Chapter 125: I don’t think there’s any need for great concern

A month after Raul’s army left.

“Luke-sama, please let us live here!”

“Yeah, ok.”

“Us too, please!”

“Sure.”

“Luke-sama!”

“O-ok…”

Since then, there was yet again an increase in the rate we were receiving immigrants.

The main reason I could find was that the soldiers from Raul’s army have decided to move here, along with their families.

“I was so touched by Chief Luke’s character, I immediately thought of moving here with my family (I also thought of those delicious food and drinks, and those dwellings!)”

“I’d like to offer whatever I can to help this new village grow further! (I want to eat more minotaur meat…*slurp*…)”

“This village’s strong soldiers have left a deep impression on me! They’ve inspired me to get stronger myself! (That toilet has left a great impression on me too…haahaa…)”

They were saying one thing, but I felt like they had other reasons…

In addition to their families, the soldiers also apparently told people in their hometowns about this village.

The soldiers were recruited from all over the Albert territory, so rumors about us spread even further. Not only did the capital now knew of us, even some of the most remote areas in the Albert territory did too.

And thanks to that, another surge of immigrants came our way.

In just a month since Raul attacked, our population went from 10,000 villagers to 15,000.

“I feel like Raul’s gonna get mad again once he finds out we’ve never once paid any kind of tax to the Albert territory…”

If we were at a village-level, it was nothing. However, with this growth, it was kind of hard to insist we were still at that level.

“You’ve passed that level ages ago…”

Such was the exasperated reply of former Governor Dant when I expressed my concern.

“I don’t think there’s any need for great concern, mainly because we won the battle. However, when my replacement as governor takes office, they might demand for some things. When that day comes, please leave the negotiations to me.”

It was truly reassuring to have Dant-san here.

…well, then again, if he somehow was able to continue being the governor, things might be even easier.

◇　◇　◇

“Hello. I am the new governor, Mitchell. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

A very soft-spoken man appeared before the tense staff members of the government office for the administration of the North.

“Hmm, it seems like there’s so few of you. Are there anyone else?”

“N-no, this is all of us. To be honest, a lot of us have decided to migrate to the city in the wasteland…”

The one to reply apologetically was the chief aide to the governor.

“I see. I assume that city’s also the reason why Riesen—which is supposed to be the largest city of the North—has become so deserted…?”

“That’s exactly it. The county’s administration is in quite a difficult spot at the moment due to the constant immigration of our citizens to that wasteland city. However, I believe that if we can incorporate that city into the North and then collect taxes from them…”

“Hmm. May I see the materials you have on that city?”

“H-here, sir!”

Mitchell scanned the documents handed over to him.

“Where are the people who conducted these investigations?”

“About that…even on their first time to go there, the investigators immediately decided to resign from their post and move to that city…”

“Ahaha, I’ve heard a little about that city, I guess it really is something. (I’ve heard the previous governor even immigrated there. But are these data for real? It’s just so unbelievable…but then again, if it’s for real, that’d explain why so many want to move there.)”

Mitchell then said alright while clapping his hands.

“Ok, how about we go to that city and introduce ourselves?”

“Oh, and also negotiate?”

“Yeah. (Actually, my superiors have explicitly told me that under no circumstance was I to go that wasteland city…)”

“Finally…if we can convince them to join us, all our financial woes will be gone all at once…”

“No, no, you have it the other way around.”

“The other way around…?”

“Yeah.”

Mitchell nonchalantly told the perplexed chief aide this:

“We’re not asking that city to join the North; we’re going to ask them to let the North be part of their city.”

“…pardon?”