[The Opening of Avalon]
Meari and Quick-Draw Jack. Since the two of them alone felt insecure, I had to attach an escort for the journey, and there were two individuals most suitable for the task.
"I leave it to you. Harsus, you take command. Kimeries, you shall relay Harsus's words."
"...Understood."
A ghoul knight and a dullahan. Harsus, who had evolved into a 3-star, had become a knight clad in full-body armor, and Kimeries looked no different from a human once she covered her pale, blue skin with a robe. Even if they couldn't enter the human city directly, they were more than enough to act as an escort along the way.
'The problem is that guy.'
I could overlook Meari, but I wondered what Quick-Draw Jack would think about having two undead following him—
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Kimeries."
"...Do you happen to like Ras?"
Quick-Draw Jack immediately started hitting on Kimeries. Kimeries distanced herself with a look of contempt, and Harsus reached out a hand to restrain Jack.
'Indeed. One shouldn't be a picky eater.'
I decided to follow the example of Quick-Draw Jack, who shouted "Possible!" even to Kimeries. Although the trauma of being castrated and pierced by a unicorn remained, I realized that if one engages in a happy Ras, even Ras itself becomes enjoyable.
"They say the play where you hold only the head of a dullahan is quite intense."
"Master?"
"Just saying."
Since Ryun was always by my side, I couldn't even mutter to myself easily. It was fortunate that Ryun understood such things; if it were any of the others, they would have immediately picked a fight.
"What is it... a dullahan means the head and body are separated, right? Then the freedom of play increases a bit."
"Leaving the body as is and holding only the head to... heehee, that sounds fun. Ah, that would be possible too."
Ryun turned her head, showing me her back.
"Even if I'm taking it from behind like this, can't I kiss you while looking at your face, Master?"
"...That's true, but it's not like I'm going to turn you into a dullahan."
"I'm fine as I am. But I feel a bit sorry for Kimeries. Ras is something to be enjoyed..."
"Exactly."
"What are you two talking about so intently?"
Meari, who had finished her preparations, suddenly cut into the conversation. Meari, having stuffed her bag full of the pocket change scraped together from Las Vegas, looked like a perfect traveling merchant. Covering her chest with a baggy black robe was the perfect touch.
"It suits you well. It's a perfect disguise that humans won't notice at all."
"There were quite a lot of items left over in Las Vegas. So, Papa, Mom Ryun. Are you discussing how to capture Kimeries right now?"
"......You caught us."
"It's a pity, isn't it? That she isn't receiving Master's love."
Ryun said something commendable. It felt good to hear, but that was only good from the perspective of her being my subordinate; Kimeries was...
"That's right. Ryun, thank you. Today, I have been enlightened. They are all the same subordinates, so I shouldn't discriminate. Hmm."
Why would I discard her just because she's a dullahan? As soon as she returned from her mission, I began to rack my brain to devise what kind of play to perform on Kimeries, following Ryun's suggestion.
"Then have a safe trip, Meari. While you're at it, I'm counting on you."
"Yes. I'll make sure it's well-prepared so you can enjoy it anytime. Hehehe."
Meari grinned and stood at the main gate of Las Village. Quick-Draw Jack, still hitting on her, hurriedly approached Meari's side, and the two undead also stuck to her side as escorts.
"Don't forget. If you feel there's any danger, run away immediately. Andras will be watching the city from the sky."
"Yes. But that won't happen. Papa, please prepare things in Las Vegas."
"Of course."
I pointed to the Orc executives—Arthur and his brothers—who were dressed like construction workers in front of the portal to Las Vegas.
"I'll build a very magnificent building."
Though the ones primarily residing in the building would be the Succubi.
As a dungeon appeared in the Barony and one city was occupied by monsters, a sinister atmosphere hung over Spica Castle. Refugees of Zabyaba who had lost their homes and were driven to the streets. The families of soldiers who had died or gone missing while trying to recapture Zabyaba. And strangers flowing in from the outside, hearing rumors about the existence of the dungeon. Chaos had come to the once-peaceful Spica Castle, and Gei, who hadn't escaped in time, was burning with anxiety.
'Damn it, I should have run away sooner.'
The fact that the Barony had been defeated twice was a huge blow, but the fact that Gei's reputation had hit rock bottom was a painful mistake for him.
'That crazy Orc, he must be into men. Otherwise, there's no way he would have kidnapped Priest Francis—Guinevere.'
Because of their family connections, Gei knew better than anyone that Francis was Guinevere Pisces, a child of a prestigious noble family comparable to his own. Thanks to this, Baron Virgo had to walk around the territory looking like a corpse. Gei also had to take on some of the Barony's work because the Baron had killed the butler on a whim. There were many problems for Gei, who was already branded as a defeated general, to take the baton again.
'I don't know why there are so many outsiders.'
Gei was sick and tired of the lines stretching outside the window. Adventurers and mercenaries had to be let into the castle, but the problem was that the refugees of Zabyaba were trying to leave the refugee camp and enter the castle through the crowd.
'I understand the anxiety. Monsters could attack again.'
The brick walls, over a dozen meters high, were certainly enough to provide a sense of stability in dealing with monsters. He fully understood why people wanted to enter the castle walls. However, the number of such people was too large, and the administration within the Barony was on the verge of paralysis.
Sshhh.
The hourglass had run out completely. The designated break time was over, and Gei shouted toward the door.
"Next!"
Creak.
The door to the administrative post opened. Gei gulped as he saw the woman with light pink hair taking off her robe and entering. She was a beauty not to be found in such a remote, backwater village, and the way her eyes drooped at the corners made him have strange thoughts.
