While Ariel continued to endure the abandonnt tornt with the rotors—
Rigel had arrived at the mayor's residence.
"Yo."
"My, my… If it isn't Lord Rigel."
"Yeah. You look well."
The two exchanged light greetings.
When Rigel had built his secret mansion in Itsutsu, he had inford the mayor to so extent.
He hadn't told him that mbers of the executed royal family were being hidden there, but he had made it clear that the secret mansion was very important to him.
He had also discreetly instructed the mayor to suppress any bad rumors related to that mansion.
In return, he provided financial compensation.
It was a mutually beneficial relationship.
One could say the two were generally on friendly terms.
"Lord Rigel, you seem to be doing well yourself. What brings you here today?"
"Oh, just a small matter. It won't take long, so don't be so tense."
"…Understood."
The mayor relaxed his guard slightly.
Even though it was a give-and-take relationship, if Rigel felt like it, he could easily destroy all of Itsutsu. The power difference between them was clear.
"So, what is your request?"
"Hey, you haven't been lying to , have you?"
"Eh…?"
The sudden question caused the mayor to freeze.
"W-what are you saying…? There's no way I would lie to Lord Rigel."
"You told you had children, right? One son and one daughter."
"Yes, that is correct."
"Your son's na is Ariel. The leader of the rebel army. Known as an androgynous beautiful boy, but his actual gender is… right?"
"!?"
The mayor's complexion changed upon hearing Rigel's words.
It seed he had hit the mark.
"Hmm… Just as I thought."
"H-how did you…?"
"Well, it doesn't matter. From your reaction, it looks like it's true."
"..."
The mayor fell silent.
Rigel grinned and continued.
"Haha! Man, I suspected it, but still…"
"…Could you please keep this matter confidential?"
"Sure, I don't mind. Replacing the mayor is easy, but training a new one is a hassle. If you continue to obey , I wouldn't mind backing you and Ariel."
"Ohh! How generous!!"
The mayor raised his voice in delight.
He seed relieved that the secret would no longer leak.
"However, there is one condition."
"A condition…?"
"I want your two daughters to beco mine."
"Wha…"
"Ariel and… Alice, was it? I'm telling you to let do whatever I want with their bodies."
"N-no… That is… um…"
The mayor was at a loss for words at Rigel's extrely direct demand.
"What? You don't like it? Are you planning to rebel against us too?"
"No! Absolutely not!!"
"Haha! I'm joking. To be honest, I have no intention of just raping your precious daughters and throwing them away."
"R-really?"
"Yeah. I'm simply interested. I want to hear what kind of voices they make."
"..."
"Besides, even if they get pregnant, there's no problem. I can't make them my wives, but I'll treat them as lovers and cherish them. Of course, I'll also grant the right for any child born to beco the future mayor."
Rigel spoke calmly.
As he said, if the two girls bore children, the mayor's family line would beco rock solid.
It was still unclear who would beco the new ruler of the forr Valenstein Kingdom territory…
But with Rigel—who had achieved great accomplishnts—acting as their backer, it would undoubtedly be a huge advantage.
"I-I understand. I will offer both of them to you."
"Heh? You decided surprisingly quickly."
"Yes. Your proposal is very attractive for us as well. In fact, I almost want to ask you myself."
"Haha! I see, I see!!"
The mayor had no idea that one of the two—Ariel—was already undergoing rotor tornt in an abandonnt play.
He accepted Rigel's proposal.
"Well then, I'd like to start with the younger sister. Prepare her for ."
"Alice? However… Alice is currently out…"
"What? She went sowhere?"
"Yes. Recently, she has started ddling in so of my work… She should be with the tax collector right now, collecting taxes from the townspeople in the western district."
"Hey now… Is that really okay?"
Rigel couldn't help but interject.
Tax collection was a delicate job.
It could easily turn violent and was likely to earn the resentnt of the townspeople.
Since she was Ariel's younger sister, she was probably in her early to mid-teens.
It didn't seem like a job an immature girl should casually involve herself in.
"To be honest, I don't think it's ideal… However, since she will be supporting Ariel as the next mayor, gaining experience has aning… I just hope she doesn't cause any problems…"
"Hmm…"
Rigel folded his arms and pondered as he listened to the mayor's explanation.
He didn't know Alice's personality or abilities, but he understood why the mayor was worried.
"Got it. I'll go relieve your worries for you."
"W-what are you planning to do!?"
"Nothing much. Just observing her work. I'll go check if Alice is carrying out the tax collection safely. You don't need to co along. I'll go see for myself."
"I-is that so… Understood…"
"Alright. No ti like the present. I'm heading out right away!"
