Changes in the Territory

After Catherine left, only Rein and Canossa remained alone in the tent.

Canossa looked at Rein, her eyebrows curving into a smile, and said teasingly, "Doctor Rein, you said you had something important to discuss with me?"

Rein, having prepared his prepared explanation, said somewhat awkwardly, "Well, you seem to have been injured yesterday, so I wanted to check on your injury."

After that embarrassing blunder, even with his thick skin, he couldn't manage a smile. Getting out of one woman's bed and then smiling at another—only a legendary "scumbag" could pull that off.

"Oh, it's rare that our busy city lord still thinks of me."

Canossa made a joke.

She seemed completely unconcerned about the "misunderstanding" from earlier, and didn't expose his lame excuse. "Come on, let's check."

As soon as she finished speaking, Canossa didn't shy away from the man in the tent. Without any hesitation, she unbuttoned the cheongsam on her body. As the clothes slipped down, a large area of skin was exposed to the air, and a beautiful body wearing only a sexy undergarment slowly appeared before Rein's eyes.

Before his gaze could linger for long, Canossa changed into a more comfortable purple nightgown.

Then, she walked to the large, downy bed with its plain white sheets. She lay down lazily on it, her stunning figure, breathtakingly beautiful, revealed to someone only through a thin nightgown.

"."

The agitation had mostly subsided due to the earlier misunderstanding, Rein suddenly felt quite calm. He looked at Canossa in front of him and frowned slightly.

Sure enough, I shouldn't have mistaken them; the two had such similar figures, the same silky hair, the same voluptuous curves, and they even used the same perfume.

He walked over and began to examine it seriously.

"The veins are burned by high-level fire magic, the back muscles are torn, and the sternum is fractured."

"Oh. Then let's treat it."

Canossa's injuries were not actually that serious; even without Rein's intervention, her extraordinary physical recovery ability would allow her to heal automatically within the next few days.

While claiming to be treating her injuries, Rein felt she was more enjoying the pleasure of massaging her meridians with his internal energy.

She rolled over, turned to her side, and lay flat on her back. Canossa was completely compliant throughout, much like a patient following instructions. Of course, if she hadn't occasionally let out those alluring, slightly breathy, nasal sounds.

Without any distracting thoughts, Rein carefully treated his injuries.

Don't be timid; give him a fair and square opportunity to get started.

He then realized that he had indeed been careless.

The difference in texture should be noticeable the moment you touch it.

Canossa, Strength Extraordinary, has skin that is equally smooth, but the elasticity of her deep muscles is stronger; this is quite different from the feel of Catherine, a Mental Extraordinary.

However, its extremely gentle touch is equally irresistible.

As he pondered, his hand involuntarily reached elsewhere. Canossa breathing was even and calm, seemingly asleep, didn't give him a chance to act recklessly.

Suddenly, a delicate shout rang out.

"Don't touch it."

"."

The treatment was completed shortly afterward.

"Mrs. Canossa, where shall I sleep tonight?"

"Sleep on the bed? Where else can you sleep? There's only one bed in the tent. You don't expect to sleep on the carpet, do you?"

"Good!"

"Hey, hey, hey, my dear city lord, where are your hands? Do you think you've reached the pinnacle of the 'Divine Steel Realm,' or do you think you can beat me now?"

"."

"You're allowed to hold me, but please don't move around. Otherwise, I might kick you out."

Between them, there were occasional playful laughs and whispered conversations.

This kind of atmosphere is naturally perfect for discussing life ideals.

"Rein, would you like to see the world beyond the mist? I'm also looking forward to it, to seeing where the path to Transcendent ends."

"I think."

"Pah!"

"."

In the early morning, the campfire had gradually burned out, and a gentle breeze blew by, leaving some embers flickering in the ashes.

The sky was just beginning to show varying shades of blue, and the camp was bustling with activity.

The dragons were howling loudly early in the morning, Kolman Warrior were expertly feeding the large lizards, preparing for the day's activities.

Rein stepped out of the tent feeling refreshed and stretched his body comfortably.

They spent a night together in tender intimacy, enjoying boundless charm.

Although he was still a little short, he felt the progress was good.

At least now the two of them are getting closer and closer. If he occasionally goes a little too far, Canossa will playfully back down, but he'll just laugh it off.

If she really wanted to cross the line, she probably wouldn't refuse.

However, after a night of private conversation, Rein suddenly felt that it might be good to leave something to look forward to.

A short while later, Canossa finished dressing and came out. "What are you thinking about?"

Rein: "When will I be able to advance to the 'Divine Steel Realm'?"

"Keep it up!"

Canossa smiled charmingly and affectionately took Rein's arm. "Let's go, get ready to go."

Several days later.

