Draiss laughed as he shook his head. "No, can't think of anything else, other than inviting a few other, non-nobles to these councils. You saw Dragon's Roost's books? Most of the new ideas came from the citizens, I just gave them a chance to try things. Most of the nobles have stagnated, and need a good kick in the tail to get them out of their rut before it turns to true rot. That is how empires rot and collapse. Rulers and their nobles resting on the laurels of the past, especially when they rest on their ancestor's actions. Most of your nobles are doing that now, and it is up to the ruler to get them to stop. Of course, that might be too progressive to them, but..."<br/><br/>He paused, looking casually around, before nodding in satisfaction that they were alone. "The assassin's guild will not take multiple contracts out on an individual or group. So I purchased your entire family line's. Not going to use it, but that is some of that progressive thinking, hiring that guild to not work on people was a novel idea, though the thought of them having to fight me for not accepting it was enough of a deal maker. I defeated their grandmaster in solo combat, and kept my promise to return the weapon to them after a decade. They don't wish to suffer that humiliation again, or for it to become public either."<br/><br/>He didn't mention that the person in the title of grandmaster didn't matter, the weapon was sentient and powerful enough to completely and utterly dominate anyone foolish to take it without massive protections. The weapon was the grandmaster, that was how the legends of the assassin's leader being immortal had started. The skill was the same, and utterly impossible for any one lifetime to obtain. That they were also a sub-branch of the Union assassin's guild was also a secret, but revealing that would get him attacked by the entire Union guild.