Don’t Run Away My Lord

63 – She Came (1)

“Anyway, my lord, think about the matter of the Marquis of Aiwar. In my opinion, it would be best to act now.”

“Okay… I understand.”

Liana turned around angrily and strode out of her office.

Why are you doing that?

* * * * *

I was so busy for the next few days that I completely forgot about Liana’s proposal.

Being a lord was not a position where I could relax as much as I thought.

It was in the Viscounty of Toussaine that I first decided to become a lord.

I thought that if I became a lord, I would be able to make money and live peacefully within the territory.

When I became a real lord, there were so many things I had to do.

Trade with nearby territories, production, development, investment of the territory itself, and even the results of minor trials by the people of the territory were posted.

Even if there are people who cannot get married, they even search for partners and connect them.

The reason for doing this is that the labor force can be maintained only if the territory residents keep giving birth.

Of course, all practical work is done by vassals in charge of each field, but ultimately, it is the lord’s job to review, approve, and confirm everything.

Even with the strength and stamina of a dragon, I’ve been feeling a bit tired lately, so I’ve said all that.

Even if I was mistaken, I was very firm…

* * * * *

In the realm of the human world, there is a bizarre system called ‘right to over-opposition’.

What this means is that the lord takes the first marriage of a virgin who has just come of age within the territory.

So to put it simply, the lord is having his first mating with a human female, you crazy bastards.

When I first heard that, I couldn’t believe my ears.

“Why on earth are you doing something like that? Get rid of it immediately.”

But surprisingly, it was the territory residents who opposed it.

That is also the territory residents who have daughters who will soon become adults.

I didn’t understand it at first, but Wolpert gave me a hint.

“My lord. The power of the first night is not the tyranny of the lord. Rather, it gives the maidens of the territory an opportunity to rise in status.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Think about it. In the end, a girl who is destined to marry the same serf and eat up the land suddenly becomes pregnant with the lord’s child. So what happens to that girl?”

“Oh, is that something like that…?”

“And… The lord has no choice. Regardless of whether she’s pretty or ugly, an adult girl has to do it. Well, since she’s a dragon, she probably can’t tell the difference between human appearances.”

No. I make that distinction too, Wolfert.

I know enough to know that Liana and Keita are incredibly pretty even among humans.

And if I had to choose between the two, it would be Liana.

Anyway, if that is the case, it is understandable that the residents of the territory are protesting to maintain the over-opposition system.

But the problem occurred somewhere else.

* * * * *

One day, during a morning meeting, a list of virgins who had to exercise their right to vote was brought up.

Liana, sitting to my right, glared at the vassal reporting her list with her icy expression.

All the retainers attending the meeting looked at him and held their breath.

“There are more than ten people, my lord…”

Her reporting vassal glanced at Liana and carefully handed me her list.

I was just about to take the paper when Liana snatched it in the middle of it.

“I will set a schedule and bring them in one by one, my lord.”

“Do it, Chamberlain.”

It is not necessary for the chamberlain to step forward, but he said he would do it, so there is no reason to stop him.

The matter regarding the opposition party was concluded with that and the meeting moved on to other topics.

It was about opening a store in the territory.

It was Liana’s proposal to raise taxes on prostitution that was conducted s*xually.

Naturally, no vassal could oppose it.

They were vassals who had already discovered a weakness to Liana.

“What do you think, lord?”

In response to Liana’s question, I also nodded along with her.

“I think it would be good to proceed that way.”

I also agreed because the tax collected from Changgwan was greater than anything else.

“Then, I will take full charge of the operation of the establishment. The other retainers are busy with their own fields.”

No one could raise a counterargument.

* * * * *

For several days, there was no news from the human females who had to exercise their right to stay overnight.

I didn’t wait for it, but I asked Liana implicitly because it was one of her lord’s duties.

Then Liana smiled and answered.

“I looked around and everyone refused?”

“Really? Why?”

“I heard he’s scary because he’s a monster hunter who killed a dragon.”

“Hmm… I see. Then there’s nothing we can do. By the way, are things related to the Changgu things going normally?”

Liana smiled like a crescent moon.

“I chose a sincere pimp and found some girls to work for him. Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.”

If Liana is like that, then it must be something like that…

“But have you thought about attacking the Marquis of Aiwar?”

“Well… It’s the busy farming season right now, so I think it’ll be a bit difficult to carry out an operation. Even if we attack, it would be okay in late fall or early winter after the harvest.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll assume it’s late fall and prepare.”

