CH 102

Orthia’s Delight

Translated by Mlzkzr

Edited by Mlzkzr

After praising me up, Erica went back to her official duties.

It’s the usual, I guess.

No matter how many times I see it, it’s her on/off switch that I was fond of.

Until just before that, she was telling me “amazing, amazing”, as if her intelligence had dropped to about 3, and now she was taking care of all the political matters that Eleni had brought up one after another.

“Ne,next. Baron Salamis’ request for additional funding.”

“Salamis? As I recall, they’re repairing the outer walls of the royal capital…… How many times has this happened?”

“Eh? Yes, err……”

Eleni fumbles and turns over the materials to find something.

“If Erica remembers correctly, this is the fourth time. Moreover, first, it was on the east side, then on the west side, then back to the east side, and now again on the west side.”

Erica’s shapely brow furrowed as she read the documents at hand.

“……Approve the additional budget. Let Deodorus investigate it.”

“De,Deodorus-sama? Dodo,does that mean there was an injustice?”

“8 to 9 out of 10, yes”

“Uu,understood!”

Erica gives orders without hesitation.

I somehow get that story.

This is a pattern that sometimes occurs in the repair work system.

They undertake construction work in two places first.

They’ll do one of them normally first, and then start the other.

In this case, the materials that they will use will be the ones that were torn off from the first site.

Then, from the first, the difference in materials for one site goes into their pockets.

And by the time the second site is finished, the first site somehow needs to be repaired again.

Then, while applying for a new budget, they will pull out the materials from the previous site ―― and so on.

It’s like some kind of money-making scam.

The key to this approach is to run multiple small sites.

For the government, the repair of public facilities and roads is a daily routine throughout the country.

They don’t care about some small site, and they don’t question anything when a report comes up that a new repair is required.

(Ah, I see)

On top of that, Erica is making decisions about everything by herself.

If that is the case, there will be more things that she has to deal with alone, so I guess she was being taken advantage of.

I thought about that, but I didn’t say anything.

Erica is handling it appropriately, and if I were to speak up here, I can see her saying, “I knew it, darling is amazing!”, I can see that happening.

For my peace, let’s not do anything unnecessary.

“Ne,next. Hagunon-sama. Next year’s――”

“That’s fine. That man is just trying to make Erica look good in everything. This time too ――since the timing is right, it’s about the harvest festival, isn’t it?”

“Tha,that’s correct”

“I’ll leave it to him. That would be enough.”

“Understood”

“Geez, he’s just a no-good guy who listens to Erica’s opinion on everything. The thought of that being my prospective fiancée is enough to make me sick.”

Heh, she doesn’t like those no-good guys, huh.

With that in mind, I decided not to intervene and silently watched Erica’s political affairs no matter what.

No matter what, I will not intervene, no matter what.

If I play the role of a useless guy here, it will have the opposite effect.

I can see that from my experience so far.

Absolutely, I won’t do it.

“Next…… ah, this, Erica-sama?”

“What?”

“Demolition of the Rose Garden…… this?”

“Ah, that’s what Erika was planning to do. The entire rose garden is now dismantled once and for all. We’ll give all the girls a fair amount of money and send them back to their hometowns.”

“W,why?”

Eleni was surprised, and I was equally surprised as well.

Eh? I was so surprised that I stopped saying that at the last minute.

“Because the current rose garden was chosen by Erica because of her preference.”

Erica’s tone broke, then she glanced at me.

“Let’s make a new start and collect young women that Darling likes. It’s a matter of course.”

“I,I see. I understand.”

“I don’t understand!”

My resolve collapsed.

My determination not to get involved in her government affairs was easily shattered by my own involvement.

“It’s natural, darling. Watch me, darling, Erica, will make sure she collects all the girls you like.”

“No, no, that’s ――”

“I’ve already sent my scouts to all the 『Orthia』 in Calamba.”

“――………………no, no, no.”

“There was a great pause. ……”

Eleni, in a faint voice, makes a small quip.

I myself had a reaction that made me think that I had to retort this.

When you say the Orthias in Calamba, you mean those girls I’ve only seen in photo books will be there.

That’s…… my heart trembles.

“……No, no. In the first place, is it okay to put those Orthias in the Queen’s harem? I thought harems and prostitutes didn’t go well together.”

“Are you talking about heirs or something? They just have to wait a year after I put them in your harem.”

“…… I see.”

It was me who nodded involuntarily.

The king’s harem is usually made up of virgins who have never been with a man, in order to preserve the purity of the bloodline.

In that sense, prostitutes are out of the question..

But even that kind of thing is just a matter of being isolated in a harem for a year.

So when I heard that, I couldn’t help but agree.

“Ufufu, Darling likes Orthia as I thought.”

“No, well, yeah.”

“That Orthia-san, should I introduce them to you?”

“That, you said, that!?”

“Yeah”

“Please do!!”

I grabbed onto Erica.

I grabbed her little hand and pressed closer.

Great Sage Orthia.

As the title “Great Sage” implies, she is said to have all the knowledge in the world.

Not only that, but she was also known as an immensely beautiful woman and was a major foundation in the “Orthia boom” of prostitutes.

To meet someone like that…… it’s like a dream.

“It’s a bit difficult even for Erika…… ah, but I’ll definitely do something about it, so you wait and see, darling.”

“Yes, I’ll wait as long as I have to.”

If all I have to do is wait to meet the original Orthia, I’ll wait as long as I have to.

I became excited.

I felt like I was forgetting something because I was so excited.

Before I had time to recall this, there was a knock on the door and Mimis entered.

Mimis glanced at Erica and the others.

“There you are, milord. I don’t mind you playing with women, but I’d rather have it to be a prostitute or someone with no repercussions than a town girl.”

“Eh? Ah, yeah”

Come to think of it, Erica and Eleni were in disguise using magic.

“More importantly, is there anything you need?”

“Yes, about this”

Mimis approached me and handed me a document.

“This is?”

“Here is a direct appeal from the merchant. It is a matter for your lordship to handle.”

“A direct appeal…… ah.”

I clapped my hands, pon.

I remember thinking I was forgetting something.

She didn’t like useless guys.

I remembered that and handed the letter of direct appeal to Erica.

I handed over the item given by Mimis to Erica in plain sight.

“Darling?”

“What do you think of this? If it was Erica, what would you do?”

“If it was Erica?”

“Ah. Just tell me, and I’ll do just that.”

“Wha, head-sama!?”

I ignored the surprised Mimis.

Erica, on the other hand, was also surprised ―― but she was immediately impressed.

Holding a letter of appeal, she trembled and was deeply moved.

“I’m so happy!”

“Eh?”

“As expected of you, darling! I can’t believe you would trust Erica with something this important.”

“Eh? Eh? Eh?”

What does she mean? Why would she react this way?

I…… did I do something wrong again?

“Ah……”

My head, which has calmed down, realizes that.

The thing I forgot, was that, wasn’t it?

No matter what, I will not intervene in Erica’s political affairs.

Yet, the joy of being introduced to Orthia made me so preoccupied that I interfered in her government affairs ――I even threw my government affairs to her.

“Darling, your vessel is so big and wonderful!”

“Offu……”

When I came to my senses, I collapsed on the spot…….