Waking up early in the morning, Viktor did not immediately realize where he was, and only after a minute of deliberation did he recall his eviction and where they had settled him yesterday.
Sitting on the bed—or rather, it was a cot in a room no bigger than ten square meters, which, like a prison cell, had one narrow vertical window ten centimeters wide and forty high.
By habit, he expected servants to appear, but no one rushed to help him. Since no one came, Viktor approached the door and, opening it, discovered the guard. He ordered them to fetch the servants and returned to the cot.
It was only after ten minutes that the maid arrived, who usually assisted Lulu, and began helping him dress. According to her account, the butler assigned Lulu and other maids to Linea.
"This old man, chasing after preserving my reputation, completely forgot about me. Isn't it important what others think of me? Does she really need three maids?"
Incensed by this issue, the baron exited the room and proceeded to the dining hall. Along the way, he noticed that Algánis was once again absent. Viktor did not dwell on this for long and, entering the dining hall, seated himself at his usual spot. However, aside from the maid who followed him, there was no one else there.
The young woman promptly dashed into the kitchen to prepare everything, although previously meals were always ready and served as soon as he sat down at the table.
"I don't understand, have I been deposed? Has the lord already been replaced, and they forgot to inform me?"
This was no longer a laughing matter. Viktor was indeed enraged because ever since the previous evening, everything had gone awry. They hadn't allowed him to bathe, locked him away in a small room, prevented him from dressing himself, and now they weren't even planning to feed him.
Speaking with the butler would be futile if he believed he acted appropriately; even threats to his life wouldn't compel him to alter his decisions.
Whilst brooding over these circumstances, the maid brought him breakfast, which unexpectedly proved quite delicious.
"Wait a moment, why has our breakfast become so tasty lately? Have we changed chefs?"
— Do we have a new cook? — he queried the girl standing near the hearth, arms crossed over her skirt, observing the lord as he ate, awaiting commands.
— My lord, the butler commanded us to obtain the finest spices from storage for Lady Clint, — reported the girl.
Viktor smashed both fists onto the table with such force that the maid leapt in fright.
Now he was truly infuriated because he'd spent all this time unaware of any spices apart from salt, which he personally harvested.
"We have spices besides salt? Am I missing something? Might we possess herbs?" Grasping his fists tightly, he attempted to regain composure, finally noticing the fear-stricken expression of the girl, who had never witnessed her lord in such a state.
— Forgive me, I didn't intend to frighten you; none of this is your fault, — apologizing, he arose from the table. Drawing closer to the girl, he gently inclined his head to align with hers and tenderly caressed her hair.
All the baron's maids were young women no older than fifteen, appearing childlike in his eyes. Thus, he felt accountable for any inappropriate behavior directed toward them.
Though it may seem normal in this realm for children to aid their parents starting at age six and lead independent lives at twelve, he refused to embrace or condone such customs.
Having comforted the girl, Viktor departed the castle and set course for the training grounds to divert his attention from the chaos unfolding within the castle walls.
***
Linea opened her eyes and gazed at the unfamiliar ceiling above her. Her head was splitting, and she thirsted terribly. Turning her head to the left, she spotted a maid standing against the wall—a stranger she had never encountered before.
— Where am I? — she barely uttered.
Advancing two steps forward, the maid performed a brief curtsy and informed her that she was currently situated in Baltés Castle, explaining what had transpired.
Linea struggled to recollect these details, but yesterday's events vanished entirely from her memory. Fragments surfaced in her mind—visions of the baron's visage and preparations to confront him due to his deceit concerning the agreement.
Yet everything else lingered hazy, and however hard she tried, she could recover no additional information. Deciding to abandon this effort, she sought clarity regarding her current predicament.
— How long have I been here?
— You were brought here late last evening, milady, — the maid clarified.
"Brought here? Yes, that's right—I tested the wine and salt, and … I was drunk! And I fell off my horse! A-a-a-a-a, what humiliation!" Internally screaming, her cheeks reddened with mortification.
Abruptly, a knock sounded at the door, disrupting her internal turmoil, and the entrance revealed a cleric garbed in vestments signifying affiliation with the Temple of Light.
— Milady, the lord has summoned a physician to attend to you, — another maid accompanying the monk declared.
Without preamble, the monk bowed respectfully and advanced toward the bedside, casting a spell that illumined the entire chamber.
— Madam, you've sustained a dislocated ankle, fracture in your left arm, and spinal contusion, — the monk diagnosed, adding moments later: — I shall heal the majority of your wounds, but you're prohibited from moving for at least several days.
"That's impossible! I must swiftly return to my domain," the girl retorted sharply, contradicting the monk: "I'll gladly compensate you; just restore my mobility."
The monk shook his head repeatedly and resumed speaking only after a full minute elapsed.
— Lady, fortune favors knights; otherwise, even I couldn't remedy your afflictions.
Fixing a venomous stare on the monk, she gradually relaxed, averting her gaze downward.
"But I can't remain idle here—the cargo needs delivery. Each wasted day jeopardizes fulfilling the contract with 'Baltés.' Could this be his scheme—to dispatch this monk? I'll investigate independently!"
— Fine, commence your treatment, — granting the physician consent to treat her, she lay supinely and awaited completion of the procedure.
Monastic healing involved accelerated regeneration, offering no miraculous solutions in this realm. Their abilities extended solely to moderately hastening injury recovery; regrowing limbs or eradicating chronic illnesses and prior traumas exceeded their capacities.
Immediately after the monk concluded his ministrations and withdrew from her quarters, she partially ascended from the bed.
— Mistress, movement is forbidden, — the remaining maid in the room urged hastily.
— Silence yourself and assist me instead, — commanding the maid to support her rise, she perched on the bed's edge.
