Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi

Chapter 52: Two Sides of the Conference

–Erich’s POV–

Goldonia Royal Palace

「Everyone, I’m glad that you could come on this occasion. I thank you as Goldonia’s king.」

The ones sitting at the table are the representatives of each country who participated in the Arkland subjugation, the ones responsible for diplomacy.

「First have a taste of the refreshments and tea. They were made by our country’s finest craftsmen.」

「This is excellent.」

「As expected of the large country of Goldonia.」

Each country’s representatives tasted the cakes, which were made with expensive white sugar and studded with rare fruits.

「I thank you for the praise. Well, why don’t we split up this prized cake and start our conversation.」

Everyone’s face becomes tense. The purpose of this conference is none other than to divide the territory of the destroyed former Arkland kingdom.

The conditions to participate in the conference is that each are entrusted with the full authority for their respective countries. The result of the conference will be the amount of territory that each country will receive.

「The chairman is the king, and furthermore I will be serving as the representative for Goldonia, the first country to be discussed.」

The representative of each country nodded, it’s a natural result that Goldonia became the main focus because of its contribution of national power and military power.

「First is the representative of the Yurest Allied Nation, tell us your request.」

Yurest Allied Nation is the only country besides the destroyed Arkland that directly borders Goldonia in the Northwestern area. Its population is a third of Goldonia of 500,000, its military strength is not that powerful, and its relationship with Goldonia is favourable.

「My country is not adjoining with the former Arkland. Thus I want to take the western port city on the coast of the Nosteries river and the territory surrounding it.」

「I can’t nod to that!」

「Exactly! Even if your land is detached it’s fine if you get the traffic rights to trade!」

The representatives of Magrado Dukedom and Republic of Stura, located on the opposite shore in which the Nosteries river runs, opposed. It was clear that both countries also wanted the port city.

「Well, wait a moment. First we only want to hear the requests, after that I will ask for your opinions.」

In the end, the three countries exchanged a heated discussion in which they first put forward what they would compromise, and it was decided that they would take turns in acquiring the services of the developing port city based on the degree of contribution.

The king makes eye contact with Kenneth who was taking notes at his side. He did not care for the other three countries. He knew what they wanted, and possessing the port city that was developing more than Arkland is not important to Goldonia. Besides, based on its location it was clear that it would not allow him the ability to rule over the whole area from central part to the eastern part, including the capital.

The problem is with the country closely facing the border, Treia kingdom. Historically, they had circumstances that caused them to dispute with Arkland repeatedly, they are a small country with population of 300,000, but have dispatched an army of over 10,000, and aligned with Goldonia’s army to form the nucleus of the punitive force. Naturally you would think that they would make a request based on that contribution.

「I have no objection to the plan for the three countries’ demand of the western river coast area.」

「And what do you want for your country?」

Everyone held their breaths and waited for the representative for Treia kingdom to open his mouth.

「Excluding the western area...I want to take half of the entire area of the Arkland southern region.」

Everyone oohed and ahed.

「Half is it...?」

「Isn’t that too much...」

The representatives from the three countries looked at the king with unpleasant expressions. With this condition they will be equal to Goldonia. Looking at the difference in national power, it will be hard to see Goldonia letting it pass without any objection.

「I have one question. What will you do with the capital?」

「The capital is geographically part of the southern area which is included in our request so please understand.」

That is not good. The representatives from each country held their heads. This is too advantageous for Treia kingdom. If you have more than a tenth of the entire Arkland’s population, and gain even the giant fortress city in the capital, it will be Treia kingdom that is the sole winner.

Goldonia will not accept conditions like that. If things do not go well the negotiations may well end as a blank slate. The representatives from each country glared at the person who proposed the insolent request with eyes of condemnation, but as expected from those who participate in diplomacy, he isn’t affected in the slightest.

「How do you expect me to accept this?」

The king’s voice remains calm.

「Well, the negotiations begin here. Let’s talk it over.」

The king’s eyes meet with Kenneth and he nods. The negotiations haven’t started, they are already finished. From here on, what will be happening is just an act, it’s a ridiculous joke.

