After finishing my task in the beastkin village and commercial district, as well as teaching Peron-san, I immediately returned to Miscronia kingdom. It'll be awkward if I ran into Sondark or Princess Karnella.
I had a peaceful dinner, then had a good time flirting with my three wives on the couch in my room after taking a bath.
As the Miscronia Kingdom had abundant water resources, taking a bath regularly was part of their culture here. Since their magic technology was also of a higher level, water heaters were more prevalent here than in Karendil.
Of course, the royal palace is equipped with numerous bathrooms. All occupants can take a bath anytime they wish.
[U-mu…]
[Is something wrong?]
[Nah, I just have a lot of thought regarding the current situation.]
Marl, who sat in between my thighs on the sofa while leaning her body with MAX closeness to my chest, looked up to me. The scent of the soap drifted into my nostrils, it was really brutal for my self-control.
She looked more coquettish than usual with her hair tied in a ponytail. Adding to that were her slightly damp hair and exposed nape.
[It's all-you-can-eat pretty sisters bowl ＋α. What are you dissatisfied about?]
[Why you. Only you would dare to call yourself pretty unabashed like that. But you're right in that regard.]
[Yes, I am always right.]
I lightly pinched the nose of the smug faced Marl, who responded with a merry laugh. Her nose was cute and small. Her cheeks are smooth and soft. guriguriguri.
Meanwhile the one referred to as ＋α, Fram, didn't seem even care that much. Is it really okay?
[Munyuuuー]
Releasing Marl who let out a strange voice when I stroked her head, I looked at the one sitting next to her, Princess Tinava――Tina. She looked at us enviously, but both her and Fram have much longer hair, it'll be a shame to ruffle them.
Fram's and Tina's stunning hair, currently still damp, were both long enough to reach their waist. It seemed difficult to take care, but I love it.
[Umm, is Taichi-sama dissatisfied with the current situation?]
[No no, I have no complaints. Delicious foods, cute wives, near boundless wealth, unrivaled fame and might, a territory that I can govern freely as a nobleman. There's no way I could be dissatisfied with my current life. It's just that.]
Replying to Tina's question, I looked up at the ceiling. I saw white ceiling and chandelier with built-in magic tools that automatically emits light.
The white fluorescent-like light burned my eyes, so I naturally squinted.
[It's just that, what?]
[I don't understand what Ir-san and Albert-san are planning… I'm thankful and all, but since I can't understand it, I feel a little uncomfortable.]
I've told Ir-san before. That as long as Marl and I are together, the connection between me and Miscronia kingdom will remain rock solid. So I don't understand why she pushed Tina to me as well.
[Taichi-san is worrying too much about the details. You just need to shake your hip like a beast and profit.]
[You… can you at least express that in a more elegant way]
[I shall put that into consideration! But it is hard to fully understand Mama's way of thinking. Though I believe she did not mean any harm. Tina was willing, and she also hates Prince Gimlet as bad as I do. Taichi-san is also benefiting from all this while still prioritizing the family.]
Whilst saying so, Marl surrendered her weight on top of me. The softness and weight peculiar to her youthful body pressed comfortably into my chest.
By the way, Gimlet is the name of that prince from Geppel kingdom.
[Our family is best known as a family of Heroes, so there is an unspoken rule that we need to marry a Hero to preserve the bloodline. The child might not be born a Hero, but the chance of bearing a Hero is significantly higher than if otherwise. More often than not, the child will be blessed with talent.]
[That's like treating me as a breeding horse… well, as a man, that's like a dream come true. Uーmu, is there anything I should be worried about?]
[If Taichi-san is serious, I do not think there is any obstacle that cannot be torn down. If something goes wrong, I think we should just handle it when we get to that point. You just need to bang! without worry, and bang! some more.]
Said Marl while tapping on my thigh to go with her "bang". I still am not convinced though, since it's too convenient for me.
However, Marl had her points right. There's no use to worry too much about a problem that we don't even know yet.
[Rather than that, I would like Taichi-san to bring me to see the Beastkin village and the Arachnean village.]
[Beastkin village…? What are we talking about here?]
