Chapter 155
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Chapter 155
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Expansionist Moves (3)
After my story wrapped up and Masha started discussing other business with my mentor, I slipped out of there, completely drained.
I headed back to my private lab.
'Haa... Suddenly hit with an expulsion notice followed by an investment proposal.'
I'd made my decision, but my head was pounding.
The contract details would be best handled through Aira.
It had all happened in a flash, and it still felt surreal.
But was this really some spur-of-the-moment choice by Cledemire?
Considering how she'd just conversed with some invisible entity via her ability and whipped out that contract, she might have already run the numbers from her side before approaching me.
In other words, she'd planned every bit of this from the instant she laid eyes on me.
"I'd like to think not..."
But whatever.
That wasn't the only thing on my plate.
"You bastard...!"
"Ah."
The moment I got back to the lab, there was Laupey—cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, having gotten up at some point—glaring daggers at me.
"How dare you stand up Laupey Tenenbrose de Kenbelm! There's nothing ruder than vanishing after sex! You need a full retraining from basic etiquette, not just sex ed!"
She huffed and puffed, hurling a pillow at me.
I scratched my head at her rage, with no choice but to apologize.
"Sorry. An emergency came up."
"Shut it! No excuses! Get over here, kneel, and beg for forgiveness right now!"
Haa...
This foul-tempered little witch was a real handful.
But did she even realize?
A faint mark of domination had already been etched just below her left breast.
The incubus skill's domination imprint.
She hadn't noticed it herself yet, apparently.
I stared at her for a moment.
Pondering how to handle this, I grabbed her by the hair.
"Aaack! St-stop! What the hell are you—?!"
"Discipline."
See? She couldn't even resist when I acted this rough.
I laid her face-down on the bed, bared her ass, and started spanking her.
Slap slap.
"Eek! Ugh! Hnng! It hurts! Stop!"
"Looks like you haven't had proper training yet, Lady Laupey."
"W-what training? That's your thing...!"
"Then what did you learn about treating a man, witch lady?"
She flinched at my words and clamped her mouth shut.
I spanked her ass even harder.
Slap slap.
"Not gonna answer?"
"Th-that's...! Praise him... make him tasty food and feed it to him... and at night...!"
"At night?"
"......"
"Speak properly, or you'll get it all night long."
She teared up and finally answered.
"Suck him diligently... and serve him... That's what I learned..."
"Good. You know it well. But last night, you did the exact opposite to me. I even rewarded you, witch lady."
"H-how is that a reward...!"
Laupey protested in a halting mumble.
But she was the one who couldn't hold back her moans, panting through that rough, violent sex.
'Even now. Her pussy's drooling every time I spank her.'
Already craving the next round of pleasure.
I pressed down on her soaked slit with my finger.
"What's this? Already drenched."
"Ahng..."
She had nothing to say to that.
Her face just flushed beet red.
Sensing she'd mellowed a bit, I explained what had happened today.
Deliberately tossing in technical jargon she'd struggle with, I rambled at length about how crucial my errand had been and how I had no choice but to leave her behind.
"...So that's why the spinoff proposal from Maker Sect 1st Seat Cledemire and sealing the deal with First Factory left me no choice. You get it now, right, Lady Laupey?"
"Uh... yeah..."
She nodded blankly.
She probably hadn't grasped even half of it.
"So... I'm working for a company, not a guild?"
Laupey asked, still dazed.
I scratched my head and sighed.
"Maybe. Things got complicated. Even our contract might shift to the company side instead of the guild."
The adult world converses in contracts.
Which was making everything even messier.
Well, I could just dump all the paperwork on Aira...
'But I'm overloading her a bit.'
Even Aira was probably hitting her limit.
Masha the elder was suddenly joining our company too—maybe hand some off to her?
I considered it, then shook my head.
Her brain might outshine Aira's, but her total lack of street smarts was the problem.
This mess all stemmed from Masha Leosica, anyway.
'Having to write reports without a clue what the violations even are.'
Yeah, all big sis Masha's fault.
In the end, I called Aira and filled her in on everything from today.
About suddenly starting a company.
I handed her the contract straight up.
I figured she'd let out a deep sigh, but surprisingly, Aira just sank into thought quietly.
"Aira?"
She mulled it over intently, then spoke.
"Master, we need to speculate how much info Cledemire has on you—and how she got it."
"What do you mean?"
"Masha the elder's report alone would've been woefully insufficient. She might even anticipate your failures and slip-ups. Until just days ago, you'd never made a single semi-permanent doll that could move independently. Most couldn't even be sold, so gauging profitability would've been near impossible."
