In reality, while a baron might be comparable to a congressman in terms of status, they often appear as minor characters in fantasy novels. A duke, on the other hand, is always depicted as a high-ranking figure in such stories.

    That’s understandable—dukes in this world are akin to party leaders or prime ministers in the 21st century. They wield enormous power.

    After spending nearly 20 years in the Tosca Empire, I felt a strange mixture of awe and anxiety about whether I should humble myself accordingly.

    "Thank you very much for sparing the time to see me, Your Grace."

    Bow too low before powerful people, and it’s the wrong answer.

    It’s not that one should eat humility with a spoon, but one must show modesty tempered with confidence to avoid being looked down upon.

    “If you had trembled like those other ordinary men, I would have been disappointed. I quite like your confidence—proud but not arrogant.”

    The duke offered a faint smile.

    He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Do I not scare you?”

    Fear, after all, directly correlates with authority.

    Saying I wasn’t scared might suggest I looked down on him, which could easily provoke his anger.

    By Korean standards, this would be an incredibly uncivilized reaction, but in our empire, for a lower-status individual to act unafraid of someone powerful is considered extremely rude.

    You could get your head bashed in with no one to blame but yourself.

    “How could I not be, Your Grace?”

    “And yet you seem quite bold.”

    “I fear nothing more than failing to earn your trust. That’s why I remain calm and composed in the presence of your esteemed authority.”

    The Duke of Visconti, listening to my words, tapped his fingers on the desk before him.

    “Then let’s talk a bit longer. Have a seat.”

    I was relieved that my strategy of modest yet assertive behavior had paid off.

    But this was only the beginning of the real battle.

    The duke gestured to have the tea set cleared away and then produced a fresh pot made of gold.

    Normally, you’d have to bring a teacup close to your nose to smell the tea’s aroma. But here, the fruity scent hit me even before I tasted it.

    “What do you think of the tea’s aroma?”

    “I’ve never had such fine tea before.”

    “It’s Royal Grey, personally bestowed upon me by the Imperial Family.”

    At first glance, this conversation seemed trivial.

    But beneath the surface, there was significant meaning.

    A duke of his stature probably has several crates of such tea leaves in storage. After all, the Imperial Family often gives out these gifts.

    Even so, tea like this—fit only for royalty—is priceless beyond imagination.

    It’s not something one can buy just by amassing wealth.

    This indicated he had high expectations for me.

    “My hopes for you are high.”

    If I didn’t live up to those hopes, it would undoubtedly be a disappointment and a threat.

    “I can offer you a chance to put the Sforza family in its place.”

    In the Tosca Empire, there are two ducal families.

    The Visconti family is the weaker of the two, while the Sforza family is the strongest.

    “I’ll keep it a secret.”

    “You’ve got guts, boy. A secret from me?”

    My worth had already skyrocketed with just this one reveal.

    Why would I share more?

    Let him imagine things on his own and boost my value.

    “I’m a merchant. It’s my daily routine to risk my life for profit. So, how much will you pay?”

    The duke leaned back, smiling as if his lips were about to touch his ears.

    “I hear you’re currently tangled with the church. Without a powerful backer, you’ll be unable to fend off Christian’s attacks.”

    Does he plan to lower my price in exchange for saving my life?

    In any case, it’s common in games to lower prices in return for sparing a life.

    I’ll give him that much credit.

    “I’ll have the Archbishop of Florence move. He’ll be at your service, like a dog to my command. Furthermore, I’ll strip Christian of his clerical position.”

    “Thank you, Your Grace.”

    “If you give me 30% of your revenue and control over product distribution, I’ll invest fully. Isn’t that a fair deal?”

    To be honest, yes.

    Other places often take almost 40% in protection fees without any initial investment.

    But if I give in now?

    Then I’ll be a pushover forever.

    For someone like me, aiming to be a hidden force in this world, that’s unacceptable.

    “Thank you for your precious time, Your Grace.”

    With that, I stood up to leave.

    It was outrageously rude, but he couldn’t kill me now.

    If he kills me here, he’ll be branded as a political pariah for murdering the son of his vassal without cause.

    And if I leave?

    I could sell the steel mass-production recipe to the Sforza family.

    The duke scrambled to his feet and stopped me.

    “Wait!”

    He shook his head.

    “20% of revenue, with full protection and initial capital for new ventures. I’ll even apply this to future contracts. How’s that?”

    This is why monopolies are troublesome.

    The competitive landscape allows someone like me to maximize my worth.

    “I pledge my loyalty to Your Grace. Now, let’s discuss our investment in detail.”

    And so, using the “new steelmaking process” as leverage, I secured an incredibly favorable contract.

    The duke, looking as though his soul had left his body, saw me off, but...

    I can guarantee this.

    Ten minutes after I leave, he’ll realize the value of the steel distribution rights and start dancing with joy.