Chapter 177: The Symbol of Dictatorship (6)
Chapter 177: The Symbol of Dictatorship (6)
Constructing a building takes a significant amount of time.
No matter how much magic is used or how massive the budget, there is an absolute requirement for time. Since it is a human endeavor, a minimum duration is necessary regardless of the funds available.
One week.
That was the time it took to create the first "Succubus Brothel" in Fermaton—and indeed, the first in the entire world.
Men watched with bated breath as the walls were papered, flooring was laid, beds were moved in, and furniture was installed.
If they played their cards right, they could do it.
If they played their cards right, they could actually have sex with a succubus.
The rumors began to spread like wildfire. It wasn't just within Fermaton; word began to reach other regions that had been keeping a close eye on Fermaton’s movements.
—How could they use demons as sex slaves!
While some were flying into a rage, others were far more enthusiastic.
—Sex with a succubus? I can’t miss out on this! I’m definitely going to go and have my way with one!
Questions poured into Fermaton from all sides.
—How do you have sex with a succubus?
—Is it a lottery system or a reservation system?
—How long can the sex last?
—Is it for a "short night" or a "long night"?
Fermaton was bombarded with inquiries, but the administration rarely offered answers regarding the specifics of the succubus encounters. They were simply too busy with preparations to provide a proper briefing.
However.
"Huh? What’s this?"
"Ah, it’s the guide for using the Succubus Brothel. Would you like to take a look?"
"Gasp...!"
Information leaked out surprisingly fast. After all, how differently could a brothel really be run?
You pay the money.
You pick the girl.
You have sex.
You finish and leave.
The sequence of events is the same regardless of which brothel you visit. The only difference was that the girls were succubi, and—
"Whoa...!"
The succubi waiting on the beds were incredibly beautiful.
If the virgin succubi working at the Dream Factory were like innocent, pretty girls from a rural farm in some barony, the succubi enlisted in the brothel were so beautiful it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them daughters of high nobility.
It might sound strange, but they had a slightly "artificial" perfection to them. The important thing, however, was that the moment men saw their faces, their blood rushed south.
"Wow, holy shit... She’s gorgeous..."
They were supposed to be reading the instructions, but their eyes kept drifting to the faces of the succubi printed on the flyers. Then again, perhaps that was part of the instructions. Choosing who to designate was a matter of utmost importance.
"But what are these numbers at the bottom?"
"That’s the service fee. They don't accept gold coins inside; they take Ruji Coins."
"...Ruji Coins?"
The men’s ears perked up.
"What are Ruji Coins?"
"It’s a proprietary currency guaranteed by the Count of Fermaton. It can be used at any business involving Lord Ruji Fermaton within the county. Like this."
A new currency, sized perfectly to fit in the palm of a hand. It was circular like a coin, with Ruji Fermaton’s profile embossed on the front. On the back, a number was stamped: 1.
"There are 1 Ruji Coin, 5 Ruji Coin, 10 Ruji Coin, 50 Ruji Coin, and 100 Ruji Coin denominations."
"They engraved values onto gold...?"
"Wait, how did they get that kind of technology...?"
"That’s not what’s important! You can use those to have sex with a succubus!"
Actually, it was important. They should have been questioning the creation of a new currency that wasn't gold, but the people were so distracted by the prospect of succubus sex that they didn't give a damn about how Ruji Coins were manufactured.
"Where do I buy them!"
"Calm down. Anyone can buy them. Right here, at the Dream Factory."
The succubi immediately set up a Ruji Coin sales booth. A massive sign was erected in front of the Dream Factory, and people began fumbling for their gold as they looked at the intuitive numbers.
"So, I just add two zeros to the end?"
"1 Ruji Coin is 100 Gold? Wait, why does it say 80 Gold next to it?"
"It’s an opening celebration discount."
A 20% discount. One might wonder if it was worth buying if they didn't strictly need Ruji Coins, but the discount rate increased the more coins one purchased.
"...If you buy 100 Ruji Coins, you get a 30% discount? That’s insane. Isn't Fermaton losing too much money this way? What do they even gain?"
"They gain the loyalty of the citizens."
"Urgh...!"
"Ruji Fermaton... you brilliant pervert...!"
It wasn't exactly something to be moved by, but the thought that the sex-crazed Young Lord was doing something for the people—even in this manner—made them feel strangely choked up.
"Still, 7,000 Gold for 100 Ruji Coins? Is there really a need to buy that many...?"
"For your information, these succubi are all taking their 'first customers.'"
The succubi posted another notice on the wall.
