Victor instructed Lulu to bring the blueprints, and once she delivered them, he handed one to the blacksmith.
Karam examined it carefully, spending a long time trying to figure out its purpose, despite being accustomed to new inventions. What he now held was simply an enormous wheel, evoking images of a carriage with giant wheels. Yet he had no doubt that Lord Victor could implement such a design, for in this world, nobles often accomplished even more impressive feats.
After prolonged reflection, Karam chose not to ask questions and respectfully bowed before leaving.
Victor, preoccupied with countless thoughts, returned to the castle, where reality lagged behind his aspirations.
Resolving to remain inconspicuous, he decided to wait for orders to be carried out, dedicating himself to personal training in the meantime. Day after day, the lord sparred with Alganis, determined to raise his level as quickly as possible. During daylight hours, Victor trained alongside him, while evenings were reserved for concealing his true level.
One day, he finally felt warmth emanating from his body and diligently worked to hide it. Awareness of his aura took over a week, seeming hopelessly impossible. However, once he connected with his aura, learning to conceal it became far less demanding.
Focus allowed him to perceive a delicate membrane enveloping his entire body, beneath which pulsed vigorous energy.
When Victor requested Alganis to penetrate his defenses and examine his level, he felt a sharp sensation akin to being pricked by a needle. The barrier instantly transmitted the full impact of pain, helping identify the direction of the examiner.
Now the lord comprehended the significance of the knight's statement: investigating someone else's level without permission was tantamount to an insult. It resembled someone approaching and striking you to gauge your strength. Considering noble etiquette, this could easily be treated as an outright attack.
Later, during training, the butler approached him, informing him that the blacksmith requested an audience.
Halting Alganis midway, Victor proceeded to the outer courtyard of the castle, where he found Karam awaiting his arrival. Bowing deeply upon seeing his master, the blacksmith patiently waited for questions regarding his work, eventually declaring with pride that the wheel was complete but still housed in the smithy.
Without hesitation, Victor ordered horses to be readied and departed the castle amidst Lulu's complaints about missing meals.
Two hours later, the trio arrived at the smithy, stopping briefly outside its entrance. There, Victor looked around, sensing something amiss. A moment later, he realized that the usual foul odor of the village had vanished, making it possible to breathe freely without fear of nausea.
Delighted by this revelation, he entered the smithy, discovering the massive wheel disassembled into four parts. According to the blacksmith, assembly required only an hour, and keeping it in this condition facilitated transportation.
Impressed by the blacksmith's cleverness, the lord instructed the mayor, who appeared nearby, to transport the wheel to the riverside location they had previously selected.
Quickly gathering resources, the mayor returned with ten men and two carts. Unfortunately, the carts were pulled manually by the men themselves, as the village lacked draft animals.
Victor understood the reason for this deficit. Survival in such desperate conditions made sustaining livestock, especially during winter, practically impossible. Even if the villagers had a horse, it would likely have been slaughtered on the first day of hunger.
Pushing aside extraneous thoughts, the lord attentively observed the men performing their duties. The wheel was loaded onto the carts, forming an unusual procession following their master.
An hour later, they arrived at the designated spot, where Victor supervised the assembly process. While the blacksmith and his assistants assembled the wheel, an initial platform was constructed.
Once completed, the wheel was carefully lowered horizontally into the water and slowly raised vertically using ropes, supported by two wooden beams, and securely fastened to the platform's axle.
No sooner had it taken its place than it began rotating, functioning as a proper waterwheel.
It drew water upward, fulfilling its immediate purpose, though further irrigation systems were neither constructed nor planned. The underlying concept itself was sufficient. Enraptured by marking the first stage of industrialization on the continent, Victor darted around the structure, animatedly detailing its purpose.
— As you see, the wheel draws water upward, and if we install grooves, redirecting it toward cultivated fields... — gesturing expansively, the lord outlined the sequence of steps, prompting synchronized nodding from the spectators.
The blacksmith was the first to break the silence.
— My lord, this is amazing! How did you think of this solution? The river lies below ground level, making canal excavation impossible, but this addresses every issue!
Alganis, finally grasping the significance of the invention, echoed his admiration.
Victor's pride swelled so greatly that it seemed his nose might scratch the sky. Any observer might assume he truly invented this wonder, not merely imitated something he had seen elsewhere.
— Quite right, now we can deliver water to our fields and increase crop yields, — declared the lord triumphantly.
Ordering the construction of channels to carry water from the wheel, he also instructed the mayor to select workers to prepare fields for sowing. Removing debris and cutting trees for expansion were top priorities.
