Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Let's hope so. If you mess up, just wait..."

"Waiting for what?" Sienna's eyes lit up, her gaze shifting playfully between Ryusha and Gerberi.

Gerberi tensed instantly. She knew Ryūka meant 'punish' her, but how could she let Sienna hear that! Her long eyelashes trembled, and her eyes fixed on Ryūka! Seeing this, Ryūka shrugged at Sienna:

"Just wait until I complain to Her Highness the Princess!"

"Tch! Boring!"

Sienna looked unconvinced, but was helpless against the two. Still haunted by Ryūka's previous lesson, she felt a mixture of fear and affection, and stopped teasing them. The sultry, humid night in the southern town added a touch of ambiguity to their conversation. However, the three prioritized their mission, quietly sitting at the table and meticulously planning every detail of tomorrow's operation, including their elaborate excuses and responses to questioning…

"That's all for now, let's rest until dawn. By the way, Sienna, how are you going to leave here tomorrow? Are you going to possess the maid and go back in the morning while she's cleaning the room?"

After discussing the infiltration, Ryuka curiously began to probe the truth behind Sienna's abilities. However, the witch was already on guard; her alluring eyes, adorned with dark circles, were completely unfazed by Gerberi's gaze as she smiled at Ryuka and said:

"Little brother Ryuka~ You have to respect a girl's secrets~ But if you really want to know, let's do it again like this afternoon... But~ be gentle this time~"

As she spoke, she grasped Ryuka's fingers, stroking the boy's broad knuckles and a smile playing on her lips...

written request for leave

I haven't been feeling well lately, and considering I've already missed my full attendance bonus this month, please allow me to relax for a couple of days and enjoy a peaceful sleep in the cool summer nights.

written request for leave

Set up shop for another day

Chapter 22 Sienna's Outrageous Remarks

As the first rays of sunlight rose the next morning, Ryusha opened her eyes. On the two single beds, Gerberli sat up fully clothed, a hint of unhappiness in her eyes, as if she hadn't slept well the night before. Sienna, on the other hand, lay on the bed, a blissful smile on her face, her cheek buried in the pillow, seemingly enjoying her best sleep in a long time.

"Don't look at me like that, she asked for it herself."

Ryusha looked at Gerberi with some frustration. Last night, he finally succumbed to Sienna's relentless nagging and offered his hands to give this insatiable witch pleasure more than once. But this was tough on Gerberi; she endured most of the night to Sienna's seductive moans, and finally, Sienna fell into a satisfied sleep, but Gerberi just couldn't fall asleep...

While this was undoubtedly a sensual and pleasurable experience for Ryūka, Sienna, that cunning witch, was purely interested in enjoyment without giving anything in return, not letting Ryūka take any advantage. If it weren't for Sienna's childish tantrums and insistence that she wouldn't be able to get any work done the next day without being satisfied, Ryūka had no choice but to give her a 'education of love' for the sake of peace and quiet. However, once Sienna was aroused, even the somewhat torturous methods Ryūka employed made her thoroughly enjoy it.

Especially since Ryūka was still somewhat wary of her, fearing that this wicked witch might possess him and spy on his memories while he was asleep. Although he didn't think Sienna would deliberately cause trouble, even considering her mischievous nature, Ryūka had to be cautious. It would be better to simply knock her unconscious so he could rest more peacefully that night.

But to Ryukyu's explanation, Gerberi merely snorted coldly, her eyes screaming "pervert!" Ryukyu, who had endured the allure of Sienna's witch-like charm all night, retorted with a "you just wait" look, determined to get revenge on Gerberi for the pressure she'd accumulated the previous night!

But for now, Ryusha waved his hand to remove the magical restrictions that covered the room, and after confirming that no one was outside, he pushed open the door and went out. He planned to act like an ordinary person, go to the hotel reception to greet the owner, exchange a few pleasantries, order two breakfasts, and ask the hotel staff to clean the room later to prepare for Sienna's escape.

After Ryusha left, Sienna opened her eyes with a satisfied smile, stretched comfortably, and teased Gerberli, who was looking disgruntled:

"Why are you looking at me like that? Are you jealous, Gerberly, sister?"

“Jealousy?” Gerberi’s face darkened. “Sienna, don’t forget who we are! We are His Highness’s people. What if you and him…”

Even if Sienna acts recklessly, if she loses control and does something with Ryuka in a moment of passion, and Tipalotura isn't around, then one of her sisters will be taken away by Ryuka!

"Jerberly, you really don't know anything."

Sienna sighed helplessly and said to Gerberly in a nonchalant tone:

"In all these years, when has His Highness ever voluntarily exposed us to outsiders? Don't you realize what it means to let him into our little circle?"

