Chapter 42

Chapter 42. The Succession Battle for the Dukedom (1)

After deciding to help with the succession battle, we called our retainers back in and continued the meeting.

First, I needed to state what I wanted.

Then I could hear Viscount Chioggia’s conditions.

There was no reason to help him if I gained nothing special from it.

“Let’s begin with the basic requirements of the marriage alliance. I want most-favored treatment in trade with the Veneto Territory.”

Although Viscount Chioggia had his own territory, he was the legitimate son of the Duke of Veneto and remained his vassal.

Naturally, his influence within Veneto was considerable.

This was a realistic demand.

If Marcel received most-favored treatment at a huge trading port like Veneto, the benefit would be greater than almost any other privilege.

Faster and simpler customs clearance and quarantine procedures would already be profitable.

For sailing ships, time was money.

Perhaps he had expected it, because Viscount Chioggia agreed immediately.

“I accept.”

He was being surprisingly cooperative.

Should I push a little harder?

“Then abolish tariffs on products exported from my territory as well.”

“What kinds of products?”

“At the moment, Canada, medicinal products, and compasses. Naturally, the same should apply to products we create later.”

“Hmm. For now, using the marriage alliance as justification, I can reduce the taxes to the most favorable level. But completely abolishing tariffs will be difficult at present.”

In other words, he could do it if he became the successor.

Too bad.

This one would have to wait.

Then Viscount Chioggia made his own proposal.

“I would like to adopt a daughter and use her to form the marriage alliance. As you know, I currently have no children.”

Oh, right.

There was no actual bride.

“Do you really need to adopt someone? You can do it another way.”

“You’re fine with having no current marriage partner?”

“I haven’t formally allied with the Marquis of Catalonia yet either, but we already agreed that I would marry a daughter who will be born in the future.”

“Haha! Then I will promise you my first daughter as well.”

So I would be holding a wedding alone with a stand-in bride.

Besides, even if his future daughter was born and eventually turned twenty, the age gap between us would be enormous.

I had no intention of actually demanding that she marry me.

We could each live our own lives.

“The wedding will be held at a church of the God of Abundance. My mother is a believer.”

“I have no objection to other religions.”

“Then we’ll hold the ceremony immediately after returning from Veneto.”

There was no reason to drag things out when the alliance benefited both sides.

Strike while the iron was hot.

I looked toward Pascal, Chief of Civil Affairs, who was attending as one of my retainers.

It meant he should prepare the wedding.

Pascal understood immediately and silently nodded.

I looked back at Viscount Chioggia.

“Now let’s discuss what you can offer me in exchange for helping with the succession battle.”

His retainers looked shocked and confused.

Apparently, they had not realized this was that kind of meeting.

Viscount Chioggia, however, did not even blink.

“If there is something in particular you want, name it.”

I resisted the urge to smile at my pushover future father-in-law.

Instead, I recalled the assets of the Veneto Territory that Pascal and I had investigated beforehand.

“I understand Veneto owns many islands.”

“Islands? Which island are you talking about?”

The powerful naval territory of Veneto controlled many islands.

I had already selected one that was both useful and relatively close to Marcel.

“I want the Balearic Islands.”

“The entire archipelago? Impossible. That region is geographically too important. Even if I become successor, I could never give it away. My father would oppose it, and so would the Emperor.”

The Balearic Islands were a group of four islands located in front of the Catalonia Territory.

Even though the Odoacer Empire and the Iberian Kingdom were friendly nations, the islands sat directly in front of Iberia’s territory.

Naturally, they were extremely important strategically.

Obtaining the entire island chain was impossible.

“Then I want Menorca, one of those four islands. That much should be within your authority, shouldn’t it?”

Viscount Chioggia did not know what kind of island Menorca was, so he asked the retainer beside him.

“Do you know that island?”

“Yes. It is the easternmost of the four. It is an uninhabited island with nothing on it. Its nickname is Bird Droppings Island because the entire island is covered in bird droppings that have accumulated over an extremely long time. There are so many birds and the smell is so strong that we cannot even build a naval base there.”

“So it has no strategic value.”

“Correct.”

“Then we can give it to an ally, can’t we?”

“What? It should be possible, but... handing over an island that has already been incorporated into our territory is still...”

He was openly saying that in front of me.

Did they already think of me as one of their own?

Is this guy much softer than he looks?

He had a square jaw and a solid body, but he behaved like a generous fool who gave away everything.

I look forward to taking advantage of you often, twenty-year-old father-in-law.

After finishing his discussion with his retainer, Viscount Chioggia spoke to me.

“Personally, I would gladly give you the island right now, but my retainers object.”

Naturally.

A noble who gave up territory would be cursed by everyone.

Still, I could not simply give up.

“To be swayed by retainers over a single uninhabited island covered in bird droppings...”

I stopped just before saying, ‘Are you really controlled by your retainers?’

It was meant to provoke his pride.

“Ahem! What exactly do you intend to do on that island?”

“I plan to dig into the ground and see whether there are resources.”

Viscount Chioggia glanced toward his retainers.

They shook their heads.

Apparently, they believed there were no resources there.

“They say there’s nothing. Do you still want it?”

“Of course. I’ll simply dig deeper. Hahaha!”

“......Very well. As soon as I return home, I will transfer it to you.”

“Let’s put it in writing now. The transfer will take effect once the succession battle is finished.”

If the Duke of Veneto objected, the document would end up in the trash.

If I wanted it to remain useful, I needed to perform well enough in the succession battle to make the Duke feel threatened.

And in reality, Bird Droppings Island was incredibly valuable.

The mineral commonly known as guano on Earth was formed from accumulated animal droppings.

It could be used as fertilizer and as a raw material for gunpowder.

Of course, I had no intention of making gunpowder.

