Chapter 43. The Succession Battle for the Dukedom (2)
The secretaries accompanying me to Veneto this time were Diego, Chief of Economy, and Martin, Chief of Security.
I went sightseeing with the two of them.
Veneto was filled with old ruins and beautiful buildings, so there was plenty to see.
We rode through the city in an open-top carriage.
It was common to see people in clothes made from expensive fabric gathered in groups outside tea shops, smoking tobacco and chatting leisurely.
“A territory that has been wealthy for a long time really feels different. Everyone looks so relaxed.”
“Why does everyone smoke so much? The smell...”
“Heh. You’d never see something like this in our territory.”
I laughed at Martin, who was covering his nose while complaining.
For the health of my people, I had placed an enormous tax on imported tobacco leaves.
Since we did not grow tobacco inside Marcel to begin with, our already low smoking rate had naturally fallen even further.
Diego seemed less interested in health and more interested in business.
“My lord, don’t you have some special idea related to tobacco? If we processed it and exported it, the profit could be considerable.”
“No matter how cold-blooded I may look, I don’t want to trade people’s health for money.”
“No one thinks you look cold-blooded. Anyway, is tobacco really that harmful?”
“I told you before. Just quitting tobacco makes people much healthier. They get sick less often too.”
“Then why not make tobacco that isn’t harmful?”
Tobacco that was not harmful to health.
The plants growing in this world were not very different from those on Earth in my previous life.
However, there were still many plants I had never seen or heard of.
If we found one that could replace tobacco leaves, perhaps we could make money.
“But if it has to compete with real tobacco, it’ll probably lose immediately.”
“Then we should first see whether such a product has commercial value.”
As we traveled through Veneto, we kept discussing various goods we saw and exchanging ideas for new products.
I wanted to rapidly develop the territory.
Diego wanted to secure even one more coin for the budget.
Martin was, well, Martin.
We spent the entire day exchanging our thoughts while sightseeing around the city.
* * *
The evening before the succession battle.
I left with my secretaries to attend a banquet at the lord’s residence.
Unlike Martin, whose legs were trembling from nervousness, Diego looked surprisingly calm.
“Diego, aren’t you nervous?”
“Heh. I already have experience.”
He had been invited to the home of the Chairman of the Lisboa Noble Council.
Apparently, the Veneto lord’s residence was no longer enough to frighten him.
Lisboa had plenty of open land.
Veneto, on the other hand, had extremely expensive land, so all the buildings were packed closely together.
Perhaps that made the estate appear less magnificent from outside.
“Wait until we get inside.”
This city was the final boss of luxury.
Most ordinary people would probably freeze before taking a single step.
Sure enough, the moment we got out of the carriage, Diego and Martin stopped dead before even entering.
“Th, this is a silk carpet!”
“I can’t step on it. They’ll cut off my head if I dirty this!”
“Is that front door handle made of gold? And shaped like a lion...”
These country bumpkins.
They would probably faint if they ever visited Seoul.
“Follow however you like. Take off your shoes if you want.”
I walked straight into the lord’s residence.
“M, my lord!”
The two secretaries still could not bring themselves to step on the silk carpet.
They hugged the side of the corridor and followed.
Both I and the servants of the residence laughed at the sight.
Then another obstacle appeared.
Countless famous paintings and ceramic pieces decorated the corridor.
Even someone with no artistic sense would feel intimidated.
“Gasp! Where are we supposed to walk now?”
The two looked troubled because there seemed to be no safe place to step.
“Stop walking along the sides. You’ll break a vase. Walk in the middle.”
“Yes...”
I led the way while examining the artwork.
I had little interest in paintings, so I only glanced at them.
However, several ceramic pieces looked as though they had come from the East, so I used [Convenient Lesser Appraisal] on them.
I was interested in Eastern culture in this world.
Perhaps that was natural, since I was Korean inside.
Huh? There’s a fake.
[White Porcelain Inlaid Maebyeong.
A reproduction of a national treasure.
The creator’s signature is located on the inner surface.
Made by Nguyen Phuong Linh, a specialist in reproductions.]
Someone must have been scammed into buying it. My condolences.
As I continued down the corridor, I discovered five more fakes.
Naturally, I did not tell anyone.
If they felt I had damaged their dignity, they might end up hating me instead.
Soon, we reached the banquet hall.
The Heraldry Officer and servants of Veneto welcomed us.
Martin, acting as our standard-bearer, displayed our coat of arms, and I presented the signet ring on my finger.
The Heraldry Officer verified my identity using a magic item, then whispered to a servant.
“Viscount Eric Marcel of the Marcel Territory is entering!”
The servant announced my arrival in a powerful voice.
At once, everyone in the banquet hall looked toward me.
What the hell? This much attention is uncomfortable.
I spotted Viscount Chioggia in the distance and started toward him.
Before I could reach him, nobles crowded around me.
“It is an honor to meet the famous Viscount Marcel. I am...”
“To meet the great inventor himself, what an honor. Allow me to introduce...”
I became overwhelmed by the endless requests for handshakes.
I had never imagined I was this famous.
I later learned that my name was especially well known among nobles who controlled trading ports.
Most of the products I had created were connected to the sea or had become popular trade goods.
After enduring the flood of greetings, a small boy approached me.
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Vincent Veneto.”
He was the fourth son of the Duke of Veneto.
I had just met the commander of the enemy side in this succession battle.
But he was barely over 150 centimeters tall.
