The journey to the county capital took twelve days, and this time Victor paid closer attention to his surroundings. He tried to observe the territories they passed through and frequently asked Hector about the lands and their owners.
Much to his surprise, Selitas turned out to be an informative companion, answering Victor's questions eagerly during their backgammon games.
Thanks to him, the lord obtained plenty of useful information that would help him develop his territory and expand trade within the county.
Victor diligently memorized everything he saw and heard, although there wasn't much of particular interest. Still, the condition of the roads and the sights along them provided insights into how implementing some of his ideas could stimulate development in the region.
He noticed that the lords showed no inclination to improve infrastructure or simply lacked the knowledge of how to do so.
When he saw sections of road copied from his own domain, he quickly realized that the nobles were trying to replicate his work but did so crudely and ineffectively, especially concerning drainage systems and road width.
Some stretches had broad pavements and drains, while others remained unchanged. From the lords' perspective, this made sense, as they had improved the segments nearest populated areas.
However, this created bottlenecks that could hinder future road development, rendering such repairs meaningless.
Thinking about all the information gathered along the way, they entered the capital of Shermain County, the city of Hitmore. Victor had seen this city in summer, when it was relatively clean, but now it looked appalling. Mud and filth combined with the foul odor of feces nearly made him lose his stomach contents.
The lord had forgotten how dreadful urban centers could be in this world, especially in terms of hygiene.
Linea also sensed the smell, but only now did she realize that she had never encountered such odors in the villages of Baltas.
As a woman, she had never given such matters much thought, but their lengthy journey along detoured roads gave her time to reflect and compare. At that moment, the stench assaulted her nose, and she instantly comprehended what distinguished the baron's territory from the others she'd visited.
— Baron, why don't your villages have unpleasant smells? — she asked hesitantly, fighting against her etiquette training and feminine nature, which screamed that discussing such a topic was unacceptable.
— What's brought this on? — Victor was genuinely surprised by the sudden question, as he was currently pondering the same issue.
— I hadn't noticed until I got here, — she honestly admitted.
— Because I found another use for human waste, — the lord stated plainly, showing no embarrassment.
— Ugh! How disgusting! — Linea grimaced, unsure what he meant but conjuring horrific images in her mind.
— Whatever you're imagining, let's drop the subject. Between the city's stink and our conversation, I'm getting nauseous. — With that, he retrieved a handkerchief containing flower petals wrapped in his breast pocket, emitting a mint-like scent, and used it to cover his nose.
This trick was widely adopted by Limaya Continent aristocrats, especially in Langtaris Kingdom, offering yet another "ingenious" solution to the problem, rather than constructing proper latrines as Victor had done.
Continuing their journey, a knight from Hector's escort approached the carriage window, informing them that his master would proceed to his mansion and invite the baron to join him.
Victor politely declined, citing prior commitments and the necessity of greeting his family, including his stepmother and brother.
The knight saluted and rode ahead, while the Baltas convoy turned right onto a wide alley leading toward the Shermayn Palace.
The streets of the city were uniformly dirty, but the central thoroughfares were wider, and the houses were predominantly half-built of stone with wooden second-story extensions and sloped roofs.
Compared to the dilapidated structures in Baltas villages, these buildings looked impressive.
Each house had multiple windows—typically at least two per floor—but no glass panes, only wooden shutters covering them.
Victor would never dare walk these streets in the morning, as that's when people dumped chamber pots' contents directly onto the road below.
From the moment he arrived in Hitmore, all he could think about was dirt and stench permeating the city. The lord desperately wanted to turn the carriage around and return to his "bastion of civilization." Given the many projects underway in his domain, being forced to leave at such a critical juncture felt worse than death.
His lands had entered a phase of active development, and he anticipated the first fruits of his efforts emerging soon. Leaving at this crucial moment was agonizing.
Interestingly, Victor had not noticed several changes in himself since arriving in this world.
The most significant shift was in his personality: originally hot-headed and prone to rash decisions, he had become more analytical after the incident with Sylvia, reacting less emotionally to challenges.
Another change was his proactive initiative. Although never lazy, he now woke with the earliest cockcrow and retired last in the castle.
Above all, he loved what he did. The baron even lamented the brevity of days in this world, as becoming a Silver Knight reduced his sleep requirement, and waking refreshed, his thoughts became clearer.
