Victor sat in a chair resembling a throne, which the butler had specially transported from the study so that his master would appear more dignified during the meeting with the merchants.
Jean wouldn't have given it so much thought if they were free traders, but the emissaries of nobility had to return to their domains and report to their lords that Baron Baltas was an exceptional individual. These minor details were important when relaying information.
However, none of this troubled Victor. Frankly, he couldn't care less about lords and aristocrats. He knew exactly that he would soon command a powerful army and thriving economy. Hence, all aristocrats would naturally become his potential adversaries, making their opinions the very last concern for him.
At present, he craved increasing his strength so he could adequately respond to any personal attacks directed at him.
— My lord, these are the gifts we have carefully selected just for you, — informed the merchant, bringing the lord out of his reverie.
The butler collected the pure gold casket tendered by the merchant, and shortly thereafter, two others performed the same action.
All three stood in the drawing room, where the throne had been situated in the furthest corner by the wall. Its placement ensured nearly forty square meters of vacant space beyond the elongated table, providing sufficient distance between the merchants and Victor, maintaining a gap of no fewer than five meters.
— I thank you for your gifts, but I am uncertain why you chose to grace this particular lord with your presence, and how I may assist you personally?
— My lord, we merely sought to bestow these gifts upon you and render tribute to Your Magnificence, — explained one of the merchants.
Positioned centrally, he epitomized the archetypal image of a merchant—short, rotund, measuring a mere one hundred and sixty centimeters, with diminutive eyes and perpetual false smiles.
Victor genuinely found humor in the situation, and had he lacked self-control passed down from his predecessor, he certainly would have teased the hapless fellow standing before him.
Merchant Bert, observing the lord's silence, concluded it was high time to disclose the objective of his visit.
— My lord, our patrons are keenly interested in acquiring your wines, and we are prepared to pay twice the usual sum in order to fulfill their orders, — eventually revealed the merchant.
Victor assumed a thoughtful expression, pretending to strain his memory regarding what wine even was.
— Surely you realize that I do not engage in trade matters myself, — remarked the lord, gesturing for the butler to approach. — Jinn, what is happening here? Why cannot these gentlemen purchase wine through regular channels?
Nobles never deign to conduct commerce themselves, particularly publicly. It was yet another idiotic rule governing this realm. Even a penniless and bankrupt lord would mock another aristocrat involved in trade, regardless of whether it enriched him.
The butler stepped forward, unfurling a parchment and pretending to scrutinize it diligently.
— My liege, we can provide a shipment of wine four days henceforth, but we currently face numerous pending requests, — disclosed the elderly servant.
— My lord, please grant us mercy… — pleaded the merchant.
With a wave of his hand, Victor silenced their lamentations because he had no intention of pursuing this topic further. It was his deliberate strategy to delay merchants lingering on his territory.
— Enough. You are welcome either to wait here or depart, — concluded the conversation curtly.
Immediately afterward, the butler escorted the merchants outside, who hesitated briefly before bowing politely to the lord and exiting the parlor.
Victor required arriving merchants to linger on his land, engaging idly with each other.
Thus, he aimed to ensure that his domain would be associated not only with opportunities to buy or sell goods but also with the possibility of encountering other merchants and striking profitable deals.
Today marked the opening of a new inn, constructed prior to commencing work on the marketplace.
It was a two-story wooden structure entirely devoted to accommodating guests. Typically, buildings in this world housed taverns with dining halls downstairs and cramped sleeping quarters upstairs.
Based on Victor's design, however, he omitted the kitchen area altogether, opting instead to maximize living space since he lacked resources to construct many facilities, whereas visitors were expected to exceed the number of current arrivals.
Given that even local lords visited his village, he anticipated attracting merchants from across the kingdom.
***
Three merchants trailed behind the butler, leading them toward the exit. However, halting midway, he redirected them to a side alcove housing a writing desk equipped with quills and parchments, summoning one of the merchants closer.
— If you wish to procure our merchandise, you must specify the quantity and make payment beforehand, — instructed the butler, taking hold of a pen and awaiting response.
Never having encountered such practice previously, the merchant felt utterly confused. No one paid money ahead of inspecting the product itself.
Nonetheless, realizing that refusal might jeopardize his acquisition completely, he complied, declaring the amount he desired. Removing a pouch containing coins from his belt, he counted off two hundred gold pieces, intending to step aside for the next in line. But the butler intervened.
Jinn first recorded all necessary data in a ledger, subsequently transferring everything onto separate sheets of parchment. After completing the entry, he affixed the lord's seal beneath and handed it to the merchant, explaining that this document must be submitted to warehouse personnel four days later.
Astonished by the unfamiliar process, the merchant closely examined the parchment before yielding place to subsequent colleagues, whom Jinn subjected to identical treatment.
Only once completed could they leave the castle, proceeding some distance before unfolding the parchments again.
— Bert, what does this mean? What is the point of all this? — queried one of the trailing merchants.
Since first laying eyes on the parchment, Bert attempted to decipher its significance. His sole conjecture was that the lord of this region harbored plans unknown to everyone, and these procedures served to advance his hidden agenda.
— One thing is clear: these documents bearing the lord's seal carry equal value to currency. No lord stamps his seal unless fully committed to honoring his word, — asserted Bert. — We need to discern what transpires here and learn the laws regulating this dominion.
