Chapter 28 - 28 The Plan to Make Two Tigers Fight
Imperial Calendar Year 252, Spring
I turned 14, and Emilia turned 15. Reimi is... forever 18. No matter what anyone says, she won't budge on this. I don't have the courage to open Pandora's box either, so she's 18.
Aqua gave birth to a boy. Noah and Tima also gave birth, but since they've returned to their respective homes, I haven't seen them yet. Still, hearing that both mother and child were healthy put me at ease.
However... "Mother is pregnant? Sixteen years apart from me... it's impossible," Sera muttered to herself.
And then, rumors on the wind said that Isis and Karen had also become pregnant. (No way, did that one shot hit the mark?) I thought.
At the Cielo household, it seemed like a state of chaos had erupted.
"Mama is pregnant!? Whose kid is it?!"
"It's obviously Papa's, you idiot son!"
"I won't accept that!"
When word came that Abalon had lost his composure and it was a huge ordeal, Sera murmured, "Sigh... it's so twisted... that house... I don't want to go back..."
Once, when Sera returned to her family home alone, Abensis was apparently delighted. It seems she was treated like a dress-up doll, not just with dresses, and even felt like her bath was being peeped at.
"The panties I got from my beloved Lord Shivans also went missing..."
Because of things like that, she stopped going home alone.
"Well, isn't that fine? I think Sera, who shows me her slutty pussy without wearing panties, is good too."
Sera, cheered by my words, invited Yaris—whose chest had grown larger—and they got into the bath with me, calling it my "birthday gift." The two of them, having learned obscene words, spread their legs and asked for hair removal.
"If we do well with this, we're sure to be embraced right away!"
Sera and Yaris were incredibly fired up. And Passo, who wanted to write an article about it, was also fired up. Recently, when he published an article titled [The Mined Rock Salt Has Been Refined and Will Finally Make Its Market Debut Tomorrow!], he was pleased that inquiries came in from readers.
[Will This Year's Ringo Harvest Be Bountiful? What Will Happen to the Market Price?]
Every day, he gathers material and publishes articles, and the number of readers who look forward to them is growing.
And if the two of them are active, he declared enthusiastically, "I'll make it a big spread that reaches even the Imperial Capital!"
On an unfortunate note, it seems that Marquis Kaoz's grandson—Ivan's son—and Auris's daughter passed the Imperial Academy entrance exam and happily entered the dormitory. Of course, the 24th son did too.
(A senpai, huh... Originally, the 24th son should have been the one to ascend the throne... Is it my fault? Perhaps His Majesty was supposed to die from that poisoned sake.)
That said, I don't regret it. Because I don't feel the need to pointlessly drive someone to their death. Speaking of which, that Dona—Kaoz's third son—apparently passed through without even greeting us and took up his post as Internal Affairs Officer. I sent a letter saying "Congratulations" just in case.
One day, the three members of Shivans' Guard gathered for a strategy meeting.
According to Vel's covert intelligence report, the third son, Dona, hasn't made any notable moves.
"Well, he probably won't. First, let's deduce who the enemy is."
If he's a son of Marquis Kaoz, that clan likes to move in the shadows, and they should be more familiar with the back alleys than the front stage. Naturally, that means they won't move themselves but will use others—specifically, people who can't be traced back to them. For example, guys who move for money.
"Next, when will they move?"
The most effective time would be Aristo's wedding, when I'll be away for a long period. Moreover, it would be best if it could be made to look like my own blunder. If they're thinking of humiliating me at the wedding, they'll start setting things up around the time before the ceremony.
As I was saying whatever came to mind, Regias began to get angry.
"That bastard's younger brother, huh! The reason the General was given a Knight Title and banished to the frontier, and the reason the tendons in my arm were cut, is all because that damn clan betrayed us!"
Even you call my papa "General"? Well, I understood very well that Regias holds a grudge too.
"My deductions aren't necessarily correct. Gather information while keeping in mind that it might not be a bullseye, but it's not far off. We still have one month. Make sure to catch their tail! And don't let go!"
Saying "Understood," the three discussed their respective roles.
As for me, I was doing adventurer work and making various things as usual.
(And also, dresses, accessories, and shoes for Aqua and the Lady!)
