Chapter 34 - 34 A Midsummer Night's Dream
The early morning market was packed with a tremendous crowd.
"Don't push! Don't push!"
Those words could be heard everywhere.
There, attention focused on an older man who was complaining.
"Minister Sera... isn't a 25% consumption tax too much?"
"I'm not asking you to do business here, am I? If you don't like it, go somewhere else. Everyone is competing under the same conditions! Don't be so soft!"
At Sera's harsh words, someone shouted, "That's right! If you can't sell here, can you sell elsewhere? If you go to the Imperial Capital, you'll just get ripped off even more and that'll be the end of it, right?"
When everyone agreed, the man muttered, "You're right... I won't say it again..."
To Vista's eyes, the overwhelming majority seemed to agree with paying taxes, so when he asked people about it, they said, "Isn't that obvious?"
"Do you think it's just natural that the main roads are well-lit, or that streetlights are up and crime is low? We pay taxes and have our lives protected. Though there are occasionally idiots who don't understand that."
The lord here apparently put out a statement in the newspaper saying, 'Thanks to everyone's taxes, we are able to maintain public order. Thank you.' It seems things like, 'We used tax money because there was a request to install streetlights here,' were also written.
"That's not all, you know?"
Income tax is also collected; sales under 1 million are taxed at 10%, but at 2 million it's 9%, at 3 million it's 8%, at 4 million it's 7%, from 5 million to 10 million it's 6%, and over 10 million it's 5%.
And they are taught that the more income tax and consumption tax they pay, the more they contribute to this territory, allowing them to do business in better locations.
"The lord builds the shops. Rent is free. However, if your tax payments decrease, you have to move, so everyone works desperately to pay their taxes. Well, outsiders probably can't understand this feeling, right?"
And he said it's the same for agriculture.
"If you produce good goods, the lord praises you and you get better land. The village chief is also evaluated, so they desperately try to boost morale to avoid creating drop-out farmers. Since it's immediately clear which village is working hard, everyone competes so their own village doesn't lose, and they pay their taxes. It's only the first year, but autumn will likely bring a bountiful harvest."
Hearing those words, Vista was dumbfounded.
"Was it the minister called Sera, or the boy called the Owner? I don't know which one created this system, but now I understand the reason this territory is doing so well. However, if asked whether we could do the same thing..."
Blade voiced his unease, but Vista didn't hear him.
(Normally, you collect taxes by force. That was common sense. Farmers hide their harvest, and we sometimes threaten them with military force. Here, they collect equally from merchants too, and probably make them keep ledgers. If you don't pay, you get demoted. To secure a good location, they make everyone actively pay taxes and compete against each other. What an incredible system!)
Both the Emperor and Klaus couldn't help but be impressed hearing this story.
"Klaus. You said Shivans doesn't station tax collectors, correct?"
"I'm convinced after hearing that story. It's because the merchants and farmers voluntarily pay their taxes on their own."
The Lady, Aqua, and Aria were all intensely curious about the goods that came from the southern port.
It was delightful that the three women had a good relationship, but Aristo lacked energy.
"Hey, Shivans? Am I really a mama's boy? If so, can it be cured? But I've never called her Mama like you do, you know?"
How rude! I haven't either!
"I have never called her Mama either. At the very least, if you get jealous of the men around Lady Aqua, that would make you a mama's boy, wouldn't it? The problem is, the biggest issue is that you like Lady Aqua more than Lady Aria. The problem is that Lady Aria likes Lord Aristo the most, but she thinks she's second to Lady Aqua, below number one."
Secretly listening to this, Aria nodded in agreement, "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm."
"B-But, unlike you, I don't desire my Mother's breasts! What I want are Aria's breasts!"
What the hell is he passionately arguing about?
I'm also a real mother, but my consciousness is separate, so I'm the one who's troubled, you know?
"You misunderstand; it's just something Mother Leen says for fun. The time I wanted my mother's breasts was when I was a baby. I don't even remember it."
When I stated it clearly, he seemed to finally understand.
Aria, please don't fiddle with your flat chest and writhe in agony either.
"I was sure you sought the vestiges of your own mother in my Mother... No, let's stop. Saying things like this is just fruitless. I have to show an attitude that makes it clear Aria is number one! Again my head was stepped on, I saw her black lace panties and got a little excited... No... What am I saying?"
