Published at 18th of October 2020 07:36:37 PM
Chapter 102
Chapter 102
During those days, Kurats had returned to Bashtar since the king did not want him to gather more achievements and break the kingdom’s balance .
【”Currently, Bashtar is probably the land that gets the most attention in the whole continent!”】
With a smile that did nothing to hide her intentions, Lunaria pressed Kurats’ right hand on her bosom .
Since her night with Kurats, she had been working on skinship to catch up on Cornelia, who had had a long head-start .
【”Still, will those people really be able to deal with the marquis?”】
While cheekily occupying Kurats’ left side, Frigga tilted her head, wondering about the battle that was currently going at the border .
Seeing the two battle enthusiasts marking their turfs on both sides of Kurats, a pouting Cornelia sat on a seat opposite him .
The reason there was still a nice atmosphere despite her mood was that she had the pride of being Kurats’ first woman, and she trusted Lunaria and Frigga .
At present, all three of them had formed a united front against the three monsters; Triestella, Meryl, and Berta, who were naturally talented when it came to bedroom matters . They did not want to lose due to numbers .
【”I want seconds . ”】
【”Me too . ”】
【”…”】
As one would expect from Nosferatus, their desires and endurance were extraordinary . After the many rounds of battle that followed the earlier conversation, they kept pressing Kurats for more, and he was able to deliver thanks to his overwhelming energy .
【”For sure, I wasn’t lying when I said you can have as much as you want . ”】
【”…Miss Lunaria . . I am… I am-!”】
Meanwhile, Lunaria held Cornelia by the shoulders to comfort her . She was barely able to catch her breath at this point .
【”It’s okay! You gave it your all, Cornelia! Leave the rest to the two of us!”】
【”Sorry Lunaria… I am down, too . ”】
【”You too, Frigga?! But if you’re down, then I…!”】
As Lunaria grievously shivered all over, Kurats mercilessly answered her with a winning smile .
【”Oh? So you want seconds, too?”】
【”Uh… the legal wife will not… lose to some monsters!”】
For women, there were times when they had to keep fighting, even when they knew they were losing .
While amassing such defeats multiple times over, the bond uniting Cornelia, Lunaria, and Frigga became stronger than ever before .
And there was one girl who greatly envied those three lovers .
(Must be nice……I wish lord Kurats would be that affectionate with me, too…)
She was someone who could not be referred to as Kurats’ lover at all, not even as flattery .
Clodette .
This was Clodette’s first love, but she was not even aware of it . She had no idea how she felt about Kurats .
However, it was a fact that when she saw the cheerful smiles of Lunaria and the others, she would feel a sharp pain in her heart .
Now that she thought about it, she did not even know why she had decided to blindly throw herself in the Bashtar territory after her first meeting with Kurats .
(That was… the first time a man ever protected me…)
As a natural airhead, Cldoette never realized she been secretly popular for a long time due to her charming, though somewhat childish, traits .
The issue was that there was too big a difference between what Clodette herself wanted and what the men who wanted her were aiming for .
As someone who had yet to grasp what love even was, all Clodette ever sought was friends she could have fun with .
It was only natural that her immature self wouldn’t match with men who wanted something a step above .
But now, she felt that perhaps, for the first time in her life, the emotion called love had struck her too .
【”Ufufufufu…”】
Marika did not understand what had just gone on through her friend’s head, but thanks to her many years of experience with her, she knew that Clodette had definitely just come up with some nonsense .
It was worrisome .
After all, she would always drag Marika in some terrible matters with no escape .
Marika shook her head dejectedly as she waited for a disaster that would definitely come soon .
Kurats had only spent less than half a month in the capital for the celebrations, but by time he came back, Bashtar had changed a lot .
Narak, which had served as a temporary site for a government office, had now turned into a large city with tens of thousands of people .
It was unbelievable that not so long ago, this had been a cramped, rural village with only a few hundred villagers living shoulder to shoulder .
Thanks to the plentiful water from the waterway that led to the Turenne river, it was not rare to see children drinking water without any worry all over the city .
The ground was covered in verdant and rich sheets of green, with many roads going in all directions from the center of the city, like a well-organized net .
At the plaza in front of the government office, there were merchants from all over the country, linked together in long lines of shops, forming a market that shone under the lively blue sky .
Some were selling never-before-seen fruits, unique tableware, and musical instruments typical of the south .
As for where those goods that did not belong in the kingdom at all had been gathered from, one could only imagine .
【”Welcome back, lady Marika . It is truly a pleasure to see you’re well . ”】
A line of bureaucrats all bowed down to Marika in sync .
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Marika waved her right hand like it was a matter of course, like a calm general commanding her troops .
【”What was that? Is that what you’re supposed to be saying first right now?”】
【”Lord Kurats, congratulations on your engagement to her highness princess Lunaria!”】
【”Y-yeah… . ”】
(I get that Marika is their direct superior, but aren’t these guys way too extreme with the whole blind obedience thing?)
Though he was not aware that this group of people who had been previously hired were now referred to as “Marika’s servants”, Kurats still couldn’t suppress himself from feeling a hint of anxiety knowing that these guys were the bureaucrats in charge of the very core of Bashtar .
