Northern-Style Appeal
Northern-Style Appeal
My mom, in my memories, was really beautiful.
When I first saw her after possessing this body, it was love at first sight.
You have no idea how much I secretly wept when I learned she was my biological mother. I had seriously fallen for her.
Of course, I adapted quickly.
Back then, I used to agonize over this.
'Did I possess Piel Anbelreum?'
'Or did the man named Piel Anbelreum suddenly recall memories of his past life?'
But I hated my head getting complicated, and since my memories and identity as a modern person were overwhelmingly strong, I defined it as, 'I am a possessor.'
Mom cherished and adored me.
Until the day she passed, she kept me by her side every single day.
We always fell asleep and woke up together, so I sometimes felt conscious of my father's gaze.
To me, it felt like the two of them never had any nighttime relations at all.
And I worried it was because of me.
Father would occasionally visit Mother and tenderly check if she was uncomfortable or needed anything.
Seeing that, they didn't seem to be on bad terms, but I was somewhat puzzled why he wouldn't touch such a beautiful concubine like Mom.
Was it because Mom was frail?
Come to think of it, though her legs weren't exactly impaired, she had trouble walking long distances and often used a wheelchair....
"Loosbel.... What kind of people are they?"
Hildea's voice trembled slightly.
The King looked down with an unchanging expression and continued to speak.
"Judging by your reaction, it seems that person, or those persons, have yet to reveal anything. That is a small relief."
"...."
"Perhaps they have secured an entirely different supply network, unrelated to this King's concerns. That is why you must judge for yourself."
I don't know how much effort I put into hiding the thumping sound of my heart.
Suddenly hearing the King speak of my mother, I felt the strength drain completely from my legs.
Is it just a coincidence, sharing the same name?
But somehow it didn't feel that way.
"That person, or those persons, will try to destroy the order of this world. They will entice you with all manner of sweet things to win you over, and seek to create a new order you could never have imagined."
"...."
"Where commoners do not act like commoners, nobles do not act like nobles, royalty do not act like royalty, and imperials do not act like imperials. When they reveal their true colors, they will seek to overturn the world and create such a disorderly society."
Hearing those words, the sudden thought of democracy must be because I'm a possessor from Earth, right?
What the King is talking about must just be something else, right?
'The Supply Cheat is actually the arsenal of democracy too....'
"So make use of it, but be thoroughly cautious. For the sake of your family and your territory as well."
"...Valuable advice, thank you. Should such a person, or such persons, approach me, I shall recall today's plea."
Hildea wrapped it up calmly and well.
By the time the audience ended and we returned to our quarters, we hadn't spoken a single word.
"...."
"...."
I was afraid to look at Hildea's face.
If she asked me if I knew Loosbel, if I'd heard of them, what was I supposed to say?
Should I say it was my mother's name?
But Mom had no special ability besides being the most beautiful in the world?
So much so that I wondered if my inability to achieve mana awakening was due to her frail bloodline.
"Colonel Piel."
"Yes, Hildea-nim."
My heart lurched when Hildea called me, but I answered as calmly as possible.
Hildea took off her uniform, tidied it neatly, and smiled.
"Let's change clothes and lie down. I'll give you a mana massage until you fall asleep."
"...Thank you."
I changed my clothes, came out, and lay face down on the bed.
Hildea, dressed in thin sleepwear, climbed onto my back and sat down, firmly beginning the mana massage.
My tense muscles felt cool relief under the faintly lingering mana movement.
I was trembling with tension, wondering when Hildea would launch a surprise question.
"I once had this kind of talk with the Carlton Marquis-nim."
"...."
"Do you remember? The day the 4th Army looted the supplies sent from your maternal family, and we went to protest, the day a massive Ancient Tree Legion attacked?"
"Of course."
I could never forget.
It was the day the US military supplies properly, spectacularly proved their worth and my status hit its peak.
Though I've been updating that peak continuously ever since.
