Under Fabio's orders, this time Sebastian personally headed to the Lyon Kingdom.
Sending him, the second-in-command of the Rothschild family, meant that the task was of great importance.
Sebastian reflected on the weight of the responsibility placed on him and turned to ask a nearby servant.
"Is this Colmar?"
"Yes, Master Sebastian."
Sebastian sighed inwardly.
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The name "Sebastian" was common in the Lyon Kingdom, the Holy Empire, and even the United Kingdom, making it impossible to identify him as someone from the Toscana Empire based on just his name.
‘Even a massive wall can crumble from a single ant hole.’
"I am Samuel of the Holy Empire. You all are from the Holy Empire too."
"I apologize, Samuel."
"A single minor mistake could derail our plans. Always keep that in mind."
Although Fabio was a man who would do anything, no matter how wicked, for money, he was not incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong.
To be more precise, he could differentiate between actions that, if discovered, would have no consequences and those that would cause serious problems if exposed.
The act of inciting a rebellion, which Sebastian was overseeing, would, of course, be a crime that would have grave consequences if discovered.
Thus, all the other retainers and servants here were using aliases and hiding their true identities to avoid being caught.
"So, how are things at the Colmar and Lyon Kingdom border?"
The servant gave a wicked smile and replied.
"It’s the perfect time to sow the seeds."
"Sounds like a rather grim situation."
Just then, a group of about thirty citizens and serfs had gathered in front of the city hall to protest.
"Mayor of Colmar, no matter how important post-war reconstruction is, we’ll starve to death at this rate!"
"Please, lower the taxes just a little!"
"Please, convey our plight to the noble!"
In medieval times, or rather, for those who didn’t understand feudalism, it was believed that common people couldn’t even speak out against their lords and were merely expected to pay taxes.
However, under feudalism, lords were also obligated to protect their subjects.
This included protecting them from losing their lives in wars, maintaining public order, and even ensuring they didn’t starve during famines or by building embankments to prevent droughts.
Serfs and citizens who paid taxes should be ensured the ability to live.
But now, in Colmar, both serfs and citizens were struggling to survive, so the people had the right to demand their survival be guaranteed by the lord.
And the nobles were obligated to meet that demand.
Failing to do so would strip the lord of any justification to rule the land.
"The Count of Colmar is forced to collect taxes for post-war reconstruction, and the people are naturally upset because they’re being taxed and can’t even afford to buy food."
There was a great disparity between the views of the people and the Count of Colmar.
The Count saw money as the most readily available resource in his domain, so he collected it to buy the materials and food needed for reconstruction from outside sources, aiming to stabilize life.
The common people, however, couldn’t care less about future external resources. Their immediate priority was not starving today, so they couldn’t understand the Count’s actions in preparing for the future.
This situation inevitably led to conflict.
"If it were our lord, he would have found a solution that could satisfy both the people and the nobility, even in this situation."
Sebastian had seen this from Fabio. He was someone who could borrow knowledge from a world that didn’t exist and apply it in the most efficient way.
He had made rum, sold it to the primitive Ifriqiyan natives, got them addicted, and turned it into a fortune in gold, then traded the gold for matchlocks and other weapons, profiting tenfold.
And anyone who dared challenge or betray him was killed in ways that made them unable to even guess how they had been defeated.
‘Did he make a deal with the devil?’
He was wise and cold-hearted to the point that he could make his retainers question thoughts they shouldn’t have.
So, Sebastian was confident that he would quickly resolve this minor uprising.
‘I’ll ask if there’s a way to resolve this situation after the matter is over.’
"Samuel, the man at the front is someone we’ve been watching closely. Take a good look."
As Sebastian observed the man indicated by the servant, the leader of the group shouted loudly.
"Mayor, although we are lowly people, just as you and the other nobles have served the lord for generations, we too have loyally served the lord for generations!"
Hearing that, Sebastian raised his eyebrows slightly in intrigue.
"It’s funny that commoners and serfs like us are speaking of honor... but we have always taken pride in paying taxes and working diligently for the lord, who has protected us and our families."
It was a very dangerous move for a serf or commoner to mention honor. A single misstep could result in being beaten or even executed, as commoners were not allowed to speak about the honor of a noble, which was considered sacred.
However, if the person spoke without any mistakes, mentioning honor in their appeal, the noble would have to listen.
Otherwise, their honor, which was like their life, would be tarnished.
To Sebastian, this man’s appeal was surprisingly insightful.
‘He’s grasping the essence of honor.’
It was impressive, and there wasn’t a single mistake in his words.
"We understand that the Count is taxing us heavily for our protection. However, Mayor..."
The shabby man leading the protest raised his voice loudly.
"If things continue this way, the subjects your ancestors swore to protect will starve to death. Please, understand our plight. We ask that you convey our plea to the lord!"
Sebastian was deeply impressed by these words.
‘A resourceful one indeed.’
Though his words could have easily led to execution by hanging for the very act of protest, the man spoke without fear, boldly appealing to the mayor, knowing that if his plea was not heard, the Count would be branded as someone who didn’t understand honor.
If Fabio had been here, he would have probably praised this man as someone capable of wearing a gold badge in parliament for his eloquence.
"Do you know anything about the man at the front?"
"His name is Raphael, and he has no surname. Other than that, he’s been a low-ranking craftsman in the Colmar Woodworking Guild for ten years."
He was at the bottom of the artisan guild, barely scraping by in the lower middle class of the Lyon Kingdom.
He had no prospects of rising higher in that system.
Sebastian smacked his lips in thought.
‘He could be used as a tool to kindle the fire of this rebellion.’
Having spent time by Fabio’s side, he had unconsciously begun to think in similar ways.
"He probably didn’t attend university, did he?"
"Yes, most likely only went through an apprenticeship."
Despite not receiving higher education, the way he had grasped the essence of honor and incited the crowd showed that, had he been born in a more opportune time, he might have had the potential to rise to nobility on his own.
"Listening to Raphael complain at the tavern, he said he had talent and skills, but because of this rotten system, he was stuck rotting # Nоvеlight # in a small workshop in the corner of the city. He seemed really frustrated."
"Quite a dissatisfied one. That’s probably why he’s leading this protest."
It was the same in any era.
For some, a peasant rebellion was just an opportunity for upward mobility.
And indeed, the elites often placated these leaders by offering them a position among the lower echelons of the privileged class, easing the discontent of their followers.
So, it wasn’t an entirely baseless assumption.
"The crowd gathered over there was all brought together by him alone. He gathered the poor, citizens, merchants, and artisans of Colmar, and told them that to resolve this crisis, we must deliver our voices to the lord."
"From the way he speaks, it seems he instinctively knows how to gather power without crossing the line."
Sebastian praised the servant who had informed him.
"I’ll write a detailed report of your actions and send it to the lord. I’m sure you’ll be rewarded handsomely."
"Thank you, Samuel."
"Once the protest ends, I’d like to see that man alone. Make sure you set it up."
A few hours later, Sebastian met Raphael, the leader of the protest, in private.
"I never thought I’d meet someone like you in such a backwater town."
Sebastian began moving forward with Fabio’s orders.