Chapter 44 — Everything Now Belongs to Your Majesty (4)
Chapter 44 — Everything Now Belongs to Your Majesty (4)
The rescue force had finally been caught.
And at that very moment, a message he hadn't seen for a while appeared with a sound effect.
[Message: Second Quest — Copy a skill from the Kingdom's Saintess!]
Well, shit.
Roan bit his lip.
Then an unexpected second message.
[Message: Time Limit — 59:23:59:59]
Roan frowned.
The message had already moved a clock to the upper right corner, where quest alarms were always fixed. Seeing the last digit change every second, the time limit was...
'60 days. Two months, huh.'
[Message: If the quest is not completed within the time limit, a penalty will be given.]
Roan's expression darkened.
Perhaps even his usually expressionless face couldn't completely hide it, because the Knight Commander, who had been observing the Demon King's complexion, asked cautiously,
"Is something not to your liking, Your Majesty?"
Asking if he was hurt or feeling unwell was an extremely rude question among demons.
Moreover, doubting the emperor's strength was something that would have cost anyone their head in the past.
And so, Minoreus had inquired about the Demon King's state with a question that sounded somewhat off-topic.
"Mm, I was thinking for a moment."
At some point, the Treasurer and the Baron had withdrawn, leaving the Knight Commander alone in the office to report.
"Report."
"It seems they descended along the mountain range and then attempted to infiltrate Basel through the river's sewer system. We discovered they possessed a map of the city's interior, suggesting there is a spy."
Roan's eyes narrowed.
Even without Diobe, there were naturally spies inside this city.
Creating and smuggling out a map was relatively easier than passing on information about people.
Even more so in this world with magic tools.
"What of their composition?"
"All of them are knights of the Church of Laurecia."
"Hm?"
A cold light flashed in Roan's eyes.
"Were there truly no mercenaries?"
"Yes. As you warned us beforehand, we searched in a wide range starting from the mountain range where traces were found, but we discovered no traces of anyone other than the ten or so knights."
It felt like his breath stopped.
It had changed. The future had changed.
The Saintess Helen should have emptied her private funds to hire the best mercenaries in Merde she met by chance, in order not to fail this rescue. That would have been the Hero and his party.
But she hadn't done that.
This also meant the Waypoint the Hero was supposed to discover while fleeing outside the city was now much less likely to be exposed to the humans.
The search had become easier, but the uncertainty had increased.
'Should I be happy about this, or afraid?'
"Is there any possibility you missed a separate escape?"
"If someone had been acting independently and meticulously hiding their tracks even before we began our pursuit, it is possible we would have been unaware of their existence from the start. However, at least after we discovered the knight order, no one broke away from the group."
"Mm."
Minoreus, too, knew how much attention the emperor was paying to this matter.
"We have already identified and re-checked the traces two or three times and explored a wide area, but we will investigate once more."
Roan perceived the Knight Commander's feeling of slight disappointment. Attentive Hearing conveyed emotions, after all.
"Enough. If a lone individual fled, infiltrating the city would be impossible."
As long as the Hero didn't sneak into the city, grasp the real situation, and locate the Waypoint, it was a pass for now.
Roan subtly used Appeal.
"I do not doubt your abilities. I was worried because I know how wicked that man is. If you found no traces, it is likely correct to assume he never came in the first place."
"Y-Your Majesty."
The kind words from the emperor that suddenly pierced his heart felt strange to Minoreus.
A ticklish, yet warming feeling.
They were nothing extraordinary, but at His Majesty's words that he 'did not doubt' him, Minoreus suddenly composed himself as tears threatened to well up.
Seeing Minoreus surprised by his own uncharacteristically emotional reaction, Roan spoke.
"How long will the transport take?"
"About a week. Because we cannot mount them directly on demon beasts and must escort them by cart or wagon."
It was a plausible reason.
"A week. Try to shorten it as much as possible."
But I was a harsh boss.
'As much as possible' was synonymous with 'without fail'.
