Chapter 131: A City Under Construction

Three days after Raymond authorized the County Development Program, Althoff City began waking to a different rhythm.

The familiar sounds of merchants opening their shops and farmers driving wagons toward the Central Market were joined by the steady pounding of hammers, the scraping of shovels, and the rumbling of carts loaded with construction materials.

Throughout the city, workers gathered around newly erected noticeboards displaying assignments, wages, and the locations of their respective projects.

What had previously been a collection of independent construction efforts was becoming an organized undertaking involving nearly every district.

Raymond observed the activity from his study window while Lily stood beside his desk, reviewing the morning schedule. Even from the manor, he could see wagons traveling along the main road toward the Residential District, their loads covered with canvas to protect supplies from the weather.

"Young Master, Chief Administrator Alaric says the first construction reports have arrived," Lily announced, turning a page in her notebook. "Mistress Mara has also requested that you avoid visiting the southern roadworks before midday. Apparently, they’re digging something rather large."

Raymond looked away from the window. "Did she explain what they’re digging?"

"She said you would probably ask too many questions and delay the workers, Young Master," Lily replied with an entirely innocent expression.

Raymond stared at her for a moment before sighing. "Wonderful. I’ve become an inconvenience in my own city."

Lily smiled as she closed the notebook. "Mistress Mara also said you’re welcome to visit the western construction sites instead."

An hour later, Raymond discovered that the western sites were hardly less chaotic.

Mara Kest stood beside a temporary command shelter near the Residential District, surrounded by foremen carrying schedules and workers waiting for instructions. Several large maps had been fastened to wooden boards, each displaying construction zones marked with different symbols.

"Your Excellency," Mara greeted him, briefly looking up from her documents. "You’ve arrived at an excellent time. We were just discussing which streets to close before the delivery wagons become completely impossible to manage."

Raymond examined the map. "I was under the impression that our roads were supposed to make transportation easier."

"They will, my Lord," Mara replied. "Unfortunately, building roads requires temporarily making transportation considerably worse."

She explained that the accelerated program had divided the city into separate construction sectors, each overseen by an appointed foreman.

Residential extensions, drainage improvements, public buildings, warehouse expansions, and defensive works had been assigned schedules designed to prevent unnecessary competition for labor and materials.

Raymond noticed that several streets were marked for temporary closure, while alternative routes had been designated for merchants and residents.

"How many workers have we assigned so far?" he asked.

"Several hundred across the active projects, including craftsmen, laborers, drivers, and apprentices," Mara answered. "We’re expanding the teams gradually because putting inexperienced workers everywhere at once would create more problems than it solves."

Raymond nodded approvingly. "And the wages?"

"Posted publicly and recorded by each foreman," Mara replied. "Workers receive payment according to their assignments and verified attendance. I’ve also instructed supervisors to report injuries immediately rather than hiding them to preserve their schedules."

That last instruction pleased Raymond. Construction accidents were inevitable, particularly when inexperienced laborers worked alongside heavy materials and unfamiliar equipment.

However, preventable injuries caused by careless supervision were another matter entirely.

Their conversation was interrupted when a mason approached carrying a broken measuring rod.

Mara examined the damaged instrument, asked several questions, and directed the man toward the equipment depot before returning her attention to Raymond.

"As you can see, my Lord, we’re still discovering problems faster than we can solve them," she remarked.

"Then I’ll try not to contribute another one," Raymond replied.

They continued toward the nearest roadworks, where workers were excavating a long channel beside an unfinished street. Wooden supports reinforced sections of the trench, while teams of laborers carried soil toward waiting carts.

Edric Sorn stood nearby, studying the exposed ground with two assistants. He greeted Raymond respectfully before explaining that the drainage channel would eventually connect several residential streets to the city’s larger water management network.

"The difficulty is maintaining the correct gradient," Edric explained, pointing along the excavation. "If the channel is too shallow, water accumulates during heavy rainfall. If we rush the work, we’ll spend considerably more repairing flooded streets later."

Raymond looked toward the workers positioning stone along the trench. "How long before Mara can begin the permanent road surface?"

"Once the drainage is inspected and the water connections are secured," Edric answered. "I’ve agreed to release completed sections individually rather than making Construction wait for the entire channel."

Mara nodded. "Which means my road crews can follow behind his teams instead of standing around complaining that the engineers are taking forever."

Edric gave her a weary look. "Your crews complain regardless, Mistress Mara. Yesterday, one of them asked whether water could simply be instructed to flow somewhere more convenient."

Raymond laughed, imagining the unfortunate engineer attempting to explain gravity to an impatient roadworker.

