The gear of the machines (1)

 Over the course of the four days that followed the grand reward ceremony, the nobles who had gathered at the palace gradually departed to return to their respective lands. Their primary purpose was to witness firsthand the extent of the damage inflicted by the lengthy war that had recently come to an end. It was a solemn and necessary duty, to restore their lands to prosperity once again 

Upon reaching their lands, most of the nobles were met with a sobering reality. The scars of war were evident everywhere they looked. Villages and towns bore the marks of conflict, with damaged buildings and ruined fields caused by the oppressive taxation, which led many farmers to not be able to buy enough grain seeds for that autumn .