I wanted fertilizer.

In this world, crop yields from the same field decreased over time.

The soil gradually lost fertility.

Guano changed everything.

If I made fertilizer from guano and spread it across the fields, crop yields could rise dramatically.

If I put Witch Winnie and a few alchemists to work, making fertilizer should be easy.

Viscount Chioggia had no way of knowing this.

Instead, he looked almost apologetic for giving me what he thought was a useless island.

Meanwhile, I was the only person at the table grinning.

Soon, the retainers from both sides prepared agreements covering the marriage alliance and the transfer of Bird Droppings Island.

Just before signing, Viscount Chioggia asked me awkwardly,

“If there is anything else you desire, tell me at any time. You’re taking such a risk for only a single island covered in bird droppings.”

He probably believed that if I sided with him and lost, trade between Marcel and Veneto would be ruined.

That was the risk he meant.

Of course, I intended to make the Duke of Veneto feel threatened during the succession battle, then receive compensation from him as well.

There was no reason for me to lose anything.

“We’re becoming family through an alliance. What risk could there possibly be? Hahaha!”

I did not know what form the succession battle would take, but Chloe looked relaxed.

She must have some reason to feel confident.

I also trusted my own abilities.

I possessed powers that did not exist anywhere else in this world.

The outcome of this battle is already decided. I’ll support Viscount Chioggia, then withdraw after receiving compensation from the Duke.

As I signed the alliance agreement, I looked forward to the profits ahead.

* * *

That evening, I held a banquet to welcome Viscount Chioggia.

Many minor nobles and merchants from the territory were invited.

Since it had been a long time since we held a banquet, so many people wanted to attend that we rented an entire church for the event.

Bishop Daniel opened the banquet with a prayer, while musicians and singers created a lively atmosphere.

Viscount Chioggia seemed to be in a good mood.

He repeatedly emptied his wine glass.

“Just as Head Maid Chloe said, Viscount Marcel really is an extraordinary man. Hahaha!”

I had no idea what Chloe had told him, but there was no reason to act modest when someone praised me.

“Thank you. I don’t know how useful I’ll be during the succession battle, but I’ll do my best.”

“Did I not tell you? The format has already been decided.”

“The format?”

Viscount Chioggia spread all five fingers of his left hand.

“We will compete in five different events. Whoever wins the most events wins the succession battle.”

“What are the five events?”

“We haven’t been told the details yet. Over five days, Father will give us one challenge per day. Each of us brothers may bring only one helper.”

So I would be Matteo’s helper.

The youngest brother, Vincent Veneto, would probably bring that black mage.

I did not know what the events would be, but if there was only one each day, they were unlikely to depend on money or military force.

Those kinds of competitions usually took longer or required long intervals.

In other words, intelligence and experience would probably matter most.

If I could use my abilities to win the first two rounds, that would be ideal.

At that point, the Duke of Veneto would probably pay almost anything to make me withdraw.

I turned my head.

Chloe was smiling proudly.

“Why are you smiling? Chloe, do you think I can win?”

“Of course. My lord is better at petty schem, I mean, adapting cleverly than anyone I’ve ever met.”

For some reason, that sounded convincing.

Perhaps Chloe knew me better than anyone else, including the people of Westfalen.

She had spent years observing me while trying to poison me, after all.

Still, persuading Viscount Chioggia with only that experience made Chloe seem even more impressive than me.

She had managed to make me, not some famous mage, the helper in the succession battle.

And she had successfully arranged the marriage without even mentioning the ‘W’ in Westfalen.

“Good work.”

At those two words, Chloe’s face turned red.

How ridiculous.

“Starting tomorrow, begin establishing the intelligence department immediately.”

“......No vacation?”

“You don’t have anywhere to go anyway. Rest while you work.”

Oops.

That sounded like something the executive son of a terrible small-company owner would say.

“Work while resting.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No. It’s different.”

Probably.

I did not want to become an old-fashioned boss yet.

* * *

Time passed quickly.

Before long, I arrived in the Veneto Territory together with Viscount Chioggia.

As expected of an enormous trading port, the harbor was packed with an unbelievable number of people.

Workers constantly loaded and unloaded merchant ships.

The Benedikta, my lord’s ship, barely managed to squeeze into the already overcrowded harbor and reach a berth.

While waiting for the gangway to be lowered, Viscount Chioggia praised the Benedikta.

“A journey that normally takes eight days, and we arrived in only four. I heard the rumors, but this truly is a fast ship.”

“So you heard the rumor that it’s a blessed ship?”

“Of course. The god who blessed it is not one I worship, but it was still an honor to travel aboard a vessel blessed by a god. Haha!”

That answer suited a man obsessed with trade and shipping.

“Shall we disembark?”

“If you don’t mind, I would like to host you at my private residence.”

He owned a private house inside Veneto, where land prices were enormous.

As expected of someone born with a golden spoon.

“Then I’ll shamelessly accept your hospitality.”

“Haha! I’ll arrange a carriage.”

While the Benedikta began unloading cargo, our group traveled by carriage to Viscount Chioggia’s private residence.

I had expected some grand mansion.

Surprisingly, it was small and decorated rather simply.

“I apologize for bringing you to such a humble place.”

“Not at all. It reflects your personality quite well.”

“My personality?”

“You dislike empty extravagance. You’re practical and frugal.”

I said that, but the truth was that Viscount Chioggia simply had no sense of style or fashion.

He was far from frugal.

“I’m embarrassed by such praise.”

It was not really praise.

Viscount Chioggia then sent a messenger to his territory and ordered that his wife be brought here.

Apparently, he absolutely wanted to introduce her to me.

It looked like he wanted to brag about his wife.

No thanks.

I had no interest in watching someone show off their happy marriage.