Cutting off someone's source of wealth had never been smooth sailing. Having grown accustomed to tax exemptions, the slave traders were naturally unhappy when taxes were suddenly imposed.
However, lords possessed the right to levy taxes, a convention observed across the continent. Even with backers behind them, no one could interfere in Snow Moon Territory's internal affairs.
The Five Great Families of the North dared to impose a thirty percent transit tax even on bulk goods. Lord Hudson was merely levying a thirty percent slave tax; no matter how one looked at it, that could not be considered high.
An arm could not twist a thigh, so ordinary merchants simply endured it. At worst, they could choose slaves with higher profit margins the next time they dealt in slaves.
After all, everyone wore several hats. Aside from being slave traders, they were also smugglers, pirates, and arms dealers.
They were all outrageously profitable businesses. Even if profits from slave trading declined somewhat, it would not stop everyone from getting rich.
However, for several major slave traders whose main business was slave trading and who only smuggled on the side, this new tax meant enormous losses.
"What should we do now? Snow Moon Territory suddenly started imposing a slave tax, wiping out such a huge chunk of our profits. I'm afraid we won't be able to complete the task the family assigned us this year!"
Eriken could not help complaining.
Every deal with the Orc Empire brought enormous profits, but not just anyone could conduct such business.
Great nobles had the ability to organize supplies, so naturally they made fortunes.
Smugglers like them, whose backing was somewhat weaker, lacked the same organizational and coordinating power. Yet if they wanted a share of the profits, they could only obtain goods from Lord