CH 290

T/N: This is one of my favorite chapters.

After seeing off our father returning to the Caan Knights Nation, I will inspect the town of Cien with my brother, Georg. He had never been here before, and he wanted to see a lot of things, so I decided to go with him.

“I’ve seen that huge ship in the port of Carruzan, but I never thought it was built by you, Flora, no, Lord Floto,” Georg said.

“My apologies,” I said. “I didn’t mean to keep it a secret, but…”

The ship itself cannot be hidden. After all, it was because it was going up the Dierbe River regularly. It was also in the port of Carruzan, so if you go to the port for a while, you should be able to see it easily at some point.

However, it was a secret from my brothers that I created and operated it. It is not so much that the construction and ownership of the ship needed to be kept secret, but because the construction and ownership were important to keeping several other secrets.

I can’t explain that I build and own such a ship without explaining the company and my territory. If I were to explain where and how I was able to develop, build, and own it, I would have told them about Caanza, which was my source of funding from the beginning, and the territory with the shipyards capable of building them, so you must realize that it’s already impossible.

“That’s also the number of them lined up in this port… How many ships do you own?” Georg asked.

“Eh~… I can’t answer about that…”

He got into the secrets right away. I just told my family to talk properly with me, but I can’t tell them about House Caan’s important secrets. Flora Charlotte von Carruthers of House Carruthers has no secrets, but Floto von Caan has many secrets that cannot be told to other Houses.

“Oh, so I see,” Georg said. “House Caan’s military secrets are not so easy to talk about.”

“Forgive me……” I muttered.

Georg noticed it. Still, I am sorry. But owning a ship is directly linked to military power. Is it even necessary to keep it a secret from neighboring allies’ nobility? You might think so, but these secrets are not easy to tell.

“No, there’s no fault in you, Lord Floto,” Georg said. “I was just being insensitive. I’m still inexperienced with such things. Please, forgive me,” he said, lowering his head.

“Raise your face. This is the end of that discussion,” I said quickly.

If this dragged on, he’s going to think he’s at fault, no, no, he is at fault.

“Rather than that, let’s continue the inspection,” I said.

“Ah, indeed,” Georg said. “Even so, it’s a splendid port. Isn’t it better to have a port like this in Carruthers Territory?” he said as he looked at the Port of Cien.

Unfortunately, I was given a territory facing the northern sea, and in contrast, there is no territory facing the sea in Carruthers Territory as it is now.

For House Carruthers to acquire a territory facing the sea, they must recapture the northwestern region ceded to the Kingdom of Frasia, or create river ports along the Dierbe, Welzel, and Layne Rivers and then travel down their lengths.

“Since House Carruthers does not currently face the sea, you would have no choice but to build a riverport on a great river,” I said.

“Even if you say a great river, there can only be the Dierbe, right?” Georg asked.

Ah~… yeah… in Big Brother Georg’s strategy, there is no plan to recapture the lower reaches of the Welzel River. Or rather, I don’t usually think about it. It was ceded up to Hexennacht to create a border for the Kingdom of Frasia, as part of the Anti-Demon Coalition. Since it is a symbol of humankind’s united struggle against the Demon Country, there are probably fewer people who would want to take it back.

“House Caan has already built a town along the Welzel River,” I said.

“Huh!? Are there other towns besides Caanburg and Cien here!? How much are you developing …?” Georg asked.

Building a town isn’t private. Georg found out about the Caan Knighthood, so there’s no need to hide it anymore… but is it that surprising?

“Shall we continue the discussion at Cien Villa?” I asked.

We could go back to Caanburg right away, but since it’s a good opportunity, we went on a tour and inspection.

“…………This is the villa? It’s more splendid than Manor Carruthers, though?” Georg asked.

“Ah… by just a little bit… that might be true…” I muttered.

Even if you say that, I wouldn’t have known. It’s being expanded and remodeled by my staff without my knowledge. Even I am amazed at the growth of our mansion and villa every time I see them. It’s not like I ever tasked them to make something like this.

