Chapter 132
With Kanan, formerly the viscount's wife, aboard, we left the viscount's residence.
Our destination was the Astrantia branch of the Marlowe Trading Company.
Since it was very close, Primula stood behind the driver's seat and guided me.
I still wasn't familiar with the city's geography.
"If my father-in-law is at the branch, I need to greet him and explain myself..."
"I asked one of the Marlowe Trading Company employees who visits the viscount's residence, and he said Father is in Dalia."
"I see. Once things settle down, I'll have to go to Dalia too."
"I think Father will be delighted when he hears that Kenichi has become a margrave..."
I hoped so. If Primula said it, she was probably right.
We arrived at the Astrantia branch of the Marlowe Trading Company, so I dropped Primula off and got out with her to talk.
"I have work to do here, so I won't be back for two or three days."
"All right. Then, in case of an emergency, I'll give you this."
I took a blue mountain bike out of my Item Box.
I had bought it while passing through the Dalia Forest. After I bought an off-road motorcycle, it had become nothing more than dead weight in my Item Box, but it should be usable within the city.
"W-what an incredible draisine..."
Primula examined the mountain bike from every angle.
The way she gazed at something that interested her was exactly like Marlowe-san.
Cars and heavy machinery were probably beyond her comprehension, but she seemed to understand what a bicycle was.
I demonstrated by riding it myself.
"With some practice, you can pedal and ride it yourself like this. You could even make it to the lake under your own power."
"How wonderful! I understand!"
The bard Popo was getting off here too.
"Thank you for bringing me this far."
"Don't spread too many terrible stories about us."
"I wouldn't do that! Not anymore!"
"And one more thing—advertise that the Margrave's territory is recruiting residents. Tell them there's truly nothing there, so anyone planning to come should be prepared for that..."
I gave her two gold coins as payment for the advertising.
"This much?! Understood!"
She accepted the gold coins and bowed deeply.
Akira arrived later and got out of the vehicle, so I called out to him too.
"Akira—if you need an inn or a rented house, have the Marlowe Trading Company take care of it. I can even act as your guarantor."
"Sorry to keep putting you out... Cough, cough."
"Father, we agreed not to say that."
I left them in Primula's care while she stared at our little comedy routine in exasperation.
"Primula, I'm counting on you to look after them. You understand this already, but they're profitable, you know?"
"I am well aware."
She was smiling, so she clearly understood the value of Akira and the others.
A woman as sensitive to the scent of money as she was would never overlook such an exceptional connection.
"Oh, Primula. You ordered clothes and robes from the tailor, didn't you?"
They were being custom-made from Cave Spider thread.
"Yes. I'll go check on them later."
"Please do."
While I was talking with Primula, the beastfolk got out of the microbus.
"You showed up at just the right time, Nyamena."
"What is it, Boss?"
"You're Primula's bodyguard, so you're staying here, right?"
"Urk! That's true, but..."
Nyamena faltered at my words. She had probably forgotten about her job.
She had been hired as Primula's bodyguard.
"Nyah-ha! Tiger, leave Kenichi to us!"
"You bastard, Blackie! Are you trying to steal a march on me?"
"Nyah-ha!"
"Damn it! I'm an idiot for trusting someone like you."
Primula sighed at their exchange.
"I understand. I'll hire someone else as my bodyguard."
"S-sorry, Miss!"
Nyamena put both hands together over her head. So people in this world apologized that way too.
"It's all right. So many utterly unbelievable things have happened that everything got blurred together."
Primula looked at me with an exasperated expression.
"I hadn't paid you a salary either."
"What? We've made plenty of money, we've been given a place to live, we can eat as much delicious food as we want, and we can drink good liquor. I don't need money at all. If anything, I'd like to pay you back with my body."
"That's right, nya. None of our money has gone down at all, nya. We can pay with our bodies anytime too, nya."
Myaaree hugged me and wrapped her tail around my arm.
"Hey, Blackie! Since I'm coming too, get away from Boss."
Nyamena reached out to pull Myaaree away, but—
Myaaree nimbly dodged her, and the two of them began circling around me.
"Nyeh-nyeh."
"You little—!"
"All right, all right, stop fighting. We're heading back to the lake. Primula, say hello to everyone at the Marlowe Trading Company for me."
"Understood."
Leaving Primula and Akira's group in Astrantia, the microbus left the city.
After turning right onto the road, we followed the winding road toward the village of Santanka.
Once the lake came into view, we turned right, crossed the bridge I had built, and finally returned to the lakeshore.
The lake's surface glittered in the sunlight, and a few weeds had grown around the grounds. Looking away from the lake, I could see a waterfall cascading down in a white streak.
The field where we had planted corn had ripened without anyone tending it.
I stopped the microbus and let everyone out. The moment I opened the door, Bell leaped out first.