"If you had not come, we all would have been annihilated that day. I, the Carlton Marquis-nim, the knights and soldiers, even their families, all would have died."
"...."
"You are the benefactor and hero to me, to the Carlton Marquis, and to all the North, a god who summons victory, nothing less."
Hildea's voice sounds sweet.
Is it thanks to the refreshingly circulating mana massage...?
My tension unwittingly eased, and slowly I began to feel drowsy.
"The Carlton Marquis once said this. If one day a god of generous giving suddenly descended beside her, what should she do about it."
"What did you answer?"
"She answered that she would never let go and stick by him till the end."
Kik, I almost burst out laughing.
Following Hildea's hand gesture, I turned my body over.
Lying on my back, I looked straight into the eyes of Hildea, who was seated on my stomach and massaging me.
Her pink lips, neatly settled on her white face, drew a pretty arc.
"Colonel Piel, you are the god of us all."
Hildea slowly leaned her upper body forward and softly lay down on top of me.
Her face is getting dangerously close.
No way? Is this the signal?
Chu, a sound followed as soft lips touched my cheek and then pulled away.
To be honest, I kind of expected it....
"And this, is a kiss of homage sent to a god."
Hildea hugged me tight just like that, burying her face into my neck.
I too, fumbling, raised both arms and pulled Hildea's back firmly into an embrace.
'She does that on the cheek. How disappointing....'
"Hildea-nim... my dream is to become Chancellor."
"Is that so. It is a wonderful dream."
"So, I want to revive the Marshall family, marry the most beautiful wife in the world, have many cute sons and daughters, and live every day eating delicious food, leisurely, joyfully, and peacefully."
"That will be difficult before the Elves are annihilated."
"You're right. The Elves were the problem."
Embracing each other tightly like that, we talked about trivial little things until we fell asleep.
I feel that Hildea's chest has gotten slightly bigger.
When we wake up in the morning, I'll have to measure it again.
***
Did she escape A+ cup? Was my delusion, and.
There was still considerable time left until the trial began.
Since the palace provided us quarters, my plan to rent an entire lodging establishment fell through for now.
"Colonel Piel, could that Marquis Hapscorten bastard actually receive a not-guilty verdict?"
"It's possible if we sell Hildea-nim's name."
I plan to wage a public opinion campaign against the nobles.
1. Hildea does not want to antagonize the Noble Council for fear of supply cutoffs.
2. Therefore, she is burdened that Marquis Hapscorten might receive too harsh a punishment.
3. She might forgive him, provided satisfactory material compensation is made.
If I spread that kind of agitation and fabrication, the Noble Council would be tempted and, without burden, go 'Not guilty, bang bang!'
And then Hildea would rage, 'I appeal! With my sword, of course!' and thwack, off with his neck.
My plan had absolutely no problem, except.
"Hildea-nim must not move together with me."
"But I cannot let you walk around alone. This is a safety issue I cannot compromise on."
The problem is, if Hildea is next to me while I'm trying to spread agitation and fabrication, it becomes fact.
Then if we protest a not-guilty verdict and slice him up, only Hildea becomes a real crazy bitch.
"If we proceed this way, we won't be able to behead that Marquis Hapscorten bastard. It becomes as if Hildea-nim herself went around trumpeting that she wants a not-guilty verdict. I intend to spread rumors with no responsibility, basis, or source."
"Even so, I cannot let you walk around dangerously alone...."
"Then I will go around with Lord Deville."
"Ah, right. Dvill Colonel arrived early because of transporting the Marquis bastard, didn't he?"
And so Lord Deville and a young, muscular military priest took charge of my close security.
I diligently chased every social party, peddling agitation and fabrication.
I can't do it too openly.
It would be troublesome to give the impression that 'This is guaranteed by Hildea's close aide. You can rest assured.'
I had to give only enough sense that 'Seems like Count Balckenhardt thinks this way?' so they'd spin their own delusional hope circuits and cause cognitive dissonance.
