Chapter 7 Act IV-1

"Everyone follows the rules, do you understand that?" No businessman is not afraid to hear such words. There is no businessman who will not lament for what he is facing. "I am also a businessman, of course I understand this." So, after hearing this, Lawrence could barely squeeze out these words. "The matter is very simple. Among the armaments you bought from the Ladoperon Company, which is worth exactly one hundred Lumiones, the loan amount recorded in the credit loan certificate is forty-seven and three quarters of rupees in total. Mione, you just have to give us back the money.

However, this is a line of credit with a repayment period.You should know what this means, right? " Lawrence, so announced, felt like a deflated balloon.However, the appearance of Remario who declared so was more like a completely deflated balloon. The sunken eye sockets and thin cheeks can only be described as haggard.He was wearing a shirt that seemed to have not been changed and washed for several days, and his eyes radiated a strange light.Although Remario was short in stature, his tired and darkened face made him look like a wounded bear. In fact, he was indeed wounded, and a mortal wound at that.

Hans Remario, the owner of the Remario firm, had reached the age when his hair was beginning to turn grey. He didn't even have the leisure to smooth out his black hair, so he kept on saying, "I hope you can pay off your debts immediately. , if it is not repaid immediately..." If he was threatened with a knife by the other party at this time, maybe he would feel a lot more relaxed. "We have to apply to the Ron Chamber of Commerce for compensation." This is the threat that businessmen who join a foreign firm are most afraid of hearing. The foreign firm, which was originally the second hometown of the traveling merchant, will become a debt collector in a blink of an eye.

At that moment, traveling merchants who set off on a journey as if abandoning their hometown will lose a place that can comfort their souls. "However, the credit loan repayment deadline is the day after tomorrow, so I will give you two days. At that time, please pay back the forty-seven and three-quarters Lumione in full." This is not an amount that can be collected in two days.Even if all the uncollected payments were recovered, it would still be less than half of the amount. One Lumioni was enough to cover three months of living expenses, so even a child could understand how much forty-seven Lumiones were.

Remario, who was like a little bear, of course understood, that's why he said that. bankruptcy. These two words appeared in front of Lawrence's eyes. "By the way, what are you going to do with the military equipment in your hands? I think no matter where you sell them, you'll either have to sell them at a low price, or you won't be able to sell them at all." Remario's self-deprecating smile was not mocking Lawrence, the owner of the Remario Firm, for being so emaciated. It was because the price of military equipment plummeted that he was about to go bankrupt. .

The church city of Rubenhagen was a supply base for knights, mercenaries, or priests who went to the north to fight against the heretics.For this reason armaments or Bibles are here commodities with a steady rate of profit. Moreover, every year in the severe winter, Rubenhagen will definitely hold a large-scale expedition.Although this is a routine commemorative march held in conjunction with the birthday of the saint Reubenhagen, since mercenaries or palace knights from various countries will also join the expedition, military equipment, bibles, food, cold-proof clothing, horses or herbs are all important. Hot commodity.

This year, the expedition was temporarily canceled.Between the heathen land that became the stage of the war and the area ruled by Reubenhagen, there is a country with a large territory; due to political turmoil in this country, relations with Reubenhagen have deteriorated rapidly, so the cancellation expedition.If this neighboring country is just an ordinary country, it is easy to deal with the relationship between the two countries, but this neighboring country is adjacent to the land of the pagans, they are quite tolerant to the pagans, and there are towns of pagans everywhere in the territory. The nearest town is Ramtra.Thus, for those who had to cross the country to fight the infidels, the infidels who lived in the country used to acquiesce in the passage because the march was a routine.But now there is no guarantee that these heretics will not attack them.Every year, the long-distance march will be attended by the archbishop who rules the archdiocese, or the blood relatives of the emperor of the great southern empire. This cannot happen by any chance.

Therefore, the expedition had to be cancelled. Just look at how the Remario firm, which has been running a firm in Lubinhegen for a long time, is now in deep trouble, and you can understand how shocked the merchant was by the fact that the expedition was cancelled.Even so, Lawrence should have found out on the way.He should have discovered that the mercenary group based in the northern battlefield would linger around Lubinhegen, which represented some changes on the battlefield. Moreover, thinking about the sharp drop in the price of military equipment and the way information is communicated, you can Knowing that when Lawrence was purchasing military equipment in Porosun, the boss of Radoperon Trading Company had already received the news that the price of military equipment had plummeted.

In other words, Lawrence thought he had caught the other party's handle, so he made a strong deal: in the end, he obediently listened to the other party's words and bought the military equipment whose price plummeted. The Radoperon Trading Company was able to sell the equipment that had plummeted to Lawrence at a good price. The boss must have been laughing secretly at that time.Moreover, the boss should know that because the price of military equipment has plummeted, it is impossible for him to get back the loan he lent to Lawrence, or it may be too troublesome, so he decided to transfer the debt to the long-standing Remario Firm. , please give me some help.

