novelraw Chapter 49
Chapter 49
Ch.49 Andrea, you’re under arrest on suspicion of inciting attempted murder.
After checking the price, I looked for a trading house willing to buy my call options—but their offers were insultingly low.
What do these people take me for?
Honestly, since I used to be the former head of Pisa Trading Company, I knew exactly how desperately they’d scramble to buy it for a pittance.
Anyway… I refuse to be played for a fool.
[Zabas Trading House, Nook Branch.]
Zabas Trading House, huh…
I recalled them as a fairly large-scale trading house in the New Continent—and one notorious for shady dealings.
“Still, I should at least hear their offer.”
With that, I entered Zabas Trading House.
A middle-aged man who looked around fifty greeted me.
“Good day. I’m Andrea, branch manager of Zabas Trading House’s Nook office.”
He smiled faintly and spoke.
“I heard you’re selling call options?”
Merchants sure spread rumors fast.
“Yes.”
I handed him the contract.
Andrea took it and skimmed through quickly.
“Indeed, these are call options. Our house urgently needs them. We’d already heard you were selling Magic Grass call options and were determined to acquire them.”
That confirmed it. Magic Grass prices had risen far more than I’d expected—though there were still about three months until expiration.
“But I knew Magic Grass would rise—why so drastically?”
Andrea answered with a smile:
“As you know, war has broken out over slavery in the central New Continent. This has severely disrupted Magic Grass supply, making it worth whatever the market demands these days.”
Ah… the slave liberation war started by Scarlet, Cecilia, and Mia.
Magic Grass primarily grew in the central New Continent—and it was such a vital industry there that some even argued slavery must be preserved to cultivate it.
If a war to free slaves erupted in that region, this price surge made perfect sense.
“So, what’s your offer?”
Andrea fell into thought, then reluctantly spoke:
“Today’s market price for Magic Grass is 49 silver per kg. Considering the remaining time, we’d like to purchase all 100 contracts for 4,250 gold.”
Here, currency worked unusually: 10,000 silver equaled 1 gold.
His offer wasn’t bad at all.
“Will payment be by promissory note?”
One gold could support a family of four for several months.
Even a large trading house would struggle to pay over 1,000 gold in cash.
“Yes, by promissory note.”
I paused.
This was the highest offer I’d received—but promissory notes meant future payment, not immediate cash.
To get liquid funds, I’d have to sell the note again—a hassle.
Still, it was the best price.
If I were financially secure, I’d hesitate—but right now, I wasn’t.
I had only about 90 silver left—less than 1 gold.
After weighing it all, I decided to sell.
“I’ll sell the call options.”
Andrea beamed and nodded eagerly.
I sold the options, took Zabas’s promissory note, and left.
***
Once Hans was gone, Andrea’s ever-present smile vanished instantly.
“Foolish brat.”
To Andrea, Hans was clearly a lucky novice who’d stumbled into sudden wealth.
‘Hans, was it? He must’ve worked at a trading house before.’
Only someone from that world could grasp this region’s complex commerce.
‘But since he never properly learned the trade, he’s wandering alone like this.’
Hans wore expensive-looking clothes—but had no attendants.
Andrea assumed Hans had gambled on Magic Grass and struck it rich overnight.
‘Heh… looks like I’ve found someone to fleece.’
Pleased at the thought of easily swindling a sucker, Andrea headed toward the docks, where rough laborers gathered.
‘I must finish this tonight. Need to meet them quickly.’
Just then, a worker unloading cargo from a carriage caught his eye.
“Calis! Where are you?”
A burly, intimidating man approached.
“You called, Master Andrea?”
“Yes. I need to see your friends today.”
Calis smirked knowingly—this wasn’t his first time.
“Understood. I’ll arrange it right away.”
Andrea thought to himself:
‘Time to show him what real commerce and finance look like.’
***
Nook was the largest port city in northern New Continent.
Maybe that explained this?
“Is this really a local specialty?”
I’d ordered an anchovy sandwich without thinking.
What I got was… shocking.
Tiny whole fish squeezed between bread slices—their vacant, staring eyes locking directly with mine.
—Poke poke.
I poked the bread, debating whether to eat it.
After about ten minutes of hesitation…
Should I just take one bite?
Seeing in person what I’d only viewed on a monitor felt strangely novel.
“Ugh… still chilly.”
I pulled a coat from my spatial storage bag and put it on.
I’d forgotten to return it to Icira—but she’s a dragon; she’ll overlook it, right?
Technically, I should’ve returned it, but since ‘Dragon War’ was over, I doubted she’d come looking for it.
