The Villainess's Reputation [Kingdom Building]

Morgen Dukedom, Kingdom of Estra, Vassal Kingdom of the Ancorna Empire, Southern Borderlands near the Conley Empire

"It's so simple… yet so effective," Aria Morgen murmured, her voice filled with both surprise and admiration as she observed the strange new house before her. From its roof rose not one central chimney, but several smaller ones spaced along either side, each releasing thin streams of pale smoke into the frigid winter air.

Duke Kevin Morgen stood beside her, his cloak snapping in the bitter wind, his eyes narrowing with intrigue. "Indeed. I would not have believed it myself. I had expected her highness to simply send us a reply about the flower imports we requested. Instead—" his lips curled into a rare smile "She sends us the blueprint for an entirely new heating system. One so simple… it makes the old way look barbaric."

Aria nodded, her cheeks flushed red from the cold. The unnatural blizzard that had plagued the dukedom still howled through the streets, piling snow high against the walls of houses, forcing peasants to rely on sparse stocks of flowers for heating spells. And yet, despite the storm, townsfolk were moving in and out of the test house in eager clusters, their breaths fogging the air as they spoke with astonishment of the heated floors.

"She also asked me to visit her in person within the next few weeks, to discuss… 'important matters,' as she phrased it," Aria said, eyes following the line of townfolk waiting their turn to step inside. The sight of their cautious but hopeful faces stirred something within her.

Duke Kevin gave a solemn nod. "It is wise. Especially now that we have resolved to re-form the Ravenna Faction. Her star is rising once again, and we will rise with it. Go to her, Aria. See for yourself how far she has come and report back to me."

"If I depart today by magic ship," Aria calculated quickly, brushing snowflakes from her shoulder, "I should arrive in Kim Dukedom within a week. Just in time for the Festival of Lust."

Kevin chuckled, his breath curling white in the air. "Be careful then, daughter. I hear those festivals can get… rowdy." His smile, though, was one of quiet pride.

The howl of the storm was broken by the hurried steps of craftsmen. "My lord! Lady Aria!" the head mason called, approaching with soot-stained gloves and a proud gleam in his eyes. "You've arrived just in time. Please, let me show you the ondol heating system we've constructed from the blueprint you have provided."

Kevin adjusted the furs over his shoulders, nodding with the same weight he gave to battlefield decisions. "Let us take a closer look."

At his gesture, the knights held back the remaining crowd of peasants who still lingered near the perimeter, eager for another chance to step upon the marvel within. The Duke and his daughter strode forward together, boots crunching in snow, and passed into the threshold of the house.

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Warmth greeted them instantly, radiating not from a single fireplace, but from beneath their very feet. The floor itself carried heat, gentle and steady, unlike the erratic blaze of a hearth. Aria paused mid-step, her eyes widening.

"It feels as if the earth itself is breathing warmth upward," she whispered, astonishment plain on her face.

"Because it is!" the head mason replied eagerly, a craftsman's pride thick in his voice. "Please, allow me to show you." He gestured for them to follow as he crouched down, his hands brushing the floor as if introducing an old friend.

Kevin and Aria exchanged a glance before stepping forward, their boots tapping against the polished stone tiles. The heat was even, gentle enough not to scald, yet steady enough to banish the icy bite that clung to their cloaks.

"You see, my lord, my lady," the mason began, "the system works by channeling smoke and hot air beneath the floors. Instead of letting the fire's warmth rise and vanish into the rafters as with a traditional hearth, we trap it and guide it."

He beckoned them toward a small, square iron hatch at the side of the wall. With a grunt, he unlatched it, and the faint roar of fire greeted their ears. "Here lies the stove. You light your fire here as you would normally, but instead of escaping straight up a chimney, the smoke and heat are drawn through long flues carved beneath the floor."

He traced the path with his hand, as though the invisible lines were right before them. "The hot air flows under the stone, warming it evenly. The stone, in turn, warms the room. The smoke continues traveling until it finally escapes through smaller chimneys placed on the far sides of the house."

Kevin knelt down despite the stiffness in his knees, pressing a calloused palm to the floor. The warmth seeped steadily into his skin. "It's constant," he muttered. "No fluctuations… no cold drafts when the fire dies down."

"Exactly, my lord," the mason said, his grin widening. "The stones hold the heat long after the flames have died. Even in the middle of the night, when the fire has dimmed, the rooms stay warm. Families will not need to wake every few hours to stoke the hearth."

Aria's eyes sparkled with realization. "Then this system doesn't just warm better: it saves wood, saves flowers, saves lives. The peasants won't have to spend all their coins on fuel when the blizzards drag on."

The mason nodded vigorously. "Yes, my lady. A single fire here can heat an entire floor. And, if connected properly, it can warm multiple rooms at once. We've already tested with three families spending the night within these walls: they woke comfortable, while outside, the storm had frozen water pails solid."

He led them to the back of the house, where one of the small chimneys jutted up from the snow. Thin white smoke trickled upward, proof of the system's hidden lungs. "The draft pulls the air naturally through the flues. It keeps the fire burning steady, no choking, no smoke trapped inside. And if one chimney blocks, the others still allow the air to flow."

Kevin inhaled deeply, his battle-hardened shoulders relaxing in a way they had not for weeks. "So simple… yet so revolutionary. Ravenna, you truly are your mother's daughter."

The mason bowed low, smoke-stained hands folded before him. "And with this system, my lord, my lady, our people will not freeze this unnatural winter rage. The warmth of the earth itself will be theirs."