Panel 1 — Ally narration (thought bubble): "Okay, imagine I have to brief a medieval steward... but make it totally fashionable. The king wants fish. Lots of fish. And rules."
Panel 2 — Rule Spotlight (clause 21): A steward in tights stands beside a modest fishpond. Ally thinks: "Keep the fishponds—don't let them dry up. If there was a pond before, maintain it; if you can build one, build it. Expand when possible. Think of fishponds as royal real estate."
Panel 3 — Market Strategy (clause 65): A steward sells fish to bustling market stalls while a little sign reads, 'Restock after sale.' Ally whispers: "Sell the fish when the king isn't visiting, but replace them so there's always supply. Profit for the crown when the king's away? Totally allowed. Just don’t forget to restock."
Panel 4 — Clean Kitchen Rules (clause 34): A medieval cook makes garum (fish sauce) with sparkling-clean pots; Ally covers her face in mock horror and then relief: "All hand-made goods — and yes, that includes garum — must be prepared with the highest cleanliness. No medieval mystery sauce allowed."
Panel 5 — Lenten Logistics (clause 44): A Lenten banquet: big bowls of fish with a parchment tally. Ally notes: "Two-thirds of Lenten food (fish included) goes to royal use each year. If you’re counting cod, count carefully."
Panel 6 — People & Papers (clauses 45, 62): A fisherman in a clever vest hands a ledger to the steward. Ally quips: "Fishermen are official workmen. Fishponds are listed sources of revenue — so keep records, file your lists at Christmas, and don’t pretend you ‘forgot’ the fish sales."
Final Panel — Ally punchline: A fish wearing a tiny crown swims by. Ally sighs: "In short: make ponds, grow fish, keep them clean, sell smart, give the king his Lenten share, and write it all down. Even in the ninth century, bureaucracy loved fish."