I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 193: Missionaries, Merchants, Age of Exploration (4)
"If I can't have it, make sure my competition can't have it either."
This principle is one of the truths that applies not only to the history of warfare but also to international relations and trade.
The reasoning behind it is very simple.
If I can’t have something, and my opponent can’t have it either, then neither of us gains anything.
But if my enemy gains something that I can’t possess?
Then I’m at a disadvantage in the fight with them, depending on what they’ve gained.
‘That’s why armies don’t just hastily retreat without destroying their supplies.’
“Thank you for taking the time, Your Grace.”
“I’ve invested quite a lot in my son-in-law. As a shareholder, I must support the merchant I’ve invested in. Honestly, if you fail, I’ll go bankrupt, too. Bankruptcy.”
The population of the Visconti Duchy alone is over a million, and aside from that, the wealth in real estate and other assets is so vast that it’s hard to measure.
Though it’s unlikely that I’d go bankrupt from a single investment...
‘Given the amount I’ve invested, I must make sure it succeeds.’
“It’s an honor. I came today because I have a political favor to ask.”
As soon as he heard the word "political," the Duke’s expression stiffened.
“This is the second time you’ve asked me for a political favor. Do you remember when a certain now-forgotten assistant bishop tried to label you a heretic?”
“If it weren’t for Your Grace, I’d probably be locked in my home, living like a cripple.”
In a world where the will of those in power is valued more than justice.
In such a world, no matter how good my defense is, I’d still be labeled a ‘heretic’ and, unless I repented, be burned at the stake. If I repented and showed remorse, I’d be sentenced to long-term house arrest.
By the time I came out from house arrest, I’d probably have been wandering the streets like one of the outcasts I had settled in Ifriqiya, not a baron’s son anymore.
I’m here today because of the Duke’s generosity.
“One of the best choices I’ve made in my life was saving you. When you struck a fatal blow against Duke Sforza and his faction without needing my help, I felt so good I finished an entire bottle of whiskey.”
At 60, it wouldn’t be strange for him to die at any moment. I wish he wouldn’t overdrink such strong liquor, though.
Beer or low-alcohol wine is risky enough.
What is the Duke’s personal doctor doing?
“Well, go ahead and speak. I’ll listen, and I’ll grant at least a somewhat unreasonable request.”
“Please prevent the proposal to conquer the Sayfriqiya region from passing. Also, do the same for making them slaves.”
Colonial-style imperialism is, in fact, so inefficient that it’s even been criticized as a mere game of coloring the world map.
You’d think that the great powers who once ruled the world were foolish to do such things, but...
The East India Company, or more specifically India, was a colony.
Even after exploiting the land and people, it wasn’t profitable; from Britain’s perspective, it was a money pit, and the losses outweighed the profits made from the colony.
After World War II, it became widely accepted that the reason victorious nations like the U.S. liberated their colonies was due to the economic losses involved.
‘But in our Toscanian Empire, we don’t even have machines, let alone steam engines...’
“It’s a good opportunity to expand the territory of the Toscanian Empire... but there is definitely a serious problem.”
The Duke pulled out the map I secretly gave him from his desk drawer.
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He sighed as he pointed to the Sayfriqiya region on the map.
“The Nadorians, and eventually the Sultanate, will find themselves directly bordering us. Once we expand into Sayfriqiya, they’ll be forced to draw their swords to eliminate this future threat.”
Competition between companies works in the same way.
When the other party is doing well in another field, or maintaining a certain line, you don’t mess with them.
Messing with them might yield some gain, but the potential losses if things go wrong could be much greater.
However, if the other party looks like they might target my livelihood?
‘Then, just like pest control, I’ll have to sprinkle some medicine on them.’
“The Sultanate controls vast land and has immense power. If we engage in an all-out war with them, the chances of our Empire losing are incredibly high.”
I’m not a soldier, so I have no opinion about fighting or war.
But from the perspective of a politician and merchant, I can certainly speak about national grand strategy.
The British Empire, which is considered the wisest nation in the world, spent centuries playing the “Great Game,” a battle for grand strategy.
“Conquering the Sayfriqiya region will expand our land and population in the short term, but as you said, it would ultimately be nothing but a loss.”
“And that region is extremely poor.”
Unlike the nearly desertified North Africa, Sayfriqiya isn’t that wide of a desert yet.
However, it’s so barren that even as a joke, it’s hard to call it fertile land.
If Toscanian Empire can harvest 4 tons of wheat per hectare, over there, you’d be lucky to harvest 2 tons per hectare.
“Gold is mined there, but it’s better to just have the locals do the digging. There’s no economic benefit for the Toscanian Empire in occupying it.”
The Duke nodded as he listened to my words.
“That’s true. If that land really was profitable, our son-in-law would have convinced His Majesty to lend an army, raised military funds through stocks, and distributed the land through dividends.”
Raising military funds through stocks?
What a very British Empire-like idea.
Since I reincarnated into this world, I’ve thought about this countless times, but old people weren’t ignorant—they were just uninformed, you know?
As soon as I introduced the concept of stocks, they immediately thought of issuing war stocks.
And now the Duke’s thinking...
‘Next, they’ll probably fund the war through stocks.’
I’ve made our Toscanian Empire into something like the East India Company.
“Why so silent, son-in-law?”
I spoke candidly about my thoughts.
“Honestly, I’ve realized no matter how hard I try, it won’t work out for me with Your Grace. Issuing stocks to fund the war and distributing the land as dividends...”
“That’s nothing, really.”
Even though he said that, the Duke’s smile stretched from ear to ear, and his shoulders rose with pride.
I decided to forget this moment for the rest of my life.
Just like forgetting the memory of my girlfriend’s weight.
“But slaves... They might be quite useful, don’t you think? We could do whatever we want with the heathens with black skin in Ifriqiya. We could sell them as sex slaves.”
People in this era have no concept of human rights.
Especially when it comes to heathens.
“Sex slaves or not, using slaves is the least efficient way, considering the costs. Moreover, unlike the heathens from the Sultanate, they don’t meet our aesthetic standards either.”
The concept of slavery can be simplified: it’s an unpaid, 24/7 monitored, and controlled job where advancement is impossible.
No matter how hard they work, nothing improves.
But try making them work 12 to 14 hours a day under poor conditions. Will they work hard?
“It’s a matter of efficiency. Efficiency.”
“The only thing that would make slave trading even remotely viable is having slaves row the galleys.”
Galley slaves are the lowest of the low among sailors.
Their work intensity is so high that no amount of pay would be enough, and their salary and treatment are so bad that even the poor would pity them.
This is the one situation where using the “force” of slaves—forcing them to work—is actually helpful.
‘Of course, giving them enough salary to let them row the oars is more efficient.’
“There must be a reason for your words. But I can’t stop you from smuggling slaves.”
Officially, if we just refrain from directly capturing slaves and prohibit the hunting of slaves from the Maasai Confederation, that should be enough.
Anything more is beyond my control.
“If the royal family issues a decree prohibiting slave hunting, that should be sufficient. If they openly allow it, there will be war with the natives in Ifriqiya.”
In fact, if someone were to buy slaves, Malik, that guy, would probably supply them by selling members of rival tribes.
Slave trade spreading is harmful to me, not helpful.
‘The purchasing power of ordinary people who are going to become slaves is money.’
“Alright, I’ll go with that. Just make sure you take care of my stocks.”
“Leave it to me.”
With that, our conversation ended, and I made my way to Ifriqiya, to Soros.
In my heart, I carried the wisdom of colonial expansion and unequal treaties.