“No. I haven’t decided yet, so it’s too hasty…”

“My lord…”

Liana opened her mouth weakly, interrupting me.

“Did I do something wrong to my lord?”

“What?”

Liana drooped her shoulders and made a pitiful expression.

“I came all this way thinking only of the lord’s well-being… The attack on the Marquis of Aiwar is all about the lord’s well-being. No wonder I get some benefit from it…”

“That’s not it, Liana. I don’t suspect you have any other intentions. But if we raise an army now, this year’s food production will be disrupted. Then, in the end, we’ll have to import the shortfall from other territories…”

“Okay…”

Liana said as if she was sighing.

“I understand what you mean, my lord. I will leave now…”

“Liana.”

Looking at Liana’s back walking down the hallway, she sighed softly.

From Noble mtl dot com

It is not true to say that there is no suspicion that Liana has other intentions.

Clearly Rihanna has some other agenda.

It is the most basic of all basics not to engage in territorial warfare between summer and fall.

There is no way Liana doesn’t know that.

Nevertheless, it is incomprehensible to common sense that they are trying to enforce it like that.

There is definitely something there.

Liana probably thinks I’m just a careless dragon that follows her will, but… Well…

“My lord.”

Keita quietly walked out from the corner of the hallway on the other side.

She glanced back in the direction where Liana had walked.

After Keita confirmed that Liana was out of sight, she took a step closer to me.

“Did you install it?”

“Yes. If the Chamberlain can sense magic, he will be discovered, but he does not know how to use magic, so it will be okay.”

“Don’t do any other missions, just check on that. If there’s anything strange, report it to me right away.”

“I understand.”

Keita cast a wiretapping spell on Liana’s office and bedroom under my instructions.

Every sound that comes out of there goes straight into Keita’s ears.

Liana is a very smart person, and if she didn’t use this method, we would never be able to figure out her intentions.

Keita also felt to some extent that Liana was not a human being with normal behavior patterns, so she readily carried out my orders.

It was because of Liana’s abnormal attitude towards Keita several times.

Keita was so frightened by her cold expression and tone that he couldn’t believe she was the same person.

“Well… But my lord… I have one thing to report to you…”

Keita hesitated and opened her mouth.

“I heard this just now from the chamberlain’s office… It’s about Changguan…”

After hearing her report, I immediately went looking for Wolfert.

* * * * *

I rode a horse and galloped through the streets of the city center.

When I appeared, all the residents of the territory retreated left and right and fell to the ground.

“This way, my lord!”

Wolfert, who was in front, turned and shouted.

We passed the lying villagers and entered a narrow alley.

In that alley, the Changgwan that Liana spoke about recently is located.

The sun was about to set, and Changgwan was about to open for business, turning on its red lights.

When I stopped in front of Changgwan and got off the horse, a middle-aged woman who seemed to be a pimp jumped out from inside.

“My lord! What are you doing in such a shabby place?”

The pimp twisted her body, making a loud noise.

Basically, it seemed like the movements to charm a man were ingrained in me.

“Are you the pimp here?”

“Yes, yes. I am a pimp~”

“Right now, gather the women working here alone.”

The pimp’s eyes glowed greedily at my words.

Perhaps he misunderstood that I had given such instructions with the intention of choosing the woman he liked.

As we entered Changgwan’s hall, servants were running here and there, calling for women.

As I stood by the door and waited, the pimp came inside and invited me to sit down.

“That’s it. I’ll stay here.”

“Don’t do that, my lord. Come in here~”

As she stared at her in silence, Wolpert stepped forward.

“The lord said he didn’t like it!”

“Yes, sorry…”

Meanwhile, fifteen women stood side by side in front of us.

Everyone was wearing strange underwear that clearly showed their nipples and groin area.

“Wolfert. Begin.”

At my command, Wolpert unfolded the paper he brought and called out my name.

“Rice.”

“Yes…?”

A very nervous woman raised her hand.

“Beatra.”

“Yes.”

“Elin.”

“Here…”

“Wena.”

“Yes.”

At Wolfert’s name, almost all the women gathered in the hall raised their hands one after another.

“My lord. This is the end.”

Wolfert reported while folding the paper.

I felt bitter and looked back at the intimidated women.

The piece of paper Wolfert was holding was a list of territory virgins who had recently been reported as having to exercise their right to vote during a morning meeting.