Chapter 36
The place we often think of when collecting information in the medieval era is always the tavern.
There are frequent scenes of entering an inn or pub, having a drink, and asking if anyone knows anything, gathering information in a chain-like manner.
Especially in taverns located in port cities, pirates are openly drinking.
So I also went to a tavern where they said those guys often come.
It's good to enter the tiger's den to catch the tiger...
And pirates don't usually cause trouble in the city.
"Does anyone here know about the brave ones who taught those Alsini bastards a lesson?"
I spoke loudly enough for everyone in the tavern to hear, but no one answered.
I came all the way to this regular spot frequented by pirates, it's disappointing if there's no response like this.
Maybe I need to grease people's mouths.
"Innkeeper, give a plate of roasted pork leg to each of these brave sea warriors gathered here."
Saying that, I handed over 3 silver coins.
The innkeeper didn't tactlessly ask why I was trying to mingle with these pirates.
That gentleman must have noticed that I came to gather information from the pirates.
If you don't have that level of sense, you can't do business in this continent, no, in the Tuscan Empire.
"Give them beer and wine as they ask. Make sure to tell them I'm paying."
When spending money, you need to spend lavishly to get attention.
Not long after, a man wearing a pistol on his waist approached me.
Judging by his style of dress, which looked like a mix of nouveau riche and thug.
Is he an executive of the pirate group here?
"I'm Andre, captain of the Blue Flag Pirates. If it's alright with you, may I tell you a small tale of bravery in return?"
This guy who came to tell a tale of bravery is rubbing his thumb and index finger very eagerly.
Look at him staring intently as if peeking at a beauty's naked body.
Is he a guy whose greed for money has risen to the limit?
You'd need to be at least that level to entrust your body to a pirate ship called a moving coffin and live by plundering merchant ships.
"I'd be grateful. Hey, innkeeper, give us a 17-year-old whiskey, some salami, and cheese here."
Even in Korea, you can buy wine or beer cheaply and drink plenty if you buy cheap ones.
But whiskey, which needs to be distilled from low-alcohol drinks and aged, is damn expensive.
The situation isn't much different in the Tuscan Empire.
As the appetizers were set and a glass of alcohol went down, Andre's mouth opened.
"What story would you like to hear?"
"I heard you bestowed the teachings of the Deus religion on merchant ships under the protection of those Alsini bastards."
Although such words aren't written in the Deus religion's Bible.
His Holiness the Pope of the Deus religion has explicitly stated in the doctrine:
'Heretics are unsaved humans and followers of Satan, so they are not the same as people.'
This means that since they worship the devil Satan, it's okay to mess them up.
Of course, no matter how much the Pope rages and the kings of the Albania continent want to kill heretics, they can't defeat the sultanate with vast territories on the Medina continent.
Therefore, full-scale war hardly occurs and diplomatically they just don't associate, but...
'It's legal to kill heretics'
This sentiment applies in any country on the Albania continent.
"Isn't it legal to kill them all when those Alsini bastards dare to pollute our sea? They even sell our coastal people as slaves."
Not a single word of what that guy said was wrong.
The trading companies and merchant ships owned by the Alsini family don't engage in piracy.
However, the sultanate guys to which the Alsini family belongs do all sorts of dirty things.
They plunder merchant ships or fishing boats peacefully passing through the sea, sell the goods and turn people into slaves.
As the great one who delivered in the Neolithic era said there are no innocent civilians, the Alsini trading company can't be innocent either.
"You're not wrong."
"Other noble gentlemen were saying that piracy is a bit much no matter what."
It's not that I approve of killing people and selling them as slaves.
However, if you think about it, spice trade is also a kind of smuggling (slightly open official trade) in a state of war where only armies don't move.
They're killing each other and selling each other as slaves, so I just thought there's no need to say who's bad or good.
"I've heard that evil must be repaid with evil from old times. If they feel wronged, the Sultan should beat up his own pirates too."
