C018 We Are Going To Have PopCorn...!!!
1974 Words
Hiko-sama and I drank tea and ate some snacks that were served by the 'aunties' while we watched the two blacksmiths who can't believe the two pieces that were presented in front of him.
"Th... This is remarkable! I... I never thought I could hold it in my ha... Hands now! This is a revolutionary piece that would change the world in terms of weapons, armour and other machinery stuff and also everyday item."
"This is steel, right? And from the sheen of it, I could stay that this is a third tiered Refined Steel! This is not a mild steel plate but a highly graded piece of steel...! Is this for me?!"
"Fat chance, Kuro-san. We wanted to evaluate so we could give the reply to the Master of Forge Masters. If the price is right, he would supply 500 pieces for you first!"
The two blacksmiths looked at each other and counted with their fingers in the number of grade upgrades before they reached to the Refined Steel quality.
I didn't know it was third tiered because I forgot about mild steel than normal steel used in making steel pots and pans and now Refined Steel to make finer pieces of weapons and armours plus other daily items. This Refined Steel has a higher resistance to accumulate oxide or rust.
"I would say a price between 18 to 25 pieces of gold each. That's what I would buy for a single piece."
"How can you say 18? This is high-quality steel. Look at the sheen... It won't rust easily and it would produce finer qualities of weapons and armour... I would say 20. YES!! 20 pieces of gold would be an ideal price. I could use 3 pieces to make a broadsword and it will cost between 100-120 gold each... Or even 150 if I made several inserts in them! "
The other young Blacksmith butted in and revealed at how much they could earn by using 3 pieces of Refined Steel. They could earn an extra 100% profit very soon.
Hmm... 20 gold piece for a single plate. We could clear off our current stock of Refined Iron at 4 or even 3 gold coin... But I dismissed the idea and just exhaust the stock.
Once we announce that the Forger Guild would not be producing this anymore, we could hold the anticipation for them by a month and then ship 11 plates to the Blacksmith Alliance in Tochigi Prefecture and 3 plates to the Blacksmith Alliance in Yamagata and Niigata as well as Fukushima.
"Alright, that settles then. I will get back to you in a month and will let you know about the stock. Is he in favour of the price, you would get the first 500 pieces at 20 gold pieces each, which means it's a total of 10,000 gold coins? Is it a deal?"
"Hmm...it sounds a good deal. By the way, could we purchase some Refined Iron first so we could produce weapons and armours so we could collect enough funds?"
"We have about 5,000 pieces left. Why not you take all of them and I will give you a huge discount! How do 3 gold and 5 silvers sound to you? You have a good discount only for you OK? Don't tell your Alliance about it! And the total amount would be 17,500 coins."
"Its a bit too much!! Not a bit but a huge difference, even if I mortgage my shop... It barely covers the amount!"
"Do you need a loan without any collateral from the Treasury? I could recommend the Head Treasurer to release 20,000 gold coins to you. Its called micro-financing for a small enterprising business like yours."
"Really... It can be done? Without any collateral?"
"Yup, a 20,000 gold coins at repayment of only 33 gold coins per day over 24 months. You don't have to wait for a month to pay. You can opt for daily repayment instead and it would be easy on your pockets. What say you, fine blacksmiths of Kitakata?!"
"Really? 33 gold coins per day? We easily earn 50 gold coins per day on average and at least 150 on a good day and even 300 on a windfall! Since you are helping me in this way, I would gladly accept your offer of 20,000 pieces of Refined Iron at 3 gold and 5 silvers each! Do let me know when we would begin the transaction."
"Ahhh... let us have some tea and snacks first. Hiko-sama, you and I will go and meet the Head of Treasurer after this and we can ask for his opinion and if he approves, you can get the gold coins straight away!"
"That's wonderful, we didn't know that you could be doing this kind of transaction and knowing the Head Treasurer would have a high chance to take out the micro-financing scheme that you had mentioned."
"Good... Good... Let's have this wonderfully made Gyoza, prepared with love and care by our fine cooks here."
=*=
"How do you do, Senior and Young Master? Ah... I recognise you, you must be Kuro-san, our one and only Blacksmith in town... Come and take a seat... What can we do for you, Gentlemen, on this fine evening?"
"Ah... Head of Treasurer... How kind of you. We had proposed our Kuro-san here and he told me of his dilemma and situation right now. If it is other matters at heart, we would have brought him to somewhere else and cheer him up."
"However, he had a small financial dilemma and I am sure this would work out both ways. So far is the STM instalment scheme that has been in progress?"
"Ah... It has been very good since you had exercised the 12, 24 and 36 months scheme and we had made better margins and our Treasury seems to be more flourishing."
"That's good to hear that, here is the case that I want to present to you. Since this was an impromptu meeting, I do hope you could look into the matter and discuss and approve on it."
