My Second Life as a Mafia Tyrant

Chapter 15: Sales Results

　The drug business at the university was up and running.

　Dealers visited Alois to pay their cut.

　White Glass was selling for a low price of 10 ducats per bottle. As a result, the key to the business was selling in large volumes at a low profit margin. Alois had instructed the dealers to sell drugs widely to a variety of students.

With the end-of-semester exams over and the break beginning, Alois was scheduled to report to Heinrich on the drug business at the university.

He hated meeting with Heinrich, but Heinrich was the source of Snow White. For now, Heinrich remains the emperor of the empire known as the Wolf Cartel, while Alois is merely a prince.

“I’m home.”

“Welcome home, young master.”

Upon returning to the mansion, Ivo greeted him.

Ivo had served the Netesheim family ever since Alois was born. Naturally, he knows about Heinrich’s dark side. But he isn’t foolish. He knows that even if he reported Heinrich to law enforcement, the case would be swept under the rug.

Heinrich has risen to become the Attorney General among the federal prosecutors. He is effectively in a position to control every crime that occurs within the “Federation.” No one can touch Heinrich right now.

But discontent is building.

　People are wondering why Heinrich—who should be able to cover up crimes—is standing by and watching as the Schwarz Cartel’s dealers get arrested. Yes, the attack has already begun. Heinrich intends to sacrifice Dominik’s Schwarz Cartel as a scapegoat, thereby enhancing his own honor and power as a federal prosecutor while simultaneously eliminating a rival.

　An ugly battle has begun. Alois intended to stop it.

The Schwarz Cartel still has value. Value as a sacrificial lamb for Alois. Not for Heinrich.

“The master is waiting in his study. Shall I make some tea?”

“No need, Ivo. This will be quick.”

　We’ll talk about Alois’s earnings, discuss the supply situation, and that will be the end of it.

“Dad. I’m coming in.”

“Come in.”

Heinrich sat heavily in his chair in the study.

I get the feeling he’s put on a little weight. It’s probably because he’s been drinking more. He used to have a wife, but she’s gone now. Alois is the only person left who understands Heinrich and stands by him.

　And even Alois resented Heinrich.

Alois was in his current situation because of this man possessed by a lust for power. There was no way he could feel good about it. Alois always found himself thinking, “If only Heinrich hadn’t gotten his hands on those damn drugs.”

“How’s business at the university?”

“It’s going well. We’re in the black. I’d actually like you to increase the supply a little more.”

　If this were any other dealer instead of Alois, he’d be handing over a cut to Heinrich right here and now. But Alois is exempt from that. Heinrich wasn’t greedy enough to try to take the money Alois had earned through his own work—though writing it like that is disrespectful to people who work up a sweat doing honest labor.

　Besides, he also had a plan to fully draw Alois into the drug business by teaching him the joy of making a profit.

For Alois, the money he has now is money for his own empire. He cannot wait for Heinrich to die and inherit his estate. Heinrich will make mistakes while he is still alive. Alois must stop him. To do that, he needs money and violence—in other words, power.

“Well done.”

Looking at Alois’s financial report, Heinrich nodded with satisfaction.

“Then let’s take the business a step further. Are there any dealers among the exchange students in the ‘National Union’?”

“No, there aren’t.”

“Then create some. And use them to smuggle Snow White into the ‘National Union.’ The students can move freely between the ‘National Union’ and the ‘Federation.’ Pack Snow White into their luggage and make sure it flows all the way to the local dealers. I’ll handle the payment. Depending on the quantity, you can pay up to 500,000 ducats per person.”

Well, I’ll be. A drug lord really does come up with some clever ideas.

　However, it’s certainly not a bad plan. Drug dealers are often drug addicts themselves. And as exchange students, they can cross the border without arousing suspicion.

“The NWCFTA—the Northwest Continental Free Trade Agreement—has made trade incredibly easy. Most vehicles can move freely without being checked at customs or other checkpoints. That is, as long as they’re from the ‘National Union.’ Turn the ‘National Union’s’ exchange students into dealers. And expand our distribution network.”

　The challenge of the drug business lay in how to get the goods across the “National Union” border. Once they crossed the border, it was all theirs. Local dealers would take delivery of the goods, and the payment would be sent to Heinrich via underground banks.

“How much profit will I make from this business?”

But what mattered was how much would end up in Alois’s pocket.

“Fifty percent is yours. Use it to learn for future business. And learn how to spend the money, too.”

Fifty percent, Alois thought.

The drugs being smuggled were likely so potent that White Glass would pale in comparison. Various narcotics could be extracted from Snow White. Depending on the refining method, the addictiveness would vary.

“Snow Pearl?”

Alois asked casually.

“That’s right. Snow Pearl. That’s what we’re going with now.”

Heinrich replied, sounding slightly surprised.

Just as I thought, Alois thought.

Snow Pearl is a pure white pill. It’s usually crushed and ingested through mucous membranes, such as the nostrils. Alois knew this was a dangerous substance—so dangerous that White Glass looked like a child’s toy in comparison. Naturally, the price reflected that.

He recalled that the street price for 5 milligrams of Snow Pearl was around 300 ducats. Even if a middleman bought it for less, they’d still make at least 100 ducats.

If he had an international student smuggle 5 kilograms of Snow Pearl across the border, that would be 500 million ducats.

　Fifty percent of that is 250 million ducats.

It’s a massive sum.

It’s on a completely different scale from when he was peddling White Glass at the university.

This is why so many people want to get into the drug business. Even oil isn’t this profitable. It’s a sum he wouldn’t even bat an eye at, even after deducting the exchange student’s f*e.

　Alois needed money right now. With money, he could buy violence. With money and violence, power would follow. He could become the emperor of his own empire, rather than merely a prince in Heinrich’s empire.

“Understood. We have customers among the ‘National Union’ exchange students. Let’s make them our dealers.”

“It’s nice how quick you are to agree—that’s the advantage of family, isn’t it?”

Alois didn’t miss the tone of Heinrich’s muttered remark.

“Any trouble with the other cartels?”

“The Kuste Cartel is demanding we let them handle White Flake. But if we let them handle White Flake, the power dynamic between parent and child will reverse in the blink of an eye. And then there’s Schwarz. They’re suffering from paranoia. They’ve got the wrong idea that I’ve stepped up crackdowns on the Schwarz Cartel.”

Alois thought to himself that you’re actually planning to make the Schwarz Cartel a scapegoat, but he didn’t say it out loud.

“We also need to mend relations with the Greif Cartel.”

It’s pointless. Karl will betray you.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

With that thought in mind, Alois left Heinrich’s study.