For Aqua, I made a dress based on a color called Aqua Blue. And among the jewels we got from the bandits, there was a silver ring and a blue sapphire, so I made a ring just for Aqua.
When I edged the blue sapphire with liquid extracted from fluorescent flowers, a beautiful ring that shone even at night was completed. I also made earrings, a necklace, and other items. For shoes, I imagined glass high heels, hardened them with slime solution, and finished them as silver-shining shoes.
(Maybe they're a bit lacking in elegance... That's it!)
Fur made from pelts will create a refined and elegant feel. I'm sure I've seen fake fur in blue before. The image is of wearing fluffy fur dyed with the blue from that fluorescent flower extract. Even though it's spring, the nights are cold, so it'll work!
Next, shall I make the attire for Windam, Klaus, and the bride and groom Aristo and Aria? I made leather shoes too, and for the tailcoat, instead of black, I tried adding embroidery and made something cool. I also prepared a glossy shirt for underneath. For Aria, a pure white wedding dress.
For the Lady, a black and gold dress.
I prepared something chic and sexy.
(They said the wedding would last three days and three nights, so she'll probably need several dresses. Her parents will likely come too... Will Gale come as well?)
With cooperation from the sewing factory, we had a considerable number made for both men and women.
Besides that, I also prepared things that seemed likely to sell, like cooking oil extracted from aburana and char siu made from boar.
Two weeks after the meeting, we seized information that Dona was communicating with a dark organization called Joker.
"Well done! Here's your reward!"
When I handed over one large silver coin, they were overjoyed.
Using Presence Concealment and Concealment, I infiltrated Joker's hideout.
"Oi! In one week, we're burning the nearest village! Gather the men!"
"B-but, O-kashira... the enemy ain't stupid. They're on high alert, yeah?"
Then, Joker spoke of the secret pact with Dona.
"The border of the territory, the bridge to the east. You know the place that's on the highway, right? Dona's men will cause a huge ruckus there. That'll draw a big crowd over there, yeah? In the gap when they're spread thin, the village to the west here goes up in flames! Uhyahya! We'll massacre the villagers! It's 100 gold coins!"
The executives raised voices of joy.
(I see. If that's how it is, I have a plan too.)
I immediately gathered the three executives and held a strategy meeting.
First, I'll put the ones causing a ruckus at the bridge to sleep, then quietly load them onto a carriage and make them work at the rock salt mine. Next, I'll set up a bottomless swamp for the enemy unit attacking the village. After completely surrounding them, we'll shoot arrows from all sides and kill them.
"Let a few of Joker's men escape. As a key point, say something like 'It was just as Dona-sama communicated' so the enemy understands. What will Joker do when he realizes there was no attack on the bridge, his own forces were annihilated, and the reason the village they were going to attack was leaked beforehand?"
When I chuckled, Vel also laughed, saying, "That strategy is terrifying, Young Master! But Yaris's reputation for killing bandits will surely rise!"
"Indeed! If Passo widely proclaims her as the 'Female General Who Surrounded and Annihilated the Enemy,' Joker will be even more irritated, won't he?"
And so, our preparations steadily progressed.
I set foot in the port town where Joker's hideout was located.
(I went shopping with Fai here, huh...)
As I was lost in memories, a shopkeeper said something unusual had come in stock. When I appraised it, it came up as coffee beans. They were slightly different from what I knew, but I decided to buy them all.
"Big Brother. What kind of value do those beans have? They ain't something you can eat, you know? Don't come saying you don't want 'em later, 'cause I ain't giving your money back!"
I said "Of course," and promptly stuffed the burlap sacks into my inventory. Then, the one who said "Thank you for your purchase" was the pregnant Karen.
Going to the back of the shop, she smiled happily and said, "I never imagined it would happen in just that one day." The shop from earlier was apparently her family home.
"After that, various things happened."
Although they called it a wedding, it was just a banquet. But her husband's cousin, who had feelings for Karen, forced her husband to drink a ton of sake and made him dead drunk. Naturally, there was no wedding night, so while Karen was sleeping in a separate room, an incident occurred.
