I Became A Black Merchant In Another World

When I first received Viscount Visconti's land grant, the village of Vio was nothing more than a backwater.
Now, it's so developed that I can hardly imagine its once barren and dilapidated state.
There's a harbor large enough for medium and large ships, inns for sailors, and rows of sturdy but humble houses.

"It's really come a long way."

Though I've focused mainly on constructing the port, and the village lacks the sophistication of a true city,
at this point, I can at least claim to be a lord of a port town with some confidence.

‘In this era, a settlement with just a thousand people counts as a city.’

As I was inspecting the harbor and some of the ships, the village chief hurried over with the villagers following behind.

"My lord! You’ve returned?"

In most domains, when the lord visits, the expenses for entertainment fall heavily on the villagers, who secretly wish he’d leave.
They may smile outwardly, but inside, they’re likely counting down the minutes until his departure.
But the chief’s smile wasn’t feigned; it was entirely genuine.

‘He’s truly glad to see me.’

"Yes, I’ve returned."
"Was the trip to Guillaume City tiring? We’ve cleaned the manor thoroughly for you, my lord."

Though he calls it a manor, it’s smaller than my home in Florence.
Even though land is cheap here, I opted for a modest residence.
I won’t be staying here long, and I didn’t want to burden the villagers with unnecessary work.

‘No need for a grand manor to assert my authority.’

"I didn’t do any hard labor on the ship. The captain and crew took care of everything."
"Even so, my lord, we’d love to treat you to some dishes we’ve prepared with great care."

I eat meals prepared by chefs in Florence who could easily work in a five-star hotel, so what they’ve cooked is likely less impressive by comparison.
But I can’t turn down their heartfelt gesture.

‘If the chief forced it from the villagers, that’d be one thing, but…’

Seeing the villagers’ wide smiles, refusing would only disappoint them.

"Alright, I’d be happy to try it. And today, to celebrate Vio Village's development, I’ll hold a grand festival. We’ll roast cattle and pigs and prepare an abundance of dishes. I’ll cover all the costs."

In a world with little entertainment and scarce resources, who doesn’t love a festival?
The chief cheered when I mentioned I’d bear the expenses.

"Thank you, my lord!"
"Prepare everything generously. It would reflect poorly on my authority if you were stingy with the festivities."

Hearing my jest, the chief turned to the villagers and spoke earnestly.

"Did you hear that? The lord said to prepare abundantly, so there will be no disgrace to his dignity!"

The villagers responded enthusiastically.

"We could spend all we want, and it wouldn’t make a dent in our lord’s purse!"
"Let’s eat until we drop!"
"I’ll roast not one, but two whole cows!"

At my command to start preparing, the villagers dashed away like cheetahs.
Watching them so eager made me feel quite pleased.

Seeing them in such high spirits, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

In the plains outside the village, we set up an open-air banquet hall.
Though everyone sat on mats except for the guest seats reserved for me and my companions,
the food was hearty, if not exactly luxurious.
Whole roasted cows, a potluck stew, and all the hallmarks of a rustic village feast.
Maybe it’s because I can’t get these rustic dishes in Florence that I felt my mouth watering.

"Other nobles like to drag out their speeches during these feasts, but I’m not one for such formalities. So I’ll keep this short."

Whether it’s a school principal or a guest speaker at an event, they always seem to think a longer speech is better.
But even they must have found long speeches tedious when they were on the receiving end.
That sentiment remains unchanged across ages.

"When I first arrived, Vio Village was almost a wasteland. But thanks to your trust and dedication, it has flourished. I am proud of you all."

There are many CEOs—even those of large corporations—who believe their companies’ success is solely their own doing.
It’s true that without competent leadership, a company can’t thrive, let alone survive.

‘Let’s be a leader who acknowledges his subordinates’ contributions.’

"And as I promised you before, do you remember?"

The villagers couldn’t answer, but their eyes turned red with emotion.
I’ve never lived as a serf, but I can guess how miserable it must be from the records.
Working tirelessly with no hope and always being treated as lesser due to one’s status, generation after generation.
They must have resented being born into such a life.

"I promised you this: once the harbor was built, I would burn your serfdom papers and grant you all the status of free citizens."

Other lords might hesitate to free their serfs because of their entrenched beliefs, but I see it differently.
Sure, it would be hypocritical for someone like me, who benefits from the privileges of the class system, to denounce it, but…
keeping commoners as serfs and drawing invisible lines between us is simply inefficient.
It’s better to make them free citizens, give them hope, and encourage their growth. That benefits me as a noble too.
That’s why I believe this is the best way forward.@@novelbin@@

"Look over there."

I pointed to the center of the makeshift banquet hall, where a pile of logs and documents lay stacked.

"Those are the serf papers that bound you. I’ll hand out torches, and you can burn them all. Laugh, cheer, and celebrate as you watch those papers turn to ash."

At my words, the villagers took torches prepared by others and immediately set fire to the documents.
Some danced as they burned, while others wept at the sight.
But they all wore expressions of pure joy.

"We’re no longer serfs; we’re free citizens! We only have to pay half the tax now, hooray!"
"We’re free at last!"

Watching them rejoice, I started eating the dishes before me.
Being in a port town, there were a lot of seafood dishes, which suited my tastes just fine.

‘It’s hard to find fresh seafood in Florence.’

Among the various foods, one dish caught my eye in particular.

"Is this abalone?"

Abalone isn’t commonly eaten on this continent, so I didn’t expect to see it unless I specifically requested it.
When I expressed curiosity, a villager nearby responded.

"Sometimes we catch abalone while harvesting seaweed. Since we have enough food now, we usually don’t eat them. But Jack here said they’re a delicacy when grilled with butter, so we thought you might like to try it, my lord."
"Well, I’ll give it a try."

Grilled abalone with butter is the kind of dish even seafood skeptics can’t resist.
It’s almost impossible for it to taste bad.

"This is delicious."
"We’re glad you enjoy it, my lord."
"Are you considering farming it?"
"Yes, the village chief suggested we try cultivating it like clams."

Dried abalone makes an excellent broth.
While Westerners might not be fond of abalone,
if I popularize it and start a trend of using it in stews, it could become quite lucrative.

"Increase the scale of the farming; I’ll provide unlimited funding. Give Jack two gold coins as a reward and five to the chief."

That’s the equivalent of an annual salary for a corporate employee, but they’ve earned it.
They’ve taken initiative and achieved results without being prompted.

"In our domain, good work will always be rewarded. So keep up the effort."

With that, I continued to enjoy the abalone steak.
It’ll take a few years to establish proper farming techniques, but it’s a good start.
I ate to my heart’s content, enjoying every dish prepared by the villagers.

After the feast, I headed towards Bergello, a bit further from Vio Village.

"My lord, this truly is an age of revolution!"

Sebastian, who I’d stationed at Bergello to oversee the factory work, came running over with excitement.
It’s rare to see Sebastian so animated.
If he’s this excited, then the machines from the early industrial revolution must be making a significant impact.

"What’s got you so worked up?"
"In all my years, I’ve never seen wool or cotton fabric produced so quickly. It’s like magic!"

The industrial revolution was indeed like magic in its transformative power.
Historical records mention:
‘After the industrial revolution, humanity felt economic growth firsthand for the first time.’

"Let’s go take a look."