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Colin advanced to Knight Weber, gaily patting him on the shoulder, saying,

“Knight Weber, I wasn’t aware you had so many merchant friends here in the North Territory!”

“Actually… Actually, I just accepted Mr. Arnold’s invitation to attend this gathering. I don’t know anyone else.” Knight Weber responded with a stiff complexion.

All of a sudden, he realized that he might have been used by Arnold, and underestimated Colin’s attention to this North Territory merchant gathering.

In his time in the North Territory, Knight Weber has increasingly felt Colin’s massive influence. Unlike in Dragon City, this is purely Colin’s home ground.

Governor Sebas’s warning emerged in his mind once again, prompting Knight Weber’s firm decision to extricate himself from this quagmire.

“Count Sir, I realize now that there is an urgent matter I must address. Therefore, please permit me to take my leave!”

Colin squinted amusedly at Knight Weber, somewhat regrettably watching the latter lose his courage so soon. However, he didn’t trouble him, but instead nodded in approval.

Like a man pardoned, Knight Weber, without paying any heed to uncomfortable looks from Arnold, hastily left.

The atmosphere in the tavern changed instantly.

The merchants deciphered clues from Knight Weber’s dismal departure, and it quickly dawned on them, Arnold hadn’t actually received the support of the St. Hilde family.

At least, for now, the real power-holder of the St. Hilde family – Count Angler, hadn’t sided with Arnold.

With his mind in disarray, Arnold was at a loss as to the next move.

He had indeed considered Colin’s attitude.

As a key player in the North Territory’s trading scene for decades, Arnold was surely well-versed with the shifting dynamics of the North Territory.

Colin’s rapid rise disoriented many, but Arnold had long noticed the up-and-coming figure of the North, favored by Duke St. Hilde and Marquis Garcia.

However, Colin had inadvertently antagonized the large merchants in the North over the Troll Empire trade agreement and suppressing the grain price.

Arnold also harbored grudges against Colin for a while, silently cursing him for disrupting his wealth flow.

But after Vera’s successful inheritance of the Northern Duke title, and especially Governor Sebas’s submission, Arnold had no choice but to face reality and proactively gravitate towards Colin.

Firstly, using Governor Sebas as a conduit, he gifted Colin an expensive enchanted armor as a probe.

The result was quite satisfactory.

Colin accepted the armor and wore it on numerous public occasions.

Thus, Arnold had let his guard down, assuming Colin held no malice towards the North Wind Business Association.

Who would have thought that Colin would’ve shown up uninvited today, and in a brusque manner, which caught Arnold off guard.

“Mister Arnold.” Colin turned around smiling at Arnold who stood rigidly, “I hope you don’t mind my uninvited visit.”

“Not at all! It’s my honor to welcome you to the Butter Tavern!” Arnold swallowed hard on the inside, but he had to feign surprise on the surface.

Colin smiled faintly. Next, he took the spotlight saying, “Actually, I’m only here to quickly address a couple of things, then I’ll leave. I won’t disturb your gathering.”

“Okay, okay, please, go ahead.” Arnold had no choice but to obediently sit down and yield the podium to Colin.

Of course, Colin wouldn’t hesitate and declared, “Friends, I’m sure you’ve heard from Oliver, the St. Hilde family intends to levy food from you through loans.

I know you have a large quantity of grain stocked up in hand, preparing to capitalize on the rising prices due to the famine.

Let me be honest with you. Initially, I considered confiscating this grain freely.”

The crowd gasped at his words.

But, under Colin’s icy gaze, the sea of merchants promptly closed their mouths.

They were aware that, if this man was distressed, he could really implement ‘free confiscation.’

After all, the entire North Territory was under the thumb of Colin and his wife. All the Lords were speechless, and what were these merchants with no armies going to do about it?

Colin casually observed the crowd’s reactions and paid no mind to the disgruntled and silent merchants.

This statement aimed to lower the merchants’ expectations, so the impending measures would not provoke extreme backlashes.

“However, our benevolent Duke doesn’t want to resort to such extreme measures,” Colin said, pushing Vera forward as the good person while he himself was playing the villain.

As expected, the merchants immediately began praising the Northern Duke.

When Colin raised his hand slightly, the room immediately quieted down. He continued up, “However, don’t think you can profit from such methods. I can tell you frankly that in a few days, I will personally go to Silver Moon City to purchase grain.