Fram looked at us suspiciously after hearing Marl's request. Now that I think about it, I never really mentioned the beastkin village while Fram was around. She seemed to not have a good impression regarding the beastkin, so I didn't dare to talk about it.
[Ahー, pardon. I never mentioned this to Fram before. Tina should listen too.]
After apologizing to Fram, I started talking about the territory I was planning to manage.
=====
[A country of beastmen, is it?]
[You don't seem to be very excited to hear it.]
Fram's face frowned into an indescribable complicated expression after hearing my story. I guess the roots of beastmen discrimination runs really deep in the Karendil kingdom.
[No, that's not what I mean. It's just that, is there really a need to make the beastmen and arachneans as the main civilians? Isn't there『easier』way to populate a territory?]
[Because I want fluff.]
[Eh?]
[I want to be able to enjoy fluffy stuff that are the beastkin's fur, ears, and tail to my heart content. I want to pet, ruffle, even lick 'em. Not that I found them edible though.]
[Ermmm…?]
Fram glanced at Marl with a confused face. Marl simply shook her head as a response for some reason. Tina was looking at me with a funny face. What's with their reaction?
[I mean, does that mean Taichi-san prefers beastkin?]
[Fluff is justice. From the super soft kind, to the fluffy kind, or even the slightly gruff are A-okay. The body temperature, odor, no one is the same. Even a minute change can make it a day and night difference. Is there something else like this? Umm, well… certainly I feel similar things with boobs, but that doesn't reduce the splendor of fluff. Not at all. Do you understand now?]
[Ye, yes.]
Marl pulled away from my chest. I wonder why.
[That's just my principle in territory acquisition. I want their fluff, so I protect them. If they want to become my people, then I'll shelter them. And they're fluffy. The Arachnean on the other hand was purely incidental. They seemed to be capable in their trade, and they are capable of communicating with us. So I rather incorporate them into our society rather than subjugate them.]
[Why would you rather do that than subjugate them?]
[My first encounter with their kind was less than favorable; I was caught in their web while running across the forest, and got threatened as well. But once I talked to them properly, I found that they are a peaceful community with no hostility toward humans. They actually help humans who got lost or wounded in the forest. As a result, I found them to be likable enough, so I just did.]
[Then please take me to see this Arachnean village tomorrow, for sure.]
[Of course.]
Marl seemed to be desperate for something, so I simply nodded. It's been awhile since I last visited the Arachneans anyway. It's about time for me to show my face there again.
[Actually, I feel the need to build up a good track record before the marriage with Marl. To be honest, it's a bit overwhelming.]
[Do you really think that way? I believe that single-handedly stopping the great flood on Karendil Kingdom is more than enough for a good track record.]
[Is that so? I just think that it's a relatively easy win, so I guess I didn't feel that it's such a huge of an achievement.]
[I see, that's just how it is for Dear Master after all.]
(TL note: Fram always refers to Taichi as 'goshujin-sama' which can translate as both 'master' or 'husband'. I will use master until they are officially married)
Fram nodded as if convinced.
What did she mean by that? Did she mean that I don't have common sense? Well, I guess she's quite right.
[Pardon me, Taichi-sama. Do you have any plans to take a beastkin as your concubine?]
[Eh? No, I don't have any intention to do that for now?]
[Is that really so?]
Tina and I looked at each other while tilting our heads. I wonder why?
Ah wait, is that it? Did they probably tie my desire for fluff to that direction? No, no, that's not the case here.
It's indeed a form of love, but not the same as love between man and woman. In a sense, it's a higher form of love.
In other words, it's platonic, not erotic. A love that's tied to soul, not physically.
[Taichi-sama?]
[That is the face he makes when he is thinking about weirdly lofty stuff. No way we can change his mind on this. You can tell by the air around him.]
[Ah, it certainly is. I sometimes noticed this same air when he's comparing Marl-sama's breasts to mine.]
[Is that so… I wish can grow them a bit bigger.]
[I also like them small. I also like them small. There, I said it twice to make it clear.]
Marl's boobs are still growing at a slow pace into a pair of beautiful breasts. Tina's, while smaller, are no less precious. But Fram's size was on the level where it can't be compared with the two even if they're combined together. Hers were huge and beautifully shaped.
