The Duke's Patronage
Jeron had devised this plan precisely because he understood the nature of the nobility in this era.
To them, receiving something meant they were obligated to offer something of equal value in return.
It was a form of obsession born from the fact that feudal society itself was built upon contracts.
A contract was a promise, and breaking it meant forfeiting one's status as a noble.
Even verbal agreements carried the same weight.
Duke Langton was the kingdom's most powerful minister and a noble to his very bones, which was why he rarely made promises. He knew that once even the most trivial promise left his lips, he was bound to keep it.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The Duke tapped his index finger rhythmically against the table.
To reject Jeron's offer outright was difficult, as there was no telling what power might be hidden within a relic of a dragon. Just like Count Hanes, who had taken the dragon ring, the Duke was likely already thinking of passing this down as a family heirloom.
Just as Jeron expected, the Duke was lost in deep thought.
'To secure the trade rights with the minimal political fallout, I absolutely need a petition from Baron Farrow. The only way is to back the contents of his petition. It is too risky for me to bring it up first. The other factions would start foaming at the mouth immediately.'
Langton worried about the political ripples his actions would cause.
Whether it was the Crown Prince's faction, the Second Prince's faction, or the Fourth Prince's faction, any political move by one side inevitably invited trouble from the others.
Stepping forward for Jeron carried significant risk, and it would require tedious negotiations with the various factions. He would also have to consult the King separately, which was no simple task.
Ultimately, this proposal was a test of whether Duke Langton was willing to shoulder that risk.
It was certainly no easy feat.
The political arena would undoubtedly descend into chaos, and if handled poorly, the Duke might even be perceived as the Baron's official patron.
However...
'There is definitely something to this.'
This dagger was not a work of human hands.
Even the dwarves, those master smiths who rarely showed themselves in the human world, would struggle to produce something of this caliber.
Not only was the dagger encrusted with numerous gems, but its base material was clearly not of this world.
In the end, only a dragon could have crafted such a piece.
And would a dragon truly create such a masterpiece without weaving a single spell into it?
If this was a magic artifact, its value would be astronomical—easily worth the price of a castle.
No matter how difficult securing the trade rights might be, it could not compare to obtaining such a relic.
After a long silence, Langton finally spoke.
"Baron, why do you think the kingdom restricts trade rights?"
"That is..."
Jeron cleared his throat.
He had anticipated this question and had prepared his answer accordingly.
"It is because of the position of the lords of this era. To a local lord, commerce is not seen as a means to generate wealth, but rather as a way for their own territory's specialties to enrich their rivals. Because of this, lords set up countless toll gates and levy exorbitant taxes. A trade right bypasses these local tolls, allowing one to pay only the taxes set by the crown. The local lords will naturally resist this fiercely. Restricting trade rights was simply a matter of custom."
"Ho, what sharp insight. You are correct. That is why there are so few official merchant coalitions operating within the kingdom. The reality is that to sell local specialties, one must pay taxes to the lord who holds the trade rights. If you try to trade independently without them, you will be crushed by massive taxes before you can even sell your goods. What you are asking for is the right to bypass the tolls of every lord's gate. Since trade rights are hereditary, they can become a weapon to amass immense wealth if used correctly. We nobles dislike such changes. In other words, the risk is immense."
"..."
It was a biting yet highly accurate analysis.
Langton had been born a noble and remained one to this day.
Jeron did not care for the mindset of treating commoners as mere property, but this was not a matter of personal character; it was simply how this world had evolved.
Langton understood the habits of the nobility far better than Jeron did.
Jeron was deeply impressed by the analysis.
'This is beyond what I imagined. I can't just dismiss trade rights as a minor thing anymore. Now I understand why Count Hanes holds his head so high.'
"Even so, if you are determined to obtain these trade rights, you must have a justification."
"A justification, Your Grace?"
"With the Great War drawing near, the barbarians are running wild. Is this not a grave threat to the kingdom? Submit a petition stating that trade is necessary to pacify them. If we can prevent the barbarians from marching south simply by supplying them with goods, it is a highly profitable venture. And to supply those goods, you will need the trade rights. Do you understand?"
"That is... a brilliant move."
"Once you submit the petition, the court will deliberate on it. The nobles' thoughts are predictable. They will weigh whether it is more profitable to conscript troops from each lord to subjugate the barbarians, or to grant you the trade rights to resolve it peacefully. My role will be to exaggerate the barbarian threat and argue that opening a market to trade with them is better than a military campaign. I will argue that importing their surplus troll blood and iron goods will benefit us in the long run, and that securing our rear is worth the effort. This will only work if the entire Crown Prince faction unites to back it. Do you understand?"
