Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi
chapter-180

After the morning lessons were finished, I pay a visit to the Hard-boiled Pavilion, the inn Andrei manages.

I enter the shop, coming into the eating area and bar which remains unchanged from the past, where I see the hard-boiled shopkeeper Andrei standing at the counter along with a busy-looking childlike female in the eating area – Andrei’s wife Natalie – who should be over 20 years old now.

「It’s been a while, Andrei.」

「Well look here…… Margrave Hardlett, welcome, so nice of you to come.」

「You don’t need to be so uptight.」

「That’s not really possible. You’ve risen in ranks so much.」

The sad-looking Andrei lowers his head in a hard-boiled manner.1

「That’s not what I mean, it’s just troublesome if you leak information and then people make a big fuss about it after they find out.」

「What do you mean?」

「Actually……」

「Oh how popular…… I get it. Then please don’t mind my rudeness as I talk to you like I did in the past.」

「Please do, and I’ll leave this with you in advance.」

I hand Andrei a few gold coins and he accepts it in a hard-boiled manner.

I have a bit of time, so why don’t we make some small talk.

「So it looks like you were locked out by Dorothea.」

Once Dorothea found out about his sexual disposition, she kept the kids away from him.

She kindly refused his visits while showing gratitude for all the help he’s provided her.

「You won’t progress forward if you’re afraid of persecution. I will remain faithful to who I am even if nobody understands me.」

「Be quiet, you pervert.」

He said something impressive but the simple fact is that he’s sexually attracted to children.

「Natalie-san, which table is this for?」

A cute little girl walks briskly while carrying plates of food. She looks a little over 10 years old but she’s already been violated by this degenerate and has given birth to a child already.

「Oh that’s right, let me introduce you.」

Andrei brings over a young girl.

Maybe she’s Natalie’s child, but she’s pretty big……

「My name’s Rurumu, pleased to meet you~」

「I’ve been looking after her since last month.」

Looking after? Those don’t sound like words for his own child.

A chill ran down my spine.

「I don’t want to think this, but is this kid……」

Andrei averts his eyes in a hard-boiled manner and gulps down some alcohol, but doesn’t answer me.

I’ll hand the girl some sweets and hear it from her.

「You called yourself Rurumu, right? How old will you be? Did this guy do anything strange to you at night?」

「I’m 7. Anything strange? Like when we play lovey-lovey?」

Aah, I thought so.

「Mister gets naked. And then I get on top of mister……」

Enough, I get it.

Looks like I’ll have to call the guards.

「Wait. It’s consensual.」

「Quiet, pervert. Is it fun sleeping with a seven year old girl?」

「I’m doing it because it is fun!!」

「I-I see.」

His energy made me unconsciously feel overpowered.

「In the past, I was in love with females in the early teens. But I eventually thought those under ten are good as well…… and now I get excited by young children.」

Andrei drinks his alcohol in a hard-boiled manner while talking to himself.

How far is this degenerate going to fall?

「Does Natalie know about this?」

「I’m sure she sensed something but she allowed it. As she gets on in age, she’s become more open-minded.」

Isn’t she still just 21?

She looks like she’s in her teens though, what are you talking about “getting on in years”.

「Enough about this. I’m counting on you about the room. Just hand over the key if the visitor is a woman.」

「Got it. You’re a lecher too, eh?」

You’re the only person I don’t want to call me that, you damn pervert.

I have a reason for borrowing a room in the Hard-boiled Pavilion.

The females who I’ve connected with from the school consist of two instructors and three students, and will no doubt increase in number down the line.

The girls have noble backgrounds or are married, so it will be annoying if I take them to a love hotel and they get spotted by an acquaintance of theirs.

We could do it at school but the risk of them being spotted is high and if I were to keep them in the mansion, Mel would get angry.

On that point, the Hard-boiled Pavilion has a relatively high-class room, plus a joint dining hall and bar, so it wouldn’t be suspicious at all if noble children or married women are there.

