I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 200: If you keep telling a lie, it becomes the truth (2)

The rumors were already spreading far and wide, like words without legs traveling more than a thousand miles.

The rumors spread by Baron Rothschild had reached the Pisa Blacksmith Guild as well.

“Damn Florence bastards. What? Are they saying we’re inferior in skills to them?”

“Did they boil their sense of reason with stew or something?”

These statements were actually fabricated by Baron Rothschild.

The master of the Florence Blacksmith Guild never actually made such comments.

In fact, the master of the Pisa Blacksmith Guild had not cared much about their skills at all.

As long as they maintained the minimum level of skill, they could monopolize the supply of weapons, armor, and various tools that circulated in Florence.

There was no need to stir things up with the neighboring guild.

But the master of the Pisa Blacksmith Guild, Gildo, was no longer able to retain his rational mind after hearing these rumors.

“I heard one of the senior craftsmen from the Florence Blacksmith Guild said that the Pisa craftsmen are so incompetent, they would only be apprentices in the Florence Guild.”

Most craftsmen endure a pitiful apprenticeship for about ten years, restraining their youthful desires and romantic distractions, grinding away like dogs in order to eventually become masters.

Once they endure, they can live a new life as masters—married to a young and beautiful wife, with a nice house and workshop, and unpaid apprentices who can pretend to be dead at their command.

They gain wealth, power, and women, and their pride soars.

But now, to hear that these people, who had endured such hardships, were being told they were inferior to the Florence apprentices?

Another senior craftsman chimed in.

“They said the Florence people can’t even deliver to the royal family, so what kind of trash are they making? Honestly, the only reason they get to supply the royal family is because they’re based in the capital and bribe the hell out of everyone.”

Naturally, this was also not a statement made by the guild master or anyone connected to the Florence Guild.

Fabio had borrowed the wisdom of modern journalists and summoned an "anonymous source," spreading the rumors as if they were facts.

However, without the internet’s scrutiny, the Pisa craftsmen, who had no clue how to distinguish the truth, were easily deceived by these words.

One of the senior craftsmen, who hadn’t realized he was being manipulated, sighed and wiped his forehead.

“Guild Master, honestly, this is nothing. I don’t care what those bastards are saying behind our backs, really.”

“Don’t you care that those bastards are looking down on us? Are you really one of the Pisa Blacksmith Guild’s artisans?”

But the senior craftsman gritted his teeth and answered.

“They’re trying to break the guild’s inviolability agreement.”

All guilds only operate within their own territory.

The Pisa Blacksmith Guild conducts business only within the Pisa County and does not sell its goods outside of it.

This principle has been a sacred, iron-clad pact for over hundreds of years.

And now someone wants to break it?

Gildo, hearing this, was stunned, completely speechless.

He realized that escaping this reality was the only way to cope.

No matter how corrupt the world had become, this was a step too far.

“They keep saying their skills are the best in the Empire, so if they raise funds through stocks and mass-produce goods at cheaper prices... would there be anything they can’t do?”

It wasn’t impossible to think so.

Until now, the principle of not touching others’ territories had been maintained...

In reality, it was not only about respecting other people’s businesses but also because the guilds didn’t have the capital to challenge those in other cities who held established production facilities.

But now that the stock market was involved, and all the merchants and nobles were diving into it...

‘We, as ethical craftsmen, might not think this way, but those unscrupulous Florence bastards...’

They’d lose all reason in front of the profits and would certainly shout for the abolition of the guild system like moths to a flame.

This wasn’t just because they were offended by the Florence Guild mocking them.

They were envious and frustrated because the Florence Guild was making more money than they were.

In truth, the Pisa Blacksmith Guild had superior skills and ethics compared to Florence, so why should they care?

Gildo thought this to himself.

“If the other nobles or merchants try to dismantle the guilds, we can unite as craftsmen. But if the guild itself starts calling for the abolition of the guild system...”

The guild masters and senior craftsmen were among the best artisans, equivalent to holding a PhD if there were a university for craftsmanship.

They were incredibly skilled as artisans, but they also had the political acumen of politicians.

If they hadn’t been this astute, the guild would have been abolished 200 years ago.

The conclusion they had come to after their discussion was clear.

“The guild system itself is going to be dismantled. In other words, we’re all going to be screwed.”

As long as the guild is maintained, they can monopolize the entire market for tools in Pisa County.

But if the guild is dismantled, they’d all be thrown into the wild, competitive free market.

Their current business of selling products at five times the cost price would no longer work.

And there was no guarantee that even a handful of them would survive in the future.

Gildo held onto his rational thoughts tightly, realizing the danger before him.

‘If I lose my head, we’re all done for.’

“But this is still just a rumor.”

Dismantling the guild, that was a fate as dreadful as war for the craftsmen.

They had enjoyed privileges for so long, and now those could disappear in an instant.

And because they hadn’t been brainwashed by some bald octopus and his army of trash journalists...

‘The guilds must never be dismantled.’

“Don’t make any rash moves. Anyone who acts without my permission is dead meat!”

Gildo knew that he had to stop the explosion from igniting.

“Make sure the lads keep their mouths shut, and anyone who talks about guild abolition should have their mouths sealed!”

He had no idea who started it.

It felt like someone had laid an unavoidable trap, but...

‘Why are we just standing here, letting it happen?’

In fact, this was the same thought the Pisa Blacksmith Guild and everyone else were having.

But now, no one had the luxury to sit around looking for the culprit.

They had to act, either punishing or guarding against the betrayers (presumed) in front of them.

Just then, someone barged in through the door.

“We’re in big trouble, the pigs from Florence, with their swollen egos, have started issuing stocks!”

The mention of stock issuance was understood by everyone in the room.

Issuing stocks meant raising funds to start a business they wanted to pursue.

In reality, the Florence Blacksmith Guild issuing stocks was just an apprentice trying to gather money to start their own workshop, but...

The blacksmiths who had already dominated the metal industry in Florence and the surrounding areas, now expanding their business...

‘Those Florence bastards, worse than pigs, are trying to destroy the guild system itself and take over the whole market!’

Gildo couldn’t take it anymore and leapt from his seat.

“Those damn Florence pigs! Filthy and despicable bastards who mix with heathens!”

Mixing with heathens.

This was a phrase equivalent to calling someone a perverted degenerate, a highly insulting term.

No matter how noble someone was, calling a commoner such names without reason was an insult so severe that even if the commoner stabbed them, a judge would let them off scot-free.

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Of course, most nobles of the Toscanian Empire might own at least one smuggled heathen sex slave...

But that little fact wasn’t important right now.

“They’re not human! What’s the difference between them and heathens?! They’re destroying the rights our ancestors fought and bled for!”

Everyone agreed.

“Damn it, let’s issue our own stocks. The Pisa Blacksmith Guild’s skills aren’t worse than the Florence bastards! Let’s prove it with our own skills!”

And at this moment, a letter from Fabio arrived at the Pisa Blacksmith Guild.

“Baron Rothschild has requested a mass production of flintlock guns. He will be visiting tomorrow.”

Following this letter, Fabio arrived the next day to meet with Gildo, the master of the blacksmith guild, to discuss a business deal that would benefit everyone from the perspective of economic development and utilitarianism.