The two weeks following his birthday celebration passed in controlled chaos that made Raze question whether administrative duties were more exhausting than actual combat. Each day brought new obligations, new decisions requiring judgment he was still developing, and constant reminders that governing territory was far more complex than simply issuing orders.

Logan had organized his schedule with ruthless efficiency, meetings stacked throughout each day addressing everything from infrastructure project approvals to resolving minor disputes between merchants. The steward's organizational capabilities were proving invaluable, his methodical nature transforming overwhelming responsibility into manageable sequences of discrete tasks.

The Dragonheart Knights had grown to twenty members under Oziel's uncompromising standards, each warrior vetted thoroughly before receiving the house crest. Their presence throughout Castle Town provided security while also establishing a visible symbol of Raze's authority. People noticed when knights bearing his colors patrolled the streets, the psychological impact as significant as the actual protection they provided.

Sophie continued thriving at the academy, her natural charisma making her increasingly popular among the other students. She returned home each evening with stories about her classes and the various noble children she was befriending, Mittens coiled around her shoulders through everything.

Fedora visited regularly, their betrothal providing an excuse for spending time together that protocol might otherwise restrict. They'd walk the estate grounds discussing his upcoming domain visits, her advice proving valuable as someone who'd observed governance her entire life.

The manor construction in Clearwater was progressing ahead of schedule, the building's framework now complete and interior work beginning. Logan reported the contractors were performing exceptionally, motivated by a combination of adequate funding and recognition that disappointing Count Dragonheart would have professional consequences.

Now, as Raze stood in his study reviewing the latest reports, Logan appeared with expression suggesting something significant required his attention.

"Count Dragonheart, we need to discuss the domain visits," Logan said, settling into the chair across from Raze's desk. "Specifically, the logistics of visiting fourteen towns in two months while also resolving disputes and assessing each region's needs."

"I'm aware the timeline is ambitious," Raze replied, setting down the document he'd been reading. "But necessary if I'm going to govern effectively before leaving for Elmbridge Academy."

"Agreed," Logan confirmed. "Which is why I'm proposing we consolidate certain activities. Specifically, I recommend we gather all fourteen town heads and their various village representatives simultaneously in Clearwater for initial round table discussion."

Raze considered the suggestion, recognizing its strategic value. Clearwater was centrally located within his domain, the new manor would be completed enough to host such gathering, and having everyone present simultaneously would allow addressing collective concerns efficiently.

"Explain your reasoning," Raze said.

Logan pulled out his ever present notebook, flipping to a page covered in detailed notes. "Individual town visits are necessary for understanding each region's specific challenges. However, many issues transcend individual locations. Resource allocation disputes, trade route management, coordinated infrastructure projects. These require input from multiple towns simultaneously."

He continued, brown eyes tracking across his documentation. "Additionally, gathering all town heads demonstrates your commitment to collective governance rather than isolated management. It establishes precedent for regular coordination meetings, creating a framework for ongoing communication between regions."

"You mentioned they should bring village representatives as well," Raze observed, recalling the initial proposal.

"Yes," Logan confirmed. "Each town oversees multiple smaller villages. Those communities are often overlooked in governance discussions despite being the foundation of your domain's population and economy. Including their representatives ensures a comprehensive understanding of your territory's actual conditions."

The logic was sound, though Raze recognized the gathering would be a substantial undertaking. Fourteen town heads plus representatives from however many villages existed throughout his domain could easily exceed fifty people.

"Where would we host this?" Raze asked.

"The new manor in Clearwater," Logan replied immediately. "The main hall is large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably, and holding it there establishes the building as the administrative center of your domain. Symbolically significant."

"When?"

"Two weeks from now," Logan said. "That provides adequate time for invitations to reach all towns, allows them to coordinate with their villages about representation, and gives contractors time to complete the manor's main hall even if other sections remain unfinished."

Raze nodded slowly, mind working through implications. "This addresses one challenge. What about visiting each town individually after the round table?"

"That's where the second proposal becomes relevant," Logan said, expression shifting to show he was particularly pleased with this next suggestion. "We have a problem beyond just visiting towns. The Dragonheart Knights currently number twenty, which is inadequate for territory this size."

"Oziel's mentioned that," Raze confirmed. "He's been advocating for expanding to fifty members."

"Fifty would be an appropriate long term goal," Logan agreed. "But recruiting thirty additional qualified warriors is challenging. Oziel's standards are appropriately high, which means most applicants are rejected. We need larger pool of candidates to identify sufficient talent."

"How do we create a larger pool?"

Logan's expression shifted into something approaching satisfaction. "We host a tournament."

The suggestion landed with weight that made Raze pause. Tournaments were common in this world, both as entertainment and as recruitment tools. Offering substantial prizes would attract warriors from across the region, creating exactly the kind of large applicant pool Oziel needed for selective recruitment.

"Elaborate," Raze said.

"We announce open tournament in Clearwater, timed to coincide with the round table gathering," Logan explained. "Top prize of five hundred gold for first place, plus hundred gold each for positions two through ten. That's significant enough to attract serious competitors."

