A Strict Education
The rescued William Roberts looked utterly exhausted. He was still just a young boy. Even for a grown man, kidnapping and confinement were bound to cause immense stress. The only saving grace was that, aside from sleep deprivation, he had not been subjected to any actual physical torture.
In a voice thick with fatigue, William expressed his gratitude. "I never expected you to come yourself... and so quickly, at that... Thank you so much, Princess. I will surely repay you for saving my life."
"You haven't forgotten, have you? I am your patron, Baron Roberts. Your crisis is my crisis."
As he stared blankly at my face, thick tears began to spill from the corners of William's eyes. In moments like this, he was transitionally still a child. He had suddenly gone from a common orphan to a noble possessing vast wealth. While it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, everything around him must have felt incredibly precarious. Perhaps his mature demeanor wasn't true maturity at all, but merely a desperate imitation of an adult in order to survive.
William's tears did not stop easily. Pushed to his psychological limit, he seemed to find it difficult to compose his emotions. Maintaining my gentle tone, I spoke to him. "I heard from Juliana, William. It seems you were being bullied at the academy."
"...Yes..." This was something Juliana had already confessed to. It had been part of the groundwork for the kidnapping, an intentional effort to isolate William and eliminate any potential allies he had within the school. Of course, that wasn't the only reason. She had undoubtedly harbored a genuine distaste for a commoner who dared to achieve top marks at her academy.
Well, resolving it would be simple. Now that Juliana had completely submitted to me, I could easily settle the matter using her authority as the Chancellor. But there was one more thing. While William Roberts's report card consisted almost entirely of top marks, his grades in physical subjects like swordsmanship were abysmal. Part of it was likely due to his naturally frail build, but it also seemed he had never even considered the idea of physical training until now. It was the limitation of a born bookworm.
Turning my head toward Filgret, I asked, "Filgret, would there be any issue if a young boy were to join the Knights' basic training course?"
"There would be no issue, but... it will not be easy. Even the greenest recruits who enter the order usually possess exceptional physical capabilities, yet some still end up vomiting on their very first day."
"Wh-what...?" William's eyes shook. It was the first time I had ever seen him look so utterly appalled. Did he really detest physical exertion that much?
"A little grit should get you through it. Right, William?"
"Ugh... Ah... Um..." He looked desperately as if he wanted to say 'no.' However, there was no way he could reject a favor from the savior who had just rescued him from the brink of death.
"Yes... I suppose...? If... if that is what you wish, Princess..."
"Excellent. Filgret, please adjust the training schedule to match the time William finishes his academy classes. I will inform his estate."
"...Yes..." His voice sounded even darker than when he had been facing death moments ago. Watching him, Filgret muttered in a solemn tone.
"If he has no foundation whatsoever, we must start with the lower body... No, cardiopulmonary function first. Strength training should be kept at a level that won't stunt his growth... Hmm, do we have any training swords for children in the armory?"
"Do not go easy on him just because he is a noble, Filgret."
"But of course." Filgret looked more motivated than I had seen him in a long time. In contrast, the will to live was visibly draining from William's face in real-time. Well, good medicine is always bitter to the taste.
Juliana had accepted my deal. Frankly, calling it a deal was a stretch; she had no other choice if she wanted to survive. My terms were simple and clear: absolute obedience. As long as she obeyed my commands, she could retain her status as the Marchioness, her position as the Chancellor of the Academy, and her ownership of the Grimoire. Furthermore, I promised to provide the financial backing she had sought through William's kidnapping to fund her prototype development. It was an incredibly generous offer for an enemy who had dared to oppose me. If Graham heard of this, he might feel quite cheated.
Of course, my decision to spare Juliana from utter ruin was solely to exploit her talent for crafting magical items. Naturally, she still had to pay a fitting price for the transgressions she had committed against William and me. That was precisely why I returned to Sancennes Academy after the late-night search had concluded.
"Y-you really want me to wear this..."
"You're not going to tell me you can't, are you? Fufu."