Seated momentarily on the bed's brink, Linea experienced improvement and became convinced she had been misled.
Attempting to arise from the bed and request the maid procure her weaponry and armor, she abruptly endured excruciating agony in her leg. This pain mimicked a scalding blade traversing her flesh, spreading relentlessly from her toes upward to her skull. The final image etched in her consciousness was the horrified countenance of the maid attempting assistance.
***
Completing inspection of troops and presently located at the military encampment construction site within the clay pit, Viktor observed workers engaged in preparatory tasks while others initiated experiments with clay.
He subsequently redirected his gaze toward the butler, who, greeting him courteously, returned to his responsibilities.
"Look at this old man! Not only does he neglect to apologize, but during my tenure, I consumed subpar sustenance. Only upon arrival of another noble did he arrange for exquisite provisions. What's the purpose of accumulating wealth? To nourish everyone while consuming vile fare myself?"
— My lord, labor progresses far superiorly; the camp will conclude within a month, — tearing him from introspection, Jinn reported. — Furthermore, I've identified two stone-masons who have commenced gathering suitable stones and relocating them here.
Viktor offered a mere nod and moved toward the peasants kneading clay. Unsure of visual indicators defining appropriate clay consistency for bricks, discernible insight required tactile examination.
Disregarding the butler's protests, he plunged his hands into the bucket, extracting a modest quantity and manually probing its texture.
True enough, the clay exhibited excessive stickiness, adhering stubbornly to his palms and defying proper cohesion. Nevertheless, this condition surpassed powdery dryness, rendering uncertain potential corrections feasible.
After rinsing his hands using water provided by the butler, he issued directives to proceed, then mounting his steed, rode toward Ironwood to monitor marketplace development.
Journeys among villages necessitated minimally sixty minutes of tranquil travel, enabling daily visits encompassing all settlements before returning to the castle.
Despite gradual improvements, infrastructure across Viktor's dominion remained lamentably inadequate.
Optimal conditions existed along routes stretching eastward from Ironwood to Selitas and southwesterly toward Baltés Castle. Regarding remaining villages, insufficient personnel constrained expansion efforts.
Viktor keenly comprehended that road construction constituted pivotal advancement for territorial growth. Regrettably, the kingdom overlooked this imperative, confining acceptable thoroughfare maintenance to major urban centers.
Certain streets and plazas in Leomville, capital of the dukedom, featured cobbled surfaces exceptional in quality. Costs associated with constructing such roads approximated those incurred by layering solid-gold pavements measuring one centimeter thickness.
Numerous skilled stonemasons required precise shaping, grading, and compacting of stones. Excavated surplus material demanded transportation beyond municipal boundaries. This monumental undertaking epitomized logistical complexity.
Stone-cutters, renowned professionals specializing predominantly in erecting fortifications, castles, palaces, and sanctuaries, presented significant challenges to recruit. Freelance craftsmen commanded exorbitant fees.
Indentured stone-cutters formed scarce entities, as masters preferred hiring exclusively unbound individuals from within their families, safeguarding proprietary techniques. This structured occupational exclusivity typified societal norms.
Acquiring expertise ensured retention within isolated communities, discouraging widespread dissemination.
Contrary to prevailing practices, Viktor envisioned dual pathways: first, employing traditional brick-making, inherently transient; alternatively, exploring concrete production!
Production of cement mirrored brick manufacture in simplicity, facing a singular obstacle—limestone absence within his jurisdiction, already known to him.
Partial calcination of limestone might yield adequate cement, albeit inferior grade, paralleling experimental adaptations applied to brick manufacturing.
Tree sap, prevalent locally, functioned as adhesive for wood constructs. Combining sap with cement potentially yielded surprising outcomes.
Contemplating these possibilities, Viktor reflected on strategies attracting additional inhabitants, ultimately conceiving an innovative concept unprecedented elsewhere.
Elated by his resourcefulness, he glanced skyward, realizing he was astride his mount in the village center, surrounded by villagers awaiting his emergence from mental abstraction.
Blushing faintly, Viktor surveyed surroundings, witnessing tangible evidence of his preceding day's endeavors. Citizens labored diligently, adjacent to a rejuvenated mayor whose youthful appearance intensified daily.
— Seems like everything proceeds smoothly? — the lord commented casually upon viewing this tableau.
— Indeed, my lord, following your guidance, productivity has escalated unprecedentedly, — the elated elder responded joyously.
Acknowledging silently, Viktor prepared to depart for the castle when a messenger raced forth reporting Linea's circumstance.
"What's happening—is she feigning illness? I compensated generously for her care and expedited her dismissal, yet she insists on settling here indefinitely?" internally questioned the baron, absorbing the news.
— My lord, Baroness Clint additionally requests relaying her desire to convene with you, — the soldier appended.
Recollecting the message, Viktor journeyed homeward, arriving belatedly four hours henceforth, intentionally delaying transit.
Upon arrival at the castle, the baron ascended to his private chambers, discovering the female occupant—far removed from his idealistic fantasy.
She seized control of his sleeping quarters, compelling him to inhabit a diminutive closet-like space. No longer irate, he patiently anticipated her departure, although this individual actively contrived delays.
Knocking upon the portal and obtaining entry approval, Viktor confronted the young woman, who retained remarkable beauty despite evident distress. Reasserting mental equilibrium, he formally greeted her, anticipating rationale behind her summons.
— Baron, I offer sincere apologies for causing discomfort and vow to provide compensation, — she commenced earnestly. — Nonetheless, I seek an additional favor from you.
At this juncture, Viktor admitted genuine surprise, presuming her petition wouldn't impose substantial demands, thus passively listening.
— Would you consider assigning men to accompany the convoy bound for Clint territory? — she implored.