Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi

Chapter 320: Irregularities to the South

–Third Person POV–

Polpo Kingdom – Capital: Poron. A room in the palace.

「Glad you could come, Wilhelmina. How long has it been since I could be alone with you?」

「It’s an honor to see you, my dear brother Helbrandt.」

Wilhelmina lifts up the edge of her black mourning dress and bows respectfully.

Helbrandt―― the eldest son of the previous king of the Polpo kingdom and first heir to the throne―― nods contently.

「Because we’re in the middle of mourning, I can’t provide you with a fancy reception but I can at least give you tea.」

「Thank you very much. I also brought some sweets to go with the tea.」

Both individuals are royalty, however the busy crown prince Helbrandt doesn’t have the closest relationship with the youngest princess Wilhelmina who only participated in a handful of ceremonies.

To begin with, there is a large difference in their ages.

The late king did not have any children during his final years, but being over 90 years old, his eldest son Helbrandt is already on the verge of passing 50 years old.

On the other hand, Wilhelmina will be 20 this year, making their difference in age similar to the difference between parent and child.

「After father passed away, I was worried when I heard you locked yourself up in your room. Father treated you with much affection after all.」

「Yes...... well I can’t stay sad all the time. As royalty, we have a duty to guide the country to bright tomorrows.」

Wilhelmina smiles woefully.

「You’re right. Still, those foolish younger brothers...... they seem to be devising a plan to usurp the throne.」

Helbrandt clicks his tongue, having said something inappropriate as the next king.

「Could it be a misunderstanding? They would never do something like that.」

Helbrandt smiles wryly when Wilhelmina states with slight surprise in her tone.

「Haha, you might not be aware seeing as you’re still innocent. I also hope that what you say is true......」

Helbrandt tosses one of the sweets in his mouth before sitting next to his much younger sister and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

「Wilhelmina, won’t you rally up Polpo together with me? I have heard about your circumstances from rumors, but father is no longer here. Let us, as royals, join hands and keep the younger brothers in check.」

After saying that, the man gently rubs the girl’s shoulders, then brings his face close enough where both parties can feel each other’s breaths.

Helbrandt’s gaze is directed towards Wilhelmina’s nape and the mounds on her chest.

「My dear brother......」

Wilhelmina is 20 years old, a child born rather unnaturally when the previous king was over 70 years old.

The girl’s mother was a young prostitute, who soon died from illness after giving birth, leading to rumors circulating about her being a child born of another man’s seed.

The fact is that Wilhelmina’s physical appearance doesn’t look similar to the previous king or any of her brothers.

Despite the previous king treating her lovingly like a pet animal, he didn’t show any interest in her abilities and never assigned her any meaningful work.

「Become mine. If you do, I can give you strong royal blood.」

Helbrandt takes Wilhelmina’s hand and lightly strokes it.

A flame of lust clearly resided in his eyes.

「Your Highness...... Your Highness Helbrandt......」

There was a knock on the door. Helbrandt quickly separates from Wilhelmina.

With loud yelling not permitted during mourning time, the individual was speaking almost like he was whispering, but he could not hide the panic in his voice.

「What is the matter?」

Helbrandt sits himself opposite to Wilhelmina and allows the person to enter.

The man who rushes into the room was slightly taken aback when he saw Wilhelmina, although he still proceeds to whisper to Helbrandt.

「What? Yoel got assassinated!?」

Helbrandt forgot about the ban and shouted out unintentionally.

Yoel is the second prince.

「Yes...... in the post station where the feudal lords were with a crossbow.」

「That idiot, what is he doing wandering...... no, nevermind.」

Helbrandt looks at Wilhelmina.

She silently held a hand to her mouth and tears began to accumulate in her eyes.

「Who on earth...... the one who benefits from his death would be the third in line to the throne, so Maurice? No, Yoel is close with him. Assassination is out of the question because they joined hands! The dangerous one would be fourth in line, Balfan―― would a coward like him do something so drastic......」

「Dear brother――」

「You be quiet. For now, summon Balfan here so he can be questioned. After that, conduct an investigation on everyone around the servants. The suspect killed Yoel, so he will obviously come for me as well.」

Before the order could be carried out, another man comes rushing in.

