Volume 3 - CH 24

Receiving a great deal of assistance from Parabellum, Karen’s fortified City was in the midst of a revival as the scars of battle haven’t yet faded. By becoming a major trading hub with Parabellum her city flourished, greater than before the war with Alsace had reached her walls.

Within the populated urban districts many of her residents would laugh with joy and melodiously go about their daily lives. Towards the commerce parts of town a great amount of merchants would follow the scent of gold. They would compete to obtain various items with ties to Parabellum for their business exports within the towns citadel. 

But while the fortress city enjoyed the tranquil air of renaissance, in another part of the city. Inside her fortified residence, an air full of anxiety permeated around Karen.

As the maids within the castle moved around restlessly, the guards at their posts gave off an intimidating aura much greater than usual, their expression tense, ready to react. 

「Nnngh….」

As for the person in charge of this fortress city,  Duchess Karen Lautrec groaned in dismay.

「Duchess Lautrec, are you really going through with this? What happens if you get hurt or――」

「Rghh, Shut Up!! That small little c―― I’m not going to lose to that tomboy of a princess!!」

Even if it’s already too late…. … 

If I continue to sit on my hands and dawdle,  I’ll lose my place being right next to Kazuya and everything will just disappear.

Maria frantically tries to advise Karen, but her words don’t seem reach her.

With that said… …  I wonder what I should do now… … 

After all isn’t there… … I should try doing ‘that’ again… … 

Mouu~  there’s only one path for me left to take.

After hearing Iris had beat her to the punch, by laying with Kazuya. Karen decided to go through every conceivable source to verify such news and to create an opportunity for her and Kazuya. With the perfect timing of her Fortress City’s renaissance, a commemoration ball was to be held. Immediately sending a (super important) invitation for Kazuya to attend. 

Brooding whether to steal Kazuya’s heart during the ball or after the ball had finished, Karen tries to hatch a grand scheme, but later becomes frustrated in embarrassment.

「Um.. … Duchess Lautrec…. I don’t think now is the time to be worrying, because Parabellum’s President will be arriving shortly 」

Having watched Karen pace back and forth endlessly sighing, Maria tries to inform her that she’s run out of time.

「Ehh!? Maria, what are you talking about… … there should still be time until―― no, it can’t be!! How is it time already!?」

Having been lost in her own world, Maria finally manages to bring Karen back to reality.

「Maria!! Why didn’t you say anything!?」

「Haa~…. I did though, I’ve been trying to get you’re attention several times now」

Immediately calling one of her maids for assistance, Karen begins to get dressed raising her voice along the way in protest, tearing with impatience.

「Eh?… … It appears that he’s arrived」

Listening to Karen’s barrage of complaints, glancing out through the window Maria notices Parabellum’s VH-60N Presidential Hawk dancing amidst the sunset in the distance.

「Ugh. Hurry it up girls, move faster!!」

「「Yes Ma’am!!」」

Under a strict escort Kazuya’s Presidential Hawk was surrounded by Apache Longbows and Mark III Superhinds. Patrolling the skies F-22 Raptors and F-35B Lighning II’s made sure nothing would reach the President’s chopper. Karen urges her maids to hurry as she cries out impatiently.

「… … So Karen, are you really going forward with your plan?」

「Of course, I’m doing it!!  There’s no other way but to do it like this!! 」

「… …. Alright, alright, I understand. So it’ll be like that then」

… … For her to have changed so much, ever since she met Kazuya.

She rarely smiled before and she used to be ridiculed as『The Icy Duchess』… …

but now she laughs more often and is living more animatedly.

「Alright, I’m going out there!!」

Watching Karen excitedly leave the room to go and greet Kazuya, Maria laughed quietly to herself, glad for her friends change.

During rebuilding process of the fortress, a helipad had been constructed near the lords residence, on which Kazuya’s Presidential Hawk landed.

… …Just recently, the amount of escorts certainly increased from that time.

Hovering directly overhead the F-22 Raptors and F-35B Lightning II’s maintained their presence as Parabellum’s Elite guard stood by. Kazuya himself sighed aloud as his escort detail became much more strict to prevent an assassination attempt, a result from when he first crashed in the Monster Kingdom.

「Ah, Welcome, President Nagato we’ve been expecting you…」

Breathing raggedly, Karen managed to calm down, before greeting Kazuya putting up a polished appearance.

Phew, I managed to make it here…. at very the last minute…

Not wanting to keep a guest waiting―― Karen rushed frantically worried that she may ruin her grand plans, before it even began. Making it to the helipad just as Kazuya had got off his Helicopter, Karen breathed out in relief.

