Chapter 75 The Serf of 20 Silver Coins

The ice cream brought the festival banquet to its climax, effectively soothing the heat of the sweltering weather.

Though the feast had concluded, the nobles lounging in their chairs continued to discuss the ice cream. Li Weiwei was among the most enthusiastic, having already fallen deeply in love with its delectable taste.

"Lister, tell me, how is this ice cream made?"

"Let Mrs. Abby explain it to you. I merely had the idea; the rest was all accomplished by Mrs. Abby," Lister said without any intention of keeping it a secret.

If he could mass-produce ice, then he would certainly need to keep the ice cream recipe confidential as a means of accumulating wealth.

But since he couldn't mass-produce ice, he couldn't mass-produce ice cream either, let alone transport it over long distances for sale. The recipe would be useless in his hands.

Of course, he still intended to extract some value from Li Weiwei.

"I'll share the ice cream recipe with you alone, but you're not allowed to divulge it to others. Moreover, as a fair exchange, you can't just take my creation for free, right?"

"What do you want?"

"Raw iron or wrought iron."

"A hundred pounds of raw iron, that's all I can give you. Any more, and I'd rather not have the ice cream recipe."

"Alright." Every bit counts, Liszt understood the balance — a free gift would be recklessly generous, and the other party might even think him foolish; asking for too much would be unbecoming, especially since they were blood relatives, there to support each other in times of need.

Having made this small transaction, he felt a twinge of nostalgia.

He recalled his "younger" self back on Earth, when he handmade ice cream to win the affection of a girl he liked. Though he didn't succeed in winning her heart, he did learn how to make ice cream, which now seemed to have been worth the effort.

"If only I could produce ice on a large scale. Making ice cream is still troublesome; if I made popsicles directly, I'd surely make a fortune... Even just producing ice would likely be profitable."

...

The ice cream recipe was sold to Li Weiwei.

But with Levis, he gave it away for free.

"Brother, how many days until the Tulip Fleet returns?"

"Based on their usual schedule, they should be back at the Coral City harbor in about a week," said Levis as he lit a cigar. "Are you referring to the slave trade?"

"Yes, for the next Tulip Fleet voyage, I'd like you to help me acquire a group of slaves."

With the formula in hand, Levis was amenable to negotiation. "Certainly, but what price are you willing to offer?"

"Ten silver coins per slave?"

"That was the price in the past. Nowadays, with little conflict within the Grand Duchy, slave trading is scarce, and they're not easy to come by."

"But I've heard recently that the lord of Little Papa Island was slain by pirates, and his territory fell."

"The Sapphire Duke is furious about this incident, and his demand for assistance in hunting down the pirates has spread throughout the territories. However, after the pirates destroyed Little Papa Island, they vanished without a trace. Some speculate that they might not be pirates at all, but agents disguised by a lord. Great Papa Island is offering a bounty of three hundred gold coins for any information on their whereabouts."

Levis summarized the reaction to the pirate attack on Little Papa Island and continued, "Aside from this incident, the duke's domain remains calm. For slave trading, we need to look further afield, preferably along the border where the Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom are in conflict."

"You name your price, and if it's acceptable, I'll agree," List offered.

"Twenty silver coins per slave, no less. Otherwise, there would be no profit for me," Levis stated his terms. "Additionally, if the number of slaves is substantial, payment in gold must be made upfront, or I won't be able to account for it to my father."

List pondered briefly before nodding in agreement. "I'll give you one hundred gold coins immediately. Bring back five hundred slaves for me."

"Delighted to hear that."

"I do have one request, though.

Among these five hundred slaves, I'd like there to be a higher proportion of young people, especially women. Additionally, if there are any slaves with particular skills, prioritize purchasing them." "You mean slaves who are blacksmiths, tailors, or tanners? That might be tricky. Artisans are typically free citizens, and the laws in each country protect their freedom. It's difficult to treat them as slaves for trade."

