Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi

I am working diligently after becoming the king of a nation.

There is currently no imminent threat.

My life goal of meeting Lucy has also been achieved.

Well, the breeding ground of future problems left by my usurpation is a threat to say the least, but most of the people openly rebelling have been crushed.

I cannot relax though.

Now that I've accepted Lucy into my family, I have a duty to give her a peaceful life.

Of course that also goes for Nonna, Carla, Mel……and all the girls I've rescued thus far.

In order to prevent unnecessary conflict, I will have to get involved with government affairs.

Presently, the rule is largely based on fear towards myself and authority is concentrated in the king.

The system remains unchanged, with the existence of nobles and feudal lords, but the king's power has become absolute.

Feudalism is merely a name and the reign is practically an autocracy――or so Tristan said.

「To be honest, I only understood a third of what he said, but the gist of it was that neither the government nor the military can move if I don't stamp my seal. It's safe to say that everything lies within my hands.」

I arrogantly tip my chin back and swing my arm down with a fearless smile.

My royal mark presses onto the excessively shiny gold-plated paper.

「That's right, Aegir-sama. This time you correctly stamped inside the lines.」

「Fufufu, this much is easy for an absolute ruler.」

My pace of stamping increases as Celia encourages me.

I don't read any of the contents of the documents.

「Ah, you don't have to read them. That's not Aegir-sama's job.」

「It's called division of labor. A good ruler uses his subordinates like arms and legs.」

I continue moving my right hand up and down as I gaze out the window.

Unlike in Rafen, the office only faces the courtyard so the scenery is not very interesting.

Now I don't know what to do……it's strange, why do I have free time even when I'm working hard?

「This job is something only I can do, right Celia?」

「Yes. It's a very important job for the king.」

Celia pours a cup of tea for me.

It's truly delicious……I think I drank too much.

「I'm going to the bathroom. Sorry for delaying your work.」

「It's fine, I'll do the stamping in your place. Since I'm checking over the documents, the amount of work is the same.」

I feel at ease when Celia smiles cheerfully.

I stretch after finishing my business in the toilet.

「Isn't it weird?」

「Fueh!?」

A maid who happens to be next to me springs up with bedsheets in her arms.

「Oh please……have mercy……」

The maid is bowing on the floor, trembling.

I became several times more feared than the days I was a feudal lord.

I've done the things to make it that way and even exaggerated the fear to make my rule easier, but it's kind of annoying.

「Has that girl done something inadequately?」

The one who called out was Rosario.

So this maid was taking care of her?

I pick the maid up and steal her lips while I'm at it.

「By the way……」

Rosario pauses and signals with two crisp claps.

Ah, that's right.

I clear my throat and declare in a deliberately condescending tone.

「Rosario, I'm coming to your room tonight. Be ready and complete the preparations.」

「……yes.」

Rosario replies, biting her lip.

The maid whips her head up and looks back and forth between me and Rosario.

「Ku……the time has finally come……but it's already……」

A tear falls from Rosario's face to the carpet.

Rumors will quickly spread if I act in front of the maid.

This should be good enough for foreshadowing.

I turn my back, purposely not saying anything else.

She's really skilled at fake-crying.

Now then, what was I doing again?

I forgot after emptying my bladder.

「Ah, Your Majesty!」

Teetering toward me with adorable footsteps was……Lim, or was it Pim?

It will be painful if I get her name wrong.

「Gosh Your Majesty, have you forgotten the face of your dear Flantica?」

「Hahaha, of course not.」

I smile as Flantica clings to my arm, reminding me with her sweet voice.

「Your Majesty, you're so lovely……my heart flutters just by touching you.」

Flantica is one of the girls in the inner palace and the third daughter of a baron family, house Bardo or Mordo, if I remember correctly.

She is about 20 years old, and although she doesn't look young, she heavily uses elongated endings to her sentences and childish gestures.

「Ehe~ I told my dad about the day before yesterday. He was happy to hear that the Mildorian family is safe.」

「Right, it was Baron Mildorian.」

It can't be helped that I got it a little wrong.

I only learned of Flantica the night of the day before yesterday.

