บท 70: From swords and spears to hammers and nails II

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If we get to FORTY reviews, extra chapter following multiples of five (double reviews do not count and I will delete them)

I REMIND YOU OF THE SURVEY ON HOW WE WILL DO THE EXTRA CHAPTERS ON MY VACATION, SINCE I WILL HAVE A LOT OF FREE TIME TO WRITE.

YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS NO EXTRA CHAPTER TODAY, BUT IT WAS ME, THE EXTRA CHAPTER.

Saturday I will only upload a chapter if we reach forty reviews.

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POV of Klaus, Soldier

I crossed the river using the large stone bridge that spanned the entire width of the river, watching as several ships passed under it, probably heading for Ashford searching for steel goods from the giant steel mills in the area or to supply the materials consumed by that facility each day.

There was much traffic of merchants' wagons, as well as many families seeking to cross the river to reach the town being built south of Highgarden, at first, we had to force people to leave their homes, but since the rumor spread of well-paid work, a house that would be fit for nobles at low cost and access to free treatment in Prussian hospitals, the seeds were sown for an exodus of peasants from the surrounding areas searching for such a deal.

To the displeasure of many officials who wished the construction of the king's fortress to be kept as secret as possible, but because the Rose road bridge is the only bridge that allows you to cross from north to south the mander except to cross further north and therefore it was necessary to leave the passage of civilians so as not to affect trade, until the new bridge is built thousands of people will be able to observe the fortress under construction.

Once on the other side of the river I went to the mayor's office of the port city.

I looked carefully at the houses that had been built in the last few days, but most of them had no one living in them.

As it was customary, the mayor's offices were small fortresses so that the mayor could try a small resistance in case of an armed uprising of the population or enemy attack.

Entering the government building I met more than a dozen Teutonic knights who were doing the paperwork for many veterans who were buying houses.

I waited patiently for my turn and I was observing the rather simple decoration, but a painting of our king who was sitting holding a law book in the center of the building stood out.

''Next'' said the Teuton, who had his helmet on the side of his work table ready to fight if necessary.

I approached the table

''What do you need?,'' asked the Teuton as he put away some papers from his previous job.

''I'm looking for a house'' I said a little bit serious

''Buy or rent?'', asked the knight looking for the form he needed.

''Actually, I have this'' I said handing over von Roon's decree.

''Let me see that... Roon's orders... with royal seal... well, I'll show you the model of the city and you can choose your house'' said the knight getting up and walking to another room.

I followed the knight to the room where there was a scale map of the city with all the plans for future expansion.

''Well, you can choose any house you want, of recommendation, the sector near the bridge if you are looking for security for an attack, as soon the wall will be built and it will become an exclusive housing sector for Prussians and all Westerosis will be denied access for security measures when we start and finish the construction of new bridges to leave this bridge for our exclusive use'' said the knight pointing out the houses near the bridge

''There are different ones, which one do you suggest?'' I said while looking at the map.

''Well the decree gives you the housing for free; therefore, you can choose any of them without considering your budget, we have the typical eight-room house very popular among the westerosi, the twelve room house, if you plan to have a big family it is an excellent recommendation and the eighteen room house which is considered a mansion which was for nobles and knights because you would need servants to keep the house in conditions because of its size, it is your decision'' said the knight pointing at each of the houses

''Well, I have the money, I guess I can afford some servants, so give me the biggest one and about the business establishment?'', I said while I ran my hand over my beard

''We only dispose in the dock sector, on the river, we haven't built on the site of your new home'' said the knight

''No, I think the place in the market is perfect, so I can show my products to the merchants who plan to sell frequently'' I said pointing to the market area

''Yes, right, then the first building almost in front of the market, everyone will be able to see your products'' said the knight adjusting his armor a little bit.

''Yes, that's perfect'' I said smiling.

''Good choice, well come with me, I have to do some paperwork'' said the knight returning to the previous room.

