• 506
• Voice
  Ah! Player!

• 507
• Steward
  Excellent timing.
  The young master returned from one job and just turned around and went off to sea again.
  The only thing he said was that he's found a way to make money in Egypt.
  Egypt is a country of sand far to the east...
  and I'm so worried about him! I'm asking this of you as a friend of his.
  If you happen to meet him on your travels can you ask him to at least let us know he is safe?

• 508
• How will you respond?

• 509
• I understand.

• 510
• Please ask someone else.

• 511
• Steward
  Oh! Thank you! Here's a little something for your trouble.

• 512
• Steward
  Please, I'm begging you! The young master is the only heir to the Sarmiento line.
  If anything should happen to him, what would I say to the master? Not to mention his dear departed mother...
  ah...!

• 513
• Juan
  Excuse me, sorry, that's something I would like to ask...
  Ah! Player?! Wow! I never thought I'd see you here! Hold on a moment, I'll go get Alvero!

• 514
• Juan
  Alvero! Over here!

• 515
• Alvero
  If it isn't Player! What brings you all the way here?

• 516
• How will you respond?

• 517
• Please let your butler know you are alive.

• 518
• I hear you've found a money maker here?

• 519
• Alvero
  Gah...
  I wish he'd stop worrying so much, sometimes.
  How long is he going to keep on treating me like a baby? Forget that, anyway, I'm onto a really good thing here!

• 520
• Alvero
  Ah, you heard about that? Yeah, I'm onto a really good thing here.

• 521
• Alvero
  It all started when I was in Venice.
  A message was received saying that the price of pepper from Egypt was going up.
  Venice is a town that thrives on the trade of pepper, so it was like whacking a hornets nest with a stick, I'm telling you!

• 522
• Young Spice Trader
  This is awful...
  what's going to happen to my business?

• 523
• Spice Trader
  Those wily Egyptian dogs! They've seen a chance to make a killing and pushed up the price!

• 524
• Alvero
  It sounds like you've got a problem, good sirs.
  Does this mean I can hope to be adequately rewarded if I bring you pepper at a more reasonable price?

• 525
• Spice Trader
  That goes without saying, but you can't.
  If someone like you could I'd already be doing it myself!

• 526
• Young Spice Trader
  Every town that trades pepper here in the Caribbean gets it through Egypt.
  So if they hike up the price there's nothing we can do.

• 527
• Alvero
  I have an idea about that, don't you worry.
  Just be patient and wait for me to come back.

• 528
• Spice Trader
  ...Yeah, I'll be waiting, but I won't be expecting anything.

• 529
• Alvero
  ...And that's the story.
  If I can get some pepper there's real money to be made.
  What do you think? Sounds pretty good?

• 530
• How will you respond?

• 531
• Yeah.

• 532
• What's this idea about where to get the pepper, then?

• 533
• Actually no, it doesn't sound that good.

• 534
• Alvero
  Don't be like that.
  At least hear me out!

• 535
• Alvero
  I knew you'd say that, Player!

• 536
• Alvero
  You get to the heart of the matter, don't you.

• 537
• Alvero
  My tip comes from an old ledger I found at home.
  It turns out my father was here trading, quite a while back now.
  He purchased pepper directly from a camel trader and made a big profit.
  So I'm thinking of buying directly from just such a trader, too.
  So what do you think? You want a slice of the action, Player?

• 538
• How will you respond?

• 539
• Okay, I see.

• 540
• I don't have time, sorry.

• 541
• Alvero
  Sounds like a good plan.

• 542
• Alvero
  Let's start by talking to the pedlars here in town.

• 543
• Alvero
  If we can just get some pepper we'll make a big profit.
  Seeing as we've been lucky enough to meet here, can you help us out?

• 544
• How will you respond?

• 545
• Okay, I see.

• 546
• I'm too busy right now.

• 547
• Alvero
  Okay...
  you don't leave me much choice, do you!

• 548
• Alvero
  Great, thank you! Let's start by talking to the traders here in town.

• 549
• Juan
  Come on, Player! Come with us!

• 550
• Alvero
  Excuse me.
  You're a trader, correct? Have you any pepper?

• 551
• Hawker
  I do.
  Why?

• 552
• Alvero
  Could we buy some from you? Even just a little?

• 553
• Hawker
  Sorry, but I've already delivered all I brought with me to the palace.
  You'll have to ask someone else.

• 554
• Alvero
  Someone else...? Easier said than done! Hey, I know.
  How about you introduce us to some of your trader friends? Then we'll track them down and buy from them!

• 555
• Hawker
  I could...
  but not for free.
  Look.
  This agal of mine is old and battered.
  If you bring me a new one of the same colour I'll tell you what I know.

• 556
• Alvero
  You drive a hard bargain.
  Very well!

