Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi
chapter-213

Aegir POV–

「Hardlett-sama, are you alright? You have bags under your eyes.」

As Solana and I are riding horses going south along the road, she takes a worried peek at my face.

「I’m fine. I just had a little trouble sleeping.」

The truth was that I didn’t sleep at all last night.

The girls were making a fuss about how I was going to leave them alone again so I had no choice but to entertain them from evening to morning.

In order to prevent me from cheating, they squeezed me dry with their continuous attacks on my dick, going so far as to bind me to the bed and blindfold me.

It was ultimately just a single man against 14 girls, so by the time all of them collapsed on the bed, the sun was already up and I had no time left to sleep.

「I honestly heard many rumors about Hardlett-sama, but you’re bringing only one page boy with you today I see.」

I’m sure they’re nothing but bad rumors, though she’s right.

The only one accompanying me on this trip is Kroll. While Celia and Pipi wanted to come along, they were stopped by the other girls.

Apparently, the girls are not going to allow any head starts, besides I am just going to spectate, so there is no meaning in them going when there is no danger.

If you ask me, I will have an easier time aiming for Solana if I don’t have so many girls serving me.

In any case……

「All is vanity……all is vanity……」

Kroll is acting strange, I don’t want to look at him like this.

I have to somehow get him back to how he was by getting him immersed in the valley of a woman’s breasts or the slightly visible panties under her skirt.

「Anyways, it won’t take too long for us to reach the border on horses.」

「Yeah, it looks like it’ll be pretty safe along the way too.」

The path towards the border separating Libatis and the Divine Nation of Altair is strictly monitored with guards stationed at short intervals.

In this way, brigands or monsters won’t appear.

「Of course it is! As long as our Libatis army is protecting us, we have nothing to worry about.」

Solana proudly sticks her chest out. We conversed a fair amount along the way and from what I can see, she’s a serious and pure woman.

She’s definitely attractive enough, though if I had to complain, she’s too pure.

Just like what I sensed during our first meeting, she is completely ignorant about the nuances between men and women, so she didn’t notice my approaches when I casually rubbed her shoulders or when I breathed on her skin.

If she knew what I was doing and rejecting me, then I had the option of pushing or pulling her to bed, but if she’s simply not acknowledging my advances then there’s nothing I can do.

「Is something the matter?」

「No, it’s nothing. More importantly, let’s hurry forward.」

「Yes, nevertheless…… you have quite the impressive horse. Not only its size, but it isn’t breathing hard even though we’ve been travelling at a considerable pace for a while now. I’ve already changed horses twice……」

Well if this lewd horse had average stamina and size, I would have turned him into horse meat a long time ago.

As if reading my thoughts, Schwartz purposely rocks his body and threatens me.

「But its eyes seem somewhat tired……」

「……」

I know why.

Last night, after violating the woman who took care of him until she fainted, he mated with mare after mare.

If you had so much energy, then run faster, you crazy sex-driven horse.

As the horse snorts unhappily, I pull on the perverted thing’s ear.

……lately, his mane has been looking nice, he has no ear wax and no ticks.

The woman looking after him must be constantly grooming him throughout the day, what a luxury.

Altair-Libatis Border Zone

「Fumu, fumu.」

「This is……」

The scene at the border area which came into our sights was beyond our expectations.

To be honest, I was already prepared to see a fight where both sides were covered in blood.

「How odd.」

The people gathered around the border was not the army of the Divine Nation of Altair but ordinary peasants.

There wasn’t just a hundred or two there, there were at least a thousand from what I can see.

The number of guards on the Libatis side are roughly a hundred…… who are trying to push back and stop the other side from crossing the border.

「Who are you people!?」

As I watched this strange situation, a Libatis soldier runs over.

That’s your cue, Solana.

「I am the Captain of the hundred troops of the First Division Squadron, Solana Estoria. This here is Hardlett-dono, who the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs has ordered to be treated as an observing officer.」

After a crisp and proper salute, she hands a letter she pulls from her chest pocket to the other soldier.

「A Squadron Captain!? M-my deepest apologies! So are you coming from a unit in the capital city……? You say observing, but there’s no fighting to see here……」

「Hardlett-dono is a general from Goldonia, he just wants to see Altair’s forces with his own eyes to use as a reference for the future.」

What I really want to see is Solana getting naked, but I’ll keep that hidden in my heart for now.

「If that’s all, then…… as you can see, this is how they’ve been fighting recently.」

The soldier’s tone tells me he’s fed of what’s going on.