「Your Highness, terrible news.」

「Balfan died you said!? He fainted while he was eating...... so he was poisoned!?」

Another report comes in to the dumbfounded Helbrandt.

「L-look through the window! Fire is coming from His Highness Maurice’s mansion! The well-being of His Highness is unknown!」

When the window was hastily opened, thick black smoke can be seen billowing up into the sunny summer sky.

The mansion was already engulfed in flames.

Everyone seemed to not care about the mourning restriction and were all screaming loudly.

「I have information that the fifth prince His Highness David was also in His Highness Maurice’s mansion.」

「W-what did you say......」

Helbrandt collapses on the spot.

His four brothers who were prepared to fight for their right to succeed the family were gone in a single day.

Wilhelmina was no longer covering her mouth and was gazing at the burning flames through emotionless eyes.

「In any case, gather the army! This is no time to continue mourning.」

The subordinates remain in their bewildered state.

「The thing is, I can’t seem to find the captain of the imperial guards Wallagood who was supposed to be stationed in the palace or General Linunes......」

「Then get the vice captain! Use your head a little!!」

Helbrandt finally yells angrily and gets everyone moving.

He closes the door and secures the double-layered lock.

Any ruffian would have a hard time getting to him through the thick door and sturdy lock.

The two of them were left alone in the room once again.

「How could this happen...... who would do this...... a minister? Or maybe a great feudal lord like him...... no, would he do something so ridiculous after coming to the capital? All four of them dying at the same time, this is just awful――」

The 50 year old man paces around the room uneasily like a sick bear. That was when Wilhelmina speaks up abruptly.

「If all of them were done in at the same time, doesn’t that mean time was given for the culprit to prepare?」

Helbrandt looks at his way younger sister in shock.

「Dear brother Helbrandt, how ignorant and dim-witted.」

The girl was―― smiling.

「Wilhelmina?」

The girl tilts her teacup and crosses her legs in a composed manner as she continues speaking.

「Fufu, I said, our other dear brothers can’t usurp the throne now, can they? They’re all dead after all.」

Her tone made it seem like she was having fun.

「Don’t tell me it was you!? No, impossible. A mere girl like you killed four royalty!?」

Wilhelmina quietly places her empty cup back on the table.

「There were more I believe? The captain of the imperial guards was in the reservoir pond and General Linunes may have been in a field on the outskirts.」

As soon as the girl lifted her eyes up, Helbrandt fell on his ass.

The 50 year old man’s hips gave out after looking at the young woman’s eyes. It was a strange sight.

「Why would you!?」

「Does the strong need a reason to eat the weak?」

Wilhelmina takes small steps to get close to the 50 year old man before she bends down to his level.

「My dear brothers were all mediocre. They didn’t have the ability to lead a country. That’s why they were eaten up.」

The girl bites down lightly on the man’s ear.

「A-a girl like you becoming the king of Polpo won’t―― gyaa!」

Violence cut the man’s words short as his earlobe was torn by the girl’s teeth.

「I’m not interested in becoming the king of Polpo. What I desire is much bigger...... the entirety of the Central plains......」

Wilhelmina’s face scrunches as she looks the map unfolded on Helbrandt’s desk.

It was a map of only the Polpo kingdom.

「A small man like I thought. The throne is too much for you.」

After tearing up the map, the girl walks casually in the room.

Even if he wanted to scream, his voice would not reach the other side of the thick door meant to keep secrets within the room.

But more than anything, the inexplicable pressure being emitted by the girl rendered him unable to do anything except stare blankly.

「This world is dictated by natural selection, meaning the strong survive, besides you wanted to live as a soldier anyways, right?」

The girl was walking as if she was skipping across grasslands.

「It’s the same with this country. Being afraid of Altair, afraid of the Empire, like a frail little mouse...... living that way is boring, don’t you think? That’s why I will recreate it. This country, the people, and everything else.」

Wilhelmina talks like a passionate girl who is obsessed about her dreams.

