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You agree to spend the money on the relief efforts.

The delegation heaps praise upon your name before leaving.

5

Your heart races in relief when you read the lengthy scroll brought to you by one of the agents of the Spymaster.

In it, he details that the squire whom your wife and queen was meeting so often is in fact her distant cousin, and Hege was working as a matchmaker between him and one of her maids, because their parents are in a feud. The Spymaster's agents followed the love birds for a while and found them to be just ordinary lovebirds. A secret ceremony before the altar of Old Gods was observed by the agents, which Hege also attended, formalizing a marriage between the squire and the maid just a week ago.

The newlyweds promptly left the castle to seek a new home and a new life together elsewhere, and far from their families, too.

You were, indeed, worrying too much.


You receive a notice from one of the southernmost feudal ladies.

Countess Dessa reports that recently, her people have been 'disappearing' into the mountains, and it reached a scale that the countess decided to investigate. As it turns out, less savory elements of the population have created several secluded settlements and have even started mining some iron and silver they've found during their 'seclusion'.

As the mountains are technically part of Kingdom of Rug but do not belong to the fief of the countess, she has forwarded this issue for you.

"They're illegally exploiting riches that belong to the Crown, your Majesty. We have all rights to treat them like criminals they are." Says the Advisor during a council.

"But if there's iron and silver in the mountains, we ought to consider mining enterprises and turn the area into a mining province. Think of the profits, sire!" The Treasurer rubs his hands together in glee.

A) "The settlements need to be invaded and the criminals dealt with appropriately! After that is done, we will begin prospecting and digging for ores."
B) "I will pass the mountains into the hands of Countess Dessa and let her decide how to deal with her old subjects and her new lands."
C) "Send envoys to the mountain settlements. If they won't submit voluntarily, they ought to know what punishment awaits them for such a rebellious behavior."
D) "The settlements need to be invaded and the criminals dealt with appropriately! We won't be starting any mining operations though."
E) "Thugs and vagabonds moving away on their own to live out their miserable lifes in seclusion? That's great! Why did *we* think of that??"

aa
b
cccccc

---

You quickly meet with the Spymaster about this issue.

"I will investigate the matter."

"Thoroughly." You add.

"Thoroughly." The Spymaster assures.


Compared to the previous year, this one has been plenty uneventful.

Except that one thing, you wager.

Nonetheless, the Advisor arrives with Scrolls of Kingdom Status in his hands!

Happiness: 4
Population: 6
Economy: 4
Army: 3

"The Marshal complains that our Army is still not large enough to properly defend us from all the threats." The Advisor muses, stroking his beard." "Should we do something about this, sire?"

A) "Nah."
B) "Get me more peasants!"
C) "Hire me some mercenaries!"

Nice

If Toaster accepts the imperator's laurels, I say he wins

The money is transferred to the Treasury, and you thank the soldiers for their services, allowing them to keep their spoils.


It is a day of marvel when your bedchambers resonate with a sound that you didn't hear before inside them - that of a bawling of a baby.

Your wife has given birth to your child, and the healers are proud to announce that its a boy.

According to the rites of Old Gods that your wife - and more or less officially, your whole family - follows, she was given the priviledge of naming the child she brought upon this world. She settled on 'Duk', the name of one of her grandfathers.


The more you think about it, the worse it becomes.

That young squire, what's his name, Maut? You could swear that everywhere your wife is, he is also there. Those little smiles, those little jokes they exchange. He is younger than you two but you can swear this blonde, cheerful young man is everywhere around your wife. Of course, there's nothing wrong with having favorites amongst your servants - you could name a few of your own - but isn't he just too much of a favorite recently?

Heck, he was even one of the people who handled your baby boy after his birth, and in past few weeks he cared greatly for Hele when she was suffering from a bout of cold while you were busy with paperwork.

Perhaps you're just overthinking it... right?

A) It's nothing.
B) Better to nip this in the bud and send him away.
C) Gotta investigate this matter thoroughly. Where's the Spymaster when you need him?
D) Obviously they're having an affair! To the dungeon with him!
E) Obviously they're having an affair! To the dungeon with him, and my wife gets divorce papers!