「Are they just regular peasants?」

「They’re just your average peasants. But those guys from Altair are crazy enough to make these peasants into slaves. If we show them mercy and let them into our land, I’m sure they’ll cause a disturbance and claim that they were just listening to what their God is telling them. The reason they’re trying to push through here is probably also because of instructions from their God, Altair.」

Fumu, if you consider all their people to be spies, that’s going to be a problem.

「Can’t you just drive them away with force then?」

The peasants don’t look armed.

If the fully-equipped Libatis army commences an attack, they should be able to rout those peasants easily.

「That’s possible if they launched a direct attack…… however, if the situation is like this, we can only stop them from invading. We’re depending on the instructions from Central, so we can only respond when they give the orders.」

Like I thought, the way Libatis does things is really annoying and time-consuming.

In my territory, it would only take a simple order to clean this up, though none of the pretty women would be killed.

「That aside, you have a pretty big spear. I’m impressed you can carry that thing like it’s nothing.」

「You think so? Oh gosh, you’re making me blush.」

I take a peek inside my pants. Yep, it’s quite big if I do say so myself.

Though it comes with problems too.

I have to do sufficient preparations or else the girls will suffer.

This is especially the case for the servants who I lay my hands on for the first time. It isn’t unusual for them to scream like crazy.

「? It has this shininess I’ve never seen before…… what kind of material is it made of?」

Oh, you’re talking about my weapon. How boring.

The peasants shout something as they try to cross the border while the Libatis army pushes them back.

This almost playful exchange continues.

「Solana, could you show me to my sleeping quarters? It can’t be helped that this is the only thing I can see.」

「……I guess you’re right. It’s a little early, but in this border fort-……」

Solana’s words cut short.

She must have felt some doubt which made her look, and I also follow suit and glance in the direction where her eyes are pointing, to see more people on the Altair side shuffling about at the very back.

「It looks like they added another row of people.」

「The Captains here will probably confirm it as well, but I should also contact- wait, Hardlett-dono!?」

I brandish my spear and mount Schwartz.

「Look again, those newly added people don’t look like they’re here simply to have a jostling match.」

Those new additions are holding weapons like hammers, scythes and axes.

They’re not wearing armor but there may not be enough border security to deal with the numbers.

「!? I-I’ll go inform the Captain.」

Solana hastily gallops off and I chase after her.

I want to protect her if possible.

「I’ll come too.」

Kroll draws the sword at his hip and readies his pot lid.

He seems calm rather than fearful.

He appears poised ever since the fight with Lammy.

It may also be because he arrived at some strange place after his impotence dragged on for such a long time.

「New troops are coming!」「Arm yourselves. Stay alert!!」

It’s a big commotion.

I might be able to see the true strength of the Libatis army now though.

「They’re crossing the border!」

「We have confirmed that they ignored our warnings. Annihilate the peasants……no, annihilate the enemy. Archer squad, fire!」

After going through annoying processes, arrows fly out from the Libatis side.

There isn’t a large number of projectiles, however they were loosed in unison and are accurate.

The soldiers are well-trained.

「Death to the fools who do not fear God!!」

The group who is being shot at with arrows shouts in a loud voice.

That acted as the signal, triggering the peasants who were just pushing the soldiers up till now to tilt their heads upward altogether.

「Death to apostates!」「By the blessings of Altair!」

「These guys…… they’re attacking us with their bare hands!」

「Drive them back! Shit, there’s too many of them!」

「It feels like I’ve seen this happen quite recently.」

「Yes…… this is almost like the uproar caused by the zombies in the cemetery back in Rafen.」

Kroll and I watch from a safe distance away.

The Libatis army is unexpectedly well-trained and has surprisingly high morale.

Even though enemies surround them in an instant, the soldiers don’t panic and deal with it in an orderly manner.

However, the difference in numbers is obvious and the Libatis army retreats towards the fort while fighting in this grand melee.

I have no plans to join the fight and act like some knight in shining armor.

In the first place, my goal is to see how Altair fights and how the Libatis army responds.

That objective has been cleared, so the correct move here is to run inside the safe fort and watch the further developments of the fight.

「Are you heading back?」

「No, I won’t.」

I lost sight of Solana in the confusion.

I can’t just run off to a safe place while leaving the girl who guided us to fend for herself.

I could tell even though it’s only been a short time.

She isn’t used to fighting.