“Well, it’s fine,” Georg said. “Then I’ll just enjoy myself. The food is delicious, and the House Servants prepare everything before I even say a word, and the quality of everything aside from those is wonderful! The maids are also such cute girls, and there are so many of them!”

Ah~… well… Georg is a man in the prime of his youth… I get it……. yeah. I recognize it……. Indeed…….

“Please don’t fool around with my staff…” I said.

“I-I know that! I know not to do that!” Georg said.

Does he, really? Honestly, there are a lot of young and cute girls in our house, so don’t you carelessly flirt with them?

Just for the record, it’s not my hobby to collect cute girls. I can’t interfere in that kind of recruiting. I’m the one who gives the final permission, but in the early days, it was Helmut and Isabella who gathered the House Servants, and now Olivia, a former tutor, is there, too.

Those three are responsible for educating the House Servants, and they are also the three who select and bring in people who are worthy of employment. In the end, I’m just interviewing and deciding whether to hire or not.

Well, I’ll stop teasing Georg and go into the villa to relax a bit. I had apple tea brewed today. It’s apple season, so let’s enjoy it now.

Lemons are also in season now, so it’s nice to enjoy lemon tea, but their time is ongoing. Compared to that, apples have already finished harvesting, so now is the time. Some of them are processed, but if you want to eat seasonal things fresh and raw, now is the time.

“This tea is delicious, too,” Georg said.

“Yes. This is how to drink apple tea,” I said.

I relax with Georg. With Friedrich, this would not have happened. I often hear that my eldest brother is a solid man, but what do I think now? Friedrich seemed more paranoid or hysterical than a “solid man,” but… Is it my fault too?

“By the way, how is your marriage, Big Brother Georg? Are you already married?” I asked. “Don’t tell me you’ve already married without my knowledge?”

“Buh!” Georg went, about to spit out his apple tea.

Is it really so strange to ask? He is the Second Son of the Carruthers Margraviate and is a fully-grown man, already over 20 years old. If his marriage prospects were normal, it wouldn’t be strange to have a fiance.

“Geho! Geho!” Georg coughed. … “Ou-Our eldest brother said he would decide when I get married, so nothing has been decided.”

“Well… I suppose that’s what I already thought…” I said.

Friedrich told me to shut up because he would decide who I married. I have an unofficial fiancé in Ludwig, but Georg doesn’t seem to have that kind of partner.

“Isn’t there someone you’re interested in?” I asked.

“N-No…” Georg said. “I didn’t think it would be possible to inherit… so I avoided that sort of thing as much as possible…”

Oh… how pitiful… to think that he was avoiding contact with women when he was at the height of puberty and his libido…

The appearance of being fidgety while turning red is exactly the aura of a herbivorous boy. I don’t think he’s ever held a date with a girl, let alone held hands with one… how pitiful, my brother…

It’s all Friedrich’s fault…. he’s a late bloomer, never been in love so he fidgets and turns red at the slightest mention of romance…

But let’s stop the blushing and squirming. Honestly, it’s making me uncomfortable.

“Then, Big Brother Georg… is there anyone you would like to be with or a type of wife you would like to have?”

“Huh?” Georg said. “Even if you suddenly ask me that… I really don’t have an answer for you…”

Kuuh! My poor brother!

All right! If that’s the case, I’ll find a partner for my brother! Let’s find someone like a classmate from school or an acquaintance of my wives!

“Then what kind of woman do you like, Big Brother Georg?” I asked.

“Yeah… even if you ask that…, I wouldn’t know…” he said.

Hmm, hmm. It’s good, I get it……. Even I was unpopular in my previous life. I had Cure-chan and the others, but there’s no such oasis for the heart here… I’ll do something about such my lonely brother Georg!

“Even when I was at school, a lot of girls approached me…I danced with a lot of girls at night parties…” Georg said.

