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Chapter 28
Chris, who was covering Fiani’s eyes, spoke in a voice full of irritation.
“Why are those filthy bastards suddenly taking their clothes off?”
Fiani swallowed hard. Gulp.
[Um, c-could you maybe just let me watch? I didn’t grow up seeing things like this, so…!]
Just then, Zenu—still damp as if he had just washed up—approached Chris.
“Oh? Sir Chris, you’re here?”
“Why are you slacking off here instead of being at the training grounds? Is my order a joke to you?”
“We were working hard together until just now!”
After blurting that out indignantly, Zenu flinched and hurriedly continued.
“Ah, and right now the First Knight Order is—”
“No excuses. I know they’re on break right now.”
Zenu, who had been worried that Chris might misunderstand and think the First Knight Order was goofing off, let out a sigh of relief.
“You already knew. I spoke for nothing. But, Sir Chris.”
“What.”
“Why are you covering her eyes?”
Zenu looked at Fiani, whose face was tightly covered by Chris’s hand.
[Mr. Bear! That was well said! Hurry up and tell him to move his hand!]
Chris, unable to hear Fiani’s excited voice, frowned.
“I was going to let her watch them suffer a bit, but then they suddenly stripped their tops. It’s disgusting. My baby should live seeing only pretty and beautiful things.”
“……”
Zenu subtly turned his head and glanced over the sweating knights. Every one of them had a well-trained body.
If you’re being technical, it’s closer to beautiful… but if Sir Chris says so, then I guess that’s how it is.
Zenu nodded with an awkward smile.
Just then, someone’s presence was felt.
“Sir Chris…”
Johannes approached, his eye sockets dark to the point of bluish-black and his cheeks hollowed in, walking like a withered vegetable.
“Welcome back…?”
Even his voice was rough, like it had been scraped with sandpaper.
“What happened to you now? Why do you look like that?”
Worried that Fiani might be startled by such a ruined appearance, Chris pulled her closer to himself as he spoke.
“Well, obviously because there’s too much work.”
“There’s always been too much work.”
“Yes. There’s always been a lot, but because of what you did, Sir Chris, even more work has piled up. I’m at the point where I want to faint and wake up next summer.”
Chris frowned.
“What nonsense are you suddenly spouting?”
“You gathered all the nobles who harmed others into one banquet hall and said only the single person who won the fight would be spared.”
Johannes spoke in a completely drained voice. Fiani jolted in surprise.
[You made nobles play a death game like that?!]
“That’s right,” Chris replied, as if answering Fiani directly.
At his indifferent tone—like it was no big deal—Johannes pressed his forehead.
“Why would you do something so cruel?! If you were going to help them anyway, you could have shown some mercy!”
“I made them do it because I didn’t think anyone would actually die when a bunch of soft, pampered fists fought to survive. And in fact, no one died. Isn’t that merciful enough?”
“Merciful?! I also heard you didn’t even keep your promise. Why did you beat up the one person who endured until the end?”
When Johannes asked tearfully, Chris replied as if the answer were obvious.
“Seeing him happy that he survived pissed me off.”
“Ugh!”
Johannes, overcome with anger, pounded his chest. If he didn’t do this, it felt like his heart might actually stop.
“Why are you making such a big deal out of this? You’ve never overreacted this much before.”
[Before? Does that mean things like this have happened more than once?]
Fiani asked innocently. Chris couldn’t answer, but yes—there had been times.
“The person you beat at the end was Count Rosa. He owns the granary region that supplies winter food to the north, and his contract renewal is due at the end of this month.”
“……”
After silently organizing his thoughts, Chris spoke.
“So what you’re saying is you’re worried we won’t be able to buy food for the northern territory? Then you’re worrying about something completely pointless.”
“Pardon?!”
“Is there anything I can’t do with my own power?”
Chris looked genuinely baffled, as if he’d been asked the most unnecessary question imaginable.
[Your confidence is amazing. Well, you are the head of the Hespia Grand Ducal House, so I guess that’s only natural!]
With a heavy sigh, Johannes continued.
“They’re saying this year’s total crop yield of the Roroa Empire is expected to drop by more than 10% compared to last year. If Count Rosa refuses to release his crops, claiming they’re for his own people, what will you do then?”