After Aria made a tight victory pose, she checked her panties and turned bright red.
"I'll pretend I heard nothing."
"Please do... Am I tired?"
Just then, a voice calling "Hero Old Man" could be heard a short distance away. Sleep-deprived and unsteady, Windam raised a hand in response to the cheers.
Wondering what was happening, the Lady, Aqua, Aria, and we also rushed over.
Then we saw Windam surrounded by a large crowd of young people.
"Hero Old Man! You're crazy, aren't you? You're insane!"
"I am not an Old Man! I am Windam..."
No one was listening.
"Hey, Hero Old Man! Is your neck okay? That's amazing!"
"Windam. W-Well, my training is different from yours... Hahaha."
He couldn't say that His Majesty kicked him and he fell headfirst.
"You're going headfirst again today, right? Everyone's expecting it, Hero Old Man!"
"Windam... W-Well, I wonder? I suppose it depends on my mood...?"
You've got to be kidding me. I don't want to go through that again! I thought I was going to die! Windam screamed in his heart.
Returning to the White Castle, breakfast was also served in a buffet style. We prepared a Western-style morning meal with sandwiches, toast, corn potage, roast beef, ham and eggs, and salad, as well as Japanese-style tastes like rice, miso soup, and grilled rainbow trout.
"Lady Aria. This is a fish that Lord Aristo and I caught together previously. Please try it with soy sauce."
As she looked at Aristo with an expression of "Oh?", his face became somewhat proud.
"Yes! It's delicious. Someday, I'd like to see Aristo catch one!"
"Watch me! I'm pretty good at it, you know!"
He was recovering quite nicely, but the Lady's demeanor was strange.
"Darling! Where did you sleep last night?"
"H-His Majesty's room. It looks like it will be an all-night meeting again tonight. Please go to bed before me!"
Once the meal was over, the number of men wanting health drinks and energy tonics surged rapidly.
The soldiers were also greatly excited talking about the previous night.
"Ha-chan at the sex cabaret! She was the best, right?"
"Idiot! Try burying your face in Mi-chan's breasts! Nothing but happiness remains!"
As they were getting excited with such talk, reality came crashing down.
"But tomorrow, we... go to the neighboring territory, right?"
"No way, no way... I don't wanna go..."
"I understand the feeling of the merchants here, wanting to stay even if they have to pay taxes."
It seemed that tomorrow, Vista and Blade would go to their territory.
His Majesty and the Klaus family seemed to be discussing whether to return home or stay one more night...
After finishing breakfast, Windam tried to sleep, but His Majesty wouldn't allow it.
"Everyone is waiting for you, you know?"
"Y-Your Majesty? We're going again?"
"Of course! Let's go, Hero Old Man!"
He seemed to have grown quite fond of that phrase. When Windam went out to the poolside, women in bikinis swarmed around him, and Windam's grin stretched wide.
"The Old Man came!"
"Show us again today, Old Man!"
The "Hero" part was already gone, and he was being addressed as just an Old Man.
And by the mischievous Emperor, he was forced to climb the stairs and reached the straight-down course. Thinking This is terrifying, he looked down, and it was indeed no joke.
(I... can't believe I didn't die...)
As he was shuddering, many young people called out, "Isn't that the Old Man! You were so cool yesterday!" and he wasn't entirely displeased.
"You're going to show us again today, right Old Man?"
"Well... today I'm a little... UGYAA!"
Along with a thud that resonated through his back, he plummeted headfirst again.
"UGYAA! Today for sure... I'm going to die..."
He fell at tremendous speed and dove headfirst into the pool in the blink of an eye. Above, His Majesty was holding his stomach, roaring with laughter. Of course, the surroundings too. Apparently, he fell in a strange pose and plunged into the pool just like that.
"I lol'd. Everyone. Pull up the Hero Old Man again."
Though they didn't know who he was, he exuded a strange aura, so the young people somewhat obeyed.
"Okay, Boss! Oi! Let's bring the Old Man over here!"
And so, Windam ended up entertaining His Majesty for the entire day.
We, as usual, were at the spiral water slide. Riding two on a large float ring, we each set off.
