Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Alchemist of Nothingness (2)
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Free City Hamburg.
This city was situated at the crossroads of roads connecting to several nations, including Nant County, the Franchi Republic, the Romanian Empire, Itarica, and the Genovian Republic.
Nearby stretched vast plains through which the Mine River flowed, allowing the city's citizens to produce more than enough food to eat.
Diligent citizens, brilliant scholars, and countless merchants hungry for wealth each played their roles to the fullest, driving the city's development.
As a result, even without belonging to any nation or having a lord, the city possessed the strength to defend itself.
Thus, all citizens living here enjoyed the independent economic rights, military power, and freedoms owned by the city itself.
Beyond that, people like me—those seeking opportunities to make money or carrying goods—continuously flowed in, giving the city an ever-changing face.
And its grandeur was...
"Behold, Young Master. This is Free City Hamburg. Look at those walls."
It was truly staggering.
The towering walls, at least eight meters high, encircled the city over a span of two to three kilometers both horizontally and vertically.
"...It's incredible."
Ella, standing beside me, chimed in as well.
"Yes, Master..."
Baldt looked at Ella and me like we were country bumpkins and spoke up.
"Haha, if you're already intimidated by this, what will happen inside the city? The streets are paved with bricks, lined with houses everywhere. Wealthy merchants even build their mansions from marble. You can't be this surprised already."
"Is that so, Helmut?"
"Yes, Young Master. But even here, marble mansions like the kind Sir Baldt mentions are exceedingly rare. Across the entire city, there are probably no more than four or five."
For a moment, I tried to imagine a mansion with walls clad in marble, but I just couldn't picture it.
The scale was too grand.
"I see."
"The owners of such mansions are the heads of the five families that run this city. It'll take about an hour to get there—shall I tell you their stories on the way?"
"Please do, Helmut."
And so, Helmut spent the next hour explaining the city's political structure.
According to him, the 'City Council' dominated Free City Hamburg, and its chairman effectively ruled as the city's leader.
The chairman was called the 'Doge,' under whom served ten senators in the council's upper house and thirty regular councilors.
Most councilors passed their positions down within their families, but true to its name as a 'free city,' elections were held every four years in each district to select candidates.
Helmut scoffed at the system as foolish, but I figured it wasn't so bad. Citizens with means would dream of entering politics and rising through the ranks, putting in the effort.
And incompetent councilors would fail reelection and get weeded out naturally.
Beneath the council were organizations like the executive branch, which included the guard force and city army responsible for security and defense against invasions, as well as administrative officials.
Most crucially, nearly everyone in the city—excluding prostitutes, low-class laborers, the poor, and beggars—was a citizen with 'freedom rights.'
Even the Doge, wielding power like a lord, couldn't treat them arbitrarily because of that freedom...
Somehow, it reminded me of Korea or other democratic nations.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Upon reaching the city gate, two soldiers in armor holding spears blocked our carriage and called out.
"Halt! Halt! State your purpose! You must pay the toll to enter the city!!"
Hearing that, Baldt stepped out of the carriage and shouted.
"The gentleman here is Sir Siel von Kroitel, heir to Baron Kroitel! No matter that this is a free city, how dare you demand a toll from a noble?!"
The guards replied in subdued tones.
"How are we supposed to know that? And this carriage doesn't even bear a crest."
Realizing his own point was shaky—after all, we were riding an unmarked carriage and claiming exemption as nobles—Baldt scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sorry about that. So, we can go now?"
"Enter."
The guards moved to lift the gate bar.
I stopped them and spoke up.
"Wait a moment, guards. We have four carriages in total, including the one behind me. How much is the toll?"
The guards looked at me in bewilderment.
"Aren't you a noble? You can just go. It's an unspoken rule."
"No. As far as I know, in this city, nobles and commoners alike must follow the same laws. So, we should pay the toll."
They exchanged glances before answering.
"One silver coin per carriage, two copper coins per person. In return, you'll receive the city's basic protection under its laws."
"Good. Here, take it."
After paying, my group and I reboarded the carriages and entered the city.
