Young Baron Alfred de Visconti hurried to meet his father as soon as he returned to Florence.
“I’m back, Father.”
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yes, I saw and learned a lot. It’s incomparable to the Grand Tour taken by other nobles. At my age, I just didn’t feel like going.”
The Grand Tour is a journey around the world that well-off noble families or merchant families of equal standing must experience at least once.
Like Alfred, they explore various places with a tutor, seeing and learning things firsthand.
Attending the social gatherings of those countries, building connections with high-ranking individuals abroad, enjoying and relishing all kinds of cultural experiences.
It costs a fortune, but it’s a journey with plenty to learn.
“Art, culture, history, that’s knowledge anyone noble should possess.”
When knowledge or information is known by ‘everyone,’ its value diminishes.
However, the trip that Fabio and I took just for a month…
“My health is fine, so I was thinking of sending you away as a celebration for joining the army.”
A noble should undertake this journey at least once, and if they go, it’s certainly an enjoyable trip.
Going empty-handed (excluding servants and tutors) and returning with several beauties, sometimes arriving with three or four, allows them to indulge in luxuries reserved for nobles for nearly a year.
Heirs of noble families or all nobles recall this as the happiest time of their lives and intended to send Alfred, but when that plan fell through, the Duke felt a slight sense of regret.
“It’s good to save money, but it’s a bit disappointing.”
“There aren’t many opportunities to explore the outside world. You’ve spent so much time studying and working at your age; it wouldn’t hurt to have some fun.”
“While having fun is nice, I think learning from Medici Young Baron’s actions would be more beneficial.”
“What made you change your mind?”
Honestly, Alfred, the Young Baron, felt some discontent when his father initially told him to learn from Fabio.
It felt off to learn from someone so much younger than him, over twenty years old.
Of course, he couldn’t argue against his father’s orders without a reasonable basis, so he complied.
He never showed any complaints in front of Fabio.
“Commoners can freely express their emotions, but we must sometimes hide our feelings, even when mud is thrown in our faces.”
That’s simply politics and governance.
“First, I asked a few questions to the maid that Young Baron cherishes, and I think he has a unique character. Seeing how he cherishes her and receives genuine love, I found him likable.”
“That Fabio certainly seems somewhat exceptional.”
“However, more than that, the abilities possessed by the Young Baron were more attractive.”
“What aspects are you talking about?”
The Young Baron recalled Fabio’s behavior in Nador.
“Interestingly, he showed no hostility or displeasure when looking at the pagans. Anyone would feel repulsed by these beasts wearing human skin.”
In fact, Fabio feels no discomfort looking at pagans.
He simply thinks of them as people from a different culture.
Yet, such a viewpoint is unthinkable on the Albania Continent.
It’s as absurd as electing an emperor and would make Satan gasp, leaving demons in tears of admiration.
Thus, the Young Baron speculated.
“A man who can completely hide even immense displeasure for his own gain and objectives.”
A noble’s education means being able to smile, even when encountering someone repugnant, making the other believe he is on their side.
By easing suspicions and leaving an opening for a knife in the back, it’s advantageous.
Ultimately, humans judge others by their ‘appearance.’
If the outward demeanor is good, most people will let their guard down and feel favorable.
Thus, nobles surprisingly smile and practice charity, even when bumping into dirty beggars near the cathedral instead of getting angry.
“If pretending to be virtuous is the essence of nobility, then Fabio has already mastered it.”
The Duke felt shocked upon hearing this.
“Indeed, that guy is monstrous. To show no sign of displeasure looking at pagans.”
“Not just that, but he even displayed behavior aligning with their etiquette. He adapted to their customs while never stepping away from his faith.”
“Fabio stood his ground during a theological debate with a bishop two years ago without losing an inch. He would have made a great theologian.”
This time, Duke Visconti was genuinely astonished.
A pagan is ultimately a ‘potential enemy,’ yet he goes so far as to do this to ease their suspicions?
Every action is calculated to determine whether it aligns with propriety.
“It’s truly a shame to hand him over to His Majesty.”