Then, Aqua turned around and said, "Today's bikini is tied with strings in the back! If I shift it, it'll go right in, you know? What will you do? I'm already soaking wet!" So I shifted it and inserted, and it slipped right in.
"We're doing it in a place like this! Spinning around and around, my pussy feels so good!"
Everyone was screaming, but Aqua was moaning alone.
"Why do naughty things make me burn so much? Is it because I've been turned into a total slut? I'm so incredibly excited, I feel like I'm about to cum!"
However, since we entered the pool in an instant, I sank Aqua into the water, created an air ball so water wouldn't enter her pussy and she could breathe, and violated her underwater. I cast 'Sound Barrier' and 'Perception Block', and though Aqua was almost completely naked, she seemed to be cumming repeatedly as she was violated while swimming underwater.
When I came, she performed cleaning fellatio underwater, properly fixed her bikini, and surfaced.
"Doing it underwater makes me burn! I... thought I might cum so much I'd die!"
"The continuation will be tonight!"
We enjoyed other slides and the trampoline. When we got separated from Aristo's group and Klaus's group, we entwined our fingers like lovers and enjoyed the pool. During a break, we went out to the beachside, ordered shaved ice, and spent a sweet time feeding each other, saying "Say ahh."
Before we returned from the pool, His Majesty and the others had gone back to the White Castle and were having a serious discussion.
"It started when young Shivans asked His Majesty to build a road. Thinking about it, he seems to be practicing his motto of 'maximum effect with minimum effort.'"
Klaus opened his mouth, speaking as if recalling when this land was granted. As a major artery connecting to the Imperial Capital, many people now come and go as a matter of course.
The road connecting the sea and the Imperial Capital, and the Butler territory and the Imperial Capital. Right at the midpoint, he built the Water City Aqua. Here, as a commercial city, many goods are transported from various places, bought and sold, and then transported to other places.
Hearing this, Blade nodded.
"As a result, rather than just a waypoint, many merchants gather here, and the population has grown to one unthinkable for a barony. Also, he has produced many specialty goods and tourist attractions, drawing even more visitors. Travelers and merchants gather, charmed by that, and spend their money. And then, he makes the merchants and farmers compete, further developing the territory. Is that it?"
Blade voiced what he felt.
"That's it, Blade! Forcing unmotivated people to work like serfs only gives them a sense of despair, thinking 'We're just going to be exploited anyway.' Here, everyone holds the hope that 'the more you work, the more your income increases'! I'm glad I came here! There really are incredible people out there! What was it, maximum effect with minimum effort! How interesting!"
Vista's eyes were shining.
"Shivans's subordinates seem excellent too. That girl called the Commerce Minister was also brimming with confidence. The service from the employees when we arrived at this hotel was also wonderful. Everyone is aiming to be first-class in their respective fields. I'd like to meet the Female General as well."
When His Majesty laughed, what Klaus said was...
"Young Shivans has entertained us this much. It's true that even when he stays at our place, he has never accepted payment. Instead, he brings souvenirs. Since this is land granted by His Majesty, he likely won't accept money from us."
"Cheeky brat!" he said, laughing, and thought for a moment.
"I have an idea. It wouldn't be a bad deal for us or for Shivans, would it?"
Everyone agreed with the whispered content.
Then the conversation turned to small talk. "Klaus. You kept such an enjoyable thing a secret from me, didn't you? You will guide me to the Butler territory in winter. Very well?" he said and laughed.
And so, the discussion progressed: here for summer retreat, and to the hot springs for the winter cold. With a kind father's face, he told Vista and Blade to work hard so they could join too.
We were at the shop.
That was because Aria had told Aqua and the Lady, "Aristo seemed to get excited by my panties, so..." but we didn't know that.
"Hey, Shivans? Mother and Grandmother's shopping takes so long... It's boring, right?"
"It's normal for women's shopping to take a long time. It's to relieve the stress they feel towards their husbands. Probably, if Lady Aria takes a long time, the stress towards Lord Aristo will..."
He shuddered and cowered, saying, "Don't say such scary things..."
"Well then, let me at least prepare something delicious."
I roasted the coffee I had obtained in the port town, prepared milk and sugar, and served it to Aristo. At first, he took a sip and complained it was bitter, but when I made it like a café au lait, he said it was delicious and drank it happily.
So, I decided to draw a picture.
