Byron continued to press the unscrupulous merchant step by step.
"Mr. Mishal, not to mention misidentifying the value of precious gems, can't you even tell the difference between a knife and a sword? I really have to doubt your and the Golden Palm Trading Company's expertise!"
In general, the East considers a single-edged blade a knife and a symmetrical double-edged one a sword, but the West does not define them this way. Unlike most people's understanding, their distinction between knife and sword is not about the edge being single or double, but how the hilt is attached. Inserting the blade into a round wooden handle and then riveting a counterweight ball at the end to secure it—that's what makes it a sword. As for a hilt forged in one piece, sandwiched between wooden boards and fastened with rivets—that weapon is called a knife. Although the blade of the Fischer Slash Sword is indeed asymmetrical and only has one sharpened edge, it's still set into a hilt and secured with a counterweight ball, obviously making it a very standard sword!
Upon hearing this, the merchant's face first stiffened, then the muscles on his cheeks twitched. After a few breaths, he finally backed down completely under Byron's gaze. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead and had to admit, "Perhaps I... misread it. Yes, I just misread it. The sunlight today is too dazzling."
In fact, as a First Rank Squire Level Golden Eye of the Gold Sequence, he was an expert in appraising jewelry and luxury goods, even surpassing those in the Artisan profession. How could he possibly make a mistake? It was both intentional and deliberate.
Having been exposed by Byron, he couldn't help but lament internally, Just my luck! This batch of goods clearly comes from a typical Hightins noble family, most likely from the defeated and fleeing Lancaster Party during the Red and White Roses Wars. How could these illiterate pirates possibly understand noble collectibles so clearly? I'm losing at least three thousand percent profit here!
Thinking of his loss, Mishal felt pain piercing through his heart. "Swindling" is an unwritten rule among black market merchants; how much you can cheat in a deal is all down to your own skill. It's like visiting an "antique" market hoping for a windfall—both buyers and sellers know that ninety-nine percent of the items are fake. It is an accepted norm that even if you excitedly buy something only to find out it's fake, you only slap yourself and spit, "PTAH! I've been duped again this time." But when you encounter an expert who exposes you on the spot and critiques each item, that truly shatters your reputation. The rules of the gray area are still rules.
In Iron Anchor Bay, he wasn't afraid of unreasonable and brutish pirates. What concerned him was someone like Byron, who played by the rules and presented well-founded arguments. That's why he quickly changed his attitude.
Seeing the black market merchant's reaction, First Mate Miles and a group of pirates knew Byron must be absolutely correct.
"You swindler!"
"Do you know how hard it was for us to keep this batch of goods?"
"Damn it, you dare to brazenly rob us pirates!"
Dealing with black market traders, they hoped for prices to be halved. When starting the trade, they had a feeling they might have been cut to the ankles. They never imagined they'd actually been cut to the soles of their feet, or even to the floorboards!
Byron just casually waved his hand. First Mate Miles and a bunch of red-eyed, huffing pirates immediately ceased their commotion and drew back with a slight bow. Even without the position of deputy captain, Byron's prestige aboard the Man-Eater Shark was already second only to Bloody Eye Salman. The young members of the small group had eyes full of zeal for him. Now, the only barrier preventing him from rising to power seemed to be the matter of strength.
After discussing the Fischer Slash Sword and the gemstone necklace, Byron approached the pile of goods and scanned the dozens of bottles of rum. With just a slight flare of his nostrils, he confidently continued, "This batch of rum has a coppery hue, with subtle hints of citrus, spices, and woody notes. It leaves a long-lasting, dry finish with a rich aroma of orange peel, vanilla, nutmeg, hot coffee, and cocoa. This comes from the Appleton Estate, Appleton Dry Rum that has been aged in oak barrels for at least twelve years. I remember last year at the Royal Capital auction, a bottle of Silver Era 1451 vintage Appleton Reserve sold for the astronomical price of 124 Gold Pounds. The taste of this batch is actually not far off from the 1451, more than sufficient to deceive unsuspecting victims. At a high-end restaurant, selling a bottle for 2 Gold Pounds would be no problem at all."
