When Victor rode into Ironwood, he noticed that the village had changed dramatically over the past months. It bustled with life, and given the scope of alterations, this was no surprise. Originally, there were about fifty houses, but now a marketplace and two inns had sprung up. Demolition of dilapidated buildings and construction of new ones were also underway.
The young man also planned to transform this settlement into a full-fledged town, already drafting plans for streets, squares, and structures.
He didn't rush into this, as he needed to consider many factors, especially underground infrastructure and street junctions.
Most cities on Earth were built on existing settlements, leading to various problems, chief among them traffic jams. To avoid this, he aimed to design a city with immense potential for future development.
He had few examples, but this was enough to envision a city capable of lasting centuries.
Specifically, centuries, because as a mage, he would likely live beyond a century and didn't want to be a lord scurrying to fix his own mistakes decades later.
Instead, he wished to live idyllically surrounded by one or several wives in a world where amenities abounded, and getting something required merely ringing a servant bell—though such a convenience didn't exist here yet, he decided to install one.
But at the moment, the baron observed crowds streaming into a recently opened tavern set up by visiting merchants.
Intrigued, Victor decided to see what was happening and, following the patrons, entered the two-story building.
Inside, he found about twenty large wooden tables occupied by guests, almost all of whom played a game he himself had introduced—backgammon.
Unlike chess, this game had spread like wildfire. Just recently, he had handed one board to Vorcat, who taught a couple of merchants to play backgammon to pass the time during travel.
The game became so popular among other merchants that they began producing boards themselves. Now, any reputable trader took pride in learning the game, and mastery of backgammon became a unique etiquette among traders.
Victor smiled, enjoying the sight, understanding how games could entertain and unite people.
Seeing no empty tables, he left the tavern and headed toward Shona, with whom he hadn't communicated since her arrival, even though she controlled nearly all primary activities in his domain. Allowing this to continue unchecked wasn't an option.
Knowing she usually frequented the marketplace, the lord strolled leisurely down the broad street, greeting locals and visitors along the way.
The market was located in the eastern part of the village, while the warehouse stood two hundred meters north, accessible via a new road constructed by serfs.
Roads were built identically to those in Selitas, with drains and designed for four carriages to pass side by side.
He planned to expand it further, creating a six-lane highway, as this area would eventually become the city center, and the marketplace might be relocated outside or transferred to Westerville, but for now, this arrangement was sufficient, removing the need to hasten construction.
Walking through the market, he didn't find Shona and continued toward the warehouse, where he found Selasia diligently scribbling notes in a scroll within ten minutes.
— How are things going? — he asked with a smile, addressing the studious girl.
Startled, Selasia jumped and, turning around, saw the lord, accompanied by Linea.
Observing her, Victor noticed she looked mature beyond her years. The twelve-year-old girl appeared sixteen, with short-cut chestnut hair and hazel eyes. Her face was plain, except for a scar on her cheek, which she attempted to conceal with a long fringe.
Initially, he joked with her, but upon noticing the ghastly scar, he grew somber.
"I must find a healer who can fix this; otherwise, the poor girl will suffer and feel insecure for life," he briefly thought, momentarily diverting his attention but quickly refocusing.
— Is Shona here?
— Y-yes, my lord. She's taking inventory in the warehouse, — the girl quietly replied, her frightened gaze indicating she still feared him.
— Don't worry so much. You're doing well, and not all nobles are bad, like those you've encountered, — he smiled again, trying to put her at ease.
Judging by her expression, his attempt wasn't effective, and deciding not to delay further, he entered the warehouse, where he immediately spotted a white fur coat lying atop some barrels at the entrance.
"It's cold in here; why did she take off her coat?" he wondered.
With this thought in mind, he proceeded further, locating the veiled lady leaning over barrels, her firm posterior protruding as she studied their contents.
— Selasia, make a note for me to remind the butler: three-star wine stocks are running low, — she instructed, hearing footsteps behind her.
— I'll be sure to pass it on, — Victor grinned.
She whirled around, frozen for a moment, then executed a curtsy, greeting him.
"A curtsy from a commoner? Apparently, you're no commoner... Who are you, Miss Shona?" Victor knew no commoner would spontaneously perform such an act of courtesy. Teaching manners required hiring another noble, and no degraded aristocrat would stoop so low. Moreover, her reflexive gesture indicated she was well-versed in etiquette.
— It seems the vicount took care of your education, — he remarked sarcastically, pretending misunderstanding.
Shona, caught off guard, instinctively performed the curtsy, realizing too late that she'd unintentionally revealed her background.
— Forgive me, my lord. I didn't recognize you, — she corrected herself, standing straight and awaiting his next comment.
Victor scrutinized the woman before him, noticing details he hadn't seen earlier.
