Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

I punished the bandits, saved the immigrants, took the young woman’s virginity, then sent them to Rafen. I think I did an admirable job as a feudal lord. I’ll let Adolph do something about the rest.

「It’s too dangerous to go by yourself to take out the bandits with your spear!」

Celia is such a worrywart.

「No, it’s wonderful! That is exactly the model of a fine feudal lord – using your own spear to work and protect the citizens. This is exactly a noble’s dream!」

Irijina’s voice is too loud. The people are getting surprised and wondering what’s going on.

The girl from yesterday must have been tired since she didn’t come along, and just got on the cart. When our eyes met, her face turns red and she hangs her head.

Since it was interesting, I smiled at her and she waved while looking down.

「Ahem.」

Celia comes to block my field of vision. As punishment, I rub her ass in front of the people.

Rafen Feudal Lord’s mansion (temporary)

「Hoh, right away?」

「I saved these immigrants from bandits, do something about the rest.」

I handed off the immigrants to Adolph; he recorded their names, family compositions, and ages, and it seems that he will set up a new village for them.

「In a rural village, families have strong bonds with their relatives, so it wouldn’t yield good results if you throw them into an already existing village. If I set up a new village, then there won’t be any strangers.」

Several people – returning soldiers and immigrants – have already entered and are getting ready to establish a village.

「In regards to the new village, they will be exempted from head tax, as well as harvest tax until they get to the actual harvest.」

It’s impossible to tell them to pay the harvest tax if we leave them in the open field with nothing. This is reasonable, but even without having to pay tax, they are penniless and can’t even afford to buy food to eat.

「Their village will be established close to Rafen. During the interval between farming periods, I’ll have them perform various labor and pay them in wages and provide them with food supplies. We will place this village with Rafen as the center point and nurture this town to become the logistics base.」

I see, they will have to work hard, but they won’t starve, so in order for them to get comfortable, they’d have to hurry and create a field and raise some crops. He’s given this quite some thought.

「……I’ll have you do as the above. As for the labor, the men will do civil engineering like flood control, and the women will tailor clothes～」

Adolph explains to the people, who quietly listen, what they will be doing from now on but, when he was about to finish talking, the woman I embraced yesterday whispered something in Adolph’s ear.

「Unfortunately, as the acting official, I am unable to understand about that job. Maybe you should ask the adjutant or the person in question?」

Celia heard the word adjutant and glared at the woman, causing her to stand down. What on earth was that about?

When Celia went off to check on the condition of the town, I took the opportunity to call Adolph and asked him secretly.

「Well, she asked if there is a job to sleep with the feudal lord?」

It goes without saying that she’s correct. There is certainly such a job, and I also welcome her to do so. But somehow Celia caught wind of yesterday’s incident, and she told her off on the spot and chased her out.

In any case, they have found a way to live on. It would be fortunate if this doesn’t result in a bad aftertaste. That woman – it’s a little bit of a waste but I didn’t even get her name.

「There are also some hopefuls for the private army! Although there are only 10 people or less.」

In the Arkland days, Irijina was a commander of over 100 people, so as expected, this would make her lonely.

「Adolph, until we can gather a certain number of people for the private army, I don’t mind if you use them exclusively for civil engineering…let’s see, if it gets over 50 people, send over a messenger.」

This is to be expected after a war, as there are also jobs as laborers, there are not many who would purposely choose the dangerous job of becoming a soldier. This will surely take some time. Christoph and Mack seem to want to come and follow me, so it would be fine to send them here a little early. Mack’s strength will also likely show its true value in civil engineering.

「So is Hardlett-sama going back to the capital?」

「Yeah, I also have to prepare for the wedding. I was originally supposed to introduce you as a subordinate too, though.」

「I don’t mind. I will congratulate you from here.」

During such an important time, even if just for a little bit, it wouldn’t be good if Adolph left the town.

「To me, Hardlett-sama is just a person who gives out gold and sleeps in the capital and that’s…no, that’s rude of me.」

「If you’re going to say that, then you were almost food for the zombies in the underground prison.」

Adolph is skilled, so he’ll manage somehow with the territory management. Next, I’ll have to make my beloved women happy.

Two weeks later, Goldonia Capital

The cold season still continues, but it feels a little warmer than before. From now on, every day will be easier for us to live.

Beside me, Nonna cuddles against me as if she’s stuck to me, and Carla and Mel are one step behind us. All of them are wearing beautiful dresses that would make anyone turn their head and stare.

