Chapter 154: The Flies That Swarm to the Smell of Money (4)
Chapter 154: The Flies That Swarm to the Smell of Money (4)
At that same hour, in the Imperial Capital.
The Fermaton Infinite Labyrinth.
To the Empire, it was a place of immense desire.
The economic value of the Infinite Labyrinth was beyond measure, and if one factored in its potential value, it wouldn't be a losing trade even if they handed over two or three other counties to the Kingdom in exchange.
And that Fermaton was currently changing.
Whether they were trying to play the Kingdom and the Empire against each other, or if Fermaton was plotting something on its own, remained to be seen.
"Ruji Fermaton is up to something."
It was safe to attribute these developments to the eccentricities of Ruji Fermaton, who was effectively the current Lord of Fermaton.
"Based on his actions so far, Ruji is gathering a massive number of women around him to establish a harem kingdom."
At the words of the woman wearing glasses, everyone let out a low groan.
"Emma."
Emma.
Not the Head Maid, but a regular maid.
She had supposedly left for her hometown in the Empire on vacation, but in reality, she had returned to the Empire for a periodic report under the guise of a holiday.
"Yes, Chief."
"I know you are capable. I also know you went as far as participating in a breast contest yourself to uncover Fermaton's objectives."
"Kh...!"
Emma placed a hand over her chest.
There wasn't much of a curve, but there was still a market for it.
"Exposing yourself in a swimsuit just to dig up information... As part of the intelligence department, your actions are truly exemplary. Self-sacrifice. Your loyalty to the Empire is moving, to say the least. However."
The woman with her hair tied in a tight bun and wearing purple lipstick—a woman with a prickly impression—fiddled with her sharp, angular glasses and shook her head.
"Your ability to draw conclusions based on the gathered information seems lacking."
"May I ask why?"
"A harem kingdom? Don't make me laugh. Don't you realize that's all just a ruse by Ruji Fermaton?"
"......."
Emma was genuinely flabbergasted.
"Chief, do you really think all of that is just a sophisticated smokescreen by Ruji Fermaton?"
"Of course. How could a human being have sex every single day and think of nothing but sex while pulling off such feats? It's all a ploy to lower everyone's guard against him."
A ploy?
Anyone would know better if they worked in Fermaton Castle for just one day.
He'd be getting a facial from a blond bunny girl while eating his meals.
He'd be doing outdoor sex with the Mage from the Magic Tower while traveling.
Whenever he was bored, he'd barge into the Countess's room and pounce on her.
He'd even imprison and train the subordinates he recruited into his knight order.
Recently, he'd been causing a ruckus trying to make chocolate milk by milking a half-beastkin he bought as a slave.
And all those actions of Ruji Fermaton were just a smokescreen?
"Chief. It's only because I couldn't relay information in real-time through my glasses, but if you saw it for yourself, you'd feel it too. Ruji Fermaton is an absolute degenerate pervert."
"Seeing as you've gone that far, it seems Ruji Fermaton is indeed excellent at image marketing toward those around him. A terrifying man, that Ruji Fermaton."
"No!"
Emma pounded her chest in frustration.
"I'm telling you, the guy is just a perverted bastard!"
"Is that a judgment born from your personal grudge over being slapped, or is it a judgment as a proud member of the [Black Raven]?"
"It is a judgment made as a member of the Black Raven and as a proud subject of the Empire!"
"I see. If you insist that much, I'll take your word for it. However, I simply cannot understand it."
The Chief took off her glasses for a moment.
"A man obsessed with sex turned down Irmiter Sirjosia?"
"......."
"He didn't just rape her on the spot; he insulted the Sirjosia family and kicked her out?"
"Chief, that was..."
"He's a man who follows his cock compass even if his impulsive decisions put him at odds with the Kingdom. You're telling me a man like that was just acting? That's nonsense."
The Chief simply couldn't wrap her head around it.
"It's more persuasive to say that Ruji Fermaton is planning to betray the Kingdom and side with the Empire."
"Are you saying all his recent actions were meant to break away from the Kingdom?"
"Yes. He might be turning his back on the Kingdom to stand with the Empire. Otherwise, how could he act so recklessly, as if there's no tomorrow?"
"So, your opinion, Chief, is that everything Ruji Fermaton is doing right now is a calculated move?"
"Precisely."
"Then how do you explain this?"
Emma pulled out two sheets of paper and pushed them forward.
"This is information I obtained as soon as I arrived here yesterday. He reportedly performed a demonstration of burning magic stones in the plaza."
"......."
"And he's sweeping up all the magic stones by accepting them as payment at the Succubus Dreamtopia. Collecting magic stones, burning magic stones... Is this process also a move to antagonize the Kingdom?"
"It's obviously a protest against the Kingdom."
A look of conviction settled in the Chief's eyes.
"Who do you think is more dependent on the magic stones from Fermaton? Us, or the Kingdom?"
"Chief."
Emma replied with a dead-serious face.
"It's all for his own sexual pleasure, to build his harem kingdom!"
"Fine. Let's summarize then. His reason for wanting to join the Empire is to use his status as the Border Count of Fermaton to create his own harem kingdom within Fermaton. Does that satisfy you?"
"Chief!"