After the lessons are over, I can head over to the inn after I get the girls to head to the room first and we can have our fun without being discovered.

The other inns might find it suspicious if I bring a different girl with me everyday to a room I rented out, but it’s fine with Andrei’s shop, and I can just bring up how this pervert likes little girls in front of the guard captain on the off chance his mouth slips.

「I’m quite the schemer if I do say so myself.」

I can shamelessly enjoy the love affairs with the girls at school and it won’t affect Mel’s mood.

And then I can unhesitatingly indulge in the bodies of various women – a wonderful plan which doesn’t harm anyone.

「Fuhahahahaha!」

「What are you laughing about?」

My shoulder flinches at Erich’s sudden voice.

I thought a bunch of things got leaked.

「Nn, Lord Radhalde, don’t startle me.」

「You took the words right out of my mouth. It’s strange seeing a man laughing out loud while walking in the middle of the street.」

He was riding a carriage and just happened to go past me by chance.

I must have been laughing pretty loud as I can feel the gazes of everyone on the main road now that I look.

I get on the carriage after being asked by Erich.

「I spotted some man walking while laughing maniacally and thought to myself ‘there are more insane people around here recently’ but it was just you. Everyone knows your face so don’t do anything strange.」

「How disgraceful, it was just something minor.」

「……I won’t delve too deep but you saved me the trouble. I was just about to come get you.」

Really now, if I have some business to attend to now, I won’t be able to make it in time for the afternoon lessons.

「That doesn’t matter. It’s a summon from His Majesty after all, regarding the remnants of Magrado.」

「I see.」

So Hoover was the one behind that last attack.

But the personnel who acted were not under his command, rather it was the remnants of the former Magrado. The problem is that there is an environment where he could easily to gather over a hundred men with sufficient training.

「It must be a rough place.」

「Yeah, attracted by the vastness of the land, the nobles all jumped at the opportunity to raise their fame. From one rebellion to the next, I hear they have it hard just trying to live as a feudal lord, let alone trying to collect tax.」

「Also two corps of the kingdom’s army consisting of 30,000 troops still haven’t returned.」

「Yeah, they were sent to the central city Odoros to try and somehow bring order to the surrounding areas.」

In our current situation, the Magrado domain is a complete burden if we’re talking only in terms of benefits.

That nation has a considerably large gold and silver mine but maintaining order is accumulating too much expense.

Moreover, if the chaos continues it has a chance of eventually turning into a massive, uncontrollable rebellion.

「And I’ll be discussing the countermeasures to that with the King ……」

「Oh right, the annoying Kenneth will be there too. You better be mentally prepared.」

I don’t find him particularly hard to deal with though.

A lot of things happened and I should have paid off my debt in that mess with the attack at the ball.

「So how has it been in the school? I heard you’re doing some fairly interesting lessons, and the instructors are interested too.」

「In the end, it’s just training. But since they won’t die, it’s better to be a little more daring.」

Erich smiles delightfully, but suddenly changes his tone.

「I heard you’ve been checking on the domestic affairs teams very frequently. You haven’t connected with the instructors in Kenneth’s faction, have you?」

Madam Lahn is the wife of a domestic affairs official in the capital, so I guess she falls in that category.

I’ve connected with her physically but not in terms of faction, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

She should be teaching without her panties just like I instructed her.

「That’s good then. The idea of doing midterm exams and rewarding the top placing individuals with a recommendation letter and a cash bonus is pragmatic, but a good idea. I heard the students’ sincerity towards the instructors have increased immediately. I also intend to incorporate those with a recommendation letter in an army with a slightly higher social standing.」

「I thought you were going to tell me that using money as an incentive is vulgar.」

「Fufufu, it’s too late to bring that up seeing how we started off as mercenaries.」

While we were deep in talk, the royal palace comes into view.

Somehow it feels like I’m always coming here as of late.

Royal Palace

「Let us omit the preamble and get straight to the topic of Magrado.」

The King stops us and Kenneth from bowing and begins to talk.

I’m glad it’s going to be quick.

