even if it's a close call, it's not exactly okay."
As the southern Giresin Sea was devastated, merchants turned to coastal trade. The profits from trade also plummeted. This meant that the hold of prey was less substantial. Furthermore, pirates competed with one another for the dwindling supply. Since the remnants of Pasha Nazir's forces now attacked even fellow pirates without mercy, pirates of lower strength were unable to enter the southern Giresin Sea. Naturally, the minor pirates who had been making a lucrative living there spread to the surrounding regions. This triggered a chain reaction in the White Sea as well, starting from the eastern end.
"Ah, Prince. I heard an interesting story."
"What?"
This was a story Petrucia heard at a port tavern immediately after crossing the Yante Strait and entering the Giresin Sea. Petrucia's eyes sparkled.
"Isn't the sea calm, and there were no pirates right after Pasha Nazir died?"
"Listening to you, that seems to be the case."
"Pirates were active when Pasha Nazir was alive, but they were quiet immediately after his death, and became ferocious about half a year later."
A smile appeared on Ariadne's lips as she listened to the conversation alongside Alfonso. The scene was predictable.
So, Pasha Nazir was personally involved in piracy.
"Bingo."
Petrucia chuckled. The peaceful sea that Petrucia had enjoyed all alone was one where local pirate ships had ceased operations en masse due to the absence of their captain, Pasha Nazir, who was personally engaging in piracy. And now that the organization had been torn apart, the sea had begun to run wild without any control mechanisms. This was the current state of the sea.
"I mean, even so, he's the leader of a region; doesn't he look a bit too pathetic?"
It was said out of ignorance of the era of the great privateer fleet that was about to arrive. Ariadne instinctively racked her brain to see if she could do the same, but immediately identified the risk.
"It would be pretty lucrative as long as we don't get caught."
If caught, they would have to risk a declaration of war. At this, Sancha, who was just as cunning as his master, replied.
"Wouldn't they pick on people depending on who they are?"
"Wow, you're smart. I'd love to scout you for our trading company!"
Petrucia smiled broadly.
"We were actually always suspicious. Pasha Nazir doesn't usually rob the Republic of Porto; isn't he taking bribes behind the scenes?"
Alfonso gave a wry smile.
"They'll probably flat out deny it."
The Pagan Pirate King would likely be unwilling to admit, firstly, the fact of his business, and secondly, the fact that he discriminates against customers. However, that was an especially unacceptable statement for the Republic of Porto. This was because if it were officially revealed that he had made a secret agreement with the monarch of the Moorish Empire in such a manner, the Holy See would not stand idly by.
"Right, they've never officially recognized it. Neither Pasha Nazir nor the Republic of Porto. But guess what!"
Everyone stared at Petrucia, holding their breath as she took control of the space.
"The Republic of Porto didn't ask us to spare them; they actively requested that we rob other ships!"
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