The Coup (9): Perfect Obedience
“...You’ve passed, Airen. From now on, you’re my pussy slave.”
“Thank you❤︎”
The conditioning of Airen, who pressed her forehead to the ground before my legs and kissed the tops of my feet, was flawless. For the final test I had slipped back into Jember mode and told her that everything which had happened the previous day might have been nothing more than a fleeting dream. Yet what she chose was submission to me. A perfectly crafted female slave. Satisfied by the sight, I concealed my identity once more and slipped out of Airen’s room.
It was time to settle the matter with Wellington and Luimina Soryu, Elisa’s mother.
A strange tension had been hovering over the lord’s castle for several days.
“Is it true the lord is trying to sell the entire territory?”
“It is. Ever since her brother died, she’s lost her mind. If the land changes hands, the Hans family will be completely ruined.”
“This is insane… Our parents swore loyalty to the lord…!”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m trying to correct my father’s mistakes. Will you help me?”
“Understood. I will assist you, my lady.”
All of it was because Ertia Bicken had begun steadily expanding her own faction.
“The young lady is certainly being proactive.”
“Well, even if the baron remarries, she must be desperate to keep the family head position.”
The branch families of the Bicken clan who watched her simply assumed she had sensed the crisis. After her brother Alex Bicken had absurdly died in a duel with the breeder, Ertia was effectively the next lord. But Countess Luimina Soryu was currently staying in the territory. Rumors said she had come to arrange a political marriage between her daughter Elisa Soryu and Wellington. If Elisa bore a child, it was almost certain Ertia would never become lord.
Ertia’s mother came from a mere baron family with no influence whatsoever, and that family had been wiped out during the war with Kerens Territory. Therefore, a new young master or lady backed by the Soryu County would become the next ruler. To prevent that outcome, Ertia was racing around desperately even now. Because the branch families—who served as Wellington’s strongest shield and limbs—had judged the situation that way, Ertia was able to recruit the knights one by one without arousing suspicion.
“Shield bearers, forward!”
“Forward!”
The soldiers and knights standing before the orcs formed a tight formation with practiced skill and advanced. The orcs charged straight into that solid wall.
“Spearmen! Thrust!”
“Thrust!”
With a wet crunch, the spearmen behind the shields drove their weapons through the gaps. Green blood sprayed everywhere. The sequence repeated several times until the entire orc pack was annihilated.
“Damn it. What the hell is this sudden training for? Training, my ass! Ptui!”
“You said it.”
After finishing the orc subjugation, the knights resting in a nearby village began to complain. Every one of them was someone Wellington trusted implicitly.
“Village chief! Where are the women?”
“K-knights, sir… P-please, just this once, forgive us…!”
“Ugh, this bastard. We heroes come to your village and you can’t even prepare drinks and women?”
Thud!
“Agh!”
“At least bring your own daughter!”
The knights mercilessly beat down the village chief—who was old enough to be their father—and decided to search the village themselves. To them, commoner women were no different from animals they could treat however they pleased without consequence. If Leona Montmartre had been present she might have indulged her greed but would never have allowed such tyranny. Now that the leash restraining them was gone, they had gone completely mad.
“Damn it… Everyone just stay quiet in the barracks.”
“Yeah.”
“Kyaaaaah—!!”
Even when women’s screams rang out, the soldiers could do nothing but remain silent inside their tents. Protesting to the knights would only create more victims. Most of the knights who supported Wellington were scum like this; therefore they were all targets for purging.
“Everything is ready?”
“Yes. We have recruited the majority of the soldiers and knights inside the lord’s castle.”
“Good. Then prepare to move out.”
The moment Luimina Soryu heard that the coup preparations were complete, she rose from her seat. She had been deliberately stalling to distract Wellington.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes. I will take my daughter and return to our county.”
“Hmm. Am I permitted to interpret this positively?”
“Of course. This will only deepen the bond between the Bicken and Soryu families.”
Wellington smiled at Luimina’s declaration that she would take Elisa with her. The reason was obvious. Elisa had originally been building achievements to challenge for the position of family head. Wasn’t that why she had come to Bicken Territory as supervisor and administrator? The fact that Luimina now wanted to bring her back could only mean the count had begun to look favorably upon the political marriage they had been discussing. Having successfully separated Elisa in order to eliminate Alpha—his original plan—Wellington smiled with deep satisfaction. Now it was time to remove Alpha.
