Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Ulstro Kingdom - The Crumbling Women (1)
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Needless to say, the first person he reported to upon his return was his direct superior, Mercedes.
"Haah... Hngh... Haaah, V-Valdes...♡"
Squish, squish.
"Haa, jumping me the moment I get back? Isn't that a bit too perverted for you, sis? I pounded you so hard just the other night."
"But... ahn... thinking I wouldn't see you made me... haa... even lonelier..."
He kissed her pouting face.
For some reason, Mercedes was getting more and more coquettish these days. It was as if she was unleashing all the cuteness she'd held back during her years as a knight in one go. Even so, Valdes found it adorable how this woman taller than him was acting all clingy.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-!
"What if I become a knight and have to go off on missions alone...?"
"Ngh, hngh... I dunno... More than that..."
Lying on the sofa and taking him in, Mercedes wrapped her arms around his neck.
"If you want that return stamp confirmed... haeng, fill sis's pussy with your return application first...♥"
"I'll stuff you until your womb is overflowing... hngh!"
Naturally, the moment he returned, he spent nearly an hour confirming his status inside her body.
Five times in missionary, twice more from behind for a total of seven loads. Her womb wasn't quite full yet, but time constraints forced them to wrap it up there.
As he cleaned up, he checked her ass and grinned.
"Anal plug... you're still wearing it nicely?"
"Ngh... you! I nearly died hiding this thing!"
Mercedes's face flushed a rare deep red. Her fists clenched, trembling—she'd clearly struggled hard.
"But you kept it in anyway?"
"Hmph!"
Valdes chuckled and gave her a light kiss on the lips.
"Three days from now... look forward to it. I'll give you an experience even more unforgettable than our first night."
'Even more than... that day?'
She swallowed reflexively.
It was one of the two most intense memories with Valdes. That day when, hypersensitive from arousal and massage, she'd climaxed over ten times on his fingers before taking his lewd tattoo and losing her virginity to become his possession.
Even more intense than that fusion of experiences?
She couldn't imagine it. But that only made the anticipation build uncontrollably.
"...Yeah."
"Heh. Oh, right—what about Amy? Isn't today her day on duty?"
"I sent her on an errand. She'll come back late, knowing the score."
"Huh?"
To Valdes's confusion, she explained that she'd secretly told Amy about their relationship. Of course, she hadn't revealed how deep it went—Amy just thought they were lovers.
Mercedes had let even the uninvolved Amy in on a bit of the truth to make their dates smoother. Amy overlapped with them the most in daily activities, so keeping it secret from her limited their physical intimacy and such.
"Amy can keep a secret. Plus, she got all excited about the princess knight and commoner squire romance—like something out of a novel—and swore to keep it locked tight."
"Ah, got it. No issue there."
He'd planned to go public in a few months anyway. Not just rumors in the knight order, but across the capital, kingdom, and even beyond the continent. He needed to become a knight and rack up achievements first, so some prep was in order.
He didn't know it, but Mercedes was scheming to spread the rumors more discreetly and swiftly than he thought—to block her sister Marie from jumping ahead. She vaguely sensed Valdes had already touched Marie too. No way she'd let her little sister steal the official spot beside him.
"Hmm. Once this big thing I'm working on wraps up, I'll tell you my secret."
"Huh? Secret?"
Mercedes tilted her head.
"Yeah."
"Bigger than the fact you're a total playboy messing with Marie too?"
"......Way bigger. Ah, time for training with Master. I'll head out."
"Okay, have fun."
Left alone, Mercedes sat pondering.
"Hmm. A secret, huh..."
Deeply involved with Valdes, she could tell he hid more than he'd shared. She couldn't gauge the extent, but she was confident she'd accept any secret.
Still, she shouldn't take it too lightly. Her mother—the queen—seemed interested in him too. Just yesterday after breakfast, she'd asked about him and sighed softly.
The issue was not knowing the nature of that interest. If positive, great. But if she found out about their relationships, including Marie's? Or framed him as a spy on purpose? She had to consider it all.
"No way she's gotten involved with him too, right?"
As Mercedes chuckled at the thought, Valdes was crossing swords with Serennia.
The previous day without him, Serennia had pondered her teaching style. Deciding real combat was best training, she'd resolved to spar with him directly for a while.
She'd always favored practice over theory anyway. She'd held back before because her subordinates fainted or got hurt too easily in live sessions. But seeing Valdes's skill, she figured he'd manage.
And indeed, he deftly parried her blade now.
"Taking vacation alone while your master is busy with your affairs? Insolent!"
Whoosh—clang!
"Busy with my affairs?"
"Your patronage issue, of course!"
"Oh."
