The following days rolled by in much the same pattern: Victor trained, planned the development of his territory, and simultaneously prepared for the journey to the duke's banquet. The closer the date approached, the more anxious he became.
He had no desire to attend the event or meet those people. Many things could go wrong, but what terrified him most was the possibility of his true strength being exposed.
In aristocratic circles, everything was complex. The count had numerous vassals, each with varying degrees of influence and power.
Currently, with only one heir apparent, they all backed him. However, if another potential heir emerged, there was a chance that those in weaker positions might choose to support Victor, whether he liked it or not, to improve their standing within the county. This would threaten Andreas and consequently create danger for Victor himself.
Although the probability was slim, the defining trait of nobility was their tendency to prepare for the worst-case scenarios and make decisions based on their immediate wants, interests, and whims.
It was important to realise that each fiefdom controlled by a count or higher ranked noble was essentially a country within a country. Each territory operated under its own laws and rules, with only two obligations to the king: to defend against internal or external enemies and to pay taxes.
The law prevalent in the kingdom, known to all students on Earth, was: "My vassal's vassal is not my vassal."
This meant that while the count was a vassal of the king, his own vassals were not directly ruled by the monarch and did not necessarily have to submit to him. If the king decided to grant a higher title to one of the count's vassals or a marquis', he could only do so with their permission.
Dukes could be considered equals to the king, not his vassals. If the kingdom were a corporation, they would be members of the board of directors, with the king as chairman.
Therefore, these vassals cared only about what happened within their own territories. If their lord decided he no longer wanted to submit to the king and believed he could survive a war against him, his vassals would support their lord.
In their mindset, there was no notion of collective interests or national unity. They pursued only their own goals. As long as it benefitted them, they would betray and even join another nation with their territory.
Remarkably, another kingdom or empire would not consider this dishonourable. As a nobleman, you were expected to prioritise your own interests above all else.
Only the central authority of the king or emperor could ensure the loyalty of nobles to the crown.
Living in this world, Victor always tried to remind himself that all talk of loyalty was just rhetoric. This was why he aimed to develop his territory and personal power as quickly as possible.
As he progressed, his knights would see hope in joining their lord on the battlefield, assisting him in acquiring a higher title, which automatically opened up new titles he could bestow on those who helped him rise.
Advancement was possible in two ways: either your lord granted you a title, or you earned one from the king on the battlefield. However, for the king to notice an ordinary knight, that knight would have to achieve something extraordinary, such as capturing or killing an enemy commander, taking prisoner a rival noble, preferably of at least count rank.
Victor, too, could not easily attain a higher title. With sufficient contribution to warfare, the king might grant him the title of count. But for that, he would need to participate in a war that helped the kingdom capture part of another country's territory.
***
— My lord, everything is prepared for your journey, — reported the butler entering the study.
Hearing this, Victor got up from his desk and walked out. In the courtyard, he climbed into a prepared carriage, accompanied by his knight, six soldiers, and two servants, setting off on the road.
The lord planned to stop by Baron Selitas' domain en route to the count's territory, as the baron himself had requested a meeting.
Thanks to the roads continuously undergoing repair, travel time to the neighboring fiefdom decreased from six hours to four.
Only after starting the journey did Victor recall what he had been thinking about when he first travelled here, but forgot, as he hadn't used carriages since then.
He retrieved from his inventory a parchment sheet featuring an illustration of a suspension system, consisting of conventional springs and a steering mechanism for the front axle.
Carriages in this world were not simply luxurious carts; they also had very limited functionality, as most problems were solved by magic or sheer muscle power.
Blacksmith-alchemists could create devices for cushioning, but they were incredibly expensive and short-lived. To steer a carriage, castle courts and palace yards were always built with ample space for maneuvering, or knights used their strength to solve the issue.
***
Note: In this world, there were several schools of magic: mages studying spells, blacksmith-alchemists creating magical devices and weapons, and alchemist-potion makers, who were the most common profession.
There were also individuals capable of enchanting weapons and armour, but since mythical times, this skill had survived only among high elves.
Such items were extremely rare, as elves lived in the Evergreen Forest north of Armandal Kingdom.
To reach them, one had to traverse the Rondan Mountains through Durngorn Pass, where the dwarf fortress of the same name stood. Since the war between humans and dwarves two hundred years ago, passage through this fortress had been closed.
***
Opening his inventory, Victor searched for usable items. As soon as his armour proficiency rose above negative values and his stats increased, many items in his inventory became accessible, but without knowing their purpose, Victor hesitated to use them recklessly.
In a world with demons, magic, and monsters, any item could prove deadly.
Sorting through his inventory, he found something crucial: the diary of the previous paladin, which he couldn't open. Symbols on the diary glowed brighter each time he tried to open it.