「None of the nobles entrusted with land can properly administer their rule. If this continues, it won’t just be each individual’s incompetence, it will no longer be something we can suppress with the usual methods.」

Erich expresses his opinion.

「Aye, but we cannot just suppress the entire nation through military means. Even with 30,000 troops, they’re doing the utmost just to keep the peace around the former capital. If we want to extend that to the entire domain, it would take over 100,000 soldiers.」

「Probably, I am not thinking of using only the army’s strength either. That would result in the same mistake Arkland made when they didn’t rule properly over Treia.」

The King claps his hands and an individual appears, falling prostrate before the King.

「Anselm Dunois…… why is this man here?」

Neither Erich or I could hide our surprise.

He was branded a traitor and his family was executed, and he also cornered the Treian King into receiving capital punishment after the war.

I thought that disaster would have ended everything to do with him.

The King calls Dunois in front of him and has him kneel.

「Anslem Dunois, do you swear your absolute allegiance to myself and to Goldonia?」

「I swear it, Your Majesty.」

「Then thou shall be conferred the status of a Goldonian Count, and also appointed the Governor General of Magrado.」

「What!?」

Erich shouts, and I’m also a bit shocked.

「Then head to Odoros immediately, use any means necessary to stabilize that place.」

「As Your Majesty commands.」

Dunois bows once and leaves without turning to look at us.

My brain couldn’t register what happened so suddenly and I probably wouldn’t understand even if was told to me slowly, so I’ll just think about how I’ll pound Mel.

「What is the meaning of this, Your Majesty!?」

「Hahaha, this wasn’t done without giving thought. Domestic Affairs Commissioner please explain, and Military Affairs Commissioner state any opinions you have without reserve.」

Kenneth steps forward and Erich makes an unhappy face, but there’s no other choice but to listen at this point.

Well, let’s just listen to what these two have to say.

「His Majesty also mentioned this earlier, but the hostility towards Goldonia in the former Magrado domain is not normal. By no means will typical methods allow you to rule over them.」

Celia hasn’t been getting much exercise lately and it feels like she’s getting fatter.

I could accompany her on walks at least.

「That’s why we’ll be changing the method of ruling, we’ll confiscate all the territory handed out to the nobles, establish the Magrado General Governorate and make all of the land nationally owned.」

「The nobles are also at a complete loss with the rebellions. I’m not against giving them a small sum of money in exchange either.」

Domain in which tax cannot be properly collected is of no use anyways, and we’ll be blamed if a large-scale rebellion breaks out.

Oh yeah, Irijina destroyed a wall in the school, didn’t she…… she crashed into it, but why is it the wall that’s breaking?

「The present condition doesn’t change even if that is done. Didn’t the Kingdom just get the bad end of the deal? 」

「Of course, in the context of power, the current military strength is necessary, but we’ll utilize the once powerful force in the opposing former Magrado nobles and their citizens.」

「Opposing?」

「Yes, individuals from those in leisurely posts who are being watched by the royalty and influential nobles to those who were branded with the mark of disgrace. It’s fortunate that they’ve been made light of and haven’t been judged because they don’t hold important positions.」

Speaking of the trial, the four royalty from the Treia Kingdom wrote me a letter saying they want to create a rose garden in their name.

They must be feeling ashamed so I guess I can allow that much.

「The individuals who once opposed us are being appointed to important posts, their family and citizens will be treated favorably, and they will cooperate with the General Governorate. On the other hand, we will thoroughly suppress the citizens of the once influential nobles and treat them inhospitably.」

「So you’re going to divide the people of Magrado?」

In other words, the people of Magrado are separated into two groups – one group which will be appointed to important posts while the other group will be oppressed.

「The people who are treated favorably will lose some of their animosity towards us. And the people who are being oppressed will not direct their anger at us but towards the people who are being treated favorably.」

That is quite the wily scheme, but it might very well be effective.

If the same group of people hate and oppose each other, that will lighten the load on those ruling them.