Among these interests, Lawrence was drawn. This failure even made him want to kill himself just like that. Death brings bad chance, and Fate is so cruel. Even so, Lawrence could only be brave in the end. "I'll find a way to sell it at a high price for you to see. Let's settle it in two days, so it's okay, right?" "No problem, I will wait for your visit." The two of them were sweating with oil all over their bodies, as if they would burn if they were lit.However, the two still tried their best to show gentlemanly demeanor so that the negotiation scene would not get out of control.This is human self-esteem.

Next, there is only the self-esteem as a businessman left. Seeing Lawrence standing up from his seat, Remario added as if saying goodbye: "In case you need it, I'd better tell you. There are vendors from our firm near all city gates. If you need something, you are welcome to come and consume." What Remario meant was—even if he tried to escape Rubenhagen, it was useless. "The street vendors must be busy with business. Thank you very much for your proposal, but I don't think there will be such a need." If Holo was by her side at this time, maybe she would smile wryly that these two really love to be brave, right?But Lawrence also wanted to compete with Remario. In fact, the two have reached each other's limits. Once you go bankrupt, it means that you will be sentenced to death by the society immediately, which is even more miserable than being a beggar living under the torment of cold and hunger.If caught by creditors, everything on the body will be sold, and even hair will be shaved and sold.If there are beautiful teeth, they will be pulled out and used as dentures.In the end, even liberty is sold, and they have to suffer in mines or slave ships until their death.but.Such an experience is not bad.The worst thing is being forced to take the place of nobles or rich people and accept the punishment.Not only will no one prepare your grave, but no one will mourn your death. That's what bankruptcy is all about.At this time, I had to work hard. "Then, goodbye." "I will look forward to the arrival in two days, may God bless you!" When a weak person finds someone even weaker than himself, it's only natural that he will bite the other person. Even though he understood this, Lawrence clenched his fists violently out of anger, and his fists lost their color. However, half of the reason for his anger is because of himself, and there is no room for redemption from this failure. With no one to see off the guests, Lawrence walked from the room where the two sides negotiated—that is, the office on the third floor, to the unloading yard on the first floor. Because Holo was dressed like a city girl, she couldn't participate in the negotiation. She sat in the driver's seat and waited for the negotiation to end with the person in charge of monitoring at the firm.When Lawrence came to the unloading yard and saw Holo turning around, he instantly showed a frightened expression. Holo's reaction let Lawrence know how scary his expression was. "Awaited." As Lawrence spoke, he jumped into the driver's seat. Holo nodded vaguely, looking at Lawrence from time to time. "Let's go." Lawrence ignored the unloading worker who was in charge of monitoring, and tightened the reins to turn the carriage around and left the unloading yard.The unloader seemed to have been explained in advance, he didn't say much, and quietly watched Lawrence and the two leave. The moment he walked through the boardwalk of the unloading yard to the small alley paved with stones, Lawrence sighed deeply to replace his urge to yell. Anger, unwillingness, regret...all these emotions poured out with a sigh. This sigh was full of negative emotions, if the rabbit inhaled it, it might be poisoned to death. However, the self-esteem as a businessman did not pour out along with the sigh. There is no time for pessimism now.Lawrence's mind was filled with an almost indifferent anger, and this emotion began to calculate the possibility of fund allocation. "...Nah, nah, you." At this moment, Holo's trembling voice interrupted the calculation in his head. "Yep?" "Did something happen?" Holo's true appearance was that of a wolf that could easily swallow Lawrence in one gulp. She looked worried and asked Lawrence with an unnatural smile.Holo must have heard the conversation between Lawrence and Remario, and there must be some other reason for her asking this question specially. Looking at Holo's appearance, Lawrence could imagine how terrifying his own face was. For a