Realising he couldn't open it, he returned the diary to his inventory for later and continued searching for safer uses.
Finding no alternatives, he decided to test the safest-looking option: small stones, of which he had plenty. Selecting one, he took it in his hand and felt his energy respond.
Energy in his body began circulating rapidly, creating sensations similar to levelling up, though less powerful. He didn't know what it was, but it felt beneficial for development.
Wanting to learn more, Victor drew back the curtain in the carriage and summoned Alganis, who rode alongside.
— Do you recognise this? — he asked, showing the stone in his palm.
— My lord, I am unfamiliar with this type of magical stone, — the knight replied.
Only now did Victor think to check its magical properties. He focused on the stone and saw a faint glow emanating from it, but it was not particularly strong.
Many magical stones in this world shone much brighter, and the one in his hand was unremarkable.
— Take it and see if it affects you, — said Victor, handing the stone to Alganis.
Alganis took the stone and immediately stiffened.
— My lord! Where did you get this? — he asked excitedly.
— Can you identify what kind of stone it is? — Victor inquired.
— I'm not sure. But once, when I sought a way to enhance my strength, I found information about concentration stones grown by dwarves, — Alganis replied, continuing his narrative. — The sensation I felt matches the description in the book. These stones haven't been seen for two hundred years, since Durngorn Pass was closed.
Based on his account, if these were concentration stones, they could boost any knight's level and contribute to development up to the "earth" tier. Even now, aristocrats hunted for such stones to aid their children who lacked magical aptitude.
As soon as Victor heard this, he recalled his betrothed, gritting his teeth involuntarily. She was the last person he would ever help.
— Keep it for yourself. Let me know if you need more, — Victor tossed off the comment and closed the curtain.
He didn't regret giving away the stones; thousands more lay in his inventory, and this one wasn't the largest. However, he now understood he could train his soldiers and increase their strength.
A wicked smile crept across his face, plotting something sinister.
Unlike the lord, who had grander schemes than mere personal empowerment, Alganis gazed at the stone in his hand with shining eyes. He'd searched the entire kingdom for such an artifact. When his growth stalled, he explored every opportunity to level up. Now his lord had casually thrown him this stone, as if it were worthless.
Although he had already risen in rank, owning more of these stones guaranteed further growth, and he had no doubt that serving his lord would bring him more stones and opportunities.
Clenching the stone tighter, Alganis felt his loyalty to his lord strengthened. Only his lord could repeatedly help him without expecting anything in return.
As the two men rode on, each lost in their own thoughts, the carriage crossed the boundary between Baltas and Selitas territories.
Proceeding in the same direction for another four hours, they arrived at a road junction, where a tent guarded by soldiers and the fluttering banners of Baron Selitas stood.
When the convoy approached the tent, Gector himself emerged, accompanied by his knight Hendry. This was a man in his forties, muscular and battle-hardened, judging by the scars on his face.
After the carriage halted, Victor disembarked, but before he could speak, Gector wrapped his pudgy arms around him, flashing a bright smile on his round face.
"I have a feeling I'm about to be conned or exploited," Victor thought to himself, politely returning the embrace.
— My friend, your wine has driven the aristocracy insane! — Gector shouted.
— Really? Was it that successful?
— Successful? I'm exhausted refusing these people; they're chasing me day and night! — guiding Victor inside, Gector continued.
Inside the tent, they sat at a table laden with various dishes, and judging by the assortment, the menu here was far richer than in his castle.
Accepting Gector's invitation to join him, they began eating lunch, accompanied by music from a bard the baron had brought along.
After lunch, when the baron dismissed the musician, Victor realised the real conversation was about to begin, and he would hear the true reason for Gector's personal visit and staging this event on the roadside.
— My friend, I heard you're selling salt now—is that true? — Gector asked, sipping wine from a crystal goblet.
"Of course, I'm not surprised. Intercepting me before I reach other nobles' territories and trying to negotiate another profitable deal." Victor instantly guessed the baron's intentions, but it suited him fine.
It was easy to deduce why Gector hadn't invited him to his castle. Doing so would allow Victor to decline or find an excuse to bypass his territory, leading to the possibility of other nobles intercepting him first and signing deals with him.
— Yes, I've organised a caravan. I'm not sure it'll be as popular as the wine, — Victor replied, pretending to doubt the endeavour.
Any fool could see that the quality and price of his product were far superior to anything currently on the market. This game was designed to avoid initiating negotiations prematurely.
— Do you think I could participate in this? I have connections with other territories and can sell them on your behalf, — Gector jumped in immediately.
"Heh-heh, now that you're in the position of asking, let's naturally discuss everything, my friend," Victor thought, smiling cordially at Gector.