Chapter 100: It Wasn't a Scam (6)
Chapter 100: It Wasn't a Scam (6)
I am a story skipper.
It’s bitter to call myself a "trash skipper," but in this situation, the label fits perfectly.
Princess, my ass!
Apparently, the Charlotte standing before me is a princess.
Even if she’s an illegitimate child, they say the blood of the Empire’s Emperor flows through her veins.
"Why is a princess in a place like this?"
"An imperial agent dispatched to the field to monitor Fermaton’s movements?"
"No, I mean, that is..."
"How fascinating. To see Ruji Fermaton looking so flustered."
I was flustered.
Genuinely flustered.
The fact that Charlotte is a princess is shocking enough, but the fact that I’ve been aggressively hitting on her this whole time is even more mortifying.
If I’d known she was a princess, I would’ve approached her differently!
Dammit.
Me from the past, you idiot.
Why didn't you read the story?
If I had just cut my sleep by three hours a day and read through all the lore, this wouldn't be happening!
Or at least, if I had indulged in the Princess of Arnim Wiki and checked the sections marked with 'Warning: Spoilers Ahead,' I wouldn't be in this mess!
It can’t be helped.
The milk is already spilled.
Since it’s come to this, there’s no choice but to push through head-on like a man.
"Miss Charlotte. Or should I call you Princess?"
"Guild Leader is fine, and so is my title. It’s not like the Young Lord would ever call me Princess in public anyway, but if possible, I’d prefer the old way of—Eek?!"
Lick.
I flicked my tongue across the Imperial Seal on the inside of Charlotte’s thigh.
"What are you—"
"A lip seal."
Smooch, mwah.
I tilted my head and kissed right over the Imperial Seal.
Charlotte tried to push my head away while pulling her skirt down, but that only resulted in my head being buried further up her skirt.
"Are you insane...?!"
Mwaaaaah.
I continued to plant kisses on Charlotte’s insignia.
I didn't know how she would react afterward, but I put my all into leaving a hickey on her thigh.
"S-Stop! I’m really going to get angry!!"
"...A pity."
I stood up after leaving one last deep mark on her thigh.
"Miss Charlotte. This is—"
Slap!
I got hit across the cheek.
If it’s just this much, it’s fine...
"Ow, damn... that hurts...!"
"I’m the one who got slapped, you know."
"That’s because you did something worth getting slapped for!"
Charlotte pointed a finger at me, her face bright red.
"What kind of madman sees an Imperial Seal and thinks to kiss it?!"
"Didn't you lift your skirt so I could do exactly that?"
"N-No! That was just...!"
"True. It’s not like you could just take your skirt off. For a tattoo that far up, it would’ve been faster to just strip, though."
"Ugh, uuuugh...! You’re impossible to talk to!"
Common sense is for when we’re discussing economic or political matters.
"I’m sorry for slapping you. But you should know your actions deserved it!"
"How disappointing. I thought our relationship had progressed further than that."
"What exactly do you think a relationship between a man and a woman is?"
"A relationship where being 'just friends' is impossible."
There is no such thing as friendship between a man and a woman.
There are only lovers, comrades, or just strangers.
Men and women cannot be friends.
"I figured since we’re going to have sex eventually, this much would be fine."
"Don't tell me you're acting like this just because I mentioned sex earlier?"
"Was I wrong? Was I the only one who thought it was okay? If so, that’s a shame."
I took a step back from Charlotte.
My cheek was still stinging, but seeing Charlotte clutching her hand, rubbing it with teary eyes and a flushed face, made the slap feel like a fair price to pay.
"Still, you have to pay the price for slapping Ruji Fermaton."
"And what about the price for kissing Charlotte Weissgarten’s thigh?"
"Then shall we call it even? If you kiss my thigh, I’ll let you slap my other cheek."
"No, seriously...!"
Charlotte clutched her head in frustration.
"You’re mocking me right now, aren't you?!"
"Mocking you? How could I dare mock someone of imperial blood?"
"Then what on earth are you doing right now?"
"Building up to some intense sex?"
"That’s insane."
Charlotte frowned and reached her hand toward my face.
"Stay still. I’ll heal you."
"Heal me?"
"If you go out with a slapped face, what will people think of me? You aren't planning on using this to blackmail me, are you?"
"Hmm... that is a good idea, actually."
If I went out with my face all swollen and shouted, 'Charlotte slapped me!'...
In this land of Fermaton, Charlotte would basically—
—Heh. You slapped the Young Lord...? My Young Lord...?
Click.
"...I suppose I should quietly accept the treatment."
Laura might go berserk.
