……That was the problem. When commercial activities were banned under the martial law, the NPCs would discontinue buying and selling goods. So the merchants in the tavern who suffered the most damage were the ones with credit notes. If a merchant with a small capital wanted to obtain the maximum profit from long distance trade, they would often obtain a credit note from the merchant’s guild. But now they couldn’t dispose of the times they bought.
Credit collection by moneylenders were horrifying whether it was in the game or reality! Under the martial law, they wouldn’t be able to pay back the credit note in time. A merchant who had a bad credit rating would receive a huge penalty and have their stats decreased. So merchants feared credit collection the most. And because of the martial law, those merchants had a lot of goods piled up in their warehouses.
“Ah, is there anybody here who would like to buy my goods?”
The cornered merchants desperately asked for someone’s help. Suddenly, somebody appeared like a ray of light to help them……
“I need several of those things. I will purchase these items if the price is right.”
The person who said that was Ark. All of the merchant’s in the tavern focused their eyes on Ark.
“Huh? You want to buy some goods?”
“Uh, what kind of things do you want to buy?”
“Well, a few things. Steel ingots, wrought iron ingots, sheet metal, wood, paper, blade sharpener, etc….. If you have any of this things then I will purchase regardless of the quantity.”
The merchant’s lit up at Ark’s words. But the bright faces of the merchants soon turned dark again.
“However, the purchase price has to be 60% of the average market price.”
“6-60%?”
“Are you crazy?”
“We used a variety of skills to travel to the mountains to buy the goods are 75% of the market price. So if we sell to you then won’t we receive a 15% loss?”
The merchants muttered with an absurd expression. Ark just lifted an eyebrow and placed a bulging pouch of money on the table before speaking.
“You can tell me to go. I won’t force you to sell it to me. I will only purchase these items for 60% of the market price.”
Ark folded his arms and closed his eyes like he had no interest in the merchants’ reactions. The merchants closed their mouths and studied each other’s faces.
‘Huhuhu, they can’t sell it and they can’t hold on to it.’
Ark inwardly smiled as he noticed the atmosphere. A lot of merchants with goods in the warehouse would choose to wait until the martial law ended. But the merchants who lacked the capital needed to pay back their loan needed someone to buy their things. Their entire fortune was poured into the goods so they wouldn’t be able to pay the rental fee for the warehouse or be able to pay off their loan. If they didn’t pay their loan in a timely matter then there would be an extravagant penalty and they would become bankrupt.
‘Right now those merchants don’t need a lot of profit but to pay off their credit note.’ Just like what happened to Sid previously, it became much harder to make a profit from gold if they were bankrupt. The higher the level, the harder it became. If they couldn’t pay off the loan then they would receive thousands of gold in damages. But it wasn’t easy to sell the goods right now. ‘Shall I give it a slight push?’
Ark then sighed and stood up.
“I guess no one wants to trade. Then…….”
As expected, the merchants flinched and hurriedly opened their mouths.
“W-wait a minute!”
“Huh? Why?”
“You’re really going to act this way? A deal like this….. We need to get other opinions first……”
“I’m sorry but I don’t have a lot of time. I need to meet other people as well…… If I manage to purchase it from different merchants then I won’t need these things anymore.”
Ark answered. But deep down his heart was anxious. The martial law was announced around the same time as the was. In other words, they were still coping with the situation. The situation was so sudden that most users didn’t understand correctly. If this situation continued for several more days then users would gradually start to cope with it.
‘The people who move quickly will benefit the most.’
That’s right. A lot of merchants were gathered in the tavern to complain. The ones who engaged in business with a credit note were in a difficult situation. However, the targets with some funding ability were different. Just like Ark, they used this situation to purchase goods from the merchants cheaply and then they would receive a lot of profit when the martial law ended. No, some users were already starting this type of business in Selebrid.
‘My purpose is to buy things for 30% cheaper than the market price. But if another person like that appears then it will become a price competition. This is the only chance I have to get it for 70% of the market price!’
So Ark needed to somehow negotiate with the merchants. Of course he couldn’t act too quickly.
“If it is 60%, our losses….. It should be a minimum of 70%……”
Fortunately, the merchants were increasingly following Ark’s pace.