At the end of the heated discussion that borders on half a day, finally a conclusion has been reached.

Yurest Allied Nation , Magrado Dukedom , Republic of Stura

Western Arkland 1 region – port city and the surrounding area divided into three

Treia Kingdom

Entire Southern Region excluding the western area, including former capital city

Goldonia

Entire Northern Region excluding the western area, outlying eastern region

–Veldo’s POV–

The trusted ambassador for Treia kingdom, Count Veldo, couldn’t stop laughing. Requesting for even the capital was a move to test how Goldonia would respond, if he agreed then it would be divided to me, if not then it would be fine to give to Goldonia.

It was to make the capital an important existence as the subject of the negotiation so that they could not see that what I really wanted was the southern region.

Arkland was originally not a poor area. The land is suitable for agriculture, there are iron ore and other mineral mines. Securing the southern half will cause Treia kingdom’s power to rise significantly.

But who would have thought. Of course the capital would be under the control of the southern half. It’s more than the best result, it’s a result above my expectations.

「The rumors that Goldonia’s king is an expert skilled in the use of stratagems and ploys are nothing but nonsense.」

He only made moves because of his hatred for Arkland, he was just a greenhorn.

The king requested for only the former Arkland’s eastern area and the remote region that was close to where the large eastern mountain range started. It seems he wants the remote far east area to be Goldonia territory regardless of the north-south parts.

Of course, it was accepted instantly. Both my country and the former Arkland had their primary cities entirely in the southern and central area. The eastern area has towns and villages with at most 1000 population so there is not much to gain.

Although it is connected by land to the motherland of Treia, the highways are not maintained so the transportation of crops and tax collection is inconvenient, so it doesn’t make for a good place to rule over. To add on, the eastern side adjacent to where the mountain range starts, have mountain people living in the large wasteland, which sometimes causes disputes. It’s an area that is only troublesome to reign.

Of course that is why I asked him why he would wish for such an area, but the at the time the king took the throne he appointed a large amount of new nobles. It seems that he is lacking in land to give to them.

I can understand, territory is the reason as to why the nobles will swear their loyalty to the king. If they did not get reward corresponding to their loyalty then their hearts will leave in an instant. He is also struggling with how to handle nobles isn’t he?

「Although if the nobles were given that kind of territory they would also think it was troublesome.」

To speak so candidly about his internal circumstances, that king is stupid but he can be likable. I would hate for him to be a lord to look up to but I have nothing to complain about them as a neighbor.

「At first I didn’t know what to do, but now our house’s future is looking bright now.」

This huge success is something worthy for me to get praised. The land that we were able to obtain this time might somewhat be granted as reward. In addition, I was able to make personal connections with the foolish and lavish king of Goldonia.

It was impossible for me to suppress my cheerful smile on the way back to the home country.

「This is quite the lavish feast isn’t it?」

Kenneth and the civil officials directly under him are surrounding the king and having a friendly chat. Diplomatically you can say that it was a complete defeat, but there is no depression or impatience on their faces.

「Is it? We aren’t falling behind in disposing the inventory like merchants either.」

The king swirls his wine in a good mood.

However, the young soldier that was unable to enter that margin is trembling in humiliation.

「Those guys from Treia, they acted in such a shameless way!」

The king looked at Kenneth as if asking ‘so what of it’.

「He is still young, he doesn’t understand the truth behind things. He’s a trustworthy guy but still immature.」

The king smiles again. Then he starts to talk with the young soldier in a good mood.

「Listen carefully, what happened on this occasion is what I expected from beginning to end.」

「With all due respect...I don’t understand what you mean.」

「The war this time, the reason each country participated...what was the just cause?」

「We are saving the citizens suffering from poverty due to the political pressure from Arkland.」

「That’s exactly right, and what is the population of Treia kingdom?」

The young soldier was unable to find the point of connection between the two questions and curls his head but he couldn’t answer the king’s question.

「If I recall it was 300,000...」

The king nods in agreement.