Nevertheless, the arrangement demonstrated exactly why he had insisted upon coordinated planning. A finished road was worthless if another Department needed to tear it apart the following week.

Their next destination was the eastern warehouse expansion, where Corvin Rusk had established a temporary distribution yard.

Stacks of timber rested beneath protective coverings, while stone blocks were arranged according to size and intended use.

Wagons entered through one gate, unloaded their cargo, and departed through another, preventing the congestion that had previously plagued busy delivery sites.

Corvin approached carrying a ledger, his expression suggesting that he had already spent the morning arguing with several drivers.

"Your Excellency, our greatest difficulty isn’t obtaining materials," he explained. "It’s getting the correct quantities to the correct sites without leaving half the city waiting for deliveries."

Raymond glanced toward a row of loaded carts. "I assume that’s why you’ve divided everything into separate storage sections?"

"Exactly, my Lord," Corvin answered. "Each project submits its requirements in advance. We assign deliveries according to priority, available stock, and transport capacity.

Emergency requests still occur, but at least we’re no longer sending three wagons of timber to a site that needs limestone."

A nearby driver overheard the remark and laughed. Corvin turned toward him with a warning expression, prompting the man to resume checking his cargo.

Raymond inspected the yard before asking about supply shortages. Corvin admitted that metal fittings and seasoned timber remained difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities, while additional wagons would soon become necessary.

"Prepare the requirements and send them through Treasury," Raymond instructed. "But don’t purchase everything at once. Ysabel is negotiating supply arrangements, and I would prefer not to pay inflated prices because merchants discover we’re desperate."

Corvin nodded. "Understood, Your Excellency. I’ll coordinate the next purchasing schedule with her Department."

By midday, Raymond had visited enough construction sites to appreciate the sheer scale of the undertaking.

Workers were extending residential streets, repairing older structures, preparing foundations for public facilities, and expanding warehouses that had already become crowded with commercial goods.

The city was growing in every direction, but growth brought inconvenience. Several merchants complained about diverted traffic, residents worried about noise, and shopkeepers demanded assurances that construction would not block their entrances indefinitely.

Raymond listened to their concerns during his inspection and instructed Mara to establish a clear public notice system for road closures and major disruptions.

"A construction schedule isn’t useful if the people living beside it have no idea what’s happening," he told her. "Give them advance warning whenever possible, and make sure businesses retain reasonable access."

Mara accepted the instruction without argument. "I’ll have the foremen post notices at the affected streets, my Lord. We can also coordinate with the Watch to manage traffic around the busiest sites."

Their final stop was a public building site where Lucan Veyr was supervising the preparation of foundations. The Master Architect had spread several drawings across a temporary table, comparing measurements with the work already completed.

"Your Excellency, we’re establishing standardized requirements for the larger public buildings," Lucan explained. "That should simplify material estimates and prevent different construction teams from interpreting the plans however they please."

Raymond examined the drawings. "And how much trouble has that caused already?"

Lucan hesitated before answering. "Enough that I would prefer not to discuss it before lunch, my Lord."

Raymond chuckled, then spent several minutes reviewing the proposed arrangements. He was particularly interested in ensuring that future public buildings possessed adequate space, ventilation, and access to water.

Meanwhile, within the manor, Sir Aldren Valcrest was preparing his official report to the Royal Chancellery.

The royal representative had spent the previous days examining Althoff’s administrative records and observing its development. What he had witnessed differed considerably from the impoverished territory described in older royal documents.

His report acknowledged the expanding commercial districts, organized administration, agricultural improvements, and unusual concentration of military strength.

It also noted that Count Raymond had initiated an ambitious construction program intended to complete the city’s remaining infrastructure.

Aldren paused before writing his final assessment.

He had encountered wealthy nobles who neglected their territories and ambitious nobles who spent recklessly on appearances.

Raymond von Althoff appeared determined to invest his resources into institutions that might continue producing value long after the construction crews departed.

That distinction deserved attention.

By evening, Raymond returned to the manor exhausted but satisfied. Althoff’s streets were dusty, its construction sites noisy, and its residents occasionally irritated by the inconvenience. Yet everywhere he looked, people were working toward something that had once seemed impossible.

The city was no longer merely recovering from decline.

It was preparing for its future.

And beyond Althoff’s borders, merchants traveling through Zulor had already begun carrying news of the enormous construction program. Before long, neighboring noble houses would hear that the newly elevated Count was investing a fortune into transforming his territory.

For some, the news would represent an opportunity.

For others, it would be another reason to worry about House Althoff’s growing power.