businessman, facial expressions are more important than anything else.Lawrence let go of the rein, barely relaxing the muscles that had stiffened in his face. "If you're asking what happened, the cargo in the back turned into a pile of waste." "Hmm... so it's not that we heard wrong." "By the way, I will tell you one more thing. If this goes on, I will go bankrupt." Perhaps Holo knew that the merchant's fate after bankruptcy was like a poor lamb waiting to be slaughtered, and she twisted her expression as if she had pain in some part of her body.Then, she suddenly changed her expression. Xian Lang looked at Lawrence calmly and said, "Are you going to run away?" "If you run away once, you have to run away for the rest of your life. The intelligence network of a foreign firm or a trading company is like the eyes of God. No matter where you are, as long as you do business, you will be discovered immediately. If you do this, you will no longer be a businessman. " "However, injured animals often end up with no bones left. Don't you think too well?" "That's not the case." Lawrence answered firmly, and Holo listened, turned her eyes away and fell into thinking. Lawrence went on to say, "As long as I pay back the forty-seven Lumiones I'll be fine. I still have the goods, just pay the debt and then Then transport it to a distant place to sell, and you can sell it for a similar price.There is still the possibility of turning over. " Although Lawrence made such an assertion as if the matter was simple, in fact, the credibility of these words was as low as the feasibility. Even so, that's all he could say.If it's the businessman's pride, maybe it is.Anyway, even if he runs away now, he can no longer continue to be a businessman.In this case, I had to struggle until the last moment. Holo, who was not looking at Lawrence, turned her gaze back after a while. She showed an expression of "I really lost to you", and said with a faint smile, "We are the wise wolf Holo, we can help more or less." "Yeah, the food cost saved is much worse." The moment Lawrence finished speaking, Holo hit him on the left side of the waist with her right fist and said, "Didn't I already say that we will earn our own food." "I know·" Lawrence said while stroking the left waist.Holo, who had raised one eyebrow, snorted no longer angrily after hearing these words. Then, Holo turned her eyes to the horse with a blank expression.She spoke again, her tone as if she was swearing: "We guarantee by our reputation that when the critical moment comes, even if we need to use the power of these wheat, we will definitely let you escape successfully." The bag hung around Holo's neck contained the wheat that Holo lodged in it.As long as the wheat is used, Holo can easily return to her original form. However, people will always cast fearful eyes on Holo's original appearance, and Holo loathes such eyes to the point of fear, and fearful eyes are tantamount to a prison for isolating Holo.Although Holo turned back into a wolf form in the underground waterway of the estuary town of Pazio, it must have been because Holo herself was in danger of dying. This time was different. The crisis in front of him was purely Lawrence's. Therefore, when Lawrence heard Holo express that the matter was at a critical juncture, he was willing to change back to his original appearance for himself, which made him simply happy. "You promised us that you would take us back to the northern forests. If you fail in a place like this, it will be a headache for us." "Well, I will definitely keep my promise. And..." Lawrence closed his eyes and took a slow, deep breath, then looked at Holo and said, "When things come to a head, I may need your help." In the past, Lawrence would only think "if it fails, it's all over", but now it's different.Holo gave him such a sense of security that there was someone he could rely on at the last minute. Holo smiled and said, "Leave it on us." In the last moments, Holo can be called for help. Maybe that's an option too. However, this is not an option to face practical problems.If things turned to that point, it meant that there was no place for Lawrence in this world. No home, no homeland to return to, that's what it means; once you fail, you're left with nothing. "Then, what should we do next?" After leaving the carriage at the hotel, Holo asked in front of the hotel. Although Lawrence thought, "I just wanted to ask," he didn't have time to complain. Fortunately, I have already paid for the hotel accommodation in advance, so I won't worry about not having a place