"That's fifteen hundred gold total in prizes," Raze calculated. "Plus organizational costs."

"Within your budget easily," Logan replied. "And the return on investment is substantial. We're not just looking at the top ten finishers. Oziel can observe everyone who competes, identifying talented individuals regardless of their final placement. Someone eliminated in early rounds might still possess qualities valuable for the knight order."

Raze leaned back in his chair, processing the proposal. A tournament would accomplish multiple objectives simultaneously. Recruitment for the knights, entertainment for the domain's population, demonstration of his house's wealth and status, and opportunity to personally observe combat capabilities of warriors throughout his territory.

"The town heads would attend the round table," Raze said, thinking through logistics. "Which means they'd also witness the tournament. That's an additional benefit, showing them we're actively building military force to protect the domain."

"Exactly," Logan confirmed. "It demonstrates commitment to security while also providing spectacle that generates goodwill. People enjoy tournaments, and hosting one establishes your house as a patron of martial excellence."

"What about the practical concerns?" Raze asked. "Arena construction, managing the competitors, ensuring fights don't result in unnecessary casualties."

"Clearwater has an existing arena from when Lord Venn occasionally hosted events," Logan replied. "It requires repairs but nothing extensive. We can have it ready within two weeks. Managing competitors is straightforward if we establish clear rules and have adequate referees. Oziel can oversee that aspect."

"Casualties?"

"Cultivation techniques allow healing most injuries that aren't immediately fatal," Logan said. "We'll have healers present, establish rules prohibiting lethal techniques, and ensure Oziel or other senior knights can intervene if matches become dangerous. Standard tournament precautions."

Raze stood, moving to the window overlooking his estate's grounds. Bephe sat nearby, the small apex predator's visible heart pulsing steadily as amber eyes tracked his bonded human's contemplation.

The proposal was ambitious but achievable. Round table gathering with all town heads and village representatives, simultaneous tournament to expand the knight order, all hosted in Clearwater to establish the new manor as his domain's administrative center.

Two weeks to organize everything. Not much time, but Logan wouldn't have proposed it if he didn't believe it was feasible.

"Do it," Raze said, turning back to face his steward. "Both proposals. Coordinate with Oziel about tournament specifics, send invitations to all town heads with instructions to bring village representatives, and ensure the manor will be ready to host everyone."

Logan was already making notes, his organizational mind clearly having anticipated approval. "I'll begin arrangements immediately. The invitations will go out today via message crystals to ensure rapid delivery. Oziel and I will coordinate about tournament rules and structure."

"What about the prize money?" Raze asked. "When do we need that prepared?"

"I'll arrange with the treasury for appropriate funds to be transferred to Clearwater," Logan replied. "Having the gold physically present during prize distribution adds impact. People want to see five hundred gold coins, not just receive a promise of future payment."

"Anything else I need to decide now?"

"Entry requirements for the tournament," Logan said. "Do we restrict it to your domain's residents, or allow anyone to compete?"

Raze considered briefly. "Open entry. We want the largest possible pool of talent, and attracting competitors from beyond our borders demonstrates confidence. Plus it allows comparing our domain's warriors against outside competition."

"That will increase participation significantly," Logan observed. "Word will spread to neighboring territories quickly once we announce."

"Good," Raze replied. "Let them come. If someone from outside my domain wins, they've earned it. And it still serves our recruitment purposes regardless of where competitors originate."

Logan stood, notebook clutched efficiently. "I'll coordinate everything. You'll need to prepare remarks for the round table gathering, but we have two weeks for that. I'll provide briefing materials about each town and their current priorities."

"One more thing," Raze added. "The tournament should have tiers based on cultivation rank. Mixing Novice cultivators with Expert ranks creates pointless mismatches."

"Agreed," Logan said. "We'll establish divisions. Novice, Apprentice, Expert, and Master ranks competing separately. That increases the number of prizes we award but provides more opportunities for identifying talent across different development levels."

"Multiply the prize structure by four then," Raze said. "Each tier gets the same prize distribution. That's six thousand gold total instead of fifteen hundred, but it's worth it for comprehensive recruitment."

Logan's expression showed surprise that quickly transformed into approval. "That's generous. It will also generate substantial goodwill when word spreads about the prize amounts."

"Generosity has strategic value," Raze replied. "People remember when nobility treats them fairly. That translates into loyalty that gold alone can't purchase."

The steward departed to begin implementation, leaving Raze alone with his thoughts. Six thousand gold was significant expenditure, but Logan was right about the return on investment. Expanding the knight order was necessary for governing his territory effectively, and hosting tournament that attracted this much attention would establish his house's reputation.

The next two weeks would be critical for preparation. Logan would handle logistics with his usual efficiency, but Raze needed to prepare for the round table gathering. Meeting all his town heads simultaneously while addressing village representatives required understanding their concerns comprehensively.

He spent the remainder of that day reviewing Logan's documentation about each town, absorbing details about populations, economies, ongoing disputes, and infrastructure needs. Millbrook's agricultural focus, Thornhaven's mining operations, each region possessed distinct characteristics requiring specific governance approaches.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.