Although she has a high military rank, her job is probably mainly related to ceremonial duties.

「Come, Kroll.」

I kick Schwartz’s belly and urge him to run.

He knows that it’s in order to rescue a woman so he doesn’t seem too unhappy.

「Solana! Where are you!?」

I try searching here and there while yelling her name, but I couldn’t hear any response because of all the angry shouting and jeering around me.

I have no choice, I’ll have to go straight into the middle of the melee.

「By the grace of Altair……」

「Oh, shut up!」

I kick away the man who is mumbling something nonsensical garbage from on top of my horse.

His head caves inward but I don’t give a damn.

「Hey you, do you know Solana?」

「I-I don’t know. There are just so many enemies around…… uwah!!」

I tried asking a soldier but he has no clue.

After cutting down the three enemy soldiers swarming him, I tell him to take her to the fort if he finds her.

「Divine punishment!!」

「You can’t take down my partner with something as weak as that.」

I look over at Kroll and see him block a hammer strike with his pot lid before counterattacking with a slash from his sword.

His movements seem somewhat more refined.

Still, that thing hasn’t broken yet? What a sturdy pot lid.

「Hey, do you know Solana?」

「Oh Altair, please grant me your protection!」

The shoulder I grabbed belonged to an enemy soldier.

「How misleading, this is what you get!」

I grab his neck, spin it 180 degrees and hear various cracking and twisting sounds.

I let go of the twitching man and look around.

Don’t tell me she’s been killed already.

「Nooooooooo!! Let me go!」

That sharp squeal I heard is definitely from Solana.

「It came from over there. Kroll, follow me.」

I don’t even have to give out any instructions to Schwartz, he just runs off in the direction of the scream.

Although it’s happening outside my field of vision, I can tell all the enemies in front of me within this melee are being trampled underneath Schwartz’s hooves.

「Over there.」

I look where Kroll points and see Solana being dragged off by several enemies.

She isn’t holding a sword anymore, both her hands are being grabbed and she’s getting pulled away.

I guess they want to take her all the way back into Altair territory.

「We’re saving her.」

A man who appears to be a captain of the Libatis army shouts indecisively.

「Wait! They’re already past our borders. If we want to cross over the border and attack, we must get permission from the commander first……」

Are you still saying that?

「This is my own decision. Hand over the spear.」

「Please wait! You’re supposed to be an observing officer, so getting involved in battle is-!」

I take away the captain’s spear and charge forward with my own spear in my other hand.

Of course, I trample over the border. There’s no wall stopping me so I’m naturally going to prioritize saving the woman.

「Give me back my woman!」

Trying to stop my solo charge forward, those guys flock towards me with crude axes and spears.

I count 20 of them, all of whom are spouting some ridiculous mumblings about God or Altair or whatever.

Don’t think you’re leaving alive after stealing my woman.

「Uoooooh!」

Several of them gather together and lower their hips, thrusting forward at their prey.

They must think they formed a line of spears to stop cavalry, but it’s quite the ugly creation.

「You think that is enough to stop me?」

I alternate swinging the spears I’m holding in both hands.

Those who got hit by the tip of my spear get cut and blood sprays out before they collapse to the ground. Those whose weapons take the hit lose their prey and just stare blankly at me.

「Uwah! This horse!」「Gyaaah!」

Schwartz targets the unarmed men and stomps all over them.

Getting stepped on by a beast which weighs several times more than an average horse, no human can maintain their shape.

I can’t lose to him either.

As an enemy tries to approach from the side, I pierce his stomach with my dwarven spear and hurl him at another enemy.

The regular spear in my left hand breaks after getting its third kill, so I steal an axe from an enemy, and use it against them.

「M-monster!」「A demon! Oh Altair, grant us your protection!」

Even those who charged at me without fear of death at the start are beginning to retreat.

I finish off another enemy by skewering him before tossing him in the air and slicing him in half in midair.

After seeing the shower of blood, the number of enemies before me very evidently decreases.

「How is that observing?! You’re pumped to fight! 」「Goldonia is home to a monster like this……?」

「W-who’s going to take responsibility for this?」

I’m drawing the attention of the Libatis soldiers now.

You guys do your best where you can and clean up what’s left.

Without slowing down too much, I chase after Solana as she’s being pulled and jump off my horse.

Before I knew it, Kroll is by my side too.

「Return Solana to me, or else I’ll kill you all.」

One elderly man spreads his arms and stands in front of me. I don’t know what he’s doing but it doesn’t look like he’s going to be good and give Solana back to me.

