Louis had barely slept since returning to Red Tide City from Wheatwave Fief yesterday.
He had spent the night in Sif's room making up for his neglected marital duties, then headed straight for the administrative hall before dawn.
He arrived at the Administrative Center and pushed open the heavy door to his office. A familiar atmosphere greeted him.
Bookshelves lined the entire room, reaching all the way to the ceiling.
Parchment scrolls, household registers, and tax ledgers stood in neat rows, sorted by color and number. Decrees and blueprints were filed by date and placed within easy reach, allowing anyone to find the information they needed in an instant.
Although he had been away for nearly a month, the office remained spotless. Clearly, someone had been assigned to clean it every day.
This was the heart of Red Tide Fief, and the future heart of the Northern Frontier.
The instant Louis settled into the high-backed chair, a rather melodramatic line came to mind: Red Tide Fief, your king has returned.
Hanging before his seat was an enormous map of the southeastern Northern Frontier, covering almost an entire wall.
Wooden markers crowded the map, each representing a settlement, newly reclaimed field, mining area, or river.
Red marked important storage sites, blue marked residential districts, and small golden flags marked newly established territorial boundaries.
Now, bright flags filled it in patch after patch, giving Louis a considerable sense of accomplishment.
"You're back." Bradley had already been waiting for some time.
The old man looked much as he always had, though a trace of exhaustion lingered around his eyes.
Louis nodded lightly. "It's been a while, Bradley. Thank you for all your hard work."
The old man gave a butler's bow. "Not nearly as much as yours, my lord."
Their eyes met, and