When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist

Chapter 1157 - 1090: A Merchant Who Doesn’t Want to Be an Officer Is No True Illiterate

Scarlet Sea.Vandra Archipelago.

Setting off from the Xilan Islands, we traversed the terrifying Abyss Sea, which had not a single island, to reach this Vandra Archipelago.

The islands live up to their name; this territory of the Vandra Clan is like a necklace around the crescent-shaped East Passage Bay.

As for those chain-like, small yet beautiful islands, they are the most beautiful pearls and jewels on the Vandra Clan's necklace.

After a full 56 days of sailing from Pearl Harbor, the spice ship destined for contact with the pirates finally cut through the not-so-scarlet waters of the Scarlet Sea.

The vampire pirates lowered their skull flags, swapping them for the Vandra Clan's beloved rainbow flags, transforming into honest armed merchant ships.

According to their earlier agreement, three spice ships were to be sold, two taken by them for trading.

The remaining one would be brought back for the Holy Alliance to sell themselves.

This was to familiarize them with the trade routes, and incidentally train sailors for future independent trade.

As for the spice ship from the Holy Alliance, it obediently anchored near the offshore anchorage, awaiting resupply.

The Vandra chain islands are small, and the port even smaller, only allowing merchant ships with special ties to dock.

An "armed merchant ship" like the Holy Alliance's should not even think about entering the port.

In this crowded yet peaceful sea, the locals row their small boats, navigating the waters.

They hoist barrels of fresh water and fruits onto the ships in exchange for coins or white sugar.

Here, coins are only secondary; the most popular hard currencies are glass, porcelain, white sugar, and spices.

Sunlight falls on the deck, seagulls appearing stationary as they perch in the wind, parallel to the colorful flags.

Paulina hid in the shadows, spreading her wings against the wind, letting her fully-grown bat wings bathe in the homeland's sea breeze.

The salty wet sea breeze blew over Danio, causing the letter from Saint Sun Pope in his hand to rustle loudly.

A month has passed since leaving the Xilan Islands.

Yet, whenever Danio has a moment, he would unfold the letter to read.

With his elbow resting on the ship's side, Danio bowed his head, silently reading the letter in his hand.

"Dear Mr. Danio, how is the weather on your side? I'm sending this letter because..."

"The Holy Alliance's believers need your knowledge and skills, need ship materials, need trade routes, and most importantly, they need talents..."

"I hope you can perform outstandingly on this mission; I await at the Royal Court Barracks to await your commendation..."

Looking at the letter in his hand, the ever-calm and keen Danio's face faintly showed a woman-like expression of worry.

"What are you looking at?" The accompanying priest Esuan from this voyage poked his head out from beside him, "Are you reading His Eminence's letter again?"

"Yes."

"Don't stress too much. His Eminence is easy to talk to; even if you make a mistake, as long as it's not a matter of principle, he'll still give you a chance."

"Hahaha, don't worry; I'm not stressed." Danio forced a smile.

"Originally, this wasn't supposed to be handled by you. It's just that the three merchants and their assistants from the Sacred Estate Guardianship Bureau were investigated.

They couldn't find new ones for a while, and the pirates couldn't wait, so they had to set off hurriedly.

You don't need to worry; if you don't do well, His Eminence won't blame you too much."

"No matter what, His Eminence knows, so I must do well."

Though saying this, the salty wet sea breeze betrayed the faint reluctance in Danio's smile.

Esuan just thought he was nervous, patting his shoulder comfortingly: "This journey is tiring enough; take a rest first. When ashore, we'll be relying on your commercial skills."

"Haha, hahahaha, it's okay, doesn't affect, just talking…"

"You can't say that; it requires thinking too."

After bidding farewell to Esuan, Danio stepped back to the upper deck of the ship's front building.

Greeting the sailors along the way, he returned to his cabin in the front of the ship.

Closing the cabin door, Danio leaned his back against the wooden door, cold sweat streaming continuously from the corners of his forehead and his nape.

In front of the Holy Father, they really expect him to conduct this commercial exchange and spice trade!

He doesn't know anything about commercial skills!

Danio's hand frantically scratched his scalp, making his previously tidy hair resemble a bird's nest.

If he had known, he shouldn't have written on his resume that he graduated from Clyden Business School.