「You have studied well. That’s right it’s 300,000, and the newly acquired territory has 100,000 citizens. On top of the exhaustion from the long years of political pressure, the war this time has also caused the land to become desolate for the 100,000, so there are too many citizens to hold.」

「That’s true...our country is...」

The king interrupts.

「To that point, the north half and eastern remote area’s population altogether is 40,000, and is like a drop in the sea of our country’s 1.5 million population.」

The king continues further.

「Not to mention what they gained is the south, who they themselves have trampled over and invaded, the Treia kingdom’s side also has held a grudge against Arkland for many years. Well, won’t they be the most fitting rulers?」

「That is...」

There is no way that is the case. The citizens and the rulers, both are holding grudges so the prediction is that they will be repeating the cycle of having their country collapse.

But the young soldier objects while he keeps his head lowered.

「With all due respect I will return your words. I have heard that Arkland’s rule is severe. It is possible that the citizens will think that it will be much better than that and accept it. If so then Arkland’s originally abundant land will help the population become the country’s strength.」

「Exactly. But that is only if they are able to redevelop the land, and prevent the citizens from starving.」

If they starve then they have no past nor future. If the citizens want to survive then they will have no choice but to climb over each other.

「To prevent the small chance that our country will starve the occupied citizens, they have once again prepared to start cultivation since food is necessary, and we have already bought from the various countries and federations in the central plains in the south.」

Kenneth unwillingly reports to the king.

「I see, the buy out for ‘just in case’ was slightly overdone. I have heard that the price for the grain has already gone up by 30%.」

「That is unavoidable. If we don’t have food then nothing can be started.」

The young soldier felt a chill up his spine. Treia kingdom is not a poor country but it isn’t an abundant country either. The country is large but the population of 300,000 is little, surely they don’t have the ability to produce the surplus grain to nurture the 100,000 people.

Then they have no choice but to buy it from outside the country, but the price has already been pulled up. If Treia kingdom buys it then it will increase even further, and if it becomes a buying competition they can’t hope to win against the financially abundant Goldonia.

The citizens of Treia, who hate the former Arkland’s citizens, will have the burden of cultivating them as well and won’t be convinced easily. Thus the southern half of Arkland will turn into hell. The citizens will stand up in order to live, Treia’s army will beat them down without hesitation.

「In the unlikely event...however, that the former Arkland’s citizens suffer in their rule, it may become the target for punishment. In any case, with that just cause presented to them, it has caused a country to collapse after all.」

The king’s smile is different than what it was earlier and it looked sinister. Was it like this from the beginning? He didn’t care about the former Arkland’s country at all? Anyways he intends to swallow all the countries being ruled over...

「To that point, the remote eastern area not only doesn’t know the casualties of war, they don’t even know about the collapse of the country.」

Laughing with Kenneth, the youngster froze in front of the king.

「What’s wrong, suddenly you lost your ambition? Diplomacy is a battlefield, this isn’t something that great to cause you to be taken aback.」

Kenneth reports to the king like a youngster would ask.

「This is just in the case of an unlikely event, but Treia’s northwestern area is dotted with castles and fortresses to prepare for the war with Arkland...however the remote eastern area’s border doesn’t have a highway and is insufficient.」

「I’ll have to use my life to urgently request for the area to have the highway maintained then.」

「So...are you thinking about invading the Treia kingdom?」

「What are you saying, this is of course a what if situation.」

The king lightly pats the youngster’s shoulder.

「Your Majesty, how will you distribute the territory for this eastern remote region?」

Kenneth’s followers, the civil servants asks the king. They are the experts that the king appointed, who focus on business and seeking truth instead of fame. They are always on their toes.

「That place also has conflict with the mountain people, so unless we put a person skilled at combat there it won’t be good. Fortunately there are many of the new nobles who are like that, like Radhalde...or that man who cut down 200 people during this war.」

The king got tired of drinking, so he put on his cloak and went to leave the room.

「Talking with you about this sort of thing is the proof of my trust, right now you are still immature but I will answer your loyalty. Keep it up.」

Kenneth and the others as well as the civil servants all left one after the other.

