The afternoon following the rumors about me becoming a baron, my father rushed over, out of breath.
As soon as he saw me, he hugged me tightly, almost to the point of suffocation.
“Fabio! I can't believe you’re actually a baron! I just can't accept this!”
When I announced that I would become a merchant, he was so serious and stern, it honestly takes some getting used to seeing him like this.
However, unlike other nobles, he had always tried his best to care for me since I was young.
‘He only knew how to be strict with his children, like fathers of old.’
He probably felt the need to take drastic measures at times.
“Isn’t this all thanks to Deus’s blessing and His Majesty’s grace, as well as your father’s teachings?”
“What have I taught you? It’s all your ability.”
I can genuinely say that my current success is entirely the result of my own efforts.
However, when I first decided to open the café, the funding I received and the reason various hostile forces couldn't act recklessly against me were all because my father handled things out of sight.
That’s why I’m spreading resources within the Medici baron family.
‘One cannot sever the ties of heaven, and I've gained much thanks to my father.’
“And to think you’re getting married to the granddaughter of Duke Visconti? I was quite worried because your marriage was delayed. I was afraid that if it dragged on to next year, I would have to step in and play matchmaker myself.”
In noble families, the head of the family usually decides the marriages of all legitimate offspring.
Since I received the title of viscount, I became independent, so my father respected that and hadn’t said anything until now.
However, once a woman goes past 24, she’s practically on the verge of being an old maid, and men start getting labeled as old bachelors, making them subjects of gossip.
‘It’s only natural for him to want to intervene; who would like to hear that their beloved son is being called an old bachelor?’
But seeing how things have unfolded, if my father starts matchmaking, I’m worried he might receive a “gentle warning” from the suspicious people sent by the duke.
While they might speak kindly, their advice will probably suggest that if he doesn't heed their words, he’ll end up eating pasta through his nose next time.
“I’ve been too busy to think about marriage, but Your Grace has gone above and beyond for me.”
“Fabio, you will do well.”
“Thank you, Father.”
After a very brief exchange, my father stood up.
“If I could, I’d love to chat more, but there are nobles flocking to see me and Albert, so I must take my leave.”
Even though I’m legally independent from the Medici baron family,
the blood ties remain.
So, if my father becomes friendly with Albert, it’s like he believes that indirectly he can become closer to me.
Just as he was about to leave, my father sighed.
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“Fabio.”
“Yes, Father?”
“Your brother is infinitely lacking compared to you. In ten or twenty years, you will likely be a viscount or count, but your brother will remain a baron.”
From a distance, it may not seem that difficult for a noble to maintain their family lineage.
However, as all chairpersons of companies experience, safeguarding a family until passing it on to the next generation is as precarious and exhausting as walking on thin ice.
In social gatherings, even if you don’t go bankrupt from making the wrong connections, it’s not uncommon to be ostracized and see your family pushed to the brink.
When a family is cornered to the edge, merchants come to collect debts, seizing rights related to the territory, partially or entirely.
As a result, there are many families that are effectively left with only their titles, not much different from having been wiped out.
The reason they haven’t vanished is quite simple.
‘As long as the title remains, they can hold the full rights to manage their territory, collect taxes, and pay off debts.’
Thus, maintaining the family in its current state is already an impressive feat.
Breaking through the ceiling above is practically a miracle.
That’s why I’m receiving the attention of the nobles.
“Be kind to your brother. You might not know it, but there are people in this world who see those better than themselves and become frustrated, despairing, and giving up. Some even end up completely broken. But your brother is not that incompetent.”
While others struggle to gain practical experience until their mid-thirties before finally inheriting a title and managing a territory,
my brother inherited the baron title in his mid-twenties and is doing just fine without major issues.
At this level, he would probably rank among the top 10% of nobles.
“Regardless, he’s still family.”
Honestly, I might not like Albert much, but I’m thinking of helping him if I can change my mindset.
Setting aside personal feelings, it would be right to avoid being seen as a degenerate among the nobles for rising to success on my own.
In our empire, it’s traditional to support family members who achieve great success up to the sixth cousin.
