Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Touring the North
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Traveling around various places in the Northern Region with Ivana proceeded smoothly.
After spending a day or two touring the north thoroughly, what I felt wasn't much different from gazing at the snowfields.
All in all, they were quiet, serene places.
While looking at the snowfields, I'd gotten a rough idea of how to attract more visitors to the north, and continuing to tour around like this seemed like it would solidify those plans even further.
"It seems best to position it as a resort destination."
"A resort?"
"Yes. Not a place where people come to hustle around or engage in intense activities, but somewhere they just come to relax."
...?
That's what I'd come to think after touring around.
The Northern Region itself wasn't exactly suited for a wide variety of intense activities.
On the contrary, it felt far more appropriate for leisurely passing the time.
In that context, there didn't seem to be a need to turn the north into some major tourist hotspot.
Not just the snowfields Ivana had shown me, but most of the places gave off a calm vibe.
"Instead, it would be good to build more high-quality inns or hotels. Big ones, like the hotel we stayed at in the capital."
"Hmm...."
"Other than that, offering experiences of northern life to outsiders for a fee would be nice too. Hunting animals in the snowy mountains could be one such activity."
In Melnik, where Karen lived, the coastal areas had bustling shops and markets, but here it wasn't like that.
There was still a strong sense of self-sufficiency, and hunting seemed to be a fairly common activity.
So, increasing the focus on accommodations and turning hunting into a sport-like pursuit seemed ideal.
"There's a river nearby, right?"
"That's right."
"We could have them drill holes in the ice and fish for fun. Or hunting with bows in the snowfields we talked about earlier, or camping on a suitable mountain without beasts. Of course, all for a fee."
"Hmm.... Do you think there'd be a lot of people who'd come just for that?"
"There definitely will be. It's a place beautiful enough for it."
The activities I suggested were things you could only really do in deep winter in other regions.
Even then, not in places south of the capital.
"I told you, right? We're positioning it as a resort. Those activities are just add-ons."
"So, you're saying to increase the emphasis on accommodations like I mentioned earlier."
"Exactly? We can't have regular tourists like me staying in the castle. And it doesn't seem like there are any really high-quality inns in the north."
I'd actually looked at a lot of buildings while touring with Ivana.
I saw plenty of regular houses, but aside from that, I confirmed there were no inns or other lodging facilities.
"If we're going to draw people to the north in the first place, developing accommodations is a given."
"Ah...."
"Even if we build roads and raise awareness, it's pointless if there's nowhere for them to stay once they get here."
"Certainly...."
"Anyway, that's my take for now."
Well, ultimately, it was just my personal opinion.
Ivana didn't have to follow it, nor was there any obligation to.
I was essentially just an assistant, after all.
It was Ivana's business, preparations for her to become the family head.
"Thanks for the good ideas."
"No problem. We had a deal, right? It wasn't anything difficult, and we haven't even properly started the work yet."
"Still, I should express my gratitude."
"Forget that—make us some delicious dinner tonight. Mother loved the food from the first night."
"Sure, I'll do that."
"Oh, right. It might be good to have more restaurants selling northern cuisine. It was way tastier than I expected."
From sausages to all sorts of dishes.
There was lamb, reindeer, rabbit, and fish like salmon and smelt—most of it exceeded expectations.
Of course, each meat had its own distinct flavor, and the sauces that masked them really suited my taste.
"Most of the sauces are strong, right? Compared to central cuisine, the flavors are bolder and more delicious."
In short, I ate well.
I kept suggesting that more specialized restaurants wouldn't hurt.
As I shared these thoughts with Ivana and watched her reactions, she seemed quite pleased.
At least, she didn't give off a vibe of dislike.
For Ivana, I was probably coming up with way more good ideas than expected, so her response was positive.
"The water's warm, but my head feels cold—it's such a weird sensation."
"Should I raise the water temperature a bit more?"
"No, the current temperature is plenty warm."
"Understood."
Anyway, after wrapping up that schedule, we were now soaking in the onsen attached to the room.
That was the reason Ivana had suggested we three share a room.
She'd said it was so we could spend time comfortably as a family and have fun.
"Bathing in a tub feels totally different from this."
It had been ages since I'd been in a proper onsen.
In the south, onsens were practically nonexistent, so it felt novel.
Warm bathwater and onsen water had... this unique scent difference.
Anyway, the conclusion was that it was amazing.
"Lize, tomorrow I'm going around with Mother. Want to come along?"
"You're not touring with the Nordal Lady tomorrow?"
"Nope."
"Uh.... Aren't you touring for business matters tomorrow too...?"
