Episode 114 26. Black Label Union (2)
The whole guild members were very upset at the word that they would do business in the middle of the enemy camp.
“Do you mean Prince Rockefeller going to Black Label to sell banco?”
Rockefeller didn’t hesitate to ask again.
“of course.”
Then a guild member expressed his doubts.
“Would they dare to abandon their trade and do business with the Rockefeller Ball?”
Rockefeller answered with confidence.
“Absolutely. If you lend money at a lower interest rate than Black Label Union, why not do business with us? What’s more, I heard that they still charge gold coin storage fees. They say that there is no deposit interest. So if the Ismail family stands still, all the Banco funds belonging to the Black Label Union will flow towards us.”
Then Rockefeller said with certainty.
“If that happens, all the banco vendors who have been doing business in Black Label will be just flying away. Then it is our victory.”
“Still, can’t you keep your customers’ loyalty to the place they’ve been dealing with until the end?”
Rockefeller calmly shook his head at those words.
“There is no loyalty in money matters. I bet, that kind of loyalty. Everything will collapse on the interest I give you.”
The conference hall was engulfed in commotion for a while.
They shared their opinions on the guild head’s suggestion.
after a while.
Rockefeller spoke up.
“Do you have any objections? If there is, please quietly raise your hand.”
Then a guild member raised his hand, and Rockefeller gave him a say.
“I am not opposed to it. But do you think Prince Rockefeller will go alone?”
“no. Like me, if there is someone who wants to do business in the middle of the enemy line, I will go with them.”
Rockefeller continued.
“There is no other place where lending is as good as there. If you’re going to do it right, come with me. Wouldn’t it be better to go with all of you here than to go alone?”
“If Ismail behaves differently than we expected, what will you do then? Then someone might see blood, are you going to take responsibility for it?”
Asked by a guild member who did not have the right to speak, Rockefeller answered with a relaxed smile.
“If the Ismail side moves differently than we thought, the first target will be me. So other people can only see me and follow me. I will be your strong shield. Any other opinions?”
How many lives do you have?
There were no more guild members asking questions to the guild leader who spoke boldly.
“There seems to be no objection. So, is there anyone who will follow me to Black Label? Please raise your hand here.”
At those words, some guild members raised their hands as if they were waiting.
They had money, but had no place to lend it, so they were usually in trouble.
“Do you have any more?”
When asked again, some guild members who had been paying attention to the surrounding area quietly raised their hands and expressed their intention to participate.
They were quite greedy for money.
As the guild members over the age of twenty expressed their intention to participate, Rockefeller expressed satisfaction in his lips.
‘That’s not bad enough.’
“good. Then we will declare an all-out war against Black Label Union. Even those who did not express their intention to participate at this meeting today, I hope that you will support us both physically and mentally as we run into the middle of the enemy line and grab our guns. After all, the battle of Banco is a battle of financial power.”
Rockefeller continued.
“And if this goes well, the Black Label Union disappears or is absorbed into us. The status of our Lyon Guild will be higher than before. Perhaps, like the Tepes and the Sinclairs, they may rise to an undisputed force and rule the entire empire.”
Rockefeller’s face was full of great confidence.
“Then let’s pray earnestly for that day to come.”
After finishing his speech, Rockefeller glanced around the meeting room and happened to meet the third Joshua, who came to hear the news of the meeting.
As Rockefeller smiled faintly, his younger brother Joshua laughed along too, and the two were able to confirm each other’s well-being after such a long time.
When the joke was over, Rockefeller was able to face Joshua, who had come to him.
Rockefeller, who seemed to be happy, spoke first.
“Why are you here so late? I was just trying to see your face before the meeting.”
At Rockefeller’s words, Joshua scratched the back of his head and explained why he was late.
“Lucia is very curious. They go here and there talking about getting out of the countryside, but it took a little bit of time to come to take care of them.”
“Didn’t Uncle Carter come with you?”
“Uncle Carter is not coming. I guess he doesn’t really care because he knows how to do well.”
“okay? but… … But where’s Lucia? You said you came with me?”
“I’m waiting in the wagon outside. You can’t attend meetings because you’re not a guild member.”
Rockefeller went out with Joshua to see the youngest, Lucia.
It was very noisy outside the meeting room due to the disbanding guild members, but in the meantime, Rockefeller was able to find only the wagon that his younger brothers were riding in like a ghost.
“Rockefeller brother!”
The carriage door opened and Lucia, more mature than before, ran to Rockefeller and hugged her.
“Lucia! You’ve grown so much! Have you ever grown up this much?”
Seeing the youngest, who was much heavier than before, Rockefeller could feel the passing of time.
“And it got really heavy?”
“Oh! That’s rude!”
Rockefeller, who released Lucia from her embrace, found Joshua, who was smiling next to him.
“How about the Montefeltro estate? What is the Lord doing?”
