Chapter 370 (1/2)

Chapter 370: 370

After repelling the a.s.sa.s.sins, the attacks on the CL company, both tangible and intangible, stopped suddenly .

The Flitch company realized they attacked me and are probably panicking .

Meanwhile, I’m paying the price for what I did and getting lectured in the living room .

「We’re not talking about fairness for saving Claire-san! As a feudal lord, how could you expose yourself to danger like that!?」

「Aegir-sama is certainly strong, but fighting unnecessary battles will eventually lead to your death! Please don’t do this anymore!」

「It is our duty to keep Lord Hardlett from harm . However, if you jump into peril of your own will, there is not much we can do . Please be more careful from this day forward . 」

「I can’t say anything about fighting…… though it’s not good to go on a vacation alone with Claire-san . Nonna-san has had this terrifying aura around her since the morning, please do something about it . 」

I guess it’s a rather big deal if Myla and Celia are backing up Leopolt and Adolph .

It was a mistake not telling anybody aside from Claire .

Lastly, as I get blamed and soothe the crying Celia by brus.h.i.+ng her cheek, I was informed of a visitor .

Already? That was fast .

「It was an unbelievable act of disrespect, a failure, and truly inexcusable……」

The man in front of me who is bowing his head to the ground is apparently the head clerk and a family member of Flitch .

Myla yelled at him, asking why the owner didn’t come, and apparently he is sick in bed .

I don’t know if it’s true or not and everyone I ask doesn’t know, so I let it go .

More importantly, I need them to approve of Claire going independent .

「There’s no use complaining about what’s done . I also went on a cheating vacation so I don’t want to make any unnecessary fuss…… anyways, I’ll need to see an appropriate sign of your sincerity . 」

I deliberately drink alcohol and speak in a haughty tone . Woah, I leaned too far back and almost fell over .

Don’t laugh, Sekrit . Dammit, she only comes out of her room and she thinks there is something interesting to watch .

「Yes, something has been prepared . A sum of money as apology and also――」

I speak over the messenger .

「That’s fine, I just don’t want to see any of you in my territory again . Any interference will not be tolerated whatsoever . 」

The head clerk waits for me to finish with his head touching the ground .

As expected of a great merchant, he isn’t someone who simply prostrates himself .

「I cannot recognize Claire and her group after she violated the store’s trust . If by chance it doesn’t trouble Lord Hardlett and your a.s.sets, then……」

So he wants to continue the dispute with Claire if it doesn’t bother me .

I exaggerate and kick over the desk .

「Fool! What would you know when your holes for eyes can’t tell the difference between me or a mal prost.i.tute!? This isn’t a negotiation or even a request . It’s an order! If anything happens to the CL company, I will consider it your work and will report it to the kingdom along with the fact that you attacked me . You understand the relations.h.i.+p between Stura and Goldonia, right?」

I know it’s a cheap threat .

The head clerk closes his eyes and doesn’t say anything .

I can’t tell if he’s scared or angry .

「If you let Claire handle the rest and leave quietly, I will also forget about this matter . My wife told me not to make such a big deal of it . 」

This method was advice I reluctantly accepted from Adolph .

Apparently, giving him a way out will allow us to guide his actions better than completely cornering him .

Nonna being upset is undeniably true . Not to mention Sekrit fanned the flames and added oil to the fire .

That girl is always doing unnecessary things…… one day, I’ll pretend to slip on oil and screw her a.s.s .

「Neither our company nor our owner desires to make Lord Hardlett an enemy . I ask you to please resolve this amicably . 」

「I told you I would do so if you don’t do anything to her . I like women and fighting, but I hate questions and answers . 」

I make it easy to understand by playing the crude villain . It’s surprisingly easy to do .

「I think you’re simply acting on your instincts . 」

I sense a little spite in Myla’s words .

As I glare at him while thinking about such things, the head clerk nods with his eyes closed .

It’s the gesture for “I’ll consent for now, but I still have a plan” .

Whatever, it’s unlikely he can tear apart the relations.h.i.+p I have with Claire .

His intentions were established soon after, though that’s a different story .

After the act was over, I head to Claire’s room where I can enjoy some alcohol with her and Laurie .

「I really want to express――」

「I’m getting tired of hearing your thanks . Move on to another topic . 」

I smile and place a finger on Claire’s lips to stop her from going further .

She smiles bitterly and cuts short the sentence she started to say . Laurie happily pours a cup of alcohol for me .

「So you’re finally independent, free to act without compromise or a.s.sistance . That’s pretty big . 」

「I’m deeply touched . It felt like a long time……since that day you let me go, it felt like I was walking a different life . 」

Claire, who is sitting beside me, nonchalantly places a hand on my lap .

She doesn’t touch my private parts . She knows that things will get vulgar if she does .

「Can I act spoiled?」

「Sure, go ahead . 」

After getting my permission, Claire clings to my neck and Laurie clings to my thigh .

They open up their clothes as their bodies are pressed against me, not letting me see their underwear .

……the way Laurie is baring her skin, I’m guessing she’s not wearing any .

Presently, Claire is controlling most of the trade in the eastern region of Goldonia, including my territory .

Small and mid-level feudal lords don’t have any issues with that amount of influence .

That girl is currently nestling into me .

I can probably wave a finger and get her to lay down naked for me .

It’s an indescribable feeling of superiority .

「At that time, I didn’t think I would be with you like this again . 」

「Me neither . Fufu, my grudge towards Aegir-sama was also my driving force, you know? I would someday get my revenge and kill you . 」

Laurie stares intently at Claire and makes a curious face when our faces don’t change .

