Is it because I’ve been so busy? Time has flown by so quickly.
“It feels like just yesterday that I became a baron, and yet a month has already passed.”
During this time, I traveled to other cities besides Perugia to sign similar contracts and handle the remaining administrative tasks.
Without exaggeration, there was so much to do that I was completely overwhelmed.
Still, I managed to complete the preparations related to military supplies on time.
Now, as long as the guild I subcontracted doesn’t cause any issues, I won’t have to struggle like this anymore.
“Sebastian said the sales and net profit would be calculated today. I wonder when the report will come in?”
In response, Chloe replied, “The butler is a man of his word, no matter how trivial the promise. I’m sure he’ll deliver the report today, as promised. And are you in too much of a hurry, Young Master?”
“I’ve taken care of all the urgent matters, but Chris and Sebastian still have practical reviews to complete. Yes, it’s still only morning, so maybe I’m being too impatient.”
“You’ve been working nonstop lately, so why not enjoy this moment of leisure and rest?”
I tried to enjoy the little break, but a knock on the door interrupted me.
As soon as the door opened, Chris appeared, holding a rather thick report.
“I’ve just finished calculating the income we can gain from this military supply. We’ve completed up to the third verification, so there shouldn’t be any changes except for minor discrepancies.”
“Great job, Chris.”
“I was just doing what I needed to do, Baron.”
Even though she said that, Chris smiled brightly upon hearing my praise.
It’s said that compliments can make even a whale dance.
It seems Chris feels good about being recognized by me.
Compliments cost nothing, so I should give them as much as I can.
“The calculation this time is for a month’s worth of supplies to be delivered right away. I would have liked to calculate for a year, but...”
“You didn’t go that far because you’re unsure how the receiving division will react to our products, right? I understand completely.”
When I had a productive conversation with the guild master in Perugia, I warned that if they mixed in defective goods as they did with other military supplies, we would face a ‘sad situation.’
I also mentioned that while I knew they were hiding their profit margins, I was willing to play along.
I kindly informed them that if they got caught slacking off, it would cost them their lives, so no subpar products would be delivered.
‘The probability of the military staff being impressed and increasing the order volume is quite high.’
“So, what is the expected income we can take from supplying a month’s worth of goods?”
“The net profit will be 500 gold coins.”
With the amount of money I earn, 500 gold coins may not seem much, but it’s actually an enormous sum.
That amount could support a household of four or even five serfs for an entire year if they saved.
‘If that’s just for one month, multiplying it by 12 for the annual revenue...’
“If we continue to trade like this, we’ll net 6,000 gold coins a year. That’s enough to cover the annual tax revenue of a small barony.”
The most important thing is that this is ‘net income,’ an amount after excluding labor costs, transportation fees, and the purchase price of goods necessary to maintain this trade.
“Thank you for your hard work. How about you take a break too, Chris? You haven’t had much rest lately.”
Ordinary workers work six days a week and rest on Sundays when they go to church.
Including various holidays, they end up resting about a third of the year.
However, we had to handle military supplies, so we worked without rest even on Sundays.
‘Preventing people from attending church services is punished more severely than killing someone, so they let us attend services even amidst busyness...’
Everyone returned to work right after the service...
I must have been making them work at the worst level imaginable.
“No. Instead of resting on holidays and Sundays, I’ll give all employees a special three-day break. They can take turns off as long as it doesn’t interfere with work. Next month’s salary will be doubled, including bonuses.”
It’s said that if you pay well, even ghosts will work for you.
Since I made them work so hard, financial compensation is the best way to heal their weary hearts.
“They will all be delighted.”
“And Chris, you should rest first.”
Before, it seemed there was no fat left to lose on her body other than her chest and rear, but it looked like she had been struggling lately, as her face appeared quite haggard.
She shouldn’t get sick like that.
“Yes, understood. Then, could you please keep the promise we made before?”
“I don’t have any urgent matters now. I’ll just change clothes and come out, so wait a moment.”
Chris smiled at my words.
Then, as if she remembered something, she brought up another topic.
“I momentarily forgot, but the Medici group and other merchants have doubled the prices of spices like pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon.”
With everything being so busy, it was easy to forget since it wasn’t directly under our responsibility.
But to collude and raise the spice prices by double? Where did their sense go?
‘The profit margin on spice trading is already over 50 times the cost price.’
At this rate, the Age of Exploration might open up soon.
“Rumor has it that it was led by Baron Medici.”
While it doesn’t directly harm the Medici family to be at the forefront of raising spice prices, their finances will likely become even more affluent.
However, from a long-term perspective, that’s insane.
