15 The city of plenty

Sterlan merchant POV

''boss, we'll get to Neu Danzig in no time'' said one of my sailors.

Ahh neu danzing, the new city that the new paramount lord of the reach is building, and just to think that 3 moons ago, I was just a small scale merchant selling a mere 30 logs of lumber to the Prussians, and now I am one of the biggest suppliers of lumber for the construction of this city.

When I first came here from my home Crakehall, I had a small business selling and buying, just enough to earn my bread, and little more, when I heard that Lord Hohenzollern was looking for merchants to sell him raw materials for construction, few dared, because the Prussians confiscated everything from the merchants they captured, they had a bad reputation with the merchants.

But I saw an opportunity I gathered everything I had and with the help of someone who knew the crakehall castellan I managed to buy good logs at 8 stags of silver, according to what I was told the Prussians buy the logs at 14 stags, 6 stags profit for traveling 2 weeks in a wagon.

I gathered everything I had and borrowed from my friends and managed to gather 3 wagons where I transported the logs I bought from lord crakehall, and we set off on a trip to neu danzing.

The trip to my surprise was safe, I had heard that there were revolts among the old nobility seeking to recover their lands, but we only found Prussian patrols guarding the roads, which when they found out what we were carrying kindly guided me to their city.

Arriving in the city I saw only foundations being built, Lord Hohenzollern's men were digging ditches for a decent sewage system.

After we arrived in the city, the guards told me where to sell the wood with a quartermaster officer who was in charge of buying and verifying the quality of the products.

To my luck there were not many people in line, I must be one of the first who decided to trust the Prussians to sell him wood.

After 8 minutes, I arrived at this quartermaster officer to receive my payment for the wood.

''name and what do you sell?'' asked the quartermaster ''Sterlan, lumber 30 logs'' I said confidently

''well Sterlan can you read and write, I need you to sign this guarantee'' said the quartermaster as he showed me a piece of paper ''just a little bit what does it say what I have to sign?'' I asked hesitantly

''just in case what you are selling is found to be the product of piracy or theft, in that case we can legally prosecute you for the scam, I just need your initials on here.

''oh the wood I bought it directly from Lord crakehall there should be no problem with that, let me put my signature'' I said to the quartermaster.

Quickly, I put my initial and then a soldier came in.

''The wood is in good condition sir'' said the soldier.

30 logs at a price of 14 stags are 2 golden dragons, something else, do you have contact with Lord crakehall?'', he asked while handing me the gold ''with his castellan I can keep bringing more wood if you keep the purchase price'', I said happily.

Wait over here, and I'll be right back'' he said before leaving.

After that, the quartermaster left, and I was left waiting on the side of the line, during that time I was very happy 2 gold dragons for only a 2-week trip, discounting the cost and the payment for my 2 assistants it was still almost 120 stags for this trip, I will pay what I owe, and I will do the same again.

HEY STERLAN COME HERE, we have a deal for you'' shouted the quartermaster.

Quickly, I followed him, and we entered a tent guarded by knights, after entering I saw the young lord Hohenzollern surrounded by other soldiers.

''Is this the merchant you told me about?'' asked the lord to the quartermaster ''yes sir, he says he has contacts with the crakehall house to buy wood.

''Sterlan, isn't it? Well, let's get to the point, I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse in both senses of the word, ha, ha, ha, ha, Lord crakehall has denied all my attempts to sell me the wood, I suspect due to the influence of his paramount lord, but if you manage to buy it and sell it to me, things will change, I offer you 10 ships to bring me wood plus 1000 gold dragons, so you can start operations, the sailors will be provided by me, and you only have to negotiate the deal and sell me a little cheaper than the 14 silver stags, the ships will continue to be my property, but I am leasing them to you for free, what do you say there is a deal? Lord Hohenzollern said in a friendly tone.

Yes, yes sir, I think it's a good deal, a very generous one indeed, hahaha'' I said laughing out of nervousness.

After that conversation, I left the tent where they gave me the agreed money and took me to the docks under construction where I saw a huge fleet of ships at anchor, Lord Hohenzollern has more ships than he occupies, I can understand that he gave them to me on the condition that I would work for him.