Lucy cancelled our evening stroll at the last minute so my schedule freed up, however I didn't want to work when I was supposed to play, so I decided to drink on the balcony.

That's when Flantica appeared to offer me more alcohol, but my vision became blurry after about two gulps and the next thing I realize, she's pinned under me and I'm fucking her.

It doesn't matter if I'm king, assaulting a woman under the influence of alcohol is unforgivable.

I apologized to Flantica and promised her special treatment.

「It was a little forced in the beginning~ but I'm happy that I get to be by Your Majesty's side now.」

She nuzzles her face against me to show how delighted she is.

There's something about her that bothers me, although it's not a bad feeling to have a girl fawn on you.

「Fufu~ Your Majesty's arm is so thick~ By the way, where is Your Majesty staying tonight?」

「Fufufu, I can make it bigger if I flex. At night Lucy and Brynhildr……my mother's sister called, so I'm probably staying at the Baby Bird's bedroom.」

Flantica touches my chest and tilts her innocent face.

「Your Majesty's chest is as hard as an iron plate. Oh the Baby Bird's bedroom~? Ny the way will the guards be with you?」

「If you keep touching me, I'll become aroused and assault you again. Well we might talk about things we don't want others to hear. Since it's in the inner palace, I don't bring guards.」

Flantica mischievously touches my crotch, then lets out a cute 'kyaa' and smiles.

「Your Majesty, it's a little hard~ how naughty~ That reminds me, Your Majesty's sword has a dirty spot. I will clean it so will you entrust it to me until the evening?」

「Fufufu, I'm saving up for tonight, it'll rampage if you touch it too much……that, I didn't notice. Then I'll leave it to you, it's in my room.」

Flantica adorably imitates a salute and runs off.

Something bothers me after all, but I'm sure it's fine since she's cute.

「May I talk now?」

I turn around at the sound of another person's voice.

「Over here.」

The voice seems to be coming from inside the pot decorating the corridor.

When I peeked inside, I found Head-helmina.

「Why are you stuck in such a place?」

「Tikuku temporarily separated to perform something called a test drive. I plan to return once she has finished.」

Regardless, the inside of a pot is no place to rest.

If a maid sees you, she will freak out.

「Actually, Casie saw me earlier. She went outside, screaming. I wonder if she's alright.」

Of course not, but since she's a ghost, she won't die.

「The reason I called out to you is because I have something to talk about……wait a minute.」

Head-helmina extends a bunch of hair out.

It coils around my arm, then a needle emerges from the tip.

「What is that? You better not be injecting me with poison.」

「You have it backwards. A poison mixture made from a poisonous snake and a poisonous insect has entered your body. Do you remember what happened?」

Not really.

I don't recall being bit by a snake, as for a bug, one might have bitten me during my sleep.

「……it doesn't seem like that simple of a poison, but I can't say anything if you are not hindered by it. Let me suck it out just in case.」

「Thanks.」

Head-helmina turns to me after finishing the treatment.

「It's about your children.」

「Muu, you want my children? Many things happened between us but I will do my utmost to impregnate you if that is what you desire.」

Head-helmina shakes her head……or more like her whole body, as if to say that's not what she meant.

「How will you impregnate a head? There is a way, but it will be rather bizarre.」

Head-helmina looks out the window.

There, Nonna is watching over Anastasia and Bartolome as they are playing.

「It is said that children have infinite potential. However there is also natural-born talent.」

「I'm sure there is.」

Those possessing military talent, those possessing superior wisdom, those who do not have talent themselves but possessing the ability to make many friends.

It might be naive to think wit can solve everything, but aptitude certainly exists.

「You have become king. This means your children also have to shoulder the fate of royalty. It is necessary for your children's talents to be ascertained, and though they are young, it seems I have the insight to determine their general talent. So I thought it was the duty of someone indebted to you to inform you of that talent.」

「……I don't think it's necessary.」

Even if it is my children we're talking about, they are barely ten years old.

Sure, when they turn 15, it is bad if they are sent on the frontlines with an underdeveloped military talent, but it is too early to make that decision. What good is it to classify children still laying in their mother's lap?

