The sun was high in the sky when Ricardo and I finally spotted the barony in the distance. The journey had been long and arduous, and we were both exhausted and injured, but the sight of our destination brought a wave of relief. As we approached, it became evident that the place was extremely poor, with only a small wall and a few houses outside, along with some crops. The houses were small and poorly maintained, with thatched roofs and wooden walls worn by time. The small town, with fewer than a thousand inhabitants, was situated on the kingdom's border, a lonely and almost forgotten outpost.

The inhabitants watched us with curious and suspicious looks as we crossed the dirt streets. Children played barefoot, and adults interrupted their activities to examine us. The contrast with the grandeur of the capital was evident; here, life seemed to be a constant struggle for survival.

Our first stop was the guard post, a simple but well-maintained stone structure. Two guards stood at the entrance, both with cautious expressions. When they saw us approaching, they placed their hands on their swords, ready for any eventuality.

"Who are you and what do you want here?" one of the guards asked, suspicion clear in his voice.

"I am Miguel, and this is Ricardo," I replied, trying to sound authoritative despite the fatigue. "We bring an important document."

The guards exchanged looks, and one of them stepped forward. "We'll need to see that document."

Carefully, I took the parchment from my cloak and handed it to the guard. He couldn't read, so he passed the document to his companion who, fortunately, could read and write, a rarity among soldiers and villagers in this world. He unrolled it and read it carefully, his eyes widening at the sight of the duke's seal. After a few moments, he looked up at me, clearly surprised.

"This document says that the barony of Drakmoor now belongs to you," he said, disbelief mixed with respect. "We will escort you to the baron's mansion, my lord. Welcome."

The guards escorted us to the city gate and then through the streets, clearing a path through the crowd of curious onlookers. People whispered and pointed as we passed, and I could feel the weight of their expectations and doubts. We arrived at the baron's mansion, a slightly more imposing structure than the others, but still modest compared to the grand noble residences of the capital. The stone structure was robust, but the signs of neglect were evident: broken windows, moss-covered walls, and neglected gardens.

I ordered the guards to take the horses to the stable.

When we arrived, we were greeted by an elderly man with a dignified posture and a kind look. He wore a simple but well-kept uniform, indicating his position as the mansion's butler. The guard spoke first and informed the butler who I was.

"Welcome," he said, bowing. "I am Thomas, the butler of this house. I was informed about the arrival of the new baron, but we did not expect you so soon, my lord."

"Events took an unexpected turn," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "We need immediate care for my companion, Ricardo. He is severely injured."

Thomas nodded and called for two servants, who quickly appeared to assist Ricardo. "Take him to the infirmary and summon the healer immediately," he ordered.

As Ricardo was taken for treatment, Thomas guided us inside the mansion. The place, though modest, still retained an aura of nobility, with antique furniture and tapestries that, though worn, displayed a certain grandeur of the past.

"I fear the mansion has seen better days," Thomas said, noticing my gaze. "The former baron and his family disappeared while traveling to the capital, and since then, things have been difficult here."

"Disappeared?" I asked, surprised. "No one knows what happened?"

I didn't know what had happened to the former baron. When my brothers decided to send me to this border barony, I thought I would find the old baron and formally replace him, but he is missing, which makes this succession a bit abrupt.

Thomas shook his head, concern evident in his eyes. "No, my lord. They simply vanished two years ago, and since then, the barony's administration has been neglected. I have done my best to keep things in order, but the difficulties are many."

"I understand," I replied, feeling the weight of responsibility fall upon me. In my old world, I was just an engineer, and I confess that I rarely faced such hardships. "We will do what we can to improve the situation."

Thomas smiled gently, surprised by the new baron's simple and polite demeanor. "I am sure your presence here will be a relief to many, my lord. Now, please allow me to show you to your quarters so you can rest."

We climbed a narrow staircase to the mansion's second floor, where Thomas led me to a simple yet comfortable room. The bed looked like an oasis of comfort after the days of fleeing and fighting.

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"If you need anything, I will be nearby," Thomas said, bowing before leaving.

I was alone for a moment, absorbing everything that had happened. The abrupt transition from fleeing to the responsibility of a poor and isolated barony was overwhelming, but I knew I needed to find strength within myself. Ricardo was being treated, and I needed to be ready to assume my new role and face the challenges ahead.

After a brief rest and a bath prepared by some maids, I went down to check on Ricardo's condition. I found him lying in a bed in the infirmary, his shoulder bandaged. The healer, a middle-aged man with skilled hands and compassionate eyes, was finishing applying an ointment.

"How is he?" I asked, approaching.

"The wound was deep, but not fatal," the healer replied. "He needs rest and care, but he should make a full recovery."

"Thank you," I said, relieved. I sat next to Ricardo, who opened his eyes and smiled weakly.

"Do I look like a war hero now?" he joked, his voice faint.

"More than that," I replied, holding his hand. "You are a friend who never gave up."