• 557
• Hawker
  This agal of mine is old and battered.
  If you bring me a new one of the same colour I'll tell you what I know.

• 558
• Showed him the agal.

• 559
• Hawker
  Are you blind? That's not the colour! Look closely at the one I'm wearing and bring me one the same colour!

• 560
• Hawker
  Will you give me that agal you have there?

• 561
• How will you respond?

• 562
• Yes.

• 563
• No, I shouldn't...

• 564
• Hawker
  I can't tell you anything, then, can I!

• 565
• You handed over the agal!

• 566
• Hawker
  Quite fashionable, thank you.
  I'll tell you what you want to know, then.
  Arab traders such as I cross the desert westward from the coastline to the east.
  There's a large rock they use as a guidepost along that path, around the coast opposite Cairo.
  So if you wait there you're going to see more traders like me, even if you don't want to.

• 567
• Alvero
  I see.
  The opposite coast of Cairo, right.

• 568
• Hawker
  Arab traders such as I cross the desert westward from the coastline to the east.
  There's a large rock they use as a guidepost along that path, around the coast opposite Cairo.
  So if you wait there you're going to see more traders like me, even if you don't want to.

• 569
• Alvero
  This should be the place the trader was talking about.

• 570
• Juan
  Alvero...
  it's so hot! I'm thirsty!

• 571
• Alvero
  Hey, we've only just started out! At least try and put up with it for a while!

• 572
• Hawker
  Well well...
  it is most rare to meet one of a different religion here.

• 573
• Alvero
  Ah, a merchant.
  Are you headed for Alexandria?

• 574
• Hawker
  That's right.
  Just resting my camel before heading out again.

• 575
• Alvero
  Excellent, excellent.
  How'd you feel about lightening your packs a little?

• 576
• Hawker
  ...Trade, is it?

• 577
• Alvero
  Do you have any pepper?

• 578
• Hawker
  I do, but it's a rare commodity that I've carried all the way across the desert.
  It'll cost you.
  No less than 100,000 ducats for 30 sacks.
  I can't go any lower than that, and no sale if you don't take it all.

• 579
• Alvero
  Hummm...
  Player, I only have 50,000 ducats.
  Can you lend me 50,000 more?

• 580
• How will you respond?

• 581
• Yes.

• 582
• No, I shouldn't...

• 583
• Hawker
  You aren't buying?

• 584
• Hawker
  If you don't have enough money, we can't do business.

• 585
• Hawker
  That's a deal.

• 586
• Paid 100,000 ducats!

• 587
• Alvero
  Let's get the goods to my ship.
  Once we get them to Venice this will pay off big!

• 588
• Juan
  Alright! I'm gonna drink 'till I burst!

• 589
• Hawker
  No less than 100,000 ducats for 30 sacks.
  I can't go any lower than that, and no sale if you don't take it all.

• 590
• Alvero
  Hummm...
  Player, I only have 50,000 ducats.
  Can you lend me 50,000 more?

• 591
• Hawker
  If you don't have enough money, we can't do business.

• 592
• Alvero
  Once we get the goods to Venice this will pay off big!

• 593
• Hawker
  Thank you for saving me the trouble of transporting the stuff.

• 594
• Juan
  Alright! I'm gonna drink 'till I burst!

• 595
• Juan
  ...Alright! Water, sweet water...!

• 596
• Alvero
  Hey! Juan, careful with that water barrel! We don't have much left!

• 597
• Juan
  Water! It's never tasted so good!

• 598
• Alvero
  ...Sorry, Player.
  I need to resupply my ship's water.
  Will you stop off with me at Cairo on the opposite shore?

• 599
• Alvero
  Hey, Player.
  Will you go on ahead to Venice with Juan and the pepper? I've heard a rumour that I want to check out.

• 600
• How will you respond?

• 601
• A rumour?

• 602
• Okay, I see.

• 603
• No.

• 604
• Alvero
  Don't say that.

• 605
• Alvero
  Thanks.
  I'm trusting you with that.

• 606
• Alvero
  ...Ah! That guy in the turban! He's the one who told me about it.

• 607
• Alvero
  You handle the pepper, Player!

• 608
• Alvero
  Actually, I went to India...

• 609
• Alvero
  ...Ah! That guy in the turban! He's the one who told me about the rumour.

• 610
• Alvero
  You handle the pepper.

• 611
• Alvero
  Hey, you don't have room to carry it on your ship.
  I need to stop that guy and find out the truth of this rumour! Quickly, make room for 30 sacks.

• 612
• Alvero
  You handle the pepper.

• 613
• Alvero
  Have you made room yet?

• 614
• Alvero
  Hey, you still haven't made any room! Hurry up, I'm going to lose sight of him.
  Quick, make room for 30 sacks.