These words sent a slight shiver down Gerberly's spine, as if they had touched upon a possibility she didn't want to think about. Ignoring Sienna's ramblings, Gerberly said coldly as she tidied herself up and washed:

"Notice what? I think you're overthinking it."

Sienna curled her lips at Gerberly's obviously hypocritical behavior:

"Although we are witches, our hearts are no different from ordinary girls. Even if you keep talking about His Highness all day long, what about your other sisters? What about His Highness himself? Although I don't know much about him, the fact that he trusts that boy so much shows that His Highness cares about him to some extent..."

"You bullshit!"

While still washing her face, Gerberly slammed the basin down and glared angrily at Sienna. "Your Highness has feelings for Ryukyu? Don't be ridiculous! Your Highness is just using him! Using his abilities and personality..."

Even though Gerberly tried to convince herself of this, the image of Tipalottura and Ryukyu together still lingered in her mind. Whether it was that enchanting night or their usual conversations, when Tipalottura was with Ryukyu, whether she was aloof or smiling, she always carried an emotion that Gerberly rarely saw.

It was a feeling called 'relaxation,' and even in the past decade or so, Gerberly had rarely seen Tipalotura show any signs of 'relaxation.' Her Highness was always like a wise strategist, calm and sharp at all times, like a blade forged from ice; even sitting there quietly, she could not conceal her brilliance.

But when she was with Ryūka, that sharp edge vanished. Her Highness remained as calm as ever, only this calmness now held a touch of humanity. This wasn't like a princess, nor like a witch's leader!

“We are witches,” Gerberi said coldly to Sienna. “Even someone as ungrateful as you wouldn’t actually have any feelings for that boy, would you?”

Gerberly felt she had a lot to say on this point. Even after everything that had happened between her and Ryukyu, she had carefully examined her complex feelings for him—a mixture of hostility and infatuation, but this infatuation was far from love. At most, it was like her fondness for weapons and armor, or the comfort of cutting an enemy in two with a sword. But this feeling was easy to discard. If necessary, Gerberly believed she could raise her sword against Ryukyu without hesitation, which would prove that she didn't have much feeling for him.

Even though she and Ryukyu had already been together, Her Highness was able to use her power to stop the curse of Kranar and prevent herself from falling into it, so it was impossible for Her Highness herself to have a greater fondness for objects than she currently had.

Unexpectedly, Sienna simply blinked and said with a surprised look:

"What's the point of feelings? That kid is handsome, strong, and smart, and I can tell he's a really good guy at heart. Not to mention his exceptional skills. As a witch, he's the perfect 'partner' that we can't find another like him!"

"Object? What object?"

"Of course, they are the ones to carry on the family line."

Sienna's words made Gerberi's head spin! But ignoring her thunderstruck expression, Sienna continued speaking:

“Of course I know that Your Highness has lofty ideals. But what if? What if Your Highness’s ideals cannot be realized in a short time? The power of order cannot be returned to the royal family. If older witches like you and me are tormented by desires and die young because of the curse, how will those people in Otus treat Your Highness, who is weak and alone? Even if many have been eliminated in the past, their influence behind the scenes is still considerable…”

Sienna continued counting on her fingers:

“Her Highness’s abilities are different from those of us ordinary witches. She possesses the power of order and is also of the bloodline of Kranar, which allows her to control this curse to some extent, so she will live longer. But then, wouldn’t she need us sisters even more to help her reproduce new witches to maintain her power? In that case, it’s very important to select ‘good candidates’ for us, right?”

Sienna's words left Gerberly feeling dizzy and even nauseous. But she had to admit Sienna was remarkably calm; as witches of Ottus, they had been perpetuating their bloodline under the control of the royal family, generation after generation. On one hand, the Ottus royal family needed the witches' power to maintain their position; on the other hand, no one could resist the possessiveness towards witches.

For a thousand years, the descendants of Cranar, like their bewitched ancestor, have fanatically regarded witches as their possessions, yet feared having their powers and bloodlines stolen by them. So they frantically vented their desires on the witches, forcing them to give birth to new witches to maintain the status quo. This twisted past disgusted Gerberi, and Tipalotura was the savior who would rescue them from this fate.

For them, it wasn't just the descendants of Kranar that were despicable, but also that cruel witch! In her quest to one day return to this world, she left their bloodline to suffer for countless years. That's why they rallied around Tipalotura, helping her gather the scattered forces of order across this continent and the heretical lands, using this power to sever their fate completely.