"Y-your name?"
"Meari. I have no surname."
"Purpose of visit?"
"I have come to buy a building and sell liquor."
At Meari's meaningful voice, Gei's heart sank. Selling liquor. It was a very troublesome matter from Gei's perspective, but he was tempted by Meari's mention of "buying a building."
"You wouldn't really be trying to run a bar..."
"If I buy a building, I will make a shop. A facility where lodging is possible. As for liquor... well, there will be people who need it."
"...Ms. Meari. Are you serious?"
Gei probed Meari. Meari took a pouch out of her bosom and placed it firmly on the desk.
"I have no intention of buying a large building on the main street. It is enough if there is one building in a secluded place in the back alley."
"You're blunt. Ugh."
Gei examined the gold and silver coins filling the pouch. It was an amount more than enough to buy not just one, but two buildings if they were in a secluded alleyway.
"...I don't have a prejudice against your profession, but even if it's not this, I think you could make a living in plenty of other ways?"
"That may be so. But I'm not the one who will be selling the liquor."
"Aha, so you're the manager?"
"That's about it."
Gei was burning inside and drank water repeatedly. The Baron would never welcome someone visiting for such a purpose, and would instead kick them out. At the same time, he would find some reason to seize these gold and silver coins brought for the building payment. By framing them for noble insult, or something similar.
"......Hmm."
Gei fell into thought while fiddling with the gold coin pouch. Fortunately, the Baron was not in a position to pay attention to such things right now. In other words, it meant that if he just kept his mouth shut, everything would remain a secret.
'I've been pent up lately anyway.'
When was the last time he relieved himself? It must have been the glasses-wearing receptionist he slept with on the day he was entrusted by the Baron to request the adventurer's guild. Since then, even if he had handled it alone, it hadn't filled the cold space beside him or the empty spot in his bed.
"Hmm..."
Gei scanned Meari up and down with his eyes. Meari chuckled at the blatant gaze and shook her head.
"I am already a woman who has an owner."
"...Is that so? That's a shame."
"Of course, that doesn't mean I will disappoint you, Knight. Here."
Meari slightly opened her robe. At the silhouette hidden inside the black robe, Gei felt tears welling up inside. Even just her face was top-tier, hard to find even in the capital, but the heart she hid under her robe was so gentle that it could be considered a saint's.
"Here it is."
"Ah."
Gei snapped to his senses at the paper held out in front of him. On the black paper, which seemed to be of quite good quality, the word 'Avalon' was embossed in stylish white thread.
"Please open it."
"Y-yeah."
Gei unfolded the small paper that could fit into his inner pocket. There were about ten blank spaces left inside, and one side was left as a blank white sheet.
"This is...?"
"Yes, it is called a 'coupon'. We will stamp one for every visit our customers make to our shop. And when all ten are filled."
The coupon Meari mentioned had ten blank spaces. And Meari, who took the paper back, pressed her lips to the blank space at the bottom.
Chu.
"Once. We plan to provide a special service for our regular customers who visit our bar. I will give this to you specially, Knight."
"...Is this a bribe?"
"My, do you think of it as a bribe? It's just a piece of paper that looks a bit fun."
Meari giggled and covered her robe again.
"So, will you grant the permit?"
"Of course... I'd like to say that, but I am also working as the acting lord. A transaction regarding a building in the castle, and if you are going to operate for such a purpose, it is a matter that requires verbal permission from the Lord at least."
"......."
A look of frustration flashed in Meari's eyes. Gei chuckled, took the coupon, and tucked it into his inner pocket.
"But since the Lord is very busy right now, didn't he entrust me with such menial tasks? Hehe, don't worry. I will find you a good building."
If such a transaction were to come to his own territory, Gei would have refused it flatly. But for Gei, it was a place where his heart had already left, and since it wasn't his own territory, he just went ahead and did it. Even if the Baron found out about this fact later, it was doubtful whether the Barony would even be alive by then.
"But tell me. Let's say you buy the building. Then where do you plan to bring the women from?"
"You don't need to worry about that at all. They are waiting for my call in another city. There is no case of slaves kidnapped from somewhere, or those with diseases, or anything like that. We don't intend to accept just anyone either."
"You intend to operate at a high level, I see?"
"It's a waste to spend just one silver coin while sharing a drink for a night. Shouldn't it be at least five gold coins?"
"That's quite steep. Even if the guards go four times, their monthly salary will be wiped out. But to fill 10 times, isn't that a bit much?"
"The owner of our merchant guild said this."
Meari cleared her throat and began to speak in a grave voice.
"If you don't want to spend that much money, you don't have to come."
"That's a fair point. Which merchant guild is it?"
"......That is difficult to say. It is a trade secret."
"Coming out so confidently makes it even more trustworthy. ...Ahem. Very well. I will take care of this."
Gei reached for the gold coin pouch, and Meari quickly took the pouch back.
"What are you doing?"
"The owner said that construction costs are not to be paid in full."
Meari took 1/3 of the gold coins from the pouch and pushed them forward.
"When you issue the move-in permit approved by the Lord, the sales contract, and the pass that allows our guild to pass freely afterward, I will give you the remaining 1/3."
"You're ruthless. Understood. I will prepare it in advance. So, Lady Meari. How will you pay the remaining 1/3?"
"It's simple."
Meari pointed to the coupon in Gei's breast pocket.
"I will give it to you on the day you come to receive the service."
"I'll have to do my best to get this."
The deal was struck.