Medical Center

Knowing that there was a person whom he could trust –to a certain extent– and rely upon cast off an enormous mental burden from Atlas' mind. Walking through the shoddy wooden pathways alongside the Baron, there was a definite pep in the prince's step.

While heading towards the manor, the duo came across multiple scenes of activities with the townspeople going about their assigned jobs. Atlas saw houses being torn down and new residences being set up in their place, trenches being dug, new pathways being properly laid… there was a certain life and buzz about the town.

Determination was evident in the townspeople's gaits and motivation was apparent in their faces. The town was rapidly changing for the better.

After walking for a couple of minutes, the duo came across one of the larger construction teams.

"Lord Baron! His Highness! By the Gods, you've come at the perfect time!" A man cheerfully exclaimed as he excitedly walked up towards the duo.

Looking at the man's broad forehead, coarse facial hair, and the obvious birthmark on his right cheek, Atlas instantly recalled his name.

"Mr. Wilkins," the prince greeted. "What's gotten you all excited?"

"Hahaha! I'm glad you asked, your highness!" The man happily scratched his head. "We just finished buildin' that Medical Center you told us to build!!"

"Already?" Atlas asked, surprised. It's been what… five, six hours since they could've begun work? How were they done already?

"Oh, it was hard, back-breaking work, your highness. But we still managed to get it done!" Wilkins cheered. "Please, follow me."

He then led the prince and the Baron towards the newly-constructed Medical Center. Arriving quickly, they met the eight-man construction crew lounging around before the new construct. From the looks of it, they seemed to be taking a break while admiring the efforts of their hard work.

"She's a beauty, ain't she? Marla. That's what I'ma call her."

"Thick walls, warm ceiling, reinforced beams, interior padding, she's as fine a building as I've ever seen."

"I say, I wish I would fall sick so that I get away from my bickering wife, you hear me?"

"Aye, aye. Me too."

"Me three!"

"Count me in too!"

"You ain't two! You're… well, you can come in after us. Respect the order!"

Looking at these chatting while sitting on wooden stumps and leftover material, Atlas thought that the only thing missing from this scene was beer. Were each worker to hold a bottle in their hand, the image of a stereotypical construction crew would be complete.

'I wonder if there's beer in this world.' Atlas absentmindedly thought. It would be interesting to see beer, or at least this world's equivalent of it.

While the prince was lost in his thoughts, Wilkins, the supervisor of this crew, barked at the crew.

"Get off your arses, ya lazy butts! The prince and Lord Baron are here to inspect our work!"

The workers snapped out of their discussion and hurriedly greeted the newcomers. After returning the greeting, Atlas and the Baron entered the building.

The building was… well, it was empty. Dark wood composed the floor, walls, and ceiling, with thick, heavy fabric insulating the ceiling and the walls. The building contained only a single level but was large enough to fit 15-20 people within without crowding. The interiors were noticeably warmer and dryer than the outside, proving Atlas' point that properly constructed structures were vastly different from shoddy, hastily built ones.

'This is certainly nice. A few coal stoves spread out within this place, and the chillness will completely disappear. It would be warm, cozy, and a perfect recuperation center for the sick.' Separating the infected from the healthy was the first order of business to combat sickness.

With a dedicated facility to combat the problem, not only would the sick be treated faster and safer, but the sickened people would also have no qualms about coming to the facility.

"What do you think, Baron Helm?" Atlas asked.

The Baron had to crouch a little to fit inside the building. He was a tall person, and his above-average height meant that he couldn't stand comfortably within this structure without knocking his head on the ceiling.

"Well, the ceiling seems a bit low, my liege." The Baron replied.

"It's you who is too tall, Baron Helm. The ceiling is fine considering the other townspeople," Atlas replied. "What do you think about this place, apart from the ceiling?"

The prince turned and stared at his vassal. Wilkin also nervously stared at the Baron as the responsibility of the construction lay with him.

"It's quite nice, my liege. Very well built and sturdy," The Baron remarked.

Wilkins felt relief flood his heart.

Atlas simply nodded his head at the Baron's answer. Turning to face Wilkins, he ordered.

"Prepare the cots, beddings, covers, whatever is required as soon as possible. This building must be ready to be used by tonight."

