Chapter 38. The Emperor's Test (1)

Upon returning to the Medici barony, I was warmly welcomed by all the vassals.

"Young master, welcome back!"

"You must have had a hard time on your long journey."

"We've prepared lots of delicious food for the tired young master!"

Their gaze on me was dripping with honey.

I'd like to receive such looks from Chloe or other beauties, but these old men, really.

Still, since they're welcoming me, it's not unpleasant even if it's a bit creepy.

No, are they curious about how much money I've earned?

"I believe you've all already guessed what the results were like."

Unless the vassals here ate their experience through their nostrils, they'd all know just by looking at the sailors' expressions and atmosphere.

The fact that I had earned an enormous amount of money from this trade.

I deliberately took out the document with detailed profits slowly.

To make their hearts race a bit more and heighten their expectations.

Albert, the highest among the vassals, spoke on behalf of everyone.

"Young master, please hurry and tell us. Don't keep us old folks waiting too long."

I started reading the contents holding the document.

"The net profit we gained this time is 12,000 gold coins after deducting all the rewards to be distributed to sailors, ship repair costs, goods purchase prices, mercenary hire fees, and so on. With this money, we can pay off all the debt the Medici baron family incurred when marrying into the Farnese count family and still have money left over."

All the ministers clenched their fists hearing my words.

Some clenched so hard their hands turned white, but everyone had smiles on their faces.

They seem not to know they're hurting because they're too happy.

The debt that could have strangled the family is gone.

It would be strange not to be happy in this situation.

In this heated atmosphere, Albert asked on behalf of everyone.

"Even if you did dangerous things like smuggling, I don't think that Alsini guy would have willingly handed over such a huge amount of spices worth 12,000 gold coins willingly. How on earth did you do it?"

Spice trade guarantees enormous profits unconditionally.

It says it all that if you buy pepper worth 1 gold coin in the sultanate and sell it in the Tuscan Empire, it would sell like hotcakes even at 30 gold coins.

'If you smuggle it to other countries, the price jumps up to 50 gold coins.'

"I pretended to subjugate a pirate group that was bothering the Alsini family and took them under my command, and in return, I was able to receive spices like pepper allocated to other families. I sold those in the Kingdom of Granada."

The vassals here are in some ways as close to me as my father's friends.

However, if it becomes known that I took in a pirate group, there will surely be people around who will try to bite me using that as an excuse.

To thoroughly hide this fact, I want to deceive even my allies as much as possible.

But it's impossible to hide since I brought subordinates of the Medici family.

In that case, it's better to disclose it cleanly.

This time, the military affairs director asked.

"So how did you recruit that pirate group? Did you threaten them with the Medici family's military power?"

"I only brought one merchant ship this time. How could I threaten a pirate group with that?"

Exaggerating a bit, one pirate ship has the combat power of 2, sometimes 3 merchant ships of the same loading capacity.

The reason is that merchant ships are slow because they have to carry a lot of cargo, and they only mount the minimum number of cannons.

Of course, they can defend sufficiently since they have cannons loaded.

But they can't beat pirate ships that have been openly modified for combat.

"Before subjugating them, while digging for information like where they were, I found out these guys were relatively conscientious pirates who only plundered heretics."

In other words, they were people who plundered but only plundered enemy cities.

In medieval Europe, the Knights of Malta did this, and in the Albania continent, guys called the Cyprus Guard were doing the same thing.

So by the latest ethical standards of this other world, they're somewhat decent pirates among pirates.

"I happened to need sailors to conduct naval battles in my territory, so I made them all territory residents."

"You're really amazing, young master."

Everyone praised me with sincere attitudes.

Privately, I have a somewhat close relationship with them because I'm the second son of the Medici baron family, and officially, if I do well, it helps the Medici baron family.

That's why they're genuinely happy for me.

And I spent about two hours telling them about my heroic deeds and how the financial situation would improve.

Just as the story ended, we heard a voice calling us from outside the door.

"The food preparation is all done. Please eat before it gets cold."

I hadn't eaten properly because I was in a hurry, and the vassals seemed quite hungry too, so everyone hurriedly moved their steps.