‘I did it!’
Ark inwardly laughed as he heard the merchant’s words. Ark was contracted to supply the expedition force at 70% of the market price. He wouldn’t receive any damages.
“Sheesh, I’m going to stop. That guy’s goal is obvious. He wants to buy things now and then sell it for a more expensive price when the martial law is over. I’d rather word hard to pay off my debt then sell it to someone like him!”
A merchant suddenly said and spat on the floor.
‘T-that bastard…..!’
Ark felt his heart fall at the merchant’s words. Atmosphere was important in business like this. So the merchant’s words made his anxious. The atmosphere that he had spent a while creating was broken. The merchants who were prepared to sell for 70% studied each other and backed off.
‘Damn, what do I do? Do I have to compromise with 75%?’
Ark became more impatient now that the atmosphere was broken. But if he showed a weak point then his deal would be ruined. A merchant was still a merchant. If he showed weakness then the merchants would become aware and raise the price.
‘Should I abandon this one and try again at another tavern?’
Just as Ark was thinking this.
“Wait a minute!”
A small merchant wearing a hood exclaimed from a corner of the tavern. He hesitated for a while before sighing and speaking.
“Did you say 60%? It is difficult but my situation is urgent. However, 65% is the lowest I can sell my goods for.”
“Eh?”
The other merchants were shocked by those words. Then the merchant shook his head with an irritated expression.
“Damn, do I have to give up my pride? I need 3,000 gold by tomorrow. Even if the martial law is stopped, it is no use if I have no credit and become bankrupt. Even if I have to sell it at a loss, 1 gold is better than nothing. It is 100 times better than paying the penalty.”
The merchant spoke in an angry voice before approaching Ark.
“You said you wanted steel ingots? I have about 10 tons.”
Ark nodded after hearing the merchant’s words.
“10 tons? That is quite a lot. If it is that much then I don’t need any more steel ingots. You’re willing to sell it for 65% of the market price? Since you’re selling me that much volume, I will raise it to 67%.”
“Thank you, but honestly 67% doesn’t make me feel better. However it can’t be helped. It will be too late if I sell it later.”
The small merchant sighed. But the other merchants became even more desperate. The small merchant possessed steel ingots. Since the small merchant took the initiative first, they were deprived at the chance to sell for 65%. And the other merchants were sensitive to the atmosphere. The fact that Ark bought the whole quantity meant there were less items he required. If they missed the opportunity then they would be unable to pay off the credit note, would receive a penalty and then become bankrupt. Furthermore, the small merchant also left a bold impression. The emotional merchants who were on the brink of collapse quickly rushed over.
“You said you needed wrought iron ingots? I have 1 ton!”
“I have 70 pieces of leather!”
“We have 10 tons of sheet metal altogether so will you also give us 67%?”
Therefore Ark could buy all the items from the merchants at 65% of the market price.
“Huhuhu, merchants are so simple……”
After a while, Ark laughed as he exited the tavern. Then someone popped out from the alley near the tavern. It was the small merchant from the tavern.
“Ark-nim, did I do okay?”
The small merchant took off his hood and his face was revealed. A hobbit merchant…… He was Sid who Ark had infiltrate the tavern in advance.
“Huhuhu, you did well.”
Ark grinned and nodded. That’s right. Everything that happened in the tavern was according to Ark’s plan. It was difficult for a person to sell if it meant a loss, even if they had difficult circumstance. But if they saw someone suffer a loss first then the situation would change. It was human nature to follow along with others once someone did something first. So Ark had Sid infiltrate the tavern beforehand to play this role.
“Good. Now I’ve received approximately 80% of the quantity. I have to go to all the taverns in Giran before the rumours spread!”
“You will give me the separate 1% fee as promised?”
“I will give it once I get all 100%.”
“Then I will trust you.”
So the two con artists started looking for another tavern. After visiting 5 taverns, he was finally able to obtain the necessary amount of goods. And the purchase price was 65% of the market price. He was handing it to the expedition for 70% of the price so he could get a 5% profit.
Meanwhile, the merchants in Giran were shedding tears of blood……
——————————————————————————————————————
“Hrrm, you did it. You’ve obtained the required re