At the Office

After one hour, the lunch ended, and Ernest and Hollen were escorted to another room, this time, alone with the King of Belfast.

They were in the office of the King.

The room was far less extravagant than the throne chamber and dining hall, yet somehow it felt even more imposing.

Tall bookshelves occupied an entire wall, filled with hundreds of leather-bound books and scrolls. Several maps of the kingdom hung neatly upon another wall, their edges marked with notes and pins. A large fireplace crackled softly despite the pleasant weather outside, and near the windows stood a massive desk made of dark oak, its surface covered with papers, reports, and sealed documents.

Ernest's eyes immediately noticed the maps.

Road networks.

Major rivers.

Provincial boundaries.

Ports.

Trade routes.

His engineer's mind immediately began examining them.