Rain at the Turn of a Hand

In the frozen atmosphere inside the room, Robert looked cautiously at Loren and said with a pained expression.

"I have never met Lord Loren before. The Jasmine Flower Merchant Guild is merely a small operation, and our revenue has been in the red for the past few years. I wonder what guidance a figure as godlike as yourself has come to offer us."

Loren looked at the smiling Laurent with amusement in his eyes.

The essence of business was an exchange of resources. The objects of trade could be goods, labor, influence—or even power.

He had no goods, no labor, and no influence, but he possessed the identity of a descendant of the Orchid Family.

That was the most valuable commodity of all.

Exchanging power for profit had been an eternal rule since ancient times.

There had never been an exception.

Rather than responding directly, Loren changed the subject. "Robert, do you know what a Pioneer Lord is?"

Robert's gaze sharpened, and he asked with surprise and suspicion.

"Lord Loren, have you become a Pioneer Lord?"

As a descendant of the Orchid Family, wouldn't inheriting anything at all be better than becoming a lord on the Endless Wasteland, where one had to face siege after siege from the Bloody Polluters every month?

That was a position where one could lose one's life at any moment.

Loren smiled. "My ancestors established achievements that reached the heavens. How could I have the face to hide in the royal capital and survive off their glory?"

Those words were forceful enough to stir Fiana's eyes, though she had remained silent until now. But when she recalled everything he had done lately, she could not be bothered to think further.

"You are indeed a descendant of the Orchid Family. Such breadth of mind is truly admirable."

Regardless of what Robert thought inside, his expression was extremely earnest, as if he genuinely believed it.

Then his tone shifted.

"Lord Loren, I admire Nobles like you the most—those who possess inexhaustible wealth and honor, yet are willing to build their own future.

"Although the Jasmine Flower Merchant Guild has suffered losses year after year and possesses few resources,

"if there is anything you need us to do, as long as it is within our capabilities, we will certainly give it our all."

Compared to his first probe, Robert's second was far more direct.

Loren found it amusing, but his expression became solemn.

He raised his chin slightly and looked down at Robert with the lofty bearing of a proper Noble.

"There is no need to test me like this, Robert. How much is the Jasmine Flower Merchant Guild even worth? It is not enough to catch my eye."

His words were impolite, but they put Robert somewhat at ease.

How noble was a descendant of the Orchid Family? It was indeed unlikely that he would harbor any designs on the Jasmine Flower Merchant Guild.

Then what was his purpose in coming here?

Robert became even more confused.

Loren looked straight at this seemingly harmless old hand who had weathered countless storms.

"I came today to bestow upon you an enormous opportunity."

Robert's mouth twitched. If such a good thing existed, would it really fall to me? Still, he could not openly offend Loren, so he forced out a dry laugh.

"Lord Loren, I am afraid we cannot bear the weight of your regard. The Jasmine Flower Merchant Guild has been losing money for three consecutive years. We truly have no spare strength left."

Loren ignored the old fox's complaints. Any merchant guild that could survive in the border city of Decker City was filled with calculating veterans. Fools had long since been eliminated.

His deep eyes fixed tightly on Robert. Though his tone was calm, his words carried endless temptation.

"Robert, I intend to establish a merchant guild alliance in Decker City, managed by the Orchid Family.

"All merchant guilds that join this alliance will be granted the privilege of operating under the Orchid Family's name.

"I do not want shares in the member guilds. I only require each member to pay an annual membership fee of five million Puke.

"You should know that the trade income tax under a Grand Duke's title is only ten percent of the normal rate. And once you are protected by the Orchid Family, you will no longer need to pay protection fees to any other Nobles!"

Boom!

That single statement was earth-shattering.

Everyone in the room widened their eyes and stared at Loren in disbelief.

He... what had he just said?!

He wanted to establish a merchant guild alliance and allow merchant guilds to operate under the Orchid Family's name?!

The Silver Moon Kingdom stipulated that Nobles could receive reductions on commercial taxes according to their ranks. Dukes, marquises, Counts, viscounts, and Barons—at the highest level, a duke only needed to pay ten percent of the normal commercial tax. A marquis paid thirty percent, a Count paid fifty percent, while viscounts and Barons paid seventy percent.

Commercial taxes in the Silver Moon Kingdom were extremely heavy. Ordinary goods were taxed as high as twenty percent, while certain highly profitable industries—such as the slave trade—faced taxes as high as sixty percent.

If a merchant guild could operate under the Orchid Family's name, ordinary goods would only be taxed at two percent, while highly profitable industries would only be taxed at six percent. Who could resist such temptation?

Robert's claim that the Jasmine Flower Merchant Guild was losing money was nonsense, but the heavy taxes they paid every year were real.

And beyond the taxes, he also had to hand over a huge sum to Nobles in exchange for protection. They earned quite a lot, but little remained in the end.

If they truly gained the Orchid Family's protection, wouldn't they immediately turn their fortunes around?

As long as no one exploited him and his taxes were reduced, Robert was absolutely confident that he could expand the Jasmine Flower Merchant Guild tenfold within just three years!

His heart surged with excitement, and his eyes nearly turned red.

He looked at Loren nervously.

"Lord Loren, you are not joking with us, are you? We only need to pay a membership fee of five million Puke each year? You do not want our shares, and we can operate under the Orchid Family's name?"

Five million Puke was no small amount, but ordinarily, even if they offered fifty million—or even five hundred million—a Noble family like the Orchid Family would not spare them a glance.

Although High Nobles possessed certain tax exemptions, the king had also issued laws restricting their scale. Nobles could not be allowed to expand without limit.

Thus, most Nobles operated their own merchant guilds. Was it not better to keep all the profits for themselves? Why should they share them with outsiders?

Ordinarily, even common Barons and viscounts had a large number of merchant guilds competing to register under their names. Let alone under the name of a duke's family—those were entirely different matters.

Loren nodded calmly.

"That's right."

"Lord Loren, then why... why do you not seek cooperation with those Large Merchant Guilds?"

Although Loren was asking for five million, Robert knew the price was entirely worthwhile. And if Loren sold those slots to Large Merchant Guilds, he could earn even more.

For a moment, Robert could hardly believe that such a windfall had fallen into his lap.