Since I arrived in this world two weeks ago, Ricardo, even unknowingly, was the only one who genuinely seemed to care about me and help me.

Ricardo squeezed my hand back, the smile becoming more genuine. "I am sorry that I couldn't keep the promise I made to your mother to always keep you safe, my lord. Things shouldn't have ended up this way."

The memories of Miguel in my mind were confusing, but I know this man is my mother's brother, a woman who was abused by the duke and ended up pregnant. When Miguel was born, his mother unfortunately died in childbirth. But before she did, she made Ricardo promise to protect Miguel at all costs. Even though the duke's family allowed him to live in the duke's mansion, they never accepted Miguel's presence.

I nodded, "Don't be too hard on yourself. If it weren't for you, I would have been dead a long time ago. So thank you very much, my friend, and you can call me Miguel when we're alone."

***

I woke to a gentle touch on my shoulder and slowly opened my eyes, still groggy with sleep. In front of me stood a young servant, his face pale and his eyes wide with fear. He seemed hesitant to speak, but I smiled to reassure him.

"It's all right," I said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "What happened?"

"Sir, breakfast is ready," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "You should come down to eat."

"Thank you," I replied, sitting up in bed and stretching to shake off the drowsiness. "What is your name?"

"J-John, sir," he answered, the surprise evident in his eyes at my asking.

"Nice to meet you, John. There's no need to be afraid of me," I said with a smile. "I'm here to help, not to scare you."

I wondered if the former baron was aggressive with his servants.

He nodded quickly, visibly more relaxed. "Yes, sir. I'll... I'll be downstairs if you need me."

I got up and started preparing for the day. After dressing, I descended the stairs to the ground floor, where the smell of some kind of tea and fresh pie greeted me. I entered the dining room and saw a modest yet carefully set table. The food was quite different from what I was used to in the capital – no sophisticated delicacies, just pie, cheese, fruit, and a jug of milk accompanied by a cup of tea.

I sat at the table and began to serve myself when a robust woman with a stained apron and a tired smile entered the room. She seemed nervous as she approached me.

"Good morning, my lord," she said, giving a small curtsey. "I am Martha, the head cook. I hope the food is to your liking."

"Good morning, Martha," I replied, taking a bite of the pie. It was simple but tasty. "The food is good, thank you."

She seemed relieved, but there was still a shadow of worry in her eyes. "I apologize for the simplicity, my lord. We've had difficulties getting fresh ingredients. Merchants rarely pass through here, and when they do, the prices are high."

I nodded, understanding the situation. "I understand. Don't worry, Martha. We'll do what we can to improve things. You've been doing a great job with what you have."

Martha smiled, albeit a bit hesitantly. "Thank you, sir. We do what we can. If you need anything specific, I can try to prepare it."

"Don't worry about that for now. I'm not going to make any demands on you, but I'll do my best to help," I promised, feeling the weight of responsibility on my shoulders.

As I ate, I observed the simplicity around me. The contrast with the opulence of the capital was stark, but there was a certain dignity in the way everything was maintained with care and effort. The people here, despite the hardships, worked hard to keep the barony functioning.

After breakfast, I decided to explore the mansion further. I wanted to better understand the living conditions and challenges we faced. John, the young servant, offered to accompany me and show me around. I accepted his offer, grateful for the company. Normally, Ricardo would accompany me in such a situation, but I decided it was better for him to rest and not exert himself at the moment.

After John showed me all the rooms in the mansion, which were modest, as the mansion only had three floors, we stepped outside through the front door. It was a short walk from the mansion, and we began to stroll through the mansion's gardens. The house was situated on a hill, giving me a view of the small town below.

John told me about the various families living there, each with their own stories of struggle and resilience. He took me to the mansion's food store, a small space with little variety. Most of the items were local: vegetables, fruits, and some fruits unknown to Miguel.

"How do you manage to survive?" I asked, observing the sparse shelves.

"We do what we can, sir," John replied. "We're eating only two meals a day to ration food."

"I see," I said, thinking about how I could help improve the situation. We needed to attract more merchants and ensure the barony had access to essential resources. But how?

We returned to the mansion, where I found Thomas in the main hall. He seemed relieved to see me.

"Sir, I hope breakfast was satisfactory," he said.

"Yes, Thomas, it was. But I see there are many challenges here. We need to find ways to attract more merchants and improve the local economy."

Thomas nodded, his face serious. "I agree, sir. The situation has been difficult since the former baron's disappearance. But I am confident that, with your leadership, we can find a solution."

"I hope so," I replied, determined. "We will need to work together and find ways to strengthen the barony. The first thing we need to do is better understand the population's needs and seek resources to meet those needs, and of course, improve the local infrastructure so that these lands can become self-sufficient over time."

Thomas smiled, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. This was a peculiar noble. He still didn't know the new baron completely, but the little he had seen had sparked a bit of hope. "I am at your disposal, my lord."