The smooth operation of cities relied on free citizens, thus the law shielded them. Liszt gritted his teeth. "I'll add twenty gold coins. At least a hundred artisans should be included among the five hundred slaves."

"Deal." Reluctantly, he counted out a hundred and twenty gleaming Naldars for Levis.

Gazing at his now emptier purse, Liszt felt a pang of melancholy. He had initially possessed around one hundred and fifty gold coins, but they had dwindled significantly due to paying wages for the commoners' work. Now, only sixteen gold coins remained, and the purse could run dry at any moment.

Fortunately, the passage through Thorns Ridge was almost complete. Once the trading convoy was established, Flower Town's seafood could be sold in Coral City. He believed that the delectable seafood would generate substantial wealth for him.

After settling the matter of the slaves, Levis suddenly brought up saltpeter. "Liszt, can't you scale up the production of ice using saltpeter?"

"I wish I could, but unfortunately, I can't."

"You could exploit more nitre mines."

"Brother, it's not like I can just find nitre mines whenever I want. In fact, there's only a small amount of nitre in Flower Town. I can give you some nitre powder and the raw ore from the mining process. You should search for more yourself; perhaps there might be other nitre mines on Coral Island."

"Alright, I'll look for them. You may not realize it, but if you can make ice in the summer, you'll surely earn a fortune." Levis took a puff of his cigar. "Once I find a nitre mine, I won't let you down. Can you tell that Lady Mary is urging our father to intervene in the nitre-based ice production?"

"It's clear to me," Liszt acknowledged.

"Luckily, Father doesn't care much about nitre-based ice. During the summer, he spends more time at the court as the Duke's coachman, where there's an abundance of ice to enjoy. Blue Dragon Island has many ice cellars, and the largest one is said to be like a maze. Workers moving the ice have gotten lost inside and froze to death."

Liszt remained silent.

The most noble person he had ever met was Merlin Longtaro. Beyond that, he had no idea what life was like for higher nobility, especially those with dragons in their family.

...

After digesting their food, the sun had already begun its descent in the west.

The count's party was also preparing to depart; if they delayed any longer, they would have to travel at night. Before leaving, the count rode his horse, followed by Liszt on his own steed.

"Flower Town is quite commendable. I hope you maintain your ambition, but merely being a competent lord is not enough. The Tulip Family's rise was fueled by military exploits, and the duke is still in his prime, with the fire of expansion burning bright. Therefore, if you wish to step out of Flower Town, do not abandon your yearning for the glory of knighthood."

Wouldn't it be quicker if you just made me a viscount?

Liszt held some resentment in his heart. The count clearly didn't like him but was now playing the role of a strict father, which felt somewhat awkward: "I understand."

After that, they fell silent, each lost in their thoughts as they rode their horses.

A moment later, the count glanced at the black dragon horse beneath Liszt: "This is an excellent horse. Take good care of it; it will be the most important companion to a lord."

"I understand."

Then, the two returned, with the count rejoining his entourage. Carter stood at the castle gate with the servants, respectfully seeing off the honored guests.

Liszt bade farewell to everyone individually.

"Grandmother, be careful getting into the carriage."

"My dear boy, if life in Flower Town doesn't suit you, feel free to return to Tulip Castle. The scent might not be pleasant, but everything you need will be there," Lady Penelope said over her shoulder.

"I'll visit often," List promised.

Li Weiwei embraced him and said, "That hundred pounds of raw iron, when will you come to Coral City for it?"

"I will, I promise."

Lady Mary held onto Lytton, who was sulking after failing to mount a horse. She merely smiled at Liszt and bid him farewell with a nod.

Captain Mickey and his escort of knights all observed the consummate code of chivalry.

Just like Li Weiwei, Levis also gave him a fraternal hug, likely to display their affection in front of the Earl: "List, the gates of Tulip Castle will always be open to you."

"Thank you."

The caravan began its slow journey, and Liszt watched them depart into the distance.