Jeron nodded without realizing it.
Listening to Langton, he realized that pushing any agenda through the court was the result of immense preparation and strategy.
Even the simplest task required a fitting justification, and the backing of a powerful figure was essential.
Ultimately, Jeron realized that to move the entire Crown Prince faction, a substantial amount of bribery would be required.
"I understand. I will search through my ancestors' legacy. Even if they are not family heirlooms, I will ensure that items of similar quality find their way to key figures to make the process smoother."
"Hahaha! If you do that, it will make my job much easier."
"Furthermore, in appreciation of Your Grace's efforts, I believe it is only right to send a bottle of fine wine and a small token of my gratitude every year."
"Oh?"
Jeron saw Langton's resolve solidify completely.
Considering the power of trade rights, a single grandmother's dagger was a bit lacking. If a family heirloom could be passed down, so could trade rights.
What if Jeron consistently sent the Duke fine liquor and jewelry scavenged from Earth?
Langton would lose nothing, and Jeron would gain a political shield.
Langton smacked his lips, likely recalling the wine he had drank during dinner.
'Now is the time to seal the deal.'
"I would like to present you with the wine we drank today as a parting gift."
"Is that true?"
"Since Your Grace is going to such lengths for me, what is a single bottle of wine? Though it is so old that its age cannot be measured, making it incredibly valuable, it is a small price to pay to maintain a good relationship with you."
"Hahaha! If you keep your promise, I shall keep mine as well."
'It's done.'
A smile played on Jeron's lips.
With this, he had secured a powerful backer.
Of course, this was only the beginning of their relationship. To maintain it, he would have to send gifts regularly, much like raising favorability in a game.
Eventually, a day would come when Duke Langton would save Jeron from a crisis.
The previous night, Jeron and Duke Langton had forged an agreement.
Because a dragon relic was changing hands, the Duke felt a simple verbal contract was insufficient.
He was indeed a noble of this era.
Langton, who valued written contracts highly, went so far as to define the exact limits of what he could do.
When Jeron saw Langton off today, he presented him with two bottles of wine—double the amount promised the night before.
It meant giving the Duke all the wine he had gathered so far, but Jeron did not regret it.
Living as a noble would bring many challenges, some of which Jeron would not be able to handle alone.
In those moments, utilizing Langton's network would allow him to navigate those crises smoothly. He knew that once he established and operated a merchant coalition in his territory, there would be countless moments when he desperately needed political power.
By this point, Jeron had developed a sense of how much tribute was required to secure a corresponding amount of help.
Nothing in this world was free, and the noble society of this cold era was built entirely on mutual interest.
If there was no profit, they would never help.
Modern people from Earth could not even begin to compare to the transactional nature of this society, where there were even professions dedicated solely to analyzing contracts.
Meeting Langton made Jeron resolve to focus even more on farming Earth.
Jeron went to inspect the flower farm, which was one of his future projects.
"Make way for the Lord!"
Sir Garcia's voice rang out like thunder.
The knights stood guard around Jeron with sharp intensity, while the serfs, covered in dirt, prostrated themselves on the ground.
Jeron walked over the soil.
Crunch, crunch.
The fields were well-plowed.
Because Jeron had issued strict orders, the serfs had worked as if their lives depended on it.
A mountain of cleared stones was piled to one side.
The well-maintained fields did not have a single weed.
As a result of their efforts, green sprouts were pushing up through the wide fields.
Only then did Jeron smile with satisfaction.
He had only just taken the first step toward trade. To begin commerce in earnest, he could not neglect developing his territory's specialties.
His first specialty would be colorful flowers.
In addition, they would continue to sell the monster hides and herbs the territory had always produced, but it was still a meager selection.
He needed to introduce a special crop.
"Village Chief."
"Yes, yes, my Lord!"
"You are doing very well. You will oversee and manage all the serfs."
The chief bowed his head repeatedly against the dirt.
"I will surely repay your grace, my Lord!"
Jeron had given the chief a position of authority.
The knights looked as though they could not understand why Jeron was wasting his time on such matters, but even Sir Garcia had given up asking questions by now.
Paying attention to farming could simply be dismissed as a minor eccentricity of their lord.
Leaving the farm, Jeron looked over his territory and planned what he needed to do next on Earth.
'Once I return to Earth, I need to move to a new farming location.'