“But the most impressive was the negotiation with the governor.”
Duke Visconti perked up his ears.
It was the revelation of the true character of the ‘talent’ who would one day work like a plow horse or cart horse for his family.
“Fabio knew all the ins and outs of Nador. He even supplied them with weapons.”
If other nobles heard about this, they would unleash a torrent of curses.
Selling weapons to pagans?
It’s more wicked than fermenting surströmming for a year to serve.
Yet the Duke remained unfazed upon hearing this.
“That Fabio likely had it all planned.”
“2,000 matchlocks, 20 tons of gunpowder. They mentioned they would increase the quantity later. While I remained silent during the negotiations, afterward, I questioned him. No matter how badly one wants to earn money, is selling weapons to pagans something a person should do? Can you imagine his response?”
The Duke shook his head.
“I can’t even fathom.”
“He said it wouldn’t take long to establish a route to Ifriqiya, so he could sell gunpowder and matchlocks to the tribes there. Sell them weapons and gunpowder and buy gold in return.”
Duke Visconti slapped his forehead.
The tribes in Ifriqiya are pagans, and the soldiers in Nador are pagans too, so he intends to hand them weapons and incite them to fight among themselves?
Isn’t this the most efficient way to eliminate pagans without lifting a finger?
Of course, hearing this method made the Duke raise both his hands and feet inwardly.
“If he were doing this to believers of the Deus faith, Satan would surely applaud.”
But since they are pagans, it’s alright.
“And since there might be a backtrack, he suggested that ships selling goods to the tribes in Ifriqiya should ‘change flags.’ Then, they’d give a false trail.”
The Duke clapped his hands absentmindedly.
Seeing the way he so deftly tricks the pagans made him feel good as a believer in Deus.
“Not only earning money but also making fools of pagans at the same time; it’s a win-win.”
“Can such wisdom truly be gained from a Grand Tour?”
“I went on a Grand Tour 40 years ago, but they didn’t teach me this.”
The Duke reassessed his opinion of Fabio.
“I must find a way to bind him to our family by any means.”
What if the Emperor took Fabio away?
He felt that the man would reshape the nobles into beggars to his heart’s content.
“So, can we give Erika to that guy?”
Alfred chuckled at those words.
“I hesitated a bit when I first heard you wanted to give Erika to a mere Young Baron. But it seems that from any perspective, it’s not Erika but Fabio we should be concerned about. Once he receives the ‘Baronet’ title, I’ll have to push for the marriage immediately.”
Originally, to marry the daughter of a legitimate wife from the Duke’s family, one has to be a Count.
A Baron is just the ‘legal minimum requirement’; realistically, it’s nearly impossible.
It’s roughly the meaningless statement that all men are equal before Deus.
Of course, nobody could deny that.
“But there’s one thing I’m worried about, Father.”
“What is it?”
“I can work my way to becoming a Young Baron based on effort, but from being a Baron onward, it’s not easy, is it?”
To obtain a Baron title through one’s own efforts, one must achieve tremendous military feats.
By ordinary means, one must demonstrate significant military achievements and abilities for 30-40 years, or capture a commander in a war involving tens of thousands of troops.
It requires extremely formidable feats to rise up.
“Having Fabio as a son-in-law is great, but will Erika become an old maid?”
However, the Duke laughed heartily at his child’s question.
“Fabio was the one who integrated Rabat Island into the empire’s territory. He declined to become a Baron for that achievement.”
“Is he truly one of us?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll explain in simple terms.”
The Duke smirked and asked.
“Among your subordinates, let’s say there’s a commander who is exceptionally talented and could crush an enemy legion effortlessly with just his regiment. Would you dismiss him?”
“If I had such a subordinate, I’d bind him to me by any means. If I let him lead my division, I could just sleep and still get promoted to the highest rank.”
An outstanding subordinate poses a threat.
However, if you can win their heart, keeping them close is a good idea.
“If Medici Young Baron can assist us, that’s all that matters. Why make a fuss? And Erika won’t come of age for another five years, so why worry?”
And at that moment, Fabio felt an inexplicable chill.
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