"My husband was drunk and had brought another woman in to sleep with. Whether he was truly drunk is suspicious, though. The cousin assaulted that woman, and it turned into a huge fight with my husband."
Perhaps he hit a bad spot, but her husband apparently fell into a coma. And then Karen's pregnancy was discovered. So, it seems she returned to this family home.
"I'm treated as a widow, you know? But after becoming a widow, I've become incredibly popular."
"Certainly, you've become more alluring, haven't you?"
"Because Lord Shivans taught me various things ♡"
"Is your livelihood okay?"
"Yes! Thanks to you!"
It seems her husband's family also feels guilty and is providing support. From Karen's perspective, I seem to be treated as a man who brings good fortune.
"Isis-san also said that once she gives birth to Lord Shivans's child, she'll return to Cielo Trading Company. Please continue to share your happiness with us ♡"
She kissed me and went back.
(Somehow, things have gotten strange.)
After walking a bit, I arrived at the place that used to be the house where I lived with Fai. Because I had burned it, it was now an empty lot. Feeling an inexplicable urge to see Fai, I visited the village, and the village chief looked at me with a surprised face.
"Y-you are... if I recall... the one who helped Fai?"
"I'm Shivans. Do you remember me?"
He nodded, saying "Ah," and when he said, "I'll go see if Fai is there!" the villagers ran off. After waiting a while, I was told, "I'll guide you," and when I was led there, her husband came out.
"Aah? Who the hell are you?"
"Idiot! I just told you! He's the one who helped Fai!"
"You! You haven't done anything weird to Fai, have you?!"
What is this... is this déjà vu? I feel like something like this has happened before.
"Sorry. This guy's a bit, you know..."
The villager pointed at his head and made a circling motion. When the villager hurriedly left, I cast Sleep and put the husband into a deep slumber at the entrance. Letting myself in, I opened the door and called out "Fai." Fai, who had given birth, was sleeping.
Looking at her husband snoring at the entrance, she giggled and said, "Welcome home, darling! In that outfit, no one would think you're a traveling merchant."
Apparently, the villagers think I'm a spy for the country or military, or someone from a special agency. Fai told me that when I helped her last time, they questioned, "A traveling merchant in a place like that?" and this time, it was because I appeared right after the new lord, Dona, imposed heavy taxes.
"It's nothing so grand, but I do have many enemies."
"It's fine. No matter what you are. Because I fell in love with you yourself. Even if everyone becomes your enemy, I alone will believe in you!"
She tried to get up, but when I tried to lay her back down, she shook her head and said, "This child is your child." So I started to say, "That's right. All the children you bear are—" but she interrupted, "No other man's sperm has entered my pussy!"
She took off her nightgown, became completely naked, and said, "Hurry, take yours off." When I was fully naked, she said, "Let me suck it," and we lay sideways in a 69 position.
"I... why did I ever think I liked someone like him? Every day, the only thing I think about is you. What are you doing now? Where are you? Surely, you're working hard in various places. Are you injured or sick? What if you died... I thought about so many things every day."
She took my cock in her mouth while crying.
When I spread her legs and licked her, she moved her tongue even more.
"Hey, put it in. This is a pussy I haven't let my husband use, even though I'm married ♡"
"Bear my child again, Fai!"
"Of course, darling! I'm your wife, after all!"
After the cleaning fellatio, I also milked the man who was her husband until he was dried up again.
"Since we have an heir, next I want to have a girl ♡"
"Are your parents happy?"
"They think it's that guy's child, so they're a little disappointed, though."
It seems she plans to tell them it's my child eventually.
I spent a few days with Fai, and when I laughed and said, "The lord here will surely face divine punishment," she seemed to understand and laughed, saying, "I have God on my side!"
"I'll come again!"
"I'll always be here, waiting for your return with the children. I love you!"
Saying she would bear the next child, she hugged me tightly and kissed me. When I gently pulled away, she put on her nightgown and kept waving to see me off for a long time.
When I returned, a pigeon had come. It was from Aristo.
[Grandmother Safe 2 Weeks Later]
(I see. She gave birth... So the wedding is in two weeks.)
Meanwhile, it was the night the bandits' operation was set to go.
"O-kashira? Are we really getting gold coins just for causing a ruckus? Don't you think the deal sounds too good?"