"That's not a problem, anything good for you would also good for me and this Treasury, Young Master! What have you got in store for me?"
"May I borrow your reed pen and a piece of paper? Let me draft the proposal and you may get it approved and it can be made proper afterwards."
The Head Treasurer eyed me with full enthusiasm because whatever proposal I have would benefit him most. Since I was sitting on the leftmost chair and Kuro-san was at the other end, only Hiko-sama saw what I was writing and proposing.
I quickly wrote on the piece of paper titled Micro Financing for Business and below I write Treasury Building, Kitakata Village. Below it, I wrote an amount of 20,000 gold coins. Then I made a calculation based on 24 months which amounts to 833 gold coins 4 silvers per month. I add 20% to it and became a 1,000 gold coins.
Then I divide it into 30 days and it amounts to 33 golds and 4 silvers. I round off the interest and the profit the bank earns and it was 4,000 coins.
15,000 deposit to Fasuto Japan KabushikiGaisha and 5,000 gold coins for us.
After doing so, I passed the drafted proposal for the Head Treasurer and at the same time, I placed our corporate account book on the table.
He looked at it for some time and saw a hefty profit at the end of the paper and he smacked his lips. He was thinking of this young man recommends anyone to take up a micro-financing loan as what he wrote here at the top, every 10 business that takes a loan of 20,000 would earn the Treasury 4,000 and that would total to 40,000 on interests alone! This kid got the brains!
"Kuro-san has agreed for a proposed amount of 36 gold and 4 silvers to be paid to this Treasury. Furthermore, its a profit of at least 5 gold coins per day, am I right?"
The Head Treasure flipped out his Docomo mobile phone and keyed in the calculations and a smile slowly crept up his face! A daily interest of 5 gold coins! Even his salary of 1 year won't be able to cover the monthly profit for the Treasury! Damn! He's got a mobile smartphone man!
"Do you agree on the daily repayment of 33 gold and 4 silvers, Kuro-san? If you do, I would take this draft and be undersigned by you and be notarized by me. We could end this business dealing in just a few minutes."
"Yes, I agree with the proposed and have the financial capacity to settle it daily. Here, let me undersigned this agreement."
Kuro-san took the paper and made sure everything is in order before he wrote his full name, local name and date and undersigned the top portion above his name. He passed the paper back at Head Treasurer and he notarised it by melting the red sticky thingy and stamped it using the Treasury logo.
"How do you want it, Young Master?"
"5,000 in gold coins for me and the rest goes into the corporate account. Thank you so much for accommodating us, Head Treasurer."
"No problem... No problem... It had always been a pleasure if doing business with you." the Head Treasurer called his assistant to prepare 5,000 gold coins for me while he took the account book and made an entry of 15,000 and he added the interest after that.
He handed the account book to us and Hiko-sama checked the entry and we bowed deeply to the Head Treasurer and all 3 of us left the building. Hiko-sama was given a large wooden chest where it contained 5,000 gold coins in bundles of 20 coins. It was heavy and cumbersome and somehow when he slipped it into the sleeve if the kimono and into a secret compartment, Hiko-sama walked with ease.
We headed back to the house and I asked for the assistance of 4 delivery boys to load up 40 crates of Refined Iron and deliver it to Kuro-san. He was delighted at laying his hands on the 20,000 plates of Refined Iron plates at a discounted price. Even if he sells them at 5 gold coins, he could earn 1 gold and 5 silver per Refined Plate. Hahahahaha...!
Kuro-san bowed and left with a load of crates that our delivery boys had pushed using 4 handcarts.
Another day, another killing. The total float cash that we have is more than 9,000 gold coins and it would last a while since we only pay for food supplies. And it could even salary up to 6 months ahead.
Hiko-sama pointed to his head and gave a thumbs up and handed me the large wooden chest that appeared mysteriously from the sleeve of his kimono. I took it and bring it to the storage room where I counted the bundles of coins and it had amounted to 470 bundles.
I separated 100 bundles each and place them at random inside the pottery pieces. There is more than 2 handful of gold coins and I threw it into the charity box that had not been used for a very long time.
I walked out and went to the 'aunties' and find out what's for supper. I told the 'aunties' to just serve us dinner, while I took a few cobs of raw corn and began to remove the kernels. After I had removed them, I used a large saucepan and a bit of animal fat. I threw in a handful of corn kernels and used another saucepan and covered it as I shook both the saucepans together.
A few short moments later, there was some popping sound emitting from both the saucepans and when it was all quiet I asked for a plate and poured the contents over and walla! We have popcorn!
(actually, popcorn comes from sun-dried kernels and I just bullshit and make it as if popcorn comes from fresh, raw corn)
- Writer
