There’s almost nothing more entertaining in this world than watching a neighbor’s love quarrel or a fire across the river.
It doesn’t affect me, but I can watch others fall into the abyss in real-time.
In a place like the Albanian continent, where entertainment is scarce, this kind of spectacle could be enough to spark a small festival when a criminal is sentenced to death.
And this logic applies just as well to international politics.
‘Japan survived due to the Korean War, and South Korea survived due to the Vietnam War.’
“The longer the war between the Kingdom of Granada, Nador, and the tribal alliance of Ifriqiya drags on, the more beneficial it will be for us.”
The reason I can sell muskets to Ifriqiya and Nador at an exorbitant price is because of the fierce war between them.
Of course, even if the war ends, both countries will still buy weapons to prepare for any future conflict...
But they won’t buy in large quantities at the high prices they once did.
You can sell a bottle of water for 10 million won to someone dying of thirst in the desert, but in a normal place, no one will pay more than 2,000 won for a bottle of water.
Those who aren’t in urgent need will carefully consider the price-performance ratio before buying, just like testing a bridge before crossing.
“Is this the Valencia Defense Army’s base?”
The guard, seeing my attire, replied politely.
“Yes, it is, sir.”
“I am Fabio de Rothschild, a Baron of the Tuscan Empire. I have important information to deliver to the Kingdom of Granada, so I’ve come personally.”
When I say important information, it’s naturally classified, top-secret material.
Common sense would tell you to deliver such information directly to the Ministry of War or the royal family.
But unless you're a formal diplomat, a foreign noble like me cannot just approach such places.
If I show up to deliver confidential information, they will suspect me of being a spy before even listening to my words and will likely arrest and detain me without hearing a word.
‘They probably won’t torture me, but it certainly won’t be a pleasant experience.’
“Understood. Do you have anything that can verify your identity?”
In this era, there’s no ID card, so proving one’s identity on the spot isn’t easy.
However, among nobles, we carry symbols that prove our noble status instead of ID cards.
I showed the seal ring on my finger.
“Confirmed. Please wait inside. A commander will be with you shortly.”
Since I had revealed my noble identity, the waiting room I was shown to was relatively well-equipped.
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The chairs were quite comfortable, and the food served was the same as what the officers ate.
Though I was restricted from leaving the room, they didn’t put handcuffs or any other restraints on me.
Even if I were an enemy noble, the policy is to treat nobles with respect.
‘If they find out the information I brought is useless, the treatment will change drastically.’
As I waited leisurely, the door opened, and a young officer entered.
“I am Fernando Valdes, an administrative officer with the Operations Department of the Kingdom of Granada’s Ministry of War. I’ve been ordered to come and hear the information that Baron Rothschild is providing.”
“I’m grateful that you took my sudden visit seriously. It’s no wonder the Kingdom of Granada is thriving with such thoroughness in your operations.”
When I praised the kingdom, the officer’s shoulders subtly relaxed.
“Thank you. Could you tell me the specifics of the information you’ve brought?”
“The Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Lyon are preparing for full-scale war. And right now, His Holiness the Pope is using significant funds to hire mercenaries to support the Holy Roman Empire.”
The young officer before me froze at my words.
As someone who knew about the corruption of Western Catholicism during its most decadent era, I wasn’t shocked by the Pope’s interference in secular wars.
Other nobles, however, would have been appalled, shocked by the strange turn of events.
‘It’s as shocking as seeing a priest wear a gold badge and participate in parliamentary sessions during weekdays and preach on weekends.’
“Is that really true? The Pope is planning to go to war with the Kingdom of Lyon... I just can’t understand why,” the officer asked, stunned.
While it may seem like the officer lacks experience, his reaction is perfectly normal.
Think about it logically. Could you ever predict that someone who swears to lead a righteous life, someone who always speaks piously, would suddenly decide to meddle in a foreign war?
“From what I’ve heard, His Holiness the Pope wants to achieve great military feats in this war to expand the territories governed by the bishops. He’s quite an ambitious man.”
“Expanding the bishoprics through war?” the officer asked, still astonished.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
Although the officer seemed shocked at first, he quickly regained his composure and began analyzing the situation coldly.
“If what you say is true, our primary enemy, the Kingdom of Lyon, will be too distracted to pay attention to us,” the officer said.
In World War II, some might view a country fighting on two fronts as an impossible task, but even the most insane of dictators tried to minimize their frontlines as much as possible when they were still sane.
“Based on what you’ve told me, this is very useful information for us. But is there anything you want in exchange for sharing this?” the officer asked.
“I may be a mere baron, but I’m known for being wealthy in the Tuscan Empire. The coffee you drink every day, the seaweed you use as an aphrodisiac—all of it belongs to me. Do you think I’m doing this for a few petty coins?” I responded.
In this era, people believe in the health benefits of coffee and seaweed, just as they believed for centuries that viruses didn’t cause illness but rather bad odors.
Therefore, both coffee and seaweed are bound to remain highly regarded.
“Oh, my apologies,” the officer replied.
“It’s a nasty assumption, but I’ll let it slide. The reason I’ve shared this information is because the Kingdom of Granada is an ally of the Tuscan Empire. We’re both adversaries of the Kingdom of Lyon, aren’t we?” I said.
In truth, I profit from prolonging the war between the Kingdom of Granada and Nador.
But that’s a detail they don’t need to know.
The key point is that they think we’re allies, while I’m just taking advantage of them.
It’s a small lie, but both sides are satisfied, so it’s a happy transaction.
“And such information would be helpful the sooner it’s shared, so I came here personally. What are you waiting for? Shouldn’t you hurry and relay this up the chain?” I asked.
At this point, the officer is only tasked with listening to my information and processing it. The higher-ups will make the final decisions.
‘What I said is 100% true, so what could they possibly do about it?’
The news I shared with Fabio quickly reached the higher echelons of the Kingdom of Granada’s Ministry of War.
“Vice Minister, do you think this information is reliable?” asked the man referred to as the Vice Minister.
The Vice Minister answered cautiously.
“Given that His Holiness the Pope is known for his strong greed and lust for power, it’s highly likely. His Majesty is also having some trouble with him. To strengthen the Pope’s power, he’d certainly be willing to cause such a stir.”
“Baron Rothschild has brought us valuable information. Thanks to him, we can now focus on making sure Nador’s governor can’t extend his reach in Ifriqiya,” the Vice Minister said.
This was exactly what Fabio had intended.
He was trying to escalate the war between the Kingdom of Granada and Nador.
The resulting collateral benefits were obvious.
“Make sure to release Baron Rothschild immediately. He said he wouldn’t accept any reward, but let’s give him a little something. Offer him honorary citizenship and a small sum of money.”
“Yes, understood.”
And with that, Fabio immediately headed to a tavern, leading his guard detail.