With a sour face, he said curtly, "It's a bit late for that, ain't it? If you don't like it, drop out. It just means a bigger share for the rest of us." Then, he announced to everyone.
"That goes for all of you too. If you don't like it, drop out right now. We'll see the bridge soon. Anyone who complains there gets cut down. If you understand, let's move out!"
And then the bridge came into view.
"The plan is this! If a traveler passes by, pick a fight with them. A carriage would be ideal, but they won't conveniently come along that easily."
Just as he said that, a carriage was seen approaching.
"O-kashira! We're in luck! Isn't this just perfect for us?!"
"Yeah... it is..."
The moment O-kashira said that, everyone fell into a deep sleep. Without even knowing they were being branded with a slave mark by me.
"Alright! Everyone's headed to the mine! That was just perfect for us."
The 30 thugs were sleeping with happy faces.
Using Instant Movement, I arrived at the ridge of the rice paddy in front of the village, and Vel came to report.
"The enemy is about 100 strong. They're heading this way, Young Master!"
The enemy had entered the drained rice paddy and were preparing fire arrows.
"Soak them in oil. Tell me when you're ready! We're going to set them on fire!"
That was when it happened.
Suddenly, the ground sank in like a swamp, and everyone panicked.
"You bandits! W-Welcome! It was truly just as Dona-dono said!"
Perhaps from nerves, Yaris delivered her line in a monotone. Though her voice was dignified and clear. Vel clicked his tongue.
"That idiot! She got nervous and already said it... Honestly! Everyone, shoot your arrows!"
The bandits, their lower bodies sunk and upper bodies shot with arrows, died one after another.
"That bastard Dona... he betrayed us! Joker's O-kashira will be attacked! Hurry back!"
The plan was to let about 5 escape, but around 20 got away.
"Aaah! I said it too soon and failed! Even though I practiced that line so much!"
Regias called out to Yaris, who was on the verge of tears.
"We took down 80 out of 100. In an army, that's a devastating blow. It's enough!"
"You overly soft shitty old man! If this were a battlefield, most of them escaping would be a colossal blunder! I told you it was after we shot the arrows! We only managed thanks to the Young Master's magic. Reflect on this, Yaris!"
Vel and Regias started fighting.
"Who's an overly soft shitty old man? I'll kill you, Vel!"
"You wanna go? Did you forget I'm 27 wins out of 52 fights?"
"Idiot! It's 53 fights and I have 27 wins! Have you gone senile, Vel?!"
When I applied Intimidation with a smile, a frozen air flowed around us and it became quiet.
"For now, we won. It's not that we lost, but there are certainly points to reflect on. Please handle the corpses."
When I said that, everyone quietly bowed. When I released the magic, the swamp disappeared, leaving only the corpses behind.
Around that time, at the hideout:
"What? The bridge was quiet with no one there... Is that true?"
"There's no mistake, O-kashira. Could it be that we were tricked by Dona?"
The scout who had been observing the bridge made his report. It was just when everyone began to suspect, "Why?" The 20 wounded comrades returned.
"O-kashira, you're safe!"
"What happened? Why is the assault squad all injured? How did it go?"
They were flustered, saying it was far from that.
Then, they discussed the possibility that Dona had been connected with Shivans.
"In fact, the enemy commander said, 'It was just as Dona said,' and they were lying in wait for us. Most of our comrades were killed..."
Then one of the subordinates said this: Dona came as an Internal Affairs Officer.
Originally, he should be our enemy, but to pretend to join forces, he persuaded us by saying his older brother Ivan was beaten by Butler in the great war 16 years ago and held a grudge, baiting us with a huge sum of money.
Then, he made us fight Butler's son Shivans, and without deploying a single soldier of his own, without suffering a single injury, he had Shivans finish us off.
"Aah. If you think about it that way, everything makes sense. The fact that there was no one at the bridge, and that the enemy knew the attack location. So I was dancing in the palm of that scoundrel's hand? He made a fool of us! I'll never forgive this! I won't forgive you, Dona! I'll tear you to pieces!"
With the remaining comrades, they formed a plan to brutally murder Dona.
