The manor we were staying at had a nice courtyard. It was perfect for my morning training, and I did a full hour of spear and sword fighting. As I soaked in my bath, Benjamin went over more etiquette lessons. After I was dressed, there were dance lessons.

Ever since Benjamin became my steward, he had been pushing me to be instructed in all forms of noble life. Although I appreciated his efforts, I dreaded the lessons. I always tried to push them off.

I had forced Emily to be my partner the few times Benjamin had succeeded in getting me to practice at home. It was just easier to fumble my way through the lessons with her than with anyone else. I couldn't say the same for her. She was constantly blushing at all her mistakes and couldn't even look me in the eye. Her feelings for me were starting to make it awkward. But even worse than a blushing Emily was when I had to use Benjamin as my partner.

Now, I wish I hadn't skipped out on so many lessons. We were cramping now.

After my etiquette lessons, I went to the dining room to have breakfast. As I passed the sitting room, I noticed quite a few unfamiliar people mingling around my paintings. They were discussing them and making critiques. I lingered just outside the door, listening. Most of them had nothing but praise for my paintings, but there were a few who were critiquing them harshly. It made me want to laugh. These types of people were everywhere, critical of subjects they had no knowledge about.

The guests must have been friends of the other residents of the manor since I hadn't told anyone about my art gallery. I had no desire to interact with them, so I decided to move along and get breakfast. Benjamin was waiting for me, and as I ate, he watched me. It was extremely uncomfortable but necessary. Table etiquette did not have a huge list of rules like some societies I had heard about, but I needed to execute the ones that existed precisely.

After breakfast, I became more familiar with Vaspar by wandering the streets with my escorts. It wasn't like modern cities, which have shops or interesting places to visit on every corner. Only the places near the docks sold unique and interesting things. The rest of the city was more practical. Without the discretionary money of modern society or high-interest credit cards, the common person couldn't buy frivolous things. So although the homes were nicer than the ones in my village, they were small and practical. Many were two levels with the shops on the first story. Even the small homes sometimes had two to three generations of families living in them.

I wondered how long it would take for Bicman to get to this point. I had a feeling our housing situation would change radically once we were producing more concrete. The hollow concrete blocks were easy to make. Although they didn't look as pretty as wood homes, once people could afford to plaster them and we had our sawmill up and running so we could produce lumber at a cheaper cost, I had a feeling we were going to start to see half-timber homes popping up.

My guess was ten years, if not sooner. We may not have the population, but we would have the quality. If I could get people to figure out how to make a sewage system, that would be really cool. Transportation would be key. The last pandemic on Earth proved that. It wasn't just because people weren't going to work to produce the goods, but the pandemic slowed the speed at which we were transporting goods, which caused a supply shortage. If we could improve the transportation method, then it would decrease costs. At first, that would be a better road to the Nore River, but what I really wanted was to link both Alfer and Melnon to the road that went to Cove Village, preferably with a rail system allowing the mules to transport heavier loads to the cove. Then, we could build our ships and ship the goods to anywhere along the coast.

I needed a map of the entire continent with borders. Not that borders were ever very accurate. It wasn't like they had survey teams going out and marking stuff. I learned that unless there were rivers or other landmarks, borders were kind of flexible. We had a map at Bicman, but I had no idea how accurate it was. I was just glad we had the Nore and the mountains to give us a precise border. Anyway, we at least needed a reliable map of the coastline so we could figure out shipping times. Our times should be different from the ships that I had seen so far. The Bermuda sails and shape of our hulls should give us a few more knots than the current ships, and being able to tack into the wind should mean less rowing. Again, though, ships took a long time to build, so that was not going to happen next year.

These were my thoughts as we wandered through the streets of Vaspar. The paints I wanted could not all be found in one shop, and some were not of the quality I wanted. So, I spent a good portion of the day looking for what I needed. It had been nice when I only had to request what I wanted from Vaspar's servants, and it was brought to me.

