I Picked Up the Fallen Earth

Chapter 20 The Carvain Trading Company

It was an astonishing discovery. Up until now, Jeron had only thought about developing specialty products, raiding large supermarkets or fancy stores, and trading with thousand-dollar shops. The idea of making money through auctions had never occurred to him.

Ironically, this was due to Jeron’s rigid way of thinking. Operating the trading company, he realized that auctioning off items that appeared extremely valuable could amass a tremendous sum of money all at once.

Jeron wanted to dance with joy but forcibly suppressed his emotions. In this era, nobles must not show their emotions, as doing so could bring harm to their reputation and lead to losses. Jeron’s well-polished voice smoothly resonated throughout.

“You have an eye for masterpieces.”

“Milord, I am honored to meet you.”

Becken Carvain kneeled and bowed his head. Jeron had thought the Carvain family’s genetics were extraordinary, but they were not.

‘Just like a merchant from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.’

With arms as long as a monkey’s and drooping ears. His face was incomparably uglier than Dame Leila’s. However, Becken had a strangely attractive smile.

He had been operating the family’s trading company for generations, but lately, it was on the brink of decline. He barely managed to act as an agent for local specialties, but due to the lords’ decreased interest in trade, he couldn’t avoid facing difficulties.

Jeron leisurely walked up to ‘Starry Night’.

“Stand up.”

“Your excellency, I am deeply honored.”

“The origin of these masterpieces hanging here may be unclear, but they are said to be the works of my great-great-great-grandfather, a man deeply versed in painting.”

“…!”

Becken Carvain looked at the masterpieces in shock. Then he viewed the masterpieces with renewed interest.

“Indeed… As a merchant, I have witnessed the remnants of many great artists. Among them, the works of Count Laphes of the Farrow household are exceedingly famous. Known for his versatile painting styles, he skillfully captured stars on canvas. Truly a remarkable individual.”

“Hmm, naturally. He likely used ingredients imbued with magic. He was famous for his magic too. That’s why the colors haven’t faded, even after all this time.”

Jeron was not a painter and didn’t usually pay much attention to paintings. However, he had been somewhat interested in a few masterpieces from famous artists, and during his time on Earth, he liked to hang printed versions of them as computer wallpapers or in his living room and bedroom.

The ‘Starry Night’ before him was a printed piece coated in acrylic, displaying incredibly vivid colors. Jeron played his cards right, and it paid off well. He looked out over his domain, turning into twilight, hands clasped behind his back.

“My ancestor left a will, saying that if our domain ever faces decline, we should sell his works to aid our household.”

“Is that really true? Would it be alright to sell the ancestor’s masterpieces?”

“I am the head of the Farrow household. Our domain is preparing for an emergency. If you’ve seen how things are, you should understand.”

“I could feel that your excellency has drawn your sword. The entire domain is transforming. I wasn’t sure how long we could hold out, but to have such a plan… I am truly astonished.”

It was like catching a rat by backing into it: acquiring a significant fortune from paintings he had casually picked for their lightness and beauty. He had been worried about securing a significant capital before the trade rights were transferred, so this was welcome news.

“Do you know about the auction system?”

“I am aware, milord.”

“Explain in detail.”

“For items of such value, presenting them at the official royal auction in Bransia would fetch their true worth. Although the royal auction charges a commission of about 30%, it’s lower than the fees at underground auctions or those run by various nobles. And it’s risk-free.”

“How much could this fetch if we put it up for auction?”

“It should start at a minimum of 50,000 gold, and the final bid might reach 100,000 gold.”

“100,000 gold!”

“I shall see if there’s a way to get even more.”

Jeron gazed into the twilight that increasingly bathed his domain in gold, lost in thought.

‘Insane, this is a jackpot?’

Currently, the annual operational cost for a domain is 300,000 gold. To think that a frame made simply by printing and then coating with acrylic costs 100,000 gold?

Even when trading items like the Dragon Ring or the Granny Sword, it was clear that if one searched Earth thoroughly, there were countless items that could be valuable.

“Please, take a seat.”

“Yes, milord!”

The fact that Becken Carvain has come here means he’s prepared to become the merchant of the domain. First, it is essential to finalize the discussion about that.

“If you become the domain’s merchant, I promise 2% of the total profits.”

“Do you truly mean that?”

“A ruler does not speak in vain.”

I tried out a phrase that was popular on Earth. Seeing both Becken and Leila sparkle with excitement, it seemed that Jeron’s words had successfully taken effect.

“There’s still a lot I have yet to show you. However, if we do not conclude the contract, I’m afraid we cannot go into deeper discussion.”

“My family has belonged to the Farrow household since birth. I am fully satisfied to be treated like your cattle or horses.”

“Do you wish to become a vassal?”

“If you would allow it, I will take it as a great honor for my family.”

“To become a vassal means to be entirely bound to our family. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly. Why have you decided this?”

