The Kingmaker System

A week had passed since Alys started living at Ryujin Mansion. The days blurred together in a whirlwind of responsibilities, and I hadn’t yet found the time to meet with Silas to secure her an entry into the Mage’s Tower. It wasn’t that I had forgotten—it was simply that my newfound title demanded more of my attention than I had anticipated.

With my recent acquisition of new territory, I was obligated to oversee its condition and establish proper governance. On top of that, the workload piling up on my desk had only grown heavier. Delegating was an option, but the burden of responsibility always seemed to pull me back, ensuring that every decision, every document, had my final approval.

"Why don’t you get another aide? I’m dying!"

Roan’s voice carried a distinct whine as he dramatically slumped over the mountain of paperwork on his desk. I barely spared him a glance before sighing, rubbing my temples as I leaned back in my chair.

He wasn’t wrong.

"Have you trained anyone yet?" I asked, already expecting the answer.

Roan shot up, glaring at me as if I had personally wronged him. "Do I get enough time to actually go and train another person?" He snapped, throwing his hands in the air.

I exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Send a letter to my vassals. Ask for recommendations for the post."

At that, Roan perked up, his expression shifting into something resembling excitement. "How many will you recruit?"

"Two more." I resumed working, scanning over the documents before me.

"There are four vassals," Roan mused aloud. "Why not four?"