On this day, I got carried away by the atmosphere and drank too much.

The only fortunate thing was that although getting drunk and making a fuss is frowned upon in Korea, in the Albania continent, it's seen as manly behavior.

Since I didn't vomit from drinking or make strange drunken fuss, rumors of my manliness would probably spread...

With that thought, my memory was cut off.

**

As always, Chloe woke me up with a gentle voice.

"Young master, young master. It's time to wake up."

When I was in 21st century Korea, I had to wake up listening to alarm sounds that felt like they would tear my ears just by hearing them.

Now I can wake up from sleep listening to a voice that makes a corner of my heart comfortable just by hearing it.

Although there's no smartphone or internet, the Tuscan Empire seems much better in this aspect.

"Alright. Where are my clothes?"

"They're here, young master."

Chloe handed me clothes very naturally.

Then she turned her back as if she wouldn't watch me change.

"Oh no."

I collapsed on the bed without even being able to stand up properly.

Is it because I drank too much yesterday?

Although I've passed the big hurdle, I still have work to do as the financial officer of the Medici baron family and need to go to work.

"Young master, are you alright?"

"I'm just a bit dizzy after waking up. I'm fine now, so don't worry."

After making that bold statement, I tried to get up again.

But maybe because the hangover hadn't cleared yet, I still staggered slightly.

Seeing that, Chloe made a pouty face and turned her head slightly to the side.

"You drank too much with the other vassals yesterday, so you can't even get up properly. What if you force yourself to work when you're not feeling well and get sick?"

Everyone in South Korea, no, the Tuscan Empire, drinks like crazy on Sunday night and works on Monday cursing Deus, so shouldn't I be fine?

I'm not the kind of person to collapse from just that much.

"If you get sick, I'll be so worried that I won't be able to sleep at all today."

Usually, people who say this sleep well enough when it's time to sleep.

But because Chloe lost her parents and siblings to illness, she really stays up worrying if I catch even a slightly severe cold.

'I've had to force her to sleep a few times.'

"Alright, I'll rest in the room today. So don't worry."

If it's not too urgent, it should be okay to postpone work sometimes.

Chloe smiled brightly hearing my words.

Then she immediately went outside the door and told a butler that I would be resting today.

Still, since I wasn't sleepy, I was thinking about taking out a book to read when.

"Young master, do you remember? You said you'd give me a reward if I studied hard."

So I had thought a few times on the ship about what to give Chloe as a reward.

Should I make a cake that no one in the Tuscan Empire has eaten, or buy her a pen to mean she should study harder.

I had only thought about it but hadn't come up with a proper answer.

Since Chloe has something she wants, what could it be?

"Can I use that now?"

"Tell me anything."

"I'd like you to rest comfortably with me in this room today. You've been on a long voyage and drank too much, so you'll get sick if you don't rest."

Come to think of it, I don't remember properly playing with Chloe since I was appointed as the Medici family's financial officer.

She must have been very lonely since she's a child who feels loneliness a lot.

"Alright, let's rest comfortably today and go somewhere fun later."

"Yes."

And suddenly Chloe clenched her fists and blushed slightly.

"Um, young master. There was one thing I really wanted to do. Can you do it?"

"What is it?"

"A lap pillow... You must be tired, so I'll do it for you."

It's that thing couples who you wish would just explode already always do when they're being lovey-dovey in manga and such.

"Mom said she felt comfortable when she gave us lap pillows when she was tired...... And I felt reassured and could rest comfortably too."

As someone who wants to be as close as possible with Chloe, this is an offer I can't refuse.

So I immediately rested my head on Chloe's thighs.

Lying down looking up in that state, more than half of my view was blocked by her chest.

What cup size could it be? At least F, no, G?

Someday I really must with my own hands.

But strangely, although I wasn't sleepy at all until just now, suddenly drowsiness started pouring in.

The last words I heard in my fading consciousness were:

"It would be nice if we could stay like this forever."

**

And not long after, I finished all my work as the Medici family's financial officer and immediately returned to Florence.

As soon as I returned, an urgent message from the Duke flew to me.