But Sienna, also a witch who follows Tipalottura, has a completely different idea—their lifespans are too short, and if they cannot complete this mission within a generation, then it is necessary to plan for the future. In any case, they have already broken away from the control of the Ottus royal family under Tipalottura's leadership, which means they have the freedom to choose their own spouses.

This is far better than our domesticated ancestors, who were destined to be tormented to death by their accumulated desires anyway. So why not live life to the fullest while serving His Highness? When a new witch is born, she will be entrusted to His Highness and the other younger sisters to raise, establishing a clan system controlled by young witches whose minds are still developing.

Even though Princess Tipalotura herself has limitations in lifespan and desires due to this curse, Sienna felt that her idea was entirely feasible as long as she chose a kind-hearted 'partner' who would not interfere with her decisions to pass on the power of order!

After all, in her mind, Tipalotura was far smarter than her and wouldn't act without a backup plan. What she could think of, His Highness could surely think of as well. Therefore, when Ryūka appeared, Sienna readily accepted the boy and was convinced that Ryūka was the one His Highness had chosen!

"so……"

Sienna launched into her long-winded explanation, hands on her hips, looking defiantly at Gerberi as she said:

"I'm just trying it out in advance! As long as that membrane doesn't break, there's nothing to worry about! Anyway, that's all you care about, Gerberli!"

Her words made Gerberi so angry that she trembled all over, her face flushed red as she pointed at her and said:

"you you you……"

But Sienna seemed to realize something, and suddenly clapped her hands, saying with a sudden realization:

"Oh right! It's just that membrane! So, could I try it with Ryuka-kun after..."

"No! Shut up!!!"

As Sienna continued her rant, Gerberly heard the footsteps of Ryusha returning in the distance. She immediately pounced on Sienna, covered her mouth, and growled in a low voice...

Chapter 23 Infiltrating the Local Area

As soon as Liuxia entered, she saw the two of them wrestling in an odd position, and couldn't help but frown and say:

“What are you two up to now? Get ready to move. Gerberly, we'll do what we did yesterday and head to the market first. Today, try to make it look like the goods are selling like hotcakes, and find an opportunity tomorrow to ask the mayor for a long-term trading permit. Sienna, you need to find a way to possess someone from Cornwall today, preferably someone who can take us into the church district tomorrow.”

After saying that, Ryuka packed her things and quickly got into character as a merchant, leaving the room first to wait for the two. Gerberi also breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that Ryuka didn't seem to have heard their conversation, she glared at Sienna and then grabbed her things and left as well.

Shortly after, the maid, who had been sent to tidy the guest room as requested by Ryūka, arrived as scheduled. Before leaving the inn, Ryūka glanced at the maid from afar; she appeared no different from usual. However, when their eyes met when no one was looking, they exchanged a smile, confirming that Sienna had successfully possessed her again. Presumably, Sienna would manipulate this person to find opportunities to contact others, gradually transferring her body to a suitable person for future actions.

"It's really amazing. I can't detect any magical fluctuations. Even I can't tell anything is wrong. Is this the witch's ability?"

Ryūka silently grumbled about Sienna's bizarre ability, saying things like "it's a lady's privacy." Sienna wouldn't let him witness the possession process, which piqued Ryūka's curiosity. Witches' abilities are incredibly diverse, and their current opponent—the Saintess of Cornwall—was also a witch. Before knowing her abilities, Sienna's power alone made Ryūka extremely wary of witches…

The market on the second day was not much different from the previous day, and Ryusha still perfectly played the role of a gossipy young merchant. The goods brought from outside Cornwall sold quickly, and with just a slight discount, they were doing brisk business in this closed-off town market. The number of people watching them had decreased considerably after the first day's scrutiny, and they regarded Ryusha as just a boastful outsider, treating his talk of future trade with the southern countries as a joke, occasionally revealing disdainful expressions in the crowd.

Liu Xia took in all of this, secretly amused, and confidently found the market manager, striking up a conversation with the man she had met the day before.

"Mr. Reese! Thanks to you, my business is going very well today! Here is today's stall fee and tax!"

Ryuu, beaming, added two extra coins to the coin stack. Rhys, who managed the market, counted them and gave a knowing smile. Although most people in Cornwall were wary of outsiders, the market manager was just as shrewd and opportunistic, never missing an opportunity for a small gain. He silently pocketed the extra coins Ryuu handed him, forcing an ugly smile onto his otherwise cold, thuggish expression, and began to chat with Ryuu, winking and making faces.

"Ah, Mr. Shane, you're much more capable than your uncle, old Lucas. It looks like this shipment will be sold out in less than five days, won't it?"

