The hearth fire in Konrad’s chamber had long since burned out, leaving the air biting cold.

His body ached from the labor of fixing the watermill and walking the pastures the previous day.

He forced himself out of bed. He moved to the washbasin.

Ice crusted the water’s surface. Konrad broke it with his knuckles and splashed the freezing water over his face and neck to instantly clear his mind.

He dressed in the plain wool he wore yesterday, scrubbed of most of its grease and muck.

Leaving his freezing room, Konrad went down to the hall for the morning fast-breaking. He arrived early, a ploy to watch his household before they settled into their seats.

The large table was sparsely set. Uncle Lothar was already there, whispering with Sir Ulrich, the knight Konrad had dismissed from the smithy.

When Konrad entered, they ceased, eyeing him with scorn and suspicion.

Konrad ignored their glares and took his seat. He offered no greeting, simply pouring himself watered ale while waiting for the servants.

A few moments later, his younger sister Elise entered, followed by the priest, Father Thomas. Elise shot Konrad a wary glance, unsettled by his strange manner, and sat as far from him as the table allowed. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

When the coarse rye bread and hard cheese arrived, Father Thomas offered a long prayer.

As they ate the tough bread Lothar cleared his throat with a smug smile.

"I hear you have been quite busy, Nephew,"

"Sir Ulrich tells me you have ordered the smithy to halt all essential repairs for our sworn knights. And my page mentioned you spent the entirety of yesterday afternoon tramping through the mud with a common shepherd."

Lothar paused, looking around the table. "Tell me, Konrad. Is the Lord of this estate now taking up a trade? Shall we expect to see you shearing sheep and shoveling manure next?"

Sir Ulrich let out a mocking laugh, while Elise looked down in shame.

Konrad finished chewing his dry bread, swallowed, and locked his gaze onto his uncle.

"I am making a true reckoning of an estate that you and my father allowed to rot into ruin" Konrad stated calmly.

"I spent the afternoon with the head shepherd because I am counting our true stores," Konrad continued. "I discovered that our flocks yield far less than they did in years past. I am determining if this is due to disease, poor grazing, or... thievery."

Lothar’s face flushed purple. "How dare you! I have managed this estate while your father was away fighting! You know nothing of our affairs!"

Konrad shifted his gaze to the knight. "The estate’s coal is nearly gone. If the peasants attack, they will not fear a shiny piece of steel. They will fear strong walls and fed guards. Which brings me to the bread."

Konrad held up a piece of the coarse rye. "I have ordered the miller to mix dried peas into the flour. It swells our stores to see us through the winter. It tastes bitter, but it will prevent starvation."

Lothar slammed his fist onto the table. "You are treating us like serfs! You insult the knights, you humiliate the family name by consorting with shepherds, and now you force us to eat peasant fodder!"

"I am treating you like men on a sinking ship!" Konrad replied. "If you find the bread foul, you are entirely free to buy white flour from the Augsburg merchants with your own silver."

Lothar opened his mouth to roar another insult, but the lack of fear in Konrad’s eyes stopped him.

Sensing he had lost the upper hand, Lothar stood up.

"You will destroy us all with this madness, boy," Lothar spat, before turning and storming out, followed closely by Sir Ulrich.

Konrad finished his bitter bread in silence. He needed to ride to the market town.

To forge his secret weapons, he couldn’t rely solely on Dieter’s small fire. He needed a steady flow of raw iron and good coal, and he needed tight-lipped merchants willing to haul heavy crates to the Italian border without asking questions.