Having planted plenty of misunderstandings in Wellington’s mind, Luimina immediately began her return journey with her daughter. The preparations were finished. All that remained was to show that she had not directly intervened in the affairs of her vassal family. Countess Luimina Soryu left Bicken Territory with deliberate pomp, as if advertising the departure of herself, her knights, and her soldiers.
“So. Do you like that man named Alpha?”
“N-no, Mother.”
“It’s all right. His status is lower than a commoner’s… but he is quite handsome.”
“…”
Inside the carriage as they left the territory. Once Bicken Territory was far enough behind, Luimina tested her daughter. But Elisa did not open her mouth easily.
“Did you receive a lot of money? For teaching magic to those insects.”
“Yes.”
Instead of asking directly, Luimina chose an indirect approach. Elisa took the bait immediately. Luimina smiled as if the matter were settled.
“Then where is that money?”
“!!”
When Elisa’s eyes widened in realization that she had been tricked, Luimina thought her daughter still had a long way to go.
“If you have it, show me. Depending on the amount, I might reconsider whether you are fit to become the family head.”
“…”
Luimina continued to pressure her daughter.
“I-I’m sorry, Mother. The truth is, I simply received a request…”
“I see. So that’s how it is.”
Slap—!
Elisa’s cheek swelled bright red.
“You are my daughter, the daughter of the head of the Soryu County. Yet you fell for a breeder lower than a commoner and taught magic to insects?”
“I’m sorry.”
Elisa could say nothing else; she simply repeated apologies again and again.
“Countess. We have received word that the coup in Bicken Territory has succeeded.”
“Good. Then let us return.”
While Elisa was being scolded by her mother, dire news flew in from Bicken Territory.
“Watch carefully. See what happens to that breeder called Alpha.”
“…”
A faint smile crept across Elisa’s lips at the report from Bicken Territory, but Luimina did not notice. She began the journey back, completely unaware.
As soon as Countess Luimina Soryu left Bicken Territory, Wellington immediately summoned me.
Melania isn’t here, so he’s going all out.
It seemed he intended to kill me on the spot; he had gathered every knight and soldier currently available in the castle. Even for me, that number posed a real danger. If the mages had been included, I might have died for certain.
“Alpha. Do you know why I have called you?”
“I do not.”
“You dare say you don’t know the crime of having mocked nobles all this time!!”
At Wellington’s roar, several knights nearby nodded in agreement.
“Seize that bastard—!”
Without even a proper trial, Wellington ordered my arrest. Some soldiers began to move.
“Wait! Everyone stop! From this moment, I am the lord of Bicken Territory! Seize Wellington!”
“What… what?! Ertia! You wretched girl, how dare you speak to your father that way!!”
“Shut your mouth! You who tried to sell the territory to those Kerens bastards are no father of mine! Everyone, draw your swords!”
It was impossible to recruit every soldier and knight for a coup. Soldiers in particular were difficult to win over.
“What? He’s selling the territory? Is that true?”
“What the hell is going on!”
Perhaps because of that, most soldiers stood frozen, unsure what to do.
“Capture Wellington!”
“Y-you bastards!!”
The knights, however, drew their swords exactly as prearranged and charged at Wellington.
“Protect the lord!”
“The true lord is Lady Ertia!!”
A chaotic melee erupted between the knights. Taking advantage of the confusion, Wellington chose to flee. If he escaped, the territory would fall into turmoil. No matter how much he had tried to sell it, the owner of Bicken Territory was still Baron Wellington. If he fled to Kerens Territory or any other domain, that land would gain justification to interfere with Bicken. Justification was vital in any war; they could not let him escape.
“Sir Leona! Protect me at once!”
“…Wellington. I shall punish you, the traitor.”
“You… you ungrateful beast bitch!!”
Fortunately, Leona caught him before he could slip away in the chaos.
I was ready to step in if necessary, but it worked out.
I had prepared to seize him at any moment, yet the opportunity for me to act never came. That was truly fortunate. It meant I would not be disappointed in my females.
“Graaagh!”
Of course, capturing Wellington was not the end. All the knights who had supported him still had to be eliminated. They were like the rotten tumors of the territory.