"...Ngh..." Juliana flushed crimson as she stared at the garment on the desk, which was little more than a collection of strings. It was the most vulgar outfit I could find, sourced directly from a brothel.
"Hurry up and change. We are both busy people, after all."
"...Yes..." Fitting her status as the distinguished Chancellor of the Academy, Juliana was dressed in an elegant, formal uniform. Stripping it away piece by piece, she began to expose her bare flesh before me.
"You're far more bashful than I expected. I suppose you aren't used to showing your naked body to anyone other than your husband?"
"O-of course I'm not...!" For a pervert, Juliana seemed surprisingly lacking in immunity to this kind of exposure. She had been quite shaken to discover that, contrary to my public reputation, I possessed dark, twisted, and utterly depraved tastes. It had taken her a considerable amount of time just to accept the terms of this punishment.
With a faint, mocking smile, I said, "So you were a chaste wife after all. But seeing how deeply you researched such perverted devices, I suppose your husband alone wasn't enough to satisfy you? Fufut..."
My words must have hit a nerve, as Juliana's face flushed an even deeper shade of red. As if trying to hide her embarrassment, she desperately began to slip into the whore's attire laid out on the desk.
Composed of thin strings, semi-translucent fabric, and deliberately placed cutouts, the whore's outfit did absolutely nothing to fulfill the basic purpose of clothing. Staring at the massive, flagrantly positioned holes, I couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle. They were undoubtedly designed with a very specific, functional purpose in mind.
Fitting the title of 'Marchioness,' Juliana was quite a bit older than both Carmel and me. She had likely passed thirty some time ago, and she supposedly had a child as well. Her figure was also somewhat far from perfect. Of course, depending on one's tastes, there would certainly be men who preferred a body like hers. In fact, it would probably appeal to far more people than not.
"I-I've... I've put it on..." Perhaps Juliana was currently reconsidering the definition of the word 'clothed.' Standing there with almost everything on display, she had every right to question whether using that word was fundamentally correct.
"You know what to do next, right? Now, get up on the desk." I spoke in a relatively businesslike tone. It was certainly an eye-poppingly erotic sight. The visual stimulation alone was spectacular. Yet, it didn't stir my heart all that deeply. If Carmel had been doing this, I would have been utterly consumed by arousal.
What I was doing now was merely punishing Juliana for her misdeeds and securing additional leverage over her. In that sense, from the perspective of my own pleasure, it was quite different from the humiliation I routinely inflicted upon Carmel.
Atop Juliana's desk, a magnificent dildo already stood erect. It was the largest and most violently vibrating prototype she had ever created. Climbing onto the desk, Juliana assumed the pose I had ordered. Like a whore flaunting her wares, she supported her weight on her feet while spreading her legs wide.
The contrast between her face, which looked ready to burst from shame, and the shameless whore's outfit created a bizarrely erotic synergy. It was a scene straight out of a trashy adult video cover. Well, in truth, this was essentially an adult video shoot anyway—just without the cover art.
I pulled out the Recording Crystal I had brought and adjusted the angle. Looking up from a low angle, the sheer depravity of Juliana's body was magnified tenfold. As I finished setting up the crystal and looked up, Juliana spoke with a face on the verge of tears.
"Y-you're really... not going to show my face, right...?"
"Of course. I gave you my word, didn't I? Now, hurry up and move." Urged on by my gentle smile, Juliana slowly began to move. She lifted her hips, aligning herself with the tip of the shaft. It was as if she were kissing the head. Then, she slowly lowered her hips. The prototype slid smoothly inside her, likely thanks to the numerous tests she had already conducted on herself.
"Ah... Ngh..." Just from the insertion alone, a breathless, erotic moan escaped Juliana's lips. Her expression, too, began to tilt away from shame and toward pure pleasure. She certainly seemed to have a fondness for self-pleasure, judging by how quickly she reacted. As her hips bottomed out and she swallowed the dildo whole, a sound of deep, profound satisfaction spilled from her mouth.