to stay and a place to store the carriage for the time being, and I still have some cash on hand.It is a blessing in misfortune not to be forced to sleep in the open at once. However, the remaining time and possibilities are too little. "In short, go to a foreign company first, and that's the only choice." "People from the same village should help." Perhaps Holo said this to encourage Lawrence, but Lawrence knows that the world is not as easy as she said. Because Lawrence has been in the business world for ten years, he has seen too many people get into trouble, In the end, it disappeared directly. [Then, I'll go to a foreign company, and you'll wait at the hotel...] ​​Before Lawrence could finish his sentence, Holo stomped on him. "Are we like a wolf who doesn't value affection and caressingly grooms his tail while watching his traveling companion get into trouble?" "Uh, but..." "Are we alike?" Holo raised her head and said, she was still stepping on Lawrence's foot. "...It's not like that, but it's not that kind of problem." "So, what kind of question?" Although Holo moved her foot away, her eyes said "If you don't answer well, I will step on it again ÷ "The foreign company is like the hometown of our traveling merchants. You should know what it means to take a woman to the hometown mean?" "We're not so stupid that we don't understand what's going on." "It's impossible to explain the situation in detail. Besides, how do you explain my relationship with you?" Once Holo was discovered by the Church, she would be treated as a demon and be burned at the stake.Although Ye Kebo, who was in charge of the foreign firm in this city, must be very sensible, but if Ye Kebo reported Holo to the church, it would be a big disaster.Moreover, many businessmen from the Ron area will go in and out of foreign firms. They are not necessarily all sensible people, so they can't take this risk. In this way, to explain the relationship between Lawrence and Holo, more or less lie.But, can you successfully hide it from them?The other party is also a cunning businessman who has seen through countless lies. "In this case, why don't we simply say that we are a couple? That's better than being left alone." Lawrence understood that Holo was worried for him. If it was the opposite, Lawrence would be angry if Holo tried to solve the problem by herself.He would feel betrayed if Holo asked him to wait at the hotel. Holo looked at him. Lawrence had to give in. "Okay, let's go together. Your brain turns faster, too." "Well, don't worry, leave it to us." "but……" Lawrence cleared the way for the businessman who wanted to enter the hotel, and continued, "I would say that we are business partners, you must not talk nonsense. Those guys are really rude when they welcome people." It was a fact that the rudeness of the folks' welcome was even disturbing; otherwise, Holo would have to retort. However, Holo seemed to be fine as long as he could take her there.She nodded meekly. "Then let's go." [Yep. ] The two stepped out quickly and walked towards the crowded crowd. When Lawrence came to the foreign firm and was about to knock on the door, someone just came out. From the man's attire, it can be seen that he is a businessman living in the city. As soon as he saw Lawrence, he immediately looked away with an embarrassed expression. His behavior made Lawrence guess that he was the Remario Company. running errands.Presumably he came to convey the news of Lawrence's current situation and that he would ask the foreign bank to repay the debt if necessary. However, Lawrence reacted like he usually does when passing people, he stepped out of the way and didn't speak. That person did this because his business was in a difficult situation. If it wasn't necessary, he probably wouldn't want to play such a role.It stands to reason that the people from Remario Company are creditors who can collect debts from Lawrence, but he left in a hurry as if fleeing. While preemptive moves are commonplace in the businessman's world, no one likes ruining someone's reputation.Being the first to strike and ruining someone's reputation are two completely different things. "We thought you would be rough." Holo also seemed to have noticed that the man was from Remario Company, and Lawrence could only smile wryly after hearing her joke. "However, thinking about explaining the miserable situation I am in later, I feel very heavy, so I would like to thank him for saving me trouble." "Everything has two sides." Lawrence finally showed a smile and walked into the foreign firm. After