Chapter 43: Ahh~ there’s nothing quite like a hot bath in winter


    My name is Dant.


    I was entrusted with the duty of overseeing the North, an area in the north of the Albert territory.


    Back in the old days, our family was the noble house that ruled over this region.


    However, my father conceded thend to the previous Lord Albert. My father knew from the start that he stood no chance at all, so he surrendered the fortresses without any resistance.


    As a result, our family not only survived, my father was also made governor of thend.


    And now, I held that responsibility.


    After acquiring the North, the Albert territory only continued to expand. Of course, as a governor, I had no choice but to cooperate fully in such endeavors.


    Dant-sama, another vige has been left behind by all its vigers.


    Again? I know the taxes are high, but arent there too many deserters? To think entire viges would disappear.


    By order of Lord Albert, I have imposed heavy taxes on the people.


    I had expected some to not be able to pay such taxes and escape somewhere else.


    But I didnt expect them to be this many.


    After all, even if they flee, there was no guarantee that their destination would offer them a better life. There was even a chance that their life could be worse.


    Considering that, I figured majority of the poption would rather endure the taxes.


    Sir, a few of our investigators have heard a, ahm, curious story.


    A curious story?


    Yes. Apparently, theres a vige in the wastnd to the far north. Moreover, this vige is said to havefortable homes and enough food for each of its citizens. Some evenpare it to paradise


    The story was so shady I reflexively grimaced.


    The wastnd north of even this ce waspletely barren. It was impossible to grow crops of any kind there.


    Moreover, monsters would sometimes emerge from the nearby monster-infested forest.


    It was no ce for people to live.


    Not for ack of trying though. There had been multiple attempts to develop thend, but all resulted in failure.


    I dismissed the story at first, but when reports that seemed simr to it aroseter on, I began to think there might be some truth to it.


    And so, I sent a proper investigation team to the wastnd.


    D-Dant-samaits asin the wastnd


    Theres really a vige there?


    Well, a city, actually


    A city!?


    As winter approached, more and more people from the Albert territory were moving to my vige.


    Apparently, the vige has been in rumors more than I expected it to be.


    At the rate we were going, the governor managing the area on behalf of the lord mightin soon.


    But then again, developing the wastnd and building a vige was exactly what my father, Lord Albert, told me to do, so we should be alright.


    But enough about that Ahh~ theres nothing quite like a hot bath in winter.


    A bath had this mysterious power of melting away my stress and worries.


    Covering myself with the rising steam and then immersing in the hot water seemed to alleviate fatigue as well. Not that I was too tired each day, but even so.


    At present I was in arge house I customized to have an open-air bath.


    <em>I can have this much of a luxury, right? I mean, everyoneeven the new vigersare all settled andfortable now, right? Right?</em>


    It was only recently that I upgraded the medium-sized house we were living in into arge house.


    In a word, therge house was amazing.


    It felt like 20 people could live here. It even had arge courtyard with a pond.


    It was in that courtyard where I ced the bath through my Facility Customization.


    The cold air made the hot water even better, in my opinion.


    All in all, it was wonderful. I did have oneint though.


    Wow, so nice and spacious.


    Thanks to this, Ill be always be able to bathe with Luke-sama.


    My oneint was that it somehow became a mixed bathing space.


    You two know I built another one for you, right? How about you use that?


    It doesnt matter which one we use though, right?


    In that case, I choose to use the one Luke-samas using.


    I already knew it was no use arguing against the two of them


    HaaFine. But donte any closer, alright?


    Hmm? What was that? I didnt quite hear you.


    I said donte closer, so stop getting closer, will you!? Also, cover yourself with a towel!


    While I was talking like that with the two, a message in my head came.


    ((Chief, a suspicious group hase to the vige.))


    ((Another group of refugees?))


    ((No, not this time. One of thems introducing himself as the governor for the area.))


    <em>I was just thinking of them and now theyre here!?</em>


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