I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 312: Agricultural Revolution (4)

Good things are most likely to cause trouble when consumed alone.

That’s why the world’s richest people share opportunities to make money with their families and trusted colleagues.

If I try to consume it all by myself, I’ll burst from overeating. But if I share the profits with a trusted few, I can benefit for generations to come.

Humanity has evolved through this process.

‘If you take it too far, you end up getting stabbed with a spear and dying.’

Of course, I’m the kind of guy who plays near that line without crossing it, so I won’t end up getting stabbed.

“Your Excellency, I bring you some good news.”

Normally, the Duke would be eager to know what this good news is, but today, he seemed uninterested.

He then gave me a suspicious smile.

What is this? Has he figured out what I’m up to?

Damn it, if I get caught, it’s dangerous. But at the same time, is it possible that the great deeds I’m planning, which will ultimately benefit humanity, have already leaked out?

There’s too much I can guess, but I have no idea what’s been exposed.

“Good news, huh? That’s great, but if it’s not urgent, I’d like you to listen to my story first.”

“Of course.”

“Lately, there are rumors within my faction that you’ve been excessively flattering His Majesty. I trust you, so I’ve been saying that my son-in-law must have some reason for doing so, but I’ve had to suppress the backlash.”

Any man from South Korea would have heard something like this while serving in the military.

“Hey, you’ve been talked about a lot lately. Be careful.”

This isn’t just a senior saying this out of concern because they’ve heard something bad; it’s not just a warning to act right. In the worst case, it means that the senior is preparing to isolate you.

Considering the relationship between Duke Visconti and me, I’d say it’s a little hurtful, but still.

Honestly, I feel a bit wronged.

I’ve done so much for you so far.

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I’ve made steel for you, provided investment information for profit, paved the way for your subordinate nobles to gain military merit, and contributed to the country’s development so you could enjoy indirect benefits.

No, I’ve basically done everything.

But what can you do? Life is unfair, and you just have to live with it.

When a professor gets scolded by his wife and takes it out on us, we have to laugh it off as graduate students. And when a manager gets told he’s disgusting by his daughter and works us late, we just have to follow along with a smile.

“I didn’t know there were such rumors among the other nobles in the faction. If you hadn’t told me, I would have been in trouble.”

“You know that I’m the only one looking out for you, right?”

“I may have been misunderstood for flattering His Majesty recently because I’ve implemented policies that help him, but how could I possibly neglect my wife’s family?”

“Hmmm, you’ve got nothing to apologize for. All you need to do is clear up the misunderstandings of the others.”

The fact that he’s reacting like this with just a slight bow makes me think it’s probably as I suspected.

‘Fabio-chan hasn’t been paying attention to me, so I’ve been lonely! But as long as he starts caring about me now, that’s enough.’

If Erika said this, it would’ve been incredibly cute, but hearing a man in his mid-60s say this makes me feel a bit twisted.

“Soon, a civil war will break out in the Holy Empire, one that will wash blood with more blood.”

Just half a year ago, if I had said this, the Duke would have tilted his head in confusion.

But since Father Stefano’s reform of the Deus Church started, there isn’t a noble in the Toscana Empire who wouldn’t know this by now.

“Right.”

“And any noble who is truly sincere should know how to exploit others' misfortunes to the fullest, shouldn’t they?”

“That’s indeed an evil statement, but I can’t deny it. You’re right.”

“When the war breaks out, we’ll need to unite the people, merchants, artisans, and nobles under His Majesty’s banner to march into the Holy Empire and gain as much profit as possible. That’s why I’ve strengthened the imperial authority first.”

A focal point is always needed in a war.

The victory or defeat hinges on who that central figure is.

Even if they are both from the Joseon Navy, the Joseon navy under Yi Sun-sin becomes the terror of Japanese pirates, but under Won Gyun, the same navy becomes their prey.

Without the Emperor as the central figure, in this war, the nobles would get caught up in infighting and the operations would fail disastrously.

“In a few years, an unprecedented scale of war bonds will be issued.”

The war bond system itself has only been around for less than two years, so calling it unprecedented is an exaggeration, but.

The upcoming civil war in the Holy Empire will be so devastating that it will be recorded as the first World War in world history.

‘I’ll make it so.’

“If until now, bonds have been issued using real estate ownership or property rights as collateral, the upcoming bonds will likely sell land ownership as well, because the amount of investment required will be astronomical.”

“If someone else said this, even I would have some doubts, but if it’s you saying it, I’d believe it even if you claimed you could turn lead into gold.”

“I swear it on my family name.”

Now, let’s assume there’s a civil war in the Holy Empire.

In that case, there will be at least 500,000, maybe even over 1 million, soldiers rampaging across the country, including the regular army.

It’s one thing if they’re just fighting against foreign forces, but in a situation where internal enemies are also crawling around,

The people, or rather everyone in the country, will have no choice but to arm themselves to survive.

In fact, just before the Japanese invasions of Korea, over 10% of Japan’s population were soldiers, so why wouldn’t the same happen here?

“If a civil war breaks out, there will be more than 1 million soldiers in the Holy Empire looting and plundering. To get a piece of that, our empire will need to mobilize at least 500,000.”

“Even if we mobilize all the standing forces in the Toscana Empire, we still won’t have 500,000.”

“We can’t let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip by.”

“Right, in my lifetime—no, while the Toscana Empire is still standing—there’s no guarantee another opportunity like this will come.”

“Everyone, including His Majesty and all the nobles and merchants, are thinking the same thing. They all know this opportunity won’t come again.”

One of the common misconceptions in this world is this.

The belief that what I know is something others don’t.

But in reality, most people know what I know, and most of what I can do, others can do as well.

“And since it’s just me and you here, let me speak more honestly.”

The Duke swallowed after hearing my words.

“If we grow the imperial power a bit, in return, we’d gain more territories and wealth, wouldn’t that be a bigger benefit for you and your followers? If we set aside honor, power, and politics, and only considered profit?”

“You’re right. They all shout for honor and the Empire, but those who solely pursued noble values have already become penniless and died. Hundreds of years ago, that is. Both me and your ancestors, we shouted for honor, but in the backrooms, we waged political battles and pursued the benefits of our families, and only those who did that survived. Ironically, the descendants of those who died for honor have become fallen knights and are at the bottom of ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) society, while those who pursued wealth over honor hold both wealth and honor.”

“A sad reality.”

Sadly, reality is always cold.

If I want to survive in this cold reality, I must become a man even more cold-hearted and cruel than reality itself.

If I don’t kill someone, the world will kill me.

‘The only thing that’s changed with the development of the times is that we no longer kill with swords.’

“To survive now, and to give our descendants a prosperous future, this desire will eventually make the entire empire pour all its resources into the civil war of the Holy Empire.”

During Japan’s bubble economy, there was a strong belief that real estate would double or even more in a few years.

So the people of Japan invested all their money, even their future income, into their homes.

They bought homes through 30-year and 40-year loans.

Medieval fantasy residents of Toscana Empire and the Japanese were the same kind of foolish people...

‘All the empire’s resources will have to focus on war.’

Investing in war makes money multiply.

“And to win the war, we’ll need food. More food.”

“Money can be printed, seized, or obtained by any means... but food can’t be solved that way.”

And now, I could finally get to the point of the conversation.

“I’ve developed a new farming method.”