Ch.143Preparation #3

“Take it off…?”

While it was absurd to be told to undress when I was already in the process of doing so, seeing the hunger-induced venom in her eyes left me speechless.

It seemed similar to the anger one feels when food is given and then taken away.

Well… I was planning to bathe anyway, so what difference would it make to take everything off?

I recalled the faces of servants who had passed by the door over the past few days and made one final comment.

“Fine. Let’s take the medicine first.”

Contraception is important.

Especially during times like these when something major could happen.

So after I hurriedly finished preparing, she pounced on me as if she’d been waiting for this moment.

For four days, stretching into a fifth, our passionate cries never ceased.

Meals were fine as the servants tactfully took care of them, but the sheets and blankets became unbearably heavy from absorbing so much fluid.

Not to mention the terrible smell that came with it.

“Ugh…!”

Crack!

My muscles screamed in protest from all the wild activity.

She had lifted me up completely, pushed me against walls while standing—it was only natural I’d be sore.

It hurt enough to make me unconsciously furrow my brow.

Nevertheless, it felt refreshing to release all the pent-up desire and anxiety.

Even though my body was tired and my head was foggy.

I stepped out alone onto the balcony, imagining the servants who would soon be whispering while doing the laundry.

I’d never heard them, but I was certain they must often exchange embarrassing and shameful comments.

Though I had no one to blame but myself, thinking about it with a clear head made me newly embarrassed.

Having washed my dirty body, I felt exceptionally refreshed, but that clarity brought back the information I’d extracted from Count Carlton.

It came back vividly, as if telling me to stop escaping reality and face it.

The image of the man panting like a dog, drooling as he answered.

“Tsk.”

Gods.

I clicked my tongue, recalling the faces of the gods gathered around a table that day.

I had wondered why peaceful humans suddenly started acting foolishly, only to discover it was all because of a prophecy.

From my perspective, having been dragged into this almost forcibly, I could only sigh.

My goal would likely be achieved naturally as time passed, but perhaps that predictability was boring to them.

I never dreamed they would instigate a war just for amusement after one hurdle had been overcome.

From their perspective, they might think they’ve maintained boundaries, but from the perspective of someone caught in the middle, it was absurd.

Still, since they’ve already intervened directly through prophecy, I doubt any greater beings will get involved.

I don’t know the exact rules, but intervention requires complicated procedures.

“Master. I’ve brought tea.”

As I was steeling my resolve to just get through this one crisis, Helena arrived with a tray of tea.

The afterglow of our time in bed apparently hadn’t faded, as she called me “master.”

“Thank you. Let’s drink together.”

“…Okay.”

Clink. Helena answered shyly but eagerly sat beside me and picked up the teapot.

Having occasionally cooked and brewed tea, her every movement now showed practiced familiarity.

The strong scent that had emanated from Helena’s body was gone, and she had changed into clean clothes.

She was wearing one of the thin garments made for the night, still looking tempting enough to make my mouth water.

Even though we had been intimate to the point of exhaustion, I still felt a twinge of desire.

“Those two are still sleeping, I see.”

“Yes. They’re sound asleep. Their relaxed faces suggest they were quite satisfied.”

However, the desire that had begun to rise again was quelled by the fragrant tea.

Fortunately so, as I could still move around, but any more activity might have truly caused me to collapse.

“I’m glad they enjoyed it. Makes the effort worthwhile.”

Being human, I was secretly quite pleased with myself for having satisfied three women.

Of course, one of them was now sitting beside me smiling as if nothing had happened, but even that was nice.

One needs moments to catch their breath in life.

Helena blushed at my words and nodded silently, then offered me another cup of tea.

“By the way, what shall we do for dinner? Lunch is already too late, so that can’t be helped.”

“Well. Considering the time, we should avoid anything too heavy, something that won’t be burdensome but will fill us up…”

Fortunately, even in summer, this continent rarely exceeds 30 degrees, so it doesn’t feel too hot, but I could definitely feel the air getting warmer.

That’s why I wanted to avoid steaming hot food like we’d have in winter.

Hot dishes just weren’t appealing at this time.

“Huh?”

In the middle of our casual conversation, Helena tilted her head and left the balcony first.

I momentarily thought she was rushing to the bathroom, but soon realized why she had hurried toward the door.

It was because someone was approaching the room.

“My Lord, I apologize for disturbing you. I have urgent news to deliver, please forgive my rudeness.”

After adjusting my clothes, I stood at the door and soon heard an urgent but familiar voice.

It was Andy, who was increasingly showing signs of age with his graying hair.

“What is it?”

“My Lord, news has arrived from where you previously ordered. Here…”

As Helena eagerly opened the door, Andy seized the opportunity to pull out a letter from inside his coat and hand it to me.

The red wax seal on the white envelope bore an unfamiliar insignia.

It wasn’t the emblem of nobility or royalty, so I suspected it might be from a merchant.

“Hmph!”

Suddenly, Andy, who had passed the letter with a tense expression, involuntarily gasped.

Helena didn’t notice as she was busy opening and reading the letter, but I, having nothing else to do, could see the change very clearly.

People instinctively wrinkle their faces when they smell something foul, and that’s exactly what Andy’s expression looked like.

Feeling embarrassed, I carefully spoke up.

“A-ahem. I’m sorry. It seems I’ve caused trouble again…”

“Pardon? Oh, no, not at all. A strong bond between husband and wife means stability for the duchy. I find it quite fortunate.”

Andy quickly composed himself and offered a gentle smile, as if realizing his mistake.

The change in expression was so sudden that one might think he was hiding his true feelings, but his voice remained consistently gentle.

This meant that what he had just said was Andy’s honest truth.

“In that case, I’m relieved as well.”

“Yes, yes. Well then, I shall take my leave. Ah, shall I have your meal brought to your room again?”