When I finally found the location of all the shops and what I wanted, I sent the paints to Lord Kithmoore's place. Then we started looking for a lathe. I had promised my carpenters that we would get one. It would be all sorts of useful once we had it set up in Bicman. As a noble, the carpenters couldn't refuse my questions when I asked them about their devices, and in fact, they seemed to be all for showing me how their lathes worked once I complimented them on their incredible machines and asked how they worked. The few coins I gave them helped as well.

After each shop we visited, I spent time drawing out its details with charcoal on the sketchpad I had brought along. The sketchpad was a flip style with some of our better paper bound between two thin pieces of wood. Once I had visited five shops and drawn out the details of the device along with notes, we returned to the manor to get ready for the reception.

To say that I was nervous would be the understatement of a lifetime. At first, I thought of going to talk to Benjamin, but in the end, my feet took me to find Draves.

"I'm going to screw this up, Draves," I said.

"Possibly. I would say even probably." He said seriously.

"Then why am I even going?"

"You know why you are going."

"I am glad you know that I know why I am going. I just wish I knew why I know why I am going."

I groaned, "Dang, that doesn't even make sense to me, and I am the one who said it."

"It is your commitment to your duty."

"Yeah, it is my duty to screw up and fail."

I knew he was right. I could not keep my barony safe without mingling with the other nobles. I needed friends and connections, and that required me to go to social gatherings and try my best not to make a social faux pas.

"Sorry, Captain. I just needed to get that out."

"I understand, my lord. You are nervous, and I have learned that when you are nervous, you become somewhat nonsensical. Try not to do that at the event, and you should be fine. Remember that you're unique among the nobility because of your ability to paint. As long as you are not intentionally offensive people will forgive you due to your novelty. It happens in the military as well."

"So there are some good artists in the military?" I said with a smile.

All I got in response was a flat look.

"Ok, fine, I got it. People with unique skills have more leeway in how they act. But I need people to want to associate with me. I have to get long-term relationships."

"You will. Just remember that there are many factions within the dukedom, and you cannot be friends with everyone. Don't rush to commit to any one party, but eventually, you will have to join a faction. Sometimes, there are factions within factions. Stay aloof for now. There is no rush to join anyone on your first visit."

"Thanks, Captain. I'm going to get ready, and then we can make our way to Kithmoore's place."

********

"Sir Ivy, Let me introduce you to Baron Bicman," Lady Kithmoore said. She had been dragging me around for the last bell, and I had lost track of all the people I had talked to.

"Ah, so you have decided to finally get around to introducing this young man to the lesser nobles. How gracious of you, Lady Kithmoore." The tall, thin man said with just a hint of disdain in his voice. "I can see how people would be so ready to praise this boy. A marsh-dweller that can paint must be a true novelty for many."

I actually wasn't surprised at the jab. He wasn't the first noble to brush me off as inconsequential. Not everyone agreed that I should even be allowed into society. Many thought my artwork was just a dog and pony show without any real substance or value. This, however, was the first time I came across a lesser noble who was willing to give an insult. It was quite bold of him to offend not just me but also Lady Kithmoore.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

I usually allowed Lady Kithmoore to deal with the insults, but I felt that allowing a lesser noble to insult me and not say anything back would make me look bad.

"Thank you for recognizing my worth. It is so refreshing to have those of the lesser class be able to understand the true value of art. I was almost beginning to wonder if the lesser classes had some sort of deficiency in understanding what true talent really was. You have proven me wrong. I find that we rise to the level of our associates. Tell me, do you perchance mingle in the higher courts?"

I had thrown several insults his way, but the most obvious was that he was of a lesser class and not a lesser noble. In this case, they were technically the same since I had a higher title than him, but it grouped him with everyone lower than me.

I was so glad that they didn't have the barbaric traditions of duels of honor here as they did in some other civilizations. Otherwise, I couldn't run my mouth. Of course, insulting the wrong person might also make things extremely difficult, but my value is currently in my paintings. Also, the goods I wanted to export were things people couldn't get anywhere else. So I didn't need everyone to love me. Just the right people.