Also, while sleeping, he often heard people's prayers, influencing his evolution. Initially, these were fragments, but gradually evolved into coherent pleas for basic necessities: clothing, warmer housing, more food, stable employment.
Eventually, prayers shifted to everyday concerns, which intrigued and touched him deeply, as people prayed for him. It felt strange, like eavesdropping on private conversations about oneself.
But what could he do? Being a Paladin granted him this bizarre ability to listen to prayers. And he felt like a voyeur peeking into people's intimate lives.
Realizing that these weren't flattering remarks but sincere expressions from the heart motivated him to act even more decisively.
When prayers transitioned from simple requests for food to mundane matters, he understood that people's lives had marginally improved. That realization convinced him that he deserved a measure of comfort, despite lingering problems in his domain, chief among them illness.
The disease known locally as "goiter" had begun declining thanks to inexpensive salt distribution, but medical reports indicated another illness suspiciously resembling tuberculosis. He wasn't entirely sure, but all signs pointed to it.
Unfortunately, all Victor knew about tuberculosis prevention was general advice. The best preventive measure was improving living standards.
He even recalled how the USSR combatted it by installing windows in dark bathroom spaces in older apartment blocks, allowing daylight to penetrate for a few hours daily, as UV rays killed tuberculosis bacteria (officially called Koch's bacillus).
The lord wasn't certain if his grandfather's stories were credible, but they sounded plausible, especially given the conditions in his villages.
Implementing such preventive measures was difficult, however, as moisture and darkness exacerbated the problem.
Glass, perceived as simple and affordable in his world, was a luxury item here. Learning the cost of glazing his mansion, he had no doubt it was intended for wealthy individuals.
His train of thought was interrupted by the distinct sound of horses' hooves changing from dull thuds to sharp clicks, indicating they were now traveling on cobblestone streets. These existed only near the palace.
Pulling aside the curtain on the left side of the carriage, he saw iron railings and soldiers posted around the perimeter. Understanding they had arrived, he closed the curtain and leaned back on the couch, noticing Linea sleeping peacefully opposite him.
This was the first time he had seen her asleep, and it was a beautiful and endearing sight. Usually active and assertive, she now looked defenseless and strikingly beautiful.
Victor recalled how his grandfather used to joke that Grandma was cute only when she slept facing the wall. This memory, coupled with his grandfather's cheerful disposition, made him laugh.
Distracted by these thoughts, the carriage rolled into the palace courtyard and stopped.
Victor did not rush to disembark, preferring to let Linea wake up undisturbed. Instead, he focused on reviewing his inventory and browsing through his new ideas and sketches.
Included was a city plan for Ironwood, complete with houses, an inn, casino, and his ultimate project: a guildhall that would dominate trade in the kingdom.
Although the outlines were vague, he understood the necessity of such an institution, but each time he analyzed it, he uncovered flaws.
Spending nearly three hours in the carriage, he stayed inside while his soldiers and servants unpacked, awaiting his cue.
Opening the carriage door was taboo; even royal guards consisting entirely of nobles and sons of aristocrats ranking no lower than Viscounts would never breach such decorum, let alone servants.
Considering a woman was also present inside, disturbing the nobleman's solitude could lead to instant death.
Finally awakening, Linea opened her eyes and tried to orient herself.
For five minutes, she observed Victor's intense focus on his scrolls, finding his dedication admirable and the fact that he was working for the betterment of his lands inspiring.
Gradually, however, frustration grew, as this "boor" ignored her entirely.
"I'm not pretty enough? Or maybe that duchess is so irresistible? Frankly, I don't care! He's beneath me anyway! No-no-no... He doesn't deserve even to look at me!! Moron! Why does he ignore me? Thinks I want his attention? Hah, fat chance!"
Consumed by these thoughts, she involuntarily sniffed and turned her face toward the window, attracting Victor's attention.
— Did you rest well? — he asked softly, putting away his scrolls.
— I wasn't resting; I was thinking! — she grumbled peevishly.
"Wonder what I did wrong? Merely checking in..."
Victor couldn't pinpoint his offense or why he kept feeling guilty.
— We've arrived, — he announced, exiting the carriage.
Outside, he extended his hand toward the door, ready to assist her according to etiquette.
Ignoring his offer, Linea hurriedly descended, frowning and marching toward the mansion.
"Must find a user's guide for this woman; otherwise, I'll die clueless," Victor sighed, following her.