「We are bestowing the enemies of God punishment based on the his will. If you go against him, hell awaits-…… huh?」

My spear moves before he could finish speaking.

I see, so these guys have the protection of God.

Well, everything below his shoulders are gone so he can at least continue talking.

「Guhyoo」

I crush the disgusting old man beneath my feet and step forward.

Two more people charge at me while shouting.

I evade the attack of the first one and strike his head with my axe.

I grab the hand of the other and throw him backwards.

「Damn…… I’m not done yet…… U, uwaah!」

As the man tries to roll over and get up, Schwartz stomps on his head.

「W-wait! If you put your hands on us, this woman will-…… huh? Where’s the woman!?」

One of the enemies tries to put a sword to Solana’s neck but suddenly realizes she isn’t there.

「Well done, Kroll.」

Kroll secretly snuck around them and took Solana away.

They desperately try to get her back but it’s too late.

The moment two more enemies charge forward, the tips of my spears lunge out and pierce their skulls, taking their heads off at the same time, mowing down the surrounding four enemies.

The men try to counterattack hastily, however their untrained attacks look like they aren’t even moving to me.

I dodge the axe of the first man’s attack and punch him in the face, then I grab the spear of the second man and hurl him away, finally I strike the arm of the third man to break it before grabbing his neck and breaking it.

With that, I’ve finished cleaning up most of them.

There are two more enemies who were cut down near Kroll.

Apparently Kroll was responsible for defeating one while Solana took care of the other.

「Ah…… aau……」

The girl seems shaken up as she grips her blood-stained sword.

She definitely doesn’t have any practical experience on the battlefield.

「It’s alright now. It was scary, wasn’t it.」

I hug Solana tightly.

「Thank you for rescuing me. However, I’m also a soldier so you don’t have to treat me like a city girl.」

It doesn’t sound convincing when her shoulders are trembling and she’s sobbing convulsively.

What would have happened to her if she was dragged into Altair territory?

I’m not particularly an ally of Libatis.

I can’t say I get along well with the Foreign Minister.

However, I know for sure that even the citizens of the Divine Nation of Altair are insane.

At the very least, those from Libatis seem more open to discussion than those in Altair.

「I have to go talk to the captain about various things so please return to the fort first.」

Solana speaks while in my arms.

「Haa…… but your hand isn’t letting go.」

Solana’s hand is grabbing my arm and not loosening her grip.

「H-huh? C’mon! Huuh?」

Her first battle and her fear of death seems to have more of an effect than she thought.

I’ll embrace her for a while then.

Kroll, we might end up sleeping together so I’m counting on you to prepare the bed.

「All is vanity……」

In the end, she was busy dealing with the aftermath of my rampaging as an observing officer and the cleaning up of me crossing the border, so I was not able to mount Solana.

–Third Person POV–

Tortoent

「Buuu」「Buu」「Buubuu」

The girls are expressing their discontent at their husband who left.

「It’s also horrible of Aegir. How could he leave us alone again?」

「He left me on this occasion too……」

「Pipi too! Pipi doesn’t even know where she is anymore!」

「He only took Kroll with him this time so he shouldn’t be fooling around with women……」

「How naive! The soldier accompanying him is a woman. By this time, he should be making her squeal with that huge dick of his!」

「It’s impossible for Aegir-sama to not lay his hands on any woman by his side…… it would be best if things ended with only a casual relationship.」

Nonna claps her hands as if to settle down the clamoring women.

「It can’t be helped. Aegir-sama also has work to do.」

After a heavy thump, Nonna then places a bag in front of everyone.

「What is that bag?」

「Aegir-sama said it was fine to use it as I wished and to enjoy it while he was gone too.」

When the mouth of the bag opened, everyone could see the bag filled to the brim with gold coins.

「How much is in there?」

「Maybe around 500 gold? This is basically telling me to go wild, isn’t it?」

The other girls look at each other.

「Y-you’re not actually going to use it up, are you……?」

Mireille can’t hide the feeling of shock she felt as she saw the unprecedented mountain of gold brought out before her.

「S-she’s right. I think you should stop after you use up enough to buy all of us something good to eat!」

Miti and Maria speak at the same time.

The two of them grew up in the lower middle class, so luxury in their point of view is limited to a small feast.

「Can I go buy a new dress for mom?」

「Clothes are expensive, sis.」

Nonna reins in the boisterous girls.

