Chapter 202
–Aegir POV–
When the banquet finished, the nobles took a souvenir item with them and returned home .
Several nobles took the time to curiously tour around the developed city of Rafen, but those who remained are nobles, who have their own territory, and their vassal nobles, who probably have to check on the harvest or tax of their own domains .
They likely won’t stay for too long .
The only ones who are staying for a longer period are Celestina and her party who have been invited from the Kingdom of Malt .
Unfortunately, Celestina isn’t an important enough person who would cause trouble for the Kingdom’s work with her absence .
「You can really hear it all through the night…… I’m sure there is no ill intent but I can’t sleep like this . 」
I wake up and stretch before opening the window .
The city of Rafen is still filled with great noise from the hustle and bustle even when it’s about the time when the sun rises .
The nobles finished their party after one night, but the citizens aren’t finished with their festival yet .
The harvest festival is one of the larger festivals that happen periodically and with the fact that the harvest this year is more plentiful than last year, the citizens are livelier than usual .
This commotion will probably continue in more or less all the villages and cities within my territory .
I tilt over the jug of water to fill up my glass, but there was nothing left inside .
As I was thinking of calling a maid, I look beside me and decide against it .
「Nnyuu…… brother…… carry…… me……」
Beside me on the right, Celestina is rolled up into almost a ball and is sleeping soundly .
She stayed up late last night watching the lights from the festival through the window .
Since she’s still a kid, I should let her sleep for a while longer .
「A…… ah…… Hardlett-sama…… with something as thick as an arm…… I-I’ll die…… aahhuu」
Beside me on the left, Monica is sleeping soundly with her legs spread apart .
Yesterday after Celestina fell asleep, I made love to her while muffling her moans .
If we took too long, the petite Queen might wake up, so we had a short but intense session .
Celestina grumbled and insisted on sleeping with me no matter what, so Monica said she would watch over her to make sure she doesn’t get violated by me . However it seems that she was the one who enjoyed herself instead .
She didn’t tell me to stop even when I was about to ejaculate inside her without the use of any contraceptive .
I filled her stomach to the brim during our lovemaking in the bath and in bed .
She might have resigned herself to the fact that getting pregnant was unavoidable .
「Uuuuun……」「Monicaa……」
When Celestina and Monica get closer to each other, the two of them hug each other quite naturally, making them appear to be sisters who get along really well .
It should be fine to let them remain asleep .
「Good morning . Aegir-sama . 」
I simply throw a robe on my shoulders and leave the room only to see Celia waiting for me .
Your work is appreciated, so early in the morning .
「Wah, your cock is sticking out! Aegir-sama’s is big so it can be seen if you don’t close up the front properly!」
Celia blushes and quickly ties up the front of my clothes .
Sorry for causing you trouble, it gets big in the morning after all .
Seeing the cute Celia in the morning really cheers me up .
Although, I would really feel lucky to be born a man if the other girls get jealous and start fighting to greet me like this .
「Leopolt-san is calling for you . He wants you to head over to the office after you wake up . 」
「…… it’s all messed up . 」
The girls flocking towards me in my dreams have all turned into Leopolt .
「Can’t he at least wait until after I have breakfast?」
「The servants have been cleaning up until dawn…… if you want, I can get them to prepare a quick meal . 」
「No, nevermind . 」
I can’t just decide to wake up early for today and then slam the table, asking whether the food is ready .
Let’s just get the annoying stuff out of the way first .
「Besides, it might not all be bad things . 」
I rub Celia’s head with both hands, messing up her styled hair and making her scream a little as a result .
「Has there been a single time when I was summoned by Leopolt where I smiled at what was said?」
「……」
Celia silently fixes her hair .
There, see?
Office
「Hello there……」
「It was good news . 」
I came into the office feeling gloomy but I saw Rebecca sitting inside…… she’s an honorary Baron who I heard got promoted to Head Information Officer .
「Nice of you to come!」
As I moved in to hug and kiss her, a hand was thrust out at me in resistance .
「What are you doing all of a sudden!?」
「Aegir-sama~~ Please stop-」
If even Celia is pulling me back, then I guess I have no choice .
「Haa, haa…… such a womanizer as usual, aren’t you…… I don’t know what you find attractive about a stocky woman like me . 」
「You have a tight ass which is quite nice to touch . It’s so bouncy and springy and I can’t get enough of it . 」
As she said herself, Rebecca’s body isn’t too curvaceous and I can’t really distinguish her boobs with her clothes on .
She has a nice face and most of all, her strong-willed attitude plus the shrewdness she shows me occasionally, is irresistable .
One day, I’ll pin her down and make her moan .
「We aren’t getting anywhere, so I’ll explain . In the early morning of today, the security unit specially assigned to guard the transportation of the harvest tax sighted a suspicious person, who claimed to be a Goldonian noble when arrested, and was then brought here . 」
「Captured again…… I believe the same thing happened to me if I remember correctly . 」
Rebecca awkwardly averts her eyes .
