HoG - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Master Appraiser

Byron continued to press the merchant, step by step.

"Mr. Mishaal, not only did you misidentify a valuable gem, but you also seem unable to distinguish between a saber and a sword? I really must question the professional abilities of you and the Gold Palm Trading Company!"

Typically, in the East, a single-edged blade is classified as a saber, while a symmetrical double-edged blade is known as a sword. However, the Western definition differs.

Contrary to common belief, the distinction between sabers and swords in the West is not based on the number of edges but on the method of hilt attachment.

A blade that is inserted into a round wooden hilt and secured with a pommel can be called a sword. A weapon with a forged hilt that is then sandwiched between wooden boards and riveted is termed a saber.

Although the blade of the Fisher Chop Sword is indeed asymmetrical and has only a single edge, It is still fitted into a sword hilt and secured with a pommel, clearly a very standard sword!

Upon hearing this, the merchant's face first stiffened, then the muscles in his cheeks twitched. After a few breaths, he finally lost the staring contest with Byron. He retrieved a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead and had to concede,

"Perhaps I... made an error, yes, I was mistaken. The sunlight today is too glaring."

In truth, as a first-tier attendant-level 'Golden Eye' of the Gold Sequence, he was more adept in the appraisal of jewelry and luxury goods than the 'Craftsman' profession; how could he have erred?

It was both intentional and deliberate.

After being exposed by Byron, he couldn't help but lament internally: 'What rotten luck, this batch of goods is obviously from a typical English noble family, with an eighty percent chance of being Lancastrian fugitives from the Red and White Rose War. How could these illiterate pirates possibly know so much about noble collections? I've lost at least three thousand percent profit!'

Thinking of his losses, Mishaal felt a pang of heartache.

"Scamming" is an unwritten rule among black market merchants, and the extent of deception in a transaction depends on one's skill. It's akin to visiting an "antique" market in search of bargains; both buyers and sellers are aware that ninety-nine percent of the goods are counterfeit. But by convention, even if you excitedly purchase something only to discover it's a fake, you'll only slap yourself and say, "I was fooled again."

However, if you encounter an expert and are exposed on the spot, with each item critiqued, it's truly damaging to your reputation.

The rules of the gray area are still rules.

On the soil of Iron Anchor Bay, he wasn't fearful of pirates being unreasonable, but he was wary of Byron's well-founded and logical approach based on the rules, so he swiftly altered his demeanor.

Witnessing the black-market merchant's performance, First Mate Myers and the group of pirates understood that Byron must have been absolutely correct.

"Do you know how hard we fought to protect this batch of goods?"

"Damn it, how dare you openly rob us pirates!"

When dealing with black market merchants, their ideal outcome was a fifty percent cut. When the transaction began, they vaguely sensed that they might have been undervalued to the ankles. They never imagined they had actually been undervalued to the soles of their feet, or even the floor!

Byron merely waved his hand casually.

Including First Mate Myers, the group of red-eyed, panting pirates immediately lowered their flags and drums, slightly bowing and retreating. Even though Byron hadn't yet been appointed as vice-captain, his prestige on the Maneater was already second only to 'Blood Eye' Salman.

The eyes of the young members of the small group were filled with fanaticism. Now, the only obstacle to his promotion seemed to be his strength.

After discussing the Fisher Chop Sword and the gem necklace, Byron approached the pile of goods and glanced at the dozens of bottles of rum.

He just slightly flared his nostrils and confidently continued,

"This batch of rum has a coppery yellow body, with subtle notes of citrus, spices, and wood. The aftertaste is long and dry, with rich aromas of orange peel, vanilla, nutmeg, hot coffee, and cocoa. This is Appleton Estate's Appleton Dry Rum, aged in oak barrels for at least twelve years.

I recall at last year's auction in the capital, a bottle of Appleton Reserve from the Year 1451 AD sold for a sky-high price of 124 pounds. The taste of this batch is actually not much different from the 1451 vintage; it's more than enough to deceive inexperienced buyers. In a high-end restaurant, selling a bottle for 2 pounds is definitely not an issue."