"If what you say is true, it seems Ruji Fermaton doesn't care whether his harem is in the Kingdom or the Empire. And Ruji's cock compass... for now, it seems to be pointing toward the Empire."
The Chief pulled an object out from under her desk.
"Have you seen this before?"
"...I've seen it in the Lord's Castle. Isn't that Breast Pudding?"
"What?"
"He put pudding inside a Dark Jeanne glass and then sucked it out greedily. Ruji Fermaton did."
"...Ahem. My apologies. I suppose seeing such things daily would lead to those thoughts."
The Chief shook her head.
"Ruji Fermaton...! What a terrifying man. Just how far is he willing to drag down his own image to secure practical gains?"
"I'm telling you, he's not trying to drag down his image—"
"This isn't Breast Pudding. It's a Breast-Shaped Magic Stone. A magic stone in the shape of a woman's breast."
"......Pardon?"
Emma felt a sudden chill run down her spine.
"S-something like that...?"
"It seems he's been conducting business in places even a maid finds difficult to access."
"No, how...? I never heard anything about such a thing existing...?"
"He made everyone think he was just making Breast Pudding with the Dark Jeanne glasses, while behind the scenes, he was selling these Breast-Shaped Magic Stones. Through a slave trader from the Empire."
"Ha...."
A magic stone in the shape of a breast.
It was the size of an actual human breast.
Though it was unknown whose breast it was modeled after.
"I heard he won't be selling these Breast-Shaped Magic Stones to the Kingdom. Do you still claim this isn't a ploy by Fermaton to side with the Empire?"
"......Who knows. He might suddenly decide to sell them to the Kingdom tomorrow."
Emma couldn't believe it.
She didn't want to believe it.
That pervert, who was probably enjoying outdoor sex with the bunny girl he always drags around even now...
Was making such political moves behind the scenes?
And she had missed this information?
"It seems your vision has blurred because you weren't wearing your glasses. Emma. For the time being, take a real vacation and rest here. I'll entrust the mission to someone else."
"Someone else? Who is it?"
"There is someone. A fellow born in Fermaton.... Hehe."
The Chief let out a dry chuckle.
"A fellow with a very brilliant mind."
* * *
"Amy. Give me the mid-term settlement report."
"We have passed the break-even point. We were in the red until yesterday, but we expect to be in the black starting today."
"Perfect."
The magic stone burning.
The production costs for the Dark Jeanne glasses.
The loss rate incurred while converting to Breast-Shaped Magic Stones.
The commission paid to Charlotte.
"I was worried about what would happen since the money from the Dream Factory dropped sharply, but fortunately, the Breast-Shaped Magic Stones seem to be selling well."
Including other expenses, we had finally managed to stop the bleeding of the deficit.
"I should thank the Barbas Magic Tower Master through Asti later."
"How about giving her a Breast-Shaped Magic Stone made from Miss Astarotte's glass?"
"If I did that, a Meteor would probably drop on the Lord's Castle immediately."
"I was joking."
Amy gave a slight smile and placed a new glass in front of me.
"What's this glass?"
"It's an Amy glass."
"Oh...."
It was usually hidden by the frills of her maid uniform, but Amy's breasts were also quite large.
"Did you make this?"
"It's easy enough to make as long as I use the Pink Slime's mold. I sent it along when I sent the molds to the glass artisan."
"Is he still complaining?"
"Thanks to the generous bonus you allocated, Young Lord, he is working hard on production. He even mentioned taking on an apprentice recently."
"An apprentice, huh..."
Like most medieval artisans, they take on a disciple to teach their skills through direct observation and practice.
It would be good to recruit a blacksmith character too.
A blacksmith who could modify and create all sorts of weapons, including glasswork.
There was a character with that concept.
It just so happened that he was a man.
And it also just so happened that he was someone who carried the blood of Fermaton.
Weapon Master Hernandez.
Along with Akamond, I hadn't found him yet, but I was sure to discover him eventually.
If I did find him...
"Whew."
Finding the gems is already such a headache; trying to keep track of people as well is exhausting.
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock sounded from outside.
Wondering who it was, I moved my hand aside, and 'she' stood before me in modest attire.
"Greetings, Young Lord. Good morning."
Yoanna.
The top-tier talent who helped us synthesize new magic stones by melting down existing ones.
Without her Black Flame, the Breast-Shaped Magic Stones certainly wouldn't have been born.
"...Silence."
Deploying a barrier through a wide-area silence spell, Yoanna handed me a small object.
"What's this?"
"A very special item I made for you, Young Lord."
It looked like a ring case, and with a fluttering heart, I opened it.
"This is...!"
A ring.
A magic stone was embedded like a gem atop a silver band.
"Don't tell me, for me—"
"It's a micro-bomb."
"...Huh?"
"It's a bomb with an explosion spell engraved inside the band. You put it on, cast the spell, and—bang."
"......."
Oh, right.
This woman.
She was a terrorist.
"Ha. Yoanna."
I pointed at the ring.
"Go back and turn this into a necklace."
"Pardon?"
"You see, bombs..."
I pointed to my neck.
"Are only effective when they're fastened around the neck."
Your magic stone.
It has been replaced by a bomb collar.