"By the way, do you like lotteries?"
* * *
"Selling the succubi's virginity."
I’ll do anything if it makes money.
"If we say we only sell it for Ruji Coins, they have no choice but to buy them. Though they have to pay in Ruji Coins to have sex with the succubi anyway."
Before officially launching Ruji Coin sales and opening the Succubus Brothel, I decided to play a little prank.
"A lottery with a succubus's virginity as the prize. What do you think?"
"The hopefuls will be lining up," Yoanna replied as she used Mythstones and magic stones to produce Ruji Coins.
"If it were an auction, some suspiciously wealthy person would win, but with a lottery, even a commoner could win through sheer luck."
Clink.
"They buy entry tickets with Ruji Coins. ...Well, it’s true that having more money increases your chances of winning."
She poured magic stones melted by Black Flame into a mold and let them solidify.
"Everyone is so distracted that they won't even realize these Ruji Coins are just magic stones—the same cheap, low-grade magic stones they’ve been selling to Fermaton all this time."
Mana crystallizes into magic stones, and once popped out of the mold, they become coins.
"Isn't it absurd? We’re melting down low-grade magic stones that cost less than 100 Gold to produce, yet they hold a value of 10,000 Gold in the market."
"That’s the charm of currency. It’s a social and economic agreement."
100 Ruji Coins. Within Fermaton’s businesses, this magic stone currency held the value of a million gold.
"One entry ticket per Ruji Coin. So this would be worth 100 tickets?"
"Yeah. A terrifying war is about to break out. A war of money."
No matter who the succubus is, if someone can legally take a virginity, they’ll empty their pockets.
"Even if the odds are low, people will buy at least one Ruji Coin with the mindset of buying a lottery ticket. If they win, they can even resell the right."
"Will you allow that?"
"I have to allow at least that much. What if a married man who needs to protect his household wins?"
"He’d be screwed."
"I have to provide a way out for someone like that."
I remembered a movie I saw as a kid. A suspiciously wealthy, eccentric billionaire ran a chocolate factory and decided to give five children the chance to tour it.
One kid who loved chocolate bought them in bulk and luckily bit into a ticket. A rich person bought chocolate by the truckload and had his employees hunt for the Golden Ticket.
—Give it to me! I’ll give you five hundred dollars!
—Kid, take that, don't tell anyone, and run straight home! Hurry!
A poor but lucky kid found a ticket in a single bar of chocolate bought at a shop.
It was exactly like that. Ruji and the Succubus Factory. The specifics were different, but the fact that the opportunity was open to everyone was the same.
Now, people would scramble to get more entry tickets for a chance at a virgin succubus’s first time, and Ruji Coins would naturally sell like crazy. And thanks to Yoanna’s Black Flame, we could mass-produce Ruji Coins with ease.
"Yoanna. Things are going so smoothly thanks to you. Choosing to grab your breasts was truly an excellent decision."
"I only hope this brings me one step closer to my dream."
"Huh?"
What I was doing was related to Yoanna’s dream?
"What do you mean by that?"
"The things you are creating, Young Lord, will become the magic bullets that collapse the Empire from within. It is always a small crack that brings down a dam."
Yoanna held up a freshly minted Ruji Coin.
"Everything created in Fermaton—to put it simply, 'sex'—will permeate the Empire. Very slowly. It will spread among the people through illicit channels."
"And that will bring down the Empire?"
"Yes, Young Lord. While staying here in Fermaton, I have seen many people driven mad by sex."
I felt a sudden pang of guilt for some reason. No, wait. Was she talking about Laura?
"They want to exercise restraint, yet every day they are exposed to and become addicted to the sex you provide, bit by bit. From the Breast Festival to the Dream Factory and all sorts of 'sex.' Now, they have bodies that cannot live without it. However..."
Yoanna flicked the Ruji Coin with her finger.
"What would happen if that were suddenly taken away?"
"...Are you planning to cause withdrawal symptoms?"
"Yes. Wouldn't it be interesting? In the distant future, when historians investigate why that massive Empire collapsed, if this were the reason."
Yoanna picked up a magic stone lying nearby.
"We will let these 'Succubus Adult Videos' seep into the very roots of the Empire. What do you think the Empire will do?"
"Censor them... I guess?"
"Yes. They will censor them. Without fail. The Empire is a conservative nation. And later, when they try to control and censor the videos and the sex..."
Yoanna placed a hand on her chest and smiled brightly.
"The masses will grow resentful, and that resentment will become the flame of revolution."
To all those who wish to jerk off.
Rise up.