“As I said before, isn’t that when you just take it by force?”
Johannes spoke with a grave expression.
“If you use force to push things through even when the other side has a legitimate reason, you become nothing more than a tyrant. That’s why we’ve been using trade—legitimate trade. And we were careful with our attitude so that the deal would go smoothly.”
Fiani was startled.
I thought he was just someone who ran his mouth and earned beatings, but he can actually give perfectly reasonable advice?
Chris neither got angry nor agreed after hearing this.
“You keep saying strange things. Anyway, if it’s needed, we take it—even if we have to seize it.”
“Ha! Didn’t I just say that’s exactly what a tyrant would—!”
“Then I’ll be a tyrant. What’s the problem?”
Chris continued, looking like he genuinely didn’t understand Johannes at all.
“In the end, people always prioritize their own. And if it’s for my people, I don’t care what happens to the people of other territories.”
“Food is directly tied to survival. If you take it by unjust means, it could lead to serious problems later.”
“Serious problems? What—are you saying the people of Count Rosa’s territory will rise up to kill me?”
“There’s no guarantee they won’t. Territorial wars aren’t illegal.”
“Do you really think I’d let someone else slit my throat?”
Chris’s choice of words was a bit rough, but his voice was filled with nothing but genuine, innocent doubt.
If Johannes had answered yes here, Chris would have had him hospitalized out of lingering affection. He couldn’t just ignore that.
Thankfully, Johannes didn’t answer that way.
“What? How could that possibly happen?”
Zenu sighed in relief. He, too, had been worried Johannes might have lost his mind.
“Haa… anyway, I want to avoid causing problems as much as possible, so I’ll secure the food using money whenever I can.”
“I may have more money than I know what to do with, but I don’t want to tiptoe around and hand it over to a bastard like that.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to pay more than expected either. Taking a loss is horrifying.”
Just as the conversation seemed to be wrapping up—
“Sir Chris, there you are.”
Dien arrived.
“Why is everyone making such a fuss and coming to find me today?”
Fiani nodded in agreement.
[Is this some kind of meeting plaza or what?]
Dien spoke gently to the frowning Chris.
“We just received a message from Waz. He says there’s someone he’d like to introduce to you, Sir Chris…”
“That guy? Instead of enjoying the vacation I told him to take?”
“Yes.”
Chris twitched one eyebrow and turned toward his office.
Still blinded, Fiani had to swallow her tears of regret.
Will I get to see it next time? That gorgeous body showcase…
When Chris arrived at his office, he immediately drew his hand through the air. A small, door-sized portal opened.
Oh my. This is a portal! How cool!
Fiani’s eyes sparkled. But if someone asked her whether she wanted to see the portal or half-naked men, she’d choose the latter without hesitation.
Then someone stepped out of the portal Chris had opened. Everyone except Fiani had expected it—it was Waz.
“Thank you for granting my request, Sir Chris.”
Watching Waz bow politely to Chris, Fiani thought,
This is another new type of handsome man.
He looked masculine, but with slightly drooping eyes and a tired air that suggested some kind of story.
Mr. Bear is handsome too, facially. Do they recruit people in the grand ducal house based on looks?
Just then, a loud commotion came from the portal.
“Is this really okay?! Isn’t it dangerous?!”
“Oh, Father, just come in. It’s fine.”
“T-then hold my hand.”
“Yes, yes.”
At the noisy chaos, Waz covered his face with a miserable expression, Johannes furrowed his brow, and Zenu’s eyes widened.
What kind of conversation is that?
Fiani also grew inexplicably serious.
Then—
“Oh my. How fascinating!”
A beautiful middle-aged woman with a gentle impression appeared. The voices just heard had clearly been male.
What on earth is going on?
Then—bang, crash! Three more people tumbled through the portal.
“H-honey, don’t go alone!”
“Ahh, Father!”
“Hey! Don’t pull me!”
Faced with the unexpected large group, Chris’s eyes widened.
What is this?
“Wow! This really works? I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life! Amazing!”
“Honey! Since we’re here anyway, let’s do some sightseeing in the capital.”
“Shall we?!”
At the word “sightseeing,” a vein bulged on Chris’s forehead.
What are these people?
