Two men were sitting in a luxurious room.
Both of them merchants. One, whose appearance was akin to an ugly toad’s, sat in the room across from the other, a blind beastman.
“『Four leaves』 was ―― killed?”
The blind beastman, hearing this news, groans in a low voice.
The blind beastman is of the wolf race, possessing glossy black fur and stoic features. A sword had crushed his eyes, leaving a horizontal scar across his face. (a “一” character scar)
” A member of『Four leaves』was one of them, the beastman under Gettan’s supervision to be specific. It seems that he and his group were assaulted when he was on duty pretending to be bandits to raid the Mitsugoshi Co’s carriage.”
The fat, toad-like merchant spoke as he observed the expression of the beastman, Gettan.
The man who spoke of the Four leaves’ defeat is known as Garter.
“To think they were all killed… Garter, who is responsible for this?”
“Not sure, the corpses were beheaded by a single sword stroke. The deed must have been carried out by someone with considerable skill. Considering the circumstances, this may be the work of a magic swordsman hired by the Mitsugoshi Co……”
The fat, toad-like merchant, Garter, is the chairman of Garter company.
Gettan who was hired by chairman Garter is a beastman. However, the attitudes of the two were fairly opposite.
“Mitsugoshi Co…… a stubborn bunch.”
Gettan muttered while making a low growl just like a wolf’s.
The strategy to crush Mitsugoshi Co was supposed to have proceeded well.
Having their army disguise themselves as bandits they sought to prevent peddlers from buying the products of the Mitsugoshi Co. Having the distribution of their goods blocked; the peddlers would no longer be able to use the banknotes of the Mitsugoshi Co. With no other choice, people would have to use the notes and products of the Great Trade Alliance instead.
Once that happened, then the banknotes of the Great Trade Alliance become the mainstream currency.
Everything was supposed to be going well.
However, the Mitsugoshi Co did not waver.
Garter company not only attacked the peddler’s carriages, but they also struck the Mitsugoshi Co’s transportation carriage. However, their wagons carried armed escorts with strong skills. Not a single one of the attacking troops survived.
As a result, the Mitsugoshi Co. continues to operate in urban areas; only the peddlers who sell their wares to the commoners in the rural areas are affected.
There is a big gap in urban and rural economic scales.
In urban cities, the number of nobles and wealthy people is more abundant, buying not only the daily necessities but also items for entertainment.
However, most of the people from rural areas are farmers. They are self-sufficient, they make things by themselves, and only pay for the things what they need. The peddler comes once every month; there isn’t any way for them to spend money; they also do not have the habit of overspending money.
The Mitsugoshi Co. provides cheaper goods to those areas to try to change their spending habits. However, they are still in the middle of carrying that out.
Currently, the regional sales are stagnant; the Mitsugoshi Co. receives no significant impact on its business overall. Just like that, they’ve made their base of operations in the city.
As soon as the Great Trade Alliance issues banknotes and sells products similar to the Mitsugoshi Co’s, the flow of customers will gather to the Great Trade Alliance.
That was the initial plan.
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However, the customers of the Mitsugoshi Co. did not leave. The products of Mitsugoshi Co possess a quality that cannot be imitated by a seemingly similar product.
Also, there are still many favourite items which the Great Trade Alliance is unable to imitate as their production method is unknown. The manufacturing methods of the Mitsugoshi Co. should’ve been easily obtained by attacking their transportation carriage.
“Shit……”
Gettan clicked his tongue, causing Garter’s shoulders to tremble.
After all, their company seems innocent on the surface. Even if their sales are stable, they expected to be able to crush the Mitsugoshi Co. easily if they attacked by a means other than their sales.
However, the escort of Mitsugoshi Co was strong.
They would not crumble like this. The longer they took, the higher the risk to the Great Trade Alliance.
Gettan had no choice but to make a move.
“Send all the remaining members of 『Four leaves』to attack the Mitsugoshi Co.”
“Ha.”
“Take away their funds and manufacturing methods of the goods. Failure is not allowed.”
Garter silently lowered his head and moved in front to leave the room.
Gettan with his crushed eyes followed the figure of Garter as if he could see him.
“Those good for nothing……”
With only Gettan left in the room, he bares his sharp teeth and a low growl.
He’s robbed everything with his overwhelming power. It is his way of life to steal; he has gained everything this way.
……that is to say so!
The wound on Gettan’s eyes still hurts. This old scar makes him remember his past mistake.
“……tsu!” (TLN: the sound of … he is muttering the name.)
He mutters the name of that person softly. It is the name of the person who brought him the biggest disgrace of his life.
Moreover, now, Mitsugoshi Co has stopped his progress.
This is the second disgrace in his entire life.
Gettan ground his fangs in irritation. The feeling of rage from his past has revived. (Raw: ギリッと、)
Unforgivable.
This is Unforgivable.
If it looked like they were going to fail again ――
“I’ll take from them and trample them.”
He does not feel like choosing the means anymore. (TLN: unscrupulous?)
The legend of the one feared as the 『Big Wolf』will once again unleash his power.