Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Cafe Medici (1)
These days, there are plenty of protagonists who want to heal or live comfortably in another world.
A relaxed and leisurely life, the complete opposite of 21st-century Korea.
I have lived here for about twenty years without a single inconvenience.
Except for the lack of electricity, which is the biggest problem.
“Is this the end of living at ease?”
Once I step through that door and hear a brief notice from Father, my life will change completely.
Still, there is no way to avoid this moment.
“Father, I will come in.”
I knocked three times and immediately entered the room.
The father of the body I had possessed looked at me with a serious gaze and instructed me to sit.
“This will be a long conversation. Sit down.”
“Yes.”
“Hoo, yesterday your older brother’s investiture ceremony was officially completed. Therefore, I am no longer the head of the Medici baronial family.”
Even though he stepped down from the position of head of the baron’s household, it was only half in appearance.
My older brother, the eldest son, is still just a 30-year-old greenhorn, so he will need Father’s help a great deal.
“According to custom, now that you have become an adult, you must also leave this house. I doubt you would aim for your brother’s baronial title, but… one never knows what might happen in life.”
“Yes, I understand.”
It’s sudden to be told to leave the house, but I have no real way to defy it.
If I resist, I could be branded as a traitor coveting the baronial title and meet a suspicious death.
It feels strange to personally experience the kind of exile scene that often appears in web novels.
However, the father in front of me is not the type of bad person who throws out his second son simply for lacking talent.
“Fabio, even if you are the second son, you are still my precious child. So I, no, the Medici baronial family will provide as much support as we can. If you want to go to the academy, then go to the academy. If you want to become a soldier, I will open the path for you to become an officer. The family will also grant you a generous portion of assets.”
Though he said academy, it is obviously not the kind filled with beautiful girls like in web novels.
One hundred percent of the students are men, and upon graduation, it grants qualifications equivalent to becoming a level-five civil servant in Korea.
Having the qualification doesn’t guarantee employment, so an appropriate donation required for hiring is also included.
Becoming an officer would also likely mean using the family’s connections to place me as a second lieutenant in a favorable position.
Of course, it’s not fair, but in a fantasy world, exams and employment are originally like this.
Whichever path I choose, it will cost the family quite a bit, but unless they are terrible parents, nobles usually provide at least this much.
A wealthy father cannot bear to see his child suffer from a lack of money.
“What do you intend to do? Whatever your will is, I will fully support it.”
Neither option particularly appeals to me.
I already know all too well what the life of a soldier or civil servant is like in an era where employment through family and money, without fair competition, is the norm.
If a superior tells you to do something, you have to pay out of your own pocket for drinks and even entertainments, and even if you are beaten for absurd reasons, there is nowhere to complain.
No, rather, such things are subtly encouraged as the benevolent training of seniors.
Me, with memories of my past life, entering such a hell?
I would probably lose my mind within a few years.
“I want to become a merchant like our family’s founder, Cosimo.”
“You wish to become a lowly merchant? Very well, let me hear your reason.”
Father’s brow furrowed deeply as he said he would hear my reason.
He clenched his fist tightly, as if deciding how many times to hit me after listening.
It’s not hard to understand. Merchants in this fantasy world are practically no different from gangsters.
They form unions called guilds, divide up the market among themselves, and if a newcomer does too well, they send thugs to beat them half to death.
They sell good goods to nobles, but cheat commoners without backing by overpricing or selling cheap products, and if one complains, they arrange a conversation with fists.
Getting robbed blind is already an everyday occurrence.
Wise commoners avoid buying from merchants whenever possible.
Who would be happy if their child said they wanted to become part of the mafia?
“It may sound childish, but since I was young, I’ve thought a few times about making things like this and selling them. However, until now, I’ve kept those thoughts to myself for the sake of my brother and the family.”
Even if I were to present something like a business plan here, it would have no effect.
Even if our family’s main business is not territory management but running a fairly large merchant group.
“I’ve wanted to become a merchant and make a name for myself since I was young. But until now, I held it in for the sake of my brother and the family. Now that I am becoming independent, I want to try at least once.”
In truth, ever since I was reincarnated into this world, I have wanted to change it through business.
It’s the kind of dream only a naive youngster would have, but isn’t it cool?
A life where I challenge how much I can change the world with the technology and experience of the 21st century.
I have already succeeded in extracting several technologies that could shake this world, but until now, I couldn’t attempt anything due to my status as the second son of a baronial family.
If I outshone my brother, the solid heir apparent, I could be eliminated by my powerful father and family.
“Please give me just one chance.”
Bringing out something like a business plan would be useless.
I have no track record at all right now.
So I judged it better to appeal to emotion to secure initial support.
If I can show even a tiny possibility, I can use that as a basis to gain much more support afterward.
Didn’t someone once say this?
That creating 1 from 0 is thousands of times harder than creating 2 from 1.
“Fabio, you have never once troubled me, and since you truly wish to try, I will support you. However, there is one condition.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Show me potential that I can accept. Otherwise, you will have to go to the academy or become an officer.”
It’s essentially a declaration that I can try, but if I fail to produce remarkable results, he will exercise his veto no matter what...
“I will definitely bring good results.”
In my head are countless successful outcomes filtered from the failures of many people.
Failure is not an option.
**
In this fantasy world, the Tuscan Empire, doing business requires collusion between politics and commerce.
From small bakery owners in rural corners to large merchants with dozens of shops.
Because if a mere merchant fails to offer respectful gifts to officials, they will smash the shop with absurd excuses.
In Korean history textbooks, a slightly more refined version of this is called the prohibition privilege.
“Even if I create an innovative product that could change the world, it would be meaningless if I get on the wrong side of those in power. I should start by making something that pleases them.”
Although I have the strong backing of the Medici baronial family, they will not give me any help unless I prove I can succeed independently.
Getting into the academy or becoming a military officer is like being guaranteed admission to Seoul National University’s medical school.
There’s no way they would look kindly on a child who rejects that and chooses to become a mere merchant.
“The nobles of this world treat luxury as a means of survival. Then making a new luxury item would be best.”
If nobles do not indulge in luxury, they are devoured.
If someone boasts about being frugal, other families will see them as easy prey and come at them with forks ready to take a large share.
So, for the dignity of the family, they indulge in luxury using taxes collected from the people.
They even go into debt with merchants for the sake of luxury, and it is considered natural.
Therefore, leading a new trend in luxury means more opportunities to grow close to nobles.
“I need to create a new luxury item to show potential. What should I make?”
Glass crafts are already everywhere, and spreading concepts like Rococo architecture or similar forms of art?
There’s a 99% chance it would fail for not matching current trends.
Art is something that easily fails if it does not follow trends.
And those trends can only be led by high-ranking figures like the emperor or grand duke.
“In the end, there’s no answer other than visually appealing and beautiful food.”
As expected of a fantasy empire, the nobles of the Tuscan Empire spend most of their time, except for eating and sleeping, attending lavish banquets and engaging in subtle power struggles.
If I introduce just one new dish that stands out in the banquet hall, it will feel like a fresh change.
A white, cloud-like, soft and sweet food loved by countless women...
“Should I start by making a cake with whipped cream?”
A cake with a white base topped with colorful fruits is not only visually pleasing but also the ultimate luxury filled with sugar and fruit.
It will definitely be a hit.
There is absolutely no chance of failure.