Link understands business, that's for sure.
He understands what Sage is saying too.
But this kind of business, only Sage can do, because others can't collect taxes, so the idea is to get everything for free if possible.
Even the King is no exception.
This is also why Sage dislikes sharing power with others.
Besides the factor of him being a landowner, it also means that with shared power, he can't collect taxes indiscriminately.
How could that be!
The rent must be collected, no one is exempt!
And as far as Link is concerned, as long as it makes money and doesn't prohibit other businesses, he will go along with Sage's idea.
Their main trade is in the black market, which requires no staff salaries and doesn't affect them much.
However, when they entered Augustine Castle following Sage, the prosperity they had anticipated was nowhere to be found...
Because the entire city was under reconstruction.
Their arrival came just in time to alleviate the manpower shortage for Lily and the others.
They might not be qualified to be deputies, but standing in temporarily is no issue.
Management is under Lily's care, but she wouldn't focus all her energy on it, as she isn't precisely a talent in internal affairs, even though there is a comprehensive development trend now—at their core, they are still pirates.
Being pirates means ultimately setting sail and following Sage into battle.
Strength is their greatest assurance.
But now, everything still requires their attention, and once things are on track, finding a deputy to take over will suffice. As for the high-ranking officers, they only need to know what's happening and appoint someone to manage it.
Just like Sage now, he doesn't worry about those details; he just needs to know who is managing them.
Link and the others, being black market traders, certainly have some knowledge. At least they can do bookkeeping and number crunching, standing in temporarily if needed.
As for food delivery, it arrived ten days later. Andre acted quickly, handing out detailed information after taking over the territory and purchasing grain from the civilians.
Food on the sea isn't uniform across islands since they aren't connected, so there's variation, but there's a basic market price, roughly 1.2 million Belly per ton.
This part of the money, Sage doesn't take, letting Andre sell it himself, as long as the price remains unchanged. How much Andre spends purchasing from the island doesn't matter because civilians aren't disadvantaged and will profit, Andre also profits, and people in Augustine Castle can afford the reasonably priced grain, which suffices.
Everything relies on the 'invisible hand,' provided Sage can control it; then everything will stabilize.
Like timber and iron ore, it's the same; he dislikes affecting prices as it's too troublesome. If there's a gap and merchants can't fill it in time, then just go and take it.
With Andre setting a precedent, some merchants and pirates are intrigued.
Their hometowns...also have specialties!
Some islands are rich in timber, some in minerals. Sage doesn't consider too far away, but those near Gares can be occupied and incorporated, modeled after Wakanogres.
Three months later.
The port of Augustine Castle.
By now, the port town outside the city gates is nearly complete. Driven by Sage's financial incentives, the city's million residents explode with unprecedented enthusiasm and fervor.
After all, what they're building is their own place to live, and they get paid for it; the more they work, the more they earn, so of course they throw themselves into it.
As the town is built, it gradually restores Augustus Castle's former prosperity, attracting merchants, pirates, mercenaries... all sorts of people who come to trade and consume.
For the port town, it's even more vibrant than it was before.
Merchants and pirates come through this passage to the town, freely selling their specialties.
Especially pirates, who bring their looted spoils directly to the port, waiting for black market traders to make offers.
The Flame Hand Pirates are among them, with Captain 'Flame Hand' Candice, an active pirate in the New World with a 96 million Belly bounty, known for spraying custom flames like large hands during raids, hence the name.
In terms of personality, he's incredibly arrogant, somewhat notorious in the New World.
However, now this guy obediently stands at the port among a pile of loot, waiting for a fat merchant to pick and choose, without a hint of arrogance.
It depends on the person, doesn't it?
No matter how strong he is, can he be stronger than Disaster?
That's the Disaster Pirates!
Though he doesn't want to be subordinate, so he didn't join the Disaster Pirates, he maintains the necessary respect, especially since he can make money here.
"This batch of cloth is poor quality, two boxes... 1 million Belly."
Link picked up a piece of cloth, felt it, then disdainfully put it down, moving to the ceramics, "Many of these ceramics are broken, at least half of them, hmm, 3 million Belly."
"Oh, there's something good, gold... so much of it, I'll give you 100 million Belly according to the gold exchange rate, how about it?"
"No problem," Candice replied immediately.
The most ordinary price, not high, but not pressed down either.
This is why many pirates come; since Disaster designated the black market traders, their prices, though fixed, aren't low.
If they want higher prices, they would have to find other black market traders elsewhere, which may not be higher, possibly even lower.
Choosing here saves a lot of time; after all, not all pirates can negotiate business deals. Ordinary prices like this make them feel comfortable.
At this moment, a pirate ship bearing Doflamingo's mark appeared at sea, approaching the port area.
Royal Palace.
"Sage, many people are worried about whether there will still be such work for them once reconstruction is finished."
Lily reported to Sage.
The reconstruction work is swift, delighting the civilians.
They earn enough to buy food, clothes, and goods they previously needed to save up for and even have savings left over.
But as the port town nears completion and city buildings rise, some people begin to worry.
Once this work is done, what will they do afterward?
Will there still be work for them?
"Don't worry, there's plenty. If they dislike looking for other jobs, they can all screw screws; I definitely have work for them," Sage laughed heartily, "And the pay will certainly be generous!"
In the city, some merchants are opening shops, taverns, restaurants, boutiques, clothing stores, gradually developing. Some places need people, and the wages they offer must meet the standard.
Since Sage's raw material prices never rose, merchants can still earn profits after paying standard wages and taxes.
As for screwing screws... essentially building factories.
Preparation is underway, as shipbuilding, the core industry, requires many parts.
"Master Sage, Doflamingo has arrived."
Just then, Gin ran in, reporting the newly arrived ship.
"Has he arrived? Bring him over; now's the time for business talks, hahaha!" Sage laughed heartily.
The Rainbow Gem has been created by Sayou, but for now, priorities are settling channels and prices before establishing factories.
Those related industries, along with weapons and ships, need pricing discussions with Doflamingo too.
Trade, Sage will engage in as well.
Otherwise, producing so much but failing to sell it would be foolish.