Chapter 447 (2/2)

「Let’s talk for a bit . 」

「Talk? Wah! Kyaa!」

I pull the enveloped woman toward me and slide her on top of my arm .

Our bodies are stuck together, but the sheets protect skin-to-skin contact, and thus eliminate her previous trembling .

I’ll delay intercourse for now .

She will obviously accept if I ask for it, but that would be no more than thanks for saving her son’s life .

s.e.x out of obligation is no fun, and the relations.h.i.+p that follows will be dull .

Rather than treating her as a feudal lord or a mother, I need to bring out the female within her and love her as such . That’s how I will capture her heart .

「Yes, that’s right . Although I still don’t know much about you, I don’t believe you’re someone who would turn traitor just to attain a high-ranking position . I would like to hear more about your circ.u.mstances . 」

I tighten my arms around the sheet-covered Baroness .

The dusty sheets aren’t the most pleasant, but at least I can feel her warmth .

「Where…… should I start……」

My body temperature should also be transmitting to her .

It’s cute how she’s glancing repeatedly at my body .

「Start wherever you want . Ah, before that, could you tell me your name?」

Escaote is merely her family name after all .

「Rukino . My name is Rukino Escaote . 」

「Rukino . That’s a nice name . It has a sense of n.o.bility, purity and overflowing love . 」

I pour praise onto her, casually addressing her without honorifics .

She doesn’t seem like a person who dislikes deliberate flattery . That’s more true especially as a person with status .

「Alright, then――」

Uncomfortably, she retells her story .

It turns out that her husband, in other words Baron Escaote, was formerly a n.o.ble of the royal palace without a job and was essentially being used by other n.o.bles .

Coincidentally, and also luckily, he increased his achievements enough to become recognized by the king and was given territory in the newly acquired eastern region .

The Baron did not particularly excel in any area nor did he seem foolish in any area, and somehow managed to compete with his neighboring feudal lords socially, politically and territorially .

One day, perhaps feeling too stressed, he suddenly fell ill and went on to die from sickness .

He left behind Rukino, a daughter and his yet-to-mature son, Seika .

As Baroness, Rukino was supposed to protect the house until Seika grew up, but things did not go smoothly .

「When I took over the household, the merchant families who lent money to my husband during the time he was healthy and the neighboring feudal lords he kept a good relations.h.i.+p with turned around and gave me the cold treatment . 」

Upkeep of the territory became difficult, debts piled up and conflicts on the border occurred more frequently .

「Our dispute reached the royal palace, which resulted in the royal family sending a messenger to warn us…… it was a matter of time before our territory would be confiscated . 」

In all probability, other feudal lords tattled on them .

It’s an underhanded tactic; something Leopolt would do .

「There was nothing I could do…… I had to depend on someone else with more power . With that in mind, I sought patronage from Count Hauraun, an influential feudal lord in the area…… and he willingly accepted my request . Upon doing so, disputes between the other feudal lords settled down, merchant families resumed conducting transactions with me, and various problems within my territory melted away . 」

「And the price for that was――」

Rukino casts her eyes downward sadly .

「It was to present my daughter――Seika’s elder sister, to the Count’s mansion as a live-in apprentice, although she was effectively a s.e.x worker . 」

It is common for families who get along to send daughters as apprentices to learn, however, this seems to be completely for entertainment purposes .

The reason he didn’t designate her as his concubine or mistress was likely so he can avoid taking responsibility if something happened to her while she’s being handled roughly .

「If only you depended on me instead . 」

Who is Count Hanran anyways? His name sounds very traitorous and yet I don’t know him for how influential he is .

「I-I’m not surprised Lord Hardlett doesn’t know about him with such a great difference in standing……he would not have met with you in very many social events . 」

Neglecting the banquets and leaving it all to Nonna has backfired, I guess .

「And he was probably scared . Precisely at that time, there were rumors that Lord Hardlett would threaten any feudal lord who started conflicts with 3000 cavalry at their doorstep . 」

Hmm, I don’t remember that .

「I became a disgusting mother when I sold away my daughter, but I still had to protect the family until 14 year old Seika turns into an adult . 」

Rukino starts to cry .

「This time as well, I only armed the citizens and spurred them to fight . There was no room for me to say a word or offer my opinion, and…… the house that I even sold my daughter to protect, the territory, everything…… everything……」

I hug the woman’s shoulder .

「It was out of your control . It’s not your fault . The bad guys are Count Hanran and his gang . 」

I hold Rukino tightly until her crying ceases .

「Besides, there is some good that came from it . 」

Rukino lifts her face, revealing her red eyes .

「If your daughter has become a wife, she can’t escape execution since she has a social position . If she’s merely an apprentice…… a servant girl, then it’s possible she won’t be executed . You can still reunite with her . 」

Rukino lets out a short gasp .

Her tears dry up and a different type of emotion wells up in her eyes .

I can feel her body temperature rising .

「I will arrange for you to meet your daughter as soon as possible . There is one more thing . 」

I look at Rukino with a serious expression .

She unconsciously braces herself .

「Excuse me for being rude, but how old are you?」

「I’m sorry?」

This is important .

I initially guessed she was in her mid-thirties .

That age matches her face and the fact her son is in his early teens .

From the quick glimpses of her naked body, her skin seems younger and more elastic than what I first expected .

Even without her underwear to support her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, they are holding up fine, and her nipples are pointing forward .

Her body simply seems to have aged from the stress and fatigue, and I don’t think she is much older than her mid-thirties .

If that’s the case, then something else is weird .

I was just told that Seika is 14 and he also has an elder sister .

Her age doesn’t align .

Rukino bursts out laughing when she sees my puzzled face .

「Fufu, you’re right . It mystifies everyone . I will be 28 this year, and my daughter, Rukue, is 17 . 」

「What!?」

This is where I shout the loudest . I mean, it makes sense if I judge based on her body and face .

But, 17 subtracted from 28 is 11 .

Is my calculation wrong?

「No, you are correct . I was a daughter of a small merchant family and was raped by the head of the family at 10 years old―― ahem . I got pregnant and became a mother . 」

「Andreis are everywhere, huh . 」

Well, no use dwelling on it now .

「Fufu, I am not aware of who that individual is, but the family head is quite hardcore . He pursued me eagerly until I was 18, and once I pa.s.sed 18, he stopped treating our relations.h.i.+p as a married couple . 」

I smile wryly and tug on the sheets hiding Rukino’s body .

She doesn’t resist, but buries her face in the pillow in embarra.s.sment .

I move in between Rukino’s legs, place both hands on either side of her face and press my hips against her .

「Contraception wasn’t used . Are you fine with that?」

I don’t get a response . I’m guessing she’s okay with it .

「Alright then……」

I grab her thigh, and position myself to thrust my hips forward to penetrate the v.a.g.i.n.a she hadn’t used in 10 years .

「Mother! I’m back――」

The energetic voice was cut short .

At the same time, Rukino lets out a scream, which made him flinch

Seika returned home after receiving treatment .

「Y-you b.a.s.t.a.r.dddd!!!」

Seika picks up the broom propped by the entrance and charges at me with the stick directed at me .

「How dare you!! Get away from my mother! Get awaaaay!!」

For some reason, he lunges accurately for my a.s.s again .

「Okay! I’ll leave, so stop! I’m not going to suffer that for a second time!」

I yield to the wild swinging of the broom, gather my clothes, and run out of the house .

On leaving, I don’t forget to wink at Rukino, telling her I’ll take care of the matter with her daughter .

「Get ouuuuut!!」

What a crazy development .

I won’t be able to play around like this for long though .

It’s in the middle of war after all .