When that time comes, like last year, large amounts of food will flood the North Territory market, and the price of grain, even if it wanted to rise, won’t be able to!

And don’t consider going to the Half-Elf Kingdom to buy grain, hoarding in the hopes of selling at higher prices, as I have already reached an agreement with Queen Isa: the Half-Elf Kingdom’s grain will only be sold to the St. Hilde family!”

The merchants looked at each other, their hearts pounding.

However, they did believe in Colin’s words.

After all, just last year, Colin singlehandedly claimed all the grain from the Half-Elf Kingdom, and Queen Isa even sent the Silver Moon Guards to help Colin defend Ice Rock City. Thus, Colin’s control over the Half-Elf Kingdom was unquestionable.

As he looked at the anxious merchants, Colin’s tone softened slightly.

“So, if you don’t want the grain stockpiled in your warehouses to rot, seize this opportunity.

This time, the St. Hilde family will issue a public call for grain, and anyone who is willing to lend their grain to the St. Hilde family will receive equivalent bonds as compensation.”

With that, Colin clapped his hands.

Then, a group of attendants entered one after another, distributing prepared samples of the bonds.

Arnold also received a sample and discovered that this so-called ‘bond’ was made of an unidentified material that closely resembled papyrus paper, but was thinner, whiter, and smoother.

Written on it were the value of the each bond, ranging from one pound, five pounds, ten pounds to a thousand pounds. The bonds also stipulated a maturity date three years from now and an annual interest rate of eight percent.

This is actually what Colin modelled, based on the design of paper money from Earth, to be used as a shadow currency.

Once everyone had received a sample bond, Colin emphasised, “Anyone, and I mean anyone, who possesses these bonds can return them to the Lion Roar Castle after the due date to exchange for an equivalent amount of grain, of course, with the addition of the interest accumulated.”

With the bonds in hand, the merchants began to whisper among themselves in discussion.

Since paper money had never existed in this world, when the merchants looked at these bonds of various denominations, they wouldn’t immediately connect them to their true purpose.

They were only lured in by the annual interest rate of eight percent, feeling that this really was a profitable trade.

If the price of grain in the North Territory kept rising, the merchants would naturally refuse to lend their stored grain to the St. Hilde family. However, since Colin has exapressed his determination to suppress the price, the merchants started to calculate their gains and losses.

Instead of betting whether the St. Hilde family can control the grain price or not, why not trade the grain for these bonds?

At least, this way, it’s a guaranteed profit.

Continuing to retain the grain and confronting the St. Hilde family would undoubtedly offend Count Angler, whose vibes were murderous.

They were also clear that this young count’s nobility wasn’t obtained by marrying the Northern Duke. Instead, it was truly earned, one blade and one spear, with a path paved by blood and corpses.

“Count, rest assured, we, the North Wind Business Association, will definitely give up all of our stored grain in exchange for the bonds,” Arnold took the lead to express his position. At present, all Arnold wanted to do was to please Colin, not to mention that this transaction wouldn’t make him lose anything.

With Arnold leading, the other merchants began to raise their voices, expressing their willingness to lend grain to the St. Hilde family.

Colin nodded in satisfaction. He was well aware that although profit could be made, expecting the merchants to literally bring out all their stored grain was impossible. He suspected that many people would want to put out a portion then spectate the situation, considering whether or not to continue trading grain for bonds.

However, Colin wasn’t anxious, establishing the credibility of the bonds also would take time.

Once the first batch of bonds matured and were successfully exchanged, the merchants would believe and recognize the value of these bonds, ultimately equating the bonds to grain.

By then, Scholar Sunny’s New Agrarian-Pastoral System would gradually deploy, and the market’s demand for currency would surge. Colin could then take the opportunity to announce that taxes could be paid with the bonds.

This would endow the bonds with the real function of currency.

Furthermore, merchants would gradually discover that these paper bonds were actually more convenient for carrying and trading, thus becoming more willing to accept bonds as a substitute for currency.

Consequently, the St. Hilde family would possess the real minting rights.

Perhaps the Royal Family would gradually react, but by then, the North Territory would have developed thoroughly, and Colin wouldn’t have to care about the royal family’s questions.

Thinking of this, Colin felt exceedingly pleased and spoke again.

“Thank you all for your support. Now let’s talk about the second matter.”

He looked around the room, finally letting his gaze rest on Arnold’s face, and said with a smile,

“I plan to set up a North Territory foreign trade company. If you are willing, you can participate by contributing capital.”