"So this is the place! It is quite lovely, is it not?"
The princess narrowed her eyes at the glittering lake, while the queen seemed astonished by the speed of the automobile.
"To travel all the way here from the royal capital in such a short time... The Holy Knight-sama's power is truly frightening..."
"It was literally godspeed. As expected of you, Master."
Mairen came over, so I checked whether the maids were willing to stay.
"Come on, maids, take a look at this place. There really is nothing here. Do you think you can live here?"
"With Master, everything will be fine, right?" "Things just come out of his Item Box..."
"Exactly. There is nothing to worry about. A maid need only do a maid's work."
"Yes, Head Maid!"
This was hopeless. I gave up and called out to Lilith as well.
"Even if something happens in the royal capital, I can return in a few days."
"It is not as though I intend to return."
Lilith glared at me, but did she really have no intention of going back?
I also doubted that Amaranthus, who had come with us, would become a slave and abandon her place in the royal family over a lie or a joke.
We had finally returned, but there was a mountain of work to do. With our numbers increased, we would need a proper mansion if we were going to make this place our base.
"I had only seen it on maps, but this is truly a vast lake. I cannot see the opposite shore."
Lilith tried to see the far shore, but since the planet was round, wasn't the visible distance only about three or four kilometers?
This wasn't Earth, so I had no idea how large the planet was.
The environment where people lived was the same, and gravity felt the same too—which meant this planet was probably about the same size as Earth.
"There is plenty of water, and there is land to cultivate. Perhaps we can even turn the highlands into fields."
"You mean you will grow that grass that produces sugar, and the plants that produce the source of chocolate?"
"Yes, exactly."
I asked Julius the herald what he thought of the place as well.
"It is a beautiful location. If a city were built here, it would surely become a very beautiful city."
"Before that, look around you. There is nothing here. Do you really have no regrets about coming to such a remote place?"
"Not at all. More than that, I find myself growing excited at the thought of what kind of city it will become and what sort of people will gather here. I am confident that Kenichi-sama will make full use of his talents."
Seriously? Even after hearing him say that, I couldn't find the slightest hint of regret in his words.
Looking at everyone else, not one of them appeared anxious.
I was the only one clutching my head in worry, honestly having no idea what would happen after bringing this many people here.
Wasn't that unfair? But complaining about it now would be pointless.
That was enough talk. We had to make a place to stay before dark.
Since I had become a lord, I had a responsibility.
I took a grass cutter from my Item Box, bought scythes from Shangri-La, and distributed them to the maids.
I had searched for a huge one like the grim reaper's scythe often seen overseas, but Shangri-La didn't sell anything like that.
"Maids, use these to cut the grass. With enough people, we should finish faster."
"Understood."
The maids took the scythes from me and began cutting the grass around us.
They seemed quite practiced at it. Apparently, cutting the grass at the castle had also been part of their duties.
"Hey! Amaranthus, keep watch around the perimeter."
"Understood."
"Kenichi, give me a scythe as well."
It was Kanan, formerly the viscount's wife, who had come over.
"Are you sure? You've never done anything like cutting grass before, have you?"
"If I am a dependent guest and do not show that I can be of some use, I will be thrown out... Besides, in a small noble domain, it is normal for the lord and his wife to work too."
"I wouldn't throw you out unless you were a truly useless parasite. Why not go back to your family home?"
"I refuse! The viscount practically cast me out as though we were divorced. There is no way my parents would take me back!"
He hadn't exactly cast her out. He had said she could remain there if she became a secondary wife.
Still, from the perspective of her pride, that might have been impossible to accept.
Thinking about it that way, there was no question that she couldn't return to her family home.
"Besides..."
"Besides what?"
"If I became the Margrave's lover, I could also show my parents that I have gotten the better of them..."
"That would be fine, as long as you aren't intimidated by the frightening women over there."
I glanced at the two former royals.
"Truly?!"
Kanan's face lit up.
She seemed motivated enough, so I was willing to let her help, but she couldn't work in that white dress.
I brought out a house in an open area so she could change into work clothes inside.
When it came to work clothes, tracksuits were the obvious choice. I bought a gray tracksuit with two white stripes down the sides from Shangri-La.
"Kanan, these are your work clothes. Change into them before you start."
"Understood!"
As Kanan clutched the tracksuit I had given her and rushed into the house, the beastfolk came over too.
"Boss! We'll help too!" "Nyaa!"
"I see. Then I'm counting on you."
I gave the beastfolk scythes as well. It was manual grass-cutting, but with so many people, we had space for the house and large tent in no time.
"Kenichi! I'll bake bread."
"Oh! Is that so? Please do."
I brought out a table, a stove, and other things for Anemone.