Her face is slightly red, so it means she’s embarrassed about it after all .
Rebecca and I are cooperating in various ways for our mutual benefit .
The girl with a strong desire to move up in the world is using the information I provide her to prove her competence to the King .
In that way, I’m also able to know how much the Kingdom understands my circumstances and I can keep them from knowing the secrets I want to remain hidden .
If there was information she needed, I showed her, so she doesn’t have to sneak around .
「I-I’m an information officer of the Kingdom, not some idiot who readily brings you information all the time . 」
Rebecca and I just cooperate with each other, we don’t share the same destiny or anything .
It isn’t strange for her to use her relationship with me to sniff around for anything that could give her an advantage .
Or perhaps she was told to investigate the amount of harvest which will become the tax to the Kingdom and ensure I’m not leaving anything out .
「Uuuu……it was outside of expectations for the guards to go outside the city walls . No wonder the road was so safe . 」
They don’t fall under the jurisdiction of Myla and her security unit .
Since they can move relatively freely, it was certainly possible for them to go quite a distance outside the city and meet the transport party if they knew important cargo was scheduled to arrive .
If they had information about a suspicious individual, they would even search the outskirts to find them .
「Excuse me for being rude, but I don’t believe you are suited to being a spy . 」
「……I am aware . I am more inclined to overseeing and managing than actually doing on-site operations . 」
She has indeed proven herself to be capable of handling information .
It might really be better to let other people run around and gather the information .
「So, what do you want to investigate? It might be something I can help answer . 」
「Firstly, the incident regarding Orthodox Magrado and the arrest of the main culprit Maximilian . Just the other day, the execution took place and His Majesty sends his abundant praises for Lord Hardlett’s loyalty and accomplishments . I believe the official statements and rewards will be sent by the Commissioner of Government Affairs, but I just wanted to let you know in advance . 」
If that was the case, then just say it outright, I thought your main objective had something to do with the transportation of grain because you were looking at that .
「Next is…… regarding the current state of affairs of this year’s harvest . 」
Celia makes an unhappy face, while I smile and look at the thighs coming out of Rebecca’s short pants .
Leopolt’s expression doesn’t change, remaining as neutral as ever .
「A rough estimate should have been put together and sent to you ahead of time, was it not?」
I had Adolph put everything together, thinking that if she knew understood the harvest situation for the land up to the remote southern regions, her standing as information officer would also rise .
Naturally, I would be getting compensation .
「Yes, but I need to confirm whether the estimate matches the current situation or not . 」
How sad…… don’t you trust me?
After all we’ve been through together, I would have liked it if you believed in me more, and you could have worn thinner clothes too .
In actual fact, the amount was adjusted down slightly from the estimate listed in the document Adolph handed me before it was sent, but the number was ultimately a rough approximation and there might have been fluctuations or miscounts .
「As expected, it’s impossible to aggregate all the tax right after you ask me to . There are still some in transit from faraway villages as well . 」
「Well, that’s…… -I guess you’re right……」
That’s a lie .
The arrangements Adolph had composed for the tax collection was extremely detailed and the total amount of harvest as well as the amount required to be sent as tax were determined and calculated as soon as the harvest was completed .
If there was even one less bag, he would know immediately, meaning the village chief could not deceive him and the tax collector couldn’t steal anything as it was being transported .
「…… Understood . I will trust you this time . 」
Rebecca didn’t press the issue any further, then glares at me when she catches me looking at her thighs .
She must have moved around vigorously during the small trouble with the security unit, my gaze was just naturally drawn to her sweaty thighs .
「Ahem! Well, I also just intended to come to Rafen and only look around before going back . Now, His Majesty won’t take any excuses so I will be staying here for some time . This is of course just on paper, while I’m investigating behind the scenes, so please make sure no other nobles meet up with me . 」
「You are welcome to . Please stay as long as you like . 」
Rebecca’s face softens slightly but tenses up immediately after .
「I will be staying at an inn in the city…… I won’t hand over my body so easily . 」
With our relationship, you could at least let me put the tip in .
Rebecca breathes out a sigh and drinks a prepared glass of water .
「As for the compensation, if you have some information you desire, I will answer everything I am able to . 」
In that case, I have something I wanted to ask for a while now .
「When you masturbate-」「Lady Blaze, do you have an accurate grasp of the situation in the Federation?」
That stupid Leopolt interrupted me as I asked my precious question .
Rebecca didn’t suspect anything and answered him instead .
How unreasonable .
「……if you’re asking this question, I’m guessing you already know about it? Well, it’s not something which can be hidden after all . Unfortunately, our information network does not reach all the way to the west of the Federation either . Thus our information comes from analysing the stories from the merchants and making a decision of whether what they’re saying is true or false…… and it seems like the Garland Empire has already advanced a large army up to the western plains . The Olga Federation has also begun to unite the army of their vassal states to establish the Federation’s army and are preparing for a large war nearby…… is what I hear . 」
What Leopolt asked about was the war between the Federation and the Empire .