• 615
• Alvero
  You handle the pepper.

• 616
• Voice
  Hey, Player! Hold up!

• 617
• Juan
  Ah! Alvero has caught up with us!

• 618
• Alvero
  Phew, I made it.
  Player! Bring the pepper I left with you to the spice trader in the tavern, right away! We need to sell it! Now!

• 619
• How will you respond?

• 620
• Why? What's going on?

• 621
• Okay!

• 622
• There's no need to rush now...

• 623
• Alvero
  Gah! Enough! Just hurry to the tavern!

• 624
• Alvero
  Okay! Hurry to the tavern!

• 625
• Alvero
  Sorry! I'll tell you all about it once we have offloaded the pepper.
  To the tavern, quick!

• 626
• Alvero
  Here you go.
  Just as I promised, I've got more pepper than you can dream of right now!

• 627
• Alvero
  ...Hold it, Player.
  You don't have the pepper I gave you? Get it back and get it here, now!

• 628
• Spice Trader
  ...?

• 629
• Alvero
  I'm asking 200,000 ducats for 30 sacks.
  Pretty cheap, eh?

• 630
• Spice Trader
  I can't believe you actually got that much! Of course, of course, I'll take it all off your hands!

• 631
• Alvero
  Excellent! Thank you!

• 632
• Spice Trader
  This much should see me through the crisis, at least.
  You've probably saved my business! Thank you!

• 633
• Alvero
  Right then, I need to tell you about the rumour, don't I...
  I'd better keep my voice down, so listen carefully.
  Apparently Gama's fleet made it to India!

• 634
• Juan
  No way...?! He actually made it all the way to India?!

• 635
• Alvero
  Shhhh! Keep your voice down too! The spice trader back there will hear you.
  India is where all pepper originates from.
  The Gama fleet are going to bring a belly full of the stuff back, no doubt about it.
  Once that happens no one is going to want the stuff from Egypt.
  I'm just happy we managed to offload ours before the rumour spread too far.

• 636
• Juan
  ...So how much did we make?

• 637
• Alvero
  Brace yourself for this! 100,000 ducats!

• 638
• Juan
  Wow! Amazing!

• 639
• Alvero
  Of which 50,000 goes to Player, of course.
  Along with the 50,000 we borrowed that makes 100,000 ducats.

• 640
• Alvero
  Right then, Player.
  Feel like getting to the bottom of all this talk about Gama? How about we head back to Lisbon?

• 22032
• At the port, a steward of the Sarmiento Company called out to Player and asked that a message be delivered to Alvero, who had gone to Egypt in search of a way to make some money, asking him to report back and say if he was safe.

• 22033
• Meeting up in Alexandria, Alvero told Player about an opportunity to be had with the purchase of pepper.
  If all went well, he had received promises of a large amount of money from some merchants in Venice who were worried about the sudden price increase of pepper.

• 22034
• Alvero proposed that they approach the merchants that brought the pepper into town and ask if they would sell it to them directly.

• 22035
• Although they spotted somebody transporting some pepper in the town's rest area, it had already been purchased by somebody else.
  Forced to look elsewhere, they asked how pepper was shipped into the country.
  However, as payment for the information, the trader demanded a white agal just like the one he was wearing on his head.

• 22036
• According to the information obtained for the agal, the pedlars walked along on the opposite shore of Cairo, using a large rock as a guide.
  Together, Player and Alvero set out for the location in search of the traders.

• 22037
• Player and Alvero walked through the desert, noticing how much trouble Juan had with dealing with the heat.

• 22038
• Eventually, they found the traders, but the offer that was presented to them was quite expensive, totalling 100,000 Ducats for 30 barrels.
  Not having enough money, Alvero asked Player for an advance of 50,000 Ducats.

• 22039
• Finally, the group was able to obtain the pepper.
  However, as they made their way to Venice, Juan, who was struggling against the desert heat, jumped into a barrel of water, thereby wasting the water that was needed for drinking aboard the ship.
  The group was forced to take up port in nearby Cairo.

• 22040
• Upon arriving in Cairo, Alvero heard a rumour, which prompted him to ask Player to deliver the pepper to Venice without him.
  And then he disappeared into a crowd of people.

• 22041
• After being separated in Cairo, Alvero once again caught up with them in Venice and hurried Player into a tavern, saying in regards to the pepper, "We need to sell it! Now!"

• 22042
• Once they had successfully sold the pepper, Alvero explained why he was in such a hurry, "Apparently, Gama's fleet made it to India." If a route to the source of the pepper, India, were to open up, then they would be able to get pepper directly without having to go through Egypt.

• 22043
• Once word of this information got out, the price of pepper in Venice would surely plummet.
  Relieved they were able to sell their pepper in time, the group split the 100,000 Ducats between them and set out to return to Lisbon.