A moment later, Celestina finished reading the letter. The letter was personally written by Duke Serizawa.
In the letter written by Duke Serizawa, he painstakingly detailed the catastrophic aftermath of the flood that had ravaged his lands. The floodwaters, he explained, were merciless in their destruction, sweeping through the fields with such force and ferocity that not a single crop was spared. Acres upon acres of what had been lush, verdant farmland were now submerged or muddied beyond recognition.
Grains, vegetables, and fruits that the people of his territory had relied upon for sustenance were now rotting under the sun. This calamity led to a dire scarcity of food. The backbone of their daily sustenance set off a chain reaction that would deeply affect every household.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Duke Serizawa tried to mitigate the disaster's impact on food prices, which he saw spiraling out of control due to the sudden shortage. He initially took a diplomatic approach by summoning the major merchants within his domain. He pleaded with them, face to face, to show restraint and compassion by not hiking the prices of food.
Unfortunately, his appeals fell on deaf ears. The merchants, driven by a relentless pursuit of profit, saw the food scarcity not as a crisis to be collectively endured but as an opportunity to enrich themselves even further.
Faced with their intransigence, Duke Serizawa was compelled to impose a price ceiling which was a regulation that sets the maximum price that can be charged for goods, in this case, food, to prevent prices from reaching levels where the majority could no longer afford basic nutrition.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})However, this intervention which was meant to protect his people from exorbitant prices, incited the anger of the merchants. The merchants viewed the price limit as an affront to their freedom and a threat to their profits. They retaliated by withholding their goods entirely. They ceased the sale of foodstuffs in the duke's lands, hoping to pressure him into revoking the price cap. This withdrawal not only showed their indifference to the difficult situation of the common folk but also worsened the food shortage, pushing prices to even loftier heights and deepening the crisis.
The duke's difficulty was further compounded by the ongoing civil war, which engulfed the whole kingdom in chaos and strife. With the kingdom itself ensnared in conflict, resources were stretched thin, and the usual channels of aid and support were severed. The war made it impossible for Duke Serizawa to seek external assistance, as other regions were either hoarding their resources for their survival or equally devastated by the conflict. The civil unrest ensured that no reinforcements would come, leaving the duke and his people isolated in their time of need.
After reading the letter, Celestina had a few questions and doubts in her mind. But she did not ask them yet. The suspicion that she had on Silas increased after reading this letter. While Celestina was reading the letter, there was also another young maid standing behind her and was also looking at the letter. Her name was Maris. Maris was an orphan whom Celestina adopted. And now Maris was one of her most trusted subordinates. In the eyes of the public, Maris worked as her maid. Secretly Maris has a spy. Because of Celestina, Maris was even trained by the Shadow Guardian for a few months. In her training, she learned many important things.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Without Silas or James noticing anything, Maris also had read the letter. Once she was done, she pushed the glasses while glancing at James. James saw her glance and mistook it for a romantic gesture. 'She definitely has a crush on me.....!! Too bad, I am not into her.' James thought in his mind. Though he was happy that he was this popular among girls. "Maris, please take this letter to my office," Celestina said to her Maid. Though this was a hidden message to Maris. Celestina was indirectly telling Maris to look more into this matter while she spoke with Silas. Maris was a young lady of 20 years of age. Maris was dark-skinned. She stood at the height of 5 feet 4 inches tall. Just like her master, she also had tied her black hair into a messy bun. She was wearing a long black dress with full sleeves, a white apron, and a frilled white cap. As Maris left with the letter, Silas kind of looked nervous. He wasn't nervous because of the letter. Silas was nervous about the possibility of Celestina rejecting the grains to Duke Serizawa. "Can you specify the exact quantity of grain the Duke seeks to purchase? Our surplus is substantial, yet we must consider our own future needs." Celestina asked calmly. Hearing the question, Silas smiled. This question meant that there was a chance of the governor agreeing to sell them grains. "The Duke is aware of the logistical and economic considerations such transactions entail. The Duke seeks to purchase no more than what is deemed surplus by your assessments. Specifically, he has expressed an interest in acquiring 500,000 bushels of grain. He believes this amount will sufficiently address the immediate needs of his territory without imposing undue strain on the resources of the Istarin Empire." Silas confidently answered the question.