Minoreus thankfully accepted it.
"Understood, Your Majesty."
*
「Helen — Hngh, 'Cheol-i♡'?」
「Beneath the white moonlight, I halted my steps at the beautiful naked form of the Saintess.」
「Her bloodied thighs were pitiful, but the liquid forming a puddle beneath her lower body was a vivid display of the Saintess's lewdness.」
「Helen — How are you here at this hour...?!」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡' — I was worried because you haven't been seen since you were scolded by the commander. But what are you doing right now?」
「Helen — Hngh....」
「Helen bit her lip. Yet what surfaced on her face alongside shame was anticipation.」
「The thought that I might rebuke her for her un-Saintess-like appearance seemed to heat her body even more.」
「I spoke with a deliberately grave expression.」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡' — I asked what you're doing.」
「Helen — I am, 'reflecting'...」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— 」
「1. You're like a sow.
2. Let me help you.
3. What are you reflecting on?」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— 3. What are you reflecting on?」
「Helen — Grünent must be suffering in prison, while I... eat comfortably, laugh together with the Hero.... The sight of myself is so filthy I can no longer bear it...」
「The switch in Helen's hand trembled. A thorny switch with sharp spikes protruding everywhere.」
「She had used it since her time in the Order, so its handle was shiny and polished smooth.」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— 」
「1. You're like a sow.
2. Let me help you.」
— Whoa, there's only these two choices, you bastard Hero? Then if that's how it is, let's go with the harsh one.
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— 1. You're like a sow.」
「'Helen's' Affection increased by +30!」
「'Helen's' Affection +15 -> +45」
「Sex is now possible depending on the choice.」
— ...Is this for real?
「Helen — Ah, a sow...」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— A sow needs corporal punishment.」
「Helen's flushed face was fully revealed beneath the bright moonlight.」
「Her pussy juices flowed down steadily, emitting a sweet womanly scent.」
「Trembling, Helen respectfully held out the switch with both hands, offering it to me.」
「Helen — Are, are you going to punish me...?」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— 」
「1. But of course.
2. Still, I can't bring myself to swing a switch at this sight.」
— Yeah, whatever happens, happens.
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— 1. But of course.」
「Hero 'Cheol-i♡'— Lewd pussies deserve punishment.」
「With the switch I received, I prodded firmly at the obscene cunt that was leaking its juices.」
「Though the thorns must have hurt, the Saintess let out a lewd voice from mere light contact.」
「Helen — Ah, aahhng..., 'Cheol-i♡'...!」
「'Helen's' Affection increased by +2!」
「'Helen's' Affection +45 -> +47」
"...Your Majesty?"
Grünent looked at him with a worried face.
His thoughts had grown long.
Since the Hero started from Affection 0, he could call her a sow right off the bat and still get a chance to sleep with the Saintess, but if I said something like that to a Saintess whose affection was at least -90, she'd swing a sword at me, surely?
How should I get it to 0 within two months?
If it just rose above 0, I could even mobilize Mihon to try something.
Even with Rauka, it took about three months to go from -99 to the current -25. I was planning to maximize her contact with Grünent, but I didn't know the answer.
The word 'penalty' bothered him.
"Mm."
"Your complexion is poor."
Since Grünent wasn't well-versed in demon culture, she directly asked about my well-being.
This could be rude among other demons, so I would have to tell her later.
"I'm fine. Just something on my mind."
"Ah...."
Grünent's face also darkened in turn.
"I didn't expect it either. That the Order would come from Merde to rescue me, someone the kingdom abandoned."
"Were you close to the Order?"
At Roan's question, Grünent hesitated.
"They were better to me than others. Because I had a dear friend in the Order."
She still didn't know that Saintess Helen was among the rescue force. I hadn't told her because I wasn't sure if, the moment she knew, she would jump up and use all her strength to save her friend or uphold her loyalty to me.
Even if her Affection was close to +80, I didn't want it weighed against friendship.
