Loathing for the Beast!

"...This won't do."

In a room furnished with luxurious pieces, the soft light from a magic lamp on the wall flickered gently across the opulent space. On ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the bed bathed in that glow, a brown-haired middle-aged man sat with his lower half exposed, head bowed.

"...Dear. Is it impossible again today?"

A woman with long, translucent sky-blue hair cascading down gazed at him, positioned on all fours to display the deep cleavage of her enormous breasts—far larger than her head. She wore a high-end negligee of thin straps and scant silk fabric, an erotic sight that would arouse any man... but in her palm rested the man's small manhood, limp and defeated.

That thumb-sized member drooping pitifully in the hand of a woman radiating such sensuality was a heartbreaking sight.

"...Sorry, Celestia. At my age, it's time to give up..."

Erectile dysfunction. The terror that haunted so many middle-aged men had plagued him for quite some time.

"...No... Can't we at least have one son?"

"We've tried everything, and you know it. Age is unforgiving... Let's be content with our daughter."

"You're not that old ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠yet..."

"It's regrettable, but unavoidable. I can only think it came a bit early..."

He spoke of inevitability, but bitterness and sorrow seeped from his face.

Their only child was a daughter, born in his youth and now a grown adult. He'd longed for another and tried various methods, but always failed. And as the years passed, his manhood grew weaker... Now, he couldn't even recall the last time it had risen proudly. His wife had mustered the courage to wear that provocative outfit, yet before her, his member hung in defeat—pathetic and heartbreaking.

"...Maybe you're just tired. Perhaps cut back on work..."

"Celestia. You know that's not possible. If the lord doesn't work, who will?"

"Albert..."

The lord of Radia. Radir Bell Albert. That was the name of the man who had lost his confidence as a man to impotence, head bowed in shame.

"With that incident involving Baron Brandy not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long ago, how could I rest? If not for that Divine Beast, we might have faced disaster... I'm truly grateful to it."

"Grateful to that monster? Of all places, in Radia..."

"...Dear. Celestia. I know your grudge against monsters well, but a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Divine Beast is different, isn't it? Endorsed by the saintess herself, so surely we can trust..."

"There's no such thing as a trustworthy monster! You know that, Albert!"

Her face, tinged with pity and loneliness, twisted in fury. Albert felt a pang of bitterness toward his wife but soothed her anger as he pulled up his underwear.

"I know, I know... But this Divine Beast seems trustworthy. Trust my judgment and bear with it a little."

"...Letting a monster into Radia—it's too much to endure, dear."

"Don't be like that. I've already set a little test for it. If it fails, that'll give us grounds to expel it, as you wish."

"You mean that building where the criminals were hiding?"

"...I kept it from you thinking you'd hate it, but who told you? Honestly..."

He'd assumed his wife, with her duties and authority, would learn eventually. But not this soon—barely days later. Faces of a few castle staff close to her flashed in his mind, leaving Albert with a weary expression.

"...Anyway, tomorrow's busy too. Let's call it a night. I'll keep an eye on that Divine Beast, so don't worry."

"......Fine."

She didn't look convinced... but hearing "fine" from his monster-loathing wife brought Albert satisfaction as he lay down. Surely that Divine Beast could temper her fierce hatred a bit. With that hope, he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

But Albert didn't know yet.

That his wife wasn't listening at all.

'A mere monster daring to live in Radia... No... Not that...'

That the wife beside him was scheming to drive out that Divine Beast by any means.

'...Better handle it without Albert knowing... Oh, and in a few days, Albert will...'

The middle-aged noble couple thus fell asleep, unaware of each other's thoughts.

"What the fuck is this bullshit?!?!"

A roar tore from my throat, fierce enough to shred the paper labeled Illegal Occupation Building Seizure Notice.

And how could it not? Illegal occupation? What kind of insane crap was this?

Who even gets seizure notices like this? Criminals or deadbeats with debts!

I'd just started my business! No debts!

That fucking lord. He handed it over himself, and now this nonsense?

"A man who looked like a castle official just delivered it."

"Said you have three days to file an objection... or it'll be seized."

Three days? You're shitting me, lord! I've sunk almost all my cash into this place! Seizure now means not just me—my staff too—out on the streets!

Is the lord trying to snatch it back now that I've renovated it? Nah, couldn't be... He didn't seem that petty. Must be a mix-up... How the hell did this happen?

"...Issuer: Reinhardt Kingdom Count, Radir Neve Celestia... Is that the lord's name? Sounds like a woman's."

"Radir is the title for Radia's lord."

"That name... Probably the lord's wife. A few years back, a noble by that name visited the Radia church with the lord... I recall the wife holds a title too."

Klea propped her chin, dredging up old memories.

The lord's wife? So, that old man's missus?

...Fuck. Is there beef between the lord and his wife? Or did this lady send it without checking shit?

I'm squeaky clean! The lord gave it to me as thanks for handing over those Viper's Fang fuckers! I even filed all the acquisition papers!

How the hell does it turn into seizure overnight?

Reading the full text, it's basically: 'Viper's Fang got busted, building went to the lord—why're you squatting? Three days to scram.'

The fuck? When did I file those papers? And three days to clear out? Just packing would take that long, lady! Didn't she talk to her husband? She must've heard my name!

"...Maybe the lord's pretending ignorance, using his wife's name to boot me?"

"Hmm... If the lord were scheming, he'd frame you and send soldiers."

"Only he can mobilize troops, so yeah. Though it'd backfire if the frame-up's exposed."

Ugh, class society's a bitch. Framing and bullying with power works. Exposure hurts, but the fact they can try is shocking. But they didn't... What's the play? Bad marriage?

"...Fuck it. Time to storm the castle and demand answers. Grab some official by the collar and yell for the lord."

"Yeah! Touching the master's property? Burn it down if needed!"

"Please wait, Master. I'll change into my saintess robes. How dare they target the saintess's master..."

Lizbet and Klea headed inside for their staff and robes.

Right... We got power too. A saintess, even. Whoever—lord, wife, both—trying to steal my paradise?

No way. Worst case, unleash saintess mode and go to war. They'll pay for touching my turf!

With that, I glared at the name Celestia on the seizure notice in my hand.