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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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“Master Medici, we’re almost at Fucecchio.”
I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep in this uncomfortable carriage, but…
Did I fall asleep?
“It’s quite a rural backwater.”
If the blast furnace for smelting iron ore and the reverberatory furnace for converting pig iron to steel are discovered, our business is over.
Strictly speaking, the Duke, as the first adopter, would maintain an advantage, but his profits would drastically decrease compared to having a monopoly on steel production.
As other families jump in, according to the law of supply and demand, the oversupply would drive down the price of steel.
That’s why I requested a remote location where no one would come.
The village is quite small.
“How many people live in this village?”
“70 households, about 300 people.”
While the civilization level and social dynamics fluctuate between medieval and early modern Europe, the population density and numbers resemble 19th to 20th century Europe.
Is it because the land is more fertile in this world than on Earth?
“300 people, not too few, not too many.”
“And including the craftsmen and their families who moved here to work at the steel mill, it’s 200 people. They live a bit further away.”
By 21st-century Korean standards, you might wonder why they live separately.
But it’s natural in the Toscana Empire.
Craftsmen are considered middle-class citizens, while serfs are equivalent to Baekjeong (butchers) and slaves in Joseon.
I find it a bit unsettling that they segregate themselves so strictly, but I don’t intend to interfere.
I’m not a crusader for democracy, and I don’t want to get beheaded for advocating for natural rights and equality.
Besides, considering the risk of steel mill technology leaks, it might be better to keep non-craftsmen separate.
“This is the steel mill.”
Since the factory isn’t operational yet, black smoke isn’t billowing from the chimney.
But inside, people were bustling around under the supervision of a foreman.
“Did you throw common sense in the trash? I told you to apply the clay thicker there!”
“Eek! I apologize!”
“Does apologizing end your career as a craftsman? Do you want to quit and become a farmer?”
“It won’t happen again!”
The craftsmen’s movements resembled a military barracks.
The foreman as the company commander, skilled craftsmen as sergeants or corporals, and the rest as privates.
Perhaps due to the Toscana Empire’s hierarchical society and the nature of their work involving physical labor and fire, the discipline is strict.
The foreman grumbled while supervising the work.
“This is like playing with ghosts. Iron pouring out of a giant chimney and a hearth like a fireplace? It’s common sense that steel is made by hammering scrap iron.”
Before the advent of reverberatory furnaces and crucible smelting, steel was indeed made by hammering.
So, his statement isn’t unreasonable.
But it’s time to break free from that outdated notion.
“Where’s Foreman Dario Smith?”
The foreman looked me up and down and asked politely,
“Who’s asking?”
“I am Fabio de’ Medici, second son of the Medici Baron family, the one who designed this steel mill’s facilities.”
He stared intently at me.
If I were a dimwitted young master, he might have considered my words disrespectful, coming from a mere craftsman to a Baron’s second son.
However, master craftsmen who lead large workshops in Firenze are practically guaranteed lifelong positions as low-ranking nobles and are considered “city council candidates.”
And a foreman appointed by the Duke to oversee this crucial factory has influence comparable to a knight.
His actual value is even higher.
Moreover, a company falls apart when blue-collar and white-collar workers clash, right?
I can overlook this level of gruffness.
“This foolish blacksmith has been disrespectful in the presence of such an esteemed individual.”
“What are you talking about? A valuable craftsman and foreman who will be responsible for the Toscana Empire’s steel demand is not lowly. Your words are disrespectful to His Grace, so don’t speak like that again.”
“Thank you.”
In a fantasy novel, the craftsmen would be moved to tears by my words.
But that’s just fantasy.
Imagine joining a large company and hearing the chairman say during orientation, “You are all precious, like my own sons and daughters.”
Would any new employee genuinely believe and be moved by those words?
Or would they just brush it off?
Moreover, I’m just a Baron’s second son, not even a Duke, so it would be strange for them to be moved by my words.
So, in times like these, “money” is the answer.
But in a way that effectively and reliably boosts morale.
“How is the construction progressing?”
“The reverberatory furnace is complete, but the blast furnace for smelting iron ore will take a bit longer.”
“Were there any problems?”
“If the blast furnace is built according to your specifications, young master, heat will escape when we light the fire. So, we’re reinforcing the walls. This design change shouldn’t be a problem.”
The most important factor for a chimney-like blast furnace is its height.
As long as they maintain the height, there’s no reason for me to interfere.
“That’s naturally within your authority as foreman. You’ve even improved my design. I should reward you on behalf of His Grace.”
I took out a gold coin from my pocket and handed it to the foreman.
It’s a significant sum even for craftsmen, who earn much more than ordinary commoners.
It seems money can indeed buy people’s hearts.
“On a personal note, why did you come here, foreman? A skilled craftsman like you would be hard to find even in Firenze. The same goes for the other craftsmen.”
The reason skilled craftsmen came to this remote backwater is obvious.
The foreman must have lost a political battle against a guild master competitor in Firenze or another large city and been expelled.
And the other craftsmen must be here due to lack of money or because the guild denied them the right to open their own workshops.
“I once owned a smithy in Firenze with about 30 craftsmen. But that Pietro fellow, who is less skilled and less handsome than me but backed by Duke Sforza, framed me and got me expelled from the guild.”
Even a city council member is considered a person of high standing in 21st-century Korea.
They can make people in places like community centers and fire stations nervous just by showing up.
So, what about a guild master position that grants noble status, even if just for a term, and allows one to collect tributes from all the blacksmiths in Firenze?
It goes without saying.
It’s a bloodless war.
“Because of the expulsion, I couldn’t work as a blacksmith anywhere. I had some savings, so my family didn’t starve, but… being a useless freeloader…”
Guilds are meant to protect the interests of merchants and craftsmen.
Guild membership is equivalent to obtaining a license in our country.
But what happens if your membership is revoked? Like someone whose license is revoked, you can’t work.
And to obtain a new license, you have to endure over 10 years of unpaid slavery as an apprentice.
“His Grace, the Duke, took me in when I was struggling to survive, and finally, I have a way to make a living. So, I will definitely repay His Grace’s kindness.”
“Are the others in similar situations?”
“Yes, they’re all skilled craftsmen who became jobless because the guilds prevented them from opening new workshops.”
The weight of kindness differs between those who are full and those who are starving.
A starving person considers someone who offers food a lifesaver.
A well-fed person considers them a kind person who bought them a meal.
If you’re going to show kindness, it’s much more effective to show it to those who are starving.
The Duke must have thought the same way.
“Alright, let’s do this. Except for those working on urgent tasks, gather everyone here.”
The foreman looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Your pasts are irrelevant to His Grace. I fully agree with his sentiment. So, I have only one demand.”
I raised a finger, and they all looked at me incredulously.
“Produce steel at this steel mill. If you follow my design, you’ll obtain more steel than you can imagine.”
This is a fact proven by the history of 21st-century Earth.
It will definitely succeed.
I’m staking my life on it.
“I am certain of your success. As proof, I’ll distribute gold coins according to your rank. 5 gold coins to the foreman, 3 to the team leaders, and 1 and a half to the regular craftsmen.”
To motivate employees, you just need to throw money at them.
Because this world hasn’t adopted the advanced concept of work-life balance.
“I’ve staked my life. You too, stake your lives and repay His Grace’s kindness. Then, he will bestow wealth and honor upon you.”
From then on, the craftsmen worked as if their lives depended on it.
But I won’t let them work themselves to death.
If they die, I lose valuable skilled workers.
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