Aristo and Aria are in the center, and the other four surround the two with smiles. The background is an image of being gently surrounded by flowers.
When I played the music box, it created an elegant and relaxed mood.
"This is nice, Shivans. Drinking coffee and enjoying the music played by the music box. It feels aristocratic. By the way, what is that a picture of?"
While drinking coffee, he looked at my drawing and gradually realized it was them.
As we were playing together happily, Aria said in exasperation, "You two are so close," but seeing my drawing, she asked, "It's us! But I don't recognize this place...?"
"I tried to color the background with flowers befitting Lady Aria, the Lady, and Lady Aqua."
As the Lady and Aqua were also pleased, His Majesty, Klaus, and the others appeared and praised it, saying, "Wonderful!"
"Next time you come to the palace, draw me. It's a promise!"
Not knowing when I would go, I gave a noncommittal reply, "Uhh." And when I said, "It's a clumsy drawing, but if you like, please accept it," Aria was deeply moved and said, "With pleasure!" So I said, "He's my best friend. Please take care of him," and handed it over.
After that, when it was time for dinner, the 'Hero Old Man' came back battered and exhausted.
"The young girls just wouldn't let me go, you see..."
Even though no one was asking, he chattered on, but everyone knew. He was being teased as the Hero and played with by the young people... As if none of that mattered, they just drank and ate. Sulking because no one would listen to him, Windam guzzled alcohol and became rowdy.
"Father! Does Mother know about what happened last night!?"
He became a belligerent drunk, and things got out of hand. Since it was uncontrollable, we separated everyone and isolated them for the time being. Then, as an apology for the commotion, I made ramen, which pleased them. I performed simple treatment on the injured Klaus and Windam.
Thinking I should treat the Lady as well, she said, "I'm taking a bath! Shivans-kun! Shampoo and conditioner!" So when I got in the bath with the Lady, perhaps because she had been drinking, she wept bitterly. A crying drunk?
"Things like this have happened before. I didn't... age because I wanted to!"
"Lady, you are still beautiful. You are accumulating a beauty appropriate for your age."
So, I applied 'Premium' and 'High Heal' to make her look youthful.
"Maybe I should just have an affair!"
Even her drunken state was alluring. It's not really my place to say, but I think she's plenty attractive. When she got out of the bath and I praised her profusely, her mood finally improved. As I polished her entire body, my crotch stirred, and I felt a slippery sensation.
(Is she drunk and mistaking me for Klaus?)
"Hey! If you think I'm beautiful, just for now, I'll become a prostitute just for Shivans! So call me Marino!"
When I caressed and cherished her thoroughly, she reacted quite well. I performed cunnilingus to make her cum, then made her squirt with manual stimulation. I had her perform lots of fellatio, and she said, "Come!" and spread her legs. We embraced like lovers and shared a deep kiss.
And when I was about to cum, she said, "It's okay! I'll accept it!" showing an adult's composure.
"Since there's an erect cock and a wet pussy! We have to have pleasurable sex♡ I'm going to cum too!"
I was surprised she even did cleaning fellatio. When it grew big and stiff again, she said, "Shall we do it one more time?" so we did.
"Marino's breasts are beautiful too!"
"I'm happy! Say it more! Suck on them! Lick them!"
After that, when I held her two more times, she smiled and said, "A woman is happy to be desired! If it felt good for Shivans too, don't worry about it!" and after finishing the cleaning fellatio, she fell asleep.
After that, I went to Aqua's place, carried the injured Windam, and as usual, made him cum over and over using the onahole.
The next morning.
To Windam, who woke up saying "Ouch, ouch," Aqua angrily said, "You brute... you animal!" Though he had no memory of it himself, he realized he had apparently raped her.
(With this, I got away without showing my skin!)
Looking at her husband performing a dogeza, she laughed triumphantly in her heart.
When the Lady spotted me, she dashed over.
"I... we did it, didn't we... sigh..."
She muttered it was a drunken failure, but then winked and said, "But I remember it felt incredibly good! Keep it a secret from everyone! That was fun, wasn't it!"
"We're only human! It's fine to do it when you want to!"
When I nodded ambiguously, she whispered, "My pussy is still going strong, right? I gained confidence that I haven't lost to women who are just young," and gave me a deep kiss.