"Take all his money and his family too! Sell the women, chop the men to bits! Let's teach him what happens when you make fools of us!"
The subordinates also raised their spirits, shouting, "It's a war of vengeance!" From there, they would watch Dona and carefully consider when and where to attack.
The next morning's newspaper sold very well.
[Internal Affairs Officer Dona Sold His Soul to the Devil]
[He arrived as the new Internal Affairs Officer, but the first thing he did was raise taxes. The residents can only be described as pitiful. Immediately, to settle his grudge, he hired bandits and had them attack Shivans Territory. However, our General Yaris crushed them!]
On the next page, specific details were written:
[It is a remarkable feat to have defeated 80 of the approximately 100 bandits! Could it be that the tax increase was to hire those bandits? It must be the power of his father, Kaoz, that sent the worst Internal Affairs Officer in history. We want them to stop letting father and son do whatever they please with this country.]
This article sold like crazy.
"I was planning to go to the former Herman territory for business, but I'll put it off for a while."
"That's for the best. But to think such a fool would come here..."
"Kaoz must be a scoundrel too. He's no decent noble!"
In the square in front of the Lord's Manor, many food stalls were out, but everyone was reading the newspaper, and this topic dominated the conversation. People who read this newspaper were being imprinted with the idea that "the Kaoz father and son are outrageous good-for-nothings."
Today, I was taking a bath with Sera.
"It was Lord Shivans who wrote that newspaper article, wasn't it? As I thought, you have a sense for it! Something that blockhead Passo couldn't write!"
She apparently sent it to her family home too. Cielo read the article, laughed heartily, and posted it inside the shop.
"If you do something like that, the Kaoz faction will have their eyes on you."
"Ufufu. Both Papa and I are in the Shivans faction, so it's fine!"
When I gazed at her beautiful breasts, Sera said with a lustful face, "It's okay... touch them!"
"This too... you can touch it. Or rather, I want you to touch it!"
"Where?"
She spread her legs wide and said, "My lewd pussy. Sera's incredibly naughty pussy. I want Lord Shivans's cock! When I say things like this, I get incredibly wet! Hey, can I masturbate?" She squeezed her breasts and tried to lick her own nipples.
When I said no, she writhed, saying, "Tonight, the bed is going to be incredible again. When I'm made to wait, I burn even more and this horniness won't stop! Aah... I want to touch my pussy..."
When I asked if she was going to cum, she shook her head.
"I want to save that for when I'm embraced by Lord Shivans! It's hotter to become lewd by being made to cum by Lord Shivans!"
Afterwards, when I showed her the dress and underwear I made for her after the bath, she said, "It feels incredibly lewd! If Lord Shivans stared at me, I might just cum, you know?"
After getting out of the bath, we had a serious talk.
"The wedding, including the parties, will probably last three days and three nights. Sera, I want you to stay by Lady Aria's side the whole time. She probably has no one she can rely on. Many people will come, but Lady Aria will likely feel lonely. Because there won't be anyone there who sincerely blesses this marriage."
When I asked if she understood what this meant, she nodded deeply.
"There are many people, and they come to talk with smiles, but she's lonely. I think those words perfectly describe Lady Aria right now. I will stay with her the entire time!"
That would be a great help. When I said that, she looked happy and said, "You're so kind!"
"Kind? She's my friend's wife. I want to do what I can for her, but there are things a man can't do. Besides, I'm not all-powerful, you know?"
"Lord Shivans is not all-powerful? Even whether God is all-powerful is dubious, you know?"
"I'm an ordinary person."
Ordinary? She said and laughed heartily.
"By the way, is it alright to leave Dona alone?"
"Those guys will self-destruct. It's a case of the strategist drowning in his own schemes. Dona drowned in his own scheme, so he has no future. Do you know the plan called 'Making Two Tigers Fight'?"
She said she didn't, so I secretly taught her.
"Ufufu. I also love Lord Shivans when he's scheming like that!"
Saying that, she kissed me. It was a deep kiss with entwined tongues. When I squeezed her breasts, she entwined her tongue even more.
"If I suck your cock like this, will Lord Shivans be pleased?"
When I nodded, she said, "I want to suck it a lot!" and clung to me.