"The heretic bastards who struck first are the ones who did wrong."
"But those Alsini guys are on my side, you see. I'd like you not to mess with them carelessly. Can you cooperate a bit?"
"That's a bit difficult on an empty stomach."
The types who engage in piracy only targeting the sultanate are not doing it for religious beliefs or for the country, but are just stealing because they have no money.
Therefore, if I just give them a little money, they're kids whose minds can be changed.
They're doing this to make money and live well, so if you just give them money, which is the goal of their actions, there's no need to risk their lives fighting.
Moreover, these guys are among the most conscientious of pirates...
Because they only plunder those from the sultanate designated as heretics by His Holiness the Pope, and don't kill ordinary people like us unless we strike first.
'You can become a hero if you just kill enemy soldiers even if you kill people.'
Of course, it's definitely not exemplary for guys who aren't even soldiers to voluntarily go around killing heretics because they're crazy about money.
"I'm not saying this as empty words."
I casually placed a pouch full of gold coins.
At the same time, the guards standing a bit far from me put their hands on the swords at their waists.
It's not to provoke a fight with them here.
It's just a small warning in case those guys' eyes go crazy at the sight of money and try to kidnap or kill me.
"Open it."
Andre's eyes lit up seeing the gold coins inside.
He looked like he was about to drool.
"It seems to be all gold coins."
"Gold coins are gold coins, or did you think they were fake coins?"
One gold coin can buy a cow, the number one asset of serfs.
Because it's such a precious item, counterfeiting is extremely common.
It's natural for Andre to be suspicious.
"How much would it take to buy your pirate group?"
Some manga depict pirates as a type of people full of romance and fond of exploration, which can be misleading.
Piracy is something that starts when merchant ship sailors, whose livelihoods are very painful and difficult, rebel against the captain.
Organizations that start from rebellion are somewhat democratic and fair, but their living conditions are like a gutter.
On the sea, they have to wait blankly for ships they can plunder to pass by, and they die in vain even while plundering ships.
After plundering a ship, they distribute the loot and spend the money from selling stolen goods on women and alcohol in the city.
Such a life might be fun at first, but if you think you have to live like that for life until retirement, it would be gloomy.
"I happen to be creating a new port village. I need sailors and captains to drive warships that escort merchant ships there, what do you think?"
"Are you saying you'll recruit us? Instead of hiring others?"
Well, it doesn't have to be these guys specifically.
However, if they're pirates with plenty of experience plundering those heretic bastards, they'll have a lot of practical experience, and if I make these guys my allies and 'disband the pirate group'?
I could report to the Alsini family that I solved the problem.
"The Alsini family asked me to get rid of you guys. But no matter how much Alsini is a friend of our Medici family, they're heretics. What need is there to forcibly subjugate good pirates who only plunder heretics?"
Actually, if I thought I could subjugate you with the forces I brought now, I would have already subjugated you and turned you all into salt farm slave Chunsiks.
But since the current forces are insufficient, I'm letting you live.
"You guys are doing piracy because you're in difficult circumstances, right? And yet, not wanting to abandon your conscience as humans, you only subjugated 'heretics'."
In the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, European slaves hardly existed in name.
Because it was considered unconscionable to enslave people who believed in Catholicism.
Of course, they just didn't call them slaves but still treated them like slaves, but let's skip over such trivial things.
"There happen to be several unmarried maidens in my territory, I'll give everyone a chance to get married, get a house, and live. Live like proper humans."
Andre accepted my proposal immediately.
"We don't want to be pirates either. What should we do?"
"First, hand over the pirate flags on your ships to me. I'll tell the Alsini family that we completely subjugated you guys."
And the next day, I immediately boarded a ship and hurried to meet Alsini.
**
"Here are the pirate flag of the Blue Flag Pirates and the sword the captain was holding. As per custom, we'll take all the prisoners."
I put the Blue Flag Pirates under me.
And I need to extort the reward for subjugation from Alsini.
Isn't this the right negotiation?