「Well then, how long will Treia be able to endure, three months? Half a year? Will they be able to endure for one year? Why don’t we wait and see!」

The king’s laughter resounds.

–Aegir POV–

Former Capital Arkland

I am in the house of the woman that I saved previously. We eat together, drink together, then I get on top of her. Her ingredients aren’t the greatest but they are several times better than the insipid food in the army.

「No more!」

The woman screams while clinging to me, wrapping around my neck.

「Alright, cum!」

I thrust once remarkably strong, and release my semen. While listening to her extended screaming I move my body little by little to pour my seed deep inside.

I lost count how many times she came already, first it seemed like it hurt, but now there was nothing but happiness on her face. Once we finished having sex, she clung to me, resting her head against my chest.

「You’ll be going back to your country soon right...?」

The woman is tracing her finger on my chest as if teasing me.

「My place isn’t far from here.」

I’ve also received advice from Erich that it was about time that we get ready to return. Those guys at the top have probably settled things.

「One more time, this time is it alright if I got on top?」

The woman declared that she won’t leave this town. I only have a little more time to embrace this body.

「Aanh...it’s thick, your hand, your hand...」

The woman swallows my cock and entangles both her hands with mine. I left everything to the woman, I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of the hole. The seed that was released earlier made things slippery and felt really good.

By the way we aren’t using any contraceptives.

「If it’s the captain’s seed then I’d gladly bear your child. Even if I have to work hard by myself I won’t regret it.」

Having said that to me, it would be in poor taste if I used the medicine.

「Uuu!」

「Aaaaaaaaaah!!」

「Fuu....」

I say farewell to the woman who was collapsed and slumped over on the bed and leave the house. The neighborhood is already getting dark. If I don’t hurry and get back to the garrison then Celia would come looking for me. For some reason Celia is able to accurately pinpoint my location and find me.

「Ah, it’s the captain!」

Another different woman’s voice, I know her face. It’s the young girl of the neighborhood that amongst the chaos, lost her job as a dancer, and it seems that she has now became a prostitute for the soldiers.

「Right now it seems the soldiers are all busy and I am not able to catch any customers, you see.」

The armies of the other countries are also beginning to get ready to retreat. Finally the time to return is close.

「Sorry I can’t be with you today, I have to hurry back to my squad.」

Even so the girl keeps smiling.

「You don’t even need to pay, it’ll be a quickie in the alley over there. Being embraced by the captain is the only time I get to be healed, so please?!」

It can’t be helped if you say that much. This will be my second one in a row.

「Here you go!」

The woman is standing in the back alley by the wall with her hand lifting her skirt up. It seems she never put on any underwear.

My meat rod is taken out, but the remnants of the previous sexual encounter was still on there. However she didn’t seem to mind.

「Please do it rough ‘kay? The captain’s intense hips are my fav~」

「I hope you don’t regret it.」

While laughing the meat rod is penetrating her with great momentum and immediately I start to move violently. There is something like lubricant inside her and everything feels good. Her hole has developed from being a prostitute, and having just embraced an innocent woman, this is quite nice.

The business we did while standing was over quite soon, the girl was leaning against the wall trying to catch her breath while my seed was dripping out of her crotch. Even though she told me it was free I couldn’t accept that. So I left her some silver coins between her breasts.

「...Thanks. Aah if only the captain could stay in this town.」

「I’m from Goldonia’s army. I can’t be here forever.」

「I guess that’s right~ But perhaps the people around this area...especially the women all think that.」

The woman I saved spread rumors in the neighborhood, my battalion also cracked down on the chaotic violence so it seems that I’m being rated quite highly.

「Goldonia is fine, but the worst is those guys from Treia. Just the other day they just got on top of me, and started choking me.」

If I caught him red-handed I would have kicked his ass, but as expected it is hard to find the culprit from another country’s army.

「Before you go back I want to taste you more.」

The girl once again puts her hand on the wall and looks back at me.

