Although I am not an officially recognized Guild Master who secures a position among the nobles or city council, a master is still a master.
Thus, in this slum where dark money gathers, I suppose I live a life enviable to the nobles.
However, humans are beings that can never be content or satisfied with their situation.
In any case, being called a Guild Master in the slum implies an overwhelming desire to rise up.
Could they refuse an offer for a better life?
‘I don’t think they can refuse.’
“Shall I speak more frankly? Until when will you live like the king of this slum? It’s not a bad way to live, but…”
I deliberately paused and scanned the man before me.
Even among beggars, the well-off display a certain dignity in their words and actions, while those born of poverty exude clear signs of their low status.
Just like putting a sharp object in a pocket will inevitably pierce through the fabric.
This guy, despite being a Guild Master and the king of this alley, was wearing clothes that rich nobles would naturally don…
Yet there was no sign of him adorning himself with the flashy gold, silver, or various jewels favored by those who suddenly rise to the top.
His attention to cleanliness and appearance was strikingly apparent.
As Sebastian said, this guy is indeed a descendant of a fallen noble.
‘And a fairly recently fallen noble at that.’
So, shall I poke at him with the words fallen nobles can never tolerate?
“Previously, you wouldn’t have able to look me in the eye, mocking the pitiful artisans or worthless soldiers. I’m sure that still twists your insides.”
When faced with disdain and neglect from early on, one surprisingly becomes quite numb to it.
On the other hand, those who’ve lived in wealth often feel shaken over even the slightest disregard.
The man before me glared at my mockery.
Had he not known that I was a baron, he would surely have drawn a sword to threaten me.
“Let me give you a path to escape that cursed and contemptible situation.”
I took off the hood of the robe I was wearing.
In a time without the internet or photographs, recognizing someone merely by showing your face is practically impossible.
So I ought to inform this man who I am.
Though it seems difficult to sell one’s face in this society, the name of the Rothschild family is likely to surpass that of even ordinary count families.
‘A Young Lord from the Baron family reaching the title of Baron after just a few years is, if I exaggerate a bit, a mythical achievement.’
If I were to rise to the rank of Count, there would be no exaggeration in saying my accomplishment would be regarded as legendary during my lifetime.
“I am Fabio de Rothschild, Baron.”
It has been barely three days since I started introducing myself by the surname Rothschild.
Therefore, the sign at the trading office we operate still reads “Medici Trading Company.”
So most people would still know me as “Baron Medici.”
Those very sensitive to information, like in the Information Guild, would undoubtedly know the truth.
As if to prove my assumption, gasps erupted around me.
“Why on earth is the famous Baron Rothschild here?”
“Now that you’ve become a baron, did you come to hire us?”
“It feels like someone wants to ask us to take a swim in the river.”
The man before me seemed to be trying hard not to show his surprise, eyes wide open.
“I was a Baron Medici until three days ago.”
Before coming here, I had to perform pleasantries to numerous nobles for having changed my ‘family name.’
Of course, I came bearing a generous amount for ‘friendship fees.’
“What brings the esteemed Baron Rothschild to this humble place?”
“I’ll be direct. Serve me.”
Typically, noble families only hire these Information Guilds.
Even if they possess decent abilities, the contract is usually only for ‘long-term employment.’
If they take a liking to someone and accept them as a servant, they’ll simply gossip about how they’ve included something as lowly as an Information Guild in their ranks.
Among the servants who have served since long ago, it’s natural they would dislike such lowly beings attempting to stand among them.
‘Who loves a rock that rolls in and pushes out another rock?’
“Are you really here to hire us?”
“Thanks to the numerous vacant positions in my family, it would not be a problem to select you prominently.”
99% of nobles earn their titles by participating in wars and making significant contributions, eventually being granted territories.
They climb the ranks, from Young Baron to Baron to Count, step by step.
And the initial servants are usually filled with highly competent officers or specialized professionals under them.
‘There’s no room for the poor to enter from the start.’
Of course, our Rothschild Baron family has very few hereditary servants, precisely because I do not favor the hereditary system.
‘In fact, excluding Sebastian, there are practically none, right?’
Well, there are those with knighthood who have been governing lands for a while.
However, I haven’t given them any actual authority.
“Thus, others would naturally be hired as servants of the Rothschild family.”
Being a servant could be likened to, at the very least, a grade 9 public service job or similar.
Going from being a mere beggar to a civil servant is a monumental leap in status.
Even while everyone is cheering over my proposal, the Guild Master remained composed and asked.
“So, what is it we are supposed to do? It doesn’t sound like you plan to simply assign us the usual gossip gathering or a simple request to kill someone.”
If I were going to assign a simple request, there would be no need to bother hiring them.
Those capable of fulfilling such roles are already overflowing in this slum.
To grasp my intent without needing a verbal explanation is quite commendable.
That eliminates the hassle of repeating myself.
“Well, collecting information that way isn’t utterly worthless. However, the quality and quantity of the information will inevitably suffer.”
Wherever you look around the world, the biggest losses to corporations, armies, and nations are insiders.
When internal employees or executives take confidential information and sell it to competing businesses or other countries, it can lead to enormous economic losses worth trillions.
If they sell semiconductor technology to China, for instance, it causes a massive uproar.
Well, we also have instances where technology has been stolen via ‘illegal means’ through spies…
Regardless, placing trusted individuals and using them as informants can be a tremendous help.
Before insiders can stab us in the back, we can catch the scent and counterattack.
“Then wouldn’t it be reasonable to train reliable individuals and embed them thoroughly within various organizations?”
The Guild Master could hardly hide his astonishment at my words.
In this era, the norm is simply to use the poor for gossip gathering, paying off those greedy for money with bribes to extract information.
Yet, instead of just training staff initially and embedding them within organizations to consistently extract real information?
That is indeed an innovative idea far ahead of its time.
“With multiple informants within the organization, it would also be possible to gradually siphon information, as well as introduce false information using insiders to confuse the opposition.”
Though my method differs from injecting false information through insiders, deception played a crucial role in the Normandy Landing operation during World War II.
In trying to convince the Nazis that the port city of Pas-de-Calais was the actual landing site instead of Normandy, all sorts of deceptions were employed.
They even placed ‘balloon tanks’ expertly crafted by Hollywood model-makers near Dover and had the mad dog Patton inspect them.
They spread all sorts of radio information (nonsense) to draw the attention of German forces completely.
Due to such extreme acts of deception, many in the Allied Forces, including Britain, couldn’t believe the news of the successful Normandy Landing, at least at first.
We could also employ fake information similarly to deceive them.
‘Well, I’m not a spy expert, so it’s bound to be a clumsy operation…’
That clumsiness might leave those who can’t even imagine what such an operation is with no choice but to raise their hands and take a hit.
“I’ll offer free education so that everyone can have various jobs like guild apprentices, servants for noble families, or employees at trading companies. Since it’s work as informants, not only will they receive compensation for that, but also a generous bonus.”
This bonus will be made into ‘savings’ and will be paid out in a lump sum when they retire or resign.
Or, I might send part of it for living expenses for families I keep within my territory.
‘When expenses grow, everyone gets suspicious.’
“Will that allow you to change your fate? Or will you give up?”
As a side note, if anyone chooses to give up, the friends present here will likely be subjected to a ‘self-initiated entry’ by my close ally Captain Marine and the soldiers patrolling the area ‘the next day.’
But I have no idea where they would initiate entry.
“I’ll do it!”
“Good. Then you, come with me for now. The remaining guild members should prepare to leave from here. Make sure to be ready in a week. You are now servants of the Rothschild family.”
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