Everyone nodded in agreement, proceeding toward the waiting carriage parked outside the fortress walls.
After an hour-long journey, the merchants arrived in Ironwood, spotting two soldiers patrolling the village. Offering them two copper coins, they requested directions to the nearest tavern.
Contrary to expectations, neither soldier accepted the coins. Instead, guiding the merchants to the local guesthouse, they bade farewell, wishing them restful accommodation before departing.
— Bert, something isn't right. When has guard duty refused payment? — questioned a lean-framed merchant.
Such behavior seemed anomalous in this world. Here, one typically paid for everything, especially if seeking favorable relations with guardsmen. Entry fees into almost every city were mandatory, with soldiers pocketing additional tips from each passing merchant.
Fear gripped them, stemming from uncertainty. For if a lord refrained from accepting bribes, he might extract greater sums using alternative methods.
— There's no choice anyway; we've already purchased the wares, leaving us no option but to pray things proceed smoothly, — muttered the group before heading toward the inn, guarded by two more soldiers at its entrance.
***
Unaware of the merchants' predicament, Victor pursued his vision of enhancing trust among visiting merchants. Every innovation implemented in the village formed part of his strategic plan to elevate confidence in his jurisdiction. Merchants needed assurance that they would not be defrauded and would receive protection irrespective of whether they compensated the guards.
Guards were strictly forbidden under penalty of death to accept bribes. Their annual salary stood fixed at fifty silver coins for non-magical soldiers and fifty extra for apprentices. Higher-ranking officers received starting salaries equivalent to five gold coins annually, while Alganis earned fifteen gold coins as captain. This rendered accepting bribes financially illogical.
Moreover, the lord introduced several benefits for soldiers to foster loyalty. He granted freedom to soldiers' families, reduced taxes to twenty percent, and allotted land grants totaling one hundred narths per soldier following three years of service or participation in military campaigns.
In this world, measurements like narth were based loosely on footsteps, thus highly imprecise. A hundred narths approximated ten hectares.
These incentives were unprecedented in this realm, yet Victor deemed it essential that his soldiers focused solely on duties rather than financial gain.
He established an official pension system wherein families lost in battle received ten gold coins, priority employment offers from the lord, and permission to enlist any eligible male relative into the lord's guard. Should no immediate candidate exist, positions were reserved for future sons or grandsons.
***
Death loomed omnipresent in this world, capable of claiming lives unexpectedly, even while seated safely indoors. Yet serving under even the humblest lord yielded substantial rewards, and dying in his service was regarded as inevitable due to frequent wars occurring predictably throughout the realm.
Pensions existed nominally, dependent purely on the lord's discretion. Following defeat in combat, a lord might choose not to compensate bereaved families, choosing instead to raise taxes within his holdings to offset losses. Although seemingly irrational, lords always prioritized safeguarding their treasury, knowing serfs had no recourse.
***
Four days later, the merchants gathered outside a structure resembling a granary, facing a twelve-year-old girl. She bore plain features, brown hair, and hazel eyes, attentively reviewing the documents they delivered.
The merchants dared not hurry her—not only because she likely represented authority within the castle but also due to the intimidating presence of two iron-clad knights accompanying her.
The young girl, sporting a scar on her right cheek, finished examining the papers and called forth attendants dressed as peasants. Subsequently, she permitted the merchants to bring their wagons closer.
Men emerged carrying barrels emblazoned with the Baltas crest from the storehouse, placing them before the merchants for inspection.
So well-rehearsed was this procedure that the initially puzzled merchants struggled momentarily to grasp its intent. Regaining composure, they opened stoppers atop the barrels, extracting samples of wine via slender wooden ladles.
Satisfied that the wine matched their lords' specifications, they prepared to depart until halted by the girl requesting signatures confirming receipt of the goods.
Accustomed to peculiar practices on this estate, the merchants appended their names opposite respective items listed in the journal. Before leaving, however, they received three additional documents from the girl.
Confounded by bureaucratic formalities, they declined checking contents, expressing gratitude and promptly vacating the premises.
Their actual fear lay elsewhere—they feared robbery along the road and hurried to escape lest the lord prepare an ambush.
Certain that matters couldn't possibly unfold so seamlessly, they imagined highway robbery awaiting them immediately beyond the borders.
***
Victor gave no thought to these speculations because at that precise moment, he rode horseback alongside a peasant who discovered what the lord sought.
Contemplating construction efforts and recalling whitewashed homes in duchies, Victor pondered his primary necessity: bricks.
He knew clay existed in this world but wasn't confident it resided on his land. Fortunately, he could describe it sufficiently, prompting locals familiar with the material to search relentlessly. Upon returning, he promptly issued a reward of one silver coin for locating clay deposits. Everyone joined the hunt regardless of age or gender, driven by the temptation of a prize even enticing knights.
Now they galloped beside the river toward a location identified by a villager.
An hour later, they reached a small poolside area revealing signs of the substance he sought. Elated, Victor tossed a coin to the man, wheeled his steed around, and hastened back to Ironwood, eager to instruct the mayor to assemble workers and establish campsites for mining operations, including kilns for firing bricks.
He firmly believed this site suited his ambitions ideally, anxiously anticipating commencement of works.
Preparations abounded, but his mind envisioned an entire townscape adorned with brick houses, streets paved with tiles, culminating in his dream mansion.