Chapter 332: With Help
Dominic jogged back to the clearing near the Manor to greet the airships as they landed.
"Your Grace, the seventeenth Royal Infrastructure Group has been dispatched to assist Wistover in preparing for imminent diplomatic meetings. A multi nation meeting has been scheduled, and your town has been selected for the honour." The leader of the group declared the moment he saw Dominic.
"Ah, I was aware of that. Prince George of Mitfield is here already, as he wished to spend some time visiting with Princess Alexis.
We have been working on town planning, so that the new buildings don’t cause too much traffic chaos. Please do follow me inside, and I will explain it all over coffee.
We grow and roast our own here, you see." Dominic replied.
The Engineer smiled, an expression that turned his whole face into a mass of wrinkles.
"Oh, now that is most wonderful news. I did pack good coffee from home, but there is nothing quite like a freshly roasted cup. What part of the new construction are your lads working at now? I will send some mages over to assist them." He asked.
"I am having them build a convention centre, that will double as the Adventurer’s Guild House when it’s not in use for political meetings. One tall level, with rooms above for dignitaries and adventurers.
But as they’ve sent so many of you, perhaps I can prevail upon you to assist with rebuilding the damaged houses in town?
We’ve started, but we’re short on manpower, you see."
"Of course, Your Grace. What is your vision for the village? A quaint Wavemates landholding?" The old man asked.
Dominic shook his head. "Traditional styling, over the most advanced magitech city in the world. We’re building from scratch, so we’re going all out. The apartments just went up, and we’ve got magitech pumps for constant running water, hot showers, magitech toilets and fireplaces for cooking.
There are no conventional appliances or need for wood or coal fuel anywhere in town, except a few of the tractors.
That is how we’d like to keep it, even on bachelor apartments and worker residences.
The large structure behind you is the new factory. We will be turning out magitech fireplace inserts and lamps soon. They’re just doing a run of canning jars for the farmers now."
The engineer looked impressed. "I must say, I hadn’t expected such vision. Wavemates often preferred the old magics, so I had expected witch charms hung everywhere, and little technology."
"We’ve got witches of the traditional and the garden variety as well. But that’s for medicine and crops. The Duchy purchased a number of steam tractors, so our farmers can work larger portions of land.
The cost will be taken from our portion of their tithe, naturally. The increase in productivity is more than worth the investment.
What else was there?
Right, Stone streets. I don’t want any dirt roads within Wistover, and we will have stable facilities for horses as far from the town itself as feasible."
The Engineer nodded. "Alright. I think that I can make that work. Let’s see those plans."
They waited as another half dozen older mages came over before Dominic led them into the Manor, and to the smaller sitting room, as the two Royals were still chatting in the lounge, completely engrossed in their conversation.
Everyone quietly examined the city plan that Dominic and Alexis had made while planning their developments, and began to split up work.
"You sound like you plan to be here for some time." Dominic noted.
The Engineer shrugged. "Well, typically these sorts of infrastructure projects are on a three-year timeline. The planning stage often takes the full first year, then we need to relocate farmers and shops to redevelop everything."
Dominic nodded. "I don’t intend to change the town centre at all. It’s already quite advanced, and I like the style. However, we can build in a more modern way around it. The farms don’t reach the village, a precaution made by the previous inhabitants against conflicts between livestock and residents.
That gives us a large clear zone on this side of the river, but the other side is heavily farmed.
If we expand past the Manor into old Cygnia, there are no farms at all, and very few hunters. This portion is strictly off limits for development. Those woods must remain as they are.
Other than that, we can expand the town as much as needed."
"That works. If we put teams two and three on the rebuilding of the damaged houses, team four can help with the new meeting building.
There are Royal Standards for magical protections to be placed on the building so that they are secure while official meetings are being held." He explained.
"I had intended to have the envoys meet in an expanded portion of the Manor itself, while the Officers met in the secondary building." Dominic explained.
"Oh? Splitting them up, so that spies are under the impression that the Idle Nobles are idling, while the political officers do all the hard work?" The old man asked.
Dominic shrugged. "They might be right. For all I know, the envoys that they send might just be figureheads here to entertain each other with updates from their officers while I play host."
"I believe that is supposed to be an inside thought, Your Grace."
He wasn’t wrong, but you certainly were not supposed to say that part out loud.
Dominic took out the plans for the expansion of the Manor.
"This is what I would like. Four new guest suites, an expanded ballroom, more offices, and an expansion of the basement cold storage area. Having frozen meat is better than cured or dried, if you’re making fancy dishes for the Nobles, and don’t want to rely on the day’s hunt."
The Engineer frowned, then nodded. "Are you set on this design?"
"No. It’s just what we came up with as a practical solution to the situation. However, if you intend to change the interior theme, you should speak with the Princess. She is the one who chose it."