「Do you still resent me?」

I killed her man, and he was someone she accompanied for many years .

Although she reaped what she sowed by becoming a bandit, it’s hard to separate logic and emotions when a loved one gets killed .

It’s natural for her to resent me and it would clear the air if she declared outright how she feels .

「That was destiny . If I didn’t meet Aegir-sama and Ash was still alive, I would still be living like a bandit…… become the head of a well-known mercenary company, then probably meet my end after being subdued . 」

I let it slide that she didn’t affirm or deny my question .

「Bandits?? Ash? Errr, is this perhaps about a man in the past?」

Laurie can’t follow our conversation .

I’m sure Claire will explain little by little .

「Ash was concerned about my future most of all . If he was by himself, he could have become anything he wanted, yet he went along with me and became a bandit…… fufu, since embracing me, he never laid his hands on another woman, you know? Women who enticed him, the women of the villages he ransacked…… he had numerous chances to f.u.c.k . How comical for a bandit to stay virtuous . 」

Strangely, complex emotions of loneliness well up within me from somewhere as Claire reminisces .

「Ara, are we feeling jealous of a dead person? You were the one who decapitated him . 」

I spread my hands as if I lost to Claire’s unsarcastic speech .

「Eeh…… the Margrave-sama killed Claire-sama’s lover…… Claire-sama was a bandit…… uuu……」

Let us cease talking about old stories . Laurie can’t keep up .

「Hey Claire, are you really happy where you’re at now? I don’t know much about being a merchant, but you could have――」

This time Claire was the one who put a finger to my lips .

「I could have extended it more if I had Aegir-sama’s help . And then I could have used that extended time to grow my advantage . ……well, I think it was a good trigger . 」

「A trigger, huh?」

I draw Claire’s body toward me .

She realizes my intentions and clings to me tighter .

Aah, Laurie wasn’t the only one not wearing underwear .

「Yes . The time I aspired to become a merchant, I decided that I would become independent and have my own company…… for that sake, I bet everything on myself . 」

I remain silent, my hands continuing to rub Claire’s back and a.s.s .

「The trigger was surely the change in the main store’s att.i.tude and South Yuguria…… but I was determined to make things end this way . 」

I let her speak, focusing on her a.s.s instead .

Like a bad governor, I touch her body while a timid self comes out from somewhere within me .

「It was risky, maybe disproportionate to the benefits . Even so, I did it now . I can do it now . If I don’t do it now, I wouldn’t be able to do it forever . 」

Claire grins .

「I couldn’t push it to a later date . That was the meaning of my life after all . 」

I don’t say a single word . My hands keep fondling her .

I’m not craving her or trying to violate her .

I just have to do something to stay calm .

「Aegir-sama, your finger is in a dangerous spot…… if you could ease up a little…… aah, that’s my a.s.shole!」

She gambled and she won the bet .

If I told Leopolt, he might have had a better plan, and the timing might not have been optimal .

In her position, a plan relying heavily on my favoritism was likely extremely incomplete .

Regardless, she accomplished what she wanted .

「Um, your hand…… g-going in…… aauu!」

I look back at my own life .

I’m living a dream-like life since starting out as a slave kid .

I’ve become a Magrave of Goldonia, a nation with millions of people under its rule, and I can act all important .

The record Adolph brought up to me today regarding revenue had a big number like 200 000 .

In addition, I’m surrounded by beauties who love me from the bottom of their hearts, and I’m free to embrace them and impregnate them as I want, with even the maids in the mansion happy to spread their legs if I tell them to .

Yoguri even used my life as a basis for one of her plays .

Arrogant as it may be, I can say my life is a pretty big success .

「But I am not accomplished yet . 」

「I-I’m about to reach…… n-no good! Auaah!」

「Kyaa! Claire-sama…… really squirted everywhere . Eh? You’re going to continue?」

Claire bends backward and screams, which to me, is trivial at the moment .

What is my life goal?

There’s no way I forgot . It’s to become king and meet Lucy again .

It isn’t to live as a great n.o.ble with beautiful wives and pa.s.s on while surrounded by my children and grandchildren .

I didn’t forget .

I was simply caught up in how comfortable my life is now .

Nonna is gorgeous, Celia is cute .

Carla is amusing, Mel is attractive .

The other girls who have fallen in love with me are also wonderful in their own ways .

I am truly happy when surrounded by all of them . That’s why I’m immersed in joy right now .

「You’re amazing . You actually achieved it . 」

I take Claire’s hand and kiss the back of it .

It wasn’t a l.u.s.tful action, it was to show my respect . The current me doesn’t come close to her .

「Eh? What are you……」

Her time was now .

On the other hand, my time is not now .

Acting for the sake of my goal and running wildly is not the same thing .

What I have to do now is to resolve myself .

I close my eyes and exhale .

「Hm, alright . 」

I never had a sharp mind to begin with . Thinking long and hard does nothing for me .

Those few seconds I took were enough for me .

「Um…… did I do something to upset you?」

「I apologize if I bored you . 」

Claire and Laurie look at me with worried expressions .

I guess I was uncharacteristically making a serious thinking face .

「It’s nothing . Anyways, we should get started . 」

「Kyaa!」「Hiihn!」

I lift up Claire and Laurie, one on each of my shoulders, and then throw them onto the prepared bed .

I then proceed to strip .

「Your body is really incredible……」