I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 272: Discovery of the New World (2)

Every war in this world has something in common.

‘I did nothing wrong, and the ones at fault are those bastards! We are just innocent victims!’

From ancient times to modern day, this truth has never once changed.

Nazi Germany claimed that the reason the German Empire lost in World War I wasn’t because the German army underestimated their own capabilities and kept provoking fights all over, leading to concentrated attacks by the Allied forces, resulting in their downfall.

No, they insisted that it was because of the evil Jews’ slander and incitement.

The idiots who call themselves the Empire of Japan claimed that the reason they started the Pacific War was because the evil American imperialists cut off their oil exports.

It had nothing to do with the fact that they violated international agreements and occupied Manchuria, swallowing up China.

This is a lesson so important that any historian would emphasize it over and over.

Those who wage war always see themselves as innocent victims and always blame others.

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“The Kingdom of Lyon, those damned fools. They still haven’t admitted their fault even in the peace agreement?”

I had heard about this last night, but honestly, it was absurd.

I had ordered Sebastian to send Orsini to pour a huge amount of gold into Lyon to touch the market a little, then go to sleep in a good mood.

I was about to boast that my power wasn’t dead yet when, at that very moment, I received a communication regarding the peace agreement between the Kingdom of Lyon and the Toscana Empire.

The Kingdom of Lyon, which had dared to provoke us, had to cede a vast amount of territory and pay reparations, leaving them crippled, half disabled from the ordeal.

“Didn’t they say they were sending Guillaume the Baron here?”

When I read that, I felt good, but...

The problem was what was written next.

Our Lyon Kingdom had no fault at all.

According to them, all of this was due to Baron Rothschild, who had infiltrated the economy of Guillaume City, almost turning it into his own territory, and that this was all done to prevent the wicked plot of swallowing Guillaume’s lands without shedding a drop of blood.

Though it wasn’t exactly written like that, that’s how I felt when I read it.

It’s ridiculous.

It’s not like I was trying to make Guillaume into a colony by secretly conspiring with the high-ranking officials without the consent of the people there.

I just gave massive economic privileges to Guillaume City, helping the poor and destitute with a little charity, all in the spirit of love and peace.

“How could they see me as some wicked person trying to turn their country into an economic colony?”

To do that, I’d have to copy silver using the electrolytic refining method from the silver mines in the New World.

But I’m not at that level yet, so all I did was use economic leverage to buy off the high-ranking officials in Guillaume City.

To be accused of such evil deeds when I haven’t even been able to do what they’re accusing me of.

“Now, they’ve crossed the line by provoking me. I need to make them pay for it.”

Since I can’t do it alone, I’ll need to gather some more money from others.

I had initially planned to use only the gold I had, but it looks like I can’t.

Kingdom of Lyon, I’m going to destroy your economy.

If I don’t do this, I’ll have to roast my own hands.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve let the pillaging of my territory slide a bit too easily. It feels like it’s been too gentle. This will fix things.”

**

I rubbed my hands together and grinned like a typical villainous merchant.

“Duke, I’m thinking about starting a great business... Would you be interested in investing? You certainly won’t regret it.”

The duke looked at me, placed his hand on his forehead, and sighed.

“I tell everyone that the bad rumors about you aren’t true, but when it comes to you, being a merchant selling death instead of being a noble... I can’t deny it when you act like this.”

In a medieval fantasy world, being a noble or a politician is considered the most noble and prestigious job.

Unless one is supported by either noble blood or talent, no matter how hard you try, you can’t attain such a position.

It’s a position everyone envies and respects.

But in the future, politicians will probably be criticized no matter what they do, while the CEOs of global corporations will receive the same level of respect as the president of a nation.

“When a person loses their original aspirations, they tend to fall, don’t they? My roots are not as a noble, but as a merchant.”

The duke chuckled after hearing my words.

“That’s why I’m only giving you this scorn, isn’t it? Baron Rothschild.”

“Thank you for thinking highly of me, even with my shortcomings.”

