Only late in the evening was Linea moved to the castle, arranged in a bedroom, after which Victor finally returned to his room and went to sleep. It had been a strange day, and what had happened to the girl gave him a small revelation.
He was certain that magic in this world could solve practically any problem. Magic pervaded everything here, simultaneously blessing and cursing its inhabitants, because while it solved many issues, the aristocracy did not seek alternate paths of development.
Spellcasters of various disciplines could ease the lives of nobles and heal almost any wound—so why develop medicine?
Everywhere, crumbling roads and barely surviving serfs existed, but magic could offer enhanced carriages and horses capable of speeds up to one hundred kilometers per hour. Ultimately, magic granted power to dominate serfs in fear. Thus, why invest in road construction and enhancing serf welfare?
This was how it worked. No chance of rebellion or even discontent among commoners, as unlike Earth, inequality was ingrained from birth, not just socially but physically.
Magic itself was fair to all, of course, if everyone had access to sufficient nutrition and education.
Mana permeated everywhere, and if you were weak in magical control, you could borrow only a fraction, which, used wisely, made you a contact mage, strengthening your body. With proper instruction from a competent teacher, you could become a decent knight.
Reaching the "earthly level," such a mage could surround themselves and their weapon with pure energy barriers, absorbing physical and magical attacks while increasing spellcaster potency.
Higher magical potential allowed you to become a true wizard or spellcaster. Not only could you enhance your body, but you could convert mana into energy, manipulating its direction as fire, ice, lightning, or wind.
Spellcasters concentrated mainly on mana control, neglecting bodily development, but anyone presuming them easily killed would face disappointment. Perhaps a deadly one...
Better control enabled creation of an impenetrable barrier sustained automatically, without constant conscious maintenance, as simple for them as breathing.
Wizards essentially acted as mana conduits and transformers, and higher-level wizards could channel greater volumes of mana through their bodies, analogous to electrical wires with limited conductivity. Exceeding this limit would damage internal channels known locally as "dragon veins," inflicting severe injuries.
Each new knight rank widened these channels from the heart outward, eventually replacing organs or duplicating them.
Legends describe beings at the "eternal radiance" level as having removed all physical limitations, gaining unlimited mana control.
Contact mages and spellcasters theoretically merged in terms of power at this level, though proving this was impossible.
Contact mages could enhance their bodies similarly to spellcasters but faced significantly more restrictions and challenges, unable to augment their strength like spellcasters.
Minor wounds sustained in battles or training hindered their progression, while spellcasters boosted their strength purely by developing intellect and absorbing more mana.
Both groups shared a common dilemma: nobody knew how to attain the ultimate developmental level.
Reflecting on this, Victor not only pondered magic but also what he could contribute personally. Above all, he thought of commoners lacking powerful magic and money to consult priests.
Early the next morning, the baron assembled nurses in the courtyard, teaching them everything he recalled from his world relevant to healing without medication.
Throughout this period, he emphasized reducing fever, handwashing before eating, cleaning wounds, and sharing general health tips usable in this world.
Today marked the day they would begin work under his orders, dispatched to all his villages. Through them, he issued commands to village elders, mandating full cooperation as if the lord himself were present.
Nurses were responsible for treating injuries and preventing disease outbreaks. Despite significant difficulties—since households were breeding grounds for infection, ideally requiring demolition—minimal reduction in sicknesses was possible. Additionally, they aimed to rescue patients treated with outdated methods, such as bloodletting, which he had explicitly forbidden. Unfortunately, locals continued practicing it discreetly, influenced by wandering barbersurgeons.
Nurses were also tasked with learning about herbs used by commoners for medicinal purposes, as traditional remedies often had merit, especially in a magical world.
Having distributed orders and sent girls to their posts guarded by soldiers, Victor composed a list of needed goods, assigning Arthur to deliver them to Selesia, daughter of the blacksmith.
This was a massive order for fabric covering his entire territory, as he truly desired to eliminate ragged clothing among serfs, thereby restoring their dignity.
Clothing would address hygiene and health issues, especially protecting them from the cooling autumn weather.
Victor craved fur and leather items, though they were not prohibitively costly, he lacked tanners, making procurement wasteful use of limited resources.
He relied heavily on Blam, who promised to provide people for the most important structure he intended to build—administration headquarters. Managing everything was feasible when focusing only on the brick factory and serfs, but the market's addition increased workload, leaving the baron overwhelmed.