I boarded a ship where we loaded my wagons and 3 of my donkeys, the crew was composed almost entirely of men from the reach and only 2 Prussians, after putting everything in order we set off back to crakehall to negotiate a wholesale purchase of lumber.

After going through the nervousness I realized what I had done, I had a contract with a great lord, the paramount lord of the reach and I could benefit from selling wood in huge quantities, I am going to fill my pockets with this deal.

After 3 days we arrived at Crakehall, where I met with the castellan to offer him an offer on the purchase of wood, when he found out how much I would be buying each week, he was happy and offered me a discount of 2 silver stags per log leaving a total of 6, and he would sell it to the Prussians at 10 keeping a profit margin of 4 stags only at a higher amount.

After that, we filled the holds of the ships with good quality logs and I went to pay my debts, I was so happy this was too good, the seven had blessed me with this deal.

For one moon I was the Prussians' most reliable lumber dealer, every week I made a profit of almost 100 gold dragons, I was already a rich man and my family was just as happy, on my fourth trip to the city I noticed that the city was already producing products.

The Prussians were selling paper, at a good price, but unfortunately, I did not know anyone who wanted to buy it, but they also had a tool industry, hammers, nails, axes, picks and saws, all kinds of tools, again my instinct came up, and I used my earnings to buy tools to sell them in crakehall.

Every time I return to neu danzing the city is more and more alive, stores are abundant, my pockets are filled with gold, after much thought I bought a house and took my family to live there, the city was nice and clean there were groups of soldiers who constantly pass cleaning and giving the beatings of his life to anyone who thought of urinating on the walls.

Something i liked a lot, in the taverns almost every day they give out a free mug of hard liquor in the name of the lord of the reach.

How lucky I am, in only 2 moons my life changed

''well get everything ready we must deliver the goods to lord Hohenzollern'' I shouted to my crew getting back to concentrate on my work.

Klaus ex-soldier POV

''Klaus for your distinguished service I give you 60 golden dragons, 3 for each year of service to our king, as well as a house in the city of neu danzing we thank you for your services you may retire'' said my former superior officer.

It was all over, the rebellion was dying and our military service to our king was no longer necessary, now we had another much more important task, it was no secret that the king wants the soldiers who retire to have children and the more, the better, during my stay serving ciderhall I got to know a maiden, Mya, a beautiful woman with a big heart big enough to forget that I am 37 years old and she is only 18, with whom I ended up marrying, there was a big problem with her father, as he insisted that we should marry with the blessing of the seven, but finally mya's mother and I convinced him to marry us in the Protestant church.

The day of our wedding was a group wedding, many Prussians were getting married and the priest didn't have the time to do private ceremonies, to my surprise the king was present at the ceremony, he brought gifts to all present and blessed our marriages, making use of being the head of the Prussian church.

''my brothers, we gather today to celebrate this holy union, you have bled for years, you have suffered, but we are here maybe not in our home, but we are still together, we are a family, and we should be happy that we can have a new family where you could take care of your future children, that said I have gifts for everyone'' said the king as he officiated the ceremony.

They were gold rings, most people did not marry with rings, all the artisans in the city of neu danzing are personal artisans of the king who made state gifts, but here we had gold rings for us.

After that, there was a banquet paid for by the king, there were all kinds of food, meat pies, wine, beers, the king's new liquors, pork and beef, everything abounded in this banquet, we all went home happy including my father-in-law who was delighted with our king's personality.

For a few weeks, I dedicated myself to continue working in the construction until I heard that the king's personal distilleries were producing pure alcohol, I was very curious because before joining the army I followed the same work of my father perfumer.

Quickly, I went to the distilleries to see if I could resume my old profession, arriving at the distillery was the king himself again.

''Careful, asshole, if that falls we all explode'' said the king to a worker who almost dropped a glass container of pure alcohol.

it must be said that the crystal is of a greenish color, it seems that the craftsman who made it doesn't have much knowledge of how to make glass

the king turns to me as well as his knights.