Only the four of us are in this ancient temple located in the capital……Nonna says that this is a temple where you pray to the god of love. We take an oath in front of the statue.

「I swear that I will love this woman forever.」

「I swear that I will love this man forever.」

We kiss, and Nonna steps down for a moment as Carla steps forward.

「I swear that I will love this woman forever.」

「I swear that I’ll get pregnant with this man’s child lots.」

Nonna slumps and collapses. But in the middle of such a sacred ritual, she can’t do anything so she endures it.

Mel is next.

「I swear that I will love this woman forever.」

「I swear that I will love this man forever, no matter what, and I swear that I will offer every part of my body.」

Nonna snorts. A ritual of marriage is freedom, I guess.

And so the vows are all over. In front of the god of love, the concerned parties swore their love. This is the entirety of the wedding.

It seems that the gods will only appear at marriages that are more ceremonious.

So why do we need to do so much preparation and pay so much for this wedding ceremony?

「Well, let’s return home. Everyone is already waiting for us.」

It’s because we invited acquaintances to our house, and while announcing that they are beautiful brides, we will celebrate by having ingredients and alcohol of the highest class.

「Cheers to the beautiful brides!」

「Cheers to the beautiful ladies!」

「To the breasts that are too big!」

Erich takes the lead, Bruno follows, and Christoph is the last, getting a low kick from Celia. For tonight, we will put aside our ranks and everyone will eat the dishes they like, drink the alcohol they like and intermingle with others.

The only nobles that are participating today are Erich and Bruno. In addition, my past subordinates Agor, Christoph and Mack are here. Also the familiar master Andrei, and his wife Natalie. The rest of the participants are the household members and the servants.

According to Erich, there are an unbelievably small amount of participants because it seems our line is a ruined family and has been branded with the mark of disgrace. For a noble’s wedding, it is to indicate the dignity of both families, and for that sake, even if you must accrue debt, you must show off in a grand manner, also gathering as many upper class nobles as possible to show off your power.

Although we are two families, Nonna’s family is all but dead, and Carla, Mel and I have no other relatives. I won’t be happy either if I invited some old noble that I don’t even know.

「Because I am participating, the new nobles don’t feel comfortable…but I’ll introduce you at the balls and banquets.」

For a wedding ceremony with just relatives, it seems that my connection to the nobles is weak. I don’t know what is bad, but Erich is participating so it should be fine.

「Well, the talk about nobles and political factions is over. Shall we eat and drink?」

I shout and Erich smiles, and unlike the time previously at the ball, Erich is genuinely starting to get excited. Unlike a ball where you need to be conscious you aren’t being rude, the ones here are all friends; even if you misconduct yourself while drunk here, no one will blame you. The quality of the alcohol here also doesn’t lose in comparison with the ones at the ball, so I’ll drink as much as I like.

The banquet continues, Erich finally turns red and gets drunk from the alcohol.

「You’re such an unconventional man. I thought your wedding was extraordinary too, but although the ceremony was decent you have three brides. I don’t know what to say.」

Erich looks around.

「Your mansion is filled with women. I’m sure there aren’t any women you didn’t lay hands on right?」

He is unusually trying to pick a fight while drink. I wondered what was up but Rita winks and heads over to where Erich is.

「Count-sama, I heard rumors about your story, would you mind if I listen to you directly?」

She sits next to Erich on the sofa and stares at his eyes. Rita’s clothes are those of a servant, normally it would be unforgivable for a servant to sit beside him. But her chest is loose, and for the sake of tempting me, the length of her skirt is modified to be short and I can see her thighs. There are no men who would get angry at a woman like that who sits next to him, even more so if he’s drinking.

「Is….is that right? Then I shall start from the establishment of Wings of Dawn……」

Erich starts talking to Rita, and she gives me another wink. I appreciate your feelings but jealousy is also welling up within me, I’ll definitely reward you in the future and torture you until you piss yourself.

Bruno is also unusually drinking to the point where his face turns red, he’s becoming talkative and his voice is rough.

「I didn’t think that women would get married to your sloppy ass so soon, though? You didn’t get them pregnant yet, right?」

Rather than getting pregnant, Mel has already given birth.

「Well, alot has happened. By the way, it was on the day of the ball that I proposed to Nonna.」

「So while I was having a hard time, you were proposing?!」

「It was quite a useful ball.」

「Even though I was getting caught endlessly by cosmetic-smelling women and talking to them meaninglessly……」

「Were they beautiful?」

「If you think that mermen are pretty, then yeah.」

Bruno and I burst into laughter as we drank alcohol together. He already has a lover who has given birth to a child, but it seems that she couldn’t appear in public because of her commoner’s birth status, so he’s troubled with the issue of getting married as a single noble. This is normal for nobles.

