Chapter 82
Hearing my words, Albert gritted his teeth and trembled.
His face turned red like a heated piece of iron, seeming quite angry.
It's natural for anyone to show such a reaction.
What human in this world could smile after hearing from a subordinate, moreover a younger brother, "You're in that position thanks to my efforts"?
'It's denying the authority and very existence of a superior being.'
It's worse than any insult, no, any curse in this world.
"Fa-Fabio! Have you really gone mad?!"
It's not me doing crazy things, but you.
You, who call yourself my brother, not only didn't stop someone trying to screw me over, but condoned and abetted their schemes.
'If I endure and let this slide here, Albert will look down on me for life.'
Unlike before, now I'm not inferior to that person in anything except title.
Relationships with power holders like the Emperor, Duke, High Court, etc., personal ability, future potential, military career, reputation, and so on.
Considering all these, it's fair to say I stand above Albert.
Recognizing that, Duke Visconti proposed giving me a baron title for the merit of making the Deus Knights Order submit.
"Let's really lay everything out and talk, Baron. You surely don't think you rose to that position purely by your own ability, do you?"
I've directly helped that gentleman, and indirectly provided enormous benefits too.
It would hurt my mouth to list them all one by one...
But what can I do? He'll whine that he doesn't know unless I calmly point out each one.
"First, becoming Baron Medici certainly wasn't thanks to me. You rose to your current position by going through the heir process according to succession laws, as the eldest son of the Medici baron family."
Hearing these words, Albert's brow furrowed deeply.
Coldly evaluating the capabilities of the person in front of me, very incompetently...
Although not as conspicuously capable as me, considering his age, he's quite capable among nobles.
Usually nobles receive thorough education and inherit titles at 40, but he's handling work at the same level as 40-year-old adults in his mid-20s.
'It's like a high school student following graduate school classes.'
But in other nobles' eyes, I'm someone who's actually implementing the general's space-folding technique, so there's no comparison.
However, the reason he could inherit the Medici baron title is just because he was born before me, not because of ability.
"Let's examine other things one by one. Is the Medici baron family powerful enough to take in a young lady from the Count Farnese family as an official wife, compared to other barons?"
Sending down a daughter is a much lighter matter compared to a son's (heir's) marriage.
So it might have been possible to take in a young lady from a cold-shouldered count family even without my intervention.
'The problem is that the Count Farnese family is clearly influential.'
Moreover, the Count Farnese family had only one daughter from the official wife, so the daughter's value was much higher compared to other noble families.
Honestly, it must have been a marriage proposal even father couldn't have imagined in his dreams for our family?
Albert couldn't refute, perhaps because he was beaten by facts.
"His Excellency Count Farnese said he wanted to get close to me in front of everyone at the wedding venue. Just looking at this, although the Count didn't proceed with this marriage proposal just for me, anyone can see that I played a considerable part."
At that time, I was just a youngster with a mere knight title.
I only had a tiny village that produced seaweed, besides that.
Yet having such a significant influence on the Count's decision-making...
'It shows how my potential was originally viewed in nobles' eyes.'
"Besides that, my influence is not small in raising the Medici family's rank at faction gatherings, banquets hosted by His Majesty inviting all nobles baron and above, and so on."
We commonly know that nobles' ranks follow 'title order'.
Strictly speaking, title is the biggest criterion, and there are several criteria below that.
Family wealth, actual influence, reputation, holding official positions, and so on...
I, Fabio, would be included in the influence part here.
"You bastard, do you dare mock me? You've become blind after rising to viscount at a young age! Even if you're my younger brother, you really don't know your place, should I kill you?"
Yes, I could bring your Medici baron title.
But no matter how hard you try, Baron Medici, you can't take away or replace the position I'm in now.
They say weak dogs, small dogs bark more fiercely when they see people or scary things because they're afraid.
That bastard looks exactly like that.
"It's true that I rose to viscount at a young age, I won't deny that."
A second son of a mere baron family obtaining a viscount title and territory at 22?
It's not unprecedented in imperial history, but it's greatly outside the common sense of ordinary nobles.
In other words, I'm doing so well that I'm shattering countless people's thoughts and prejudices.
