"My arranged marriage (romance) with Erica is going smoothly, and the Rothschild family is thriving at a swift pace, as if it’s sailing with the wind at its back.

    From the outside, it might seem like our family has nothing to worry about.

    But everyone has their own worries, after all.

    “Sebastian, we’re in big trouble. The family finances are on the brink of collapse.”

    Sebastian’s jaw dropped at my words, his face quickly twisting into a look of horror as he asked, “Baron, are you feeling unwell? Our family’s finances are flourishing, not so much that we have money pouring out of our coffers, but we’re certainly well off enough not to worry about money.”

    Sebastian’s words were accurate; our family’s financial situation was indeed very healthy.

    Unlike other nobles, we don’t need to borrow from merchants. In fact, we have so much money coming in that we struggle to find enough hidden storage rooms each year to stash it all.

    If I wanted, I could even buy a small neighboring barony with cash on the spot.

    Given all that, it’s only natural for him to think I’ve lost my mind if I say our finances are in jeopardy.

    “There’s no family with finances as robust as ours except for Baron Fugger’s.”

    Baron Fugger—his family name alone is suspiciously wealthy and close with the Jews.

    In fact, he’s as hated across the Albanian continent as a heretic, the ‘Judaya’ himself.

    The truth is, his family bought their barony title about a century ago by lending money to the third Emperor for his war efforts. They’ve been doing well ever since, running banks and money-lending businesses.

    “If it weren’t for his Jewish heritage and money-lending, he’d probably be a count by now...”

    In other words, he’s loathed just as much as any heretic, yet he’s held onto his baron title without joining any faction.

    “If you’re not ill, would you care to explain why you’re saying this to me, Baron?”

    “The Emperor announced he’ll be attending my wedding.”

    Sebastian’s face lit up as if he’d just won the world.

    Why he’s so delighted that the Emperor is attending my wedding instead of his own, I can only guess.

    Then again, the Emperor’s presence at our family’s wedding means Sebastian, as the head retainer of the Rothschild family, will also gain influence.

    And, of course, the gifts given by benevolent, generous people will multiply in quantity and quality.

    But soon after, Sebastian began to sway slightly, holding the back of his neck with one hand.

    As expected of Sebastian—he understood the complexity of the situation without me needing to explain.

    “Having His Majesty attend a mere baron’s wedding is an unparalleled honor. But if he comes, Duke Sforza and various counts will also attend, meaning we’ll have to significantly scale up the ceremony.”

    In short, my current situation is like having the President show up at a battalion’s event.

    When the President arrives, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff, and other high-ranking officials come along in droves, bringing a parade of generals and senior officers.

    The battalion commander’s feelings in such a situation must be like mine right now.

    “We have a treasury in Ifriqiya and Nador, don’t we?”

    A flintlock pistol worth two to three silver coins sells for a gold coin in Nador and four in Ifriqiya—a veritable miracle.

    Though I haven’t mastered the Philosopher’s Stone, it feels like gold is duplicating itself.

    Isn’t this alchemy?

    “And we should start educating the Botswanans in Ifriqiya about the concept of a ‘nation’ and even establish some villages.”

    To create a village, we’ll need to gather people.

    Using conscription, we can relocate the poor and unemployed to the colonies, where they’ll become “founding fathers.”

    If we establish ports for ships to dock and supply fresh water and food...

    ‘We’ll be able to sail into wider seas.’

    Additionally, we can indirectly govern those tied to gunpowder without getting our hands dirty in colonial rule.

    “An insightful idea, Baron.”

    “And as for the sugarcane leftovers I told you to save after extracting the juice—are they being kept properly?”

    “Yes, but may I ask what you plan to do with the residue from sugar production? Wouldn’t it be better to boil it down further for more sugar?”

    Though cheaper than spices like pepper, cloves, and nutmeg, sugar is a valuable commodity affordable only to the middle class.

    So, it’s only natural for him to question why I want to use molasses for something else.

    “I’m going to turn it into liquor. A strong one at that.”

    Rum. Or, to be more precise, rum.

    One of the defining symbols of the Age of Exploration and a potent distilled spirit.

    “Where do you plan to sell it?”

    Strong liquor sells well anywhere, really.

    It doesn’t spoil easily, gets people intoxicated quickly, and has a unique flavor and aroma.

    But the most profitable market for such a strong drink is in regions with lower levels of civilization.

    In history, the triangular trade linking Africa, South America, and Europe was fueled by rum, distilled from sugarcane leftovers.

    To those unfamiliar with brewing, rum was practically intoxicating.

    ‘I’m merely selling them a luxury item.’

    “I’ll sell it alongside flintlock pistols in Ifriqiya. At first, I’ll give it away for free, and later, I’ll sell it at a high price. So make preparations.”

    Before departing, I called Kris to my room.