He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 101

< Spencer's Smile >

“2,000 sacks for 20,000 pounds (approximately 3 billion won)!”

The merchants around, startled by Gabin from Vuffon Farm’s exclamation, couldn’t close their gaping mouths.

Considering that the market price for 2,000 sacks of Saint-Domingue coffee beans was usually around 4,000 pounds, 20,000 pounds was an exorbitant price, five times higher.

With offers not even reaching 5,000 pounds yet, the sudden appearance of someone willing to buy all 2,000 sacks for the huge sum of 20,000 pounds was astonishing.

Theo raised his voice to keep the momentum going.

“Alright—20,000 pounds has been offered! Is there anyone who will bid higher?”

There was a small murmur, but no higher bid came forth.

“No one?”

Gabin, with a triumphant expression, urged him to finish.

“Looks like there’s no one else? Let’s just end it here, shall we?”

However, Theo looked around and shouted again.

“Are there no other offers?”

Theo remembered the words of Vincent, the French coffee trader. He had even said to refuse the sale unless the offer was at least ten times the market price.

And Vincent had actually bought 250 sacks of green beans a few days ago, paying ten times the market price.

“Really no one else? Then I’ll end the auction as it is?”

The warehouse was silent.

As the auction seemed about to end anticlimactically, Jacques Dürrheim rolled his eyes anxiously.

‘What’s going on? Why isn’t anyone being proactive about the Labesson Farm stuff? Did Gabin really taste the real deal?’

Jacques Dürrheim whispered into Gabin’s ear.

“Aren’t you asking for too much?”

“What? No. I was sure that those green beans were worth at least ten times more.”

“Then why is it so quiet?”

“I don’t know either…”

But it was exactly then.

“50,000 pounds for 2,000 sacks!”

– Wh-what?

– 50,000… 50,000 pounds?

– Wow, that’s crazy!

– Who is it? Who’s buying at that price?

The warehouse erupted in a great commotion.

Theo looked towards the people who had called out 50,000 pounds, and it was the three men who had been glaring hostilely at the man named Jacques Dürrheim earlier.

50,000 pounds was a huge sum, far exceeding half of what Theo had paid for the Osborne Textile Factory.

Moreover, the 2,000 sacks of green beans were only a fraction of the total amount. Considering the green beans already harvested and processed, and the coffee cherries yet to be harvested, the future profits were sure to be enormous.

Jacques Dürrheim turned his head to find the person who had called out the price.

And he soon frowned upon realizing that the protagonist was the owner of ‘Labesson Farm.’

Gabin urged Jacques Dürrheim as if to say, “See?”

“Look at that. What did I tell you? What should we do now? We need to raise the price quickly, too, don’t we?”

Jacques Dürrheim, regaining his senses, sharply rebuked Gabin.

“Are you crazy? No matter how good the coffee is, 50,000 for 2,000 sacks? That would be a complete loss! That Labesson Farm owner is completely insane! Coffee isn’t made of gold dust; why would they buy it for that much?

What profit are they hoping for by buying only 2,000 sacks for such a large sum? Hmph! It’s a good thing, rather. Stupid Labesson guys. They’re being deceived by a crazy old man and ruining themselves, hahaha.”

However, Gabin’s expression was desperate.

“No, still… Those green beans aren’t ordinary. Honestly, even if we bid up to 20 times the price, it would still be a profitable deal…”

“Stop talking nonsense! That’s only if it’s somewhat profitable; at that price, even the taste of the coffee would disappear. Who would buy coffee at such an expensive price? Tsk, tsk.”

“……”

Theo looked around the warehouse and asked loudly.

“No more?”

With no further bids, it was finally decided that Labesson Farm would purchase the initial quantity of 2,000 sacks for 50,000 pounds.

Then, with a bright smile, the owner of Labesson Farm approached Theo and Mr. Spencer.

Mr. Spencer extended his hand first. They seemed to know each other.

“Congratulations. I’m very pleased to be contracting with Labesson Farm.”

“I never dreamed I would be doing business with you, Mr. Spencer. We are the ones who are pleased and honored. Haha.”

The owner of Labesson Farm, who had been laughing heartily, looked around and lowered his voice to propose an additional deal.

It was an earnest request for exclusive rights to all future harvests beyond the current quantity of 2,000 sacks.

“The reason we bid so high at this auction is to obtain exclusive rights to the green beans that will be produced in the future. Lord Sanderson, Mr. Spencer, please.”

Theo smiled and replied.

“Haha. Thank you for offering such a good price, but we can’t give you everything. Instead, we will grant you exclusive dealer rights to a significant portion of this year’s harvest. We plan to consume the remaining amount and the special green beans ourselves. We plan to open a café in London and sell the coffee directly.”