"Next is this ivory inlaid pearl vanity box..."
With every word Byron spoke, the countenance of the black market merchant soured, yet he couldn't bring himself to turn and leave. Dealing with an expert meant less profit, but it was still much better than earning nothing and damaging one's reputation. You might profit a little, but I never lose.
Soon, all the goods were registered and accounted for, and the transaction was complete—money and goods exchanged. The sly merchant, Mishal, gave Byron a deep look then hurried off with his significantly reduced profits from the loot. Halfway through, when he heard Byron's enthusiastic call for "future cooperation," he nearly missed his step and fell into the sea.
The pirates, as if victorious in battle, cheered loudly for their quartermaster's excellent performance.
If you ask those sailors and pirates who venture the seas every day what they fear most? One is having the money but losing their lives! The other is staying alive but losing their money! Great strength can conquer some people, professional knowledge can conquer others, and life-saving grace can also win over a few. But gleaming gold coins can conquer everyone. If they don't, then surely it just means there isn't enough money.
"Hmm? What about the captive who's been on board for less than ten days? What about the arrogant newcomer? That's our most beloved Angel of Fortune."
Only First Mate Miles, who escaped the fate of "disappearing," had mixed feelings in his heart.
Aren't you the butler who served a great noble house before? How come you've turned to piracy halfway through and are still thriving as if you've been sailing the seas since you were born? Sailing, navigation, swordsmanship, treasure appraisal... one would think you'd been a pirate since breastfeeding if you're this adept. Right, it must not be that your appraisal skills are extraordinary. It's because these items originally belonged to Lord Crawford of the Lancaster Party, and it's natural for you to know the affairs of your lord's household. It must be that way!
If Byron heard First Mate Miles's inner thoughts, he would surely laugh at his naivety. If we apply this Pirate Sequence maxim, "Plunder is superior to toil," to those noble lords, it's equally fitting without any discord. In truth, all good things and scarce resources in this world are taken by various violent and non-violent means. Only the oppressed weak waiting for redistribution hope that the rulers would grant a relatively fair system of distribution. The difference is simply whether one steals in the name of an individual or a state. The world has never been tender-hearted. No matter how much so-called civilization tries to embellish it, this naked fact cannot be changed.
And those pirates who have already drunk the Blood of Metamorphosis—whether they adore him or detest him, it's all the same now. This future gang of subordinate Ghouls would never be swayed again; they belonged to the category that needed to be eliminated, just like Salman.
Byron's public display of expertise was not only to adhere to the family's frugal principles but also for another, more important purpose.
Soon, he too had organized a set of ship's accounts and, waving a piece of paper, caught the crew's attention. With a heavy heart, he delivered the bad news, "I regret to inform everyone that in order to evade the Stern Cruiser's pursuit, we discarded too many goods. Although we have just barely managed to gather enough to cover the repairs for the Man-Eater Shark, there is a problem! The compensation for everyone is now insufficient. We're short by about 1,300 Gold Pounds."
[Commandment Eight: A person who becomes disabled in battle may stay on the ship without working and receive 40 Gold Coins from the common savings.]
More than fifty people survived, but that did not mean they were unscathed. According to the Pirate's Ten Commandments, all those with injuries were entitled to a part of the compensation, and the families of those killed in action could also claim their share.
And so, when Bloody Eye Salman stepped out of the captain's cabin, he was met with the crew's fiery gaze. The pirates remembered well that their captain had taken quite a few small jewels from the spoils of the Pelican. Combining everything that just happened, they realized that those items might also be very valuable if they reached the hands of their great "Angel of Fortune."
Undoubtedly, the current attitude was: Captain, pay up!
At this moment, a gaze landed on Salman's hands, blending in among dozens of equally hot stares, seemingly inconspicuous. On his right hand's delicate little finger, he wore a gold ring that appeared plain, aside from its size.
And this was Byron's true goal.
—The Storm Sigil Ring, symbolizing the position of Grand Master of the Storm Knight Order and the succession of authority in the Lancaster Family!