"When the Duke is expecting the delivery of the goods? Our resources, while ample, but still require careful management to ensure timely distribution." Celestina was testing Silas. Because of the Goddess of Nature, the Istarin Empire could just grow food as much as needed. All the cultivated lands surrounding the capital have been blessed by the Goddess. The blessing has increased the speed of the crop's growth. For example, Wheat, which can be typically harvested once a year, now could be harvested 5 to 6 times a year. Not only that but also, but the quantity harvested also has been increased by 2 to 3 times. "Understanding the importance of careful resource management, the Duke proposes a phased delivery schedule. The initial shipment would consist of 100,000 bushels to be delivered within this month, followed by equal parts over the subsequent four months. This staggered approach allows both our territories to maintain flexibility and ensures the stability of your reserves."
"Given the volume of the purchase, what price per bushel is the Duke prepared to offer? We must balance generosity with the needs of our own citizens." If Duke Serizawa was in deep trouble, then Celestina had no problem giving the Duke a discount price. Just because food could be grown in abundance doesn't mean that she should give them charity. This was a very important matter. "Given the desperate need and the volume of this purchase, the Duke is hopeful that the Istarin Empire can extend its generosity in the form of a discounted rate. We fully understand the need to balance this with the requirements of your own citizens. Thus, we're not asking for a steep discount. It is merely a slight adjustment below market price." Silas was 100% sure that Celestina would agree to this. 'This is the reason I have come here in the first place...!! Hehe....!!' Silas smiled in his mind. So far this deal was going in the right direction. Celestina's expression did not change upon hearing Silas's answer. No one knew what she was thinking. "Let's talk about payment.....!!" Hearing this Silas became very excited. "What terms of payment does the Duke suggest? Immediate payment upon delivery, or is there a deferred payment plan in place?"
Silas was about to say payment upon delivery but then something struck inside him. 'Hold on.....!! Maybe a deferred payment plan would be better.' Silas's thoughts became greedy. "Regarding the terms of payment, the Duke is currently facing a difficult financial situation worsened by this food shortage. Immediate payment is certainly preferred under normal circumstances, but it poses a significant challenge at this moment. Hence, we propose a deferred payment plan. This would involve a structured timeline that allows us to address the immediate needs of our people while also ensuring the Istarin Empire is fully compensated for its generosity and support. We are committed to transparency and open dialogue to struct." Celestina wanted to find out if the Duke and Silas were using this opportunity to make money out of this transaction. Celestina suspected this to be the case here. After all, this wasn't the first time, someone had tried something like this. "What assurances can you provide that the grain will indeed be used to alleviate the food shortage in the Duke's territories and not for profit or political leverage?" Silas leaned forward slightly as his eyes locked with Celestina's. "Governor Celestina," His voice was filled with confidence and also a hint of arrogance.
"I understand your concerns.....truly, I do. In these difficult times, trust is as scarce as the very grain we seek to procure." He paused for a moment as if deciding his next words carefully. "The Duke is deeply committed to the well-being of his people. This... humanitarian endeavor," He stressed the last two words. There was a smirk on his face. "Is not about profit or political gain. It's about survival."
Celestina had to admit that this guy was very good with his tongue. "Very well, Mr. Silas. I will need time to think about this matter and time to make a detailed contract. Please come to see me tomorrow around this time. We can sign the contract then." Hearing this Silas and James became very happy. "Thank you, Governor." Both of them stood up and bowed their heads. Before Silas left, he looked at Celestina. He wanted to invite Celestina to dinner but in the end, he never said it. Celestina watched Silas and James enter their carriages from the window of the living room. Maris walked behind Celestina. "What do you think Marin?" Celestina asked.
