The World Dragon's Heir

Chapter 552: Names Drawn

The dice rolled across the map, then abruptly turned and rolled back toward them, before turning again and settling to a stop only one territory separated from Abe’s new Potato farms.

Kirk shrugged. “Well, it looks good to me. There’s a large pond there, fed from the stream. We shouldn’t be short on water, at the very least.”

“It’s got good farm land, and the house is nice. But it’s also mostly wooded areas, so best prepare to find some woodcutters.”

Baron Kirk smiled. “And some craftsmen. My father was a shipbuilder, so plenty of trees works out well for me. I can start my own factory, or perhaps a repair shop for the airships.

I’m sure it will all work out in the end.”

The other Barons laughed at his laid-back interpretation of his future. But they had to admire his willingness to just go with whatever his wife picked by random chance, even if it was a Techno Witch magitech artifact choosing.

The specialization wasn’t known for making rational choices, so any device they came up with couldn’t possibly do much better.

Still, there weren’t any bad options.

All of the lands that were highlighted as options had at least a good Manor house, and a few decent houses for Knights, as well as arable land, and at least some access to water.

It might be a good well, or a creek, but there was some water.

That was not as urgent an issue for the people of Wistover Duchy as it would be elsewhere, as they could all afford to at least buy a magitech water supply, and most of the manor houses had a magitech shower, bath and sink in them anyhow.

But it was still good to have fresh water for the animals, and for all the other general purposes you didn’t want to expend magical energy on.

Name after name, Dominic continued to call the Barons up. After a few, it became clear that most of the men who had been promoted to Barons were also the highest ranking military officers, with only a few junior men among them.

They were all spreading out fairly evenly, likely for the chance to obtain more land in the future if they attained more military or political merits.

Interestingly, there didn’t seem to be any arguments about the properties, but after the first few, there was a distinct pattern.

The Barons were picking land not just based on the land itself, but also on who their neighbours were, though not in a way that suggested animosity.

Instead, they were choosing to be as close as possible to Barons who had specialties that were opposite their own so that they could trade directly, before the goods got to Wistover City and the Merchant’s Guild.

It would save them time and money in the long run, as they didn’t have to ship as far, and they would be able to trade directly.

Obviously, that made the sections of land with vineyards some of the first to be surrounded. But not long after that were the regions that were almost entirely treed. Dominic had ensured that there was enough cropland to feed the Baron and his people, but they would have remarkably few Knights under them.

Few Knights and Lords, few residents, but huge amounts of hunting grounds.

They would have to pick residents with skilled trades that didn’t need huge amounts of open land if they wanted to keep afloat. But they would have the best territories to host hunts.

“You know, this is the easy part. The real fight is going to start when you try to get three hundred freshly married young Noblemen settled into the territories.” Dax laughed as his wife socialized with Advisor Trionne.

Not of her own free will, if the expression on her face was anything to go by.

“Oh, I fully expect it. But more importantly, we’ve got refugees headed our way from all over Axbridge and the Kinewen region. If nobody objects, I would like to hold your weddings as soon as possible, so you can all get settled into your lands before they arrive.

They might not try to come into the city, depending on why they left and where they’re coming from.

But if they see you settled into the Manors and making a go of it, you should be able to pick the ones you’d like to stay nearby.” Dominic suggested.

Princess Min, Dax’s bride, turned eagerly to Dominic when she heard that.

“Oh, that would be wonderful. I was just telling the advisor that many of the Royal trappings can be skipped over, as far as I am from the throne in a branch family.

We can hold the ceremony tonight, and then tomorrow, we can pack up and get settled into our new home.”

Princess Alexis looked pained at the thought of setting up for a Royal Wedding in under ten hours. But the house was already mostly decorated anyhow, and only a few changes to the decor would be needed to get the venue ready for wedding ceremonies.

“We can hold the ceremony right before dinner. Let the others know that there will be no events inside the Manor today as we prepare. The rest of the ceremonies can be done starting the morning after.

Sorry gents, but Baron Dax will get a head start.”

“And the rest of us will get to escape before things really get chaotic. The minor Nobles and untitled sorts are ready to start the ceremonies at the Adventurer’s Guild, with the Priest in attendance.

They just need a titled Noble from the region, or a Royal Family member in attendance, to make it official.”

Dominic nodded. “I will make sure it all works out.”

Alexis smiled. “We’ve arranged for Billy Bob and Baron Keith to attend on alternating days. They’re the first two Barons to arrive in Wistover, and we will join them when the titled men are sorted.”

As the hosts, they had to be in attendance for the marriage of any Titled Noble living under their jurisdiction.

It was the only way to make things official without a Royal present, and asking Prince Alex to do it seemed excessive, when he had political matters to attend with the Envoys.