Elated by his achievements, Victor returned to the castle, where Lulu awaited him at the entrance, pouting and hands-on-hips, reminiscent of a disgruntled wife greeting her errant husband.
— Apologies, Lulu, now I'm ready to enjoy your excellent cooking, — he chuckled.
— Milord, you're aware that I don't actually prepare your meals myself? — she protested indignantly.
Listening to this exchange, Jin interjected.
— My lord, it's unseemly for a nobleman to address servants in such a way, — the butler commented, clearly upset by the scene.
In this realm, a butler's role extended beyond mere door-opening duties. Their main task was to control the staff and enforce decorum within the household, including oversight of the master himself.
If a noble's honor suffered public humiliation, blame always fell on the butler, charged with monitoring both servants and master alike.
Frequently, nobles deflected blame onto butlers, treating it as standard practice to maintain their reputations.
— Fair enough, — Victor agreed dismissively, waving aside the reproach as he entered the castle.
Seated in the dining hall, he took his customary place, flanked by senior knight Alganis on his left.
Victor paid little attention to the meal, preferring to explore the broader world and events happening around him. Gastronomic delights were absent here; regardless of the chef's efforts to enhance ordinary roasts of chicken or beef, the absence of spices rendered them bland and boring.
Only wine, self-distilled by Victor through trial and error, mildly stimulated his palate. Through gradual refinement, the drink acquired distinct notes of pear and was surprisingly enjoyable.
Over time, Alganis developed a strong attachment to this new wine, indicating its potential commercial attraction.
Four barrels were already prepared for distribution to neighboring regions, priced at thirty gold coins each, prohibiting bulk sales beyond one barrel per territory.
Sending a barrel to his father, calculated to arrive in nine days, he anticipated reciprocal benefits. Knowing Alexander Shermanyn's fondness for drinks, he confidently expected joyful reactions and increased demand. True to his nature as a nobleman, his father would surely respond with a thoughtful gift.
Sitting with a wry smile, Victor envisioned rapid enrichment from this venture.
Just then, a guard entered the room, catching his master's nod before delivering his message.
— My lord, our soldiers have discovered a camp in the northern section of our territory, seemingly occupied by soldiers.
Turning his gaze to the armored soldier, revealed to be Kieran—the lone survivor besides the chief knight from the bandit battle—the lord contemplated his findings.
While absorbing his subordinate's observations, Alganis slammed his palm forcefully on the table.
— Who dares?! — he blurted out spontaneously.
Unlike Victor, calmly detached from the situation and failing to recognize its severity, Alganis viewed this intrusion as a direct affront, interpreting it as a grave offense against his lord, whom he guarded as the frontline defender.
— Please allow me to go there and expel them from our lands, — the knight repeated earnestly.
— And how exactly do you propose doing that? — Victor inquired dryly. — You have five iron-rank soldiers and twelve recruits. You have no knowledge of their numbers or strength.
Privately aggravated by the trespassing, the lord maintained composure, diverging from his hot-headed knight.
Given the presence of enemy troops, their arrival suggested deliberate intent, likely tied to a strategic advantage. Repelling them might pose difficulties.
Bordering the north, his territory adjoined Viscount Peter Manita's lands, a vassal and second-born son of Count Leonid Butterworth.
Peter, born to his father's second wife, lacked succession rights despite gossip suggesting preferential treatment. Aristocratic rules added complexity here.
***
It's important to note that if a noble arbitrarily appointed a younger heir, disregarding the legitimate successor without justification, it would establish a troubling precedent.
This could trigger a crisis, prompting the elder son and his supporters to take preemptive measures to eliminate the threat.
Even if this didn't unfold, uncertainty persisted among vassals until formal pronouncements clarified succession, amplifying tension.
Consider a scenario where their ruler lay critically ill, teetering between life and death. No official announcement would follow. Uncertainty would prevail, producing multiple candidates.
Such issues affected individual lords and their followers but could escalate into widespread turmoil within royal families. To prevent chaos, royal decrees strictly defined inheritance laws, summarized as primogeniture.
***
Victor's territory was hemmed in by other aristocrats' estates. To the northeast lay Baron Selitas' domain, closest to Victor's castle, while southeastwards spread Baron Clint's lands. All three answered to Duke Alexander Shermanyn.
Although unlikely to attack his territory, they weren't friendly either. Seizing opportunities, they would gladly exploit weaknesses, expanding their holdings.
Fully cognizant of this landscape, Victor clearly understood who invaded his territory and his helplessness to expel them. His father explicitly declined involvement, warning him against provocation.