"I shall tell my Uncle Count Dunger about you. He will be most interested in your opinions."

Dunger? Was he trying to make me laugh?

"Ah, so you do live among the upper nobles. How fortunate for you. It is a shame he could not get you a better title. With your intelligence, I am surprised he was not able to help you get a more advantageous marriage. Do not worry, though. Upper Nobles often time allow us to struggle before truly rewarding us. I am sure he will see your potential someday and elevate you. I am sure you could show your prowess on the battlefield and even be bade a Baron. We must all strive to rise above our circumstances no matter how humble they may be, am I right." I said with a smile.

Sir Ivy's face began to darken, but before he could say anything, I said, "It is good to know you are related to the count. Let him know that I am always at his disposal to paint his likeness. I have found that counts have a refined appreciation of the arts and understand true worth. I would love to stay and chat, but I am new here, and my time is limited. I look forward to speaking with you in the future, and although my schedule is filling up, I would be happy to paint you at a later date. Have a wonderful evening."

As we walked away, the baroness whispered to me, "I thought you were trying to make friends. His uncle is a count and loves his nephew."

"Is that why he thought he could get away with insulting us? I have to put up with rudeness from my peers, but I will not allow myself to be insulted by some knight who thinks that his uncle will save him from stepping above his station. My value is not in the fact that I am a baron but in the uniqueness of what I will bring to the kingdom."

"Your artistic talent will not save you from the plotting of an insulted noble." She said worriedly.

I did not respond. It may have been foolish, but I could not allow myself to be pushed around by a lesser noble unless I wanted others to think they could do the same. Risk and reward. Several people had been eavesdropping on our conversation, and I am sure all of Vaspar would know that Sir Ivy and Baron Bicman were not on good terms.

The next stop was a young lady, probably in her mid-twenties. "And this is my good friend, Lady Yent. Unfortunately, her late husband, Baron Sammuk, passed away last year, and his brother was given the barony. She has three handsome young boys, so we know she is able to produce heirs." Maria said with a smile.

I nodded to the lady before me and smiled. She was quite beautiful, with long black hair and deep brown eyes. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Yent. I am Baron Amos Bicman. Lady Kithmoore has been kind enough to introduce me to society."

She gave a polite yet indifferent smile back. "It appears you are up to your usual practice of trying to find a match for every man in the County, Lucille. This boy is fortunate to have met you, but I think you may have bitten off more than you can chew."

Did she just call me ugly and unlikely to find a bride?

After a moment of awkward silence, I started to laugh. "That was great. See, Lady Kithmoore, you could not ask for better confirmation than that. Your good friend has plainly said I am too ugly to find a bride."

"I was not referring to your looks, as you seem to be quite a handsome young man. I am referring to the fact that you are a Bicman. You have no exports of any consequence and can rarely scrounge up enough money to pay taxes every year."

"My Lady, I am most impressed that you studied Bicman's tax records. You must have a lot of time on your hands. Might I recommend a few extracurricular activities to help you pass your time? Perhaps competitive underwater basket weaving."

She ignored my jab, probably because she didn't understand it was one. Instead, she simply said, "A barony can hardly be successful if it does not understand where money is flowing. Knowing the economy of Falmoren is paramount to success. Due to your location and poor agriculture, your marshes will never prosper. Why would a father of any consequence pay a dowry to Bicman?

"Dowery's are overrated, in my opinion. I would take a wife I can love over a dowry any day," I said defensively.

"I see. Well, my lord, I have somewhere to be. Have an enjoyable evening."

As she turned and walked away, I turned to Lucille. "Well, that was abrupt."

"My lord, you must not say such things," Lucille said while shaking her head.

"What I just said was that I value love in marriage above money. Why is that bad?"

"A woman's value is tied to their dowry. Not caring about the dowry is an insult to a family and the daughter. I am afraid that she may spread this news about you."