"I cannot cut grass, so perhaps I shall learn how to bake bread from Anemone."
"I'll teach you!"
I doubt the princess had ever imagined that she would end up baking bread.
As for the important matter of preparing meals, it would probably be best to leave it to Sanbak-san, the castle cook, once he arrived.
If I gave him my recipes, he should be able to reproduce them exactly.
Whenever I felt like junk food, I could simply buy some from Shangri-La.
Once I had set up the house, the hut, and the large tent, this became our base.
The hut that had originally been used for the tree house became Julius's private room.
Inside were only a kerosene lamp and a bed.
"Julius, make do with this for a while. Is there anything else you need?"
"A small desk, if possible..."
"Give me a moment."
I searched Shangri-La and found a computer desk with drawers and an integrated bookcase. It cost ten thousand yen.
It was made of plywood, but would that be all right? A steel desk would really be sturdier and better, though.
The chairs cost fourteen thousand yen for two.
"Click."
The desk and chairs dropped into the room.
"Whoa! Such splendid things..."
"The bookcase is built in, so it should be convenient."
The chairs were wooden, but they were folding chairs that became flat boards.
"When you're not using the chairs, you can fold them up like this."
"This is marvelous! No wonder Kaldon gets so excited."
I would leave this hut in his care.
The large tent Akira and the others had used became a storage area for the maids' and the two former royals' belongings.
I was worried about theft, but they said they would set up night patrols. Apparently, that was part of the maids' duties too.
Checking the castle throughout the night had apparently been one of their jobs.
Besides, they had a decent amount of martial-arts training, and Mairen, the head maid, was said to be quite strong.
By the time the work was finished, the sun had begun to sink.
"All right! Time to prepare dinner!"
With Primula gone, we would have instant soup, but the maids seemed intent on making proper soup.
The meat would of course be dragon meat. We had to eat and use it up. There was always a chance we might be able to hunt more.
Once we obtained more meat, we could sell the older meat.
Though when I said older, it remained fresh forever inside my Item Box.
We could generate electricity with solar panels, but with my Item Box, we didn't need a refrigerator, and Anemone's magic meant we didn't need a washing machine either.
This other world was amazing.
After we finished eating, it was time for a bath. We hadn't bathed in several days.
I set up screens in the open area and took a bathtub out of my Item Box.
Once we built the mansion, I wanted to install a bath there too, so we probably wouldn't have to bathe outside like this anymore.
We didn't need a boiler to heat the bath. Anemone's magic could do it.
The bath was ready, but until now I had been the only man. Now Julius had joined us.
He couldn't very well bathe together with the women.
"Julius, are you going to bathe too?"
"No, Kenichi-sama. I could never presume to bathe with you. There is a river here, so I will wash myself there."
I went over to the maids, who were organizing their belongings in the large tent.
"What about you maids? It's a warm bath."
"We couldn't possibly. If maids become accustomed to such luxury, everyday life will only become more difficult."
The head maid Mairen replied while pushing her glasses up with a quick motion.
It was true that learning to enjoy luxury made things difficult afterward. The beastfolk had said that after eating the food I prepared, they could no longer eat in town.
When I looked at the maids' faces, they clearly wanted to go in.
They were women, after all, and I understood their desire to stay clean at all times.
"Then I'll at least give you soap and hair-washing products. I want my maids to stay clean at all times."
"Thank you very much for your consideration, Kenichi-sama. If there is a maid who catches your eye, please give us your orders at any time."
"...Yes, well—I'll count on you then."
I didn't mean anything like that, but denying it here might have hurt their pride.
I bought soap, shampoo, and conditioner from Shangri-La, put them in plastic cases, and handed them to the maids.
They would need towels and bath towels too.
The maids squealed over the shampoo and conditioner packed in boxes.
They looked so endearing that I wondered if it was because I was an old man.
Once it grew dark, I turned on an LED lantern.
I set up the screens and filled the tubs with water. Since there was a river nearby, getting the water was easy.
I sank the bathtubs in the river, then stored them in my Item Box again.
That way, I could draw as much water as I wanted.
Once the tubs were in place, I had Anemone heat them with her magic.
"Warm!"
When we built the mansion, would it be possible to install an oil-fired boiler for the bath?
With Akira around, we could produce as much oil as we wanted.
In exchange, I could supply him with daily necessities.
There were three bathtubs outside.
When I got into one, the naked Anemone and Lilith jumped in after me.
"Wait, wait! Three people won't fit!"
"Enough! Anemone, you bathe by yourself!"
"But I always bathed with Kenichi!"
"I am the Margrave's principal wife!"
"I've been with Kenichi much longer than Lilith has!"
"All right, all right, don't fight."
Oh, no. I had ended up seeing Lilith naked too. Well, since she was my principal wife, it would have happened eventually anyway...