Although it was meant as a pleasantry, there was a hint of bitter reluctance in Ries's tone, which Liu Xia was well aware of and couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. The reason was simple: the extra money Liu Xia gave him was the daily 'stall fee' for setting up a stall in the market. While Ries couldn't get his hands on the taxes, things like stall fees were much more flexible. After all, there were good and bad spots for stalls in the market, and aside from the fixed shopfronts, whether a vendor could get a good location depended entirely on the whims of him, the market manager. And this young man from out of town named 'Shane' was quite perceptive; on his very first day, he'd paid an extra silver coin to secure the best spot for the day!

This guy's much more sensible than his uncle who just drinks and loafs around! After all, the bigger the investment, the bigger the profit, right? Rhys sees his income as a legitimate test of a merchant's ability. As for old Lucas, who's so stingy, Rhys doesn't know how he managed to get the regular merchant license to Cornwall! After all, their place is…

With this in mind, Rhys quickly stopped his wild thoughts. He was just a commoner; he had no desire to get involved in the affairs of those 'madmen'! He was living a comfortable life now, and if there were more out-of-town merchants like 'Shane,' maybe one day he could save up enough money to buy a slave knight. Of course, that was assuming the Church's saintess would allow such 'goods' to enter Cornwall.

Ryusha had long since seen through the subtle changes in Rhys's expression, knowing what he was thinking. Back when they first arrived in Cornwall yesterday, he had secretly screened the locals who were observing and monitoring him and Gerberly. To perfectly infiltrate Cornwall, starting with these local spies with some power was the best approach, and Rhys was the easiest opening to exploit.

Rhys's sour tone was simply a way of saying that if Ryusha sold his goods and left Cornwall early, he would lose a day's profit. After all, the taxes he paid to the town were fixed, regardless of how well the goods sold, and he'd much rather Ryusha, a sensible merchant, stayed every day. Unlike other merchants, Ryusha brought in-demand goods from Otus; even if he earned double the price, Rhys would feel he was doing him a favor!

After all, the fact that they sold so quickly is partly due to his 'help' in securing the best spots in terms of foot traffic!

"Not at all, I'm entirely relying on your care."

Liu Xia squinted, took out another silver coin, and stuffed it into Rhys's hand, lowering her voice to say:

"Please help me out at this stall tomorrow as well. I estimate that in another day, I'll be able to head home early!"

“This… Mr. Shane, you should know that this spot is coveted by many people. There are so many people who line up early in the morning to get a good seat.”

Upon hearing that tomorrow was Ryūka's last day, and adhering to the principle of sustainable development and thrift, Rhys accepted the silver coin but didn't agree. Instead, he subtly hinted at his predicament. After all, if Ryūka stayed for five days, he would have earned five silver coins! More than he had now!

Ryuka, sensing Rhys's greed, was secretly delighted, but deliberately feigned pain, complaining to Rhys:

“Oh! Mr. Reese, how can you say such a thing! Our 'friendship' isn't just a matter of two or three days! My uncle is getting old, and I'll be coming here often in the future, so I'll be asking you to take good care of him then…”

"You come often?"

Rhys's eyes darted around. He was very familiar with this kind of haggling that Ryusha did every day. But he had also seen Ryusha's performance over the past two days. The young merchant was eloquent and his boasts about the trade contracts that Princess Otus had signed with the southern countries left him speechless. He didn't know if it was really as amazing as this 'Shaen' made it out to be, but judging from his appearance, this 'Shaen' was definitely an ambitious and driven young businessman.

Rhys had also noticed the profits he'd made over the past two days. It was just some scattered miscellaneous goods from the northern Otus Empire, but their scarcity allowed them to fetch high prices in the south. Even with a tall, strong slave knight under 'Shane's' command, they couldn't carry much cargo at a time. Judging from the sales volume in Cornwall these past two days, it was far from meeting local demand. Hearing Ryusha say "Come again," Rhys immediately began to calculate in his mind…

Although the church had rules against having too much contact with outsiders, there were always exceptions—Cornwall couldn't be completely isolated from the world. Even the lower-ranking clergy who claimed to be devout to the saint needed external goods brought by people like 'Shane'.

Thinking of this, Ries pretended to hesitate and said to Ryusha:

“Come often, but your uncle Lucas’s permit only allows entry to Cornwall once a week, Mr. Shane… I do have a way, but…”

Hearing Ries say this, Ryuu blinked in surprise, though she already knew perfectly well what was going on. After all, according to the local intelligence Sienna provided last night, a local strongman like Ries could contact the local mayor or his associates. With just a little something, they could help Ryuu and her companions obtain permits for multiple entries and even extended stays right under the noses of the Cornish Church!