"Next is this ivory and pearl inlaid dressing box..."

With every sentence Byron uttered, the black-market merchant's expression grew more dismal, yet he couldn't bring himself to turn and leave. Encountering an expert might mean earning less, but it was still preferable to earning nothing and tarnishing one's reputation.

You might make a small profit, but I never lose.

Soon, all the goods were recorded, and the transaction was finalized.

The merchant Mishaal took a long, hard look at Byron before hastily departing with the loot, whose profits had significantly diminished. Halfway through his departure, when he heard Byron's enthusiastic farewell, "Let's cooperate again next time," he nearly stumbled and fell into the sea.

The pirates, feeling as though they had won a battle, loudly cheered for their warehouse manager's outstanding performance.

If you were to ask the sailors and pirates who roamed the seas daily what they feared most, one fear would be losing their money while still alive, and the other would be being alive but penniless.

Powerful strength can conquer some, professional knowledge can conquer some, and life-saving kindness can also conquer some. 

But shiny gold coins can conquer everyone. If they can't, then it's because there isn't enough money.

Only First Mate Myers, who had narrowly escaped the fate of "being disappeared," felt a mix of joy and worry. 'Aren't you a steward serving a great noble family? Why are you so at ease with piracy, even though you've only recently taken it up? Ships, navigation, swordsmanship, treasure appraisal... even if you started as a pirate from the time you were nursing, it wouldn't be much different.

Yes, it's not that your appraisal skills are so great. It's because these things originally belonged to Lord Crawford of the Lancastrian faction, and it's only natural that you know about your lord's possessions. It must be like this!'

If Byron had heard First Mate Myers' thoughts, he would have laughed at him for being too naive.

If the pirate sequence Maxim "Seizing is better than toiling" were placed on the heads of the noble lords, it would also fit perfectly. 

In fact, all the good things and scarce resources in the world are taken by various violent and non-violent means. Only the weak who are ruled wait for redistribution, and by the way, pray for a relatively fair distribution system from the rulers. The difference is just whether it's taken in the name of an individual or in the name of a state.

This world has never been warm and fuzzy, and no matter how it's dressed up with so-called civilization, it can't change this stark fact.

And those pirates who have already drunk the 'Transformation Blood'—whether they worship him or hate him—it doesn't matter anymore. These future "secondary ghouls" can never be won over and are targets to be eliminated, just like Salman.

Byron's public display of prowess this time, besides upholding the family tradition of thrift, actually had another more important purpose.

Soon, he also organized a set of accounts for the ship and held up a piece of paper, waving it at the crew.

He told them the bad news with a sorrowful expression:

"I regret to inform you that in order to escape the pursuit of the 'Severe' frigate, we lost too many goods. Although the repair costs for the 'Maneater' have been barely covered, but! The compensation for you will really not be enough. The shortfall is about 1,300 pounds."

'Commandment Eight: Those who are disabled in battle can stay on the ship without working and receive 40 gold pounds from the public savings.'

There were still more than fifty survivors, but that didn't mean they were unscathed. According to the 'Ten Pirate Commandments,' all the disabled could receive a portion of the compensation, and the families of the fallen could also claim their share.

Thus, when 'Blood Eye' Salman walked out of the captain's quarters, he was met with the fiery gazes of the crew. The pirates all remembered that their captain had taken quite a few small pieces of jewelry from the spoils of the 'Pelican.'

Combined with what had just happened, they realized that those items might also be very valuable if they were in the hands of the great "wealth angel."

At this moment, a gaze fixed on Salman's hands, mixed in with dozens of equally fervent gazes, seemed inconspicuous. On his right hand's slender little finger, there was a solid gold ring that, apart from its size, looked quite ordinary.

And this was Byron's true goal.

The 'Storm Signet Ring,' symbolizing the position of the Grand Master of the Storm Knight Order and the succession of the Lancastrian family's royal power!