I’m getting hungry again, so I grab some meat and take a large bite out of it. The spices are quite effective so the meat is exquisitely soft. According to a merchant, just one of these is worth half a month’s salary for a commoner.

Just my restricting the number of people here, all the food here are of the highest class, and it wouldn’t be strange to find these same foods on the king’s dining table. 500 gold pieces disappeared into the cost of the dresses, the food, the alcohol and a certain something.

Rather than not having enough, it is better to have leftover, so we ordered food which all of us obviously could not finish, and when tomorrow comes, the food will be given to the kids in Dorothea’s orphanage to eat. If they don’t eat enough meat then they won’t be able to grow. A girl’s growth is especially important.

「That’s so nice, so nice……I also wanted to wear a dress……」

Seeing Nonna in a dress, Maria is crying and troubling those around her. As I thought, deep inside her heart, she isn’t convinced with me getting married……

「Delicious, delicious……this apple pie……I wonder how they make it.」

She’s crying while eating the pie. She’s simply a maudlin drinker. 1

「Mom! What is it like fucking with Aegir-san!!? When you stroke his big penis, does it squirt out liquid like ‘pew’?」

「Hey, Kuu!? There are nobles here. Even though it doesn’t matter if you’re rude, don’t be so vulgar!!」

「P****!! D, D***!! **** and ***** are ****ing!!」2

After drinking alcohol for the first time in her life, Kuu is spouting out some dirty talk that isn’t bearable to listen to…rather than a story, she’s just continuously spewing out dirty terms. The one who let her drink…is it Carla? It seems she used a large stein to gulp down a large portion of wine. So this is what Kuu becomes after drinking, normally, she pretends that she isn’t interested but she’s actually thinking about it so vividly in her head.

In the end, Kuu became unconscious and exited; Ruu gave the alcohol a little lick before shivering happily.

「Aegir-sama, if you don’t come over here, I’ll get lonely.」

「We will also feed you all the food.」

「…………Have some of Nonna’s alcohol.」

Mel and Carla comes to both my sides. And Nonna is surprisingly drawing her breasts close to me and letting me drink from the valley of her breasts. The three of their faces are red, so they’re probably quite drunk.

Nonna’s sudden change in front of the other guests caused them to be taken aback.

「There~ I told you that he said that he likes pussy more than breasts!」

「How can you act like such a pervert! It has to be breasts! A woman with large breasts will win!」

「If it’s Nonna-san, then you can even fit the entire wine bottle in those overly large breasts.」

As a result of some incoherent conversations, the three of them somehow started to play around with Nonna’s breasts to see what can be squeezed in between them, so I just leave them alone. There’s nothing better than having the wives get along together.

「Please! I’m begging you!!」

「That would trouble me! I don’t know anything about you!」

Over on this side, Christoph is kneeling in front of Miti. I thought that he did something to her, but it seems that this idiot is proposing to Miti. It seems he has been trying to get her to listen while on his knees, pleading for her to become his bride.

「Will it work itself out? We can’t kick him out during this celebration…」

Melissa tells me with a troubled look on her face. Miti would have asked for help, but Maria, who she is usually close with, is gulping down wine and crying.

「Alright, Christoph. I’ll give you a chance. If you can beat Irijina in a drinking contest, then I’ll present Miti to you.」

「No way! Master, you’re so mean!」

Miti is protesting but Melissa smiles and soothes her.

「Are you serious!? I can get something like this just by having a drinking contest with the woman!? If I win, I’m going to borrow your bed!」

「A drinking contest? You’re on!」

Irijina drops the two pieces of meat in her hand and stands up. Farewell Christoph, you have invited all of this due to your foolishness.

「Hey, why are you pouring the alcohol in the tub and not the stein?」

「What are you talking about? If we use that stein, then it’ll take until morning to settle this.」

Irijina is a bottomless heavy drinker + an alcoholic. She’ll probably keep you company until you lose consciousness.

「Celia? Are you alright too?」

「Ob courth.」 3

「That’s good. Hurry up and go to sleep.」

「Haahu, I want alcohol.」

Celia is quick to drink, even though she’s weak to liquor. I pick her up and she starts to doze off immediately. It can’t be helped, so I’ll carry her to her room.