If they increase spice prices recklessly, people will go around the seas to loot and sell them!
“As long as it’s not sugar going up, it doesn’t really concern us, so I can just use the information guild to do a quick investigation later. I’ll go change clothes for now.”
My brother Albert was doing well, politically stabilizing his position by forming a marriage alliance with the Farnese family.
Yet, to commit such a mistake right after inheriting the barony?
Once this is uncovered, the problems he caused will probably come out like peeling an onion.
I sincerely hope I won’t get splashed with mud from this.
As I brought Chris to the café, the attention of those around me was drawn toward us.
While it could be because Chris is beautiful, it was also because the unmarried baron, who is currently rising quickly in the central political scene, was seen with a woman.
One could say it was the unique political sense of the nobility at work.
Regardless, whether we went to a café or anywhere else, there was an unspoken rule among the nobles that “nobles who come with women should not speak to anyone except family.”
No one bothered Chris and me.
In fact, everyone even averted their eyes.
‘Still, it must make for good conversation.’
It would probably stop at a level that can be dismissed as nothing.
“I’d like one special parfait and two cups of coffee, please.”
The staff who saw the owner froze up and took my order.
Although I ordered later than others, my items arrived in less than five minutes.
The parfait was layered in a fairly large glass with various summer fruits like strawberries, peaches, and grapes, along with whipped cream and sweet bread.
Seeing that, Chris’s eyes began to sparkle.
“Since it’s a special parfait, it seems like it has a variety of fruits, looks delicious.”
She’s usually sharp when it comes to work, even being called the Ice Princess by subordinates, including Sebastian.
What would she think seeing a parfait like that?
Would she accept that she likes such things because she’s a woman, or would she be surprised?
I carefully served Chris’s share on the front plate that the staff had sensibly brought out.
“It seems you come here often.”
“During the seasons with many fruits, like summer or autumn, if I have time, I come at least once every three days.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed for loving sweets so much, she stammered slightly.
“If you mention this to Sebastian or Antonio, they would probably handle it as just a part of executive welfare.”
“For me, eating dessert here is a personal matter. And thanks to you, Young Master, for giving me a generous salary, I don’t need to worry about my wallet being empty from just enjoying a parfait.”
Chris’s salary is two gold coins and five silver coins a month.
Within our group’s internal ranking system, Chris is considered a genuine executive, so her salary is relatively high.
Adding bonuses, she would definitely be among the wealthy.
‘Adding the Modina family’s assets makes it even more so.’
“Well, if that’s the case. Other than that, do you have any new hobbies these days?”
“When work is a bit slow, I do embroidery at home. My father cherished the handkerchiefs I embroidered during his lifetime as if they were treasures.”
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Though I don’t have a daughter, I think if Chloe were to gift me a hand-embroidered handkerchief, I would treasure it dearly.
What if it were a handkerchief embroidered by my own daughter?
I can imagine her bragging about it to her subordinates.
“And I keep receiving marriage proposals. Since I became an executive at the Medici group at a young age, sons from other merchant families and poor nobles try to connect with me. Sometimes, I spend an entire holiday just writing polite rejection letters.”
... I can empathize.
Many people are trying to leverage me to overcome their financial difficulties since I’m making a lot of money.
‘Not long ago, I even received a proposal from a count’s family that went bankrupt after investing in something strange a few years ago.’
Of course, I politely declined that offer through Duke Visconti.
“Others might say it’s great to be popular, but it takes ages just to write those letters.”
“I don’t wish to marry a fool who only looks at my wealth, but I also don’t long for a husband who falls in love at first sight like a flower-brained young lady.”
“Really? Then what kind of person do you prefer?”
Lately, I’ve had a feeling that Chris harbors some serious affection for me.
So if I casually ask something like this without any knowledge...
‘Let’s see if I can catch a bite, whether it’s genuine or not.’
“I like a man who tirelessly pursues his goals and can see farther than others. Also, it would be nice if he treats me as an equal, rather than thinking I should only think about my husband just because I’m a woman.”
... In dramas, the dense protagonist would respond, “Oh, really? Who is that?”
But even I can understand this.
“I hope you can meet such a person.”
“Yes, Baron. So for now, I’m focusing on refining myself. A virtuous wife is fitting for a good man.”
That day, I finished the special parfait with Chris and returned to the mansion.
I don’t remember what it tasted like.
However, Chloe seemed to know everything after hearing the whole story.
“Just as I thought?”
And now that the military supply structure seems to have stabilized, I prepared for the next step in my octopus-like expansion.
I need to first deal with the royalist nobles who have returned to their former positions...
‘How do I cook them?’
After much contemplation, I managed to find a good answer.