Of course, what Ryūka cared about wasn't the time, but rather taking this opportunity to openly and legitimately enter the inner church district. And with the help of someone like Rhys, he could transform from a constantly watched outsider into one of his own, protected by a local!

"You absolutely must tell me about this in detail!"

Ryūsha immediately showed immense enthusiasm, which was not surprising to Rhys. Although Ryūsha's goods were relatively rare, what truly made him money was the closed nature of Cornwall. After all, Ottos's goods were already readily available in other towns. But in Cornwall, only a small number of outside merchants with church permission were allowed to enter, and this was the key to Ryūsha's wealth!

Just as Rhys was feeling smug, thinking he had Ryusha under his control and could make a fortune from facilitating this matter, he didn't notice that 'Shane's' gaze narrowed imperceptibly after passing through him!

Even Gerberi, who had been silently appearing behind him as the slave knight 'Bella', couldn't help but tense up slightly!

Just behind Rhys, a figure they both recognized was walking straight toward them, without veering off course!

It was Ada Reed, the daughter of the Earl of Linze Castle who had disappeared from Thunder Castle!

Chapter 24 The Arrogant Ida

Ada Reed! She's here!

That day, she escaped from Thunder Fortress using teleportation magic, along with her father and former subordinates of Linze Fortress. Afterwards, Ryūsha sent Melanie, who was well-versed in the principles of magic, to investigate the inn where she had stayed. Melanie sensed the direction of her teleportation from the magic circle that had not yet completely dissipated, which roughly coincided with the direction of Cornwall Town.

So, after Tipalotura pointed out that Cornwall might be a stronghold of the Chosen Ones, Ruka deduced that Ada and her father, Gavin Reed, must have fled there. What they would do after joining the Chosen Ones was still unknown to Ruka, but in any case, she never expected to see the person she had deliberately let go at this time and in this place!

Wait! Doesn't that mean...? Ryuka's mind suddenly skipped a beat! But she immediately stopped, because now was not the time to think about what would happen next; she needed to deal with the situation caused by Ada's sudden appearance!

Ryūka stared intently at Ada, who had appeared before her. Once she was sure she hadn't mistaken her for someone else, she immediately looked away and continued chatting with Reese, the market manager, as if nothing had happened. But Ryūka was already on high alert. After Ada took a few steps forward, Ryūka became even more certain that Ada was heading straight for her!

Unlike the Earl's daughter she had seen at the welcoming ceremony in Linze Castle, Ida was dressed quite modestly: a simple linen shirt, trousers tied at the waist and cuffs with thin rope, and cloth shoes slightly covered in mud, making her look no different from the townspeople of Cornwall. However, her fair and delicate skin was quite different from the local rainforest dwellers, and her dignified and graceful demeanor as she walked was unlike that of a commoner.

Why was she here? And why was she coming towards her? Had her infiltration of Cornwall been exposed? Ryuka's mind raced, her first thought being of Gerberly behind her. Unlike herself, who was adept at concealing her thoughts, Gerberly, a simple-minded woman, wore her heart on her sleeve. She must be even more nervous than Ryuka right now; she absolutely had to avoid giving herself away. While secretly channeling her spiritual energy, preparing to make a hasty escape if things went wrong, Ryuka smiled and said, taking advantage of the topic Ries had just brought up:

"Whatever methods Mr. Reese may have to make me rich, please be lenient with your price. I just bought 'Bella,' and my wallet isn't exactly overflowing with cash."

Taking advantage of these words, Ryuu turned around and pointed to Gerberi behind him. Sure enough, he saw that she was already tense, and her body was secretly preparing to draw her short sword and fight. He quickly winked at Gerberi, mouthed "calm down" to her, and then immediately smiled and turned back to Riss, rubbing his hands together as if he were negotiating with him.

"Hmph~ Mr. Shane, you're a shrewd businessman, you should know that making money always requires initial investment! As for the connections I mentioned..."

Rhys, smugly keeping everyone in suspense, was about to reveal his plan to introduce Ryusha and her companions to the mayor when he suddenly noticed Ada approaching from behind. Realizing the presence of a stranger, Rhys immediately shut his mouth. After all, he couldn't let anyone else hear about his efforts to get Ryusha to do more business in Cornwall…

"Cough cough!"

Ada brushed past Reese and walked up from behind him. She glanced at the insignificant man twice, then stopped in front of Ryuka and sized up the boy in front of her.

She really came for me! Ryuka secretly calmed herself, pretending to have just noticed Ada's appearance like Rhys, and forced a fawning smile as she asked:

"Miss? Is there something you need?"