Baldt then stared at me like I was some oddity and asked.
"Young Master, why bother paying? Even in a free city like this, they don't impose tolls on foreign nobles—tariffs on trade, maybe, but not this..."
I smiled and replied.
"Baldt, I'm here to do business with this city's merchants. And according to Helmut, those merchants are essentially the 'rulers' of the city. Even as a noble, showing respect for their rules will make a better impression."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The day we arrived, I decided to rest and booked an inn. I handed Helmut and Baldt plenty of coin and sent them to gather information.
Gathering intel in this era mostly meant hitting the taverns, buying drinks, and eavesdropping.
Exhausted from ten days on the road, I chose a nobles-only inn in the city to recuperate.
I'd requested a single room for myself to relax undisturbed, but Ella staunchly refused, insisting, "Serving Master is Ella's sacred duty." In the end, we took a room with two beds.
The small one for Ella, the large one for me.
For the next two or three days, I lounged in the inn, enjoying three meals a day and occasionally catching street performances, fully unwinding.
Finally, Helmut and Baldt returned, having completed their intel gathering, and reported back.
It was a bit complicated, but the summary went like this.
The current Doge of the city was Raël Schmidt, who had amassed a fortune trading sugar with Spenia.
But with civil war erupting in Spenia, sugar supplies were dwindling, prices soaring, and the man was on the verge of ruin.
In this situation, if I offered to sell him unlimited quantities at Spenia's old prices, it'd be a huge help.
Nobles needed sugar for their feasts to maintain appearances, so they'd buy without haggling.
Even that bastard Count Nant spent a fortune on sugar for his banquets... best not to dwell on it.
Good deeds should be done swiftly, so it was time to prepare.
"Baldt, Helmut. You've worked hard. Head to the Doge's mansion and inform them that Siel von Kroitel has brought sugar. Tell them I'll sell as much as they want, so long as they match Spenia's previous prices."
Now that the bait was cast, I hoped the man would bite...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It didn't take long—barely two days—before the Doge's steward came to find me.
"I am Helios Filler, steward to the Doge. Hearing that Sir Kroitel has brought sugar, the Doge wishes to meet you personally."
Hearing this, I was certain I'd seized the key to success.
I wanted to leap for joy, but I feigned nonchalance.
"Shall I go now? I've brought two tons to sell to the Doge. It's not much yet, but..."
The steward's eyes widened at my words.
Then I was escorted to the Doge's office in his mansion.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Doge's office was surprisingly modest—or so it seemed at first glance.
His sofa appeared to be plain black fabric, but up close it gleamed with fine silk. The desk and bookshelves were crafted from glossy ebony.
Even the white curtains were edged top to bottom with meticulously crafted lace that must have cost a fortune.
As I zoned out pondering the room's extravagance, the door opened and the Doge entered.
Clad in a vibrant red coat embroidered with golden thread, the Doge—over sixty yet striding with youthful vigor—sat on the sofa opposite me without a trace of frailty.
He met my gaze with a smile, but I couldn't read a thing behind it.
I bowed deeply to him first and spoke.
"It's an honor to meet you, Doge Excellency. I am Siel von Kroitel, heir to Baron Kroitel, vassal to the House of Count Nant."
The Doge regarded me with a chuckle.
"Indeed, I am the Doge of this city. Even with your sugar, I wouldn't normally meet you. But the guards reported a young man who, out of respect for 'our laws,' voluntarily paid a toll he didn't have to. I wanted to see what kind of fellow you are."
"I see."
"Far wiser than I expected—like gazing at my younger self. You pass."
As I'd hoped, paying that toll to show respect for the guards' law had been the right call.
The Doge now flashed a meaningful smile, his eyes turning chillingly cold as he fixed them on me.
"So, that sugar. How much are you selling, and at what price? Don't try any tricks before me. If you do, I'll take revenge not just on you and your father, but your liege lord's house as well."
When a man truly capable of wiping out me and my family issued that threat, fear gripped me for an instant.
But I steadied myself and prepared my response.