It seems my brother Albert was moved by the bond between us Medici brothers.

Not even three days after I spread the rumor, he ordered me to come to the Medici estate.

It must be true that sincerity moves hearts. After all the effort I put in, Albert’s heart must have finally opened up.

“Thanks for coming, Fabio.”

The last time he squeezed money out of me for his wedding, he treated me like the best brother in the world. Now, his attitude has changed.

It’s just like they say: people change their tune when they’re desperate and when they’re done.

Now that his financial crisis is over, his thoughts have changed too.

It’s truly heartwarming to have a brother like this.

As soon as the door closed, Albert’s expression soured slightly.

“There’s no one here to overhear but you and me. So, tell me honestly—was it you?”

Of course, I was the one who spread the rumor.

Put yourself in my shoes—would you admit it?

Even if you commit a crime, as long as there’s no evidence and you’re not caught, there’s no problem. If I confess, I’d be giving myself up.

It’s not like I did anything morally questionable.

All I did was ask for what I was owed—how could that be wrong?

“Why would I spread rumors about your debt to me, Baron? And how could I recklessly discuss matters of the Medici estate?”

The Toscana Empire cherishes the values and traditions of the medieval age.

Whether in the East or West, brothers fighting over debt is seen as a disgraceful act.

And the matter of the Medici estate is so delicate that even the emperor can’t interfere without a good reason—who am I to give my opinion?

If I gave him an opening to accuse me, I’d be risking my neck.

“It’s disheartening to know you don’t trust me. Aren’t we brothers, after all?”

Our relationship isn’t exactly rosy, but look at that irritated expression of his.

Even if he grits his teeth, what can he do?

“Still, when a man borrows money, isn’t it proper to repay it? Even if it’s family.”

The sacred texts themselves say that a man who doesn’t repay his debts can be stripped of everything but his clothes and left to sleep on the streets.

Albert forced a smile.

He should hide that twitching at the corner of his mouth.

Showing emotions like that makes him look weak.

There’s a reason why they tell you to keep a poker face at work in 21st-century Korea.

“Of course, I should repay you. But as you know, my financial situation isn’t great.”

A nobleman is always at his poorest right after a wedding.

To solidify alliances and display the family’s grandeur, they end up spending everything they have on the ceremony.

Money flows like water; how could his wallet be intact?

‘It’s why I never expected to be repaid in cash.’

“If you can’t repay me in cash, then transferring a part of your estate to me will do. After all, that’s what the rumor says.”

In terms of social power, Albert, as Baron Medici, is certainly in the dominant position.

But right now, the situation is an exception.

He’s a debtor, with seven thousand gold on the line and his honor as a noble in jeopardy if he can’t pay.

What could he possibly do?

Even the wealthiest CEO or politician would bow their head and plead if they couldn’t repay their bank loans.

‘Of course, this is only possible because I have a duke backing me.’

With the authority the duke has granted me, I may not be able to throw my weight around, but at least I can secure my rights.

It’s quite a privilege, actually.

Because in this era, with the right decision from the village council, I could be sold into slavery at any moment.

“I trust you’ll make a wise choice, Baron.”

If he doesn’t make the right choice, even a gentle soul like me will have to get angry.

Albert continued to stare at me, then sighed.

“How much of the estate should I grant you?”

“Seven thousand gold is enough to support seven thousand workers in the city for a year, even if they do nothing. Serfs generally earn about half of what city workers do, but they still manage to support their families.”

Of course, by city standards, that money would only be enough for one person to live on.

But there’s no lie in what I said about serfs.

Rural serfs live in cramped, ten-square-meter houses, supporting a wife and three to four children.

It might seem impossible to live on such a small income, but just like in the 21st-century South Korea, where hobby farmers can cover all their food needs except for rice, serfs in Toscana are self-sufficient when it comes to food. The rest of their living expenses are covered by a sum that wouldn’t even count as pocket money in a month.

“And when estates are traded for money, isn’t it customary to calculate based on the value a serf generates over twenty years?”

For example, if a serf produces roughly one gold coin’s worth of value each year, then when they are traded in the noble estate market, their value would be around twenty gold coins.

Conversely, if a serf could pay that amount in a lump sum, they could buy their freedom and become a free farmer.

“So you’ll need to hand over at least five villages.”

“Five villages? Don’t be ridiculous!”

Sure, that’s quite a steep price.

If you only count the income generated by adult male serfs, that sum could sustain about seven hundred of them.

But since rural folks rarely need cash, their income in “currency” terms is often undervalued.

And it’s tough to ignore the contributions of the serf’s wife and children.

My quoted price reflects only about 30% of the actual value, but I called it that high because…

From the moment he tried to stiff me on the seven thousand gold, I knew we weren’t going to be close.

‘I’ll strip him clean without mercy.’

“I’ll never give you five villages! Never!”

Albert wasn’t foolish enough to fall for such an obvious trap.

“Four villages. Let’s say around thirteen hundred people. If you grant me that, we can consider the seven thousand gold paid in full.”

“That sounds like quite a lot.”

“I’m not even asking for interest out of consideration for you, Baron.”

When merchants claim they’re “taking a loss” or “selling below cost,” it’s almost always a lie.

It’s as true as the saying, “Everyone falls in love and marries in college.”

“Even giving up four villages is a strain on me. You know I don’t have many lands I can freely dispose of. Can’t you cut me some slack, little brother?”

The nerve of this man to appeal to family ties when he was trying to cheat me out of my money!

Should I just bash his head in?

“I’m willing to substitute around 70% of that with young, unmarried female serfs. The remaining 30% can be eligible bachelors without land rights. You don’t even have to give me villages with farmland. But in that case, I’ll need over two thousand people.”

It’s not like I plan to farm like other lords.

I intend to expand seaweed production, secure a smuggling route, and recruit workers to produce the special goods I’ll sell.

Keeping workers for life is surprisingly easy in this era.

‘Arrange marriages and make sure their workplace and home are the same.’

It’s a strategy inspired by Japan during the bubble era.

The company would provide apartments, cover tuition fees, and create an environment where an employee would practically have no choice but to stay for life.

And I’ve added the perk of providing a spouse.

In this era, survival matters more than love, so most people wouldn’t turn it down.

“Anyway, unmarried female serfs who can’t find husbands usually end up in the city, selling themselves for a bowl of porridge.”

“Indeed.”

“Considering our family ties, I’m doing you a favor.”

It’s a plan that maximizes my benefits, but it probably looks like I’m taking on all his problems.

Albert’s face brightened noticeably.

While I’d gain a lot, he’d be free of the seven thousand gold debt and rid of his potential troublemakers, so he must be pleased.

“Fine. I’ll have the deed written up. You’ll need to wait about four months for the transfer to be complete.”

“Yes, brother.”

With that, I left his office.

I went straight to visit my father, the former Baron Medici.

I wasn’t just going to pay my respects—I was going to flaunt the fact that I took payment in problematic people instead of the seven thousand gold for his sake.

There’s a saying for a reason:

If you don’t make a fuss after doing someone a favor, they’ll just forget about it.