Beyond Victory and Defeat
Vil and Mathilda's duel had come to an end.
Who had won? Who had lost?
What thoughts stirred in their hearts?
I'm beat. Totally wiped out.
I returned to my private quarters in the provisional governor's mansion.
An unexpected guest awaited me there.
Miku and Elder Rikyuu.
"Victor-sama!"
Miku threw her arms around me with her usual bright, carefree smile.
"Miku, you were here?"
I immediately claimed her lips.
"Mmwah, mmwah, mmwah... Ehehe, that's embarrassing."
Knight Rosen—Linda—chimed in.
"Young master was in a meeting, so I showed you here."
"Good call."
"Victor-sama, I apologize for barging in without knowing it was a meeting with Lady Mathilda."
"Don't sweat it. Seeing you and Elder Rikyuu has lightened my heart already."
"Yay!"
"Was it something important?"
"Yeah, old timer. That Mathilda's one hell of a woman."
"I'd heard rumors she's a scheming strategist who loves her plots."
"Spot on. That powerhouse was scheming to put the archipelago under merchant control."
"What!? But... is this something this old fool can hear?"
"No issue. I managed to steer it into resident self-governance under the earl's house oversight."
"Resident self-governance?"
A shadow of unease crossed the elder's face.
"Don't worry. We'll station troops here, and the governor comes from the Togo earl's house. You know the strategic value of these islands better than anyone, right?"
On the way to the village the other day, I'd heard Elder Rikyuu had once been a pirate who rampaged across the seas.
"True enough. But resident self-governance? Never heard of such a thing."
"That's where that powerhouse's trap got me. She saw our weak spot."
"You mean?"
"The north and south continents are close, but a bit far from our territory. We want to hold this place, but it's too far east in the Earl Sea. Our postwar governance policy wasn't set in stone yet. She exploited that gap."
"So that Lady Mathilda is a bad woman who tries to trouble Victor-sama?"
"Yeah, a bad woman. But what pisses me off even more is she's drop-dead gorgeous."
"Young master!"
"Victor-sama's such a perv."
"Fwah fwah fwaha! Miku, a noble's lust isn't a bad thing."
"Really, village elder?"
"Hypothetically, say you bore Victor-sama's child. That kid would at least be a low-rank magic user."
"My kid would have magic?"
"Aye. That's the power of Victor-sama's seed. That child would bring great fortune to Onahama Village."
"Village elder, did I do something amazing?"
"Receiving Victor-sama's favor? Miku, that's the village's greatest achievement ever. Fwah fwah fwaha!"
Miku stared at me intently. She must be craving my cock even more now.
"Elder."
"Yes, my apologies."
"No problem. I've got a favor to ask you."
"Anything this old bag of bones can do."
"About that resident self-governance—we're electing two representatives from the main island."
"Elections, eh? Clever."
"Having both from Halzyport City wouldn't be ideal. One should come from the villages."
"That'd be ideal."
This Elder Rikyuu was sharp as a tack.
"Elder, how about you run?"
"May I ask your intent in asking this old fool?"
No doubt about it—this elder was no ordinary man. He had the chops to lead the village.
"We'll elect five representatives across the archipelago. Those five will nominate five influential merchant reps."
"I see."
The elder's narrow eyes narrowed further.
"I'd like to plant someone I trust among those election reps if possible. Gotta shut down the merchants' schemes in advance."
"Victor-sama, I understand completely. This old man's feeling a thrill, like back in the day."
Elder Rikyuu grinned wickedly. He looked the kindly grandpa now, but he'd been a real rogue in his youth. That's exactly why I could trust him.
"I'm counting on you, elder."
"I swore loyalty to Victor-sama. Leave it to me."
"You and Miku, stay here tonight. I want to repay your hospitality from before."
"Victor-sama, we're honored."
"Miku, come to my bedroom tonight. I'll fill you up good."
"Eeeh? Victor-sama, you rascal. Big sis Linda, is that okay?"
"Yeah, she's yours tonight. Take good care of young master."
"Got it!"
"Knight Rosen, my thanks."
"Miku's happiness is my happiness. Don't worry about it, elder."
"...Knight Rosen, it's a humble village, but please think of Onahama as your second home."
"...Elder, I thank you from the heart."
Night had fully fallen over Halzyport City.
In a room of the Nagumo mansion—the grandest merchant house in the Halzy Archipelago—lady of the house Mathilda gazed at the city lights, wine glass in hand.
The room was dimly lit by a few flickering candles.
"Lady Mathilda?"
"Oh, Lily, there you are."
"Is something wrong?"
"I lost."
"But we secured autonomy."
"Yes, we beat the nobles."
"...But you lost to Lord Victor?"
"That's right. But I'm not moping, Lily."
Mathilda drained her wine glass.
"I was thrilled. Because it was him, I could stake everything in the ultimate gamble. It was ecstasy that burned my body to ash."
"Milady..."
"And he said he doesn't want me as an enemy. I don't want him as one either."
"Opposing Lord Victor is certainly dangerous."
"That's why I've been thinking—what to do next."
"What?"
"I want him. That man."
"Milady?"
"All I could think of was merchant rule. In the end, even hating nobles, I was steeped in their logic."
"Lord Victor went beyond that?"
"His plan uses commoners with no power or wealth to prevent merchant dominance."
"Yes, an unbelievable idea."
"Exactly. That's why I want him—his brain, his guts. I want to absorb it all."
"We've heard he's a womanizer. The female knight by his side is his woman. And unconfirmed rumors say he's even taken the fisherman's daughter from Onahama Village."
"Oh? Picking up women in occupied territory?"
"Yes. In that sense too, Lord Victor is no ordinary noble."
"Lily, what do you think of him?"
"He burst onto the scene with this first campaign, so intel's thin. Hard to judge, but he has the makings of a hero."
"Yeah, maybe a hero. But what kind?"
"What do you mean?"
"I think he might be the hero to end this blood-soaked war between the north and south continents."
"To become hegemon of both?"
"He's not belligerent. But his genius makes enemies. Then he crushes them with that genius, making more foes..."
"Until all enemies are defeated? Sounds tragic for Lord Victor."
"But Lily, his genius will draw droves of devoted allies too."
"Like you now, milady?"
"Maybe. Yes—that's it. I've only been thinking of absorbing him."
"Milady?"
"If I want him, I should let him absorb me."
Call it a paradigm shift. The path was clear to Mathilda now.
"Maybe I should throw myself into his arms. Ufufu, even using this body."
"Milady!?"
"Ufufu, forgive me, Lily."
"If it's seduction, let me—!"
"Ufufu, no, Lily. Can't hog him all to myself."
"That's not—"
"Oh, Lily, you think I haven't noticed? Your soaked state these past days—you were aroused thinking of him, weren't you?"
"Milady, you knew!?"
"Ufufu, I won't scold you. I was the same."
Mathilda approached Lily and captured her lips.
"Ahh, milady..."
"Ufufu, Lily, I wonder what it'd feel like—his hot seed flooding our wombs."
"Just thinking about it soaks me through."
Mathilda hiked up Lily's miniskirt maid uniform and traced the damp crotch of her panties with her finger.
"Oh my, you're drenched, Lily."
Mathilda kissed Lily again as they tumbled onto the sofa.
Win or lose aside,
Vil and Mathilda had begun thinking beyond it.
That would change Vil greatly.
The continent's history turned another page (lol).