noon, merchants who sell perishable goods such as fresh fish or vegetables mostly call off work.Unlike when I came in the morning, there were a few tables full of people in the foreign firm, and everyone was drinking and chatting happily.Lawrence knew everyone's face and remembered their names.Several of them saw Lawrence coming in and raised their hands slightly in greeting. However, as soon as they saw Holo coming in after Lawrence, they all stopped moving, and there were a few exclamations at the same time, which could also be described as sighs.Afterwards, everyone cast glances that looked like blessings, envy, and jealousy.Although Holo looked indifferent, Lawrence felt a little pain. "Oh—this is really God's guidance." Everyone had smiles on their faces, only Ye Keba who spoke first did not have a smile in his eyes. "Why did I find you a beautiful woman, Lawrence." Ignoring the gazes around him, Lawrence took Holo's hand and walked straight towards Yekeba. Yekebo did not call Clafford, but Lawrence, which made Lawrence feel heartbroken. Ye Kebo's actions are tantamount to declaring that he no longer regards Lawrence as one of his own, but as a businessman. "I didn't find it, but I was found, President Tarantino." An exaggerated smile appeared on Ye Kebo's eyelids, and even his face was deformed.He stood up with difficulty, patted Lawrence on the shoulder, pointed in and said, "Go over there and talk." The sharp-eyed businessmen seemed to sense that something was wrong in the atmosphere immediately, and no one spoke to Lawrence. Going inside from the lobby of the foreign company, you can see the atrium surrounded by buildings.When Lawrence looked at the deserted atrium due to the season, the giant man Yekebo who walked in front said, "Didn't you meet the guy from Remario Company?" "Yes, it's at the entrance." [Well, I thought you guys were lucky not to meet. " "……why?" Lawrence didn't understand what Ye Kebo wanted to express, so he asked back.Yekebo listened, his shoulders kept shaking, and Lawrence knew he didn't make a sound of snickering. "Because I didn't hear the fighting." Holo smiled slightly, and Lawrence shrugged. Then, Ye Kebo opened the door on the right side of the corridor, and urged the two of them to enter the room with gestures. [This is my office, you can rest assured that no one will eavesdrop through the walls. " The office space is not large, but it makes people feel that there is infinite knowledge hidden in it. Except for a wooden window at the front where you can see when you open the door, all the walls are blocked by wooden cabinets, and countless documents tied up with ropes are randomly piled up on them. There was a small desk in the center of the office, and on both sides of the desk were sofas that were only made of wood and leather. In addition, there is a desk in front of the door, and the documents on the desk are piled up like a mountain.Although the value of paper will decrease with time, the paper piled on the table is still considered high-end.The performance of spending money in pursuit of knowledge proves how good a person is.Such a large amount of paper is difficult for even famous theologians to collect. "Then, what should I ask you first?" Ye Kebai sat down on the sofa opposite the small table, and the sofa wailed loudly in order to support his body.In normal times, this could be used as a joke, but in this situation, the sound was just a heavy hammer oppressing Lawrence. Fortunately, Holo was by my side. If there is only one person, the originally well-informed head will also become unintelligible. "First of all, I want to ask you, who is that pretty chick standing over there?" Ye Kebo's gaze was not directed at Holo, but at Lawrence. Normally speaking, a businessman on the brink of bankruptcy would bring a city girl to act together, which is simply ridiculous.If Yekebo was a quick-tempered person, he would have kicked Holo out together with Lawrence the moment he saw Holo. [Because of the business partnership, we do business together. ] [Yep?Business? ] Ye Kebo seemed to think that Lawrence was joking, and with a smile, he turned his eyes to Holo for the first time.Holo smiled and tilted her head slightly. "We raised the price of the leather that was valued at one hundred and forty Trinian silver coins at the Miron Trading Company in Pazio, and we sold it for two hundred and ten. The way to increase the price was her idea. " Holo puffed out her small chest, looking smug.Ye Keba, on the other hand, showed doubts in his eyes. Of course Ye Keba would have such