The Fifth Heroine
After dinner, I received another report from Yuria about Kyle.
Kyle was currently living outside the Frucus estate, on the outskirts of the city. I had driven him out — though not by force. The official reason was to let him lay the groundwork before formally founding the Mount Hua Sect. A handful of knights, soldiers, and commoners who wished to learn Mount Hua martial arts were already training under him. The war had settled into a temporary lull, which made the arrangement possible.
I had also secretly installed surveillance cameras in the building where Kyle stayed and planted people of my own. His every move sat in the palm of my hand.
"Kyle met someone?"
It wouldn't be him scheming with vassals. Given his personality, he had already cast off any lingering attachment to the Frucus countship. If Kyle was entertaining any strange ideas… I fully intended to ship him straight to the front lines.
"Yes. He met a woman who recently fled to the city as a refugee. It appears they ran into each other by chance while walking."
I frowned.
I had already designed Kyle's life. He would marry his fiancée, Barien Flight, and spend the rest of his days running the Mount Hua Sect, raising talent.
"A woman, huh. What kind of woman? Deliberately approaching a one-armed cripple like Kyle… someone looking to flip her life around with his fortune?"
"That does not appear to be the case. Her name is Silly Jefnik."
"Silly…!"
The name I never expected hit me like a slap.
In the original novel where Kyle was the protagonist, there were five heroines in total.
Amy, the princess of the Rapheli Kingdom. Elnoa, the elf slave. Claudia, the adventurer. Sharnell, his academy classmate.
And the fifth heroine, who only appeared at the very end of the original — Silly Jefnik.
Silly showed up before the original Kyle reached the realm of Grand Aura Master. She was a village girl who took care of him after he lost his power for certain reasons. Being a heroine, of course, her beauty was far too striking to dismiss as a mere country girl.
"What's she doing here?"
"It seems she fled to the city to escape the war. Once it ends, she will likely return to her hometown."
"…So Kyle is already flirting with Silly?"
"I do not believe their relationship has reached that point. The two of them only met for the first time this afternoon."
"No. If it's Kyle, he's already conscious of her. In the original, he took notice the moment he laid eyes on her."
Leave Silly and Kyle alone, and the outcome was obvious. I needed to act before something unfortunate happened.
"You seem quite troubled, Master. Why not bring her to the Tevra estate and make her a maid?"
"That's the simple approach. Dangle money and benefits in front of her family and there's no way they refuse — she's just a country girl who fled to the city. But… that would be far too boring."
I began drafting a plan with Yuria.
The next morning.
I left the estate alone, without attendants, and walked through the city.
It should have been lively, but the streets were quiet. We were at war. Most of the commoners out working were women and old men. The young men had been conscripted into military service.
I headed from the city center toward the outskirts. The commoners' clothing grew simpler, and the presence of people thinned. Once I reached the outer edge, I saw people moving busily — all of them working. Many were tanning leather or laboring in the fields.
I looked at a wooden building standing beside the farmland. A roughly constructed structure with a sign hanging out front that read Mount Hua Sect. Focusing my senses, I could hear a man's shouted kiais from inside. They were training hard.
I stared at the Mount Hua building for a long while, then turned away and headed toward the area where refugees from other regions had gathered.
The atmosphere here was far more bleak than the city center. Just as elsewhere, there were no men.
The moment I stepped inside, wary eyes turned on me from every direction — no doubt because of the noble clothes I wore.
After a short while, several people came scrambling toward me. At their center was an old man whose hair had gone completely white. Of everyone here, his clothes were the finest.
"L-Lord Count Frucus! What brings you to a wretched place like this…? If it's about taxes, we paid the collector a week ago! I have the certificate!"
"I'm not here about taxes. Are you the representative of this place?"
"W-well… for the time being, I represent the refugees here. I'm Tom Plon, village chief of Chirelle."
"Tom. I recently inherited the countship."
"Yes, yes. I've heard. Congratulations on your succession, my lord."
"Ordinarily I would throw a festival and distribute meat and wine to the people of the domain… but as you know, a war is underway."
"M-my lord. We have no complaints whatsoever."
"I know. Still, thinking of my people leaves me unsettled. Especially toward refugees like you — all I feel is apology. So I've decided to dig into my own purse and provide food support for the refugees."
"…Food support, my lord? M-may I ask how much?"