Though I would have to reveal it soon....
"However, even if my friend is there, she wouldn't have been the one to propose this operation."
This was new information.
"Why is that?"
"I heard that while she is a famous Saintess within Merde, her position within the Order is not high."
Grünent gazed into the distance as she recalled the past.
"The Order is a political group and an army of the goddess. Holy power alone makes it difficult to gain influence.
There are many with strong political power like the Pope or the high priests, and there are Knight Commanders with greater military might.
My friend is, so to speak, a mascot."
Grünent added bitterly.
"To rake in donations."
"Hmm."
It seemed the Order wasn't in a sound state either.
"She was likely used as an excuse this time as well. While I am the black sheep in the royal family, the Order had interests concerning me.
Rescue the princess who is both the Order's protector and friend from evil, and set her up as the next queen. They might be thinking like that."
"...Isn't that rebellion? If such moves are so obvious, wouldn't the royal family not stand idly by?"
Rebellion doesn't hold in Evirgio—because defeating the emperor by force is sufficient qualification to become the next emperor—but it must be different in human nations.
However, Grünent wore a complicated expression.
"But the Church of Laurecia is powerful. Not even the Merde royal family can treat them carelessly. While the royal family used me as a stepping stone to engage with the Order all this time, without me now...."
Such details weren't in the game.
Sure, why would Merde's political situation matter to the game? The Legend of the Holy Hero was a game for collecting erotic pictures, after all.
Looking back, I remembered a fragment of an epilogue where Grünent became queen, written in a single sentence after the Hero defeated the Demon King.
With a slight hope, I asked subtly.
"Grünent, do you not wish to become queen?"
Her eyes widened roundly.
"What do you... mean by that?"
"What the rescue force wants is probably to make you queen. If you return to Merde following them, wouldn't you be able to become queen?"
Of course, I couldn't guarantee it a hundred percent now that the Hero's future was twisted.
Grünent becoming queen would require the backing of a 'powerful Hero who even defeated the Demon King.' And I had no intention of dying.
However, Grünent suddenly looked at me with a mournful expression.
"Your Majesty, you wound me. I am Your Majesty's concubine. My place is here at Your Majesty's side now. Do you wish to send me away to Merde?"
It was an answer you'd expect from Affection +79, but still, hearing it in person made me proud.
"You would be well-suited to become queen."
These words were sincere. Grünent, who received Roan's words through 'Appeal', beamed brightly at them.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. But I am happier at Your Majesty's side."
Grünent, who had been smiling in the briefly sweet atmosphere, suddenly spoke as if snapping back to her senses.
"Oh, I came to deliver the invitation and quite forgot myself. Will you truly come to the trading company's inauguration ceremony tomorrow?"
"Yes. Of course. I'm the one who started it."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I'm very pleased with the company's name as well. It's a name that gathers only precious things."
"Hm, I'm glad you like it."
The Small Council was competent. Added Grünent and Baron Grabe to that?
They had organized the trading company and gathered shareholders at tremendous speed. The initial shareholders were the clans of the four Small Council members, but once rumors spread, nobles had begun to fiercely step in.
Though they might have hesitated at the word that the emperor's human concubine was managing the company, it was a prime opportunity to build connections with the emperor and the council nobles. The IPO subscription closed in an instant.
Everything was set up in just three days.
In those three days, everything from purchasing the building for the company to hiring the working staff and deciding on details was settled. It was the result of Liron, Grünent, and the Baron working through the night. Roan had only given it a name.
Whether due to her youth or character buffs, Grünent's face showed no signs of fatigue regardless.
"Then I will see you tomorrow morning."
The location and time of the inauguration ceremony were written on the invitation she had handed over.
"Mm. I won't torment you, so sleep well."
"I'm not sure whether to thank you for that, Your Majesty."
Grünent spoke coquettishly and left the room.
The company's name was elegantly embossed in gold leaf on the invitation.
Roan looked at the front cover with a pleased expression.
'GDI Trading Company'