I quickly followed him

''Well do you have something to prove your identity?'', said the knight while he was filling some forms with stamps

''Ahhh... I have my military service record... does it work?'', said to the knight showing the papers I had in my backpack

''Yes, give them to me...klaus.... thirty-eight years old... today we are at three February... single... well, everything is ready... here you have your certificate of ownership for the new property and the commercial property... the keys... I need you to sign the copies and we will be ready''said the knight while he filled out some papers and sealed them and then gave them to me.

I signed what was requested with my name and handed them to the knight.

''Well everything in order, when you start your commercial activities, remember to ask for your accounting book so you can start immediately to keep the accounts of the tax that you must pay at the end of the year'' said the knight keeping my papers.

Then I went out to look for my new home with the keys in hand.

The place was gigantic as the knight had told me, bigger than my family's house in Berlin and without considering that we were quite financially prosperous.

I spent the next few days buying furniture with the local carpenters and buying numerous tools, unfortunately the local blacksmiths are westerosi and don't know how to make much more than nails and minimal pieces of metal.

I wanted to refocus on the family business, perfumery, my family had worked as perfumers for almost three generations and I was also expected to carry on the tradition, but, I got called up for military service and had to put my apprenticeship on hold

Now is an opportunity, I could make perfumes, I only needed the tools, which could not be entrusted to a Westerosi blacksmith because all the skilled blacksmiths were in the city of Ashford working with the freshly processed metal coming out of the forges.

I had to wait almost a week for a ship to arrive from ashford with what I had ordered, a still much like the ones used to distill the spirits that were currently being produced, but to extract the essential oils from aromatic plants.

But during that time I was at no time idle for I had to go searching for aromatic plants and to my good fortune there was an enormous supply not far away.

Highgarden was almost abandoned by the local administration, only a garrison of a hundred men and the huge gardens that were once perfectly kept are now growing out of control and there are aromatic roses everywhere, as I was still not sure of the success of my business, I decided to do everything by myself.

For several days, I worked and worked extracting oils and had to negotiate with the Prussian doctors for a purchase of pure alcohol.

The liquid is highly flammable, if not treated with respect it could easily explode and do what twenty-two years of military service did not do, all it took was a couple of explanations and a couple of gold coins and I got an authorization to get a steady supply.

Then I had to negotiate with the leather tanner, who by my good fortune loved the idea of me buying several gloves with the promise of buying several more if my idea worked.

As a base, we used the typical military leather glove that practically every good soldier uses as his second skin, only this time it was much thinner and made with goatskin because it was not intended to be another layer of defense against minor cuts or wounds, we were looking for elegance and simplicity.

Using the water that I extracted from the roses I dipped a good amount of gloves, then I added musk that I obtained after doing business with a merchant of essos to buy exotic flowers to use their seeds and to reduce their strong smell I used orange blossom water and a little vinegar, I left them soaking for four days.

Then I let them dry in the sun for a day and when they were dry, I used almond oil to make the smell last for a long time.

Putting the gloves on and bringing it close to my nose, my first products were a success, you could smell a soft scent of roses in the gloves and with a little luck, this smell should last for days, perfect for the fields full of dead or for the gravediggers when they have to bury the decomposing bodies.

I had not slept much, but I already had several products ready to sell, I had bought several glass vials where I stored a small dose of perfumes, I had managed to perfume some candles and I had the gloves ready to sell, I just needed to start selling them.

I was all ready, I went to get the accounting book and since I already knew how to read and write I didn't need the help they offer at the mayor's office to do the accounting.

The commercial place they gave me was huge, which allowed me to have the big still I had ordered and to have a big stock of products for each time I needed to buy.

Finally, I opened the business and decided to use my father's business tactic of placing lighted scented candles so that the smell would attract buyers.

Throughout the day many people looked at my store, but when they looked at the prices they made doubtful faces and when they approached me, it seemed that something scared them.

Hours passed and I had not managed to sell anything, I was starting to get anxious, as I did not know what was happening, the price was more than fair, the quality was not better, I have it clear, not even close to what my father used to do, I am an apprentice and never finished my formal training and twenty-two years without practicing did not help either, but people just looked at me and left.

