[AN: I’m resuming the serialization and will write about one hundred thousand words. ]
[TLN: He hadn’t posted a single chapter for about 2 months so the reason for this AN. Also this marks the start of Volume 7]
Chapter 129: Moving One Step Further
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Late at night, the tent was filled with a sweet scent.
A night fragrance that maximizes a woman’s sexual allure and heightens a man’s emotions.
The aroma of incense burned in the tent was overwhelming.
In such a fragrant atmosphere, I found myself alone with Alice.
Alice was sitting next to me, attentively leaning in like a devoted wife.
She attempted to pour me more drink into the glass I had emptied, but—
“Ah! I-I’m sorry!!”
The alcohol she poured clumsily spilled over my thigh due to her trembling hands.
Alice quickly set down the bottle, grabbed a cloth, and wiped the alcohol off me.
I held the glass and let her tend to it as she pleased.
“I’m so sorry! I’ll pour properly next time.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not concerned.”
“But—”
“On the contrary, I’m actually a bit relieved.”
When I chuckled lightly, Alice’s expression changed to one of confusion.
It seemed she was thinking about where there was any reason to feel relieved now.
“For a songstress like you, serving is part of your job. You need to learn what’s necessary through practical experience.”
“Um, yes.”
“However, you haven’t learned. There were no ‘practical experiences.'”
“Yes… thanks to your protection, Your Majesty…”
Alice slightly lowered her gaze and hesitantly looked up at me.
There was a strong sense of gratitude in her eyes.
Yes, a person like her exists on the thin line between being a pure courtesan.
It’s undeniable that her profession is akin to that of a songstress performing in establishments.
However, when it comes to a woman who is both talented and beautiful, it’s unavoidable that she attracts the eye of men with money, power, or perhaps both.
And 99% of the reasons why such men approach are purely physical desires to possess that woman.
It’s not about whether it’s good or bad; it’s a reality that exists. And as long as men are men, I believe it will never disappear for eternity.
On the other hand, that didn’t happen with Alice.
That was because I had my eye on her and supported her financially even before she made her name.
As the Thirteenth Prince, and after that the Wise Prince, now as the Emperor of the Empire.
There was no one in the imperial capital who would dare to touch my “trophy.”
Thus, Alice had no need to engage in such “work,” and she completely lacked the skills required for it.
“I know, which is why I am not concerned.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will learn soon—”
“No, there’s no need to.”
“Huh?”
“You don’t need to learn those things. For now, you can do them, but once this expedition is over, you can forget all the methods.”
“But…”
“What do you think of this sword?”
As I said this, I drew out the sword that was set aside.
It wasn’t Leviathan; a variety of ornamental items surrounded the Emperor, and this sword was one of them.
Both the hilt and the sheath were adorned with extravagant decorations; it was a ceremonial sword with extremely low practicality.
I pulled it out and showed it to Alice while asking.
“Um… It’s a splendid sword?”
“Yes. What do you think about using it to fillet fish or cut radishes?”
“Eh!? That would be too wasteful!”
“That’s exactly the point.”
“………… Ah.”
After around ten seconds, Alice seemed to get it after a moment of confusion.
She understood that I was comparing this sword to her, implying it would be wasteful to make her take on a role like that of a courtesan.
“Your Majesty…”
“This is no flattery. You, who could sway the hearts of a vast audience on Banjin Street. I want you to continue singing without learning those things.”
“You’re… overestimating me too much, Your Majesty.”
“Is that so? I might actually be underestimating you.”
“That’s not true…”
“If I am indeed overestimating you, then you should strive to catch up to that evaluation.”
“Yes… I will do that.”
“Good.”
“After all, you really are an amazing person, Your Majesty…”
I merely smiled gently in response.
Despite that, Alice joyfully poured me more drink with a look of deep emotion.
It was the behavior necessary for the moment, and I saw no reason to stop her from doing as she pleased.
“By the way…”
“Hmm?”
“Your Majesty, you’re strong with alcohol, aren’t you?”
“Ah… that’s a bit of a cheat.”
“Eh?”
“I’m detoxifying with Apophis as soon as I drink.”
“Apophis…?”
Alice looked confused.
“Like a spirit accompanying me.”
“I-I see.”
“And that’s why the alcohol I drink gets detoxified as soon as it enters my body. As long as that continues, I can drink as much as I want and never truly get drunk.”
“That’s amazing… You can do something like that?”
“While I have consumed amounts that could be considered close to being completely intoxicated, in those scenarios, I wouldn’t be able to have a proper conversation.”
I chuckled softly.
To play the part of a careless drunkard, I indulge in heavy drinking with Alice attending to me.
I am deliberately portraying myself as visibly intoxicated.
All this is for the sake of the “First Strike.”
“Hn?”
“What is it?”
“Something outside is getting quite noisy.”
“I’ll go check.”
Alice said, standing up.
She went to the entrance of the tent, leaned out, and said something.
After a while, she came back with something in her hands.
“Your Majesty, there is a secret message from the governor of Dussel.”
Alice said this and held out what she had brought to me.
It was a box.
“Oh, a Fuwawa box.”
“A Fuwawa… box?”
“It is a heavily secured box that only I can open. It is used to notify important matters.”
“Something like this…?”
“If it is from Dussel, then it might be Zoe. You know Zoe, right?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. I’ve seen her a few times by Your Majesty’s side.”
“Indeed. She is the current governor of Dussel.”
“I-I see…”
Perhaps it was strange for a woman to be a governor; Alice seemed somewhat puzzled.
I opened the box I received from her.
Using the remaining power of Fuwawa, the box opened lightly—as if a bud was blooming into a flower.
Inside was a neatly folded letter.
I took the letter in hand and read it carefully.
“……Hmm.”
“Did something happen?”
While I was reading, Alice remained quiet so as not to interrupt, and after I finished reading aloud, she asked me.
“Oh, it seems there has been a flood in Dussel.”
“A flood?”
“And Zoe, wanting to preserve the land to prevent it from being bought up by merchants as I once did, has reached out for help due to a lack of funds—she’s asking for assistance.”
“Oh…”
“You understand that after a flood, merchants tend to swarm, right?”
“Yes… I’ve heard such stories often…”
“Indeed.”
I nodded slightly.
It’s not an uncommon tale.
After a flood, merchants often swoop in to buy up land at rock-bottom prices.
Zoe is trying to prevent that, just like I once did.
“What will you do?”
“Well… I need to split this into two phases.”
“Two phases…?”
“Yes, for land preservation, Zoe has seen what I did in the past. I’ll order Oscar, who is in the capital, to allocate a budget. With funds in hand, Zoe has enough experience to manage things accordingly.”
“That’s the first phase. What about the second phase?”
“Of course, restoration. We’ll arrange to provide seeds, tools, and livestock for free around next spring. It might be best to also forbid any debts involving seeds for the first year.”
“Free, you say?”
“The flood brings fertile land, but at that moment, most people don’t have the money to take advantage of it. That’s also one of the reasons why merchants swarm in. We’ll prepare seeds, tools, and livestock so that they can make use of the fertile land immediately.”
“So they can sustain themselves!”
Alice said with eyes filled with emotion.
“That’s part of it.”
“Part of it…?”
“I’m planning to offer assistance, but simply filling people’s bellies won’t suffice. Without hope, they can’t live. With free seeds and tools, it will give them hope for recovery.”
“That’s incredible… You thought that far ahead…”
Alice was looking at me with increasingly admiring eyes.
If someone has gotten a hold of the cover for volume 7. Please send it in discord.
There is –>discord<— to get update notifications and releases? I am a bit lazy these days.
Thanks for the treat. 👍