Chapter 536: Justice Power

「Aegir~ I’m coming in~」

I get the feeling Carla is calling me, but I’m too tired to get up and simply bury my face into a soft pillow and groan.

「Aegir, are you still sleeping~? Wait, Nonna what are you doing!?」

「As you can see, Aegir-sama is still resting. If you have nothing to do, go dance in the living room. Shoo shoo.」

Nonna’s voice accompanies the pillow shaking. I’m not able to gather my thoughts yet.

「What the hell are you doing tucking Aegir’s face between your tits? Are you trying to suffocate him!?」

「Don’t be stupid. Aegir-sama is sleeping peacefully on my breasts. Have a look at his calm sleeping face.」

I grab the soft pillow with both hands and cover my head with it as if trying to block out the noise.

「Afuun! Fufu, his head is completely between my cleavage. This is a prime example of what married couples do, a slumber of love. Nuisances should climb a tree in the courtyard.」

A hand combs through my hair and the warm sweaty pillow gently envelops my head.

「I’m not climbing anything! ……and actually, I heard Aegir went out late at night yesterday, so you lied!?」

「I don’t have any memories of that. I was drinking.」

With all that arguing, I begin becoming more alert.

Something hard brushes by my cheek, and when I put it in my mouth, a warm liquid comes out.

It is perfect to quench my thirst so I gladly drink more.

「Afuun! Aegir-sama, if you suck so much……aahn♪」

Arms tightly hug my head, but I continue drinking because I’m thirsty.

「Why are you doing lactating play so early in the morning? Wait, you’re actually lactating! Nonna, you haven’t stopped producing milk!?」

「I stopped a long time ago! ……however it comes out when I cum lots. I guess you can say it’s become a bit of habit.」

The warm sweet liquid doesn’t stop.

I am still half-asleep, but I feel like I have to keep drinking.

「What do you mean lots, how many times did you cum yesterday?」

「……once as soon as I entered the room when I got licked standing up, once in a sitting position after being carried to bed, once when pushed down directly after in the missionary position, and Aegir-sama also shot it here.」

It feels like the amount has increased.

「……keep going.」

「I came once in the cowgirl position when he was fondling my breasts, twice from behind after my hips gave out, then I was flipped around into the missionary position again……and he mounted me and from here I kept cumming until I lost count……」

The tip has also gotten bigger and harder to suck.

In addition, the flow is increasing to the point I can’t drink everything in time.

「Mu, this is Nonna’s nipple.」

「Ah! Don’t let go so suddenly! You sucked so much that it won’t stop!」

The first I saw when I woke up was an anguished Nonna squirting milk from both boobs.

Left with no choice, Carla and I each take one nipple into our mouths and start sucking.

「……so much! How many kilos are you squirting out!?」

「I’ve never measured it! It has never run out no matter how much I let my child drink.」

My stomach was filled just from Nonna’s milk.

I stand up naked, crack my neck and shoulder, and then open the window.

「What a beautiful morning. It’s been two weeks since Leopolt made a fool of himself.」

「Two weeks……feels long.」

Carla wipes her mouth and stands up too.

Nonna, after letting us drink as much milk as we want, sobs deliberately.

「It feels like something bothersome will happen soon.」

Nonna stops fake-crying and claps her hands, signalling her two maids, the tall slender and reliable Sally and the tiny plump and calm Maruru, to enter the room.

The two of them blush at the sight of my naked body, but bow once and quickly bring Nonna a change of clothes.

Oh, the back of Maruru’s hand touched my dick as she brushed past.

Feeling a little turned on, I turn to Carla, but she unfortunately refuses.

「I’m in the mood too. It’s just Adolph is searching for me, going around and checking room by room. He’ll definitely run into me if we start now. So tonight is reserved for me, okay?」

I knew it, something bothersome happened.

Nonna’s fussing about something half-naked, but the rest is just the two of them frolicking.

They can have more fun without me, so I’ll let Adolph find them.

The longer it takes, the more trouble it becomes after all.

I prepare myself and open the door.

「Fugya!?」

The door hit someone.

I peek behind the door and see Celia on the ground rubbing her red nose.

「Sorry. Why are you crawling on the floor?」

「I was looking for Aegir-sama and following your scent……」

That’s what a dog does.

And you were able to accurately pick out this room, I don’t get how you do it.

「More importantly, there’s trouble! Something terrible happened!」

Celia also has a problem, huh?

「Lord Hardlett, a messenger arrived just now and I’m afraid I can’t make a judgement so I need to speak with you urgently.」

Myla comes running too.

All three matters are overlapping.

「I am being attacked by Estelle, who believed the baseless rumor that Margrave spread! It’s unreasonable for me to be beaten by a woman claiming to be my fiancée for something I didn’t even do……」

Tristan, who has scratches all over his face, is simply complaining so I can save his issue for later.

I bought tea and books for you so let bygones be bygones.