It was already getting dark and I had that feeling that stayed with me when we were in formation waiting for an enemy cavalry charge, it was a feeling of annoying desperation.

I was about to close when a familiar face entered my store.

''What's the matter Klaus, what's with that unfriendly face?'' said Friedrich von Roon as he took off his gloves.

''My opening was a failure'' I said, grimacing and extinguishing the aromatic candles.

''And what do you sell gloves?'', said Roon looking at a counter where I had the perfumed gloves.

''Perfumes'' I said raising an eyebrow.

Roon started to burst into laughter

'I still can't get used to seeing him laugh.'

''Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, my friend, you must be the most muscular perfumer I've ever met and your serious face, you must have scared them all'' von Roon said laughing as he pointed to my arms

''Well, I always train, it's obvious I'm in excellent physical condition'' I answered the nobleman

''But look at it as a buyer, you smell a perfume, you walk in with curiosity and you find that the owner is a tall muscular Prussian who has a serious face, don't you think you would scare most of them?'', said Roon holding back his laughter

''Serious face?'', I said in disbelief.

''Yeah, haven't you noticed, you usually walk around with that unfriendly face, almost like the grumpy one is another one... oh, yeah, I know how you call me, klaus.... I always knew it'' said Roon pointing at my face.

''You always knew?'', I said with my eyes wide open.

''Oh, come on, I did too, I was a soldier too, please keep in mind that, buy yourself a mirror and practice your business face or you'll scare everyone'' said Roon while looking at my goods

''Well, I guess I could be your first customer of the day, how much for a perfume... the rose one'' said Roon indicating the perfume bottle.

''That one... twenty-five silver coins'' I said confidently.

Roon turned around and stared at me for a few seconds.

''Really?'', said Roon very surprised.

''Yes, between my expenses to produce it, the taxes and my profit it's a good price...it's too high?'', I said a little bit nervous

''Klaus, are you kidding?...do you know how much a perfume sells for in the capital of the seven kingdoms?'', asked Roon as he opened the bottle and placed it in his handkerchief.

''No, Herr Roon'' I said staring at him.

''between fifty and seventy golden dragons from the best perfumers in the city and yours is much better than theirs, I tell you for sure, yours feels the scent you seek to keep, the westerosis are very strong because they seek to cover bad smells'' said Roon after smelling the perfume

''So it's very low?'', I said surprised.

''It could be the merchants' doubt, it is very cheap, it almost looks like a scam, that you sell them scented water and when they want to ask you put your face and everything perfect to ruin a good business... raise the prices you will be giving away gold to the westerosis and foreign merchants'' said Roon looking at the gloves

''I'll see how much I raise the prices... they are perfumed gloves, Herr Roon'' I said handing him the gloves he was looking at.

''Ah...now we are talking...do you think you can perfume a leather suit for me...in case I have to go to that smelly city someday'' asked von Roon.

''I could try''I said while thinking about how to do it.

''Well, I'm going to save a fortune with you today...I took it all, how much do I owe you'' said Roon taking out a piece of paper and taking my quill from the inkwell

''That would be about a hundred golden dragons approximate'' I said trying to calculate the value of my goods.

''Ok, here you go, charge it at the bank...hey I need help with something'' said Roon handing me a credit note and called his bodyguards

Roon and his man took everything, as for me, I stayed working for the night because I had to recompose my warehouse, since I wouldn't have anything to sell tomorrow.

In the end I took Roon's advice and talked to a jeweler to have a silver mirror made and bought more glass vials.

when I was walking back to my store I found that there were a lot of people in the marketplace.

But I noticed that they were all waiting for me to open my store.

Apparently Roon gave my products as a gift to the king and in a few minutes the rumors spread like fire in dry wheat fields about good quality perfumes among the Prussian nobles, then to the merchants, and finally to the whole city.

Although I decided to raise my prices, I sold everything practically in the first twenty minutes, I had to apologize a lot to the huge number of nobles and merchants who waited and could not get anything.

I had to look for helpers and find a way to produce more, since I will not be able to do everything by myself.

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