Chapter 118. The Black Curtain Behind the Stage (6)

Our Petit Duke embraced me tightly as soon as he saw me.

"My son-in-law! You always look so handsome. You seem even more dignified after not seeing you for a few months!"

Even though this is our family mansion, is there really a need to do this in front of all the servants?

I was praying inwardly for just the first verse, but the Petit Duke didn't care about that and kept singing the second and third verses.

"Until I decided on you as my son-in-law, I was very worried that some good-for-nothing bastard not even worth a horse bone would snatch our Erika. But I don't regret giving my daughter to you at all! Your title being baron is a bit of a concern, but what does that matter? Between you and me."

"I don't know how to handle such excessive praise."

That gentleman and Duke Visconti have said similar things over 100 times already.

It's not an exaggeration, I actually counted and it's the 102nd time.

I understand they like me, but why are they being so reckless?

Hah, they're both too high in status for me to say anything.

'Is this why they say if you're wronged, succeed?'

The servants watched me receiving passionate affection from a middle-aged man in his mid-40s as they set out coffee and refreshments before leaving.

As they left, the Petit Duke's expression changed completely.

Not quite 180 degrees, but an expression that naturally felt serious while maintaining a slightly benevolent smile.

I thought it was strange seeing him continue reckless behavior after reckless behavior.

It seems excessively showing goodwill towards me was also an action resulting from political considerations.

"You must have been surprised by my sudden embrace. But there was a reason I had to do this."

I feel like I know the reason without needing to hear it.

A 'marriage between noble and commoner' is happening where the ducal family is sending down a duke's daughter born of the official wife, not even a concubine's daughter, as the wife of a mere baron.

There must be strong opposition within the Visconti ducal family and faction.

He's probably trying to give the impression that the Duke is forcibly marrying off his granddaughter to me, to prevent that backlash from hitting me.

If the Duke hadn't been so considerate, 'checks' and 'jealousy' towards me would definitely have come from the Visconti ducal faction too.

'Even so, I would have made them like the Olbia baron family.'

Whether war, conflict, or political strife, not doing it is good anyway.

Although I knew everything, I decided to pretend not to know out of consideration for the Petit Duke's sincerity.

"What is the reason?"

The Petit Duke looked at me and smirked.

"Are you trying to act cute with me because you're my son-in-law? I thought someone like you, Fabio, would know without me saying."

I went to the trouble of pretending not to know, but he's not going along with it.

It's a bit disappointing.

"I guess there's strong opposition."

Hearing my words, the Petit Duke clicked his tongue.

"They're pathetic beings who can't acknowledge there's a young man better than them. If they just acknowledged and accepted it, then joined forces, they could grow more."

It would be foolish to say here that it's understandable given my lowly status.

Saying such words would be ignoring the Duke and Petit Duke's goodwill.

But sympathizing with those words would be disrespecting the other nobles in the faction...

Following the truth of just listening to gossip without agreeing or disagreeing with complaints, I should just keep my mouth shut.

"Even though our current ducal family exists thanks to their ancestors serving us for generations... Looking just at the achievements they've made themselves, excluding all that, my son-in-law is the best in our family. Shouldn't they just cleanly acknowledge and praise that?"

In principle, that's right.

But even in friendships with no interests involved, relationships quickly become distant if someone brags about doing well.

I feel unnecessarily inferior, and a useless victim mentality arises.

It's not for nothing that the saying goes around that only mom and dad can congratulate you when you do well.

'Conversely, that's why you must absolutely keep people who sincerely congratulate you when you do well.'

The Petit Duke complained for nearly 20 minutes about how many oppose giving me his daughter.

"Hah, anyway. What on earth did you do in Nador and western Ifriqiya?"

"I just sold gunpowder and matchlock guns to both sides."

I did the good deed of helping the Botswana tribe and others form countries to protect themselves.

Of course, following Mencius' teaching to maintain moderation.

I also sold massive quantities of matchlock guns and gunpowder to Nador, exquisitely balancing both sides.