「I’ve never seen that bitter green tea before, where did you buy it? These books are ones that I’ve wanted to read for a while now, and I was initially happy it was a long series, but you skipped volumes one and two while collecting volumes three through twenty, was that on purpose? I searched the entire city and couldn’t find them…… I know I’m going to regret it if I start from the third volume meaning I can’t even read this!」

I know nothing about tea or books.

I just picked up whatever the peddler presented and bought them.

Now then, I can see where this is going.

Leopolt’s going to come with the largest and most troublesome problem of them all.

I ready myself mentally and turn around.

「?」

Rita, who was carrying the laundry, was surprised by me suddenly turning to her.

「Mu, he’s not here.」

In the meantime I sneak a kiss and a pat on the bum before turning in the opposite direction.

「――!!」

「――――!?」

Celia surprises Myla, who had cut in line, by groping her ass, making her let out a sexy moan unintentionally, which results in Myla getting angry and stretching Celia’s cheeks.

「He’s not here.」

It’s kind of a let down.

「Hardlett-sama, there you are!」

Adolph comes running with a mountain of documents in his arms high enough to obstruct his vision.

I’m not going to escape at this point so I let myself be caught.

「I have a myriad of things to report, from numbers we couldn’t calculate due to the confusion of reconstruction, tax collection at the beginning of the year, tax payments to the kingdom, grain, and other troubles, plus I have worries to consult with you! Please come!」

I turn around one more time as Adolph pulls me along.

Leopolt never came in the end.

「First of all, here are the tax collection documents from each town and village. Due to the war and reconstruction, we couldn’t get the numbers, but they finally took shape this past month.」

He drops a stack of papers in front of me, which I don’t understand, but there is a thin sheet attached that simplifies everything for me.

——————————————————————————–

Revenue

Head Tax 50 000 gold

Mine Tax 30 000 gold

Trade Tax 10 000 gold

Sale of Grain 0 gold

※Trade 160 000 gold

Earnings from the South 24 000 gold

Total Revenue 274 000 gold

Expenses

Mansion Maintenance 10 000 gold

Guard Maintenance 10 000 gold

Army Wages 120 000 gold

Military Facilities and Other Expenses 14 000 gold

Domestic Affairs/Reconstruction 100 000 gold

Interest 24 000 gold

Total Expenses 274 000 gold

——————————————————————————–

「……dishonesty, huh?」

No matter how ill-informed I am about finance, I know something is wrong when the revenue and expenses match exactly.

「It’s happening.」

Celia quietly draws her sword while Myla readies a box large enough to fit a head.

「Aaah, don’t do such scary things. I’ll explain. It’s a result of thinking without sleeping!」

Now that he mentions it, Polte, who is waiting beside Adolph, also has bags under her eyes and is nodding off.

「First the head tax, it’s natural that there is no increase with respect to the population. There is a limited number of places we can take from. Hardlett-sama is not suggesting we take from the villages burned down from war or from Rafen that participated in battle, right?」

Head tax is basically a fee for living in the area.

Tax is high in safe large cities protected by walls and guards, whereas the tax is cheaper in towns and villages where the risk of bandits and monsters appearing are greater.

Pioneer villages and other places in remote areas with a particularly high level of danger are often exempt.

In other words, it can be seen as a tax that the lord takes in exchange for providing safety to his people, and it does not make sense to take it from a town or village that has been thrown in the middle of war nor is it possible to take it from citizens who have been chased away from their houses by fire.

「A big factor for this result is the fact most of the entire region of Rafen is exempt. On the other hand, the reason we barely managed to secure an amount is because of the tax from the former Libatis region. Although they were occupied, there is no substantial damage and they can afford to pay. It is not our fault either so we don’t need to grant them an exemption.」

I understand the logic, but they might dispute it.

「Next, the mine tax……it has decreased drastically. Well, with the war finished, there is no need for arms or fortress construction anymore. In other words, the importance of steel has decreased significantly. Most of the current production is for the reconstruction of our own territory and the neighboring feudal lords.」

That’s expected.

Claire also worked tirelessly. She is probably changing Lintbloom’s production.

「Trade is mainly done with the city states, but we can’t get back anymore. Even if we can trade with the Empire, it has to be done secretly, and the kingdom will likely monopolize trade with the Federation. All grain is being released in order to sustain living until next year’s harvest. We have absolutely no leeway to sell any grain.」

Thankfully, we have enough grain to not starve.

If we have to buy it from the city states or the Federation, I can see them overcharging us.

「Profits from the south are the fruits of the labor done in Zwei Elfie. Some people found gemstone mines and forests with good quality oak from the ownerless land and exceptional individuals even found giant diamonds. We purchased them for 10 000 gold, but if we can sell them to high-ranking nobles in the Federation through official channels, we can likely double the price.」

「It was a desperate measure to utilize land that had lost its entire population to bugs, but it turned out to be a great success.」

Adolph nods.

