The Bewilderment of the Sacrificial Second Princess ~ Married Into the Enemy Country as a Hostage Princess, but Was Strangely Welcomed With Open Arms~ – Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Mapping
The capital city of the Kingdom of Baratonia is strategically located near the sea for easy trade access, and it is close enough to the port town that one can make a round trip in a single day.
As expected, the paper mill was overflowing in the Seanapse country where Lord Balk sent a letter.
The materials were originally imported from the Baratonia kingdom, and the relocation of the machinery and the pre-payment of wages, housing, and living expenses were good news for workshops that were not making much profit.
Out of the over 100 paper mills in Seanapse, 10 expressed interest in building a factory in the Kingdom of Baratonia. About 30% of the mills agreed to the proposal to consolidate into a larger facility to produce paper in a timely manner.
Although Seanapse also needed paper, some of the mills were behind on their taxes due to an overabundance of producers. By actively recruiting these mills and paying their overdue taxes, the process was smooth and efficient.
I was in the port town but, as usual, the country lacked a map.
We need to find someone who can create a map, but starting from scratch would take too much time. It requires exceptional spatial awareness and topographical skills, taking into account differences in elevation, and knowledge of various roads, especially in populated areas such as towns and villages.
I journeyed to the port to observe the arrival of craftsmen and machinery, and to determine my next steps. I believed that I would be able to find a merchant who dispatched carriages throughout the land from this bustling port town, making it a prime location for creating a map and searching for a reliable transportation provider.
“It’s not easy to find a suitable candidate…”
“Most likely, they are wary. Being in charge of transporting goods is an important job, requiring trained personnel who can ensure the safe delivery of both the goods and the money. Unfortunately, we don’t have much to offer in terms of negotiation leverage.”
Lord Balk, who served as both my guide and bodyguard, was correct. I had underestimated the situation.
I pondered what might entice the merchants. The port was bustling, with warehouses lining the docks and large ships coming and going from the sea.
Of course, the products that were transported across the country were predictable – fish and its byproducts. In the future, there would be a need for transporting paper, or other important documents.
I remained silent under my iron mask, while Lord Balk stood quietly behind me.
“…! I found it! A potential candidate!”
Lord Balk was taken aback as I suddenly spun around.
“Let’s head to the Chamber of Commerce. We’ll see which merchant is interested in this opportunity… I’m not confident in my negotiation skills, so would you be willing to guide me?”
Although I spoke confidently, I’ve never managed to win an argument, not even with my own family.
Lord Balk raised his eyebrows for the second time and let out a soft chuckle.
“Ah, that’s too bad. If you weren’t engaged to the prince… No, let’s move on. Tell me more about the details.”
I was puzzled by his reaction, but I shared with Lord Balk my plan to secure the concession by presenting the negotiating material that I was confident would lead to a favorable outcome.
Lord Balk listened attentively and gave me encouragement.
I requested that representatives from all of the nationwide trading companies be summoned to the Chamber of Commerce as soon as possible.
The meeting was scheduled to take place in three days.
