Still, Michael wasn't without options.
In fact, he had already come up with three potential solutions.
The first was the most obvious—ask for assistance from Duke Evermoon.
Michael grimaced at the thought of this.
It wasn't that he hated the Duke. On the contrary, the man had been fair, even generous. But the reason Michael had chosen Thornvale was because of its distance from the capital. He wanted freedom—room to grow and act independently.
Asking for help now might deepen their ties.
And while that wasn't inherently bad, it also meant more attention.
Michael was already satisfied with the current relationship. He wasn't eager to promote it unless needed.
The second solution was to dip into his personal wealth.
Michael still had a little over five million gold coins.
It was more than enough to get Thornvale back on its feet.
This option was far more appealing. He controlled it, and he could allocate resources however he wished.