「Ahem, we are women of the Hardlett house, such narrow-minded luxuries as that will be a disgrace to Aegir-sama’s name.」

「That’s right. It might stink of poverty.」

Catherine agrees in a quiet voice.

「Then what should we do?」

「I’m only getting bad feelings about this.」

Leah tilts her head, while Celia holds her head in her hands.

「Follow me! I will teach you how to shop like a noble!!」

Nonna bursts out of the inn with vigor, while Gido and Mack chase after her as escorts. The other girls get swallowed up by the mood and follow after them one by one.

Clothes Shop

「This pretty dress…… maybe I should buy it……」

「Ruu, what are you being indecisive about? Shopkeep, tailor these clothes. 13…… no, for 14 people. For the autumn and winter season, we need three pieces of clothing for each of us.」

「T-thank you very much for your purchase! You guys, do it all together!」

Restaurant

「Err…… I’ll have this expensive meat dish……」

「Miti, don’t act like you’re poor. Give us everything on the menu. I don’t mind if all of you eat what we can’t finish.」

「Certainly, Madam.」

Confection Shop

「This is delicious…… wow, they’re using so much sugar!」

「Celia-chan, the cream one over here is really sweet too.」

「We’ll buy everything in the shop. Please have it delivered to our inn.」

Street Stall

「T-this is nice.」

「You have a good eye! This vase is worth a mere 10 gold……」

「……Nonna-san, if you get any counterfeits, I’m going to tell Aegir-sama.」

Bizarre Street Vendor

「This is a medicine……?」

「My travelling expenses have been used up. I’m not familiar with pricing but I’m willing to part with it for two silver.」

The mysterious hooded woman places a single bottle in front of her.

As expected, Nonna hesitates from the suspicious feeling exuded from the seller and the item placed in front of her. Mack steps in front to protect her.

「Fumu…… and what effect does it have?」

「Stamina fortification.」

Nonna’s face wavers as she imagines a scene where her beloved husband embraces and ravishes herself, but her expression quickly returns to normal.

「……I’ll buy it. Ara, I don’t have any silver coins. Is a gold coin alright?」

「Sorry, I don’t have change.」

Nonna hesitates for another moment. Even she is aware of the situation being perfect for swindlers to take advantage of.

However, the bottle seems effective just as much as it seems suspicious.

She nods, thinking that its effects can be tested on Kroll and Christoph before she gives it to her husband.

「You are positive about its effects?」

「I guarantee it.」

「Then…… I’ll buy it for one gold coin.」

It might be hard to see because her face was covered by the hood, but the woman’s eyes seem to widen in surprise for an brief instant.

「Are you sure?」

「I’ll lend it to you for now. Pay me back if you feel inclined to do so.」

Naturally, Nonna realizes that she might never meet this seller again.

The woman lifts her face and stares at Nonna for a while.

「Let me get your name.」

Nonna fixes her puzzled gaze at the bottle of medicine.

People tend to shy away from broadcasting their names when buying things like stamina enhancing drugs.

「My name is Carla. I came here for an excursion.」

「Carla, the traveler…… understood and thank you. I will repay this debt someday.」

After Nonna leaves, the woman silently stands up.

She buys food, water and a replacement for her worn out footwear, and then leaves Tortoent.

「I never would have thought to be in debt to a some human.」

The woman pulls back her hood.

She reveals her white almost see-through skin, her sculpture-like facial features, and the thing which stands out the most because humans don’t have them – her long ears.

The woman smiles and walks alone to the west.

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett. 23 years old. Autumn.

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Margrave. Great Feudal Lord of Eastern Area. King of the Mountains. Friend of the Dwarves. Friend of the King of Aless.

Citizens: 162,000. Major Cities – Rafen: 24,000. Lintbloom: 4000.

Accompanying to the Democratic Nation of Libatis:

Nonna (orz), Celia (orz), Carla (orz), Miti (orz), Maria (orz), Catherine (orz), Kuu (orz), Ruu (orz), Mireille (orz), Leah (orz), Yoguri (orz), Alice (orz)

Casie (ghost), Pipi (lover), Antonio (son), Rose (foster daughter)

Gido (escort), Kroll (mendicant monk), Schwartz (lewd horse), Mack (escort), Christoph (escort)

Lammy (forgot something)

Assets: 10 120 gold (Wild merrymaking -500)

Sexual Partners: 226, children who have been born: 48