"Got it, your highness! It will be done!" Wilkins saluted.

The prince and the Baron then left the building and continued on their way to the Baron's manor.

"Baron Helm, have the sick separated and admitted to this facility as soon as its construction finished. Also, appoint a few workers to take care of the sick."

"But. my liege, we do not have any free workers to assign." The Baron pointed out.

"I know," Atlas replied. "Reassign people from these places: 1 from the Feeding Shack, 2 from the Children Care House, and 1 from the Deconstruction Team."

Atlas ordered these reassignments knowing that it would not result in reduced efficiency with the other tasks. Knowing how to distribute your workforce to maintain overall efficiency was an integral skill to possess for every manager and leader. Atlas had already maxed out on this skill.

Baron Helm mentally noted the order and prepared to carry it out as soon as he got back to the manor.

"Oh, and also," Atlas belatedly added. "Assign Butler Rohm to the Medical Center. He will be leading the team. His medical knowledge will come in handy in dealing with the patients."

The person who had patched up Atlas after his arrival at the town had been Butler Rohm. Seeing as to how Atlas was roaming around without any overt problems the very next day, it was clear that he had done a good job. His experience with medicine would surely come in handy while dealing with sick patients in the Medical Center.

"Rohm!? But, my liege–" Baron Helm tried to protest but was immediately shut down by the little prince.

"That was an order, Baron Helm." Atlas sharply replied. "Besides. His presence is currently required in the Medical Center for it to function to a greater effect."

"...Understood, my liege." The Baron quietly replied. He saw reason in his liege's words and understood that it was the most sensible choice in light of their situation.

A few moments later, the duo arrived at the Baron's Manor. The time was an hour or two past noon. Atlas retired to his office, while the Baron went to deal with the tasks given to him.

Inside the office, Atlas took out a few parchments of paper from the drawer and resumed learning the Krinis language. Thirty minutes later, the Baron entered the office and the duo then started with their daily language lessons.

Time ticked by and darkness consumed the town. Lamps illuminating the darkness were rare and scarcely spread out around the town.

With the day being over, the workers returned from their posts and retired to their residences. Sometime later, they crowded towards the Feeding Shack where bowls of hot gruel were served, much to the delight of the townspeople. After dinner, most of the townspeople returned to their residences and called it a day.

Inside the Baron's manor, however, the day was not over yet. Oil lamps illuminated the gathering hall and the office with around a dozen people waiting inside the hall.

Each person wore a tired yet satisfied expression on their face while holding sheets of parchments in their hands. They looked akin to little children who were nervous yet excited to show off their paintings to their parents.

"Next!" A cry came from within the closed office room. Soon, the door to the office opened and a worker hurried out of the room with an excited expression.

The next person in the queue, Vivian Bradley, immediately rushed into the office room and closed the door behind her.

Inside the room, the cute, little prince, Atlas Constatine, sat behind the enormous desk. Two oil lamps were placed on the table to provide him with light. Dozens of parchments were scattered around the desk-top, each sheet filled to the corners with neat and ordered writings.

The prince himself seemed to be lost within his work as the quill in his hand busily scratched away at the paper before him. His adorably gorgeous face wore a mask of seriousness and concentration as his eyes read through another parchment that he held in his free hand.

"Just a moment." Vivian heard the cute prince say. The middle-aged woman with a pockmarked face did not mind waiting.

After taking another sneaky peek at his gorgeous face, she turned her head to curiously look around the office. It was her first time here after all.

She immediately spotted the large-bodied Baron sitting on a couch towards her left. He also seemed intensely focused as he busily dealt with another dozen or so sheets of paper on the table before him.

Her curious searches did not net her anything as the office was as plain as they came. There were no expensive rugs, artworks, or vases decorating the place.

"Foreman Bradley." She heard her name being called and immediately turned to face the prince.

"Yas, milord!" She greeted him with a heavy accent.

"That's your report on today's wood harvest, I assume?" Atlas questioned.

Vivian Bradley, Foreman of the Woodcutting Division, nodded her head and offered it to the prince.

Receiving the sheets of paper from her hand, Atlas read through the report.

'Let's see… oh?' He unconsciously raised his eyebrows.