The group who gets favorable treatment will probably be asked to cooperate with us in order to maintain the current situation.

I thought I was quite the schemer, but this plan is unbelievably devious.

I wouldn’t be able to come up with schemes like this so I’ll stick to thinking about women.

「I see, so you’ve put some thought into this. But I have one question.」

「Speak.」

「It’s about making Dunois the Governor General. If it all works out, then he will literally have the same authority as one who rules an entire nation. We must not forget that he was once our enemy.」

Myla who was also once a former enemy is now my prisoner.

Wrapping her legs around me despite saying she doesn’t want it is extremely cute.

「I have naturally considered that. He isn’t someone I trust with regards to this case. Such great authority will lure any loyal subject into rebellion…… however, what do you think of that man, Lord Radhalde?」

「Nothing in particular. Just like when I saw him during the trial, he looked like a madman.」

I thought the same thing too.

He’s keeping up appearances on the surface but he’s gone crazy deep down in his heart.

Just teasing Alice a little bit in the butt also makes her go crazy and crave something in there.

「Right, that’s why it’s fine. He’s clever in his own respect but he’s insane. Do you think he’ll be merciful to the people of Magrado when they sheltered the Treian royalty who were his family’s enemies? I did twist the truth just a little bit though.」

「……damn fiend.」

Erich mutters quietly enough so that only I could hear.

「It’s enough if he can stir up Magrado nicely and create some hell. Then, once the people of Magrado are divided nicely, he’ll be eliminated.」

「…………」

「How about if we justify it with the injustice of the Governor General. It might be somewhat chaotic but if we just prop up the usual ruler right after the madman, he’ll seem wise and benevolent.」

「And what if he resists?」

「Next we’ll let the coldly-treated Magrado citizens themselves deal with the problem.」

Magrado will be divided up into a desired form as the easy-to-deal-with villain, and then thrown aside once their role is finished. The divided people will then be repeatedly well-treated and oppressed to get them to hate each other.

「Not just two groups, if possible we should split up the Magrado citizens into three of four groups. That would make ruling over them easier.」

Magrado will turn into hell.

Under the rule of the madmen, the people will hate and injure each other.

「That’s how it is. Until the rule has stabilized, the 30,000 soldiers will remain there. Then, we’ll also need the personnel for the General Governorate, but like it was said earlier, they will be thrown aside eventually. Find and nominate people who are more obedient than skilled and who won’t be missed if they disappear.」

The King closes off and the discussion ends.

「Then the meeting is adjourned. Lord Hardlett, your popularity in the school has reached my ears too. Continue your efforts.」

「I thank you for such generous words.」

Once the King leaves jovially, Kenneth shuffles over to me.

「Lord Hardlett, a bit of your time if you don’t mind.」

「Well, what is it?」

「I heard you’ve been getting close to the daughter of Count Beltz, so if you want to make her one of your wives, I can talk to the Count for you.」

I’ll ask Rebecca later where he got wind of that information.

「Hahaha, I’m just treating my students nicely. They’re as cute as little rebels.」

「That’s wonderful, and this may be inexplicably rude …… but there is no lie in those words.」

Kenneth winks and suddenly kicks me.

I never want to see a middle-aged man wink at me again.

「Well now, Lord Hardlett, it’s about time to go, it’s almost time to eat.」

Erich places his hand on my shoulder.

I don’t remember making any plans with him, but I’ll accept because he probably doesn’t want me talking with Kenneth.

「Ooh, is that right, then Lord Radhalde, Lord Hardlett, let’s meet again at a ball.」

Kenneth leaves with a superficial-looking smile on his face.

Afterwards, I endlessly listen to Erich’s gripes and criticisms of Kenneth as we eat.

「From what you were talking about earlier, don’t tell me you’ve eaten a student.」

「I’m not a man-eating demon.」

「You haven’t embraced them, have you?」

「I’ve held them in my arms during training.」

「……you haven’t raped them, have you?」

「Of course not! Everything was conse-…… er, I did nothing of the sort.」

I didn’t tell a lie.

