Lack of Labor

Fatty Shi hurried toward Lorist's study with a thick folder under his arm. A month had passed since Duke Kemais's last visit, and it was now November of 1786 on the Galintea Continent Common Calendar.

In a small office beside the study, Fatty Shi was pleased to see his second son, Frederid, copying a stack of official documents with a deeply troubled expression. He coughed twice, and only after Frederid looked up did he say, "Go announce that I've come to see His Highness..."

Frederid listlessly raised his eyebrows toward the study door. "Father, just go in yourself. His Highness said long ago that you don't need to announce yourself when you come..."

Fatty Shi immediately flew into a rage. "You insolent brat! I told you to announce me, so go announce me. His Highness was only being polite. As a subordinate, you need to understand the rules and know your place. Do you understand or not? Hurry up!"

Frederid grumbled as he got to his feet. "What a pointless formality. Can't you avoid troubling people? You act as if you're the only one who understands the rules..."

Soon, Frederid slipped out of the study and pulled open the door. "There, His Highness wants you to go in..."

Lorist was not alone in the study. Tagel, the Norton Family's chief intelligence officer, stood respectfully beside the desk.

"You're here? First, take a look at these intelligence reports sent back from the Imperial Capital." Lorist pointed to several documents on the desk as he spoke to Fatty Shi.

Fatty Shi set down his folder, picked up one of the documents on the desk, and read aloud, "His Majesty has decided to establish the Gale Sand Legion, with a full complement of forty-five thousand men, and plans to deploy it in Malivia