"This... this is...?!"
"This is pepper."
"Oh!"
The man exclaimed as he looked at the beautiful black pepper that exuded a spicy aroma that made his fat body tremble.
Suzuki didn't waste his time; his goal was simple: to monopolize the kingdom's economy, and the fastest way was to use the spices.
As he had been to the market before and tasted the food, he had confirmed that everything was roughly bland. The taste of the food came either from the fat of the animals or from salt.
It wasn't bad or even decent, but it lacked punch, especially given that the culinary innovation in his era was just outrageous. There were many unique foods and various technologies that could enhance their flavor.
However, where was this?
This was the Tortus, the world where everything had a similar level to the dark era of the medieval age.
In front of the threat of the demons, everyone would only focus on the weapons and soldiers.
The rest was extremely lacking, which is why bringing the spice would definitely be a splash in the world.
"H-How much is it?"
"One pouch is 5 gold coins."
"Expensive!"
"It can't be helped. It's difficult to get, and there are even demon attacks in the area, which makes logistics even harder. If I don't take that much, my boss will kill me, as they work so hard to get it."
"But 5 gold coins are too much!"
"Then, I won't sell it to you."
Suzuki didn't plan to stay any longer, as he knew well that what he sold would definitely be bought by someone.
5 gold coins per pouch, each containing only 10 grams of black pepper. When he bought ten kilograms of it with just 10,000 Yen, it was definitely like a scam in his original world, but in this world?
Pepper is like gold!
"3 gold coins!"
"4.5 gold coins!"
"4 no more!"
"Okay."
"But, I want all of the ones within your inventory!"
The fat guildmaster showed his greedy face as he wanted all of the black pepper.
"Are you sure? Can your guild manage all of that?" Suzuki asked curiously.
"Of course!" The guild master nodded with a proud expression. "My guild is the best! We have all the channels and connections in the kingdom and even in the neighboring countries! No matter how many you have, I can take care of them all! But..."
"..." Suzuki.
"But, wait for a week, okay? If you give me all of your inventory in a week, I will give you all of your money. What do you think about it? It's only a week. You only need to trust me for a week, and you can get a lot of money!'
"...."
Suzuki narrowed his eyes, thinking that this guy thought that he was a sucker.
'However...'
It was good that this guy was a greedy, evil merchant.
"I don't mind, but I only have 1,000 pouches."
"1,000 pouch!"
"In other words, the total payment is 4,000 gold. Is that okay?"
He thought about how he had spent only 1 Silver Coin, or ~10,000 Yen ($100 USD), a sum that was just enough to stay at a decent inn or have a good tavern meal for 4,000 gold. It was amazing.
The people in this world were such suckers!
"Okay, give me all! Believe me! In a week, I can handle all of that!"
The fat glutton patted his chest forcefully, showing his proud expression, as his body fat trembled.
"I don't mind, but you need to sign a contract, give me 30% as a down payment, and also 15% daily interest, if you can't pay it."
Suzuki, all of a sudden, took out several pieces of paper that he created from one of his skills—Absolute Contract.
Under this contract, as long as two people had signed it, no one could breach it, making it a perfect tool for the merchant.
If they breached the contract...
Suzuki smiled and couldn't wait for the fat guildmaster to break the contract.
"Er... 30% is too much! How about 10%?"
"20%. Take it or leave it."
The guildmaster gritted his teeth, but he nodded. "Okay!"
In 20%, a 4,000-gold-coin was worth 800 gold coins; that was a lot of money!
Yet, when he thought of the income that he might get from Suzuki's black pepper, his merchant's ruthless eyes nodded.
"Okay!"
"Okay, here is the contract. You can read it first. I have doubled."
"No, it's fine. I will sign it immediately. I will get the money, so take the black pepper now!"
The fat guildmaster hurriedly signed the contract as Suzuki sighed helplessly, wondering whether this guy had ever thought about how much he would have to pay with 15% of daily interest.
The interest wasn't on the principal, but on the good's total value!
15% daily interest, in other words, he could get an extra 600 gold coins daily if the fat guildmaster didn't pay him!
As for whether the guildmaster didn't realize it, it was either because this guy was stupid or he had never thought to pay. Yet for Suzuki, it didn't matter, since he wished for him to pay either way.
And even if he got 20% of the total sales, it was still huge, okay?
800 gold coins.
It wasn't a small amount of money!
Still, Suzuki had something else: his secret move.
"By the way, I have another thing."
"What is it?"
The pepper had made him greedy, but was there anything else?
"You can call this the Fairy Dust."
"Fairy Dust?"
The fat guildmaster was confused, but when he looked at the crystal clear powder in the pouch, his eyes marveled. Unlike the spiciness of black pepper, what could this fairy dust do?
"Bring your grilled meat here."
"Eh?" The fat guildmaster was confused, but nodded. "What should I do with it?"
"Eat one piece."
"Okay?" He followed Suzuki's instructions and ate the grilled meat in one bite.
"What do you think?"
"It's okay." The guildmaster had eaten this meat for a long time, so while the others thought it was delicious, he thought that it was just so-so.
"Here, try again."
Suzuki sprinkled some of the Fairy Dust on the meat.
"Hmm?"
The guildmaster was confused, but he didn't hesitate, as he was a glutton, and Suzuki couldn't kill him, as he still owed Suzuki 3,200 gold coins.
If Suzuki killed him, who would pay the 3,2000 gold coins?
Yet, as he took another bite, which was sprinkled with the fairy dust, his eyes widened as he roared, "DELICIOUS! SO DELICIOUS! I-IS THIS WHAT FAIRY DUST DOES?!"
"That's right." Suzuki nodded. "The price is the same, and I have 1,000 pouches. I will accept 20% as the down payment, take it or leave it."
The guildmaster hated the 20%, but he gritted his teeth and nodded. "Okay, give me all of it!"
"Thanks for doing business with us~!"
Suzuki took another contract, but the guildmaster didn't read it and just signed it directly.
What did he sell?
It was just a normal MSG, an Ajinomoto, but while it was a common thing in his world, it was a magic in this world.
"Okay, all the gold is here. Give me the goods!"
"Good." Suzuki then took out all of his goods from his inventory, as he took the gold to his inventory.
"...you have an inventory?"
"I am a merchant, after all."
"....." Everyone.
"Now, I will wait for a week. Prepare all the money, okay?"
Suzuki didn't waste time and went straight to his penthouse.
However, in the eyes of everyone, it was as if he had disappeared.
"....g-guildmaster?"
"Find him! No matter what, find him! Also, call everyone! The marquis, earl, and all of the groups! We're going to make money! We're going to get everything for him!
"WE ARE GOING TO GET RICH!"
Meanwhile, Suzuki, who was inside the penthouse, listened to everything that had happened in the guildmaster's room while shaking his head.
How did he hear the guildmaster's voice?
Because he also bought the eavesdropping tool from his Online Shopping skills, yet he couldn't wait for a week, as after a week, his Absolute Contract would show its power.
"Now, I have 1,600 gold coins."
Suzuki smiled softly. "What should I do with it~?"