Adoption at Retirement Home

(Year 232, Winter) What? A child adopted to live at a retirement home? Well, perhaps the story is less weird than you might think. It was not an elderly lodger who adopted the child, but the live-in Manager. And, the adoption is now pushing the Manager to quit her job.

Tammy Oaksdale comes from Gloomville, and will now return to the family nest at Willow Field.

Tammy Oaksdale (44) has been working at the Bon Voyage Retirement Home at Upperton in Gloomville, ever since the retirement home opened its doors a decade ago. She has her own little apartment there, and her job is to cook for the lodgers and to make sure the place is tended to. She used to be in a relation, but they sort of split when her boyfriend moved to run a small farm in Henford-on-Bagley. The idea was that Tammy should follow him, but instead she got the manager job in Gloomville, the district where they both grew up.

A pledge from the Butler Academy

(Year 232, Winter) The Butler Academy, located at Mirage Park in Del Sol Valley, is the most successful of our many private high schools. Founded in Year 136 this boarding school is clearly the oldest, but it is also winning both ranks: Most A graduatees and Most popular. The school still offers classes that were requested by Aristocracy generations ago, but with a few extras. Students no longer become butlers, cooks, maids and governesses, alone. Bartenders and Nectar makers might study here as well. Culinary chefs aiming for restaurants are welcomed, too.

Principal Abraham Golden in his office at the Butler Academy.

Not every student aims to serve a higher ranked House. No, these days even some studies there to prepare themselves for administrating the House they some day will be the Head of. However, times are changing, and the school's Principal Mr. Abraham Golden can tell us more.

Royal Palace Office Announcement

(Year 232, Winter) Early this week Royal Palace Office (RPO) called for an important press announcement in three days. Speculations have been going all over the place. Someone even suggested that an early engagement involving HRH Crown Princess Emireza could be the issue. But no, it turned out to be about the ongoing cultural conflict between Mazaloom kingdom and Empire of Snorthia.

HRM King Tarriot and Royal Chief Attendant Ms Maiden in the King's office.

HRM King Tarriot (64) and Royal Chief Attendant Miss Patrica Maiden (51) met the press. Maiden opened by giving a brief introduction to the well known conflict. Talking about the innocent event where she was seeing the exhibited painting "Moon Liza", just to reveal that the portrayed woman was indeed Miss Maiden's own late mother, Limia (Oceanus) Maiden. Emperor Orchor of Snorthia got furious as the painting was their very old heirloom seen as a national treasure, now exposed to be only one generation old. He claimed that the entire empire was deeply offended. It did not help much that Limia turned out to be a Princess of Sea, actually sister of their current King. At young age she broke with her royal family to rather dedicate her life to acting.

- My mother was a very shy actress not wanting any attention to her own person, and she died from embarrasment when papparazzis noticed her, drowning her with their blitz rain. Unfortunately, she dragged even more unwanted attention to herself by falling to the ground right on Judith Ward's fame brick at Starlight Boulevard.

Miss Maiden then introduced King Tarriot. He explained that Grand Marshal Robert Calves, President Rob Wilder and himself have been searching a peaceful end to the two years long splitting conflict. The King has reached out to Emperor Orchor of Snorthia on multiple occasions, and now there has finally been some response!

The Wealthiest Man and his Heirs

(Year 232, Winter) The wealthiest man of Mazaloom kingdom is not the King, and not even of high nobility. It is of course Mr Malcolm Landgraab Lord Cacti (79) who is not getting any younger by the years. He will have to pass on his wealth eventually, and unless he decides to involve specific heirs according to a not yet known testament, his 3 sons, twins Buffrey and Geophold (13) and Ruperty (8) will share the extreme fortune of more than §8,000,000. Although Landgraab Science Lab is known for experimenting with and modifying lifeforms, there is probably no way yet to add years to an old man's life - not even if he can pay generously.

With a testament, there can be one favored heir getting up to 50% of the value, meaning one son might get half of the fortune before the other half is shared equally between the 3 of them. But, who would be the favored one? One son is naturally the oldest, but because the two oldest are twins they might be seen as equally old. Perhaps their efforts in school will decide?