Duke Alfred de Visconti immediately went to see his father upon returning to Florence.

    “I’m back, Father.”

    “Welcome back. Did you have a good trip?”

    “Yes, I learned and saw a lot. It was nothing compared to the Grand Tour that other nobles take. At my age, I didn''t even feel like going.”

    The Grand Tour is a worldwide journey that prominent nobles or wealthy merchants often take at least once.

    As Alfred did, they travel with a tutor to various places, seeing and learning about many things firsthand.

    They also attend numerous social gatherings in those countries, building connections with influential figures abroad while enjoying all sorts of cultural experiences.

    It’s an incredibly costly journey, but the knowledge gained is equally valuable.

    “Art, culture, history—these are things that any noble should know.”

    When everyone is aware of the same knowledge or information, its value tends to diminish.

    However, the journey that Fabio took for just about a month...

    “My health is fine, so I was going to send you on a trip as a celebration for finishing your military service.”

    It’s a trip that every noble should experience at least once, and it promises a delightful experience.

    Often, nobles return with several beautiful women after starting their journey alone, and it’s an opportunity to indulge in the luxuries available only to the nobility for nearly a year.

    Heirs from noble families, in fact, remember this time as the happiest period of their lives, so the duke had intended to send Alfred on such a journey.

    When that plan fell through, the duke felt a tinge of regret.

    “It’s nice to save money, but I feel a bit disappointed.”

    “There aren’t many chances to see the outside world. You’ve been buried in studies and work at your age; it wouldn’t hurt to have some fun.”

    “Having fun is good, but I think it would be more beneficial to learn from the actions of Baron Medici.”

    “Why the change of heart?”

    Alfred, the duke''s son, had initially felt some discontent when his father instructed him to learn from Fabio.

    It seemed strange to learn from someone so much younger, after all.

    Of course, he couldn''t openly dispute his father’s order without a reasonable basis, so he naturally complied.

    He never showed any discontent in front of Fabio.

    “Commoners can express their emotions as they please, but we must sometimes hide our feelings even if we are met with mud on our faces.”

    That’s the essence of politics and governance.

    “First of all, after asking a few questions of the maid that the baron cherishes, I found that his character seems exceptional. Seeing how much he values his maid and receives sincere love from her makes me feel favorable toward him.”

    “Fabio is quite peculiar, to say the least.”

    “However, more than that, the baron’s abilities were far more appealing.”

    “What aspects?”

    The duke''s son recalled Fabio''s demeanor in Nador.

    “He curiously showed no signs of hostility or displeasure when looking at the heathens. Anyone who sees those heathens, who are essentially beasts dressed in human skin, would likely feel repulsion.”

    In reality, Fabio does not feel any disgust when looking at the heathens.

    He merely thinks of them as people from a different culture.

    However, that is something unimaginable by the common standards of the Albanian continent.

    “If he did this with those who believe in the Deus religion, even Satan would applaud.”

    However, since it’s aimed at heathens, it’s acceptable.

    “And since there’s a risk of being caught later, he suggested that the ships going to sell goods to the tribes of Ifriqiya should ‘change flags.’ He said they could just play dumb.”

    The duke clapped his hands without thinking.

    Seeing Fabio pulling such a trick on heathens made him feel quite pleased as a believer of the Deus religion.

    “Making money and screwing over the heathens is a twofold success.”

    “Can such wisdom truly be gained from the Grand Tour?”

    “I went on the Grand Tour 40 years ago, but they didn’t teach me this.”

    The duke raised his assessment of Fabio even higher.

    “I must find some way to bind him to our family.”

    “What if the emperor were to take Fabio away?”

    It seemed like he would make the nobles into beggars without any hesitation.

    “Then could I give Erica to that fellow?”

    Alfred smiled upon hearing that.

    “At first, I was a bit hesitant when I heard you intended to give Erica to a mere baron. But from a father’s perspective, it seems it would be more of a loss for Fabio than for Erica. Once he receives the title of baron, I should hurry to arrange a marriage.”

    To make the daughter born from the duke’s lawful wife his wife, he would need to become a count.

    A baron is merely the “minimum legal requirement”; in reality, it’s something unattainable.

    It’s about as meaningless as the idea that all people are equal before Deus.

    Of course, that statement wouldn’t be refuted by anyone.

    “But I do have one concern, Father.”

    “What is it?”

    “Becoming a baron is something one could achieve depending on effort, but beyond that, it’s different, isn’t it?”

    For a common “noble” to earn a baron title by their own strength, it requires tremendous military merit.

    By the conventional means, one must show incredible military achievements and abilities over 30 to 40 years to be promoted to “general.”

    Or one must capture the supreme commander in a war involving tens of thousands of troops.

    You need to achieve tremendous feats to climb up the ranks.

    “I would be delighted to have Fabio as a son-in-law, but will Erica end up becoming an old maid?”

    However, the duke burst into laughter at his son’s question.

    “It was Fabio who incorporated Rabatt Island into the empire''s territory. He rejected the title of baron for that achievement.”

    “Is he really someone like us?”

    “I’m not sure, but let me explain it to you in a way you can understand.”

    The duke chuckled and asked,

    “If one of your subordinates is a battalion commander, and that fellow is extraordinarily exceptional, easily crushing the enemy’s legion with just one battalion, would you dismiss him?”

    “If I have such a subordinate, I would bind him to me by any means. If I entrusted my division to him, I could just sleep and still get promoted.”

    An excellent subordinate is a threat.

    However, if you can secure their heart, it’s best to keep them by your side.

    “As long as Baron Medici is helpful to us, that’s all that matters. What else is there to question? Besides, Erica has five more years until she comes of age, so why worry?”

    At that moment, Fabio felt an unexplained chill.