“We’ll be arriving at Fucecchio shortly, my lord,” said the coachman.

I thought the carriage was too uncomfortable to sleep in, but somehow, I had managed to doze off.

“Quite the backwater, isn’t it?”

If anyone were to catch sight of the blast furnace and the reverberatory furnace that would transform pig iron into steel, our business would be over.

Strictly speaking, the duke, as the pioneer, might still maintain a lead, but his profits would plummet if other families started copying steel production.

With more supply than demand, steel prices would crash.

That’s why I requested an isolated location where no one would come.

It’s a small village.

“How many people live here?” I asked.

“There are around 70 households, so approximately 300 people in total.”

The level of civilization and social structures fluctuate between medieval and early modern Europe, yet the population density and numbers resemble those of 19th-20th century Europe.

Perhaps the land is more fertile here than it was on Earth?

“Three hundred people, not too few, not too many.”

“On top of that, we have around 200 new residents—the artisans and their families who moved here for work at the steel mill. They’re living a bit away from the village.”

By 21st-century Korean standards, it might seem strange to have them live separately.

But in the Tosca Empire, this is normal.

Artisans are considered middle-class citizens, while the serfs are akin to butchers or slaves in Joseon.

It’s a little uncomfortable that they live so divided, but I have no intention of meddling. I’m not a crusader for democracy or human rights, and I’d rather not lose my head over such ideals.

Besides, if I’m worried about a leak in steel production techniques, it’s better for the artisans to remain isolated from others.

“This is the steel mill.”

The factory wasn’t operational yet, so black smoke wasn’t billowing from the chimneys.

But inside, I saw people bustling around under the supervision of an overseer.

“Have you thrown out your common sense? I told you to spread the clay thicker there!”

“S-sorry, sir!”

“Do you think an apology ends it? Do you want to quit being an artisan and go back to farming?”

“I won’t make that mistake again!”

The artisans looked like soldiers in a barracks, with the overseer as their drill sergeant. The veteran artisans were like corporals or sergeants, while the rest resembled privates.

The Tosca Empire is a hierarchical society, and artisans, being involved in physically demanding and fire-related work, maintain a certain military discipline.

The overseer grumbled as he directed the work.

“Hell, it’s like we’re playing with ghosts. Iron pouring out of this huge chimney or hearth? Common sense says steel is forged by beating low-quality iron with a hammer.”

Before the introduction of reverberatory furnaces and crucible methods, steel was indeed made by hammering pig iron.

So, he’s not entirely wrong.

But it’s about time to shatter those outdated notions.

“Where can I find Overseer Dario Smith?”

The overseer looked me up and down before asking politely, “Who are you to be asking for me?”

“I’m Fabio de Medici, the second son of the Medici family and the designer of this steel mill.”

He stared at me steadily.

If I were an ordinary, ignorant nobleman, he might have been tempted to dismiss me as just another noble brat.

But the head of a major workshop in Florence like him could be as influential as a city council candidate, whose status is akin to the lowest-ranking noble.

And as the overseer of a factory built by the duke himself, he wields influence comparable to that of a knight.

He’s effectively worth more.

Besides, pitting the production workers against the office workers would only hurt the factory. I can tolerate a bit of attitude.

“Please forgive my insolence, sir.”

“What are you talking about? You’re a valuable artisan who will soon supply the Tosca Empire with steel. Don’t say things that would insult the duke. Don’t belittle yourself.”

“Thank you, sir.”

In a fantasy novel, this would be the moment when the artisans tear up with gratitude after I say something like that.

But that’s pure fantasy.

Think about it—if we were new employees at a big company, and the chairman said during orientation, “You’re all as precious as my own children,” would anyone actually believe it?

Or would we just go, “Ah, he’s saying that,” and move on?

I’m not even a duke; I’m just a baron’s second son. It would be strange if my words alone inspired awe.

In this situation, the best move is, of course, to use “money.”

But I’ll do it as efficiently and effectively as possible.

“How’s the construction progressing?”

“The reverberatory furnace is complete. We’re still working on the blast furnace for smelting the ore.”

“Was there an issue?”

“If we stick to the specifications you provided, the heat might escape from the furnace once we light the fire. So we’re reinforcing the walls. It’s a minor design change.”

The height of the blast furnace is what matters most.

As long as they get the height right, I don’t have any reason to interfere.

“That’s well within your authority. You’ve improved on my oversight. As the duke’s representative, I should reward you.”

I took a gold coin from my pocket and handed it to the overseer.

It’s a significant amount even for an artisan, who earns more than most commoners.

Money really can buy a person’s loyalty.

“On a personal note, what brought you here, Overseer? A skilled artisan like you must be hard to find even in Florence. And the same goes for the other artisans.”

The reason skilled artisans have come all the way out to this remote area is obvious.

The overseer likely lost a political struggle for the guild master position in Florence or another big city.

The others might’ve lacked funds or were denied permits to open their workshops by the guild.

“I once owned a forge with about thirty artisans in Florence. But that bastard Pietro, backed by Duke Sforza, slandered me and got me expelled from the guild.”

A city councilor holds considerable power even in the 21st-century Korea, enough to make civil servants or firefighters nervous when they appear.

The guild master position, although temporary, grants a noble-like status, along with the ability to collect money from the blacksmiths in Florence.

It’s a battleground where bloodless wars are fought.

“Since I was expelled from the guild, I can’t work as a blacksmith anywhere else. Luckily, I had enough savings to support my family, but to become a useless freeloader...”

Guilds were established to protect the interests of tradespeople.

Being a guild member is akin to having a license.

But if you’re expelled? It’s like having your license revoked in Korea. You’re rendered helpless.

And to requalify, you’d have to spend over a decade as an unpaid apprentice.

“Thanks to the duke, I’ve managed to scrape by. I will definitely repay the duke’s kindness.”

“Are the others here in similar situations?”

“Yes, they’re all talented artisans who were blocked from opening new workshops by the guild and ended up out of work.”

The same meal means more to a starving person than to a full one.

The starving man sees the person who feeds him as a savior, while the full man might see them as merely kind.

So it’s more efficient to help the hungry.

The duke must have thought this way.

“Alright, let’s do this. Gather everyone here, except those working on urgent tasks.”

The overseer looked at me in confusion.

“No matter your past, the duke doesn’t care. I wholeheartedly agree with him. I ask only one thing of you all.”

I raised a single finger, and they looked at me, puzzled.

“Produce steel from the mill. If you follow my design, you’ll obtain quantities of steel beyond your imagination.”

History on Earth has proven it.

It will work.

I’m staking my life on this.

“I’m confident you’ll succeed. As proof, I’ll distribute gold according to rank: five coins for the overseer, three for foremen, and one and a half for each artisan.”

If you want employees to work hard, throw money at them.

There’s no work-life balance here, so this is the way to motivate.

“I’ve staked my life on this. Show your gratitude to the duke with your lives, and he will reward you richly.”

From that point, the artisans worked with relentless vigor.

I’ll make sure they don’t work themselves to death.

After all, I can’t afford to lose these skilled craftsmen.