Two Weeks Later

After all the classes at school were over, I drop by the Hard-boiled Pavilion.

I greet Andrei, who is standing at the counter in a hard-boiled manner, and head to the room I borrowed on the second floor.

She should be here already.

「Master! I was anxiously waiting for you, woof.」

The one who jumped at me was Gretel, who ran towards me on all fours and acts playfully while looking up at me in anticipation.

「You were here looking like that? Aren’t you cold?」

「Dogs don’t mind the cold, woof!」

Gretel was wearing thick fur pants, custom-made by a fur craftsman, with something that resembled a dog’s tail near the ass part.

In addition, there is a slit where her genitals are so I can mate with her while grabbing her tail.

A custom-made pair of dog ears are also on her head.

Gretel needs to have these on whenever I do it with her.

The craftsman probably didn’t want to accept the order when this item was requested and charged an excessively large sum upfront.

But when the amount was agreed upon immediately, the dubious face he made afterwards could be considered pathetic.

「I have a present for you today.」

「Woof! I’m happy with anything that master gives me, woof!」

The items I took out were a leather collar and leash, something the girl has been wanting for a while now.

「I’m so happy! Now we can go on walks, woof!」

Maybe I should do it somewhere it’s not too populated……no, that’s risky.

While considering the possibilities, I loosen my pants and take out my dick.

Gretel falls to the floor, turns her ass towards me and wags her tail.

Sex with the girl is fundamentally in this position meant for animals.

「Kyaaauuun~!」

When I thrust into her, the moan she makes is also supposed to imitate that of a dog.

「Master! Do it harder, woof!」

「Yeah, get ready for it.」

My furious pounding makes the girl forget to act like a dog as she shrieks continuously.

「Fuu, I guess it’s about time. Gretel, wake up.」

「Uunnn, is it that time already? How sad.」

The awakened Gretel takes great care to carefully pack away the dog pants, ears and collar into a bag.

「Then I bid you farewell, please call on me again.」

「I will, I’ll take a quick break before going back. You can go first.」

The moment Gretel left the room, I get up and fully open the window.

Next, I wipe away the fluids spilled on the floor and then change the sheets.

This is normally an employee’s job but I’m pressed for time today and can’t wait.

As I was in the middle of working, there was a knock on the door.

Not good, they’re earlier than expected.

「Margrave Hardlett, um…… I came a little early.」

I straighten my clothes and open the door.

Standing there is the girl from the commander team whose virginity I took a little while ago, and another girl she brought along.

「Being late is out of the question, but being too early is no good either. If you’re too eager on the battlefield, you could be charging forward on your own.」

「Y-Yessir! I’m terribly sorry!」

「Umu, be more careful next time.」

I invite the two girls into the room.

「So, this girl is the one I’ve heard about?」

「Yes, this is my friend. So, um……」

「I don’t know what will happen after I join the army! I might die…… or get captured by the enemy and raped…… so I at least want to offer my chastity to the person I admire……」

「You’re fine with me?」

「I’ve always admired the Margrave. I want you to please take me, if this doesn’t upset you.」

「How could I refuse someone as cute as you.」

I push the girl onto the bed.

「You’re kidding, it’s that big!?」

「The Margrave is especially huge, but he’s extremely skilled so I’m sure he’ll make you feel good.」

Eventually, she screamed out in pain when she got deflowered, but those screams gradually turned into moans.

Her friend also got involved later and it turned into a threesome.

「Fuuu, that was good.」

「I thought my hole was going to tear apart. But…… it felt good, what a lovely person……」

「It’ll get even better from now on. I’ll make you pass out from the pleasure next time.」

「I’m glad! I will never forget what happened today.」

「Please don’t forget about me too.」

The two students hug me from both sides, which is really wonderful, but I don’t have much time.

「It’s almost time for the dorm to lock up. If you break the rules, it’ll reflect poorly on your evaluations, now go on back.」

「「Right, please rely on us again.」」

The two girls held hands and left while squealing with joy.

