The bustle of New Year's Day vanished from the streets of the Gray Marsh Fief as swiftly as the ebbing tide.
A fresh round of work took its place.
Miport, the Lord's Manor, the study.
Veylin was reviewing a report on the spring road-building project when Kale walked in.
He gently placed a roll of parchment sealed with wax beside Veylin's hand.
"From the Church."
Veylin set down his report and picked up the parchment.
He broke the seal. The handwriting was neat.
The contents were simple. The Church of the Lord of Everglory planned to send a new bishop to the Lionheart Count's Fief in northern Sabertooth Province, intending to exploit the local famine and gradually undermine the count's secular authority through "miracles" and food aid.
It listed in detail the Church personnel responsible and their route, and instructed Fabian to cooperate.
Veylin finished reading without any change in his expression.
He handed the parchment to Tristan, who was waiting nearby to deliver his report.
"Find a reliable channel and 'accidentally' sell this to the count. You can set the price a little higher. I imagine he'll be quite happy to pay for his fief's security."
Tristan took the parchment, glanced over it, and put it away.
"Understood."
A pawn who had only just surrendered had immediately proved his worth.
Such efficient use of resources gave Tristan a deeper understanding of Veylin's methods.
Quiet settled over the study once more.
After Kale left, Tristan drew a thick report from his stack of files and placed it before Veylin.
"My lord, this is the preliminary proposal for reforming the fief's civil administration."
Veylin turned toward him, his interest visibly greater this time.
He picked up the report and quickly leafed through it.
Tristan stood quietly to one side without interrupting.