a reaction.If someone told Lawrence that, Lawrence would also think it was a lie.The large scale of Miron Trading Company is well known in all countries. First-class businessmen are recruited there, and it is not easy to do if you want to drive up the price. "I said it when I came here this morning. I wouldn't invest if there was no benefit to be had." Lawrence thought the leather thing was true anyway, so he said it without flinching. As for whether such a statement would make Holo angry, Lawrence didn't think too much about it. He believed that Holo would understand that this was just a stopgap measure. After hearing this, Ye Kebo closed his eyes first, and then unexpectedly softened his expression and said, "I think, I won't ask any more questions. Occasionally, I see a businessman like you appearing." "what?" "These people appeared in a foreign firm without warning one day, and brought a beautiful woman who was as beautiful as a fairy, as if his business and life were different. It looked like nothing went well.However, these people refused to disclose the identity of the beauty.So, I don't ask any more questions.Besides, it is also written in the Bible that you should not forcefully open a box of unknown origin. " Although Lawrence thought that Ye Keba was tricking him, he didn't understand Ye Keba's reason for doing so.Therefore, Lawrence bluntly changed his mind. Perhaps it is true that the horse pulling the carriage transformed into the goddess of fortune and traveled with the merchant.Everyone who encounters this kind of thing will think that "only you are special."Lawrence himself, however, travels with wolves who claim to be wise wolves and who have the appearance of a girl.For a very realistic businessman, encountering such an unreal thing in person will only make him feel more real. "Smart judgment." Hearing what Holo said, Ye Kebo laughed and said, "Then, I'll cut to the point without hesitation. If you are husband and wife, I plan to persuade you to go to the church for a divorce immediately. However, since you are a business partner, then another It’s a different matter. If you are in the same boat, the ruin of your partner is your own disaster. The bond of money relationship is stronger than blood relationship.” The chair Ye Kebo was sitting on made a creaking sound. "Let me confirm the situation. What the guy from Remario Company came to convey just now is this: Simply put, Mr. Clover Lawrence, who belongs to the Ron Merchant Guild, came from Rado in Porosun Peron Trading Co. bought armaments worth a hundred Lumiones. Among them, nearly half of the amount is a loan, and the current creditor is Remario Trading Co., right?" Lawrence nodded painfully. "Although I don't know what kind of military equipment you bought, the price of all military equipment has fallen to less than one-tenth of the price. Assuming it is sold at one-tenth of the price, there are still nearly four A loan of ten Lumiones. Converted to trini silver coins, it is about 1,500." The ultimate benefit of the commotion in the estuary town of Pazio was a thousand silver coins.Even if you can get it again, it is not enough to pay off the debt. "No matter how you look at it, it's because of Ladoperon Trading Co., but I didn't plan to ask you the details. Even if I ask, it won't change the situation. Anyone can guess that you failed because you were too greedy, right? ?” "That's right." Lawrence couldn't find an excuse to refute. "Because I was too greedy, I lost money." This sentence completely tells the truth without any deviation. "Now that you understand this, it's easy to communicate. The guild will inevitably be required to pay back your loan, but you have to repay this loan on your own. Because if you encounter fraud, robbers, illness, or If you are injured and in debt, our guild and the foreign company will guarantee your reputation and will help you no matter what. But this time is different. Only God can help you repay your debts, or..." Yeckerberg did not move his eyes, but pointed his finger at Holo, who glanced at Lawrence. "Pretty chick over there." "I understand" Different from the guilds of various professions, the commercial guilds formed by fellow villagers are a mutual support group.Chambers of commerce operate on donations from their members.As Ye Kebo said, the guild exists to help those who cannot continue to do business due to disasters, or to protest in the name of a group for those who have suffered unfair treatment in a foreign country. Guilds do not exist to pay debts for those who are too greedy