"But let's speak honestly. What have you, Baron Medici, achieved by your own power besides being born as the eldest son of the Medici baron family?"
Honestly, at that age, just playing the role of Baron Medici without problems is doing really well.
But in this situation, it becomes 'Is that my business?'
"At the age of 20, I opened Cafe Medici. I instantly seized the trend of imperial social circles, and won a theological debate against a bishop in a religious trial. After receiving territory, I opened Medici Hospital with seaweed, an Eastern wonder drug, and dramatically reduced the misfortune of nobles losing their wives during childbirth."
Everyone from the Duke Sforza faction, Duke Visconti's faction, to the imperial family wants to give birth at the Medici Hospital I opened in Florence.
Because the probability of dying while giving birth has been reduced to 1/10 of before, thanks to providing hygiene, meals, and postpartum care.
The Medici baron's wife, that is, my sister-in-law, is also planning to give birth at our hospital.
And although not yielding at all in the theological debate with the bishop didn't lead to financial benefits, it's still being talked about in social circles.
"A mere knight nobody stepped forward without fearing antagonizing the great merchant Pereira family, and revealed the fact that there was military supply corruption."
This was the Emperor's secret order, but there's no need to reveal all that.
"His Majesty viewed this favorably and appointed me as the 1st Division logistics staff officer at the age of 21, and I cleaned up all sorts of military supply corruption and deep-rooted evils. Despite lowering the costs going into military supplies, I was able to provide delicious meals to soldiers. Even soldiers have now come to swear absolute loyalty to His Majesty."
Albert couldn't refute my words.
He just gritted his teeth and stared at me.
I don't particularly want to hear an answer now either.
"Now I've crushed the spice guild that tried to antagonize Fabio de Medici with my own power."
I paused for a moment and leaked classified information.
"I will annihilate the families of the spice guild master and executives."
Hearing those words, cold sweat flowed from Albert's forehead.
"I've grown this much in just 2 years. But what have you done for the Medici baron family in 2 years, Baron? Surely you don't think your job is just to quietly keep that seat and warm the chair?"
I saw a really good saying in the Bible.
'Be either hot or cold. I will spit out those with lukewarm faith from my mouth.'
It's the very skill needed when dealing with people in life.
It means if you're going to take a side, do it as if giving your whole gallbladder, and if you're going to be hostile, treat enemies as if slicing them with a sashimi knife.
'I don't particularly intend to be hostile to Albert.'
Now, letting him know how terrifying a being I am is what reduces the possibility of us fighting.
Why is there a saying like this too:
The reason civilized people are less polite than barbarians is because their heads won't be split open for impolite acts.
This works really well in international relations too.
'Even the heavenly dynasty can't hit you carelessly if you have nuclear weapons.'
Albert will probably ease up once he knows I'm no longer someone he can treat carelessly.
I don't expect reconciliation in the first place.
"Know thyself, it was said. I hope you've realized what position you're in now, Baron. If possible, I hope we can get along well from now on."
With those final words, I turned my back.
**
After Fabio left, Albert clenched his fist so hard that blood came from his hand.
It was partly because he was furious at hearing such words from his younger brother of all people...
"...... Why can't my reason refute that bastard's words? Damn it!"
Even objectively looking at it, that's true.
If he were to die?
Either Fabio would inherit, or another relative would inherit.
Or father would return and quickly fill the vacancy.
But for Fabio, would there really be someone who could replace him?
'No one can replace that Fabio bastard.'
Moreover, that irreplaceable bastard is growing at an unimaginably fast rate.
"...... What would happen if that bastard tried to drive me out?"
Fabio didn't say it directly.
But Albert's brain, which was somewhat above average even among nobles, immediately gave the answer.
That Duke Visconti and the Emperor could easily 'retire' him.
As his thoughts reached this point, Albert's body began to tremble.
He was shaking like someone chased out naked in midwinter, but it wasn't because he was cold.
Purely because of fear and pressure towards Fabio who had been in front of him.
"...... That's a monster."
However, his head, no, his insight clouded by envy and jealousy, couldn't produce the best answer.
And at this time, Fabio was calculating the appropriate share he could take from the spice guild.