「It is necessary. But if you do not want to hear it, that is also reasonable. I won't tell you if you do not want to hear it.」

I gaze out the window.

The children playing tag merrily trip, and Nonna who jumps in also trips on the same spot.

Mel watches on in concern, Carla encourages Nonna that she shouldn't be tripping so easily, and Maria brings snacks, which halts the playing momentarily.

「Tell me. If it is not convenient, I will forget it with today's drinks. You should also forget it after telling me. Try not to say anything to the mothers.」

Head-helmina raised her eyebrow in surprise.

「Very well. You really became king.」

When I hold up the head, her hair slithers outward and points toward the children.

「Mel's children are all mediocre. The children won't become extraordinary heroes or distinguished government officials, but what's surprising is that they won't quarrel with others. They won't be estranged nor will they get into conflicts. That ability is very reassuring as royalty――fugyu.」

I hit Head-helmina on the top of her head at the mention of ability, making her apologize.

「They will not strive for the top. They do not have the strength to mow down their problems and advance. Instead of fighting, they will join together with the sharpened and support the kingdom.」

Nothing unexpected there, Mel's personality is displayed in each of them.

Was my seed negated?

「If I may add, it seems that all of them have a strong sex drive. Although they are not of age to pursue sexual activity yet, they possess a deep interest in the opposite sex.」

「They only inherited that part?」

Whatever, next.

Head-helmina continues on.

I just simply listen.

I listen for fun, I won't tell anyone what I learn and I won't use it as reference.

I simply listen passively to her assessment.

「For the legal wife's twin boy Bartolome, he is a monster of potential, possessing high capacity in literary and military arts――there's just one thing.」

「「He's timid. Indecisive.」」

My voice and Head-helmina's overlap.

I've seen the kids myself. Honestly, I already knew most of what she said so far.

「Yes, and while he is still a child, the personality you are born with doesn't change much. With that temperament, he might be better off as a domestic affairs official rather than a soldier……going around assisting others. Also, his sex drive is is fairly strong.」

「If Nonna hears that, she'll be enraged.」

That's because Nonna is vigorously working to get Bartolome to be the next king right now.

「Let's see, the twin girl Anastasia. She also has a high capacity. The point of interest is……」

「The part of Anastasia that will stop at nothing to defeat her opponent.」

If Bartolome is someone who hesitates to throw mud at people in a mudslinging fight and gets hit, then Anastasia is someone who would stack rocks when she finds herself at a disadvantage. That's the difference.

「Also, her sex drive as a little girl is quite strong.」

「It's funny to hear all of this put into words. But it's entertainment. Let's hear it again in ten years.」

As I was going to end the conversation, I suddenly noticed.

「There's one person missing. Catherine's son Antonio, don't forget him even if this is just for fun.」

Head-helmina hops off my arm by herself and walks……I rub my eyes to be sure. Yes, she is walking with her hair. You're really becoming dextrous, little by little.

「I don't know.」

「Makes sense. With how short of a time you had, it's hard to judge everyone. Even I sometimes forget his name and get beaten by his mother.」

Head-helmina speaks over me, clarifying herself.

It's something rare for her to do.

「I couldn't determine anything at first sight, so I watched him carefully. I still couldn't ascertain anything and continued to observe him. Despite all that, the conclusion I came to was I don't know.」

That's mysterious.

But now that I think back, I have no clue about Antonio's personality, what he's good at or what he's bad at.

「Normally-」

Head-helmina turns around.

「When the bottom can't be seen, it means that the capacity of the person……exceeds the ability of the observer.」

It's just for fun.

It doesn't have to be taken so seriously.

The sun is about to set.

Lucy and Brynhildr will probably wake soon.

「Hey, that maid just now――」

Head-helmina begins another thought and stops midway.

「No, there's no way he won't notice such an obvious trap. And if it's a double trap, my advice would only be annoying. Nevermind.」

What a weirdo.

Oh yeah, that reminds me, I remember an uncomfortable feeling on my dick like being stung by a bee when I assaulted Flantica, and now it's gone.

Let's casually track her movements.