With those words, Rigel quickly left the residence.
His crotch showed a slight bulge, perhaps from anticipation.
---
"Haa!? Only five silver coins!? Are you fucking kidding !?"
"Hii!?"
Alice was yelling at the man standing in front of her.
She was the second daughter of the mayor.
Although the next mayor was supposed to be the eldest child, Ariel (actually the eldest daughter), it wasn't a bad idea for Alice to deepen her knowledge of the mayor's duties.
That was why she was currently present at the tax collection site.
However, the amount she had managed to collect was pathetically small.
The man being shaken down desperately pleaded his case.
"T-this can't be helped!"
"Haaah!? What do you an!?"
"W-well… life has been really hard lately…"
"I don't give a damn about that!!"
"Hii!?"
The man let out a terrified scream.
He seed completely overwheld by Alice's intensity.
Even the tax collector—the actual person in charge—stood beside her with a troubled expression.
"Alice-chan, please calm down a little…"
"How can I calm down!? When this is all the money you can squeeze out!?"
"N-no… but… if we push them too hard, future tax revenue will end up decreasing—"
"Shut up with all that complicated nonsense!! Don't say such annoying things!!"
The tax collector had tried to say sothing perfectly reasonable, but Alice forcefully silenced him.
"..."
"Also, stop calling 'Alice-chan' already! I'm not a child anymore!!"
"S-sorry… Lady Alice."
Alice was in her mid-teens, while the tax collector was in his thirties.
He was a distant relative of the mayor and had even looked after Alice when she was little.
But now that she had grown and beco aware of her position, she had beco arrogant.
These days, she acted high-handed even toward people older than herself.
"Good grief…! If that's how it is, maybe I should just search the house myself?"
"P-please stop! Anything but that…"
"Shut up! The cri of getting in my way is very serious!!"
"Ugh!?"
Alice kicked the man in the stomach and tried to enter the house.
"Wait, Alice!!"
"Haa!? Who the hell— Wait, it's you…"
The person who stopped Alice was a boy who had been her childhood friend.
He was around the sa age as her and had a sowhat unreliable aura.
"What are you doing here?"
"What do you an…? I heard you were going completely overboard, so I ca to check on you."
"Haa? What's that supposed to an? If you have ti to worry about , go work properly!!"
"Ouch…"
Even toward her childhood friend, Alice showed no rcy and delivered a sharp kick.
"Honestly… You're really useless… Why do I have to deal with this…"
"…Alice."
"What?"
"…Why can you treat other people so cruelly?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"I don't understand… The old Alice was a much kinder and more honest girl… So… when did you change?"
"..."
Hearing her childhood friend's words, Alice fell silent.
However, a smile rose to her face.
"Don't say stupid things. I've always been like this. As soone who carries the blood of the mayor, I have a duty to stand above fools and guide them."
"You're wrong! That's not how you really feel! You just want to satisfy your desire to dominate, don't you, Alice!!"
"—! Shut up! And first of all, a re commoner shouldn't be calling by my first na! Know your place!!"
"Augh!?"
Another sharp kick from Alice sent the childhood friend collapsing to the ground.
"Hmph! Don't get cocky just because we're old acquaintances!! You weakling! Idiot!!!"
Alice spat out the words.
Her eyes were filled with contempt.
"「「「...」」」"
"Huh? What's with those eyes? Don't tell you're thinking of defying ?"
The man being taxed, the tax collector, the childhood friend boy, and the townspeople watching the commotion from a distance.
Though their positions differed, every single one of them was frowning at Alice's behavior.
However, none dared to physically resist.
Because—
"Fufun. I have excellent bodyguards, you know. I hired them from another town, and they're really strong."
Alice spoke proudly.
Just as she said, several burly bodyguards stood around her.
They had sworn loyalty to Alice in exchange for money.
Since they were outsiders, they felt no hesitation toward the townspeople.
It was easy to imagine what would happen if anyone defied her.
Alice's arrogance stemd from both her status as the mayor's daughter and the physical power she had bought with money.
"Fufu! If anyone has sothing to say to , co forward anyti! I'll beat every last one of you down!!"
"「「「Khh…」」」"
The people around her glared at Alice with resentnt.
But even those looks seed to irritate her.
"Don't look at with those filthy eyes! All of you, lower your heads! Prostrate yourselves right now!!"
"「「「Ugh…」」""
At Alice's shout, the townspeople all dropped to their knees at once.
Seeing this, she showed a satisfied expression.
"That's right! That's how it should be! Respect and praise ! Ahahaha!!"
Alice laughed loudly.
It was then—
"Hm? What's going on here?"
A carefree voice called out as a boy casually walked by.
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