Lilith's pale, beautiful body was more womanly than Anemone's now that she was fifteen.
Her small breasts were still quite modest, but her birth mother had apparently been very well-endowed, leaving open the possibility—a fantasy, perhaps—that they might grow large someday.
The three of us squeezed into the small tub. It was incredibly cramped.
The bathing area was separated by screens, and the maids were waiting nearby, so they would come running if Lilith called.
Of course, the same was true if I called, but what about Amaranthus?
Lilith was no longer royalty, but she was the Margrave's wife. Amaranthus, on the other hand, was a slave...
I was curious how the maids would treat them, but Amaranthus herself did not seem inclined to ask the maids for anything.
Amaranthus was bathing alone, completely at her own pace.
As expected of a remarkable woman who had effectively ruled an entire country.
Her body was clearly that of an athlete, without an ounce of excess fat. There was no mistaking it for an ordinary woman's body.
Nearby, Kanan stood with a bathrobe covering her chest and private area.
"Viscount's wife, what is the matter? Will you not get in?"
"No, I could never presume to bathe with Her Majesty the Queen..."
"I am no longer a queen or a member of the royal family. I am merely a slave. There is no need to hold back."
At those words, Kanan hung her bathrobe on the screen and got into the cramped tub with Amaranthus.
Amaranthus was beautiful too, but Kanan had once been called the Flower of the Frontier.
With the two of them together, their glamour doubled. It felt as though spring had blossomed across the entire world and angels might descend at any moment through the flower petals drifting overhead.
Why were such women bathing in an outdoor tub in a remote frontier? It was a complete mystery.
Beside Amaranthus and Kanan, the two beastfolk were bathing together too.
They were bickering as usual, but they were close.
As I watched them, Lilith, who was bathing with me, reached toward my groin.
"H-hey, wait!"
"What are you saying? You and I are husband and wife. Is it not only natural for us to do this much?"
"Then I'll do it too!"
As though competing with Lilith, Anemone reached toward me as well.
"Wait, both of you!"
"Kenichi—surely you do not intend to break your promise to embrace me once we get to the lake?"
"I-I don't, but..."
The two girls were pressing me, but no matter how often I was told that this was normal in this world, the common sense of my old world got in the way.
No, Lilith might be all right, but Anemone was completely out of the question even by this world's standards.
"Amaranthus, say something to Anemone too. She's far too young, isn't she?"
"That is true. There seem to be nobles who enjoy such things, but normally it is considered repulsive behavior."
"Hmph!"
The beastfolk came over as well.
"Miss Ane, don't trouble Boss too much, all right? There are people who like being with small children like you, but..."
"Perverts, nya."
"I'm not a child!"
"I'm not a pervert either, and I know Anemone isn't a child, but wait until you're at least as old as Lilith."
"Mmph!"
After hearing everyone's opinions, it seemed that even by this world's cultural standards, pursuing a girl Anemone's age was still unacceptable.
After everyone persuaded her, Anemone backed down.
"In that case, shall we continue?"
"No, no, that's not what I meant."
"Why do you hesitate? You may wash my private parts, Kenichi. We can wash each other."
"That's not fair! Me too!"
"Anemone—you really don't understand at all, do you? Hey, Mairen!"
When I called her, Mairen immediately came to the bathing area.
"Did you call for me?"
"It would be bad for me to bathe with a little girl like Anemone, right?"
"If that is Master's preference, we have no means of stopping you—but to put it plainly, it would be questionable behavior for a person."
She was being far too blunt!
"See, Anemone? Everyone says it's wrong."
At that moment, Bell returned from her patrol out of the darkness.
"Mother, say something to Anemone too."
"Nyaa."
"Hmph! You're all leaving me out!"
"That's not what we're doing. I'm telling you to wait until you're about Lilith's age!"
After I spoke a little sternly to her, Anemone fell silent.
If I made her angry, she might lose not only her bath privileges but also the chance to sleep with me.
In truth, her age was a difficult matter. She was old enough to be treated as an adult, but sexual relations were forbidden.
It was an extremely difficult age. I just hoped she wouldn't become rebellious. As her father, I was worried about that.
Anemone had quieted down, but I still had to keep my promise to Lilith.
I took a table out of my Item Box and lined jet heaters up on it.
"Ahh, this is wonderful." "This magic tool is incredible, nya."
The jet heaters were the beastfolk's favorites. They would be sleeping in the hut I had set up beside the house.
Once my hair was dry, I put on a nightgown, then took beds out of my Item Box and arranged them inside the house.
Normally, everyone slept together here, but I had to fulfill my promise to Lilith.
In the darkness, the LED lantern in my hand cast a blue glow over our surroundings.
I took Lilith's hand, and we walked together to a spot a little way from the house.