Perhaps it's because of how she trains her body, but I can't imagine them losing their beautiful perkiness anytime soon. And it's amazing how they don't lose shape that much even when she's lying down on her back.
[Then, what about this country's relationship with the Geppel kingdom? If I were them, I wouldn't find it strange to start being hostile.]
[Indeed. It is a huge problem, honestly. We have received several protests through our diplomacy channel. Geppel kingdom happens to be the only one trade route between Miscronia and Karendil. And they seem to plan on closing this route in retaliation.]
Marl replied to my question. Geppel Kingdom should still be in the middle of great flooding, and yet they still managed to send in complaints.
Naturally, since it concerns the marriage between Royal families, I guess?
I was right to be wary of them. It seems that they're quite capable.
[Economic sanctions? Wouldn't that affect not only Miscronia but also Karendil?]
[Indeed. From the Geppel kingdom's point of view, Taichi-san seems to be in a friendly relationship with the Karendil kingdom. Above all, Karendil is also the leading partner of Miscronia's trading business. Perhaps they are planning to put pressure on both sides?]
I could already imagine Sondark holding his head while screaming after reading this announcement from Geppel kingdom. Until this matter dies down, I really shouldn't run into him. Otherwise, he'll take the chance to do whatever in his command to force Princess Karnella to me.
[I see. Then it's settled. What I need to do is put in effort to open up a new trade route as soon as possible.]
[That is correct. That said, Miscronia is in a good economic state, so the sanction will not affect us anytime soon. But on the other hand, Karendil is low on supplies despite having been helped by Taichi-san. Not to mention that they are not in the position to do anything drastic at the moment.]
While lightly embracing Marl who had leaned back against my chest again, I started simulating what would happen if a new trade route was to be opened up between Miscronia and Karendil sometime shortly.
[If we manage to open up a new route soon, couldn't we take advantage of the economic sanction? With the old trade route closed, merchants will naturally flock into the new route. On the other hand, Geppel kingdom will lose out a lot.]
[…..that is a possible scenario. Perhaps that is why Mama dare to openly instigate Geppel Kingdom]
[Don't tell me Ir-san planned all this from the very beginning?]
It seems that Geppel kingdom is a fairly sizable country, so such a setback wouldn't make it collapse too fast. However, all three kingdoms had been connected in this relationship due to reasons.
It's because the other route between Karendil and Miscronia is closed by that dangerous sea of trees. The only route with secured public safety was through Geppel kingdom.
However, if a safe route through the great forest can be secured, this relationship would certainly be affected greatly. Miscronia and Karendil will be able to freely trade with each other, thus reducing Geppel kingdom's influence on both countries significantly.
Great flooding, centaur civil war, slow trade, declining influence to other countries. Could the Geppel kingdom maintain its former power after all that?
And I'm pretty sure that Ir-san did all this aiming to weaken Geppel kingdom.
『Shall I give you a hand? But we'll split it evenly between us, okay♪』
The figure of Ir-san, smiling evilly, appeared in my mind.
[I guess… that's like thinking way too far out, right?]
[Nothing less from Esteemed Mother…]
[Speaking of splitting in half, there is also that matter regarding the southern plains.]
Fram and Tina's reactions to my thoughts were pretty normal. But Marl's was too specific, it's scary. Perhaps I'm indeed involved in some sort of a ridiculous conspiracy.
But for the time being, I decided to take a good rest for today. Let's visit Arachnean village tomorrow.
=====
[What's with that reaction again?]
[Why do humans tend to rush so much? For once in a while, can you relax and do things slowly?]
[Because humans are short-lived, unlike you people.]
While telling Kusuha about what happened in the past two weeks, I sipped the transparent green liquid on my bowl. It's bitter, but the scent was fresh and calming. I never had the chance to drink an authentic matcha in my previous world, but I guess it should be pretty close to this.
I brought my three wives to visit the Arachnean village today. We met Kusuha in her sleeping quarter, and were served with the green tea. Both me and Marl seemed to enjoy the tea, but Fram and Tina didn't like the flavor. I guess that's why they hadn't touched their bowls again after taking their first sip.