Dragons vanish from the game after their event ends, after all.
Heh… to obtain such a rare item.
After strolling through town, I headed to a nearby inn, washed up lightly, and lay down.
“I wonder how everyone’s doing?”
It’d been a long time since I’d been truly alone.
I felt both nervous and excited—like when I first arrived in this world.
“Tomorrow, I’ll sell the promissory note… Haa… more traveling.”
Thinking about camping again, I sighed involuntarily.
Camping…
Whether hot or cold, sleeping outdoors caused far more fatigue than expected.
Wild animals or monsters could attack at any moment—it wasn’t uncommon for a bear to burst into your tent while you slept.
Though the Goddess’s Wedding Ring kept me from dying, waking up to something huge baring its teeth at me was still terrifying.
—Click.
What was that? A wild monster?
Hearing a metallic sound at the inn door, I quietly reached for ‘Equality’ under my pillow.
Who’d visit at this hour?
A late-night knock surely meant trouble.
—Creak.
Peeking through half-closed eyes, I saw four masked intruders slip into my room—all burly, all gripping short swords.
Hah? Did they hear I sold call options and prepare this?
I silently aimed ‘Equality’ from under my pillow…
—Bang!
“Aaagh!”
“What?!”
“Kill him!”
As they charged, I aimed ‘Equality’—
—Bang!
—Thud.
Then, fists wreathed in holy magic swiftly subdued them.
—Thwack!
Grabbing the wrist of one lunging with a dagger, I smashed his cheekbone with Equality’s grip.
—Crack!
He clutched his face in pain. Meanwhile, another moved to stab my stomach.
His blade neared—so I yanked the injured man in front as a shield.
—Squelch!
“Aaaargh!”
The room was chaos.
“Antony?!”
One masked man panicked—clearly close to the stabbed one.
—Thwack!
I knocked him out with Equality’s grip to the skull.
Seeing blood splattered across the floor, I frowned.
“Haa… haa…”
One thug clutched his bleeding stomach, face crushed.
I pulled off his mask—a man in his early twenties, with sharp eyes.
“Well?” I asked. “Who ordered this?”
“You think… I’d tell you?!”
Tears welled in his eyes from the pain.
“Really?”
Guards could arrive any moment—gunshots and screams would draw them.
Better finish this fast.
I healed his stomach wound with holy magic.
“What… what’s this?!”
He stared, shocked.
—Thwack!
I smashed ‘Equality’ against his skull.
“Aaagh!”
“Good! Now you won’t die—so I can beat you until the guards arrive!”
I stomped on him wildly.
“P-please! Aaagh! My bones! You’re breaking my bones!”
He curled up, trying to block my kicks.
Spotting a fallen dagger nearby, I picked it up and loomed over him.
“You saw me use holy power, right? You won’t die. So I’ll keep stabbing you until you talk…”
“I’ll talk! Please spare me!”
“Fine. Who sent you?”
Without hesitation, he blurted:
“Branch Manager Andrea of Zabas Trading House!”
Andrea of Zabas?
“The guy I sold options to today?”
It all clicked.
So he planned to kill me and steal the promissory note? Dared to stab me in the back?
A cold smile spread across my lips.
You’re about to learn a hard lesson.
***
The next morning, Andrea was elated—expecting a huge sum to land in his hands today.
‘Once I get that promissory note, I’ll quit the trading house and live in luxury.’
He’d made a ‘legitimate’ deal with the company—and once that note reached his hands, he’d pocket a massive profit: 4,250 gold.
Enough to live better than a minor baron in the Old Continent.
An ordinary person could never earn this in a lifetime—but killing one man? Worth it.
‘Honestly, walking around alone with that much money? What an idiot.’
In this era, merchants needed to wield swords or staves well—law enforcement was far weaker than in modern times.
Thus, the foundation of commerce was the power to protect oneself—to prevent others from stealing what was yours.
‘Well… he’ll learn the hard way. Like now.’
Just as he pondered how to write his resignation letter—
—Knock knock!
Someone pounded on the door.
“Who is it?” Andrea snapped irritably.
—Knock knock!
No reply—just rude, persistent knocking.
‘Who the hell is it this early?’
Annoyed, he opened the door—
“City Guard! Andrea, you’re under arrest on suspicion of inciting attempted murder.”
“What?”
The guards bound Andrea’s arms and dragged away the dumbfounded man.
Review at
NovelUpdate
One for All200[Get access to 20 premium chapters each for over 30 series.
Check out List at Membership page]Unlock next 20 premium chaptersValid for 30 daysPurchase