He sighed, deflecting her swift recovery swing.
He hadn't even considered it. Simple support was one thing, but she meant the formal noble patronage recognized in aristocratic society.
With prestige and complications involved, procedures were strict. There was even a dedicated Patronage Committee. He'd heard of past abuses before reforms.
"Sheesh. Even forgetting that."
"S-Sorry. I've had a lot on my mind lately..."
Etilene and Marie's training, Beatrice, post-Bentorino Kingdom plans, etc. Ulstro matters were wrapping up, so plenty to think about.
He couldn't explain if pressed, but Serennia didn't pry. She just gave a light warning via sword. He could've brushed it off at full strength, but sensing her intent, he took it obediently.
Looking down at Valdes sprawled and panting, Serennia said,
"Well, approval came this morning anyway."
"Faster than... haa... expected."
"It's late. Given my name."
"Fair point."
Ulstro had one ducal house, three marquises. Rest were earls or below. Serennia was top-tier nobility. She just didn't wield her power aggressively.
"So... anything I need to do?"
"Nah. I handled it all."
"Ooh."
"You'll be famous now, so watch yourself. I'm behind you. Mess up, and it splashes back to your patron and master."
"And if I do well...?"
"Win-win."
Valdes nodded, rising.
No plans to screw up anyway. He pondered maximizing the opportunity. Bernstein count's ward and Serennia's disciple would open doors here and abroad.
Original plan: take a princess when moving countries. But leveraging this could widen his maneuverability and ease access to revenge targets.
'Dezark Empire's the issue... but this'll help infiltrate the imperial academy. Better as Serennia's disciple than plain knight for enrollment.'
"What're you thinking?"
"Ah, nothing."
"Fine. Tomorrow evening it is."
"Tomorrow evening?"
Her sudden words flustered him. Serennia glared.
"You weren't listening."
"Ahaha..."
"Dinner at my mansion tomorrow evening."
"Dinner?"
Out of left field. But her explanation made sense: originally for reviewing ward progress or mental care, it became tradition even without cause.
"Not strictly needed post-committee launch, but..."
She glanced at him mid-sentence.
"Hm? What?"
"...Nothing. Skip the mess hall tomorrow. Wait—I'll take you when I clock out."
Serennia swallowed her afterthought.
You're like a son, so want you to have family dinner? Too boundary-crossing. Even as superior-subordinate turned master-disciple, decorum mattered.
'Or maybe I'm the one craving it.'
She let out a hollow laugh.
Family already? After so little time? Valdes seemed sociable—probably buddy-buddy with mercenaries back then. Hadn't he just taken leave to tie up those loose ends?
Now he had squire pals and lover Mercedes too.
But unavoidable. Recent memories had burrowed her disciple deep in her heart. Not romantically, more like a son. She had daughter-like Mercedes and Marie, but no son figure.
'Dinner for two at the mansion. Been a while.'
Smiling at the pleasant image, she helped him up for another round.
Valdes headed to Etilene's room, stretching.
"Urgh... she works me ragged."
Not the sparring itself, but pretending far weaker than her built fatigue. Restricting senses and swordplay more than at the tournament taxed brain and body.
Spar extended, making him 40 minutes late for Etilene's bet.
A touch of payback for his same-day leave, but he didn't know.
"Hmm. Wonder how Etilene's holding up?"
Suddenly skipping yesterday's bet, late today.
Normally she'd rejoice, but she was near defeat. Mind might hold, but body broken. Probably couldn't cum without his touch.
"It's over anyway, but she should quit soon."
The training lewd tattoo on Etilene.
It amplified pleasure for obedience. More fun post-resistance. He'd brought tools just in case—hoped to use them soon.
Musing, Valdes reached her door. Checked surroundings, slowly turned the knob.
"Hm?"
Inside was oddly dark.
...Squish, ...squish, slurrp... ...glurk...
"...Ngh...... haa...... hng......"
Two sounds from within.
One from an object, one from a mouth—but both lewd, sticky, obscene.
"Ho ho."
Valdes involuntarily admired the scene on the dark bed and the vivid moans in his ears.
Beyond expectations.
"...Hic...! ...Ah? Aah, V-Val...des?"
"Whoa, too early?"
Half-teasing, but no reply—just splattering footsteps as Etilene rushed him. Floor like it was soaked. Before he identified the liquid, she leapt from bed, hugging him tight.
"Lady Etilene?"
"Haa, haa, haa..."
Bottomless, top sweat-soaked and braless as usual. Her breasts pressed fully against him.
"If you want it, say it straight."
"Haa, Valdes, hngh, you...♡"
Gasping, she begged clearly.
"Pound me... please...♥"
"No."
"...Pardon?"