I don't hate the flavor myself, but I suppose my taste buds were different from them.
[So, what are you intending to do on this visit? I suppose you don't come here just to have some tea, do you? Or do you require a tribute of some sort?]
The rubies on Kusuha's forehead glowed in the dimly lit room. The three pairs of compound eyes could actually shine like that? Uーn, it certainly adds to her already beautiful face.
[Well, I'll get what I want to get, but at least I won't take things one-sidedly. Today, I'm here to introduce my wives. Since my lordship over the entire forest has been officially recognized by both Miscronia and Karendil, I'd like to start negotiating.]
[Negotiating, you said? You could've dominate us as you want, no one here would be able to resist your power after all, milord.]
Kusuha drooped her shoulders, but her words were laced in sarcasm.
[Please don't act all subservient like that. I'm not here to dominate you all by force just as you say. All of you live in this land far earlier than I do, so there is no way I'll treat you badly. What happened anyway? You seem to be in a bad mood today.]
[….fuhn, to think you already have three. Filthy, pervert beast. Please go explode.]
[Wait wait wait, why are you getting angry here?]
I was dumbstruck from hearing Kusuha's dull muttering. Why does she suddenly emit the aura of a super jealous woman?
[Now now now, Taichi-san, please leave this to us. Sometimes it is easier for women to talk when it's just between us. I will talk about the other things as well.]
She had this strangely chilling smile. From what I know of Marl after staying with her for this long, she's planning for something scary. Well, to passersby, it would look like a normal smile though.
I could already imagine what she's trying to do. Most likely to increase the number of members in my harem. But Kusuha is a 500 years old maiden. There is no way she'll fall for it, right?
Eh? Is it really alright to include an Arachnean into the harem? Most people would probably be against it, saying that it's a big NO! or something along that line.
Although there's indeed a concept of moe monster girls in my original world. To be honest, Kusuha is still within my strike zone, which was as wide and deep as the sea. Not to mention that she's so beautiful, no, super beautiful to boot.
[Well… alright then. Please do it in moderation.]
I decided to leave things to Marl and went out to explore the Arachnean village. There was Fram standing guard should things go south. And Tina was… cute.
But what about Marl's bad habit?
『A man with such a position and worthiness like Taichi-san should be surrounded by many women and make them all happy!』
These days, Marl was not confident with such things.
Well certainly, considering the survival rate of babies and mortality rate of men, I understand why polygamy is commonly practiced in this world. And of course, aristocrats like Sondark or the King of Karendil have many women on their sides. In most households, it's not rare for a man to have three wives.
Even old man Ultz from Crossroad's adventurers guild had two wives. But apparently the dwarves do not practice this.
Whoops, I got sidetracked there.
I can't really say anything about Tina since it's partially my fault. But I would prefer to keep the numbers low. After all, the greater the number, the less time one can spend with each woman.
Should I man out and say NO clearly? Not really, as there is a part of me that feel pleased when the number of『my women』increases.
In the end, what bothers me were the idea of chastity and ethics I was grown with in my previous world. Things that might as well be a shackle in this world.
[Ahー, enough thinking about that.]
Realizing that my mind was wandering a bit too wildly, I shook my head and tried to empty my head. Marl is handling it already, so I should put my trust in her.
Now that I think about it, I had too much time to spare while waiting for them to finish. I thought about sightseeing around the village, but wandering around without a guide would only make me feel anxious.
Looking around, I could see most of the buildings in this village. The ones that are built above ground can be counted with one hand, as most of the dwellings here are built semi-underground like disaster shelters.
I suddenly felt a gaze aimed at me, so I turned to the direction from where that gaze came.
[…..]
Was it coming from that grocery store? I could make out some faces hidden in the shadow. Apparently, they were kids living in this village. When I beckoned them with a smile, they came out from their hiding spot one by one.
There were a total of five kids, two Arachnean girls and a boy, one human boy and girl. Looking closer, the older Arachnean girl also carried a baby on her back. Is she also babysitting then?