The one who attended Clyden Business School and joined the merchant guild, assisting a major merchant, was actually his brother.

However, this brother passed away in a maritime accident.

Danio had written this on his resume only because most of his peers being promoted at the time were from some Divinity School or other Monastery.

To avoid being underestimated and to strive for equal qualifications, he wrote that he graduated from Clyden Business School.

At that time, he thought, how could the Holy Alliance, as an inland country, possibly have a need for maritime trade?

If it's not filled out, it doesn't matter!

As it turns out, whether filled out or not made no difference.

With the outbreak of war, everyone's promotion and treatment were based on military achievements.

His promotion through unconventional means did not face many difficulties.

Danio himself even forgot this matter; when he set out, he thought it was Eswan's responsibility to trade goods, while he was only responsible for safety.

It wasn't until he received the letter that he realized he was actually in charge of commerce.

Isn't this a mess?

Eswan and the others actually expected him to handle selling and business negotiations.

If it was before, just selling some spices would have been fine, as spices are hard currency and always a seller's market.

Regarding trade routes, it's impossible to establish overnight, as trust takes time to build.

Or maybe feigning illness next time and not coming back would work?

But the letter from His Majesty still told him to buy more ship materials, and get more shipbuilders; even better if he could find some bribable vampire warlocks.

How was he supposed to know how to buy these things?

A maritime trader isn't like a street vendor pushing a cart; if it were, there wouldn't be a need for guild schools.

Coming from Windmill Land, Danio was familiar with this merchant training model.

A merchant typically develops from being an outstanding clerk, employee, or accountant, recommended by friends or family into a business school.

After graduating, they would then serve as an assistant to a merchant for a long time, growing their network and business.

Danio's brother, Danian, took this path; when he was learning writing with his brother, he had seen his brother's notes.

The curriculum included Royal Court's Baroque language, arithmetic and bookkeeping, commercial practices and etiquette, negotiation, currency and exchange, cost analysis, trade routes, product categorization, business law...

If someone asked him, he could vaguely explain based on fragmented memories.

Really making him do it, Baroque language and arithmetic were fine.

But things like negotiation, currency exchange, business law... he was completely clueless.

Since his brother died in a shipwreck at age 12, he drifted to Rapids City as a sailor, later joined the Salvation Army, and then followed a military academy career.

Due to his sailor background, he fought several naval battles against the Leia Army.

If asked how to board a ship, build a breastwork, seize a ship, or resist cavalry charges, he was very clear.

Faced with business issues, however, he couldn't solve them at all!

In this situation, aside from praying to the Holy Father for smooth sailing, Danio no longer knew what to do.

As he walked to the small table nailed to the wall, he unlocked the wooden cabinet, took out a worn notebook, and pulled out a separate piece of paper.

On that paper were his confessions and apology.

Since he learned he would be responsible for business negotiations, he began writing it.

By today, he had already finished it, but just couldn't find, or didn't want to find, an opportunity to hand it over.

Perhaps an earlier confession would have been better?

But what if? What if this trip went extremely smoothly and he passed?

Staring at those ink marks, Danio's face twisted.

He stared at the paper filled with words for half an hour, before hastily shoving it back into the wooden cabinet as if a drowning man suddenly breathed in oxygen.

If he was going to speak, speaking up from the start would have been best.

He didn't say it then, and now things had become like this...

The only solution Danio could think of was to delay until they reached land, then leverage his network to seek outside assistance from local merchant bases.

Confessing then, or even not confessing, would at least give him a chance for survival.

It took so much blood to earn him a captain's rank, and this time returning he would get a junior general rank.

Getting demoted was one thing, but he didn't want to be exiled to Black Snake Bay.

Thinking about this, Danio once again opened the notebook he had taken from the wooden cabinet.

This was a notebook he had bought at a high price from an apprentice merchant from the Xilan Islands for emergency business knowledge.

Baroque language was something his brother had taught him a bit, at least he could manage.

For everything else, he could only rely on the knowledge recorded in this second-hand notebook.

"Holy Father bless!" Drawing a symbol on his forehead, Danio studied more earnestly than ever.

After spending five nights of one-man-one-pen-one-miracle, they finally arrived near their destination.

The Blood and Flesh Royal Court, Moonlight Bay of the Izmi Province.