Perhaps aware of the situation, his father opted to refrain from acting. Therefore, Victor faced solving this dilemma alone.
These reflections induced a headache, prompting him to dismiss them and summon his troops.
Thirty minutes later, Victor surveyed the courtyard, eyeing the motley ranks arrayed before him. By contemporary military standards, they resembled a disorderly mob. Without the expertise of five soldiers, they wouldn't pass muster even as private security.
Ordered to assemble, they caused chaos, ending in a crooked formation.
Among the fifteen men, two wore leather armor, three donned partial leather garments protecting key body parts, while the remainder dressed in linen clothes carrying only swords.
Briefly contemplating, the lord decreed daily runs to the northern village and back, penalizing latecomers by denying them lunch.
Under watchful eyes, Victor turned and entered the castle, instructing the butler en route to serve double breakfast portions.
His goal was dual-fold: occupying them constructively while improving their fitness, avoiding malnutrition. After such exertions, they would undeniably be ravenous.
Returning inside, Victor retreated to his study, returning to his beloved activity of planning and sketching. Eagerly recording memories from his former life, he feared losing track of vital innovations applicable to this world.
Late into the night, as the petite maid urged him to retire, Victor obeyed, heading to his quarters.
***
The next four days followed a steady rhythm, as the land developed, roads were constructed, and fields expanded. Acting on Victor's orders, twenty cows were purchased and distributed across the villages.
The castle assumed responsibility for caring for the livestock in the coming year. Peasants were obliged to tend to the animals and ensure their nutrition.
Today, the lord awaited the return of the caravan sent with wine to neighboring provinces. The price was set at thirty golden coins per barrel, limiting sales to one barrel per region.
Promotion and buzz around the wine were essential — Victor had no intention of mass-producing it. Scarcity marketing was a technique familiar to any resident of modern-day Earth.
Simply declare an item rare, and its price skyrockets. In a world saturated with various goods, anything uncommon becomes a treasure worth paying extra for.
One day, while training in the backyard, Lulu hurried over, announcing that Jin had returned and was now unloading carts in the courtyard.
Victor stopped his training and checked his stats menu.
Strength: 23 (+4 points)
Agility: 20 (+5 points)
Armor: Changed from -85% to -74%.
Parameters now evolved more slowly, with training yielding fewer results.
However, in the menu, the belt had changed color from red to silver, while the rest of the armor remained marked in red.
Not wanting to dwell on this mystery, Victor moved to the courtyard, where he encountered Jinn, the happy butler.
— My lord, everything went better than expected, — Jinn reported happily. — We've sold all the wine and received personal requests from nobles willing to pay sixty golden coins per barrel.
Victor ordered not to sell above thirty golden coins, stressing that buyers shouldn't expect to purchase whenever they wanted, regardless of payment.
— Here's what you ordered, — Jinn pointed to a wagon covered with sackcloth.
Curious, the pleased lord approached the wagon and summoned all soldiers.
Minutes later, his small troop lined up before him. Then, the servant removed the fabric, revealing shiny plate armor and new swords — five complete sets.
— These sets will go to the five Iron Knights. From now on, anyone reaching Iron Rank will receive similar armor, — the lord announced, addressing the soldiers' bright-eyed expressions.
Each full set cost him seventy golden coins plus ten golden coins for the swords. This was an exorbitant sum in this world.
Before giving them time to react, Victor approached the second wagon and tore off its cover, exposing full leather armor.
— This goes to the trainees. I can't allow you to look like vagrants, but disappoint me, and you'll find yourself excluded from House Baltas, — he said sternly.
All soldiers dropped to one knee, repeating their oath of loyalty. Though unnecessary, this gesture confirmed their unwavering commitment to their lord.
Alganis was thrilled by what he saw, since recently he'd worried about Victor's unusual orders.
Besides running drills, he had made them walk in sync, stand at attention, and other curious activities.
Seeing this, the first knight understood that all would forgive Victor's quirks. Especially the steel armor, which even he coveted.
— And here's something else, — Victor continued, ripping off the last cloth, — for Knight Alganis, my loyal captain.
Beneath lay armor and a sword enhanced with mythril. The total cost for the full set was five hundred golden coins — a princely sum even nobles rarely splurged on.
Victor hesitated to spend such money, but Alganis was his only knight and trusted ally. Losing him would endanger the whole manor.
— My lord, — Alganis knelt, — "I swear by knightly honor to remain faithful in this life and the next."
Such was the oath given to one's master, implying that after the lord's passing, the knight had no reason to live.
With this done, Victor concluded his busy schedule, smiling cynically as he pictured the quick fortune awaiting him from this scheme.