Tulip Castle.
It was a magnificent structure built halfway up a towering peak. After generations of tireless effort, the summit had long since been leveled, and Tulip Castle now sprawled at least five miles in both length and width.
It boasted not only a complete array of defensive facilities but also numerous beautiful gardens.
At that moment, Count August sat upright in the castle's council hall. The iron throne beneath him perfectly accentuated his commanding presence.
"Aldin, which other second son's civil official hasn't arrived yet?"
Seven men stood respectfully below the Count. They were the civil officials of the second sons participating in the performance contest.
But Count August clearly remembered ennobling eight vassal second sons last month.
"My lord, it's the second son of the Berick Family. His name is Nalant Berwick!" Aldin was already gloating inwardly. Anthony had been specifically assigned to deal with Nalant, and his lateness was surely deliberate.
"Wow, miss! That second son is so bold! The Count is waiting here, and his civil official is late!" At the same time, two women listened from a corner beside the Count's iron throne, hidden behind a pillar.
One of them was Miss Stella, the Flower of Tulip.
Today, Stella wore a white silk dress, her golden hair loose over her shoulders. Her blue eyes were as calm as still water. She looked unusually languid and alluring, a sight those young men would never have imagined.
If her father hadn't insisted, Stella wouldn't have attended such a boring meeting.
Her personal maid, Lina, however, was very interested. As soon as she heard this, she started chattering excitedly.
"The Berick second son? Then let's begin!" Count August nodded at the answer and said nothing more.
Among his vassals, Andrew Berick was the most valiant in battle. Out of consideration for him, August decided to ask about the matter afterward.
"Yes, my lord!" Aldin smiled subtly before addressing the seven civil officials below. "Go ahead and report on what the second sons have accomplished over the past month!"
"My lord, I'm Sir Billy Ryan's civil official. Last month, Greenwood Territory collected twenty thousand pounds of wheat in taxes from its serfs. After receiving the grain, Sir Ryan used it to pay commoners and serfs in the territory to clear wasteland. After more than ten days of work, the territory had gained over a thousand acres of farmland..."
"My lord, I'm Sir Deane Kirby's civil official. Last month, Highridge Territory collected nineteen thousand pounds of wheat in taxes. Sir Kirby used the grain to buy cattle and sheep. The territory now has ten dairy cows and thirty sheep..."
As the civil officials reported what the second sons had done over the past month, the Count seated above them nodded again and again.
Although all those newly enfeoffed had been vassals' second sons, they had all begun working to develop their territories to some degree.
The most impressive was Greenwood Territory, whose official had reported first. Its second son had been willing to use the tax grain to pay the people of his territory rather than abuse his power to force the serfs to work. That showed he cared for his people and understood what truly mattered for a territory's development.
"Miss, which of the second sons do you think has done the best?" Lina had listened intently to the civil officials' reports and immediately turned to her mistress. "Miss, I think the second son of Greenwood is the most impressive. He's cleared over a thousand acres of farmland in barely more than a month! His territory is sure to have a bumper harvest in autumn!"
"Lina, you seem very concerned about these second sons." Unlike her maid's excitement, Stella was rather uninterested. She hadn't even paid close attention to the officials' reports.
To be honest, Stella wasn't impressed by the vassals' second sons. She wasn't impressed even by some of their eldest sons and heirs.
It wasn't because she was conceited. She had met those vassals' eldest sons at banquets in previous years. Most were arrogant and full of empty talk. Many were already in their twenties, yet they were only Bronze Knights.
That could only mean one thing: the vassals' sons spent most of their time eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves instead of working hard to cultivate.
Though Stella was a woman, she had reached the rank of Silver Initial-Rank Knight through diligent cultivation.
"Um, no! Miss, Lina just... just..." Her face flushed scarlet at Stella's question.
The reason she was so excited was that she knew the Count was choosing a husband for her mistress... As Stella's personal maid, she would be by her side for the rest of her life, so the matter affected her greatly too...
"Is there anything else you would like to report?" Once all the civil officials had finished and submitted their written records, the Count asked in a solemn voice.
The second sons had only arrived in their territories a month ago, so there probably wasn't much else to report.
"My lord, Sir De'en asked me to deliver a small gift to Miss Stella!"
At the question, the civil officials realized the meeting was about to end and immediately brought out the gifts the second sons had prepared.
For the second sons, winning the performance contest wasn't the only way to prevail.
There was another, far more promising path: winning the favor of the Flower of Tulip. If they could make Miss Stella fall in love with them, they wouldn't need to worry about a baron's title. They might even win a viscount's title with ease.
So, for the very first monthly report, they had prepared gifts to please Miss Stella.
"Good. Tell the second sons that I'll pass them on to Stella." The Count nodded with satisfaction. Those second sons weren't so foolish after all. They knew his true intentions.
After ordering the servants to put the gifts away, the Count prepared to end the meeting.
"My lord! A man outside who claims to be the castle steward of Storm Territory wishes to see you."
Just then, a guard hurried in from outside and made his report.
"The lord of Storm Territory? Didn't Baron Doke die?" The Count was puzzled. Storm Territory's lord had last been appointed the previous year. After four lords had died, the Count had given up on that Land of Misfortune for good.
"My lord, the castle steward says his lord is named Nalant Berwick!" The guard didn't know what was going on and could only answer honestly.
"Nalant Berwick? Was he assigned to Storm Territory?" The Count could hardly believe his ears.
The civil officials below were all stunned as well.
To prevent any unfairness in the contest, the second sons' territories had only been revealed after they set out. Aside from Aldin, who had handled the assignments, no one else could have known.
"Aldin, what is going on?" Hearing the Berick Family mentioned again, the Count immediately frowned at his younger brother.
"My lord, I remember now. It seems Nalant really was assigned to Storm Territory. One of my servants recorded the wrong address! But by the time I found out, Nalant had already set out!"
"I've already punished the servant responsible for the mistake. He was sentenced to hanging."
Aldin hurriedly put on a fearful expression and explained.
"After such a mistake, why didn't you report it to me?" The Count glared at his younger brother.
"My lord, I meant to report it to you, but it was tax collection season for the first half of the year, and I got too busy and forgot! Aldin admits his mistake. Please punish me, my lord!" Aldin dropped to his knees.
"Hmph!" The Count frowned and snorted.
But Aldin was a count's younger brother in his own right. The Count couldn't do anything to him in front of so many people. In the end, August suppressed his anger and instructed the guard, "Bring the castle steward inside!"