I’m sure they’ll reflect on what happened just now.

I once again open up the window and then swiftly change the sheets that got wet with the virgin’s blood.

At the same time I finished, there was a knock on the door.

「Um, it’s Polte. Are you awake?」

「Of course. I was waiting for you.」

Being an instructor can be quite the rigorous job.

–Third Person POV–

Side Story

「Kroll-sama! I’m so glad you came!」

Somewhere in the capital where poor people live, an almost-broken door opens and Kroll enters one of many run-down houses.

「Lola, I brought some medicine with me today too.」

「Thank you. I don’t know how I can express my thanks for all this time……」

The silver-haired girl’s name is Lola, who holds the bottle of medicine like it’s some kind of treasure, and brings it to her mother.

「Keho, keho2. Thanks again for everything. To show compassion for us prostitutes ……」

「It’s fine, you don’t have to talk so much or your body will get worse.」

Lola quickly lets her mother drink the medicine.

Her mother’s illness has to do with her lungs, and it has progressed to a dangerous stage but she is recovering slowly because of the medicine.

「And also some money, you won’t get better if you don’t eat well.」

Kroll places a silver coin in Lola’s hand.

The girl bows her head so low it touches the ground.

「Come on Lola, don’t keep Kroll-san waiting. Go to the other room and take care of his body.」

Kroll blushes a little from her mother’s instructions and looks off in the distance to avert his eyes.

Conversely, Lola is all smiles as she takes the boy’s hand and pulls him into the adjacent room.

「Right, this place is dirty but please make yourself comfortable. Use the bed here to make love to me.」

「S-sorry about this. 」

「Don’t be, I love being of service to Kroll-sama. No matter what you do-……」

Lola gently removes Kroll’s clothes, then quickly takes her own clothes off.

「-I’ll love you dearly.」

Lola wraps her naked body around Kroll and pushes him down.

「Fuu, that felt great.」

Kroll makes his way back to the mansion with a refreshed expression on his face.

Then, an unpleasant-sounding voice called out to him from behind.

「Ooh, if it isn’t Kroll-sama.」

「You…… what do you want at this time?」

「Gehehe, collecting repayments on a loan knows no time. If every customer was as good as Kroll-sama, it makes our job that much easier. I should be asking Kroll-sama…… oops, was that insensitive of me?」

The man is a private loan shark who Kroll borrowed money from.

The medicine to treat lung illnesses are fairly expensive and he couldn’t afford it with just his allowance.

But he couldn’t get an advance on his wages and he wasn’t sure if Lola’s mother would survive until then.

「Allow me one more insensitive comment, the date for repayment is in one week’s time…… can you make it?」

「Of course! The place I work at doesn’t delay on their pay.」

Kroll thinks to himself while shouting angrily – his payday is next week, so he can just barely pay back in time.

His food, clothing and shelter is provided for him so he thought that even if he didn’t have any money left on hand in the worse case, he wouldn’t starve to death.

「Well naturally, since you’re working as a servant for Margrave Hardlett and his reputation is outstanding! Otherwise, who would lend money to some brat…… oops, how rude, well I’ll excuse myself now.」

The loan shark leaves and then Kroll counts the amount of money in his wallet.

「I’m good…… I can manage somehow.」

The night goes on.

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett. 23 years old. Winter.

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Margrave. Great Feudal Lord of Eastern Area. King of the Mountains. Friend of the Dwarves. Special Consultant for the Royal Institution

Citizens: 155,000. Major Cities – Rafen: 22,000. Lintbloom: 3500.

Assets: 62,600 gold (Rose Garden Creation -300) (Dog Products -20) (Compensation for School Wall -30)

Accompanying: Mel (concubine), Celia (chubby adjutant), Myla (commander), Leah (lover), Irijina (escort), Pipi (escort?), Dorothea (lover), Alice (lover), Kroll (in debt), Gido (escort squad)

Polte (mistress), Gretel (bitch)

Sexual Partners: 159, children who have been born: 37