"I'm glad you're really a noble of our Tuscan Empire and my son-in-law. If you were from the Kingdom of Granada or Kingdom of Lyon, it's horrifying just to think about. Look, I'm really getting goosebumps just thinking about it."

The Petit Duke's arms had very slight goosebumps.

"What exactly did you hear about?"

"Don't play dumb. You pulled tricks to make the Kingdom of Granada and the Sultanate have no choice but to fight each other, right? There's no use hiding it between us, so out with it."

I reported to the Duke about selling gunpowder in western Ifriqiya, but I hid the fact that I was going around causing civil wars even from the Duke.

'Even if he's my father-in-law, a mere baron going around starting civil wars is a bit...'

Still, it's not contradictory to national interests and the ducal family's interests, so he probably won't particularly scold me if I confess honestly.

"If the Sultanate finds out we're selling gunpowder to western Ifriqiya, wouldn't all-out war break out soon?"

"That's right. For now, there's no reason to raise large armies and wage war since neither country would benefit from fighting. But if we attack first, they'd have no choice but to draw their swords too."

Even the organized crime groups we commonly call yakuza, triads, and mafia don't usually touch civilians if they can help it.

Killing civilians doesn't make big money, and if they fight with public authority, it's like burning down the whole house to catch one flea.

Even though there's no public authority to mediate between the Sultanate and our Tuscan Empire...

Since both can mobilize over hundreds of thousands of troops, fighting would generally be a loss.

That's why they even say this in war theory:

'It's impossible to occupy all the enemy's cities and castles in war, just break their will to fight.'

They wrote afterwards that it's best to just not fight at all.

"But if we make the Kingdom of Granada and Nador bastards fight, can't we reduce the national power of two potential enemy countries? And sell gunpowder on the side too."

Thanks to the new technology I introduced, the empire's gunpowder production is expected to soar to 7 times the previous amount.

Just twice the previous amount would be enough to resolve the chronic gunpowder waste the military is experiencing and have plenty for stockpiling.

We can't throw away the rest, so it's good to sell it all off since it becomes money.

'Just as it's fun to watch a fire across the river, war in neighboring countries is the best opportunity to make money.'

"Moreover, we're also preventing the Kingdom of Granada or Nador governor from advancing into western Ifriqiya. If they advance now, we'd have to compete over those who would become our vassal states."

The Petit Duke opened his eyes wide looking at me.

"I worked in the same division as Colonel Ducat for a while so we're somewhat close, and when I met him recently he said we should stick you in the general staff."

No, why am I just borrowing a little wisdom from some country with deep-rooted hyena tendencies.

But in our Albania continent it becomes a strategy that would shock Zhuge Liang?

"But you shouldn't go to the general staff. If you become chief of staff, the Albania continent would become a bloodbath."

Come to think of it, even now I have a few cards that could burn down our continent if I wanted to.

Among them, the most effective would be 'indulgences'.

"You seem to have some thoughts, but I won't listen. Anyway, did you hear that news?"

"What news do you mean?"

"They say the Olbia baron family is suddenly leaving Florence. A big corruption case broke out, and they're fleeing to avoid punishment, they say."

That's all my doing.

But I'll hide this from both the Emperor and Duke.

There's no point in spreading rumors, I'd just be watched warily.

"Is that so? They're a family antagonistic to our faction, but it's a strange affair."

Hearing my words, the Petit Duke smirked.

"Right? Father was pleased too, but he was amazed saying he couldn't figure out what exactly happened."

"It's a strange affair."

"Who do you think did it?"

I did it.

So I'll spread lots of smoke screens to prevent them from finding me.

"Isn't it that Baron Olbia indulged in too much luxury, and a High Court investigator luckily took the bait? Judge Andante and Chief Justice Mancini who noticed that are amazing."

The Petit Duke smiled with satisfaction, as if the mystery was solved.

"That's right. By the way, are you free tomorrow?"

I was planning to take Chloe and Chris to the suburbs tomorrow...

But if the Petit Duke is calling, it's right to cancel even existing plans.

"Yes."

"Come to our house tomorrow. I'll let you meet Erika."

...... Save me, please.