The next morning, Derick arrived at the designated location. He stood at the door, already hearing the lively chatter from inside. As soon as he entered, he was met with the sight of over ten children laughing, some running around and shouting.
"What the?" Derick glanced at the address on the paper again, unsure if he had read it wrong. But as he continued to stare at the address, his mind couldn't wrap around what was happening.
"Ah, you're here early," Tristan smiled, patting Derick on the shoulder. "Actually, this is a new project by the Count. You're going to teach these kids. The instructions are on the table." Tristan pointed to the desk nearby.
"Wait, sir, teach? Like... how do I teach these kids?" Derick asked, unsure of what was expected of him.
"It's all written on the paper over there," Tristan replied flatly, sighing as he stared at Derick's confused face. "It's gonna be fine. You have the instructions; all you've got to do is teach the kids." Tristan turned around, yawning. "Anyways, bye, I have more tasks to do."
Derick stood frozen for a moment. He entered the room, standing in front of the children. 'It's fine... I've got the instructions,' he thought. He opened the pages and began his first day of teaching.
---
"So how did it go?" Stephen asked Tristan, glancing over some documents.
"It went well, my lord. I'm sure the newly hired teacher won't have any problems with the kids," Tristan replied.
Stephen nodded thoughtfully. "How many kids were there?"
"About ten, my lord," Tristan answered, earning a sigh from Stephen.
"That's not the number I had expected," Stephen murmured. He knew that the people were somewhat skeptical about the school.
Parents were still hesitant to send their children to a place called 'school', but he couldn't also call it a academy since currently there was only one staff and it hasn't even been that acknowledged as a formal educational institute.
But Stephen had designed this plan with care. Many commoners didn't know how to read or write, and some didn't even know basic numbers.
To help with this, Stephen had repurposed an abandoned inn, transforming it into a kindergarten school catering to young students.
Even though two town criers had paraded the city, spreading the word about the school, not many people were comfortable with the idea, especially when it came to their children.
"It's fine. I'm sure it'll take a few more weeks," Stephen replied, glancing at Tristan. "Take some rest, Tristan. I'm giving you three days off."
"Pardon?" Tristan's eyes widened, a smile forming on his face. "Thank you, my lord!" He hurriedly left to enjoy his much-needed rest.
---
Stephen sat in his office.
Agriculture was progressing well, water supplies were stable, and tourism was slowly flourishing. After the festival, people from neighboring territories had started visiting, bringing in a substantial amount of income.
Now, it was time for Stephen to focus on another plan—the health of his people.
Although basic hygiene procedures, such as frequent handwashing and daily bathing, had helped alleviate some health issues, there was still a major problem: waste management.
He sighed, knowing this would be a difficult task. The water supply was abundant, and the people were generally following the hygiene guidelines, but the waste problem was becoming more pressing.
Stephen knew that proper waste disposal was essential to prevent disease. For that reason, he called upon Manuel.
"Pipes?" Manuel asked, looking confused as he glanced at the blueprint on the table.
"I understand that this will take months to finish, but I want everyone's cooperation on this. And when I say everyone, I mean it," Stephen said firmly.
The plan was to construct proper waste disposal systems, which would significantly reduce contamination risks. Creating latrines or sewage channels for waste, especially in crowded areas, could help prevent the spread of disease.
The project would take years, but Stephen was determined to see it through. He knew that creating a cleaner, healthier environment would benefit the people in the long run.
Seeing the determination in Stephen's eyes, Manuel bowed his head respectfully. "I will gladly mobilize everyone for this project, my lord."
"Good. You're dismissed." Stephen sat back in his seat.
Winter would be coming in just four months, but for now, he had enough on his plate. At least the people were well on their way to a better future.
---
The next day, work on the sewage system began. Men without other work had joined in the effort, contributing to the bustling construction of the new sewers.
As the build continued, Stephen enacted a new rule: children between the ages of six and ten were required to attend kindergarten. He had already hired more teachers to help educate the kids.
Now, all he needed was everyone's cooperation.
The news spread quickly throughout the town, and soon, parents were faced with the inevitable—sending their children to school, a mandate from the Count. Though some were still hesitant, they had no choice but to comply.
In the midst of all this, Manuel's granddaughter, Annie, was among the first children sent to the new school. Unlike her initial thoughts, she soon found that school was more fun than she had imagined.
She met numerous children her age, and she began to enjoy learning how to write numbers and letters, as well as read basic words.
Annie quickly became a standout student in the kindergarten class, taking first place in almost every lesson.
At first, Derick had been confused about how to manage his new role, but after a week, he had gotten used to it.
He was now teaching the children letters, numbers, and basic reading skills. He felt incredibly fortunate that his parents had taught him to read and write, as well as simple arithmetic—skills that helped him land the job.
"Now, everyone, what's this letter?" Derick stood in front of the class, holding up a signboard with letters on it as he began the day's lesson.
---
A young girl panted, standing beside the gate of the estate. She took a moment to catch her breath, then walked through the bustling city, her curiosity piqued by the people working on various projects along the way.
She didn't ask too many questions; she had an important task ahead of her. After reaching the estate, she presented her plaque and was allowed inside.
She sat in the guest room, sighing in relief as she waited. Just a few minutes later, her gaze shifted to the Count, who entered the room with a warm smile.
"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Rosalyn," Stephen said as he shook her hand. They both sat, tea placed in front of them.
"It's nice to meet you too, Count Genest," Rosalyn replied, immediately pulling out her paper and placing it on the table. "I'm here on behalf of the Holy Sun Church. We've already sent you a letter regarding the placement of a temple within your territory."
"Yes, I've read the letter," Stephen replied, smiling politely. "But I think it's a little too soon to start working on the temple. My people and I are currently preoccupied with other projects."
"I see," Rosalyn responded, showing no sign of argument. "In that case, I'll wait until your current work is finished."
Stephen sighed inwardly. He didn't want a church built in his city.
The previous patriarch had rejected all invitations from the Church to establish a temple, due to ideological differences.
The former patriarch had placed his trust in the sword, not in the Church, and since he wasn't easily persuaded, the Church had given up trying.
Although there are numerous gods believed by the people, there were only two with the biggest believers across the empire.
Two main gods were widely believed in by the people—the Sun God and the Moon God. Each god was represented by a different church, both fiercely territorial.
Anyone not blessed by one of these churches was often viewed as an outcast.
In the empire, the Sun God's church held the most influence. But Stephen didn't want the Church involved in his territory for two main reasons: one, they could try to interfere in his governance, and two, he deeply despised how the Church treated others as inferior, as if their actions were the sole representation of divine will.
Though Stephen did believe in gods—given his unusual reincarnation—it was not the Church he followed.
He smiled and stood up. "Well then, I hope you have a pleasant stay here," he said, gesturing to a servant to escort Rosalyn to her quarters.
Afterward, Stephen entered his office, where his mother was sitting on the sofa.
"What are you doing here, Mother?" he asked.
"Hmmm, is that Church girl gone?" Veronica asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Stephen replied curtly. Both he and his mother shared a deep disdain for the Church. Though Stephen had his own beliefs, he refused to let the Church's influence spread in his territory.
Now, he just needed to come up with a plan to get rid of the Church's representative. He wasn't about to let them take root here.