Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 72

Merchants who transport goods between cities are commonly referred to as caravan traders. This is because they often form large caravans with multiple wagons.

While individual merchants from nearby towns and villages sell vegetables and other goods, they usually just tie baskets to donkeys for transport and are distinctly different from caravans.

Caravans are typically organized in units of four or eight wagons. This arrangement creates a rectangular formation called a cargo box for camping and defense, with the wagons aligned north, south, east, and west.

In addition to the caravan leader, the group often includes drivers and guards for each wagon, as well as guards on horseback who follow the wagons. It is common to have dozens or even over a hundred people in a caravan.

There are many monsters outside the city. Therefore, many of the caravan members are former adventurers in their 30s or 40s. Since they often fight from within the safety of the cargo box, they are equipped with many spears and arrows.

Adventurers who are lucky enough to survive many years of dangerous adventuring and wish to start a business with their savings encounter many obstacles. This is because the city’s commerce relies heavily on local connections and guilds. Newcomers, like retired adventurers, find it difficult to break into this sphere.

Thus, they become adventurer merchants who handle distribution between cities. City-to-city distribution is risky, and since merchants tend to drop out over time, there are few vested interests. New entrants are always welcome.

Although the rewards can be significant, the dangers from monsters and bandits are high, so merchants raised in the city are reluctant to engage in this trade. However, for adventurers, danger is a friend.

Here, there is a balance of supply and demand.

In other words, the leader of the major caravan introduced by the Sword Fangs Legion is a successful former adventurer who commands a hundred roughnecks and continues to navigate life-threatening situations—a self-made merchant, so to speak.

In modern terms, he would be akin to the head of a trucking cartel operating in the conflict zones of the old Silk Road in Central Asia. During the warring states period or in conflict zones, such merchants can be indistinguishable from bandits, and warlords who run the show.

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I walk toward the caravan’s parking area while explaining things to Sara. Since the clan captain himself can’t accompany us, the vice leader, Swiberry, accompanies us instead. Sara, who excels at handling tough old men, also came with us.

“Hey, about what you mentioned earlier,” Sara starts, “why contact the caravan? Wouldn’t it be enough to deal with large merchants in the city?”

“Because I had already planned to approach the caravan after dealing with the Sword Fangs Legion. The schedule has moved up, but you could say it is still going according to plan. This time, I’ve established a solid partnership with the Sword Fangs Legion. This greatly reduces the chance of direct interference from others. Next, I’ll partner with the caravans. This should decrease the likelihood of our business being obstructed by city-based interests. If I face obstacles in the city, I can simply sell the shoes in another city. Those after profits want to obstruct sales to get their share. If they want a share of the profits, they need to pay up. If they obstruct us, we’ll just sell in another city, they can’t stop us. So first, ensure our safety. Second, control the distribution to other cities.”

Always have a Plan B ready; that way, you can gain an advantage in any negotiations.

Ideally, I want to use the priority sales rights for the shoes to create a gently stabilized balance among many forces, but I ran out of time to work on that. Due to the accelerated schedule, my position has become heavily reliant on the Sword Fangs Legion.

In the end, it seems the sharp conflict will be between the two major forces: the Sword Fangs Legion and the caravans, representing the adventurer factions controlling violence and distribution, versus the entrenched powers within the city.

In the future, there is a risk that the Sword Fangs Legion might sell the business when they leave the city, but I cannot trade my life, which is currently in immediate danger, for that.

For the sake of my future plans, I cannot die now.

“Hm,” Sara says, seemingly not fully grasping the situation. Right now, we’re in quite a dangerous position. I wonder if she understands.

When we move to a new inn in the Second District, she excitedly exclaims, “Hey, the bed isn’t filled with straw! There’s some nice clean cloth laid out!”

“You’re still as indirect and peculiar as ever,” Swiberry, who has recently become much more refined and well-dressed, says. “If there are obstructions in the city, just cut them down with a sword. If there are too many, call for reinforcements. If it’s a store, just destroy the whole shop. If killing would be a problem, just cut off a finger or two, and they’ll quiet down.” He jokes with a straight face while tapping the sheath of the magic sword on his waist. He’s just kidding…right?

“Wow, as expected of the Sword Fangs Legion, so cool! Don’t you think so, Kenji?” Sara agrees with sparkling eyes, looking at Swiberry like an idol.

Sometimes, I can’t keep up with the muscle-brained nature of this world.