News of the collapse accident reached Baron Romero, and upon hearing that his eldest son was involved, he immediately summoned Roman.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No, I am not."
"What on earth were you thinking to put yourself in such danger? A collapse is a natural disaster that even the most skilled inspector cannot avoid. Fortunately, the outcome was good, and you are safe, but your reckless bravery almost cost me my son. This is not just because you are the eldest son of the Dmitri family. If the other workers in the iron mine had made the same decision as you, I would not have allowed one life to be saved at the cost of another."
Baron Romero expressed his worry and anger.
Having once been a worker himself, he understood how dangerous Roman's actions were.
"Father, I was just doing what I had to do."
"Roman!"
"Even if I could turn back time, my decision would not change. An accident occurred in the iron mine, and I happened to be there to resolve it. Do you wish for the eldest son of the Dmitri family to turn a blind eye to the struggles of the people in the territory? I do not believe one can always do only safe things in life. As the bearer of the Dmitri name, I believe I made the right choice."
"…Huh."
Baron Romero sighed.
While his heart sank at his son's perilous decision, he felt a sense of pride seeing his mature son.
Before being the lord of Dmitri, he was a father.
Baron Romero spoke, "So, do you intend to continue working in the iron mine?"
"Yes."
"What is your reason? I never told you to work in the iron mine, so I cannot understand why you made such a choice. If you said you wanted to work in the forge instead, I would not have stopped you."
The iron mine and the forge revealed Baron Romero's thoughts.
He treated the miners with respect, but as someone from a blacksmithing background, he could not help but lean towards that profession.
Ultimately, he hoped his son would show interest in the forge.
At the very least, as the lord of Dmitri, he believed one should know how to handle steel rather than just mine iron ore.
"Father, I thought that to understand Dmitri, I needed to work in the iron mine. Although Dmitri has built its reputation on the forging techniques of the forge, most of the territory's people work in the iron mine for their livelihoods. Therefore, it was only natural that I had to go to the iron mine instead of the forge."
"And what did you gain from it?"
"I was able to see firsthand what difficulties people are facing."
Difficulties? That was an unexpected answer.
Baron Romero had not realized that his son was trying to understand the struggles of the miners in the iron mine.
"Go on."
"The miners all respect you, Father. They receive higher wages compared to other regions, and the appropriate rest and safety systems seem to be in place. However, mining is inherently a risky job, even if safety is managed. One never knows when an earthquake might occur and cause a tunnel to collapse, and while such accidents are not common, they do happen from time to time."
"I am not unaware of that. However, as you said, even with preparation, it is not something that can be prevented."
Natural disasters.
There is a reason it is expressed that way.
Because it cannot be prevented by human effort, people referred to accidents in the iron mine as natural disasters.
Baron Romero did his best, but that was all.
Roman believed that a solution was necessary.
"I have a way to solve the problem."
"What is it?"
While working in the iron mine, Roman had thought a lot.
After experiencing the accident firsthand, he reached a conclusion.
"We should utilize magical artifacts. That is the only way for the workers to work safely."
Magical artifacts.
He was likely referring to artifacts.
Baron Romero thought his son truly lacked a sense of reality.
"The intention to use magical artifacts for safety is good. But do you have any idea how much they cost? It is not a problem that can be solved with just a few gold coins. To protect the entire mine with magical artifacts would require an astronomical amount of money, and we are not philanthropists throwing money into the sky."
That was a valid point.
Mining was a means to make money.
It was a clear purpose to hire workers to do the job, and one could not spend more money on safety than what they earned to protect the workers.
This was a different matter from the lord's generosity.
If one were to engage in a venture that costs more than it earns, even a wealthy family like Dmitri would eventually collapse.
"I understand. To prepare for collapse accidents, we would need to install artifacts that can create air shields in emergencies, but I cannot predict whether the cost will be hundreds or thousands of gold coins. Moreover, the performance of artifacts is not permanent. If they lose their magical efficacy and can no longer function, we would have to spend money again to replace them after spending an astronomical amount."
"And yet you still say it is necessary?"
"Yes. I will explain why now."
Measures for safety.
This was not an idealistic theory.
Roman was a very realistic person, and he spoke because he believed it would be practically beneficial.
"I heard from a veteran miner while working in the iron mine. Dmitri boasts the best reserves and quality of iron ore on the continent, but due to safety issues, it cannot be fully utilized. If we had not considered the safety of the workers, we would have generated enough wealth at the cost of people's sacrifices. However, you did not do that, and as a result of prioritizing safety, we inevitably face the realistic problem of decreased iron ore production."
