Quoted By:
You frown at the offending town on the map. “Rivenholm is firmly within Kireon territory. We can’t openly move on it without provoking an all-out war…” you pause as the voices make their cases internally “…and so we shall not.”
“Beg pardon my Duke, but are we to do nothing?” asked Varkas incredulously.
You give the general what you hope is both a reassuring but reprimanding look. “Not nothing General. No matter how I look trying to do anything in Kireon’s territory puts us at too great a disadvantage and our army simply cannot afford a foreign misadventure. But when Kireon tries to meddle in our realm it is us that is in the position of strength.”
You lean forward and begin deftly distributing pawns across the map. With the threat from the ash wastes reduced it is much easier for you to create an impenetrable web covering your border with Kireon.
“With this troop deployment it should be impossible for the small raiding parties to threaten our food supply. If Kireon wants to do some damage he will have no choice but to escalate and if he does then we shall gain a cassus belli allowing us to wage war with a clean conscience in the eyes of the people. In the meantime, we will make it clear to any sellsword that invading our lands will spell certain death. General Varkas, have any bandits captured publicly hanged and strung up along the roads.”
“Yes my Duke,” you can tell the General isn’t completely satisfied with you response, but your orders at least give him an outlet for his frustrations.
After you adjourn the meeting Tyrol approaches you privately.
“I am glad you have chosen restraint in this matter brother. I can only imagine that you might have been sorely tempted to try a more… extreme solution, but I am glad you didn’t.”
[Diplomancer]: “Guess it was obvious to him what we planned to do when we told him we needed to let the Dragon out. Still, it’s good stay on good terms with our brother.”
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Over the next three months you busy yourself managing the Dukedom. The daily routine and lack of special women to chase allows you unprecedented time for self-reflection. Althea’s rejection remained a linger sore spot, especially after she had so eagerly thrown herself at you to begin with. You felt the anguish of a lost opportunity; not just to lose your virginity, but of a lover who might truly complete you. One day as your thoughts wander after a satisfying training session you come to a silent epiphany.
>Thot finished researching: Is it cuckoldry if she was never yours?
>New Thot research options unlocked!
>Choose an existing Thot to discard if any.
>Choose Stat adjustment.
>Choose whether to begin research on another Thot.
….
>cont