The war with the external enemy was over, and the Toscan Empire's army returned home.
Even the cooks, who had spent the war at the rear preparing meals, acted as if they were war heroes, basking in the joy of their return.
Meanwhile, Marquis Ragusa, the commander-in-chief of the war, found himself busier now than during the war itself.
"It feels like I’m fighting two wars in a row."
One was the war against the Milania Grand Duchy. The other was the relentless lobbying from nobles.
Under the guise of asking for "objective evaluations" of the contributions made by their sons, brothers, faction members, or vassals, they made constant requests.
But both the gift-givers and Marquis Ragusa knew the truth—these were bribes thinly veiled as petitions.
Rejecting these requests risked souring relations with nobles, which could lead to political traps. Yet accepting them meant succumbing to corruption.
In the end, the best strategy was to accept the gifts, evaluate contributions fairly, and then insist it was all handled properly.
Walking through the imperial palace, Ragusa let out a deep sigh.
"Baron Alfeo, don’t you think politics is more exhausting than war?"
Baron Alfeo, his vassal and childhood friend, nodded in agreement.
"Everyone has things they excel at and things they struggle with, don’t they? For instance, Baron Rothschild seems better at making money than dealing with politics or war."
"Indeed, that rascal is more merchant than noble."
Calling a noble a merchant was as offensive as insulting their parents.
But Marquis Ragusa held no malice toward Fabio.
It was true that Fabio's actions resembled those of a merchant more than a noble.
"But he’s different from the vile and petty merchants. That man is a true patriot."
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While other nobles proved their patriotism on the battlefield, Fabio transformed systems, overturned conventions, and advanced the empire in ways that brought undeniable benefits.
He profited in the process, but...
The positive impact of that rascal is immeasurable.
"He just has a unique way of showing patriotism. Still, the empire absolutely needs someone like him."
"You hold Baron Rothschild in high regard, I see."
"At the very least, he’s better than those vile military contractors, isn’t he?"
As the two exchanged small talk, they encountered Duke Visconti in the imperial palace.
"Ah, General Ragusa. Congratulations on your victory in this war."
"Thank you, Your Grace."
"It was your achievement, not mine. I didn’t lift a finger. Still, you must be exhausted, even with the war over, managing the aftermath and the awards process."
"True, but today’s final review at the palace will wrap it all up. I just have to push through."
The duke and marquis walked side by side, speaking warmly enough to seem like close friends to a casual observer.
"Thanks to this decisive victory, we’ve gained Count Ferragamo’s territory, along with two more counties, one viscounty, and four baronies."
"Yes, Your Grace. The empire’s northern lands have expanded a bit."
"At our age, nearing retirement or death, it’s a relief to make such a significant contribution to the empire at the end."
Duke Visconti was in his mid-to-late sixties, and Marquis Ragusa was over seventy.
Though nobles lived longer than commoners thanks to their privileges, their average lifespan rarely exceeded sixty.
Thus, neither man was far from the end of their lives.
The marquis could relate to the duke’s thoughts about nearing the end.
"My son, serving as a regimental commander in the 5th Division, isn’t incompetent. So even if I retire, I’m not too worried."
"I feel the same. I plan to retire next year. Alfred is capable of leading our ducal house, and if anything goes wrong, my grandson-in-law will handle it."
Duke Visconti admired Fabio, both as a person and as a politician.
He appreciated Fabio’s relentless efforts to ensure his granddaughter’s happiness, finding his determination both endearing and admirable.
No matter the task, Fabio not only delivered results but also significantly contributed to the empire and the Visconti ducal house.
I hear Sforza is having a headache because of our grandson-in-law.
Fabio hadn’t dealt any direct blows to Duke Sforza, a major player in central politics.
However, Fabio had successfully thwarted Sforza’s schemes and was rapidly expanding his own faction’s reputation and influence, causing indirect harm.
It wasn’t impossible to imagine Fabio one day becoming the Visconti house’s weapon to obliterate Sforza’s power.
If only I could live to see the great-grandchildren my grandson-in-law gives us.
"My grandson-in-law, ah, you mean Baron Rothschild? Indeed, he’s incredibly talented and contributes to the nation in unique ways. His loyalty and patriotism are undeniable."
Duke Visconti was taken aback.
No matter how fondly he regarded Fabio, "patriotism" wasn’t a word he’d associate with his grandson-in-law.
Fabio wasn’t the type to sell out the empire, but he wasn’t the kind to sacrifice for it either.
Why was this staunchly patriotic marquis, a hereditary military commander, calling Fabio a patriot?
Maintaining his composure, the duke asked:
"My grandson-in-law, a patriot?"
"While the strategy that won this war was proposed by Baron Ducat, it was only possible because of Baron Rothschild’s stockpiling of food from Count Ferragamo’s lands."
"Ah, I heard about that. My son-in-law is certainly ingenious."
"And this time, he provided food at minimal profit and ensured the soldiers were well-fed. Thanks to him, Ducat’s plan worked, and we secured victory with only about 600 casualties."
Marquis Ragusa smiled brightly.
"I met him out of curiosity, and he’s someone who never forgets to center his loyalty to His Majesty. This time, he even bought up the loot taken by soldiers from the enemy at high prices, essentially compensating them for their efforts."
Duke Visconti knew Fabio de Rothschild very well.
A man who never suffered a loss and would spark a war between nations with a smile if it meant turning a profit.
He’d happily sell weapons and supplies to both sides, gouging prices, and make them feel indebted by claiming it was a discount.
In short, our family's rabid dog.
Fabio’s ruthlessness made the duke profoundly grateful he was part of the Visconti family.
Do you seriously think Fabio did that out of sheer patriotism?
Even the thought was absurd to the duke.
He’d sooner believe in heliocentrism than Fabio’s altruism.
"Still, managing to avoid losses while doing all that is impressive. I’m sure he only made a pittance, considering he provided twice the quality and quantity for the same price."
The duke’s understanding of business dictated that providing double the value for the same cost left little to no profit.
While it was possible to cut corners with tricks like using cheaper foreign frozen pork instead of fresh domestic meat, most people wouldn’t notice.
Fabio had clearly employed such tactics.
The duke didn’t know the specifics, but he was sure Fabio had used some clever scheme.
He must have come up with something ingenious.
"Seeing such dedication from the young baron makes me want to support him further."
The duke felt a pang of disbelief.
He doubted Fabio had acted purely out of a sense of duty to the empire.
The marquis has convinced himself Fabio is a patriot. I bet he’ll fool the other nobles too.
"Well then, I must be off to finalize the awards process."
After the awards review concluded, Marquis Ragusa addressed the Minister of War, the Minister of Military Affairs, and the Quartermaster General.
"Monopolies are generally bad. However, wouldn’t it be better to entrust military supplies—at least food and meals—to someone as competent and honest as Baron Rothschild, rather than letting greedy merchants carve up the profits?"
The proposal was quickly approved.
Fabio’s so-called "ethical actions" (which had actually yielded immense profits) had convinced them all.