CHAPTER 269: IMPATIENCE

As usual, Pops was expecting him when Dominic arrived at the door to the forge.

"You have the look of a man on a mission. What’s so important that you want to start it so late in the evening?" The old Dwarf asked.

"You’ve got a point. This can likely wait for tomorrow. I was thinking that I should level the road to the Baronies, and then transform it to stone, so we have good roads within at least the local region."

Pops laughed. "You always want to do things the moment that you have the idea. But let’s go back and have dinner, then you can arrange for one of the staff or a farmer to drive the tractor tomorrow.

You’ll still get the work done before anyone even realizes that they need it, but you don’t have to work all night."

Pops spent a few minutes putting tools away and then gestured toward the manor.

"Let’s go get dinner. Beth said it would be ready just before dark."

Pops was right, dinner was about to be served when they got back to the house, and the house staff had made subtle but noticeable changes that made the place feel a bit more their own.

They had changed out the curtains for ones in the Cygnia blue and gold, there was a new carpet in the sitting area, and the dishes that they were setting out were from the Princess’ collection, not what came with the house.

"Just in time. I thought that you were going to waste all night doing busy work again." Alexis greeted them when she saw the pair walk in the door.

Pops laughed and Dominic shrugged. "I thought about it, but Pops set me right."

"What was it this time?" Alexis replied.

"Roads to the Baronies. They need to be levelled and preferably improved so that we can easily move people and goods." Dominic explained.

"Oh, that’s easy. Just have one of the farm boys run the tractor, and get a Techno Wizard to help. They have the spell to create stone roads, and they’re not particularly busy. A bit of paid work from the Duchy will be a big help to their pockets." Alexis informed him with a smile.

"What would I do without wise people to stop my impulsive ideas?" Dominic joked.

Alexis laughed quietly, while Pops smirked at him.

"I think that we already know what you get up to when you’re left unsupervised, don’t we? Trust in the system. We’ve got so many people here now that there is no need for you to do everything yourself.

In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if there was more than one of the villagers who could claim a magical trade, but isn’t working at one right now.

If you put out hiring posters on the board in town the next time that you need work done, you might find some hidden gems." Pops suggested.

They had gotten an entire village, Dominic realized. Most of them hadn’t opened shops, but there were a few new ones being prepared.

Everyone sat as the staff brought out the food, and Dominic noticed new cuts and bruises on the maids’ hands.

"I see that you’ve started combat training already." He noted.

"Indeed. They were all willing, so we started staff training today while the villagers started training to form the defence force.

They have potential, but it will still take significant time to get them all up to an acceptable standard. I might have to trouble you to make them some suitable equipment as well.

We can’t have maids going about carrying swords openly, and I don’t have any more storage rings." Alexis replied.

Pops nodded. "A good knife does wonders. I know just the sort of thing that they need until we can start getting them more advanced magical items as part of their uniform.

We’ve attracted quite a few good people to town, but no mage tower yet.

Though, I do have a few questions about how we’re going to deal with all the people. If this keeps up, Wistover will become a proper small city before long, and the Duchy is quite small for the title.

It may get to the point where we’re going to have to start expanding settlements right to the edges of the granted territory before the end of the two-year probationary period."

Alexis frowned. "There can’t be that many people looking to move. Our estimates said that once the Dagos Nobles were gone, there wouldn’t be more than two or three thousand total displaced residents in Stansia Province."

Pops gave Dominic a meaningful look. "It’s not so much about how many people are forcibly displaced without anywhere to rebuild a home.

It’s more about him, and how many people will rally to the Wavemates name.

My guess is that there are a few thousand in each city, mostly the old military families, who will be looking to move to the Duchy to start over.

They’re not displaced, but they don’t want to be where they are."

Dominic nodded. "He has a point. More than one of the families that have come so far only left home because they were coming here. Once the Merchant’s Guild spreads the word of our arrival across the Province, we’re going to get a lot more people, and we’re going to get them fast."

Julio tapped the table to get their attention. "If I might, it won’t just be residents from Stansia Province and the three cities that will want to return.

After the invasion, the mage towers scattered into West Keria and Chip. Some of those mages will want to come back as well. This region apparently has particularly rich mana, and they would have stayed if it were safe.

Plus, there are still nomadic refugees in Abridge, even after a decade. Many of them will want to return, and Axbridge will be happy to see them gone."

Alexis frowned. "So, you’re saying that we’ve got thousands of potential new residents just waiting on news to reach them? Residents who only plan to return because it is specifically our Duchy they’d be returning to?"

The Castellan nodded. "Plus the tens of thousands who want to return to their old homes elsewhere in the province, of course."