「…… I’m sorry Duchess, did I keep you waiting long?」

It was only for a moment, but Kazuya was stunned by Karen’s smile as though nothing had happened. Even though before his arrival, Karen had been moving around desperately, trying not to ruin her clothes or hair, which had slowly exuded from her tired appearance. 

「Ahaha No….. I didn’t wait too long, haha~ Well let’s go somewhere else and have a chat, shall we?  」 

Controlling her breathing, Karen smiled widely before pulling Kazuya’s hand towards her castle’s ballroom.

Once inside, the ballroom was festive with the dazzling daughters of wealthy merchants and aristocrats. Scattering their allure for all to see the mothers of these noblewomen, wouldn’t fall short of their daughters.

And while the men were cordial amongst each other, beneath the surface they battled against each other, not wanting to miss out on a great opportunity.

「――Ah Greetings, Viscount Barrick」

This is… ugh… this isn’t going the way I want it to…

「Hm-hm, I appreciate the reception Duchess Lautrec」

Around the wealthy merchants and nobles who surrounded her like flies, Karen secretly grew frustrated, while trying to maintain her composure as much as possible.

Taking a sidelong glance towards Kazuya’s direction, numerous sultry mature women and attractive young girls continued to surround him, causing her to look at him longingly.

「Ah~, President Nagato, you arrived here from another world right? Won’t you tell us interesting stories about your world? 」

「Oh, yeah, I guess it’s fine 」

「Really!? I’m so happy!~」

「Oh oh, I want to hear all about it too!!~ 」

「I also want listen!!~」

As Kazuya was pressed by girls of various ages, the girls whose bodies couldn’t compete with their voluptuous rivals, silently threw in the towel as they left the fringes of the circle.

Suddenly a girl of marriageable age pushed through and tugged on Kazuya’s sleeve. Her body much unlike her peers hadn’t blossomed to maturity and was much close to an unripe fruit. 

「Um, your Excellency? If you don’t mind I want to hear… … the story of ‘That Night’. Or is that something you don’t want to tell? 」

Locking eyes with the noblewoman who pulled on his sleeve, sending him a heated gaze while hiding her face behind a fan.

「Huh, what’s that….?」

The woman teased Kazuya giving him a light confectionary, alluding from events of a particular night he had.

「Ah, Miss Mardia? You haven’t heard of ‘that great story’, about his Excellency… … where he partook her highnesses fruits making her beg for forgiveness as he filled her womb with his seed… … Fufufufu~」

Within moments the surrounding ladies broke out into smiles and laughter.

Huh, what was that!? How did they―!?

Kazuya was flabbergast at the aristocratic women before him ―― the speed of information had spread extremely fast amongst the social world of these women .

Ugh… If things keep on going on like this… …

there will be no point to all my preparations. I need to hurry things up.

「Excuse me for a little bit」

「Huh, oh but Duchess?」

Even though she knew it beforehand, countless noble women surrounded Kazuya. Fearing she would lose to those other aristocratic women, Karen pushes aside the nobles around her and leaves the party.

「Maria, I’ll be doing ‘that’ already. I’m going ahead to make some preparations, make sure to bring Kazuya to my room」

Having left the ballroom, Maria immediately rushes over to Karen as she affirms her decision.

「Don’t worry, I’ll make it happen」

Maria nods to Karen with a serious expression, before heading towards the grand party to steal Kazuya away.

Don’t worry Karen, I believe in you!!

Karen anxiously flew towards her quarters, waiting for her friends success.

Like a feeble rabbit surrounded by a large group of carnivorous beasts.

Kazuya was lost in such thoughts as the girls surrounding him pulled at him from every direction, aiming for his wealth and his authority. 

「Eeeek!! Ah who did that? Oh, it’s you!!」

A girl who had clung to Kazuya, immediately protested as she had been forcibly separated from Kazuya.

「Pardon me, President Nagato, Duchess Lautrec has several things that she wants to show you. Allow me to guide you to her quarters, If I may.」 

Having apologized towards the girl she pushed away, Maria immediately requests for Kazuya’s presence.

Wait, what does she want to show?  Ah, could she be trying … … to help me?

「… … I understand, please guide me」

Unable to think about what Karen wanted to discuss, Kazuya thought it would be better for him to leave, than to stay with the girls in this ballroom. Nodding towards Maria, he makes his decision.

