Chapter 138: Container
With the participation of Amagio Silverhead and Alban Breias, the trade negotiations began to progress rapidly. The presence of Amagio was particularly significant.
He was able to grasp the conditions and political concepts presented by the Paraiso side to a considerable extent, and he even took on the responsibility of explaining and adjusting matters for the Kingdom of Repuitari. Notably, the understanding of the gold standard issue and the conveyance of the concept of promissory notes were completed at a pace that exceeded expectations.
“However, Drei. The fact that they are bringing up promissory notes means they must be planning a significant transaction, right?”
This naturally led to a question. The trade items currently proposed by Paraiso should not amount to a scale that would raise concerns for them.
“That’s a quick assessment. Originally, this discussion was intended to progress after the trade commenced.”
Thus, the Local Strategy AI readily acknowledged this. The presence of Amagio Silverhead had necessitated a significant change in their negotiation strategy.
“We know what you desire. We intended to proceed cautiously, but with this participant, we can still keep things contained here.”
Their greatest fear was the chaos that could arise from unnecessary information leaks. The turmoil caused by numerous independent wills was something Paraiso desperately wanted to avoid, especially as they sought to quickly establish a resource export system.
“Let me state this upfront. What we desire is resources. Specifically, we are seeking metal ores.”
“…Oh?”
At this declaration, everyone present stiffened. For the Kingdom of Repuitari, metal resources were considered strategic materials, and ideally, they wanted to consume them domestically.
“Of course, we will not demand a large quantity all at once, and we will prepare sufficient compensation. However, the amount we aim for is vast, and you cannot provide it at this moment.”
“Hmm, is that so? I’m not boasting, but our country’s steel production is exceptionally high.”
“At a minimum, we are looking at an annual requirement of 10 million tons. In your units, that would be approximately 3.73 million VARCA. We wish to conduct transactions for more than this amount solely in iron ore.”
“3.73 million VARCA…”
Faced with a number they had never heard before, the representatives of the Kingdom of Repuitari were visibly shaken. Amagio Silverhead, however, maintained a stoic expression.
“…So, you are saying you can prepare compensation sufficient for that transaction?”
“Indeed.”
Everyone understood that they would not be discussing payment in gold coins.
“Allow me to show you. As a sample, we have it loaded on this ship as well.”
Behind the meeting area on the deck was a direct elevator leading to the ship’s storage hold. Currently, a single container was being brought up from there.
“…An elevator. It’s truly disheartening…”
Amagio Silverhead couldn’t help but mutter, likely exasperated by the disparity in technological prowess. The container ascended with a smooth mechanical hum. The floor remained fixed while the sides of the container folded up as it was raised.
“Given the direction of your technological development, you should be able to manufacture a steam-powered lift. If it operates on piston motion, achieving low-speed operation should be relatively simple. You might want to give it a try.”
“…We will consider it.”
Receiving a casual suggestion regarding technological direction, Major of the Technology Bureau, Pariard Aminas, responded with a sigh. They were still in the research phase regarding steam engines, and various ideas were being contemplated. However, the reality was that the rising cost of Redstone had hindered their ability to conduct sufficient experiments.
While it was a fortunate opportunity to receive guidance on research and development, it was likely a source of frustration for the researchers.
“Now then. Here is our flagship product offered by Paraiso.”
At Drei’s words, Sechzehn grasped one of the handles inside the grid-partitioned container and pulled it out with a clatter. The interior of the container was designed for pull-out storage, allowing for manual retrieval.
“Please, take a look.”
Sechzehn extracted a neatly arranged rectangular block from within. The blocks were uniform in size, measuring 12 cm x 12 cm x 46 cm, and were dark brown in color.
Cradling it in both hands, Sechzehn stepped forward before the dignitaries of the Kingdom of Repuitari.
“Hmm… What is this?”
At first glance, it appeared to be merely a well-cut stone. However, the individuals present were the top elites of the Kingdom of Repuitari.
Their initially skeptical expressions gradually transformed into astonishment.
“Could it be… No way…”
The Supreme Commander, Alban Breias, staggered closer to Sechzehn.
“…Can I touch it?”
“That’s fine.”
Confirming Sechzehn’s nod, Alban Breias gently placed his hand on the mineral she was holding.
What he felt was the hardness of the mineral and a faint warmth. The dark brown appearance and the heat it radiated.
If it was indeed what it appeared to be, it was the strategic material that the Kingdom of Repuitari desperately craved.
It was a chunk of Redstone.
“…No way.”
Amagio Silverhead muttered under his breath.
“Hey, Drei. Could it be that the contents of that container are…?”
“Affirmative, Lord Amagio. The contents of this container are Redstone. All of it is sized to our specifications.”
With that response, Drei turned on her heel and approached the container. Then, she pulled out another drawer with her own hands.
“This case contains 24 blocks of Redstone. As you can see, there are 5 rows and 24 columns of drawers. This setup is mirrored on both sides. The Redstone blocks weigh 8.51C (Sil) F (Far) x 8.51CF x 34.0CF, totaling 4.9433T (Tarl) R (Logun) per block. Thus, each container holds approximately 26.99V (VARCA) of Redstone.”
“……”
Even Amagio Silverhead fell silent at this explanation. 26.99V, equivalent to 72.33 tons in Paraiso’s terms. This amount was what they were currently mining over the course of a week, but it easily surpassed the Kingdom of Repuitari’s annual purchasing volume.
Moreover, the quality of the Redstone itself would determine its utility. In particular, the size of the crystals directly correlated with heat output and sustainability; the performance of sand-like materials differed entirely from that of crystalline forms, even at the same weight.
Therefore, if the presented Redstone was as it appeared, its value would be immeasurable.
The impact was so profound that everyone from the Kingdom of Repuitari fell into complete silence. A year’s worth of hard-earned Redstone was laid out before them.
And it was all arranged into impossibly high-purity chunks. Its value could potentially multiply by dozens.
“The Redstone we plan to sell you will all conform to this specification. The shape is determined by our convenience, so we will not accept requests for alterations.”
Drei then dropped another bombshell. As long as they purchased from Paraiso, they would receive Redstone in the same size crystals. Naturally, this was extremely useful from an industrial standpoint. Currently, they were using a variety of sizes of Redstone crystals uniformly, which meant that their compression ignition devices were bulky in both volume and weight. The potential for miniaturization was now on the horizon.
“You may already know this, but Redstone can be processed underwater. If it’s too large, it can be easily shattered by driving in a wedge.”
The representatives from the Kingdom of Repuitari wore expressions of disbelief at the thought of breaking such valuable material, but Amagio Silverhead seemed to have regained his composure.
“…I see, I see. This is certainly not something to be shown lightly…”
With a deep sigh, he approached the container. Perhaps finally coming to their senses, the others hurriedly followed Amagio Silverhead.
“From what I can see, it’s indeed all Redstone. Goodness, you’ve brought something extraordinary, haven’t you, Drei? This transaction certainly cannot be conducted using our gold coins. However, with promissory notes, we can afford some leeway in payment deadlines, and we could even consider exchanging for the actual goods.”
With Amagio Silverhead’s words, it seemed the representatives of the Kingdom of Repuitari finally grasped the situation. Indeed, if purchasing a single container would wipe out their annual budget, it would be quite challenging to engage in trade. However, by allowing for payment deferrals through promissory notes and accepting them as payment for other goods desired by Paraiso, they could eliminate the need for monetary transactions.
Thus, the trade negotiations between the Kingdom of Repuitari and Paraiso began to advance significantly with the arrival of Amagio Silverhead.