「I’ve also gotten my money for today so my work is done! Why don’t you do the back next? I’m taking a break tomorrow so it’s fine even if it hurts~」

It’s been awhile since I’ve done an ass. Seeing my meat rod react unconsciously, the girl smiled.

「You’ll be torn though?」

「It’s fine, I’ve expanded it enough so that your huge dick can fit. I’ve always wanted you to dig into me~」

The girl spreads her ass open with both hands, so she’s used to having anal intercourse as well, her ass is already wide open. When I touched the tip of my cock to her ass, she trembled in excitement.

「Wow...even just by touching it I can tell the difference in size. Go ahead, push it in all at once」

As she wanted I grabbed her not by the waist, but by her shoulder, and inserted it up to the base in one swoop.

「Uhaaa! It’s huge! Hiiih」

Blood didn’t come out but her reaction wasn’t normal.

「Are you alright?」

「Yeah. My ass is fine, but the length is...it’s reaching somewhere unbelievable inside.」

I won’t force the girl since she is dripping cold sweat.

「Should I stop?」

「Continue, dig me out without holding back. Even in the worse case and you pierce me to death I would be happy that this was how I died. But I want it written properly on my tombstone, that ‘I challenged to have anal sex with this huge dick, and died from my insides getting destroyed’.」

The girl was snickering while having the room to breathe so I took her up on her offer and didn’t hold back. It isn’t a bad feeling to see an experienced prostitute show such agony on her face. The girl was bouncing around from my unrestrained attacks, and in the end she was made to piss uncontrollably in the alley.

Having attacked the depths of her insides, I carry the girl who can no longer stand and was about to bring her to her house but I voice calls out to me.

「You’ve had fun, eh? Can we return to the camp and go back now?」

Celia accurately detects me, waiting for me in front of the alley. The girl seemed to mutter ‘oh no’ while scurrying off to her own house. Oh so she could walk after all.

「The town’s prostitute, moreover you put it in the filthy hole, you’re going to get sick!」

「When did you start peeking?」

「That doesn’t matter! Aside from that Baron Radhalde said that he wants you to show up after you return.」

Erich does? I guess it’s the order to retreat.

「Erich-sama said he was going to look around. I won’t tell him that you’ve been playing around with a prostitute.」

Isn’t that fine, Erich will probably realize.

「For you to seek a prostitute for comfort...has she fallen for you enough for you to bring her back?」

In the end, it seems she was watching from the beginning.

I take the angry Celia back to the headquarters and the order that was given was as expected the one to retreat. Compared to the time we departed the number of subordinates have drastically decreased, and finally I can go back home.

It was quite the long expedition. I don’t have such a feeling for Goldonia, but it’s nice to have women back home who are waiting for me.

「From tomorrow we will begin to withdraw. There aren’t any enemies so companies will get ready to depart in sequence.」

「「「Yessir!」」」

Each company commander responds. By the way since Agor is hurt, I had Leopolt take his place. He said he would stay until he recovered from his injury, and wouldn’t ask to come back no matter what.

Tomorrow is the departure date. Let’s enjoy the last night here in Arkland.

Then let’s get excited after I have sex.

「You guys have already prepared for the trip?」

「..........aaaah」

「Auu...I’ll die...」

Celia and Irijina received my intense love and were exhausted so they didn’t give an answer.

Recently I was able to do it 10 times in a night without a problem, but have I been cursed or something? I thought about it while looking at the two of them who had their holes broken and juices leaking while trembling.

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett 19 years old Autumn

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Baronet Central Army 3rd div. Mixed Battalion Commander

Annual salary 140 gold

Assets: 1000 gold (silver and below not counted)

Weapons: Dual Crater (large sword)

Equipment: Black Cloak (Cursed)

Companions: Nonna, Melissa, Maria, Carla, Catherine (commuting)

Servants: Sebastian, Miti, Alma, Kroll, Nina

Subordinates: Celia (follower and lover), Leopolt (staff officer), Agor (adjutant), Carl (company commander), Christoph, Schwartz (horse), Irijina

Sexual Partners: 39