Dominic made notes on the important parts of staffing and the known status of the farms, then retired for the night, so he could get a good night’s sleep.
The next morning, he was ready to face the challenge with a fresh mind, and he even had coffee going before Pops got out of bed.
"They really are working you hard to earn the Princess’ hand. What is the project this time?" The old Dwarf asked.
"They gave us details of an abandoned Manor, then told us to find a way to get it rebuilt and providing for new residents within two years." Dominic explained.
"What have you thought of so far?" Pops asked.
"Well, it’s not that different in size from where I grew up. The number of farm houses is about half, there are no rural houses for the woodcutters and such, but the total workable farmland is about two thirds what I remember as a kid.
The Manor House is supposed to be abandoned, but inhabitable. So, I’m assuming that means in need of major repairs, but safe to live in while they’re being done.
So, what I came up with was just all the essential people from the village, then two thirds as many farmers.
Dozens of houses will need to be built, and all of them will need to be fixed. But if I can come up with a budget for that, and the proper staffing for the manor, I think we should be alright.
I do at least remember how many residents were at my Uncle’s Manor, so I’ve got some hope." Dominic explained.
"And some of the others are children of Barons, so they’ve lived in a situation all their lives. They just never had to build it from scratch." Pops agreed.
Dominic nodded. "Good point. It’s not entirely about the budget and how we manage the funding. Just like the last trial, the way you want to do it matters as much as whether it would work."
Pops patted him on the shoulder. "Now you’re getting it. Making the rebuilding process work is nothing more than what would be expected of any Noble. Doing it in a way that impresses both the Princess and the King is more important.
Don’t forget security. The King will want to know that you have a plan to keep the Princess safe, and that you can stand up to the political implications of being given a new peerage and title.
Trying to establish political power to keep your children from being pressured into marriage alliances that cost them their titles is one of the most important considerations for a Royal marriage.
The King isn’t going to stand for a weak Noble who would hand an extra peerage to a branch of some random family in a single generation. If the winner is a foreign Noble, this exercise won’t matter, as the Princess will be leaving the country, and the property will most likely be managed by a Steward.
But if it’s not, then this is likely to be the most important of the trials."
The door opened behind Dominic, and soft slippers marked the entry of a noblewoman into the room.
"Well spoken, Master Smith. I have been sent to assist the Lord Sorcerer. I suggested Lady Camilla, but that was deemed unseemly, as she was the Princess’ Tutor as well as Lord Dominic’s." Tutor Lucy declared.
"Miss Lucy. Please, join us. Would you like a coffee?" Dominic asked.
"Yes, coffee might be necessary today. The trials are on a much more accelerated schedule than is customary, so there is no time to waste." She agreed.
"Oh? What is the usual schedule?" Dominic asked.
"One month per trial. They’re not usually any more complex, but the King normally allows the suitors an entire month to form the perfect response to each question.
So, this sort of schedule is unprecedented, and the common belief among the Palace Nobles is that it is because the King wishes to make an announcement about the engagement along with the final signing of the armistice and reparations agreement." She explained.
"So, if all goes to plan, Dagos will publicly suffer their loss, the reparations order will be made, and rewards will be given to various Nobles, including the Princess and her groom." Dominic realized.
It would be a huge event for Cygnia, and it would draw dignitaries from many countries away.
The actual marriage would most likely be half a year later, so it could be done in the spring.
That was the custom for Royal Weddings.
But the announcement of the engagement and the awarding of whatever the groom was to be given would please the people.
She was a celebrity in the Capital, after all. An idol for young girls.
Dominic showed the Tutor the notes that he had made so far, going over the necessities of running a manor, everything that he remembered should be stocked in it, and then the staffing, and the likely items that would be needed by the farmers to get a crop the first year.
What he didn’t realize was that the Manor of an Earl of Wavemates, and his Royal family members, was far different from the average Cygnia Manor.
For one, Dominic had included multiple Techno Mages, Artificers, and other magic users into the staff as essential services.
But in Cygnia, such a thing was pure luxury for the higher Nobles, and incredibly expensive.
"You want a Techno Wizard as the maintenance man for the manor?" Tutor Lucy asked.
"Yes? Is that not how it is usually done? They fix what breaks within the house. There is a groundskeeper on the list, as well as maids, so it’s not like I’m asking a Techno Wizard to paint walls."
The Tutor smiled. "Alright, time to introduce you to Cygnia Common sense, introductory level for Dragonkin. Forge Master Pops, this might take some time, should we move the lesson, so you can prepare for your day?"
Pops just shook his head and had the maid serve them all breakfast.
"No, I think the forge will be alright without me for an hour. I would really like to know what goes through my Apprentice’s mind some days."