“...That’s the least funny joke I’ve heard this year. It would be funnier if you said you were going to become a monk instead.”

If I became a monk, I’d have to live a life of complete austerity.

Of course, there are hardly any monks in Toscana who truly dedicate themselves to a life of strict austerity.

If you look hard enough, you’ll find our priest preparing to drop a bombshell by starting the Reformation in Rothschild Baron’s domain.

But for me, with three wives, to become a monk?

The very thought of it is absurd and doesn’t even make me laugh.

“What wicked thing are you planning this time?”

“I’m just thinking about the national interests of the Toscana Empire.”

The duke’s face froze.

Honestly, I felt quite wronged.

I’m really only thinking about the Toscana Empire’s interests when I do these things.

That doesn’t mean I plan to return all the money I make to the Toscana Empire, but...

‘When a major corporation earns huge profits and brings in foreign currency, it helps the economy, doesn’t it?’

When I and those who invested with me become wealthy, the Toscana Empire becomes prosperous too, so it’s not exactly wrong.

I’m always thinking only about the national interests (my own and my family’s) as I live.

“Anyway, the Kingdom of Lyon is currently staggering under massive war reparations and post-war recovery.”

The country itself is large, and while they’ve lost a huge amount of territory, it’s not insurmountable.

So, if I were to compare the shock they received to that of a human...

‘It’s like they’re suffering from a terrible illness that could kill them.’

And to recover and survive, they’ll have to endlessly pour in money as medicine.

“We plan to flood the Kingdom of Lyon with a huge amount of money.”

“Flooding money into a defeated nation is essentially saving them, isn’t it? But how is this going to benefit us? I don’t understand.”

“Money is like medicine for when we’re sick. If you give just the right amount, it cures the illness, but if you prescribe too much thinking you’ll save the patient, you end up killing them.”

Most illnesses we suffer from can be cured by just taking the right amount of medicine.

So, as long as pharmaceutical companies properly distinguish the uses of the medicine, and people take them as prescribed...

‘In a small local hospital, there’s no reason to keep doctors around who only treat basic illnesses.’

When you have a fever, you take fever medicine; when you have hives, you take hives medicine—problem solved.

That’s why, in the U.S., where medical expenses are astronomical, pharmacies even sell “self-extraction kits for wisdom teeth” and “suturing kits.”

But the reason doctors and pharmacists aren’t going anywhere is...

It’s not just about distinguishing the use of medicine, but because patients would end up overdosing on their own if left unchecked.

‘Even cold medicine, if taken in excess, could kill with chills, vomiting, and fever.’

Money is the same.

Just like how you only give the right amount of medicine to a sick patient, if you pour in excessive amounts of post-war recovery funds, it will cause side effects.

“Let’s think about it simply. If the wheat harvest is really good, the Duke’s family budget won’t just double or triple. In fact, the harvest might be so good that everyone tries to sell wheat, and you might end up selling it for about 80% of the regular price, even though it’s three times the amount.”

Wheat, food, it’s all a commodity.

When there’s an oversupply in the market, the price goes down, and when there’s a shortage, it becomes rare and the price rises.

Money is the same. It’s an obvious principle that anyone who’s been to middle school knows.

“If we buy massive amounts of weapons and supplies in the border region with the Holy Empire, the amount of gold and silver will pile up to the point that the border region can’t handle it. Naturally, the price in the border region will go up.”

Gangnam, the capital area, rural cities, rural villages.

The further you get from the center of South Korea, the lower the prices.

In Gangnam, a bowl of soup might cost 12,000 won, while in Gyeongbuk, you can still get one for 8,000 won.

There are various factors, such as land prices and rent, but the high prices in places like Gangnam are because money and people gather there.

What I intend to do is raise the price in the border regions, just like Gangnam.

“When the price goes up, we can sell wheat and food to them.”

As a result, the border region will experience something like a “bubble economy,” but...

That’s none of my concern.

It’s a noble cause for national interests, so why should I care about their country?

“...Please make the investment offer to the nobles affiliated with the factions. I’ll make sure to handle it properly.”