A good lord.
But not an outstanding one.
If Baron Romero had been greedy, he should have found a better way as a merchant.
"The installation of artifacts should not simply end with the meaning of preparing for safety. If the safety of the workers is guaranteed by installing artifacts, the production of the iron mine will naturally increase. And due to safety issues, we have been limiting the number of workers and development in the mine, but once we install the artifacts, that will no longer be necessary. This is an opportunity cost. Even if it costs an astronomical amount to install the artifacts, if we earn more money than before, it cannot be considered a loss."
That was not all.
There was one more thing.
Roman had a wish.
"And you should assign personnel dedicated to safety. By making a solid investment in them to check safety daily, we could use a portion of the increased profits for the welfare of the workers. This is an investment that induces a virtuous cycle. You may have to spend a lot of money because of this incident, but that budget will surely bring great benefits to Dmitri."
An investment for the family.
That was Roman's true purpose.
It was not just about the safety of the people; Roman hid his intentions beneath a good cause.
Baron Romero could not help but be unaware of the truth.
It was such a perfect argument.
After pondering for a while, Baron Romero looked at his son with pride and said, "Alright. How much do I need to invest?"
Thirty minutes earlier, Roman had told Morcan, "From now on, I will go to my father to secure a budget for safety measures, and I will recommend you, Morcan, as the person responsible for managing the safety of the iron mine. You have worked in the iron mine for many years. I believe you know it better than anyone else, so you will be able to fulfill your role."
Roman's plan was perfect.
Just hearing about the installation of artifacts made Morcan's heart race.
However, knowing Roman's intention to gain practical benefits, he thought he would surely demand a price.
"…May I ask about the conditions?"
"What I require is clear. As the safety officer, you will check the condition of the workers daily and ask them what has happened to them. It does not have to be anything significant.
By exchanging trivial stories, remember what you hear from them in your mind, and record all the information you deem necessary. People will likely tell you a lot. If I use the budget I receive for the welfare of the workers, they will be eager to share everything they have.
In that process, it would be fine to reward those who provide valuable information with a portion of the budget. I hope to obtain 'information' through you while protecting the safety of the workers with the money of the Dmitri family."
Information.
That was Roman's true purpose.
The iron mine was Dmitri itself.
Many people worked in the iron mine, and thus, information related to Dmitri could only gather there.
That was the beginning.
If he traded information through Morcan, people would be eager to provide good information.
At first, they would share their own stories, then stories about their families or acquaintances, and if they heard interesting tales on the street, they would report all of that to Morcan.
That could not be seen as misconduct.
As Roman had told his father, it was merely listening to people's stories in exchange for benefits for their welfare.
Indeed, Roman aimed to establish an information network, the Hao Gate, in this world with his father's money and a very practical justification.
In the martial world, there were two groups that gained fame through their ability to handle information in a world of survival of the fittest.
The Open Gate and the Hao Gate.
They had one thing in common.
While the Open Gate gathered information by listening to the stories of beggars found everywhere, the Hao Gate collected information from vulnerable social groups like the Juru's street vendors.
What this meant was simple.
Unlike the powerful who walked with their heads held high, people found everywhere could see and hear a variety of information without discrimination.
Thus, Roman chose the miners.
They were everything to Dmitri, and through connections with them, he could grasp information from the northeastern region.
The manpower would come from the workers.
The financial resources would come from his father's pocket.
Yet, no one would suffer a loss.
The workers would gain safety and money, while his father could create more wealth through increased production.
It was truly a win-win situation.
A plan that satisfied everyone, and thus neither his father nor Morcan rejected Roman's proposal.
Yet, Roman did not know satisfaction.
'It is still not enough.'
The information guild Roman envisioned was not limited to just the northeastern region.
Furthermore, he wished to gather information from across the continent.
While the foundation would be the Dmitri iron mine, he hoped that the budget and manpower would extend to form a force like the Hao Gate.
Therefore, Roman had thought of something additional.
'Morcan is not a person who specializes in handling information.
In the end, I need someone who can organize the information received from him and, moreover, gather information from outside the northeastern region in connection with the Dmitri trading company.
This person must be quick-witted and realistic, unlike Morcan.
A veteran who has experienced all the ups and downs.
Only such a person can bring the information guild I envision into reality.'
Just one person.
Fortunately, there was a suitable candidate.
Roman called for someone.
It was none other than, "Did you call for me?"
Lucas, a B-class mercenary who had passed the recent recruitment of private soldiers.