【”Since the population has increased, we’ve added two forces to maintain public safety . Even so, should we add another one by next month?”】
【”Do we have the budget? The people?”】
【”Given the capital gathered from the mining of mithril and the taxes on the travelling merchants’ stalls, the budget should be no issue . But, because of the marquis’ rebellion, it’s becoming real hard to find mercenaries for hire . ”】
Apparently, most of the kingdom’s mercenaries had gone to fight at the Strasbourg castle, close to the border with Asgard .
After thinking a little, Kurats started talking telepathically with Triestella .
『Triestella… How many subordinates disguised as humans do you have?』
『Master, if you give them some of your energy, I believe a hundred of them would be willing to fall under you . 』
『Then bring me fifty . Give priority to the skilled ones . 』
『Understood . 』
Considering these monsters were the elite of the Nosferatus, even just fifty of them would be enough to surpass an army of a thousand humans .
With that done, all that was left to do was to raise the price offered as remuneration in order to hire a few skilled mercenaries .
That would be enough to maintain Bashtar’s public order .
【”You’ve done enough . Leave that last part to me . As for your reward, you can discuss it with Marika . ”】
【”Haha, indeed, everything goes according to lady Marika’s will . ”】
【”…No, I’m quite sure I get the final say . ”】
(Yeah, like I thought, I can’t overlook what they’re saying right now . )
After a small pause, the bureaucrat answered .
【”―― Of course you do . You are our respectable lord . ”】
As Kurats turned to Marika and gave her a disapproving look, her cheeks turned red from embarrassment and she awkwardly looked away .
(…Have I overdone it?)
Marika was finally realizing the fatal mistake she had made at the time of inviting people to work for the territory .
It was a this moment that Clodette, who had been watching over the report quietly, decided to join the conversation .
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【”Lord Kurats, can I get a reward too?”】
【”Hmm? Of course, Clodette . For you, that’s no issue . What do you want?”】
【”I would like to date you like Lunaria and the others!】
―― Bam!
【”Iiih!”】
【”This girl! What are you saying?!”】
Marika shouted with her embarrassment in full display on her crimson face .
(So that’s what that bad feeling I had was about!)
The many years of friendship between Clodette and Marika were not just for show . Mairka knew better than to let this keep going .
If she failed to stop her here, the backlash would definitely fall back on herself .
【”Marika is the same, lord Kurats . We want to go watch plays with you, and have dinner with you…”】
―― Bam! Bam! Bam!
【”Iiiiiiiiiih!”】
【”You! Do you have no moral compass?!”】
(He heard! Lord Kurats heard how I really feel!)
Marika caught Clodette by her thin neck .
【”C-can’t breath…”】
【”What’s the matter, Marika? I don’t mind taking you with me to plays and whatnot . ”】
【”Ah? B-but, lord Kurats…”】
Lunaria had just gotten engaged to him, and Marika felt that Cornelia and Frigga were probably intimate with him, too .
【”I don’t know about taking other people, but if it’s you and Clodette, it’s fine . You’re special to me . ”】
【”Huh?”】
Looking at Kurats who was right in front of her, Marika’s neck looked like it was boiling hot .
Her maiden’s heart was starting a symphony of its own .
【”But… Won’t I be a bother? I’m just… “】
The sight of Marika looking up at Kurats with her cheeks dyed red was extremely cute .
Kurats barely managed to hold back his urge to hug her tight on the spot .
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【”How could I not give a warm welcome to a cute girl like you?”】
【”Best of wishes! Well done, lady Marika!”】
Still perfectly aligned under her leadership, Marika’s underlings spoke in unison, prompting her to shout at them with great embarrassment .
【”We’re done here, get lost already!”】
【”Yes, your highness!”】
『I see someone’s learning to talk . 』
Kurats lightly brushed away Brenst’s cynicism .
【”Isn’t this what you wanted?”】
『Right… That is right . However, this is still very far from ideal . 』
Indeed, Bernst was the one who had demanded of Kurats to show power and dignity fitting of the magic king’s alter-ego .
That being said, somewhere in Bernst’s mind, he felt like it would not sit well with him if Kurats were to grow as he wanted him to .
Though Bernst had not known any emotions for very a long time, some feelings, albeit slight, had settled deep inside his heart as of late, beyond his control .
He believed these were just the feelings he shared with Kurats, and though they felt like his own emotions, there was no way they were genuine . They couldn’t be .
(Could it be that my actual emotions are returning…? Ridiculous, that would never happen . )
Bernst had shared Kurats’ emotions time and time again .
Be they anger, sadness, joy, or even love, Bernst was able to taste a plentiful supply of feelings through Kurats .
It wouldn’t have been very difficult for Bernst’s subconscious to have ended up reconstructing fake feelings due to those experiences .
But that did not change the fact they were likely mere imitations .
(They are far from being real, and they are definitely not my own . )
However, right now, the magic king Bernst was feeling confused .
For he who was close to godhood, the idea of his own emotions returning was terrifying .
Those selfish, raw, uncontrollable things called emotions evoked the memories of his distant past .
Back in the days when Bernst was still human– He used to have a fulfilling life thanks to his imperfections . Back then, he had the ability to have hopes and fiery ambitions for the future .
However, his pride as the magic king and a being close to godhood did not allow him to acknowledge the fulfillment of those bygone days .
Therefore, for him, these feelings had to be based on Kurats’ emotions .
That mysterious anxiety in his heart definitely had to be from that tiny, fleeting human’s feelings…