Victor desperately needed educated personnel, requesting them from the vicount.
Education in this world was accessible only to nobility and merchants, making it exceptionally challenging to recruit someone willing to relocate to the edge of a stranger's barony. Any candidate likely had ulterior motives or a troubled past.
Nonetheless, Victor was prepared to accept even a demon lord if it resolved administrative issues.
Finishing his orders, the young man ascended to visit Linea, who, according to maids, had recovered sufficiently to eat breakfast.
Climbing upstairs, he knocked on a door reinforced with metal strips, more resembling a fortified barn gate than an aristocratic bedroom entry, and, permitted entry, stepped inside.
Inside, Lord Victor discovered Lulu, the maid, who opened the door, followed by a cursory glance around the room, detecting nothing suspicious, before approaching the bed where Linea rested propped up.
She wore a simple blue dress, presumably daily wear, but he dismissed it as irrelevant. Fetching a chair from the wall, he positioned it by her bedside.
— Why didn't you disclose your medical condition? — he sternly asked, settling in front of her.
— I don't think it's necessary to report every aspect of my life, — she defiantly replied, struggling to sit straighter.
— Stupid! — Victor shouted, losing patience, staring at her.
The room fell silent; everyone seemed to freeze, while Linea's expression implied she believed a curse had been cast upon her, sealing her fate.
— H-how dare you speak to me like that?! — she indignantly protested.
— That's how I speak to you! Moron! — he refused to relent, addressing her firmly.
Speechless, Linea trembled, mimicking a fish gasping for air onshore.
— Have you considered what would happen if you died on my territory?! — he boomed. — How would I explain to your father that I didn't kill you?!
This scenario troubled him profoundly, as it could trigger a war in which, even victorious, he'd suffer extensive casualties, and worst of all, countless serfs would be sacrificed by Baron Clint, who would mercilessly overwhelm Baltas with sheer numbers.
Judging by Linea's face, she was only now realizing the gravity of the situation.
— F-f-forgive me, I shall depart your territory as soon as I recover, — she whispered softly.
Victor rummaged in his bag and produced the bracelet he had previously shown her, quickly offering it to her.
— Wear this always, especially during training; it'll aid your growth, — he tenderly stated, switching abruptly from anger to kindness.
— Y-you're not expelling me? — the bewildered girl muttered, utterly confused.
— Expel you?! — he feigned offense, sarcastically adding: — You've uncovered so many of my secrets... Are you really a baron's daughter?
Linea grasped his meaning, deeply hurt, but remembering her mistakes and their potential consequences, she could only remain silent.
Rising from the chair, Victor spun around, fixing his gaze on Lulu, who stood nervously behind him.
— Now, what about you? — he reproached sternly. — Why do you hide from me? Have I wronged you?
He honestly didn't understand why the maid avoided him.
— I-I-I... — Lulu teetered on the verge of tears.
— Enough stammering! Sort yourself out! — he commanded. — You're my most valuable employee. I want everything back to normal.
Having spoken his mind to both girls, he promptly exited the room, proceeding with his duties, leaving them alone with their thoughts.
Lulu and Linea stared at each other, dumbfounded by what had just transpired. Both had been chastised like errant children.
Suddenly, Linea laughed, prompting Lulu to join in. Their explosive laughter resonated so loudly that it likely echoed throughout the castle. Certainly, Victor heard it too, smiling inwardly, satisfied that peace had returned to his home.
***
New nurse Natalia arrived with three assistants in Eron village, situated in the southern reaches of the baron's domain.
Like others, the village was ordinary: crooked streets lined with mismatched houses, pathways resembling bomb-damaged ruins, and the lone beauty—a sunlit forest two hundred meters north.
Residents here lived in worse conditions than elsewhere, as the lord had yet to assign them purpose.
Victor contemplated relocating all villagers to other districts, where labor shortages existed, but dismissed the idea as unprofitable in the long term.
Natalia knew none of this; her immediate concern was helping the villagers, and upon reporting to the village elder with the lord's mandate, she effectively assumed leadership, introducing new regulations.
Hygiene practices were now law, enforced rigorously. Nurses supervised compliance.
Yet her highest priority was studying local herb usage.
Just as the lord predicted, locals possessed substantial knowledge, especially the elder's wife, who had cultivated expertise since childhood. Immediately, Natalia began studying plants demonstrated by the woman, seated on a bench adjacent to their home.