“Your lord, it’s just that. But I have a problem these days.”
“Problem? Maybe gold ore?”
“Oh, that’s the problem. The Lord did not want the rumors to spread, so he started cracking down on Young Ji-min, but even then, the rumors cannot be stopped.”
“I will. That gold ore came out… … Besides, it used to be the most famous gold mining area on the continent.”
It was not yet time to war with the dwarves.
The Golden Mace War was an event that took place after the Crown War.
At that moment, Lucia, who was looking around with her bright eyes, said to Rockefeller.
“Rockefeller brother! It’s really big! There are many people. I want to live here according to the wishes of that Rockefeller brother!”
Lucia, who could not hear their conversation, seemed to have fallen in love with the city of Lyon.
Since she came from a small estate on the edge of the empire to a city that had developed commercially, it was only natural for Lucia to react.
Then Joshua made a shout out.
“How am I supposed to live here too?”
“Joshua’s brother is always nagging! I like it here better. A lot of people and a big city. From now on, I want to live here with my older brother Rockefeller.”
At Lucia’s words, Rockefeller smiled.
“That would be good for Lucia too. Lucia is going to get married someday too, can’t she just be in a corner like that?”
“under… … I’m leaving this brother. I’ve changed all your poop diapers since you were little.”
“It’s Leo’s brother!”
For the third, left alone at home, said Rockefeller.
“Hold on a little bit. When I’m done here, I’ll have to take care of that.”
Rockefeller put a hand on Joshua’s shoulder.
“Till then, take care of yourself. It’s not the lord’s land, it’s our land. All the gold from there is ours.”
“don’t worry. It’s just something I did.”
“If you go later, you may have to switch seats with hyung, so you just have to be patient until then, even if you are bored.”
“okay. Don’t worry too much about Youngji. Even if it’s not me, the Lord seems to be doing well.”
* * *
After the guild meeting, Rockefeller returned to the guild headquarters with his brothers and introduced them to Ricardo, who was guarding the store.
“These are my brothers. The names are Joshua and Lucia.”
As soon as Rockefeller’s words ran out, Joshua and Lucia greeted Ricardo.
“I heard a lot of stories through letters. My name is Joshua Rosmedic.”
“hello. I’m Lucia Los Medici.”
Ricardo was momentarily taken aback by the sudden appearance of his younger brothers, but then he cleared the sign and opened his mouth to introduce himself.
“I am Thomas Martell. Feel free to call me Thomas.”
Rockefeller did not disclose Ricardo’s identity to his two brothers.
It was because if the two brothers made a mistake, it would hurt their head.
“Now I have to go see my brother Leo.”
“I will go too. Is Leo okay?”
Rockefeller smiled and nodded at Joshua’s question.
A detailed description was meant to be omitted.
“Then I’ll come and see Leo with Lucia.”
“Don’t forget dinner tonight. Because it was prepared with care.”
“okay!”
As the two brothers left, Rockefeller sighed and found Ricardo.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen my younger brothers, so I’m busy. What about the last thing you asked for? The Ismail family.”
“We have barely made contact. He sent me a message saying he would come soon. Here it is.”
“You did a really good job. But how did you get in touch with them? It wouldn’t be that easy to get in touch with.”
At that question, Ricardo frowned slightly.
“When I put out an advertisement, the people in the area took care of it and contacted me.”
“is that so? Hmm… … It is said that he has many ears to hear. They don’t seem to be wondering how it’s going on our side.”
At those words, Ricardo thought for a moment.
‘Is one of the two going to have to be thrown away in the end?’
Is it family money?
Or is it a family revival?
Ricardo, who had to choose between the two, had already made that decision.
‘At this point, I guess I’m half crazy. To bet where there is no possibility at all.’
“Now that we have been contacted, I think we will just have to wait. They won’t stand still. It is a place with many ears to hear according to rumors.”
Rockefeller informed Ricardo about the meeting.
“Still, we cannot postpone the schedule. Starting today, we have decided to start an all-out war against Black Label Union.”
Ricardo narrowed his eyes and listened to Rockefeller’s next words with his mouth shut.
“I plan to move to Black Label soon and start a banco business there. It’s war.”
It was great guts.
Do you want to openly do business in the middle of the enemy line?
Even before meeting with Ismail’s side.
“The Ismail side… … Do you not care at all?”
Rockefeller answered that question with some certainty.
“Aren’t the results determined anyway?”
“But you can’t rule out the possibility that they will come out differently, right? Predicting them… … It’s like arrogance.”
Rockefeller then smiled broadly.
“Did I say I liked the nib? That nib is saying The Ismail side will probably stay still. It’s just my feeling, you can ignore it. As you said, it may come out differently. But I believe in my feelings.”
“… … .”
Rockefeller continued on to the quiet Ricardo.
“I need to open a store at Black Label soon, so I would like you to go to Black Label first and check out the vacant stores.”