I Became the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire

＃17 Chapter. Small Movements (1)

The boy who greeted and those who received his greeting exchanged sharp glances.

Even the vicious and fearsome individuals from modern times seem relatively cute compared to people of this era.

Cavalries are those who can kill a child without hesitation based on orders and necessity, and with a group gathered here, they could create a small graveyard of those they’ve killed.

With a mere judgment, they could toy with human lives, and even the human weapon Cavalry would be laughed at; they were not people who could be compared to modern standards.

For an ordinary person, just making eye contact would drop their heart into their stomach, yet Yusuf smiled instead.

“You’re rather handsome, but being stared at intently is a bit overwhelming.”

It was a trivial comment, but it was enough to lighten the mood.

Omer spoke in a refined voice.

“I apologize for my rudeness as I was admiring the prince I will be accompanying in the future.”

As Omer took the initiative, responses came in reply.

First, the primary speaker was Cardi, who sneered at the Cavalries.

It wasn’t hard to judge that a mere greeting and a few steps were dismissed by those who considered the boy only an 11-year-old child.

This uneasy atmosphere was surely felt by Yusuf.

‘It’s fine if the two sides don’t get along.’

But he wasn’t about to fall for the idea that the enemy of an enemy was a friend.

Cardis expressing goodwill towards him was merely a tactic to oppose the Cavalries.

“I’m glad everyone was able to attend despite the sudden invitation. The others who came with us are likely enjoying the banquet now, so let’s also have fun and talk.”

With Yusuf’s gesture, the door opened, and the scent of delicious food wafted out.

“I prepared palace food this time since you had Trabzon’s cuisine before, Selim brother. You won’t be disappointed.”

Starting with a pastry filled with meat made with butter, the food was more than enough to satisfy the senses.

As his mouth was pleased, the atmosphere turned a bit loose, but a sharp voice interrupted.

“Ahem, the taste is fine, but I still prefer the food I have always eaten. Shouldn’t you get used to the food here, Prince?”

It was Burka speaking, and among those gathered, no one would take that comment as a simple complaint.

Depending on how Yusuf responded, they could predict his future moves, and everyone watched intently to see how he would react.

‘If he plans to appease, he should smoothly handle it.’

Yusuf didn’t want to waste time on internal regulation and turned his head to the elegantly dining Shamsi on his right.

“Pasha.”

“Speak.”

“Was what I said too difficult? I never said I disliked the food here.”

The implication was that if they couldn’t even understand such banter, it was a roundabout way of scolding them, leaving everyone astonished.

The level of that retort exceeded expectations.

“Your Highness.”

Yusuf coldly responded to Burka, whose face had turned red with low simmering anger.

“It seems you haven’t properly heard my introduction, Burka Sobashi. I introduced myself as Sanjakbey, not a prince.”

How one defines themselves carries a lot of information.

Introducing himself as Sanjakbey meant he intended to actively involve himself in the territory, and this statement hardened not only the faces of the Cavalries but also the Cardis.

“Sanjakbey, may I say something?”

“Go ahead.”

“You don’t have to strain yourself so soon after arriving.”

Omer spoke politely, but to summarize, it meant to remain silent if one didn’t understand well.

Others seemed to agree and offered a silent pressure, and Yusuf casually nodded.

“I don’t know much about Sanjak either, so I’ll have to understand it properly one by one. First, I will assess the Cavalries’ arms and the training status of the commoners.”

The faces of the Cavalries twitched, and Yusuf couldn’t help but smirk internally.

‘They’re frustrated, but there’s no justification to refuse, right?’

Cavalries had an obligation to nurture the commoners, Jevelus, according to the income levels they earned, and they would have to participate in battle alongside.

Although they held evaluations every 20 years from the center, if the Sanjakbey directly checked, they had no excuse to refuse.

It would be like the commander suddenly ordering an inspection of all troops’ training and supplies.

Amidst a mood ripe for intense backlash, Yusuf quickly continued.

“There’s no need to worry too much. I plan to start slowly from the closest areas. I feel a bit sorry for you, Burka Sobashi.”

He meant to proceed with actions aimed directly at him, and only then did Burka fully shake off the prejudice due to his age.

With the blindfold of prejudice removed, Yusuf’s gaze came into focus.

‘A monstrous lineage.’

His eyes were not those of a mere boy who hadn’t even finished puberty.

As Burka briefly recalled Selim, the one he followed, he shook his head slightly.

‘Still far from that person.’

His abilities were excellent for his age, but Selim held the absolute upper hand.

Yet, realizing he was a formidable opponent in comparison, Burka’s expression calmed.

Watching this change in his expression, Yusuf couldn’t help but crack a wry smile.

He wished to continue being ignored, but unexpectedly, Burka regained his composure rather quickly.

“If that’s what the prince wishes, then so be it. I have many preparations, so I will excuse myself.”

By insisting on using the term ‘prince’ that implied he wouldn’t recognize a Sanjakbey, Burka rose from his seat, and the Cavalries followed suit.

With nearly half leaving the banquet hall, the atmosphere naturally shifted, and the Cardis also made their exit with light farewells.