The Wyvern Legion has returned to Black Dragon City.

Two months later, the city walls had been extended to over two hundred meters high, and the rows of cannons had completely transformed the city into an indestructible steel fortress.

The city's residents flocked to the city walls to welcome the victorious soldiers.

"The city lord and the high priest are back!"

"Elder Habu and the others have also been rescued."

"Long live Black Dragon City! Long live the City Lord!"

"."

Cheers erupted one after another.

The Wyvern Legion landed in a designated area with well-planned animal pens.

As soon as Rein dismounted from the dragon's back, he was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from his people.

He spotted Ymir in the crowd at a glance.

Two months had passed, but the Her Highness the Eldest Princess was still radiant. She wore a black court dress with gold patterns, the fitted garments accentuating her tall and slender figure, exuding a blend of sexiness and solemnity.

She saw Rein and nodded slightly. "You're back?"

Rein smiled and replied, "Mm."

Ymir glanced at Rein and said casually, "You've advanced to the Third Tier the Transcendent? You've gained quite a bit from this training trip."

Rein nodded. "A lot has indeed happened."

"You can tell me what happened later."

Ymir smiled slightly and said, "However, now that you, the city lord who hasn't shown your face for a long time, have to come with me to inspect the city."

Rein nodded. "Okay."

The two chatted as they walked side by side toward the city.

He hadn't been in the city for two months, and before he knew it, "Black Dragon City" had undergone tremendous changes.

Stepping onto the city's main streets, Rein noticed that the ground was no longer the compacted dirt it had been, but instead paved with thick bluestone slabs. The dirt streets he had walked on would become very muddy when it rained, but the bluestone paving gave the city the appearance of a grand metropolis. It made the streets so much cleaner and tidier.

Seeing that Rein was interested in the stone slab, Ymir explained, "We've developed a quarry in the southwest where there's high-quality granite."

Rein: "Oh"

"Black Dragon City" is backed by the Alkolon Mountain Range, so it is naturally not lacking in stone resources.

Kolman Warrior are mostly incredibly strong and extremely efficient at building fortifications; they can carry several tons of stones with incredible speed.

Mechanics are also a major force in urban construction.

Under the leadership of Mr. Tuster, the Ministry of Machinery produced a large number of heavy machines that were not only capable of fighting, but also excellent at manual labor such as casting cities.

The machine never stops even when people are resting; the Steam Boilers only requires the consumption of some energy.

There are large High-Combustion Coal mines near Black Dragon City, so there is no shortage of energy.

Looking at the completely renovated city before him, Rein was filled with emotion.

Initially, the city contained only essential buildings. Aside from the turrets and walls necessary for defense, everything else was kept simple. Almost everyone's dwellings were makeshift "prefab houses" constructed of steel frames and iron plates. Yet, in just two months, the city had become orderly and thriving.

The residential buildings are small, high-rise buildings with steel frames, painted in a uniform blue and white. The academy, the large public bathhouse, the fighting arena, the hospital, the municipal building, the shops—all the planned buildings are basically complete.

In addition to the necessary buildings, gardens and fountains were also constructed.

A wide avenue called "Black Dragon Avenue" runs through the entire city, with a huge square in the center of the main street.

Rein and Ymir then walked along the street.

To Rein's utter surprise, a huge stone statue stood in the center of the square, imposing, majestic, and heroic.

Looking at the face of the stone statue again, who else could it be but Lei himself?

Rein looked on in surprise and pointed at the statue, asking, "How come there's a statue of me here?"

"Oh, you mean this?"

Ymir laughed and said, "Since ancient times, it has been customary to build statues when a new city is established, usually in the image of the city's lord. Since you are the city lord, Rein, it's natural that a statue was carved in your likeness."

Rein listened with a slightly strange expression.

This made him, a city lord who was used to being a loner and doing nothing, suddenly feel like a private lord.

He frowned slightly and said, "This is the city we built together, and this sculpture..."

Ymir knew what he was trying to say, but didn't take it to heart, saying, "It's just an unwritten custom."

After a pause, she said something very emotional, "Besides, I think the statue should be you, and can only be you. Without you, there would be no city."

In the past six months, she has thoroughly studied the "constitutional monarchy" system, and many of its shortcomings have been gradually improved in practice. Now, she is taking steps towards perfection.

This was an unimaginable "feat" in other noble territories.

No, to be precise, only they, "Black Dragon City," could do it!

Without the unique geographical location of the "Karatva Basin," without the Airship Wreckage, without the Kolman Tribe warriors, without Tuster, the Grand Mechanical Master who was ahead of his time, and even without himself...

Without all of the above, this city could not have been built.

And the source of all these factors lies with one person, and that is the man in front of us— Rein.

