Hansel, his mind filled with all sorts of thoughts, walked to the main gate of the lord’s mansion.
The lord’s mansion in Lakeheart Town had just undergone some renovations…Lord Grayman had finally been willing to part with a sum of money to maintain his ancestral home.
The so-called lord’s mansion was actually a small castle, covering an area of about twenty mu. It was surrounded by a wall five to six metres high, and within stood a three-storey stone building, which was the residence of the successive Counts of Alda.
In the Northwest Bay of the past, pirates at sea and bandits on land were very common. There were also wars between lords, so owning a castle was standard for every lord.
A lord’s castle was often built in a perilous location, such as on a cliff; those without such geographical advantages would choose to dig a moat around their castle. Alda was uniquely blessed, having a large lake like Lake Weiss, and as it happened, a small island just a few dozen metres from the lake’s southern shore. Thus, the first Count of Alda had chosen to build his castle on this small island in the lake. His followers who had come to Alda with him also settled on the island, surrounding the castle, so that they could quickly take refuge inside it should an enemy land on the island.
This was the origin of Lakeheart Town.
Several hundred years had passed. Although the castle had been occasionally repaired, by the time Paul Grayman inherited his title, it had still accumulated many dilapidated areas. Broken bricks and stones could be seen everywhere, and sections of the castle walls had their facing bricks peeled away; all these things revealed the age of the structure.
A residence of this quality was clearly inconsistent with the status of the most powerful lord in the Northwest Bay. Thus, after repeated urgings from his people, the Lord of Alda finally spent a sum of money to renovate his home.
“Director Abbott!” The guard at the gate stamped his heel on the ground, saluting Hansel.
Hansel gave them a slight nod in response and then presented his entry pass…one had to carry this thing to enter the lord’s mansion now. The source of thɪs content is 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
The guard inspected it carefully, then stepped aside to clear the way. Hansel entered the castle gate. He followed a path paved with bluestone slabs to the entrance of the castle’s main keep. The courtyard was not large; from the third floor of the keep, one could see outside the castle.
During the renovation of the mansion, in accordance with Count Grayman’s wishes…it was either all or nothing…he had a separate two-storey building constructed in the formerly empty rear courtyard, near the northern castle wall, to serve as his personal quarters for rest and sleep. The original castle keep, meanwhile, was converted entirely into a place for the lord’s work and for receiving guests.
Hansel glanced up, his gaze fixing on the window in the very centre of the third floor. It was noticeably a size larger than the windows on either side. Inside was Count Grayman’s office. This so-called office was actually the castle’s original study. Paul spent his days there handling various tasks, occasionally summoning certain people in for a small meeting. His Lordship did not much care for running errands himself, not even to go to the meeting room he himself had established on the second floor. Only when the number of meeting participants was too large for his office would His Lordship, through his own formidable willpower, force himself to go to the meeting room on the second floor.
He wondered if they were going to the second or third floor today. Just as Hansel was muttering to himself, he came face to face with Count Grayman’s secretary…Sir Bernard Wood Francis.
Bernard was the person Hansel knew best in Lakeheart Town, and perhaps in the entire Northwest Bay, because it was Hansel who had recommended him to Paul. Back then, Count Grayman had been desperately searching everywhere for talented people to improve his administrative system. His definition of “talent” had even extended to anyone who was literate. It was under these circumstances that Hansel had brought Bernard to him.
Sir Francis, who came from a minor noble family in Crystal Shine and had made a living in the royal capital by copying books, possessed a powerful skill…a photographic memory. So, Paul had placed him by his side as his secretary. One of Sir Francis’s important jobs was to arrange Paul’s schedule. Whenever the lord had a sudden idea, he would shout, “Bernard, help me remember this. On such-and-such a day, I need to do so-and-so.” Sir Francis would then faithfully record the lord’s thoughts, and as the appointed time drew near, His Lordship would always receive a timely reminder.
Both hailing from Crystal Shine, having been acquaintances during their student days, and now serving under the same lord, the relationship between Hansel and Bernard was quite close.
“Good day, Bernard. The usual place after work?”
The two men greeted each other with a smile. Although their offices were now in different locations, they still kept the habit of going to a familiar tavern for a drink together every few days.
Hansel asked, “Who else is coming this time?”
Bernard replied, “The heads of nearly all the departments are coming.”
Hansel said, “Does that mean I have to go to the second floor?”
Bernard said, “Yes, you’re the first to arrive. Go on ahead and wait there.”
A mischievous smile appeared on Hansel’s face. “What are we discussing today? Can you give me a hint?”
If the Count were to bring up something related to his work, he would need to prepare his thoughts in advance.
Bernard shook his head and said, “This meeting was likely Lord Grayman’s spontaneous idea. I’m not sure either. However…”
“Lord Grayman has been troubled by the sharp decline in fiscal revenue these past few days. The discussion at the meeting will probably be about that. Alas, it’s all because of that damned war in Horn Bay.”
The Northwest Bay was now heavily dependent on maritime trade. The moment fighting broke out in Horn Bay, it felt as if the Northwest Bay had its throat seized. Maritime trade, and the various industries that relied upon it, provided a large share of the Administration Council’s tax revenue. Now, due to the war’s impact, this share of tax revenue was shrinking dramatically.
“Oh!” Hansel feigned distress. “Solving financial problems is just a matter of increasing revenue or cutting spending. I’ve long advised the Count to build fewer schools, repair fewer roads and reservoirs, or maybe get rid of that bunch of alchemist swindlers. Wouldn’t that save money?”
“Haha!” A wry smile appeared on Bernard’s face. “The very things you mentioned are what Lord Grayman values most.”
Hansel said, “If His Lordship doesn’t want to cut spending, then he’ll just have to think of ways to increase revenue.”
He became thoughtful, and the more he thought, the more likely it seemed.
He wondered which fat pig was going to get slaughtered.