… Hm?

“And I’ve often received letters and gifts… but I don’t know what to do with them…”

… Hmm?

“I don’t know how to say it… she’s the one! Or something of the sort… I never had someone that I got that feeling… and I feel a little bad for all the women I turned down…”

…………HM~?

“I was really rather surprised there were so many of my female classmates who followed me back to our territory after graduation. I’m flattered they adore me that much, but I couldn’t have decided to get married on my own…”

“UGAH—–!” I choked.

I stood up, pulling my hair in frustration

“Huh? Flora? What’s wrong with you?” Georg said.

“’What’s wrong with you?’ is not the question to ask here!” I yelled.

This bastard! Where is the unpopular herbivorous boy I thought he was? Aren’t you super popular?! It pisses me off! He was just boasting about his popular period like it was nothing! What’s more, he’s got women chasing him all the way back to his home territory! In this dangerous world, chasing someone to the edge of the border of the countryside, you must be well-prepared! And you don’t know what to do about them?! Stop fucking with me!

“If you are admired by women that much, there must be many women who are potential candidates!” I said.

“Ah~… I suppose you’re right,” Georg said. “Even after returning to our territory, I was recommended the daughter of a vassal’s House, and a neighboring aristocratic House offered a marriage proposal… it’s hard to keep refusing every time.”

WHAT. THE? “It’s hard!”, he says. This popular man! You just made enemies of all the unpopular boys in the country! Realize how luxurious your worries are!

“Hey, Floto~ Are you staying at this villa today? If so, why don’t we all take a bath together today?” Mikoto asked as she came in suddenly.

“Huh? Umm… I was going to leave, at least before dark…”

My plan was to return to Caanburg by the end of the day while doing some random inspections after this, but…

“Is that so? But there’s no reason to rush back, right? Then let’s all take a bath and sleep together today,” Mikoto said.

“Well, I suppose you’re right…”

Another bath with everyone… the five of us in a bit of a tangle… a world of dazzling sensuality that is ingrained in my mind… and after washing each other in the bath, we’re in the same bed… uh-heh-heh…

“Umm… then, can I stay here as well?” Georg asked.

“Ah, Brother-in-Law was here, too?” Mikoto said. “Then let’s have him stay with us here, too. Is that okay with you, Floto?”

“Yes, it is…” I said.

Bathing with everyone… Then we sleep together… Uhehe… I’m looking forward to tonight…

“Then I’ll tell everyone and have them get ready,” Mikoto said as she left.

“Yes.”

I watch her go. Fuhihi! All right! I’ll do my best tonight!

“Flora… what did she mean by calling me ‘Brother-in-Law’?” Georg asked.

“… Huh? Ah… what did she mean? Mikoto is from another country… isn’t that a custom there?”

I don’t know what to do…… Georg was also here. It’s bad if I showed too much of myself. After lightly clearing my throat with a “kohon”, I straightened my posture and sat down again.

“Is that so? But I’ve never heard that there is such a custom in the Kingdom of Del…” Georg said.

“Well, isn’t it fine?”

Don’t try to dig too much to get to the bottom of this. It’s also polite not to ask too many questions.

“Even so, are you all taking a bath together?” Georg asked.

“Huh? Yes, well… Not every time, right? Only occasionally…” I said.

This is bad……. Did he find out I’m a man inside? Was I blatantly too overjoyed?

“I’m glad you’re having fun,” Georg said. “If I had friends, it would have been nice to enter with them, but unfortunately I don’t have many of them, so I’m envious of you having so many, Flora.”

“Oh-ho-ho … Big Brother Georg, you will be able to make a lot of friends from now on, too …”

Oh, I see… that’s right, isn’t it? That’s how it’s usually interpreted. It’s normal to think that girls are just having fun playing and taking a bath. Ah, I was too panicked…

Even so, when I thought about it, I was also popular with five adorable cute wives in this life. Sorry! Hahahaha!