A slow smile spread across Nandini's face as she saw Adanna's interest piqued. "Ah, so the prospect of a reward has caught your fancy, has it?"
Adanna rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, it is not every day one is offered a prize for simply being oneself."
Nandini nodded in understanding. "The Duchess, has come up with a rather... extravagant tier system for the participants."
Adanna, sat back down beside Nandini. "A tier system?" she asked, intrigued.
"Indeed. Let us see," she began, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "For the initial participants, the ones who do not make it to the top ten, there is a monetary compensation of three thousand gryphons."
Adanna's eyebrows shot up. "Three hundred gryphons? That is..."
Nandini chuckled. "Quite a sum, would you not say? In Niamedian currency, that translates to roughly three thousand crowns."
Adanna's skepticism wavered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of awe. Three thousand crowns for simply participating? That was more than some families earned in a lifetime. "
And that is just the first tier," Nandini continued, "For the remaining ten finalists, there is a monetary reward of five hundred gryphons, which translates to about five thousand crowns. Additionally, each finalist will receive a personal jewelry piece that has been in the De León family for generations. Apparently, it is quite the valuable heirloom."
Adanna's jaw dropped. This was getting more and more tempting by the second. Wealth and a family heirloom? Even if she did not win the Duke's heart, the rewards alone were staggering.
"The runner-up," Nandini continued, leaning even closer, "receives a truly astonishing sum –one thousand gryphons, which translates to ten thousand crowns! On top of that, she will be showered with invitations to exclusive Aerionian events and a custom-tailored wardrobe of the finest silks and satins crafted by the most elite Aerionian tailors."
Adanna felt a light blush creep up her neck. Ten thousand crowns? That was more money than her father had made in the last decade. Her heart raced with anticipation. She could finally take care of her family, buy them a proper home, and send her sisters to school. It was almost too good to be true.
Finally, Nandini leaned back, a smile on her face. "And then, of course, there is the winner – the future Duchess."
Adanna could not help but lean forward, captivated. "The Duchess?" she repeated, a whisper escaping her lips.
"Indeed," Nandini confirmed, her voice filled with a touch of awe. "The winner not only becomes the Duke's wife but also inherits the title of Duchess, granting her a seat on the royal council and diplomatic immunity in allied kingdoms. She will also become an Aerionian citizen and receive a magnificent manor house as her residence."
Adanna sat back, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the rewards. A Duchess title, a seat on a royal council, a manor house... it was all so fantastical, so far removed from her own reality.
"Even Father does not make that much money in a year! Are you sure about this, Nandini?"
Uncertainty clouded her features, the rewards were certainly tempting...but did she really want to go to a entirely different kingdom, to participate in a contest that felt straight out of a fairy tale?
Nandini, sensing her friend's apprehension, reached out and squeezed Adanna's hand reassuringly.
"I am absolutely certain," she confirmed. "Aerionia is a land of immense wealth, Adanna. Their bond with griffins brings them a prosperity unlike anything we have ever seen in Niameda."
"Their griffins?" Adanna repeated a flicker of curiosity sparking in her eyes. "How so?"
Nandini leaned forward, her voice filled with a hint of awe. "Think of it this way. Griffin feathers are incredibly valuable for their magical properties. Claws and scales are used to create the strongest armor imaginable. And griffin eggs? Those are rarer than dragon scales, and worth a king's ransom."
Adanna absorbed this information, her mind racing. "But it is not just about resources," Nandini continued. "Their griffin riders make them a formidable military force. Other kingdoms pay handsomely for their protection. People travel from far and wide to see these magnificent beasts but only those personally selected by the border control can enter and the people chosen to enter Aeronia end up spending a fortune on griffin rides and souvenirs."
"Even farming and mining are revolutionized by griffins," added. "They help plow fields faster, and their droppings make the most potent fertilizer imaginable. They can reach high mountains, aiding in the discovery of rare metals and gems."
Adanna sat there, speechless. The potential of Aerionia, fueled by the power of griffins, was unlike anything she had ever imagined. Finally Nandini spoke. "So my dearest friend," she said, her eyes shining with excitement, "what do you think? Would you like to be part of this incredible adventure?"