Oh, we are not selling the whiskey to the public yet, you will have to wait a bit, today we are only producing pure alcohol, for my physicians'' said the king smiling.

I knelt down and looked at the ground''my king I know that's why I came, I wanted to see the value of pure alcohol, before the war I was a perfumer like my father and with pure alcohol, I could make perfumes again''I said without looking him in the eyes.

''get up, I don't like not being looked at when they speak to me, if so, you have the funds to open a perfumery, from what I know, it is expensive, they use many crystal elements and oils to preserve the smell'' said the king with his kind tone.

Hearing his words, I quickly stand up and look him in the eye

''I have some savings, to buy some things, I could start small, all I have to do is to get a place to sell and the elements to produce oils'' I said with confidence.

''mhhhh, look I like your idea, I had not thought about it, what do you say if I finance it personally? I give you a place in the commercial area, I give you priority with my artisans and if your product is good, I will use it personally for days, in exchange I take 30%, is it a deal?'', said the king with a smile

''I would be truly grateful for this opportunity my king, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this opportunity I promise you that I will not fail, and I will create the best perfumes worthy for your grace'' I said full of happiness.

''well, give me a moment and I will give you an official document'' said the king as he tapped me on the shoulder and retired'' to the back of the distillery.

The king handed me a signed document where he gave me a place in the commercial sector, 1000 golden dragons and my orders to his artisans would be the first to be made unless the kings were first.

I thanked the king a thousand times and thanked God for giving us such a good king, his father was an idiot, he did not let anyone talk to him, he only listened to the nobles, but his son was so different.

Then I quickly went to the royal artisans where I ordered many artifacts for my perfumery, during the next 10 days I was preparing everything, when I received what I needed I began to extract the essence of many flowers and plants with a good smell, I worked for days, I had to create something perfect, something worthy of our king, after working almost without rest for 4 days, I had managed to create a rose perfume good enough.

I tasted it, and it smelled very good and did not have the strong smell of alcohol, it was worthy of the king, I kept it in a glass bottle and put a cork in it and quickly ran to the main street where the king and his men went once a day to see the progress of the city.

I waited for 1 hour when I saw the king followed by his knights and also a large group of merchants following him, I quickly approached until his knights cut me off.

''Let him pass, I know this one,'' said the king.

The knights moved, letting me catch up with the king.

''my.my.my king is ready, I have ready the perfume I promised him'' I said nervously ''oh I see, give it to me'' said the king taking the bottle.

Quickly, he threw it in his handkerchief and gave it two twirls in the air and sniffed it.

''a perfect rose perfume isn't it, you fulfilled my expectations, if you excuse me now I am a little busy, but I will not forget my promise to you, I will use this perfume every day until it is finished'' said the king as he went back to see the progress of the city.

I was happy, I had created a good perfume, after that, I went to my place to continue producing, but I was followed by several of the merchants who followed the king.

''Excuse me, are you the paramount lord's perfumer?'' asked a merchant ''you could say that yes, he finances all the production of perfumes'' I told all the merchants.

After that, they bought everything I had in store, I was selling it for 1 golden dragon, the vial of perfume, but all the merchants were buying it like crazy.

Such was the amount sold that I had to start hiring assistants, by the end of the week I had 10 assistants and I had orders of almost 1000 perfumes a day, and they kept increasing, I had to buy the neighboring shop to make more space to be able to keep up with the expansion of production

with time, I knew why everyone bought from me, the perfumes in the capital sold between 30-100 golden dragons, depending on the quality and mine were one of the best, that is to say that the merchants could buy here for 1 golden dragon and sell it for 100 in the capital.

In the end, I decided to raise them a little to 10 dragons, as I was not keeping up with the daily orders.

I had become one of the richest craftsmen in the city in a very short time, my name became famous among the Prussian nobles because the king used my perfume and the nobles the reach because the quality was the best that could be obtained and much cheaper.

I was so grateful for the king, for his help, for his recommendation, for having protected us so much in the wars

that every day I paid a round in his name in the tavern so that everyone could enjoy this abundance produced by our beloved king.