Tom, who had been bowing his head, snapped it up. His eyes glittered. The refugees around him were the same.
"Tom. How is the food situation in the refugee camp?"
"…To be honest, we need help. There are many who can't even manage a single meal a day."
"I see."
I summoned a large crate from my inventory. When I opened it, it was packed with vegetables and meat.
"I'll provide food. This should last you a week, yes?"
"…There are so many refugees that this amount will vanish in a single day. Ah — I am by no means asking Your Lordship for more food! Even this much leaves us deeply grateful! Thank you! Thank you! Long live Count Frucus!"
Tom and the commoners dropped to their knees and belted out cheers. The pathetic display made irritation surge up my throat. I kept my expression under control and waved a hand at them.
"Enough. I am not providing food to receive your praise. I am simply fulfilling my duty as Count Frucus."
"Amazing… truly amazing, Lord Count Frucus!"
Tom's eyes were full of respect as he looked at me. Whether it was genuine or not, I had no idea. Either way, it didn't matter.
"I'd like to walk around and assess your current situation. That won't be a problem, will it?"
"Of course not! Allow me to guide you!"
"You distribute the food to the people."
"Then perhaps my son—"
"I can look around on my own. Or are you implying I'm too stupid to even find my way?"
"N-never, my lord!"
Leaving Tom's frantic denials and the refugees fixated on the food behind me, I walked through the refugee camp. Plank shacks were crammed together in a disorienting jumble. Filth littered the streets in quantities that were hard to ignore.
To think a filthy village like this exists in my domain… if it were up to me, I'd bulldoze the whole place.
I arrived near a large tree and surveyed the surroundings. Shacks and fields. Several women were bent over working the soil. One of them caught my eye — long brown hair braided under a headscarf. A young woman with a full chest and hips.
Silly Jefnik. The fifth and final heroine.
I folded my arms in the shade and watched her. For a commoner, her beauty was genuinely exceptional. Properly dressed and made up, most noble daughters would pale beside her.
When she finished her morning fieldwork, Silly picked up a bucket and headed for the well. Her mother, who had been working alongside her, went home. I followed Silly.
Fortunately, no one else was at the well. I timed it carefully, suppressed my presence, and approached her to speak.
"Are you a refugee living here as well?"
"Kyaa?!"
Startled by my sudden appearance, Silly stumbled backward. The bucket she had been holding in both hands slipped free, and water cascaded over me. My clothes were soaked through. Silly went deathly pale and began to tremble — she had realized I was a noble.
"I-I'm so sorry. I-I was startled…. What… what should I do…."
Silly fretted, fluttering her hands uselessly. She couldn't even bring herself to touch a noble's body. I calmly brushed the water from my clothes.
Thud.
Silly was already on her knees, head pressed to the ground. Her cow-sized breasts heaved dramatically with the motion. Seeing them up close was overwhelming.
Just like in the original — the biggest chest among the five heroines.
It wasn't only her chest. Her hips were substantial too.
"Stand up. I have no intention of holding you responsible for this. If anything, I'm the one who startled you."
"B-but I poured water all over a noble…."
"I happened to be hot. The cool water feels nice."
"Hiiik…. I-I'm sorry."
Silly squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head. I sighed and stepped closer, taking her arm and hauling her to her feet. Her upper body barely moved, yet her breasts bounced with vigorous energy.
Our eyes met. For a moment we simply looked at each other in silence.
Beneath the headscarf, her face came into view. Smooth white skin, a slender jawline. Large eyes with downturned corners. Soft and innocent. And from her, a thick maternal warmth radiated.
"…I am Count Yujin Frucus. I inherited the title from my father not long ago."
"Y-Your Lordship the domain lord! I-I've committed a terrible offense…!"
"I've already forgiven you. So stop trembling like that. What's your name?"
"Silly Jefnik…."
"Jefnik, is it…."
I released her arm. I had no intention of taking her by force.
"Well then, Silly. If other people see me standing here soaked, my reputation takes a hit. I'd like to dry my clothes… do you know a place out of sight?"
"Ah… well…."
Silly hesitated, then opened her mouth.
"The only place around here out of people's sight is… home. …I-if it wouldn't be too much trouble, would you like to come to our house and dry your clothes…? W-was that too rude of me to ask a count?"
"Not rude at all. I'll impose on you until my clothes dry."