Slow Prison Life

Chapter 20

The Duke Seeks an Audience with the King

Seeing the countryside town outside the carriage window, the atmosphere hanging around felt somewhat more stylish compared to its rural surroundings.

Duke Ferguson's carriage moved slowly through the dense crowds while he looked out at the rooftops of the buildings lined up in the Fracker hot spring town.

"Hoh.......so this is why Count Nauman boasts about his territory as being the highest earning."

Everything looked like an ordinary countryside town at first, but there were a number of shops lining main street which itself had a large number of people passing through.

It looked like there weren't many people who actually lived here as many of the people here were equipped for travelling.

Those people who were here to visit the town were most likely the ones swarming main street, moving around the carriage while lightly dressed. It felt like a lot of them were there to do some window shopping, sightseeing, or looking for somewhere to have lunch. It was what you'd expect from a very popular hot spring town.

The Duke was impressed........but he also had his doubts.

"........given the economic scale here, it looks pretty obvious that Count Nauman has been underreporting his taxes........."

"Dan, working right now..........?"

As the Duke's mind unintentionally drifted to his work, the Duchess brought her workaholic husband back to the more pressing matter. Yes, what matters today isn't another person's tax evasion, it's the cancellation of their daughter's engagement.

This irregular couple's carriage continued forward, being lead by their escort, and entered the area of town for upper class visitors where high-class baths are lined up.

♠

Having enjoyed the outdoor open-air bath, the King began drying his hair as a chamberlain came to inform him of a visitor.

"Duke Ferguson and his wife have arrived from the capitol. Since they heard Your Majesty had come to enjoy the hot springs, they wanted to meet with you."

"I see. Since I am just about to get out, guide them to the living room."

"Yes sir."

The King finished changing his clothes and entered the parlor of his suite, where his old friends the Duke and Duchess were waiting for him after their long trip. The King coolly responded to the two quickly rising and giving him a bow, taking a seat on the sofa and motioning for the husband and wife to take a seat.

"You don't visit that often Duke. Now now, this is just a temporary lodging away from the Royal Palace. I haven't seen many people since coming here, so feel free to relax a little."

"Hahah, excuse me."

"Hmm. I'm still enjoying the hot springs, so I'm hesitant............argh, you. The Duke will be telling me the situation in the capitol now, and since this'll probably get complicated, don't let anyone else interfere until we're finished."

"Understood!"

The King told his chamberlain to bring in some tea and drank up the well-refined iced tea that was the specialty of these hot springs. The Duke and his wife finally took a seat sitting across from him, and enjoyed some of the iced tea before their discussion.

Giving them a single bow, the chamberlain then left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Hey Robert, WHAT ARE YOU LETTING THAT STUPID BRAT DO!?"