Seeing this magnificent city that had already taken shape, Ymir's beautiful blue eyes gradually deepened; this was the city she had once dreamed of.

She murmured, "I firmly believe that if we continue to develop, our 'Black Dragon City' will definitely become a great city and a significant chapter in the history of this era."

Rein glanced at her and nodded. "I think so too."

"Greetings, Lord City Lord! Greetings, Your Her Highness the Eldest Princess!"

"Wow! Lord City Lord, you're getting more and more handsome!"

"Lord City Lord, when will you and Her Highness the Eldest Princess have a little prince?"

"."

Rein and Ymir toured the city's important buildings, including the city defenses, the academy, and the hospital.

Along the way, the people greeted the two of them warmly, their faces beaming with the happiest smiles.

Most of them were craftsmen who participated in the construction of the territory and were also the first permanent residents of Black Dragon City. Originally, in other places, craftsmen were "tools" exploited by lords, living like slaves or livestock.

Here, they enjoy the rights of equal human beings and live with dignity.

As long as you work, you will be paid; the more you work, the more you earn.

They have equal access to healthcare, incredibly low taxes, and their children have the opportunity to receive a fair education.

All of this filled everyone with hopeful expectations for the future.

Rein saw the genuine joy on the faces of his people; those radiant smiles warmed his own heart.

This was the first time he had created such a city by chance, and he felt a strange sense of accomplishment.

Before long, the two had arrived at the commercial district.

The "Black Gold Merchant Guild" has already set up some shops to meet daily needs. However, the vast majority of shops are still empty. This is to reserve them for other merchants who will flock here in the future.

Commerce will be the top priority for the territory's economy in the future.

As Ymir walked, she explained, "I've seen the Black Wind Territory's battle report. This time, our Black Dragon City achieved a great victory, firing the first shot perfectly. The Black Gold Merchant Guild has already spread the news about our territory through various channels, and the first batch of hunters will arrive in about ten days. At that time, we will rent or sell these shops."

"Um."

Rein listened, nodding occasionally.

Ymir, so he didn't have to worry about anything.

This city also allowed Princess Oma's worldly wisdom to be fully displayed.

As they walked, they reached the clock tower in the city.

From here, you can overlook the entire territory.

A gentle breeze blew as Rein gazed into the distance.

Ymir pointed to the outer city walls under construction in the distance and explained, "The inner city layout is basically complete. The outer city is still in the planning stage. The initial design for the walls is 30 meters high, intended as shelter for hunters and refugees. The large magical beasts and undead in the vicinity have been mostly cleared out, so this level of defense is sufficient. However, it will be adjusted according to the influx of people later."

"The Planning of the South City"

"From the North City"

She gave a brief and well-organized report on her plans for the near future.

Rein had no chance to interject and could only nod repeatedly.

As the city lord, he felt he should listen carefully, but he found that his mind refused to process the information.

He should leave professional matters to professionals and focus on his spiritual practice.

It seems that from the moment they first met in the wilderness, the two had developed a special understanding.

At this moment, Ymir noticed that Rein was somewhat distracted and guessed what he was thinking.

She raised an eyebrow slightly, refraining from further details about the complexities of territory development, and instead stated, "The council can generally handle matters within the territory according to the charter. However, some require your personal involvement, Lord City Lord. Tonight, there will be a grand victory banquet to celebrate the 'Great Victory of Black Wind Territory.' You will need to award ranks and medals to the soldiers, and then announce some welfare policies. After all, Black Dragon City will soon be open to the outside world, and these artisans and soldiers are among the first inhabitants of Black Dragon City; we need some support."

"Um."

Rein nodded mechanically.

Everything has been arranged; there's no need for him, the city lord, to worry about it.

But he felt uncomfortable hearing her address him as "Lord of the City" so often, and turned to Ymir, saying, "Your Ymir, please just call me by my name. It sounds strange to always call me 'Lord of the City'."

It's one thing for others, but Ymir is no ordinary person.

He remembered that this wasn't the first time he'd brought up the issue, but it seemed that neither of them was quite comfortable calling the other by their name.

Ymir didn't mind and said, "Alright. I'll call you by your name in private, but in public I'll still call you 'Lord of the City'."

Rein smiled and said, "Yes."

At that moment, he suddenly remembered something and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Ymir."

After all, they were equal allies, not really in a superior-subordinate relationship. He let others do all the work, yet this hands-off city lord was still adorned with a statue – it all seemed a bit like "reaping the benefits without sowing."

Ymir blinked, said nothing, and smiled faintly.

For the first time, Rein felt that Princess Oma's smile finally had a touch of humanity.

Thank you to 'Dragon's White Night' for the 1600 coins, '2019020318910723', and 'Star Glaze' for their generous donations. There should be one more chapter; I'm really writing it now.