This information is already flying around among the merchants and isn’t anything shocking .
That is way out of the reach of our information network, so he must have thought Rebecca, who is the chief of the engine of the Kingdom’s information, would know other pertinent news .
「Do you know anything about their numbers?」
「This is the information from the merchants after all…… we are also prioritizing the southern nations or the disturbing secret messages written in our country . We don’t have the personnel to monitor until the ends of the earth or the money to pay for that information . We just know that they want to breakthrough the national borders of the Federation . They certainly should have at least hundreds of thousands . 」
We didn’t learn anything new .
Leopolt didn’t look like he had much expectations either and took a seat after saying “is that so” .
I can tell, his eyes are ones which have lost interest .
「For the time being, trade with the Federation won’t be reduced directly . It looks like the price is going up slowly but I’m not a merchant . It’s outside my area of expertise . 」
So it means for the time being, the effect on Goldonia would be small .
Merchants and prices are outside my specialty as well, so I’ll call Adolph over .
「The situation is fluctuating, but if I were to state my personal opinion, wouldn’t the current state of affairs continue while the two nations fight each other in the buffer zone, the western plains?」
Leopolt just nods slightly .
He must be thinking that what was said was only her opinion and not anything concrete, so isn’t worth listening to at all .
What an idiot, if he listens carefully, the chance to be intimate with her may be created .
I’m sure…… she would answer my question regarding her masturbation .
Oh well, it’s not too important but I’ll ask about that .
「Perhaps you may know about him . Mo-…… mon-……moneyless……1」「Count Monashi . 」「Right, do you know the nobles close to him?」
Celia follows up without any delay .
Sorry, I have trouble remembering the names of men .
Those three unfortunate nobles don’t seem important no matter how I look at it, and it’s not highly classified information or anything .
「Count Monashi? Now that you bring it up, he is a noble with domain which borders the west side of Lord Hardlett’s territory, right? Close you say?」
Rebecca’s eyes narrow a tiny bit .
She must not have much information about the relationship between him and I .
「I have no clue, even his name doesn’t ring a bell . 」
Rebecca’s narrowed eyes return to normal .
「……Is that so? The Monashi household was a Baron family who served in the government of the Kingdom for generations, but was later granted Count standing and land for the many achievements earned during the repeated wars . 」
Being promoted from Baron to Count is a huge leap, though I’ve never heard of his name .
「His merits were not as spectacular as Lord Hardlett’s or Commissioner Radhalde’s . The policy for distributing both peerage and vast territory in the difficult-to-see remote regions is more directed at individuals who are mediocre yet loyal rather than those who are exceedingly competent and ambitious . 」
「His Majesty may have a few tendencies, but I thought he would appoint those he can use to a proper post . 」
「Unlike Lord Hardlett, he had a troublesome territory and the remote area he was in wasn’t on national borders . Honestly speaking, it wouldn’t have made a huge difference who did it . 」
That’s a terrible way to put it .
「We got a little off topic . But regarding Count Monashi, he proceeded to enthusiastically develop his territory after receiving the large area . Since he was a bureaucrat, he had experience in domestic affairs and he wasn’t an ignorant man, but……」
He doesn’t look like someone who has succeeded .
「He was unfortunate . 」
「Unfortunate? What the heck, so he’s just like how he appears!」
I unconsciously revert to using my usual tone .
「When he cleared the forest to conduct the construction of the road, he ran into an Orc’s nest and everything turned into a catastrophe . 」
「That’s quite unfortunate……」
Adolph, who I called over, lets out an amazed voice as soon as he shows up in the office .
I also let out a strange sound .
「On the day after the completion of the bridge he paid a huge sum of money to build and which spans two large cities separated by a river, there was a heavy rainfall that only occurs once every few decades that caused a flash flood and flushed it away . 」
「Aah…… how horrible . 」
Even Celia sounds like she feels sorry for him .
「He tried to cultivate dry land and dug into a well, but poisonous water gushed out and all the crops ended up withering……」
「That’s enough . 」
If I hear anymore, his bad luck might rub off on me .
「Luck is important after all…… knowledge won’t help you when it comes to things like weather . 」
I agree with Adolph, there are some things in this world you can’t do anything about .
Rebecca smiles bitterly and opens up a notebook .
「Regarding his two followers, Viscount Binbo and Baron Gokhin, they were both bestowed adjacent land at the same time . For some reason or another, the three households were greatly impressed with each other and a small faction centering around Count Monashi was established . 」
“They hardly had influence or popularity in the capital though . ” – She added later .
「The remaining two are nobles who were in the military, individuals who were promoted due to their achievements in battle . ……they both have similarly bad luck like Count Monashi, although they don’t have the knowledge or experience to manage their territories so it feels more like they reaped what they sowed . 」
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