[Hello there, you kids are living in this village, aren't you? My name is Taichi, nice to meet you all.]
I fished the simple log chairs and table I took from the beastkin village out from my inventory, and chatted with the children. Arachneans couldn't exactly sit on a normal chair, so I put out a bundle of straws instead to act as makeshift cushions.
From these children, I was able to learn various things about the village.
For example, about the houses in the village. They first dug a hole in the ground, then hardened the parts that would serve as floor, walls, and ceilings with Arachnean's adhesive threads. Apparently the dwelling was warm during winter and cool during summer.
And then about the humans living here. According to the children, most of these people were former adventurers helped by the Arachneans when they're dying from a monster attack while exploring the great sea of trees.
When I asked about their parents, it turns out that the children born from a human-arachnean relationship aren't always Arachneans. Case on point, the little baby boy the older Arachnean girl was carrying around is her little brother.
[Then I strike at the head of the attacking serpent dragon! Like this!]
While saying so, I swung my fist laced with magic power into the sky in an uppercut move. I released the magic power when my fist reached the apex of movement, sending it breaking into the atmosphere with a low sound of explosion. The children, innocent as they are, were pleased by the simple lightshow.
By the way, it's really the exact same move I used to evaporate one of Yamata no Orochi's head. I figured that I need to do it seriously to give it a sense of realism.
After a while, instead of telling me things about the village, the kids urged me to tell them the story of my adventures. For the time being, it'll be unreasonable to talk about the outside world, so I told them about the Yamata no Orochi I encountered inside the great sea of trees.
[This is the sword that came out from its tail back then, be careful when touching it or else you'll cut yourself. And this is the serpent's eye that could endlessly produce magic power. It's a bit warm to the touch.]
The boys looked excitedly at the bone sword, while the girls were more into the serpent's eye that emits mysterious light. Their eyes were shining brightly.
In the meantime, even adults started gathering. They were staring curiously at the bone sword and the serpent's eye.
[Did you really beat it by yourself?]
[Yeah, I did. Look, this is the materials I dismantled from it.]
When I took out the leather and fangs of the Yamata no Orochi, even the adults started gasping. There are still some materials left, so maybe I should just give them out… no, I have a better idea.
[How about exchanging something for these leather and fangs? Any special products collected from around here, or Arachnean-made clothes and accessories would do.]
The leftover leather, fangs, and meat of Yamata no Orochi quickly changed hands, replaced by Arachnean village special products. Apparently the foods and supplies in the grocery store were common property of the village and cannot be taken out. However, I still got myself some food, clothes made of Archnean's threads, canes and bows made from the old trees harvested from the great sea of trees.
The bows were actually a hidden gem.
They were crafted from the tough woods and various materials harvested from the great sea of trees. The bowstring was also made from some of the toughest Arachnean's thread.
Not only was it nice to handle, the arrow also shoots well. When I appraised it, it's shown as『Arachnean Bow (Excellent)』 . The quality bracket shown by appraisal eye tend to be very nitpicky about finer details, so I knew it'll be good when it showed『Excellent』.
Roughly speaking the rank of quality starts from: trash, lowest quality, low quality, normal, good quality, high quality, excellent, highest quality, and up to transcendent. However, depending on the item, it may adds another note like『crude』,『fine』, or『special』that does not follow regular ranking. I still don't fully get it myself.
[This is a good bow. Many soldiers, hunters, and adventurers would want one for their own.]
Hearing me saying that, the Arachnean-Human couple who brought the bow looked really happy.
The wife, a human woman, lost her left leg below the knee. She was a former adventurer rescued by her husband after her party was attacked by monsters when they were exploring the great sea of trees.
It took a lot of effort to recover, but now she spends her time in this village as a bowmaker. By the way, she's also the mom of that older Arachnean girl who was babysitting her younger brother.
[Taichi-san.]
Marl and co. approached me, perhaps having finished the talk and wondering about the gathering people here. Since Kusuha was also with them, the villagers bowed in reverence.
[Is the discussion over?]
[Yes! She told us the good place to build a new village around here. Also, she seems to have connections with other friendly races living in this forest.]