"By any chance, have you heard that story?"
"Hm? What story?"
"I heard some robust knights talking at the Etenmehel tavern, that Marquis Hapscorten is just cluelessly begging to be saved, with not a word of what he'll offer as compensation...."
"Oh my, could those be the northern knights?"
"They just looked sturdy."
I operated under the name of Anvelum.
Lord Deville and the priest also changed their attire, so no one recognized us as being from the North.
My fluent central accent helped a great deal.
"Did you hear about it?"
"Someone was saying."
"I heard it too."
"Could this be true?"
"Is that really true?"
My agitation and fabrication, honed by AOS game politics, seeped in properly.
At some point, people started approaching me asking, 'Do you know about this?'
'Hildea actually wants to swallow the Marquisate whole and take Marquis Hapscorten as her live-in husband? Whoa, how did rumors get this blown out of proportion?'
"Did you hear? Count Balckenhardt is supposedly already pregnant with the Marquis's child."
"Goodness. Then why is she acting so coldly harsh?"
"They say Count Balckenhardt herself wants to become the family head."
"My, what a heroic lady."
"Actually, from the Marquis Hapscorten territory's perspective, having a Sword Master mistress as family head might not be so bad...."
I swear I never steered the rumors in such a vulgar direction.
Baseless gossip so horrifying it pained me to hear.
'I only spread that they might be forgiven if sufficient compensation is paid, so on earth how....'
What was curious was that no one in the social circle knew I was sharing a room with Hildea in the royal palace.
Nor had it become known that Hildea had a private audience with the King on her first day entering the palace.
'The King is thoroughly controlling information within the palace.'
While conducting propaganda activities to seize the Noble Council, the King's plea occasionally came to mind.
'Why did my mother's name come up there?'
I am curious.
What the King knows, whether my late mother is truly connected.
At the same time, I had this thought too.
'When should I tell Hildea about the Supply Cheat?'
I feel grateful to Hildea, who asks nothing and makes me feel comfortable.
***
Finally, the day of Marquis Hapscorten's trial arrived.
Hildea wanted to conduct a 105mm howitzer execution rather than using a machete.
"But if you get hit from too close, the shell won't explode."
The 105mm shells I use must fly over 20 meters to become armed.
Modern shells have this safety mechanism for the safety of friendly forces.
"I know from hearing it before. But isn't that exactly why it's better?"
"Huh?"
"If the shell explodes, the people nearby would all die. But since it won't explode, we can precisely kill only the Marquis bastard in the judgment seat, can't we?"
Northern... howitzer summary execution... urgh, my head....
"...It will be Hildea-nim's extremely shocking social debut."
"I feel this might shatter the Noble Council bastards' minds more than splitting someone in half to kill them."
I pondered for a moment.
Would it be alright to show such a large and beautiful cannon barrel casually in front of many nobles?
Wouldn't the King's suspicions about Hildea's 'supporting power' spread?
As I fretted and groaned in worry, seeing Hildea looking at me with earnest eyes weakened my heart and brought me an epiphany.
'Alright, worrying only lowers the catharsis. Hildea, who has suffered hardship and endured indignities all this time, needs dopamine too.'
"Let's do that."
"Thank you!"
Hildea hugged me tight and looked about to die of joy.
I feel at ease, thinking I made a good choice.
'Instead of high-explosive shells, let's use training steel shells.'
***
"Therefore, by the authority of the Noble Council, a verdict of not guilty is pronounced."
"Upon this trial, I refuse to accept! I appeal! With this explosive magical device!"
Boom!
The large and beautiful cannon barrel that Hildea pulled from her snack basket subspace spat fire a few meters in front of the smiling Marquis.
And the Marquis, still wearing that smiling face, with a large hole in his upper body....
No, everything but his face and arms, his upper body shattered into pieces as he collapsed.
Silence fell.