"Lord's Right? What is this law?" Sean frowned at Henry.
Henry explained, "It requires peasants to pay 20 gold on their wedding day—or surrender their bride to the lord for the first night. Half of Lane's nobles enforce this right of first night."
Sean's mind raced. right of first night—a term he recognized, but here it was monetized. For a peasant earning 3–4 gold monthly, 20 gold equaled half a year's wages.
"Do the subjects support this??"
Henry nodded. "Heavy taxes deter divorce. Peasants praise it as promoting family stability."
Sean recoiled. Brainwashed compliance. After a long pause: "We'll abolish it. There are better ways to raise funds."
…
Henry moved to logistics:
Castle windows: Use cheap oak planks instead of glass.Tapestry: Suggested importing an expensive Anjouan "Arras" tapestry.
Sean dismissed both. Prioritize practicality
During this time, Sean also learned a lot about castles and construction territories, but for some reason, his experience points did not increase at all.…
At the residence, Henry reported: "Lucky Matthew awaits in the dining hall. Lunch is served."
…
Sean found Matthew—a silver-haired man in humble linen, a black-and-white cat perched on his shoulder. The cat clung to him like glue, even as he bowed with an unorthodox greeting.
"Count Rivers speaks highly of your luck," Sean said.
Matthew shrugged. "I observe, I plan, I survive."
Over lunch, Sean probed: "You say you have a lot of experience,Then do you know why the Elven Kingdom sever trade?"
"Black Death," Matthew replied. "A plague 100 years ago killed 23 million in Anjou and Lane—one-third of humanity. Elves closed borders to avoid infection.The century-long religious war between the Church of Holy Light and the Church of Earth God was also forced to come to a halt."
Sean feigned interest. Black Death's impact on the Church could be critical.
…
As they ate, Sean studied the cat. How does it stay balanced? Despite Matthew's animated gestures, the feline never faltered. Magic? Or pure skill?