Once all the servants and maidens cleared out, Yusuf finally sighed in relief.

If the banquet had dragged on any longer, he might have made a blunder out of tension.

At this level, they would have the experience to intuitively grasp the state of others from small actions and tones.

Yusuf, who had been wary of not being looked down upon, felt a significant mental fatigue.

Shamsi, watching him, was the first to speak.

“Have you confirmed everything you wanted?”

“Yes, as one would expect, not every Cavalry is fond of Burka.”

To be honest, checking the military readiness and training status was merely an excuse.

He just wanted to see what emotions the Cavalries exhibited when Burka was put in an awkward position.

It was a fleeting moment that could be missed if one wasn’t paying attention, but he was fortunate to observe everyone.

“I believe I can persuade about four of them.”

“I’m glad there were results, but it could have easily ended up just breeding resentment.”

“The potential was definitely there. Where there’s someone favored, there will be someone who feels jealousy.”

Since Selim had lived in Trabzon, it was natural that Burka was the closest to him, and it was apparent that someone held jealousy.

“Even so, four is quite lacking. We would be outnumbered, and in Trabzon, where the prince is, it cannot exert great influence.”

“I know. We need to increase our numbers.”

If merely filling numbers, there was no need to bring in costly individuals.

“Pasha, send me the records of any Cavalries on the verge of bankruptcy or struggling economically.”

Even receiving the same land, those lacking ability or whose livestock had perished or crops failed would often fall into bankruptcy.

“Are you planning to gather power with money?”

Shamsi’s voice dripped with dissatisfaction.

“I don’t wish to spend money in vain either.”

It was possible to be mocked for solving matters with money like a nouveau riche.

‘Someone from modern times should know how to use money elegantly.’

There was no way he would foolishly waste perfectly good money.

“I’m not giving; I’m thinking of lending livestock. If I lend a pair, perhaps they can repay with four offspring. And for those lacking management ability, I’ll connect them with those who can take over instead.”

“Is this a sort of policy?”

“Yes.”

In modern terms, it could be viewed as a low-interest support policy and professional management.

While it had the downside of tying up a lot of funds and potentially causing slight losses, if it could draw in Cavalries for such a small price, it was a profitable venture.

“And what happens if the livestock dies midway and they can’t repay?”

“They’ll have to repay with their bodies.”

Since a war would soon be dragging on, it wasn’t a bad idea.

With interest, Shamsi nodded, intrigued.

“It’s an interesting policy. If applied on a large scale, there might be room for corruption, but at the level of Sanjak, it should be manageable.”

Cavalries on the brink of bankruptcy would have to sell equipment to maintain their livelihoods, thus also aiding in maintaining combat readiness.

“This way, we can fill numbers in a hurry. Since it’s part of the Sanjakbey’s duties, there would be no justification to oppose it.”

We don’t need many.

As Burka wouldn’t be able to act recklessly, merely increasing his numbers sufficed.

With their feet bound, he would cut down their power through inheritance. This was the overarching plan.

“I’ll get up and prepare now. You must be busy.”

Once Shamsi departed, Yusuf, left alone, gazed outside at the gloomy scenery.

It seemed to portend the chaos that would befall Trabzon.

*

Since the banquet, an uncomfortable feeling spread throughout the entire castle.

The Cavalries walked the castle completely armed, even hovering ominously near the free meal station run by Fatima.

It didn’t take long for word to spread that the relationship between the Cavalries and the new Sanjakbey was severely strained.

In contrast to the indirect display of power by the Cavalries, Yusuf’s side maintained an air of indifference.

Amidst this sharp conflict, Yusuf found himself with some breathing room.

‘No matter how fast Shamsi is, she can’t select volunteers in such a short time.’

It wasn’t the era where a few clicks on a computer could pull up information.

He had to search and organize documents one by one, and even if Shamsi had brought the teachers teaching him along, a considerable amount of time was still needed.

“I can’t waste the floating time.”

Since internal organization was not yet sorted out, he couldn’t touch large matters like Circassians or Georgia.

What remained were internal matters like agriculture, medicine, and hygiene. These three.

Agriculture was being tested in his Haas, and medicine was seeking suitable horses and cattle afflicted with ailments.

What remained was hygiene.

“This is far more ambiguous than I thought.”

If he touched too broadly, it could balloon into an enormous task, so he needed to distinguish between what he could and couldn’t do.

After contemplating for a moment, Yusuf arrived at a conclusion.

“I need to at least solve the drinking water issue.”

The simplest method was boiling to make water safe, but it wasn’t an easy task.

“If I were to tell them to boil water because of invisible germs, they’d treat me like a madman.”

Even if he forced it, they wouldn’t listen; rather, it would be nice if they could boil tea like in China.

After tapping on the desk for a moment, Yusuf rose from his seat and stepped outside, placing both hands on Aishe’s shoulders, who was waiting outside.

“Aishe, I need you.”

“…Yes?”

Aishe’s face turned as red as a ripe apple, her pupils wandering aimlessly.

Seeing her bow her head in embarrassment, Yusuf spoke with a serious expression.

“Do some work in the kitchen for me.”

She thought she was about to get beaten by a slave.