「I have to take advantage of the time when Vandolea is in disarray due to the epidemic to make military preparations. I would have liked to go further and invade, but I might be getting ahead of myself if I carry the disease back home, what a shame it is that I don’t have a wonder drug which allows me to take such a short cut......」

「Nonsense......」

Helbrandt, while being overpowered mentally, fumbles around his waist until he finds the short sword he has for self-defense.

He waits until the moment Wilhelmina looks away, then stands up and thrusts the dagger before her.

「It seems your mother did not get pregnant with father’s seed, rather she received a child from the devil! I won’t let you do as you please. I won’t hand this country or its people to a demonic child like you!」

Wilhelmina has a tiny build at roughly 150 cm in height and has no experience in martial arts.

She should not be able to do anything against a man with a knife no matter how clever she is.

「Ara, what a surprise.」

Wilhelmina exaggerates her reaction by putting a hand to her mouth.

「You should have surprise attacked me before babbling on. It would have been better to have your monologue with my corpse.」

Helbrandt inches toward the door.

「So dear brother, you knew that as well. I totally agree with you. ......but-」

The girl smiles once again.

「I was under the impression that I am already talking to the dead.」

The short sword falls to the floor with a clang.

Helbrandt collapses without picking up the weapon.

「My dear brother, it’s not a good idea to partake in sweets offered by other royalty during a battle for inheritance, you know?」

Wilhelmina puts away the leftover sweets in a pocket.

「Y-...... you b-...... p-poisoned...... ghghgh......」

「It’s only a numbing agent. If I poisoned you to death, I would become a criminal.」

She reaches down to retrieve the short sword and then raises it.

「Thank you for listening to me talk. I’ve always wanted to try doing this, except I felt embarrassed when doing it with a living person.」

Without hesitation, she brings the knife down.

「Ga...... go...... gigh......」

The drug even numbed his vocal chords so he couldn’t scream.

「I will guide this country and its people. My dear brother, please go to sleep peacefully.」

She swings the knife down again, this time hitting his heart.

After one final twitch, Helbrandt never moved again.

「......that probably looks too clean.」

The girl wounds the body in several places in addition to the stab to the heart, flips over the table, and then breaks a flower vase against the door.

「What was that sound? Your Highness!?」

As expected, the sound leaked out and prompted knocks on the door from the guards.

Wilhelmina continues to noisily make a mess of the room.

「Your Highness! Open the door, Your Highness! Hey, break it down!」

Wilhelmina flings open the window and stabs her brother in the heart once again.

Not long after, the door was broken with a mallet and guards rushed in.

「Noooooooo, dear brother!! Oh, my dear brother!」

The young princess falls down to her brother’s dead body and cries.

「Y-your Highness!? What is this!?」

「Wilhelmina-sama, what on earth happened here!?」

「An intruder suddenly climbed in from the window...... my dear brother protected me and fought but his sword was stolen...... aah, how did things turn out this way!?」

The guards check Helbrandt’s breath to confirm his death.

「Give chase out the window! Don’t let them get away!」

「With this, all the successors are dead...... Polpo is finished......」

In the chaos, Wilhelmina returns to her own room escorted by the guards.

「Rather than worry about me, pursue the person who killed my dear brothers! They definitely won’t target someone without succession rights like me.」

「We can’t leave Your Highness alone......」

A large man stands beside the hesitant guard.

「Her Highness will be protected by us, her personal army. Please rest assured and fulfill your duties.」

Zaphnes stands around Wilhelmina with a few other men.

Satisfied with the strong-looking men, the guards left.

「That was weak. You were walking across a tightrope.」

Wilhelmina nods before tossing the sweets to Zaphnes.

「How would I know? I only went to buy it, I’m no expert in poisons.」

She leans back in her chair and crosses her legs.

When the man’s gaze falls to her slender limbs, her eyes narrow menacingly.

「So, how is it going on your side?」

「Excellent. Rumors of a raid have been leaked to the gathered feudal lords. Meanwhile, rumors of the feudal lords rebelling have been leaked to the royal army.」

The unusual situation where the heirs to the throne have all died put the army and feudal lords at maximum tension.

Any kind of trigger would set off an explosion.

And that trigger was already prepared.