“I have heard from my sister that you are a very compassionate and open-minded lord. Meeting you in person, I’ve realized it’s true. You are enlightened and care deeply for your people. Naturally, I believe you will also cherish your vassals. With such a person, I judged it right to share the future of my family.”

“…”

‘So eloquent for a merchant.’

His tongue was indeed smooth. Not a bad trait. As Jeron manages the domain, handling finances will be a major aspect. Nobles in the kingdom had a negative view of trade, but when it came to doing anything, money was needed.

Having someone with such insight and traits as a vassal would make Jeron’s future endeavors much smoother. Since the entire Carvain family was based in this domain, there was no chance of betrayal.

“Let’s make a contract.”

Jeron officially formed a lord-vassal contract with the Carvain family. This bore a wider significance than Leila knight making a personal lord-vassal contract.

It meant the Carvain family was entirely bound to Jeron. Although the Carvain family was of fallen nobility and currently only had the noble title, Knight Leila served Jeron as a lifelong noble, so its status was not inferior at all to that of a vassal.

After writing the contract and stamping the family seal, Becken knelt and prostrated himself on the spot.

“I greet milord.”

“Alright, Becken Carvain. Let’s see how well you do. Your official position will be the Deputy Finance Minister, but once the Farrow household’s title is elevated, I will grant you a separate manor.”

Boom!

“I will serve loyally.”

“Please, rise.”

Perhaps because the whole family was now bound, Knight Leila’s eyes were red with tears. The cold-hearted witch, thought to be devoid of tears, was showing emotion.

She, too, must have been wearing a mask all along. Jeron deliberately ignored her tears and emptied his backpack onto the table, piling it high.

From the backpack spilled all sorts of items. Not just various ornaments but also jewelry, a knife inlaid with cubic zirconia, accessories, dishes, as well as perfume, air fresheners, and even some super glue, pens, paper, etc.

Becken’s eyes widened at the sight. He couldn’t take his eyes off the perfume bottle that shone with a mesmerizing light.

It was Chanel No. 4, a bestseller on Earth, discovered accidentally while farming and habitually shoved into the backpack.

Since the items had to be opened anyway for sale, Jeron unwrapped the packaging and lightly scattered its contents around him.

“Goodness!”

“What… what is this scent?”

Everyone was visibly shocked. In this era, the concept of perfume did not exist.

While some carried scent bags to emanate pleasant fragrances, these often mixed with various odors and ended up producing even more pungent smells. It was only after the mid-14th century in Earth’s history that the concept of perfume was established.

In this barbaric world, it was normal for all sorts of rotten smells to permeate the air, and people were hardly conscious of scent as a concept.

It was only natural for them to be shocked upon encountering the modern world’s best-selling fragrances. Becken described the scent in a word.

“Indeed, it’s a fragrance from the heavens!”

“The scent of the heavens?”

“It must be an item dropped by a goddess among humans…”

“Ahem, I wouldn’t know about the source. It was found in the family’s secret vault.”

“It seems our guess is correct.”

‘Really, isn’t that a bit too much?’ Jeron thought.

To think the perfume was being marketed as the scent of a goddess. In addition, there were air fresheners and body lotions, each emitting unique fragrances that left people in awe. Becken picked up a clear plastic container and shook it.

“Uh, milord, what is this? It looks very peculiar.”

“Oh, that’s something called superglue.”

“Superglue?”

“It works like this, adhering broken items in an instant.”

Jeron broke a piece of wood and glued it back together with superglue.

It stuck together perfectly, without falling apart.

It was superglue indeed.

“A magical tool!?”

“Right?”

“Is it… for sale?”

“We have limited quantities, so it seems we’ll be busy using it ourselves. We need to decide which items we’ll use and which we’ll sell.”

“How disappointing. If it was for sale, it could fetch a high price. It seems it could even repair damaged relics, making it an incredibly valuable item!”

“Ah, that’s an interesting application. Perhaps I should buy some damaged relics?”

Truly a merchant at heart. Jeron had casually displayed the products and explained their uses, but it was Becken who reinterpreted them in the language of the era.

Not all minds of this time were rigid.

Having someone as insightful as Becken as a retainer was indeed fortuitous.

‘We do have talent in our territory.’

Jeron and Becken finalized their trade operations plan.

Specialty goods would be sold as soon as they were ready, while paintings, perfumes, and other relic-like items would be sent to the capital for auction. The only issue was the limited quantity of such luxury items.

‘I’ll have to farm more diligently.’

He was eager to return to Earth. The items from Earth appeared extraordinary to the people of this era. Once the outline for the trading operation was set, Becken seemed quite regretful.

“If we had the trade rights now, we could make a tremendous profit. Do you know when we might obtain them?”

“As soon as Duke Langton arrives in the capital, he’ll begin the process, so it might take a few months. Don’t be too obsessed with profit margins. Our territory has countless items left by our ancestors.”

Jeron decided to wait for the trading rights patiently. However, greater political turmoil than anyone expected was brewing.