"...Fair point."
In other words, banking on my bankruptcy?
Then swallowing me whole?
'Nah, no way. She booted her own disciple.'
I doubted it, but Aira brushed it off casually.
"Her motives don't matter, though."
"Then what does?"
"We need a proper organization now."
She said it while locking eyes with me.
"Have you ever looked into how the guild's being set up, Master?"
"Uh..."
"Call Guild Master Doris Finch first. Her report takes priority."
So I did.
"Yes? Oh, coming right out~"
Doris Finch poked her head out, all fidgety at my summons.
She spent most of her time holed up in her not-quite-private nook in one corner of the lab, so she popped out like a puppy in under ten seconds.
Doris spotted her former master's pint-sized form and shuddered in shock.
"W-Witch lady...! H-How'd you end up like th-this...!"
"Sharp eyes. Knew it was your master, huh."
"J-Just a hunch..."
Doris floundered for a moment before finally launching into her guild report.
"Um... ahem. For starters, the association fully approved the guild founding. And I was scouting buildings to rent for the guild site."
She pulled a sheet of parchment from her bosom and held it out.
It bore an elegantly drawn guild logo.
A winged hourglass.
The symbol of Arbiter Guild.
"From what you all said, might not need it anymore... ahaha..."
"......"
"S-Sorry! Can't read the room..."
The mood turned icy.
Doris kept bowing nonstop but didn't stop talking.
"Um, Master. But I think abruptly scrapping the guild plan might not be ideal..."
"Not set in stone yet, but why?"
"We already got association approval—canceling now would sour things with the officials. Plus, guilds and companies do different stuff. Better to run both than ditch one on purpose...?"
I knew that.
It just felt too overwhelming.
Things were snowballing.
"Budget? Enough cash? Guild plus company will bleed money."
Aira answered my worried question.
"Plenty, Master."
She showed me her tablet PC.
A staggering sum had piled up without my knowledge.
"Th-this?"
"Royalties from Lady Laupey's recipe contract. Cash she made circulating the recipes we provided on the black market."
Royalties.
The figure on screen was obscene—enough to make ten midair flips look sane.
The advance payment grabbed my eyes.
I stared at the amount, speechless.
"......"
"Master?"
"...House first?"
Company? Whatever.
Confidence surged.
With this income, I could coast a year or two just kicking back.
Starting a company meant getting out of this lab.
Build a new one or rent.
The former was basically impossible.
In Tartaros's pinched real estate market, erecting a new building meant dumping cash into some godforsaken wasteland.
We went with renting, naturally.
We buzzed around, hunting for company-worthy spots.
"How's this? Close to the academy, building's clean."
"Too cramped, Master. Won't scale with more staff."
"Then this? Massive. Could double as a playground."
"Too many red-light districts nearby. Could hurt employee productivity."
I'll be banging in the office—what productivity hit?!
"Haa... What about that one? Looks perfect. Cheap too."
"Zero soundproofing. Trade secrets could leak out."
Anytime something halfway appealed, I'd push to sign—but Aira's picky vetoes kept coming.
She inspected and analyzed every building like the world's fussiest landlord.
Rejection on rejection.
We started near the academy and gradually shifted downtown toward Nocturne Town.
I was starting to suspect Aira.
Maybe drag in Masha Leosica, fellow co-founder, and get her take.
Just as that crossed my mind,
Aira pointed to a spot in Nocturne Town on the real estate map.
"Master, this looks good."
I gawked at her pick.
"Seriously? Nocturne Town? Of all places?"
"Yes."
"Shitty security, even more sleaze joints. Doesn't match a single condition you mentioned?"
Aira shook her head at my objection.
"First, Nocturne Town has the loosest association oversight—ideal for our future operations. Second, tons of entertainment districts, but given your background, Master, they won't be trouble. Best bang for buck: a bit dated, but cheap and roomy. Saves plenty on budget."
She eyed me as she laid it out.
Aira's gaze brimmed with conviction like never before.
Staring into those assured eyes, I thought:
'Now it's clear—she's half-convinced I'll be knee-deep in shady shit.'
What the hell does she expect from me...
But Aira wasn't wrong.
Nocturne Town was a solid pick.
For starters, renting here would blunt Laupey's curse some. Then I could rail her original sleek body, not this kid version.
And tap into even stronger witch skills.
"Fine, let's do it."
Company rep? Dogshit.
Irreplaceable venture anyway.
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