She’s too vulnerable and there are other guys around. Well, let’s prank her a little. I lay her down on the bed, strip all of her clothes, and place two cups near her bed. So as to not get my handwriting recognized, I used my left hand to write ‘Last night was the best. I want to see you, my beloved, again.’ and leave it as a memo.

It’s perfect.

When I was on the way back from Celia’s room, I ran into Alma in the corridor. It seems like she was taking care of Sue. As expected, her mother, Mel, has also entrusted Sue to her today.

Alma bows her head. Oh yeah, she was looking at the cooking quite enviously.

A servant can only put the food in their mouth when it has cooled down, the banquet is over and it has been lowered to them. Normally we also eat together at times, but there are guests today, so they couldn’t do that. I picked up a dish with lots of freshly cooked meat piled on it from the banquet and handed it to Alma.

「This one is already cold, so I’ll exchange it with this new one.」

Alma seems to get what I’m saying, she lowered her head and picks up the plate, running off happily.

「You’re quite kind.」

Turning around, I was surprised that Sebastian was standing there. He doesn’t have any knowledge of martial arts, but he essentially doesn’t have much of a presence. It seems that the ideal butler is to be there whenever the master needs him, but never letting him realize it.

「Is that so?」

I have never thought or said anything about things like kindness myself.

「I understand the reason why the master attracts women to himself.」

「I’m kind to women because I have ulterior motives.」

「But that alone will not turn it into something like this.」

In front of his eyes, Nonna and Carla are playing around, and Mel is smiling.

「The wife and the concubines are not putting up a front and are genuinely opening up their hearts. That would be the result of the master’s character.」

Being praised like that makes me feel strange. I pour alcohol into a stein and push it towards Sebastian.

「This has also become old. Lower it and leave it aside.」

「Certainly. Then I shall partake.」

Because of Sebastian, I didn’t feel like saying anything so I rub Irijina’s ass. But she is so absorbed with her alcohol that she doesn’t notice, what a woman. By the way, Christoph was bent over and throwing up so Agor carried him out to the garden.

「He is always such an idiot.」

「It’s fine if he’s enjoying life, isn’t it?」

I drink some alcohol with Agor.

「Three brides huh……and they’re a collection of beauties, the beauty of your wife is especially dazzling.」

I didn’t think Agor would give me such compliments. But he can’t be talking about other people.

「Aren’t you also having fun with two women?」

Agor spit out his alcohol.

「……So you are aware of it.」

「You brought the maid along with you, right?」

「Actually there was a slight problem since then.」

Agor flips up his clothes to show me his side. There was a brand new scar from a small knife.

「You got stabbed?」

「Yes, quite deeply by the widow.」

I accidentally laughed. That reminds me, I have also been injured by a woman holding a knife.

「What are you doing now?」

「Both of them are staying at home but they aren’t getting along with each other. It becomes a hassle whenever we talk about things like marriage.」

「That would be the case, for common sense.」

When Nonna and I got married, we had a little dispute too.

「Can I ask how Hardlett-sama managed to convince the women?」

It’s not something that I can explain. I just went with the flow or……hmm, it’s difficult.

「As long as you drag them to bed, you can do something about it. Why don’t you do them together?」

Agor is actually housing both of them, so he’s probably doing that already.

「That is embarrassing, but I’m also not a man capable of satisfying both of them, especially the maid. Whenever I take off my clothes, her face always looks somewhat disappointed. Maybe she’s comparing me with a man from her past……」4

Perhaps due to the alcohol, Agor is talking about a wide range of topics that he doesn’t usually talk about. Sorry, the man from the maid’s past is probably me. She should be that girl who loves rough sex and whom I made faint easily. While stroking my cock and screaming ‘it’s big, it’s big’, it seems that Agor’s dick doesn’t get full points.

Use all your strength to pound her repeatedly! It’s love even if it’s rough! I tell that to Agor before leaving. There are often times where it’s better for the truth to not be known.

Aside from the first toast in the beginning, Leopolt is drinking alcohol quietly while accompanied by Nina. They themselves said that they were fine with that, and the girl is pouring alcohol quite happily. Then Nina pretends to be drunk and leans against Leopolt, but he doesn’t shake her off. I can’t bring myself to disturb them during their important time.

Well, the problem is this. The married couple, Andrei and Natalie. It seems Natalie entrusted her child with a babysitter in order to come here. That is how much they value their relationship with me.

But the two of them are sitting side-by-side and aren’t talking to each other, leaving about a person’s space in between them. Actually, I also called the girl that Andrei got pregnant to come today, but it seems that she might be close to giving birth soon and is refraining from going out, so she refused.