Marl is really something else, just as expected. She could even pull out that much information from the stubborn looking Kusuha. Not to mention that she's so cute when she leaned her head slightly to me, asking to be stroked.
When I turned my gaze to Kusuha, she looked distracted for some reason. Then when she noticed my gaze, her face turned red and she immediately looked away. That's suspicious alright… just what did they discuss earlier? I'm getting a little scared.
Fram's confused look only added to my anxiety.
Un, but it's Marl we're talking about. Whatever she did, it wouldn't be out of malice against me. Though that doesn't mean it won't inflict any damage to me, be it directly or indirectly.
At worst it'll just only add the number of women in my bed. Wait. Can Kusuha sleep on a normal bed in the first place? How do these humans have sex with the Arachneans anyways?
[Alright, I will now head to the beastkin village to ask permission for Marl and my other wives' arrival. Please wait here for a moment.]
[Understood. Then we will just enjoy some tea with Kusuha-san while waiting.]
After responding to Marl with a wave of a hand, then giving both Fram and Tina a look, I casted long range transfer to the beastkin village.
=====
After a short moment of blurry sight and floaty feelings, the scenery changed into that of the Beastkin village. As usual, I arrived near the entrance of the village.
[Hoo.]
I was quite surprised by the sight that welcomed me.
The repair of the partially destroyed building had apparently been completed. Other than the still rough street and the sparse fences, the farming fields had also been restored. The view was quite fascinating.
Right then, Torn appeared from the direction of the village square. Did he know I came from my scent? Is he a dog or something? Ah, of course, he IS a dog.
[Hee… what's with you, looking at me like that?]
[Yep, a dog after all.]
As strange as it sounds, he always welcomed me whenever I returned, just like a dog welcoming his master.
[That's rude. I'm not a dog. I just smelled your scent.]
[Ye, yeah. Is Deborah or Yamato around?]
Inwardly, I still think that『He's a dog after all!』, but we're not going anywhere if I said it out loud, so I decided to change the topic. It seemed that the can-do horsekin Yamato and the mature female bearkin Deborah were in the village square.
Guided by Torn to the square, I saw that the villagers had also gathered there. Only the adults, regardless of genders, had gathered. I didn't see any of the candy loving elf or the kids around. Without the sight of Shitan's fluff, my tension died down. I want some fluff.
[Ara, you've come at the right moment.]
Deborah noticed me when Torn called out to her. The other villager also turned their head to me in turn. Their gazes were generally friendly, some even waved their hands at me. Just when I was wondering about it, I saw Pamela among the crowd. Can I pet your fluffy ears one day?
[What's going on here?]
[Since we're going to create a new village, we're having a discussion since we'll need people to manage it. That said, the supplies you brought have reduced the need for us to hunt more often, and the barrier has also diminished the need for more thorough nightwatch. So picking personnel shouldn't be hard.]
Yamato reported while looking at a bundle of papers with some fine prints on it.
[I see. Just this morning, I got my hands on the information about a good location to build a new village from the nearby Arachneans' village. Also about the other friendly races living in the forest that we could work together with.]
[Have you checked the site yet?]
[Yeah, well, I was about to. I planned to go there this afternoon to level the land. Oh, and can I bring my brides to this village? I'd like to introduce them to you guys.]
The answer was an unanimous OK. After everything I did for them in the past, it seemed that they no longer thought that I'm a disguised slave merchant, which was their initial worry when it came to me.
It's really worth the effort to win their trust overtime. Recently, not only the half-dog Shitan, the half-fox girl Sherry and the half-sheep girl Karen had also come to play with me.
At this rate I would win the trust of all the villagers completely. And my ambition to have the fluffiness of beastkin at any time and anywhere is nearing its completion.
I can already feel all the fluff in these hands of mine! Huhuhu, hahahahaha!
[Oi, why are you suddenly laughing like that? Are you okay?]
[Just leave him be.]
I felt like the gazes directed toward me strangely changed into that of benevolent pitifulness, which made me uncomfortable. So I just excused myself by saying that I would be bringing my wives here.
[I'll bring them here right away, so please welcome them grandly. I'll be back in a jiffy.]