「Wait! A suspicious person ran!」

「That one was holding a sword!」

「That guy must be the offender, after him!」

The guards’ voices can be heard outside the window.

「As planned, that guy will run to the post station where the feudal lords are and commit suicide.」

There is no room to doubt a man who ran away from the palace with a blood-stained sword.

「Your desire, it was to make your family happy right? If you do a good job, I will grant your wish.」

Wilhelmina quietly closes the window.

「Is everything going the way you want?」

「So far, yes. This is only the start though. I have no time to rest.」

A strong light was reflected in the eyes of the girl who folded her arms on the desk.

One week later.

「All hail Her Majesty, the new King!」「All hail Queen Wilhelmina!」「Glory to the Queen!」

Cheers and acclamation extolling Wilhelmina resound in the capital’s plaza.

「How do you feel?」

「It’s not bad, but nothing special. Dancing when things are what you expect them to be is a little weird, don’t you think?」

Wilhelmina waves to the people while conversing with Zaphnes behind her.

「The cruel feudal lords moved in secret to overtake the kingdom by killing all the royalty. The only surviving royalty, the youngest princess, led an army to put the evil feudal lords to death...... What a moving story.」

「Be quiet now, I’m going to address the people.」

When the crowd settles down, Wilhelmina begins to speak softly.

「We’ve experienced an incomparable tragedy――」

She starts with a dark, sinking voice.

「Polpo has lost its guide, I have lost my entire family.」

The whole plaza goes silent.

「Brave soldiers worked hard to eliminate the evil, but what you are left with is a little 20-year old girl who could be overwhelmed by the anxiety.」

Murmurs ripple throughout the populace.

「Furthermore, Polpo is a small nation. The country is weak and doesn’t have very much territory. Giant countries surround us on all sides and they could attack at any time......」

The consecutive pessimistic words unthinkable in a place where a coronation is held causes the people to stir.

Zaphnes watches the girl speak with a doubtful expression.

「In order for this country to survive, we need unity more than anything. Nobles, soldiers, citizens, all of us need to come together and support this country. If we don’t, our country will be swallowed in no time.」

Wilhelmina continues.

「Do you want to live like the Divine Nation of Altair and be ruled by God?」

「Don’t screw with me! Let us choose our own Gods to believe in!」

「Being like those lunatics, no thanks!」

Opposition erupts from the crowd.

「Then do you want to live as worthless outliers like the Empire?」

「I’ve heard they’re being terribly exploited. Like I’ll become a military slave!」

「They’re savages, Empire my ass!」

Dissenting opinions get expressed once again.

「Then we have no choice but to join forces. To survive, we will live for our own sakes!」

The tone of the plaza rises with Wilhelmina’s increase in passion.

「You must have some dissatisfaction in someone like me becoming king. Even more so when it was a result of chaos. However, I ask that you all keep it in your hearts. Houses are about to go up in flames. This is no time for family members to fight amongst themselves.」

「Khkh.」

Tears well up in Wilhelmina’s eyes as she gazes at the citizens and soldiers.

Even though Zaphnes couldn’t hold back a chuckle, her expression doesn’t falter at all.

「This is no time for quarrelling!」

「Support the young queen!」

「We will help our queen!」

Wilhelmina wipes her tears with the sleeve of her extravagant outfit.

「Everyone...... I am truly thankful...... I will do my best!」

During the applause, some of the ministers appear to have mixed feelings.

They were the ones close to each of the princes.

「......why did this happen?」

「......hmmm.」

The momentous upheaval threw off the calculations of the close aides who believed they would attain positions of power, and the throne was taken by an unknown girl. There was no way they would not be upset.

「Uooooh――!! Hurray for the queen! All hail our young queen!!」

「Hurray for the beautiful queen!!」

Meanwhile, the masses and low-level soldiers welcome her with cheers.

Being so far from power to begin with, no real harm was done to them when the young princess ascended to the throne, rather it can be said that this is an opportunity for them because existing vested interests have been overturned.

With the heroic story of avenging her brothers’ deaths coming into play, the young and beautiful princess has become popular.

