The World Dragon's Heir - Chapter 790: She Likes It Hot

Months passed in blissful peace, and Dominic found himself getting good enough at the duties of a Duke and Governor that he was no longer strapped for time every single day.

He knew most of what he was going to hear, and he could prepare for it in advance.

That alone saved him hours, as he didn’t have to scramble to get things done on time, and he could simply write out the plans for events as they happened.

The shipments to Dagos became routine, the supply of equipment became regular transactions without the need to balance everything against what Baronies hadn’t gotten anything yet.

It was all starting to come together.

So, when the announcement came that the summer holiday was a mandatory attendance event, and that every High Noble house was expected to send a representative, Dominic didn’t panic.

Alexis had been hinting for some time that she wanted to go see the rest of her family, and he gladly volunteered to stay here with their tiny monster.

A monster that had discovered the joys of cookies and other solid foods.

That had been a real change for Alexis, as it meant that she was no longer so closely tied to Katerina, who could now eat on her own, with the assistance of staff who were eager to please the winged tyrant.

Naturally, she took her Royal Guards and a few of the veiled maids with her, and the remaining Royal Guards prepared for someone to try to take advantage of the reduced military force within the Manor.

Dominic’s own Royal Guards were on high alert, and they even had a guard near the magitech controls for the Manor, just in case someone tried to circumvent the block on opening portals.

Only, the whole day passed, and the only visitors that the Manor had were Pops and Mead, who had both come for lunch.

“Just in case he was feeling lonely”, as Pops put it.

It was a nice thought, and Dominic even got to spend a bit of time in the forge again. But then duty called him back to the paperwork, as another airship was going out, and he needed to sign off on the arrival of a team from Axbridge for training.

That was becoming a regular occurrence as the airship factory became more practiced at their trade, and the rate that they were producing the vessels with the same manpower began to increase.

Currently, there were two teams waiting at the airship hanger to finish their training, and this would make a third, until the previously completed unit went to its new home.

That was pushing the amount of sleeping space they had near the airship hangars. There were two new Inns being constructed in town, and Dominic was fairly sure they were operational, but if they kept running out of space, he might have to look into it.

The second day of the event turned out even better for Dominic.

Right after breakfast, he took Katerina out to the forge, where they could be as loud as they wanted to, and his daughter could soak in the heat.

Every day, the girl was loving the warmth more and more, though she no longer shivered if she didn’t have her blanket wrapped around her. Dominic took that as a good sign, one that meant she was growing strong and healthy.

But nobody really knew what was normal for a dragonkin girl her age.

What Dominic did know was that despite her excellent hearing, the noise of the forge didn’t bother her, and she liked to sing along with the sound of the hammer as he worked.

And she didn’t get tired of it.

Not even when the nanny came in to feed her did she stop trying to sing along. In fact, she was so dedicated to it that Dominic had to stop and take lunch at the same time, or she wouldn’t get any food past her mouth.

Then, the moment that he started eating, she started eating.

No problems at all.

“I swear, this child is so much of a daddy’s girl that you’re never going to get her out of the house.” Pops joked as he came to check on the state of the forge.

“Well, at the moment, she is technically the only heir to the Duchy, so there really isn’t a good reason to have to kick her out, right? We can just find some Nobleman for her to boss around and let him marry into the family.”

Pops laughed and shook his head. “Why am I not surprised to hear that from you.

But I came here for a reason. Was there anything that you needed finished? We’ve finally got a few hours free this afternoon, and thought you might be behind on projects, given how much you’ve been kept busy with official stuff.”

Dominic waved his hand around the room at all the assorted parts and raw materials.

“There is nothing but unfinished projects here these days. Fortunately, I’ve managed to find someone to do all the necessary work, so everything that I’m doing in the forge is strictly a bonus. Something extra for the Duchy, as it were.”

“That’s not a bad way to be. Have you come up with anything good lately?”

Dominic shrugged. “Mostly, I’ve been doing some of the things that others find tiresome. The mage crystals for storing mana, spears and revolvers for the militiamen in the Baronies. That sort of thing.”

Pops turned toward the door and called out to someone.

“You hear that? That’s what happens when you become a Noble. They saddle you with work, and you have no time for fun stuff in the forge anymore. That’s why I’m not married.”

“Are you yelling at Beth or Mead?”

Pops laughed at the question. “Mead, of course. She’s been on lately about how great it would be to find out she’s secretly a Princess, the way that you found out you were a Prince.”

Dominic smiled at the girl who had just walked in the door.

“Being a Princess is much more overrated than being a Prince. Princes get to do fun stuff, and go on adventures with the army. Princesses get to argue with their father about being sold off into a foreign land to secure a marriage alliance.”

“Well dammit. Is there at least good liquor?”

“Probably not, if they’re marrying you off to a human.”