‘Other countries probably do the same.’
“Yes, Father.”
Hearing my words, my father immediately left.
When he first entered, he had a light and cheerful step, but now his pace seemed dejected.
This is all Albert’s fault.
“Ugh, I have a headache. Should I just take a break today?”
There are still many nobles who want to meet me.
However, after the duke suggested letting me rest for a few days because it would be difficult for me, there were no visitors.
As for work, since I’m the top manager, even if I take a week off without permission, it runs smoothly enough due to the system in place.
‘It’s possible because of the slow communication speed without the internet.’
That’s why nobles in this era can spend more than 10 hours a day socializing without their work piling up.
“Christina here. I have an important matter to discuss. Can you spare a moment?”
...... I want to rest today unless it’s something really important.
I feel dizzy, as if I’ve been hit in the head with a hammer, all thanks to the duke.
“If it’s not urgent, I’d prefer to take a break today.”
At my words, Kris hesitated before replying.
“It’s a personal matter, and the only person I can talk to about it is the viscount, no, you, Baron.”
“Come in.”
“Yes, Baron.”
Kris opened the door and entered, sitting down casually in a chair.
According to etiquette, it would be rude for her to sit down before I permitted it, but our relationship isn’t so distant that we need to worry about such formalities.
In fact, rumors in the social circles say that people are curious about when the two of us will start dating.
I often take Kris and Chloe to Café Medici for desserts like parfaits, enjoying our time together.
‘Thanks to that, rumors circulate that Kris and I have a more than friendly relationship.’
“To begin with, I sincerely congratulate you on your promotion to baron. I believed you would achieve greatness, but I never imagined you would reach the title of baron solely through your efforts at the age of 23. I honestly couldn’t have imagined it.”
Even for exceptional individuals, it usually takes nearly a lifetime of effort to raise their title.
However, I have ascended from a mere “noble young master” to a knight, a viscount, and now a baron through hard work, surpassing the typical speed.
“Furthermore, a marriage with the daughter of the duke? When I heard the news, I doubted my ears and wondered if I had misheard it multiple times. Congratulations again.”
Kris congratulated me with a posture that was entirely proper according to etiquette.
Those who don’t know her well might believe she’s sincerely congratulating me...
‘Objectively speaking, she’s trying to suppress any jealousy because she feels she has no right to be envious.’
If it were Chloe, upon hearing this news, she would likely squeeze me like a rag.
She would probably say something like,
‘While I’m happy that my young master is succeeding, I am the one who is most loved by you. And I will continue to be.’
Then she’d insist on having my child before the official mistress arrives.
As a senior executive of the Medici trading company, she is usually very skilled at controlling her emotions, but if you look closely, you can see that she’s biting her lips tightly.
“So what’s the important matter you came for?”
Kris took a breath and replied.
“The Viole viscount family has proposed marriage to me.”
“Now that I’ve become a baron, all sorts of people are approaching me about marriage, making things quite troublesome.”
“They are nobility by law, but because the previous viscount committed great wrongs, they are practically left with just the title. They are viscounts, but their living standards are equivalent to that of ordinary artisans.”
I can tell without needing to be told.
These folks are thinking of leveraging the Modina family’s wealth and connections to rebuild their own family.
And even though there are rumors in the social circles that Kris and I are dating...
‘Everyone who knows the reality understands that we are just on friendly terms.’
That’s what the “friends with benefits” relationship is like.
“...I, too, am starting to think about marriage, just like you, Baron. I’ve just turned 20 today.”
“Right.”
“So, I won’t hide it any longer; I don’t want to become an old maid.”
Kris took a deep breath as she said this.
“I find it disgusting to think about being with a man who only wants my wealth and connections, and who doesn’t love me, nor do I love him. The thought of losing my purity and raising that man’s child makes me feel nauseous.”
Just imagining it is indeed quite repulsive.
“I was a bit hesitant about falling for someone that Chloe likes. But now, I plan to be honest with my feelings.”
Kris looked at me with a determined gaze and said,
“I love you, Baron.”