"I've given plenty of opinions and advice over the two days since arriving in the north. I think I've covered enough of what I can point out while touring."
It was Ivana's business, and she'd have talks with the Nordal Duke too.
So, at least for one day, we could relax properly.
Not touring for business or anything—just pure relaxation.
"I haven't asked Mother yet, but I bet she'll love it. What about you, Lize?"
Rozalin usually enjoyed wandering around with me.
She always seemed happy doing things with her daughter.
I could tell without asking.
Rozalin was resting comfortably outside the onsen, in the room, so I'd asked Lize first.
"What do you say?"
"For me... if the Young Lady tells me to come, of course I'll go."
"Don't say it like that—I'm asking if you want to hang out with me."
I had no intention of dragging someone who didn't want to come.
It wasn't the south; the north had brutally cold weather.
If Lize refused, I wouldn't go... but it felt like it'd be nice to go together.
"So, what do you want? Do you want to go out and play with me?"
"...Yes."
"What kind of 'yes' is that?"
I'd understood, but I asked again on purpose.
Not for any particular reason—just wanted to tease.
"...I want to go out and spend time with the Young Lady."
"Pfft...."
As expected, sharp Lize.
She must've sensed that dragging her feet on the answer would lead to more teasing from me.
I'd teased her plenty up to now, after all.
No way she wouldn't know.
"Pffft.... So Lize wanted to go out and play with me?"
"...Yes."
I sidled right up to Lize, who was a bit away, and said that.
Naked, without a stitch of clothing or towel, our shoulders touching.
Lize flinched at that.
Of course, I had no intention of stopping.
"You always flinch like this when I get close."
"I'm sorry...."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then...."
"I'm just saying your reactions are always so cute and fun."
"......."
She was older than me, but her reactions made her seem cuter.
It wasn't acting—this was her genuine response.
Doing this casually every time was basically Lize's true nature.
"You flinch even if I just brush your hand. Or if other parts touch...."
I moved the hand touching Lize's hand toward her thigh.
Smooth texture—Lize's body really was nice.
"Y-Young Lady?"
"That's why it's cute."
"Young Lady.... You're teasing too much."
"Pfft.... Did you hate it?"
"That's not what I mean."
"Then you liked it?"
"......."
Lize couldn't refute my words.
She'd never rejected my teasing before.
There was that one time, but even then, it was just extreme shyness.
If anything, I felt Lize quite... liked my teasing.
Her face would flush, and she couldn't meet my eyes properly whenever I poked, hugged, or did stuff like that.
Her expressions and reactions were too cute to call it dislike.
"Pervert."
"Urk...."
"I think you like it every time I tease, which feels a bit perverted."
I leaned into Lize's ear and whispered that softly.
She flinched with every sound I made.
Yet she wouldn't turn her head toward me—that was adorable.
"Do you like my teasing, Lize? Or hate it?"
"Y-Young Lady...."
"You're not resisting at all even as I keep doing this, not brushing off the hand on your thigh, just sitting there with both hands on your thighs—what does that mean?"
"It's just... I can't defy the Young Lady...."
"Is that really it?"
"......."
Lize was, how should I put it... sexy.
Yeah, sexy.
She was naked, sure, but aside from that, she had this subtly erotic vibe.
Such a virgin-like reaction... well, she probably was one, but the point was Lize was sexy.
"You always pretend to refuse verbally, but you end up accepting everything."
"......."
I lifted my hand from Lize's thigh and slowly moved it upward.
My hand passed her belly, breasts, neck, to her lips.
"Hn...."
"Even if I touch your lips like this...."
No resistance at all.
Reacting to every touch, never hating whatever I did—it was like a puppy.
If I put a collar on her, she'd be the spitting image.
"Lize."
"Y-Yes...."
"Why's the corner of your mouth turning up?"
"...Pardon?"
"Did you like it?"
"I never...."
"Never?"
I cut her off and asked.
Unlike before, with a completely serious voice and eyes, no hint of a smile.
"......."
"Pffft...."
So... sexy and cute.
Her reactions were so fun, I genuinely wanted to tease more.
But it wasn't the time yet.
And.....
"Camellia, did things go well with Ivana today?"
"Things are progressing better than expected, and since it's been a while since I did business stuff, it's going smoother than I thought."
"Hehe, that's fortunate."
Just then, Rozalin entered the onsen, so I couldn't keep teasing Lize.
Well, there was still plenty of time anyway.
"Mother, Ivana has her own stuff tomorrow, so how about we hang out together?"
"Really?"
"Yes. Lize said it's fine too. Right, Lize?"
"...Yes."
I'd been busy touring for business prep the past few days.
A couple more days of pure fun should be fine.