I did not understand this at all. This was definitely one of those cultural things. The people here viewed the world so differently from me. Just another thing that Benjamin didn't warn me about. He was a great teacher, but trying to cram every rule of etiquette and a whole new system of values into me within a month was impossible for anyone.

"I am sorry for my ignorance and any offense that I caused. Being raised in the north without guidance has perhaps skewed my thinking."

"Oh, I am not offended, dear boy. Just don't lie to these women and tell them you are not interested in the size of their dowry. They can see right through that lie. It would be like a man saying he doesn't care about how big a woman's breasts are."

That almost caused me to stumble. "But I…"

"No, my boy, don't try and convince me otherwise. All men desire large dowerys and large breasts."

Suddenly, the English translation for what she was saying popped into my head. Dowerys often contained money in chests. Another word for breasts was chest. Even though these two words in Falmoren Common were not the same, in English, both words were identical. So she was basically saying all men cared about was chest size.

I wanted to laugh so badly, but instead, I controlled myself and apologized again.

"Just remember, if you ever want to find a wife, you better be interested in her dowry."

"I am grateful for your advice."

The evening continued, and after Lucille was tired of introducing me to people, I sat down at a table and pulled out my sketchbook. I began to sketch out the ballroom and the many people gathered together in their groups.

This wasn't the type of gathering where the children of nobles gathered, so I was the youngest person here. It was awkward, but I wasn't sure it would have been any less so if I had people my age here. Sir Ivy and some of the other nobles I had been introduced to were bad enough. I wasn't looking forward to interacting with younger people.

Not that all of the people were bad. It actually went better than I had hoped. Most people were quite welcoming, even if I could tell that they didn't consider me quite their equal.

"What is it that you are doing, Lord Bicman?"

I looked up to see a portly man with long salt-and-pepper hair standing in front of the table. I knew I had been introduced to him, but I had forgotten his name among the myriad of introductions. His wife, who was his opposite in stature and had a stone-like face, stood beside him.

"Ah, my lord, please join me. I am sketching the room. It is not really done yet, though. Sit, and I will sketch you and your wife."

"Lord Kithmoore said you were a painter, but it appears that you are using charcoal. Will this take long?"

"I have been sketching people for a long time. It may take half a bell, but we can talk while I work."

The couple sat down, and as the Baron and I spoke, I drew them. His wife looked at me unhappily the whole time. We talked mainly about his barony and his new son-in-law. He had three daughters who were all married. His second daughter had just remarried. She was eighteen and had two children.

The Baron she married was in his thirties and was also a recent widower. He had four children still living and left the running of the barony up to his eldest son, who was twenty. Apparently, his daughter was quite happy, and they already had a child on the way.

It was just so hard to wrap my head around some of the age gaps in marriage that was so common around here.

"I hear you are more interested in having love than a valuable wife with a large dowry." His wife said bitingly

Well, that got twisted around fast. No wonder she looks so angry.

"I believe I was misunderstood. Of course, a woman's dowry is extremely important. My comment was more to the effect that no matter the size of the dowry, you must have joy in your marriage. I made a bit of an exaggeration to emphasize the point, and it was taken poorly."

"I see. Well, that makes sense." He said with a nod.

"And done," I said as I turned the sheet around. Both of their eyes went wide at seeing the sketch. I had removed about five years off their faces by leaving out some of the lines and also gave his wife a barely noticeable smile. I carefully tore the page off the strings that held it and handed it to the couple.

"This is a very fine likeness of us. I must pay you something."

I smiled mischievously, "In speaking with you, I feel that you are the type of person who likes to get the better of people and cause some mischief."

He grinned, "What do you have in mind?"

"Why don't I give this to you for free, but you show it around and tell people whatever you want as far as the price goes."

He laughed, and for the first time, I saw his wife give the hint of a smile.

"Just remember, if our joke gets out, we won't look very good," I said.

"Don't worry, boy, if there is one thing we love, it is making our fellow nobles look foolish."