「Now please, if you follow me, its this way President Nagato」

Along with the aristocratic girl Maria had pushed away, the rest of the girls surrounding Kazuya began to complain as he turned to follow Maria. 

「Eeeh~ but we still haven’t… … Your Excellency is going to leave already??」

「Ah, but, can’t we…」

「Wait, won’t you stay and converse with us some more」

「Awww~ I’m going to miss you」

As he tried to follow after Maria, several of the aristocratic & wealthy women nearby held on to him.

「It’s ok, I’ll be coming back… …」

Even though the girls who crowded around him were quite beautiful, Kazuya already understood these women’s goals. Grown tired of this he wanted to leave as soon as possible. 

「In that case… … If you ever feel like coming to my place, I’ll be waiting for you」

「Me too… … I’ll also be waiting for you as well, your Excellency」

「Ah, ahaha… … thanks girls, I’ll let you know」

Brushing off the aristocratic girls sexual aims with a slight bit of laughter, Kazuya chased after Maria who was quickly guiding him away.

「Please, it’s this way」

Managing to escape from the ballroom, Kazuya was being guided towards Karen’s private quarters.

「……」

I wonder what Karen plans to show me?

Standing silently before Karen’s private quarters, Kazuya turns his head towards Maria before entering the room.

「Huh… … Is everything alright!? Why is it so dark in here?… … Karen? Are you there?」 

*Click* 

There was a sound of the door being locked. Surprised by the sudden click just as he entered the room, Kazuya decided to press forward, guided by the moonlight which shone from the window.

「Kare――!?」

The moment he neared the center of the room, all of a sudden Kazuya had been shoved onto a large sized bed.

「Whose there!? ―― Karen!??」

「Yeah, it’s me~」

Having been shoved so suddenly, Kazuya reflexively withdrew his pistol from his holster, but after realizing it was Karen, he immediately re-holstered his weapon in relief. 

「You really caught me off guard there, why did you do that so sudde――!?」

Kazuya stops in mid-sentence, stunned by Karen’s nostalgic appearance.

「……」

「……」

A long silence descends before the two regain themselves.

「… … Karen? What’re you thinking?」

「… … This? Well it’s exactly what your thinking」

Instantly reading Karen’s expression, her face dyed with a shy determination. Kazuya recalls the time she wore the exact black lingerie.

… … I know she told me that we’d continue this “next time”, 

but I never thought it would be this ‘time’.

「Remember that night, Kazuya? I told we’d do it “next time”」

Karen read through Kazuya thoughts completely, as he became hesitant in return.

「… … Yeah … you did say “next time” but shouldn’t we take things――Mmmph!?」

「NmMmm~ *Kissing noises*... …  MmmNnm~ *More kissing sounds* … …  MmMmmNnn~  I want~  MmmMm~  you~…  mmMm~ phua~! Do you think I’m a shameful woman?」

Stealing his lips, Karen tries to deny Kazuya from rejecting her, sending him a heated glance as she strips him of his clothes like it was natural.

「… I don’t care about that… But are you sure you won’t regret this?」

Brushing off her insecurities, Kazuya tries to confirm Karen’s resolve.

「My mind has never been clearer!」

Firmly responding to Kazuya’s query with serious eyes, Karen roars.

「Alright, if that’s how it is then… …」

「Kyaa!?――Ah MmmMm~」

Validating Karen’s answer, Kazuya steals her lips as he began to act on his instincts, embracing Karen and releasing her from her chastity.

「Fufufu~ *Giggling*」

Wrapped up in a world just for two, Karen snuggles right next to Kazuya’s body  smiling & laughing lightly under the gentle moon shining above them.

「Karen …. you look, really … ecstatic right now 」

「Ah~ well, why wouldn’t I be? … … After all I’m together with the man I love, whose prestige is greater than mine. I was never fond of political marriages, and I couldn’t see myself ever being with any noble for as long as I lived」

Turning her face towards Kazuya, Karen continues to smile like an innocent pure child as she embraces him tightly.

「Ah, is that right… …」

Towards Karen’s quick straightforward response, Kazuya glances away, scraping at his cheek with his finger trying to hide his embarrassment.

「Mouuu~ *pouting*… … Hey!!」

「K-Karen!?」

「Fufufu~♪ You can still keep on going right~? The night is young, and I’m going to make sure to you get me pregnant for sure~♪ 」

Towards Kazuya perplexed reply, Karen’s pouting expression changed as she laughed carnivorously, her eyes narrowed with delight as she decided to have her way with Kazuya.