“Oh—a London café… That’s a great idea. Well, we don’t mind as long as we don’t trade with other farms or traders. Then, shall we compile these details and write up the contract today?”

“Yes, let’s do that. Haha.”

As the auction was settled earlier than expected due to Labesson Farm’s generous bid, some merchants felt disappointed and regretful.

At that moment, Mr. Spencer casually threw a word at Jacques Dürrheim.

“Jacques! What a pity. Why didn’t you spend a little more money? Hehe.”

Jacques Dürrheim, feeling resentful, revealed his true colors, his initial polite attitude nowhere to be found.

“Mr. Spencer, your coffee is predictable. You’ll probably make bland coffee to create a clean taste, and then you’ll have to mix something in to make it taste good, haha. Of course, there will be some fools who buy such coffee at ridiculously high prices, hehehe.”

The faces of the Labesson Farm people turned red at Jacques’s sarcasm.

However, Mr. Spencer’s expression was surprisingly calm.

Without responding to his words, Mr. Spencer announced loudly to everyone who had participated in the auction.

“I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who showed interest and attended the auction today. Don’t be too disappointed if you didn’t win the bid today. We plan to gradually expand the farm and greatly increase the harvest, so please continue to show your interest next year.

And, as a token of our appreciation for your participation, we would like to offer you a cup of our farm’s T&S coffee, so please don’t leave without trying it. It seems there are some among you who haven’t tasted it yet and are saying it’s bland, so it will be even more meaningful. Harold! Margaret!”

As Mr. Spencer called out the names of the twin siblings, Harold and Margaret, who had been waiting in the back, pushed in a table on wheels.

Clatter—clatter—

The table was set up for making coffee.

However, the appearance of the twin siblings caused another murmur among the people gathered in the warehouse.

It was a reaction to their outstanding appearance.

A faint smile spread across Theo’s face.

‘Their exceptional looks are a subject of interest and liking wherever they go. If it were the 21st century, they would have become stars, hehe.’

However, the interest in the siblings’ appearance was soon buried by the rich aroma of coffee emanating from grinding the beans.

Thump- Grrr- Grrr-

The well-dried and roasted Blue Mountain beans from Theo’s farm became fine powder, filling every corner of the warehouse with a fragrant coffee aroma.

The warehouse, filled with merchants who knew coffee well, was filled with a strange excitement as much as the aroma of the beans.

“Yes! That’s the smell! I’ve been losing sleep because of this scent!”

“Is it because the warehouse doors are closed? The aroma seems even better. I think it’s truly the scent of heaven, hehe.”

“Is it just the smell? What about the taste!”

“I couldn’t win the auction, but I feel so much better smelling this bean again. Hehe, really.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I’m heartbroken that I couldn’t buy the coffee, but the aroma is so good that I feel so relaxed. I wonder if I can buy just enough for myself to eat?”

“I asked earlier, and they said they’re giving away a little bit of the green beans for free to those who participated in today’s auction. Hehe.”

“Oh, really? Haha, it was worth coming all the way here.”

Jacques Dürrheim’s expression visibly hardened at the exclamations and the aroma of the beans.

Whether he knew his feelings or not, Gabin was fanning the flames.

“Aigoo—what did I tell you? The smell is already crazy, isn’t it? At this point, even if the coffee doesn’t taste good, it’s going to be a hit because of the aroma! Aigoo—we should have competed until the end.”

“……”

Jacques Dürrheim’s mind, which had been mocking Mr. Spencer and the Labesson Farm owner until just a moment ago, became complicated.

He had guessed that pretty good green coffee beans had come out because of Gabin’s reaction.

Also, since he knew Mr. Spencer’s skills well, he thought that a slightly special coffee bean would be possible on a farm with a good environment.

But he never imagined that he would make beans that would give off this much aroma.

‘What if… what if it tastes good too? …Eh, no. That can’t be.’

However, Jacques Dürrheim became increasingly anxious and uneasy due to Gabin’s praise, Labesson Farm’s ridiculous price, and the merchants’ enthusiastic reactions.

Tap-

Before long, a cup of well-brewed coffee was placed in front of Jacques Dürrheim.

The unbelievably good aroma tormented his nose and made his heart ache.

The surrounding merchants were all feeling the aroma and drinking the coffee with ecstatic and happy expressions, but Jacques was the opposite.

‘Please… please…’

Wishing for a plain taste as if cursing, Jacques Dürrheim carefully took a sip of the coffee.

Slurp-

‘…!’

The harmony of the aroma and the balanced bitterness, sourness, and sweetness that filled his mouth gently wrapped around his tongue and throat.

For a moment, he felt as if he was in another world, not in a warehouse.

The angry mood subsided absurdly calmly, and it turned into an inexplicably exciting mood.