I obediently offered my cheek to Charlotte.
"I apologize. I thought you wanted to have sex with me right here and now."
"I showed you that to ask if you could handle the Empire."
"Handle it? Easily."
The face of Charlotte, who was using healing magic, stiffened.
"Right now, I’m the one making a connection with you, but the situation might flip where you’re the one who needs to lean on me."
"What did you say?"
"I don't know what you’re thinking, but if something big happens to the Empire or if the power structure in the Imperial Palace shifts and you need the strength of Fermaton..."
I placed my hand over Charlotte’s hand, which was still on my cheek.
"I will be your strength."
"I doubt that comes for free."
"If you have sex with me."
"Is that the condition?"
"Of course."
"Good grief."
Charlotte let out a small, mocking smirk.
"I suppose if I keep having sex with you, you’ll give me tax breaks and turn a blind eye even if I commit crimes."
"Naturally."
"...My god. Are you serious?"
"I don’t joke about things like that. I’m not a 'good' person."
Whether Serica kills people in the depths of the Infinite Labyrinth...
Whether Yurdias runs the Thief Guild and steals from people in the back alleys...
Whether Laura reaches the end of the Infinite Labyrinth and tears it down...
"As long as it’s within my domain, I don’t care what my women do, provided it doesn't undermine my authority."
"You’re quite something. Truly."
"A man has to take that much responsibility."
"Usually, people don't call themselves a 'man' in that kind of context."
Charlotte let out a deep sigh.
"Fine. Let’s agree not to breathe a word of today’s conversation to anyone. Not a single part of it."
"Of course. Instead, let’s make a promise."
I reached out to her.
"If the day comes when Fermaton grows enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Empire, or even plot against it... then we have sex."
"Everything starts and ends with sex with you, doesn't it?"
"It could just be sex-sex-sex-sex-sex if you prefer."
That’s what Laura’s doing.
The story might start with sex and have the main plot woven in between, but fundamentally, our lives are a continuous cycle of sex.
"Let’s wrap this up."
"Fine. First..."
As Charlotte, the Guild Leader of Nine-Tail, and Ruji, the Young Lord of Fermaton.
"Since it’s impossible to verify whether the goods I sold were virgins or not, I will exercise extreme caution in my sales from now on."
"It would be good to call Miss Racuir to verify virginity right before a sale. I’ll also look for other ways to verify it myself."
"For the sake of mutual trust."
I will continue to buy virgins, and Charlotte has the obligation to provide clear quality assurance for them.
"Next."
As Charlotte the Slave Trader and Ruji the heir of Fermaton.
"I don’t know how many I’ll capture in the Infinite Labyrinth, but I’ll make sure they fetch a high price when I turn them into slaves for sale."
"They’re 'Regeneration Virgins' for now, but more slaves will be produced in the future. Out of consideration for the Young Lord, I’ll wipe the memories of those you sell."
"Oh? Won't that lower the product value?"
"It’s better than them remembering their lives before becoming slaves and rebelling. We wouldn't want them trying to get revenge on the Young Lord."
"Desirable."
In exchange for selling off the troublesome individuals I can't handle as Young Lord to Charlotte, I would receive appropriate payment.
Yes.
It was human trafficking.
But I wasn't planning on snatching up ordinary people to sell; I was selling women like 'Benia of the Virgin Scam.'
And finally.
"Now, Miss Charlotte, daughter of the Emperor."
"...Yes."
"I might look like a hollow Young Lord who hasn't even inherited the Count's title yet, but when the day comes that I stand equal to the Empire, will you wake up in the same bed as me?"
"......If you show sufficient capability, I see no reason why I wouldn't."
Only then did Charlotte take my outstretched hand.
"I look forward to working with you, Young Lord. May I be the lifeline you can use to defect to the Empire, while I also find a place to entrust myself to you."
"Of course."
We entrusted our lives to each other.
Though we both certainly had cards we hadn't shown yet, this was enough progress for a deal.
"Then, Charlotte. I’d like to make one last proposal."
The swelling on my cheek had subsided, and talking for too long would only invite suspicion.
"Going back to the beginning, I have a suggestion."
"The beginning? The fake virgin story? About the virginity verification?"
"Yes. I’m going to plant the idea in everyone's head that you might not have sold me a fake."
I pointed outside.
"If blood flows from Shiro’s loins when I take her in front of everyone, your innocence will be proven."
"Isn't that a bit forced?"
"So what if it is?"
It’s not like anyone in my territory is going to complain.
"Would you like to see for yourself, with your own two eyes, Ruji Fermaton having sex with a virgin?"