“No. We’ll eat in the dining room.”

“Understood.”

I quickly bowed my head and watched Andy’s retreating back, then shifted my gaze to the letter in Helena’s hand.

Curious about its contents, I looked closely and saw that someone was coming to visit us.

It wasn’t unusual for nobles or merchants to occasionally visit our estate, so the news itself wasn’t surprising.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.

Because the sender of the letter was none other than a noble from the Empire.

“Anderson Kloss? That nobleman we met in the port city?”

“Yes. As soon as I heard about Zion, I immediately sent a letter to this man. He was practically begging to be reeled in, remember?”

That’s right. I still remembered how he had left meaningful words during that dinner.

Though I had temporarily buried it in a corner of my memory due to recent chaos, I hadn’t forgotten.

“Right. He spoke as if we might meet again later… Is that what bothered you?”

“Whether he truly received a prophecy or has simply gone mad… it’s clear the Empire’s Emperor is contemplating war. And this man, being an Imperial noble, surely knows that fact. So I want to use this opportunity to uncover his true intentions.”

“Yes. It does seem like the right time to ask.”

Just because someone says “let’s meet someday” doesn’t necessarily mean in the distant future.

So it wouldn’t be strange if he suggested meeting tomorrow, or even months later, like now.

Perhaps the man who sent the letter thought the same?

.

The sea breeze in the kingdom isn’t much different.

Anderson sighed as he stood on the deck of the ship heading toward Baron Barkan’s territory.

As a nobleman responsible for protecting his domain, he rarely had reason to venture out, but when necessary, he would take action personally.

Moreover, with his eldest son watching over his territory, he had little to worry about.

The administrative staff managing the estate remained in place, and he had brought only two or three servants with him.

“Lord Viscount. I’m informed that the meal will be ready soon.”

Though not quite as luxurious as a modern cruise ship, this merchant vessel was impressively large.

Furthermore, its interior was elegantly decorated for wealthy merchants and nobles who occasionally traveled by sea, and the service was of high quality.

Thus, there were dedicated staff preparing meals, so Anderson’s servants didn’t need to make separate arrangements.

They only needed to relay messages, like now, informing him that a meal was ready.

“Hmm. Let’s go.”

After hearing the servant’s message, Anderson headed straight to the dining hall.

Throughout the long, wide tables, many people were chatting and laughing, creating an overall bright atmosphere.

People simply enjoying conversation.

Those seeking to forget loneliness through fleeting encounters, and others testing the waters.

Anderson scanned the diverse crowd, casually listening to their conversations.

For him, this lively atmosphere was like seasoning that enriched the dining experience.

—By the way, have you heard? Grain purchases have been gradually increasing across territories recently.

—Yes. It’s causing difficulties in securing unexpected quantities. I’m debating how much of my stored grain to sell. Since it’s not harvest season yet, I need to be measured.

—What a beautiful necklace. Where did you purchase it?

—Hehe. I acquired the gemstones separately, then had a craftsman I know make it specially. You seem to like it?

While conversations are meaningful in themselves, some were particularly jarring.

Merchants discussing the Empire’s movements were among these.

With such large-scale movements, some visibility was inevitable.

As the administrator of a trading city, Anderson knew this well, which is why he had boarded this ship in disguise.

His face was fairly well-known as the leader of one of the Empire’s cities.

Especially on a ship departing from the Empire.

“That was a good meal.”

After finishing a well-cooked steak, Anderson immediately headed to his room.

Having cleared his head with the refreshing breeze on deck, he wanted to once more trace through the events that would unfold.

A room with one bed, one table, several chairs, and drawers—only the most necessary furniture.

Anderson retrieved a bag he had placed under the bed and pulled out a carefully preserved document.

It wasn’t exactly a document, but more like a summary report of the current situation.

“Hmm…”

One day, a divine oracle suddenly came through the Emperor’s dream.

From the Empire’s perspective, this could be considered honorable—the Emperor serving the will of the gods—but not everyone saw it that way.

This was the view of the moderates, including Anderson.

Of course, with the hardliners led by the Emperor being so powerful, proper opposition was impossible.

Doing so would risk being branded a traitor and executed before the war even began.

Was it merely using the gods’ will as an excuse, then?

He could confidently say no to that.

In the past, others besides the Emperor had received divine guidance, and even those not from the Church-State, known for serving the gods, could hear prophecies.

So the likelihood of the Emperor lying was low.

However, just because it was a divine prophecy didn’t mean it had to come true exactly as foretold.

Those with clear eyes knew that the gods’ words weren’t prophecies but intentions to guide events in their desired direction.

That’s why there had been failures.

Divine intervention wasn’t absolute.

Gods.

Anderson sighed, imagining the face of a god he had never seen and likely never would.

Thinking about how much blood would flow if war broke out in an attempt to unite the continent, with conflicts against countries both large and small, weighed heavily on his heart.

If the Empire were in a weakened state, it might be understandable, but that wasn’t the case—why war now?

While it couldn’t be denied that the Empire’s vast territory had been established through war, there was no need for such ambition now.

The situation was very different from the past, and the national power remained strong.

Yet, following the words of that god, war.

For Anderson and his faction, this was a deeply dissatisfying and concerning situation.

Moreover, his patron, who briefly expressed moderate views to the Emperor, now found his once-secure succession to the throne in jeopardy.

And as a counterbalance, the Second Prince, who shared the Emperor’s views, was receiving favor…

“Troublesome from top to bottom.”

At that moment, a letter arrived that might provide a breakthrough.

Secretly, so no one would know, from a noble of the Kingdom with whom he had briefly dined.

After reading the contents of the letter and deeply contemplating, Anderson finally decided to meet.

Regardless of whether his actions might truly be considered treason.