“Keu- The taste is as crazy as the aroma… It seems to have become more delicious than what I drank in the morning.”

Jacques Dürrheim stared blankly at Gabin, who was muttering with a dazed expression.

Gabin whispered to Jacques Dürrheim as if he was blaming him.

“Am I right? Not only the aroma, but the taste is also completely crazy! We should have grabbed it. Aigoo-.”

Gabin’s long sigh full of regret continued.

Jacques Dürrheim, with a hardened expression, took another sip of coffee and suddenly stood up. And he shouted at Theo like a madman.

“Lord Sanderson! If 2,000 sacks are the first batch, does that mean you are still harvesting?”

Theo nodded.

“Yes. We are harvesting by hand, one by one, so it takes some time. About 2,000 sacks have gone into drying, so processed green beans will be coming out soon.”

Jacques Dürrheim jumped out and pleaded.

“Then, we will buy all of the next harvest! I’ll give you 55,000 pounds for 2,000 sacks! No, 60,000 pounds!”

As 50,000 pounds for 2,000 sacks rose to 60,000 pounds in an instant, the surrounding merchants covered their mouths and murmured.

Then, Mr. Spencer, who had been silent, said mockingly.

“Jacques! What should I do? I just verbally agreed to give the owner of that Labesson Farm priority exclusive rights to the coffee beans that will be produced in the future? A verbal agreement is also a clear contract.”

Theo also smiled and responded.

“That’s right. We have verbally agreed with Labesson Farm to exclusively purchase all of this year’s harvest at a pretty good price of 50,000 pounds.”

Jacques Dürrheim screamed.

“A verbal agreement can be broken! We will pay all the penalties! Sell us all the remaining harvest from our farm!”

At the unreasonable insistence of losing his mind, the Labesson Farm people stood up from their seats with fierce expressions.

Then, Mr. Spencer waved his hand with a relaxed smile to calm the Labesson Farm people.

And he rebuked Jacques Dürrheim.

“How can you still not know how to see things, even when you were learning from me in the past? Tsk, tsk.

And I’m not like your brothers, who throw away trust like trash. Even if you call 600,000 pounds instead of 60,000 pounds from now on, I will supply most of the green beans harvested this year to Labesson Farm as promised. There won’t be a single bean going back to your farm, so know that.”

At Mr. Spencer’s words, the owner of Labesson Farm bowed and raised his coffee cup high to express his gratitude.

On the other hand, Jacques Dürrheim, with a blank face, turned towards the door with his head down.

Gabin chased after Jacques and said urgently.

“Are you just going to leave? Shouldn’t we get at least a little bit? If Labesson Farm takes it all, our farm will really be finished from now on? Or we have to make a contract in advance for next year!”

“You idiot. Don’t you understand yet? It’s all over. Hehe. That old fox has completely played us. He’s been planning this for so long to get revenge for what he suffered!”

“What are you talking about? We could have won the bid if we had called more earlier, right?”

“Don’t talk nonsense! That crazy old man was just hiding his claws and waiting to ruin us, knowing the relationship with Labesson Farm!”

“……”

Theo silently watched Mr. Spencer, who seemed to have relieved his deep resentment.

Of course, he wouldn’t have meticulously planned all these plans for today’s revenge. But as a result, that’s what happened.

Mr. Spencer knew very well that in the increasingly fierce competition of coffee farms, the one who could produce incomparable products would hold the knife [control the market].

Even if Jacques Dürrheim had received the final bid, he would never have given up the rights to the next harvest.

In the end, either way, the Dürrheim brothers had to bow their heads, so it was inevitable that they would have a refreshing revenge.

On the other hand, the Dürrheim brothers were now in a position where they had no choice but to become obsolete and ruined, as they had been deprived of that hidden card from the beginning by Labesson Farm, which was fiercely competing.

‘Amazing, Mr. Spencer…’

He was lucky enough to be connected to Theo, which eventually led to this result, but without his terrifying determination and effort, today’s exhilarating revenge would never have been achieved.

November 1777.

The 2,000 sacks of T&S coffee green beans from Theo Coffee Farm, which were harvested and processed in the first batch, were moved to the port and then shipped to Labesson Coffee Farm.

The owner of Labesson Farm, who was so satisfied after seeing the goods directly, immediately paid a total of 50,000 pounds in silver coins, adding the remaining amount to some of the payment he had given on the day of the auction.

And the subsequent harvesting and processing of coffee cherries were easily harvested with the help of many slaves borrowed from Lord Jacob Evans and Lord Butler’s farms.

In particular, the slaves of Theo Coffee Farm played a major role in harvesting and processing high-quality fruits while supervising the slaves from other farms.

In this way, the first harvest of Theo Coffee Farm was successfully completed with great results.