She stood nearly two meters tall, only slightly shorter than him. She sported impeccable measurements, particularly in the bust area, and even the inexperienced youth estimated she was at least a fifth bra size, though her trim figure suggested she was also a mage.
Victor struggled to avert his gaze from her figure and finally directed his eyes to hers.
— Hmm... Please forgive me; I was distracted, — he coughed, trying to justify his inappropriate staring.
Shona, evidently accustomed to such situations, remained impassive, continuing to watch him, expecting his next words.
— How are things going? — he asked, turning away and inspecting the rows of barrels, absently brushing dust off one.
— Everything is fine, my lord. I appreciate how well-run things are here, and I'm pleased with how I've been accepted, — she promptly replied.
The conversation stagnated, as the young man had no idea what to ask or how to proceed.
— Do you have any suggestions? For example, improvements we could make? — he inquired casually, since he was clueless about logistics.
— Things are excellently organized here, and frankly, some discoveries have been fascinating surprises, — she replied.
"Damn! Woman, can you at least carry a conversation? Why are all women around me so laconic? If everyone in this world is like this, I'm in big trouble."
— Continue your work, — he said, heading for the exit but then paused, recalling something important. — I invite you to dinner at the castle tomorrow.
Shona momentarily froze, trying to formulate a response, but Victor had already left the warehouse and, encountering Linea waiting outside, returned to the market where they'd left their horses.
On the way back, the lord continued examining his lands. Along this road, landscapes varied little, except for a stretch of forest visible in the distance to the left, extending right up to Clint's barony.
Talking with Linea, he tried to learn more about this world... Fortunately, he had a valid excuse for his ignorance, as the previous inhabitant of his body hadn't left the estate since age six.
Eagerly, she shared everything she knew, aiming to fill his knowledge gaps, but, as it turned out, her information mirrored Victor's, sourced from books about knights, which rarely proved reliable.
Ultimately frustrated by his lack of new insights, he returned to the castle, summoning a passing maid to fetch Jinn while he headed to the drawing room, collapsing into a fireside chair and gazing into the flames.
— My lord, I arrived as soon as I could, — Jinn announced, snapping him out of his reverie.
Without shifting his gaze from the fire, Victor turned his head, only then transferring his eyes to the butler.
— Tomorrow, Miss Shona will be joining us for dinner, — he informed Jinn, who remained silent, seemingly unaffected by the news.
— Is something wrong? — the lord inquired.
— My lord, there are many women around you, and I fear Lady Silvia might disapprove, especially since Miss Shona is a commoner. This could stir controversy, — Jinn cautiously expressed his concerns.
— Jinn, Lady Silvia is my future wife, not a duchess. While on this territory, she's not a duchess but Mrs. Baltas. Even if her father, the king, or an emperor arrives, I remain the sole authority determining my actions. Understood? — Victor's tone escalated.
He was genuinely aggravated, though not necessarily because of Silvia, but because Jinn, in his zealous quest to preserve his lord's reputation, had lost sight of his actual master.
— Jinn, I've tolerated everything so far because you've been devoted to me. However, if you ever place Lady Silvia's word above mine, this will be the last time you test my patience!
"What nonsense! This woman hasn't even arrived, yet my subjects are already staging a mutiny... What will happen when she shows up here?"
Victor refused to accept such arrangements—he didn't intend to tolerate dual rulership in his domain.
This world had one inviolable rule he greatly appreciated: that on his lands, the lord was supreme ruler, and no one could give him orders, not even the king.
Yes, he could be penalized in various ways, but no monarch could command him on his own territory. Were the king to attempt such an order, even to a baron regarding his lands, it would instantly alarm all nobles, triggering collective resistance, as it would set a dangerous precedent applicable to them as well.
What he now witnessed was a duchess manifesting in his house, already modifying rules, despite not uttering a word or even setting foot here.
— My lord, I sincerely apologize for overstepping bounds, — Jinn bowed, placing his right hand over his heart, awaiting further instructions.
— Perform your duties and always remember who I am and who you are, and who Silvia is. You may leave, — Victor commanded, refocusing on the fire.
Linea, witnessing the entire event, lacked full comprehension but observed the lord's dissatisfaction.
— Why did you react so harshly? After all, he was right, — she asked when Jinn departed.
Victor hesitated, then shifted his gaze from the fire to meet Linea's blue eyes, which resembled crystal-clear sapphires. The dancing firelight reflected in her large eyes, creating an illusion of fiery sparks.
— Right—that's what I'll decide, — he finally responded, abruptly ending the dialogue and returning to contemplating the fire.
Linea followed his gaze, studying the flames in the fireplace.
"What a bizarre nobleman, concerned about maids and openly disregarding a duchess… Maybe he's insane?"