「Moving on to expenses next, well there are essential costs and the interest payments, as well as the reconstruction which mobilizes all available citizens including women and children……so far everything mentioned is fine, but the problem is the military expense. Leopolt-san is stubbornly insisting on maintaining the personal army that no longer has any role beyond exterminating bandits. Things like cannons, catapults, chariots…… where will they be used?」

As I stay silent, Celia and Myla counter with “Aegir-sama will be underestimated if the army is small” and “the source of power of new nobles stem from military might” respectively, but I don’t agree with either statement.

Let’s change the subject.

「I understand the revenue and expense numbers. What concerns me more than the military is this.」

I tap my finger on the line with an asterisk next to the word trade.

This is clearly an outstanding sum and a convenient number that helps the revenue and expense to break-even.

「Well the official documents pertaining to this are subdivided into various items ranging from iron ore and building materials to black beast meat and debt……the one thing all of them have in common, they are essentially tied to smuggling gold.」

「Wasn’t a gold nugget secretly placed in the treasury every time it was transported?」

Celia lowers her voice to a whisper.

The way she puts both hands over her mouth is cute.

「Only a very minute amount, a mass not enough to raise suspicion every time it is moved. This on the other hand is the main channel. A vast amount of gold nuggets, under the name of artwork, is being transported to the city states. They then melt that gold……and use it to manufacture coins in their own nation’s currency. Afterward, they return 90% of that money to us to pay for the “art”.」

「They can earn a profit of 10% simply by continuing the production of gold coins……and the gold coins are shared by the entire continent, meaning they have the same value whether they have the mark of the Federation or the mark of Goldonia or the mark of a city state.」

The problem is that we’ll be in extremely big trouble if any one of them divulges this.

「There is no reason to leak the information considering how easy it is to profit from it. Even if they try to take advantage of the situation, all we have to do is adjust the percent of payment. It’s meaningless for them to swear allegiance to the kingdom of Goldonia. What do they gain by strangling a goose that lays golden eggs?」

Although……Adolph trails off unsettlingly.

「It was the day before yesterday. The wheels of a wagon transporting gold broke and turned over on the road. Fortunately, it happened in a deserted land between Lintbloom and Rafen so there were no witnesses…… but the worker, who normally should not look at the contents, saw the gold and had to be detained.」

「The things you’re doing are starting to sound like what Leopolt does.」

Adolph goes into a daze for a brief instant then slumps his shoulders in disappointment.

「Well, the worker was let go without incident. He was not at fault. Instead…… I believe the accident is deliberately planned. In fear of a similar accident occurring, the wagon was reinforced and inspected multiple times.」

「Are you saying the one who devised the plan is the kingdom?」

Adolph shakes his head.

「If the kingdom found out, they would have sent an information officer. The reason this kind of cheap trick was done is because the person doesn’t want to be discovered while at the same time showing us that they know what we are doing――」

Adolph brings himself close to me.

His expressionless face magnifying in size is not up to Leopolt’s standard but still creepy nonetheless.

「It has to be Claire-san.」

「I wonder about that.」

For now, let’s make sure the worker doesn’t say anything.

「That day? Mmm, the wagon flipped over and the cargo……that’s right! The steel building materials rolled out and it was a big mess. On top of that, I hit my head and neared the border of life and death for the first――」

「Umu, that’s enough.」

I cheerfully pat the worker on the shoulder and give him ten gold coins to compensate for his injury.

「T-this much!? For a lowly worker like me!?」

I keep patting his shoulder and give him an additional ten coins.

「The accident is due to my ineptitude. Please forgive me.」

「It was in fact our mistake for not realizing anything wrong with the wheel until it broke…… what a benevolent lord!」

That’s not the accident I’m referring to.

Beside me, Natia, Casie and Alice bow deeply to the man.

Through investigation, I found out that this worker’s hobbies are alcohol and gambling, that he made his wife work at a bar without paying her even at the age of thirty, and that he was a terrible person who was fired from his previous job for stealing money. Someone like him needs to be paid double if his mouth is to be kept shut.

This had to be done, but Adolph was against eliminating him.

So Natia suggested that he just had to forget about what happened and created a special memory loss drug in three hours, Alice used a new magic she apparently learned recently that wasn’t her usual fire magic, and Casie fiddled around his head for insurance……

「His memories were successfully replaced, but his personality was completely altered.」

On his way back home, the man pleasantly greets someone he encounters along the street.

Judging by the bewildered reaction of the other person, he was probably not the kind of guy to say hello.

There was a small commotion when he got home, but the man eventually came out hugging a woman.

「From now on, I will work hard and provide for you! I won’t cheat anymore and I’ll stop gambling and drinking! I’ve realized what’s most important is you, my wife…… aah, everything is clear now. It’s almost like I drank a miracle potion and had a spell cast on me and like someone tampered with my mind!」

The wife went from being confused to being in tears and hugged the man.

「My dear…… I believed in you! I knew one day……one day you would have a change of heart!!」

「And they lived happily ever after, I guess.」

Everybody is happy.

And all is right in the world. Yep.

I’ll have to ask Claire what her reasons are some other time.

「My issue is also important!!」

Celia grabs me……rather, she