The Former Holy Knight. Having Lost My Job and Childhood Friend, I Decided to Start a Dark Guild - Chapter 58

Two months had passed since the conflicts at the western lake and the vast forested area. In Loser’s District, new businesses such as a blacksmith, a metalworker, and a used bookstore had opened, suddenly invigorating commercial activities.

The Michino Family, utilizing the rewards from the LeBlanc family, began supporting those wishing to start commercial activities by lending them money at low-interest rates. The town boasts many skilled artisans with a unique flair, attracting adventurers from the capital’s central district to purchase their equipment.

Meanwhile, familiar street vendors spreading out their humble vegetables or selling fragrant skewers and noodle dishes remained, preserving the atmosphere I remembered from my arrival in this town.

While expanding the town’s commercial activities, I also want to preserve the unique role of Loser’s District as the last refuge for people shunned by the central district of the capital, including those who are sick or lazy, as being able to live somehow is what makes this town great.

Five heretics newly added to the family are on constant guard in town. There have been a few minor retaliatory actions by the Capone Family, but all were already quelled. The improvement in the overall security of the town is a welcome byproduct.

As the town becomes more active, various problems inevitably arise. Being recognized as the Don of this town, multiple requests have come to me.

Today, Sani, who is in charge of reception, came to my main room. “Don, Fatty Pitt wants to meet with you.”

“Ah, let him in. I was expecting him to come around now.”

The next moment, Fatty Pitt entered the room with his distinctive raspy voice. “Hey, hey, when will the ingredients for the booze arrive?”

“Sorry, negotiations haven’t been going well. I’m trying to gather what I can be using various routes.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying, make Pitt booze. You can make that with scrap vegetables!”

“No good. Pitt booze might be drunk here, but it won’t sell in the capital.”

Pitt, who once dominated this town as a moneylender, was one of the craftsmen I loaned money to. He rebuilt his brewery with that money and now works as the owner and brewer.

However, before lending Pitt the money, I set one condition: “Create a liquor that can be sold outside of Loser’s District as well.”

Pitt’s original Pitt booze, made from fermented scrap vegetables, tasted awful and was undrinkable by anyone outside the impoverished Loser’s District.

Originally, Pitt’s parents were respectable brewers. Pitt knew how to make liquor properly, so I thought he could eventually sell his products in regions beyond Loser’s District.

But there was a significant hurdle.

Pitt said, “I told you! People outside this town look down on us. That’s why they won’t sell us the raw materials!”

It’s understandable why Pitt is angry. Loser’s District is facing several similar problems, particularly the refusal of the Craftsmen’s Guild to sell raw materials to the craftsmen living in Loser’s District.

In the capital, it’s common for craftsmen to join the Craftsmen’s Guild, which allows them to trade raw materials like iron for blacksmiths or malt for brewers at wholesale prices.

However, craftsmen living in the Loser’s District, including Pitt, were denied membership in the Craftsmen’s Guild simply because they resided in an inferior area.

Consequently, the Michino Family had to buy and ship raw materials from the black market, which led to further problems.

“The procurement of raw materials from the black market has been stagnating lately, hasn’t it? Is everything alright?”

The black market is a place for heretical craftsmen who can’t do business openly, but the Michino Family has also been shut out from this market.

I asked Sofia to investigate this matter, but it seems more troublesome than expected. We were excluded from the market due to instructions from a highly-ranked noble in the capital.

I said, “I’ve inquired with the LeBlanc family about this matter, so please be patient.”

Pitt, once motivated, seems eager to restart brewing as soon as possible, a fact that’s apparent even to an observer.

This issue must be resolved not just for Pitt but for the sake of other craftsmen.

And then there’s another problem troubling me.

(How should I resolve the request?)

The memory of Cecil visiting our guild headquarters that night is vivid in my mind.

Two months ago, when we defeated Capone’s mad dog, Grits, and were having dinner as a family, she visited our mansion directly.

My childhood friend Cecil came to the Michino Family’s guild headquarters alone, without any attendants. Guided by Sani to my room, her presence felt surreal.

And so, after a long time, we had a strangely odd conversation.