to fail. Therefore, under such circumstances, the guild may temporarily repay the debt, but then it will launch a fierce debt collection offensive.The reason why the guild did this was not only to give an explanation to other members, but also to warn members not to act hastily because of greed. Ye Kebo's eyes seemed to be a bow drawn tautly. "Unfortunately, from my standpoint, I cannot be merciful to you. Rather, it is the reason for me to sit in that seat in the hall by taking an attitude of categorically rejecting you. This is the discipline of the entire guild. If only If this foreign firm makes an exception, those greedy guys will swarm up.” "Of course. If others fail because of greed and get special treatment, then I will be angry too." Lawrence understood that now was not the time to be brave.However, if he didn't show his strength, he really couldn't make himself support himself. "Also, you should know that there is no torch for lending among members of the guild, right? In addition, the guild itself cannot lend you money. After all, you can set an example for those around you." I know. At this moment, the second hometown categorically rejects Lawrence from the door. "According to what the guys from the Remario Company said, your debt repayment deadline is two days later. The Remario Company also failed because of investing in military equipment, so they should be in a hurry, and they will come immediately without hesitation. Let’s collect the debt. In other words, the day after tomorrow, your failure will be exposed, and I will have to detain you. What conclusion can be drawn from this?” "If you don't prepare forty-seven Lumiones and return them to the Remario Company within two days, there will be no tomorrow." Ye Kebo turned his head slightly.Then he dropped his eyes on the table and said, "You are wrong to say there is no tomorrow." The small sound of fabric rubbing reached Lawrence's ears, and he thought it must be Holo's ears and tail moving. "You can still welcome tomorrow. It's just that it will be a dark, painful and heavy tomorrow." Yeckerberg was implying that he would not allow a pessimistic suicide because of bankruptcy. "Forty-seven Lumioni can pay off as long as he rowed a long-distance trading ship for ten years. You can also choose to dig holes in the mine. However, this must be done without injury or illness." Anyone who has read the letters between the captain and the owner's firm will immediately know how illusory and unrealistic Ye Keba said.Ninety percent of the content written in the letters is to apply for a replacement rower, and to try every means to ask the other party to continue to use the original rower. Generally speaking, about 80% of long-distance rowers can only last for two years, and the remaining 10% can last for another two years. The 10% who survived with strong bodies will be forced to sit on ships against pirates, and they will never return.However, the people on the ship are not bad. If they are in the mine, they will probably die of lung disease within a year.Even if you are lucky and don't get sick, you will die in the second year because of the mine collapse. Compared with this kind of treatment, if a foreign bank comes forward to repay the loan in case of a disaster, they can enjoy quite good treatment. They only need to repay the money to the foreign bank at a low interest rate every year. This seems to say "now you know how serious a sin it is to fail because of being too greedy?" "However, I am not saying that I want you to die. I want you to remember this: if you commit a crime, you will be punished. I just have to do what is so natural." "I see." Ye Kebo cast his eyes on Lawrence, and he showed sympathy for the first time. "In the past two days, try your best. Although that's all I can say, but if there is something that can help, I will help you." I will help. General business assistance is of course no problem, and I will spare no effort to help. Also, because I trust you, I don't intend to tie you up for these two days, and you can move freely .” The word trust weighed heavily on Lawrence's shoulders. Holo had said that she would lend a helping hand when it came to the end. However, if he accepted Holo's help, it would be tantamount to betraying the trust of Ye Kebo in front of him. Can I do this kind of thing? He couldn't help saying to himself in his heart. "Thank you for your magnanimity, I will find a way to make money in two days and see." "Business will always find a way out unexpectedly. Sometimes it is because of a crisis that we find