「I’m sorry about this, even though you went to all the trouble of inviting us, but as expected, I think that ‘small body’ is giving us trouble with her birth, so please let us rest.」 5

Natalie purposely explains it to me in such a way that Andrei could hear.

「I can’t believe there is such a man who would lust after such a small body, and then shoot his seeds in her too! Right, dear?」

This girl right now is just like a ruthless witch.

「Everything has already been done. Let’s not live by looking at the past, but to the future. Isn’t that what life is?」

It’s not even ‘hard-boiled’ anymore. You will only be known as a lover of little girls, and will never be able to recover.

Although with that said, he has helped me in the past that I still need to repay. Let’s help him out a little.

「Only his hobbies are special, he himself isn’t a bad man. Don’t be so cruel to him.」

「……If a man who raped an 11 year old girl and got her pregnant isn’t a bad man, then what is he?」

You can say that, but things are complicated, since I can’t see you as anything but a child either. I still think so, even after realizing that you got pregnant from a man in his late thirties.

「Instead of digging up things from the past, focus on the future. If you and your child are both happy then there won’t be any complaints.」

「Well that’s true……」

「You will be treating your child and wife preciously, right Master?」

I somehow managed to settle it nicely.

「Sorry, I can’t do that.」

(Light Novels Illustration: Hardboiled Andrei)

Why are you purposely destroying the peace?! It would have been fine to just lie here and tell her that you would cherish her.

「Actually, I have formed a relationship with Aurelia in Dorothea’s monastery, so I’ll cherish these three people.」

With a clunk, Natalie’s stein fell to the floor. I remember the times, when she was still just a child-like girl and was clinging to Andrei, who was much older than her.

「She adores me as a father. But I love her as a woman. When I told her my feelings, she opened up her body to me while still bewildered……」

Everything is too late. He has betrayed the contract; he has broken the peace, chaos is starting to spread, and a dark age is closing down upon us.

I slowly got out of my seat, Natalie told me that she wasn’t feeling well and took Andrei with her back home.

「While you are still free, may I borrow a walnut cracker?」

Natalie asked Miti, but I pushed her back and sent the two of them off to the front door. If you break a man’s walnut, he would sooner be killed.

I see the two of them off and was about to return, but I see a rather familiar red handkerchief on the side of the front door.

「So you came? Then why did you decline my invitation?」

The one who showed her face was Catherine. Even though I invited her, she ignored me.

「I just……felt like it.」

She wouldn’t come here and leave her kids just because she ‘felt like it’.

「Are you going to congratulate me?」

「Well, congratulations. It’s just like a breast-lover like you to make Nonna-san your wife. I pray you don’t get killed in battle and have your wife and children taken from you.」

I ignore Catherine’s cynicism. Her heart probably doesn’t feel calm unless she resents me. Besides, her body has already become unable to live without me. In due time, her heart will also fall.

「Well come in, we still have food and alcohol.」

「I don’t need it. Tell Nonna-san that I said congratulations.」

「Yeah, I’ll tell the three of them.」

「Three people……being lusted after by such a sex beast, I feel sorry for them.」

Catherine stood on her tiptoes and stuck out her lips. After about a 30 second kiss, she separated and left.

(Light Novels Illustration: Catherine visits)

「If you say it, I’ll take care of you though.」

I didn’t notice that Catherine was crying, and that her stomach was bulging a little. I didn’t realize until she came and told me about it. I’ll just pretend that I didn’t notice that she was trying to hide it from me.

Now that the banquet is almost over, everyone has already started to reach for fruits and yogurts, etc. The only ones who are still eating meat and drinking alcohol are just Irijina and Mack.

Erich is also saying ‘it’s about time’ and is sending the guests back home. After this, it seems Agor, Christoph and Mack will be sent to the town’s brothel at Bruno’s expense. As expected, it is impossible for Erich to do so since he’s so widely known; there are also many women who are charmed by his heroic stories. If he calls out to a woman, they would instantly follow him.

「Mack, you look big so control yourself, but don’t break them ‘kay?」6

「……」

Mack silently stuck his thumb up.

The servants mobilized to clean up the ruined living room. All the household members went to sleep.

The ones left are Nonna, Carla, Mel and myself. They adjusted their dresses and came next to me.

「Shall we go?」

「Yes.」

「Yeah.」

「Gladly.」

Our destination is naturally my bedroom. This is the night to consummate our marriage, so this is the beginning of a fun night.

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett 20 years old Winter

(Traditional age reckoning)