As soon as the duke saw me, he began to chat and show off.

    “Other baronets can’t even request a private audience with me. I’m allowing you, Fabio, to meet with me specially. You understand that, right?”

    Someone ignorant would think it’s not a big deal to just meet with a person.

    However, the workings of the world aren’t that simple.@@@@

    Just having a judge or prosecutor’s business card in my wallet dramatically reduces the chances of being falsely accused by corrupt cops.

    Even if one commits a crime, those in the know would often look for mitigating circumstances to lessen the punishment.

    Let alone, in the Toscana Empire, just having connections with the duke grants me a sort of immunity.

    Ordinary infractions would likely be overlooked by the guards.

    If the duke personally intervenes, unless I killed someone in plain sight, even if I committed murder, I could potentially be exonerated.

    Of course, engaging in such antics would lead to terrifying consequences, and I wouldn’t want to commit sins that are unbecoming of a person.

    ‘I should think of this as a safety net.’

    This is why, when you look closely, the privilege of being able to hold a sudden private meeting in half a day is truly significant.

    “I apologize for bothering you, Your Grace.”

    “Don’t worry about it; we’re on friendly terms. Thanks to you, our faction has managed to significantly put Sforza the Duke in his place recently.”

    I had heard that the Pereira family was quite friendly with Duke Sforza.

    However, I also heard that the Pereira family had lost all their military contracts, which caused their status among the merchants to drop considerably.

    Due to their involvement in military supply corruption, their reputation was in the gutter.

    It’s likely that the mud has splattered on the Duke they are affiliated with as well.

    ‘Their financial situation must be suffering too.’

    “The young men in our faction—no, with someone like you, you’re practically a senior in my faction already. Once you marry and become the head of a proper noble family, I’ll even seat you in the uppermost position as a baronet.”

    Whether in Europe or Joseon, until you get married, you won’t be treated as an adult even if you are quite old.

    On the other hand, if you marry and have children, even if you’re just in your late teens, you’d be treated as an adult everywhere, at least in pretense.

    Moreover, in a meeting of the Visconti Duke''s faction, contribution to the faction takes precedence over rank.

    However, generally, that contribution is proportional to rank. If I’m at the uppermost position...

    ‘I’ll be sitting next to counts or influential viscounts eyeing the count’s seat.’

    “That’s too much praise.”

    “I assume you’ve come to see me in a hurry because there’s a crisis? Speak up; the problems faced by the members of my faction are as good as my own.”

    The medieval era—or rather, our Albanian continent—functions in a manner similar to organized crime.

    If I were to compare it to the Yakuza, the duke is the boss, and as a baronet, I’m a regular member of the organization.

    If an organization member is in danger, it’s the boss’s job to pick up a sword and rally other executives to trample over the threat.

    “Actually, as of today, the spice guild bastards have cut off the sugar supply to Cafe? Medici.”

    At those words, the duke''s face stiffened.

    “What a bunch of trashy lowlifes! You didn’t directly infringe on their profits, did you? They’re picking a fight just because they’re growing in size? That’s utterly infuriating.”

    Among the guilds in Florence, only the blacksmith guild has the justification to openly attack me.

    They lost all steel production to me and Duke Visconti, so their livelihoods have been stripped away.

    ‘Of course, the duke had set me up to make them puppets of the Visconti family.’

    Moreover, even if there is a justifiable reason for hitting someone, if one ends up in a fight, they could still end up in jail for assault.

    Besides, the spice guild has no reason to fight me...

    ‘It’s akin to blind violence.’

    “Well, if another merchant in our faction faced such an issue, it would be a bit upsetting, but we’re somewhat close, aren’t we?”

    I created a new forging technique, reaping massive profits, and the duke succeeded in completely monopolizing the steel that forms the backbone of this country’s military.

    “I wish my granddaughter would find someone like you to marry.”

    ....... I must have misheard that.

    After Fabio left the office, Count Latina, the chancellor of the duke''s family, entered.

    “It seems Your Grace has quite a fondness for Baron Medici.”

    Duke Visconti chuckled.

    “Neither you nor I could have done half as much at that age. Yet that lad, Fabio, brings back the best results without a care, no matter how unreasonable tasks we throw at him.”

    “I was certainly surprised when he created a new forging method. Analyzing the process of handling military supplies gave me chills.”

    Count Latina reminisced about Fabio’s achievements.

    Improving soldiers'' meals and cutting costs by tackling all forms of corruption in military supplies is something a ‘capable merchant’ could do.

    However, to elevate the quality of meals several levels while not making enemies of the merchants reliant on military supply profits?

    ‘That was absurd.’

    He managed to maintain extremely high quality and low prices in handling “military supplies for two divisions,” even while his faction was still small.

    It’s not something an ordinary young noble could pull off.

    ‘Especially creating the conditions for military supplies in just two months would have been a task that even seasoned nobles would have given up on.’

    The duke chuckled.

    “Of course, it’s difficult for people to always choose the righteous path, right? His Majesty’s favor led the minister to propose the ‘royal authority enhancement plan,’ which was quite disappointing. I even considered calling him in for a stern reprimand.”

    Enhancing royal authority would diminish the standing of nobles like the duke.

    This is as natural as water flowing from high to low.

    “However, I feel it was an unnecessary worry.”

    “Why do you think so?”

    “They say he’s going to achieve the feat of expanding territory without lifting a finger. If another young man had said that, I might not believe it, but with Fabio, I can trust it.”

    People usually prove their trust through results.

    Fabio de Medici, though only 22 years old, has achieved enough to be considered a key player in any faction.

    He helped monopolize steel, granting control over the military, and dealt a serious blow to the financial lines of enemy factions.

    Completing military supplies and becoming the youngest major to be granted a lightning commission while begging to at least be made the division''s logistics officer.

    “I should ask him about this later. If His Majesty grants absolute royal authority, what benefits would he offer me?”

    Count Latina nodded in agreement.

    “I’m also quite uncertain. Nevertheless, it’s a shame.”

    “What do you mean?”

    “I do have a granddaughter, but she’s too young.”

    “That’s just how life is, isn’t it?”

    The duke made a face opposite to the playful banter he was sharing.

    “I wish we could tie him down a bit more firmly. How great would it be if Fabio could assist Alfred directly?”

    “Isn’t young Duke Alfred quite capable?”

    Alfred de Visconti is indeed quite competent.

    But the better someone is, the more they can be valued.

    “Count Latina, it’s better to have more excellent individuals like you.”

    Then he spoke to his most trusted subordinate.

    “If your son and Fabio support the capable Alfred, I’m sure the Sforza faction won’t be able to catch their breath. I look forward to that.”

    With that, the duke stood up from his seat.

    “It’s too precious to hand over to His Majesty.”