a different way." Lawrence was a little surprised when he heard this.Because these words can be interpreted as "even if illegal means are used, we must try to survive the crisis." Ye Kebo, as the president of the Ron Merchant Guild in Reubenhagen, will constantly emphasize the harsh reality to Lawrence, but in fact he is really worried about Lawrence. As the owner of the merchants' second hometown, only A stern character is not good enough. "Is there anything else you want to ask, or want to say?" Although Lawrence shook his head, he suddenly remembered something, and he said, "Please think about your surprised line when you see me pay back the money." Ye Kebo opened his eyes wide in an instant, and then laughed out loud.Joking about things that can't be joked can make you laugh even more. It seems that what you said is true. "You can still joke around, so there should be no need to worry. Pretty chick, do you have anything to say?" Lawrence thought that Holo would say something, but to her surprise, she just shook her head quietly, "Well, we've talked about something good. It's not good to talk for too long. There are people out there who like to make wild guesses." guy, if If there are bad rumors, it will be difficult for you to act, right? " Ye Kebo stood up, and the sofa made a creaking sound.Lawrence and Holo followed him out. 因为叶克柏与罗伦斯都明白，商人脸上挂著黯然表情是一件多么糟的事，所以两人都尽力表现得平常，一副两人方才是在里面闲话家常似的表情。 回到洋行大厅后，叶克柏坐回他的老位置，并轻轻挥挥手送罗伦斯离开。 尽管如此，在大厅喝酒聊天的商人们还是感觉到气氛并不寻常，没有一个人向罗伦斯搭腔。 罗伦斯感觉得到有视线集中在他的背上，像是要把这些视线隔绝在门内似的，他背著身子关上门。 罗伦斯原本做了最坏的打算—也就是被拘禁。现在能够拥有两天的自由时间，他不禁感谢起叶克柏的宽宏大量。 「总之我们得到两天的自由，只能善用两天的时间尽力去做了。」 罗伦斯像在对自己说话似的喃喃说道，但他心里明白在没有资金的情况下，要两天内赚进四十七卢米欧尼的巨款根本是妄想。 如果有办法做到，世上所有乞丐早就都成为大富翁了·然而，罗伦斯不得不想办法。 如果不想办法，就得迎接连想都不愿意去想的明天。 拥有商店的梦想破灭。以商人身份卷土重来的希望也化为无。只能在昏暗的矿山里，或是在苦闷叹息声比海浪声更响亮的船上度过终身·虽然口中逞强地说了「总会有办法解决」，但是罗伦斯越是这么对自己说，就越觉得不可能做到的现实逐步逼进。 叶克柏因为信任罗伦斯，所以在还没开始讨债之前，给了他两天的自由时间。 可是，现在思考起来，却觉得叶克柏的意思或许是「至少让你在破产之前，过个两天自由的好日子」。因为越照常理思考，就越觉得要两天内赚得四十七卢米欧尼的巨款是不可能的任务。 等到罗伦斯察觉时，才发觉自己的手不停颤抖·罗伦斯觉得丢脸，於是握紧拳头想要制止颤抖，这时小小的手心握住了他的拳头。 是赫萝，罗伦斯总算记起赫萝的存在。 I am not alone. 这个事实让罗伦斯好不容易有余力深呼吸。 再这样下去，就连要带赫萝回到北方森林的承诺都实现不了。 停止转动的脑袋又重新运转起来。赫萝早预料到会这样，於是开口问：「那，汝啊，要怎么做呢？」 「在想办法之前，有件事我想先尝试看看。」 "What's up?" 赫萝抬起头询问。 「就是以债养债！」 除非是很有钱、或是很有肚量的人物，否则借了一大笔钱给别人，应该都会坐立不安吧。 相反地，除非是很没钱、或是心胸很狭窄的人物，否则借了一点钱给别人，应该都不会罗唆地拚命讨债。 借款就像一股向前逼近的浊流。或许直接迎向浊流，身体根本无法承受得住，但如果让水流分散到几条河川里，就能够勉强承受得住。 罗伦斯的想法是分散四十七卢米欧尼的巨款，也就是向好几个人借钱来一次偿还巨款，跟著再一一还钱。 然而——「哟，罗伦斯先生，好久不见呢。您今天又带来了什么发财方法呢？」 当罗伦斯出现在熟悉的商行里时，所有人都会说出这样的话欢迎他到来。不过，一旦罗伦斯说起借钱的事情，每个人都会板起脸来。 [五卢米欧尼，哎呀，很不凑巧~我们商行的财务也正紧着呢。年关将近，小麦和肉都涨价了，为了明年春天的交易，还得先买齐商品储存起来。很抱歉，恐怕有点困难……」 所有人的态度都一样，就彷佛事先约好了似的。毕竟对方也都是对这方面相当敏感的商人。 旅行商人不向自己所属的洋行借钱，反倒特地来到商行提出借钱的要求，对方立刻就能够察觉这名旅行商人一定是有什么无法向洋行借钱的理由，而陷入窘境。 没有人会把货物寄放在就要沉没的船上。 如果不肯罢休地告诉对方就是借一卢米欧尼也好，对方就会摆出像是看到腐臭物似的表情。 有时候甚至还没有机会多说话，就被赶出商行。 不是提出销售商品或洽商的要求，而是提出借钱要求的人，就跟盗贼没两样。 在生意界里，这是个常识。 「还有下一家。」 每次与在商行或住家外面等待的赫萝会合时，总是会讲的这句话，在讲了第五遍后，就再也没有讲了。 过了第三家之后，就无法继续强颜欢笑著走出来。从第四家出来时，就听不到说「怎么著？」 的声音了。 一路上，两人原本还讨论著除了先向人借钱还债的方法之外，是否还有其他赚钱方法；但过 了不久后，也变得意志消沉而不再讨论。商人本来就是靠著资金在赚钱。少了本钱，什么事都做不得，这道理不用说也明白。 罗伦斯走在路上的脚步无意识地加快，他与赫萝之间的距离也容易因此拉远。 每当发现距离拉远，罗伦斯就会叮咛自己别著急，然而，叮咛的声音却只是在空空的脑袋里形成回音罢了。不仅如此，就连赫萝时而说出的鼓励话语都让他感到焦躁。 不妙，这情况显然不妙。 天色已开始变暗，空气也逐渐转冷，但是罗伦斯的额头及颈都却满是黏答答的汗水。 虽说是早有心理准备，但实际体验之后，才发现比想像中更难熬。就彷佛素烧陶杯里的水慢慢地渗透出来似的，事态的严重性一点一滴侵蚀著罗伦斯。 为什么会在波罗逊做了那样的交易呢？这种后悔之情，以及就算后悔也改变不了现状的两种意见，在罗伦斯的脑海里争论的程度越演越烈。 听到赫萝的声音，罗伦斯再次发现与她的距离拉得太远。他停下了脚步，一股无法再度跨出步伐的疲惫感涌上他的心头。 可是，没时间喊累了。 「有人在吗？」 这是市场关门的钟声想起。到了每家商行都差不多该关门的时间。 罗伦斯来到第九家商行拜访时，这家商行的卸货场已经收拾干净，，入口处挂著表示今天的生意到此结束的木牌。 虽然商行已关门，但商行也是老板或是男仆的住家，所以原则上商行里不会没有半个人。罗伦斯摇了一下门铃，并做了一次深呼吸。 认识的商行已经所剩无几。就算被赶，也得缠住对方借钱。 「是哪位啊？」 商行的门打开后，一名眼熟的丰满妇人探出头来问道。 罗伦斯鼓起勇气准备开口请妇人让他见见老板时，妇人忽然转过身子，一副有些困扰的模样往里面走去。 在妇人离去之后，商行的老板走了出来。 「好久不见啊，罗伦斯先生。」 [好久不见。市场都关门了，还来打扰您，真的很抱歉。有件事情恳请您帮忙。]在拜访第一家、第二家商行时，罗伦斯还有余力假装成要洽谈，先与对方闲话家常一番。 然而，现在的他已经没有那种余力了。听到罗伦斯单刀直入地这么说，老板露出轻蔑的眼神说道：「我有听到一些传闻，您好像到处向人家借钱啊？」 「是的……真的很惭愧……」 城里的商行之间都有密切的横向联系，一定是其他被要求借钱的商行告诉老板了。 「而且，听说金额还不小啊。原因是兵备的价格暴趺吗？」 「是的。因为我想得太天真了，所以导致失败——」 罗伦斯告诉自己姿态得尽量摆低一些，就算得哀求对方大发慈悲，也要借到钱·因为他知道要不这么做，就不可能在两天内从手无分文，筹到四十七卢米欧尼。 而且，如果在这里被拒绝了，接下来不管到哪一家商行，恐怕都会被排拒在外吧。 只要有某一家商行借了钱给罗伦斯，或许其他商行会觉得借钱给他也无妨。然而，目前没有半家商行借钱给罗伦斯，就表示这些商行都认为罗伦斯不可能有机会东山再起。 商行彼此之间的横向联系非常密切，一旦消息透过这个横向联系传了出去，转眼间就会传遍整个城镇。 尽管罗伦斯放低了姿态，老板的语气依旧冷淡：「想得太天真了？这只是原因之一吧？」 即使不是颇能看出他人情绪的商人，也看得出来老板的想法。 老板散发出来的感觉是绝对不可能借钱给罗伦斯。 商行的老板双目紧闭，一副难以置信的表情。甚至叹了口气。依他的反映看来，说不定他已经查出罗伦斯是因为贪心而做了信用购买，导致巨额的负偿缠身。 对商人来说，信用比什么都重要。如果没了信用，就不会有人愿意伸出援手。 罗伦斯明白会导致负债缠身，原本就是他该负的责，如果因为这个原因而借不到钱，他也不能多抱怨。 罗伦斯羞愧地低下头，全身的力量就像被洒在土上的水一样，渐渐地消失。 no solution anymore. 这时，老板继续说：「不过，除非是神，否则谁也无法预料到商品价格会暴跌。劈头就责备你这件事，也太严酷了点。」 罗伦斯不自觉地抬起头来，他看见一道曙光。只要能够在这里借到一些钱，就比较容易向后面要拜访的商行借钱。老板对罗伦斯身为旅行商人的手腕有某程度的认同，这么一来，只要承诺一定会花时间加上利息还钱，或许老板就有可能答应。