Having a beauty address the people in tears incites the crowd differently than a speech delivered by a phlegm-hacking arrogant old man.

There is an overwhelming majority of people in the latter category.

Those who hold complaints were swept away by the atmosphere and had to unwillingly give their praise.

「I will definitely turn this country into a strong and splendid one. Everyone, let us work hard together!」

Wilhelmina responds to the public with emphasized actions while descending the stage.

Loud applause and cheers echo throughout the capital.

The minute everybody disappears from sight, the girl’s flushed skin loses its color and her tears dry up.

「Wonderfully done, Your Majesty.」

「......」

Wilhelmina doesn’t say anything and simply tosses her crown to Zaphnes.

The large man hastily catches it and carefully sets it down.

「With that, we have most of the citizens’ support. Let us distribute the profits before the enthusiasm dies down. Let us hand out to the people half of what we confiscated from the feudal lords’ assets.」

「Are you sure?」

Zaphnes raises his head in surprise.

「Money is valuable, but right now we need to let the citizens dance for a while. During the time they are dancing, the nobles can’t make a move. We will use that to reorganize ourselves.」

「You’re practically using the people as tools.」

Wilhelmina grins as she folds her legs again, not denying or affirming the man’s statement.

「I recommend strengthening the army first. Visible results are need to be produced when the citizens are elated.」

「Understood, Your Majesty. Considering how they’re feeling, we should get many men when recruiting for soldiers.」

Wilhelmina unfolds the map of the Central plains in the king’s room which has now become her room.

「Next is information. Send out all the scouts we have. We will obviously send them to Altair, Libatis, Vandolea, Malt...... and Goldonia. Also send some to the southern feudal lord Hardlett’s base of operation, Rafen.」

Polpo’s political change was widely transmitted to various nations but none of them, not even Altair, did anything about it.

–Aegir POV–

The Rumored Rafen.

「Aaaaaaah――!! My hand! Squeeze my hand!」

「Is this...... good enough!?」

I grip her hand and ram my hips fiercely into Lammy, making her lower body straighten up tightly.

「Hiiiiiiih!! Auuuuuuu! Aaah......」

I pull out my dick and give her a kiss after she passes out.

I have to hold back even though I really wanted to cum inside her.

「Take it on your face.」

I bring my dick up and cover Lammy’s pretty face with my hot white seed.

「......pardon me.」

A helper girl comes in with a tub to collect the love juices leaking out of the unconscious Lammy.

She was hired by me to help Natia in her medicine making.

The most optimal recipe for the fire pox cure has been established for the most part.

A large amount of alraune pollen and Lammy’s juices are used. The fishman ball can be boiled and reused. And then only a tiny bit of Pochi’s blood is enough, although apparently more gets extracted from its ass when needed.

Since the alraune has propagated so much, pollen can be produced as much as necessary, however the same can’t be said more Lammy’s love juices.

「I’m sorry that we have to have sex like this.」

I feel bad that Lammy is being treated like an ingredient.

「......I may be presumptuous but it looks like she’s feeling really good, so isn’t this fine?」

The helper girl comments in confusion while holding the juice-filled tub.

「She is receiving love everyday and passing out from the pleasure, isn’t that the greatest happiness a woman can experience? At the very least, I would be happy. ......she’s getting such an amazingly large cock too.」

I grab the girl’s shoulder.

「You like large cocks?」

「There are no girls who hate big dicks.」

Our eyes meet.

「Your room was on the second floor of the annex at the very back, right? Will you leave your door unlocked tonight?」

「......I’ll be waiting.」

The medicine production is going according to plan.

As a final note, the helper girl got pregnant with my child.

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett. 24 years old. Summer.

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Margrave. Great Feudal Lord of Eastern Area. Mountain Legend. Friend of the Dwarves. Friend of the King of Aless. Dragon Slayer Hero.

Elf Mediator. Sex King of White City.

Citizens: 186,000. Refugees: 25,000.

Major Cities – Rafen: 32,000. Lintbloom: 5000. Special Cultivation District: 13,000.

Assets: 57,000 (disease countermeasure supplement -2000)

Sexual Partners: 543, children who have been born: 66 + 555 fish