Chapter 525: False Debauchery (1/2)

「Pss, pss……if I recall in Arkland, that person……pst.」

「Pst……doesn’t betrayal mean immediate execution? Why is she still alive……pst?」

「I heard it was handled under the authority of the Military Commissioner so there was no sentence from His Majesty……pst.」

「Such a person being invited in the first place――or not, that’s why she’s still in a servant’s clothes.」

Malicious stares and gossiping continue to assault Rukino as she is guided to the changing room.

「Um, thank you.」

「Tch.」

Even the servant displays a rude attitude when thanked.

Rukino tightly grips my arm and enters the changing room almost in tears.

House Escaote was under the control of the one leading the rebellion and the effects also extended to Rukino herself, so she really had no say in the matter. But that is not enough to excuse the family head.

Because it is hard to construct a defense regardless of theory, it’s better to go in a different direction.

「Alright, change into this.」

I hand Rukino a custom-made dress.

The pale face of the crying woman gradually turns more and more red.

「Didn’t you find your resolve earlier?」

「Seeing it again……no, I know how high quality it is. But isn’t it too……short……and revealing……?」

This dress was tailored by a shop catering to sex workers and has an interesting origin story.

The shop’s craftsman used to work at a place that sells high-end dresses, but had a dispute with his boss when going independent that ended their relationship, increasing the difficulty in doing business with nobles in an industry where connections are important.

In order to sustain himself, he began selling to commoners, but the only commoners who needed fancy dresses were prostitutes and travelling performers.

The craftsman was delighted when I ordered a dress combining class and allure so he stayed up for multiple nights to make it.

Although the dress exposes an excessive amount of skin, its superior quality prevents it from looking out of place even in a noble’s dinner party.

Of course, no one dares to wear a dress that would basically confirm you are a pervert.

「Everyone will get suspicious if we’re gone for too long. Hurry, put it on.」

When I urge her, Rukino begins taking off the servant uniform she borrowed with trembling hands.

She undos one button at a time, baring her neck, her collarbone, then her chest.

Next she moves down to the skirt――

「Um, can you at least turn around?」

I refuse with a solemn shake of my head.

「Uuu……」

I fixate on Rukino’s shapely breasts.

The 28-year old’s breasts are moderately soft and firm.

They are exquisite, different from a 20-year old’s springy breasts and a 30-year old’s supple breasts.

Her naturally small nipples and areola are like that of a teens except for the faint coloring.

「You wouldn’t think these belonged to a woman who has already has birthed and raised two children. You’ve really taken care of them, huh!」

「Hiiuu.」

The blushing Rukino hides her breasts while taking off her skirt and picks up the dress, but finds fault with it.

「This dress can’t be worn with regular underwear.」

「Ueh!? I can’t got without underwear when the dress is this short!」

I grin, pulling out a special underwear from my pocket and handing it to her.

「T-there’s no cloth……it’s just string……」

Rukino accepts her fate and slowly lowers her underwear.

The entirety of her slender thighs are revealed and her short trimmed gold pubic hair becomes visible.

「Because it’s trimmed too short, the labia sticks out.」

「Gosh!」

I unknowingly expressed my thoughts out loud.

Rukino pulls her underwear down the rest of the way and swiftly puts on the string underwear and dress.

「I didn’t think you’d know how to wear it.」

「……I’ve worn various things to entice my husband into having more sex.」

I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but he was pretty worthless, huh.

I admire Rukino’s whole body again.

Her flashy crimson dress seems to be sparkling as if it was dyed multiple colors.

Additionally, feather-like ornaments decorate her chest, side and accompanying gloves, and sway every time she moves her body.

Her dress would already be gorgeous if that was all, but the amount of skin showing is incredible.

The dress is the type with strings for shoulder straps and her chest area is so open that her nipples can probably be seen if not for the feathers.

The back of the dress is also lacking cloth, so when viewed from behind, the parts below her shoulder are pretty much naked and her buttcrack can be seen.

If she wore normal underwear, it would in plain sight, while string underwear would make it seem like she isn’t wearing anything.

Furthermore, even though the top of her ass is already exposed, the hem only reaches a questionable part of her thighs.

If she bows slightly or puts her leg on an elevated step, her groin area can be seen from the front and back.

「It’s a look basically asking for everyone to see you naked.」

I hug Rukino, rubbing her shoulder and ass.

The dress fits tight to her body and even the parts that are hidden can be easily associated with nakedness.

Her curves, especially her ass and waist, are very defined almost like the dress isn’t there.

「If you walked around in town with that outfit on, it wouldn’t take a minute for people to take you into the back alley.」

Rukino shyly brushes over a bruise, then looks at me with a serious expression.

「Please confirm for me one last time. I don’t mind how much you want to humiliate me. In exchange, you’re going to give hope to Seika and Rukue, right?」

「Leave it to me.」

When I smile, Rukino softly rests her hand on my arm, completely yielding control to me.

Leading Rukino by the hand, I return to the hall.

「Thank you very much.」

Rukino forces a smile and bows to the servant waiting outside.

The men who previously hurled insults at her could not help running their eyes over Rukino’s face, chest and legs, and responded stereotypically by bending deeply at the waist.

「No man can return the greeting of a beauty wearing such a skimpy dress with abuse.」

The dress that is not only vulgar but also elegant really heightens Rukino’s attractiveness.

When we return to the main hall, people around us stop their conversations to steal a brief glance before resuming clumsily.

Some men who were going to criticize Rukino for being here let their eyes roam free as soon as they saw her and then awkwardly walked in the other direction. Then they say some kind of snide remark to the madam next to them.

「That’s it? I thought they would come attack if you showed up, guess I expected too much of them.」

「If I was alone, I think I’d be beaten up. I’m safe because Hardlett-sama is around.」

That means I have to make the first move.

As I look around for someone suitable, a familiar voice calls out to me.

「Oh Lord Hardlett, you’re here.」

「I heard you were attending yet did not find you.」

「What should we do about our travel expenses going home――ahem!」

Count Monashi, Viscount Binbo and Baron Gokhin――the trio of the poverty alliance.

I feel like they would have called out sooner if they were looking for me.

「We left as soon as we received our invitations.」

「But because of the war expenses, our finances are a mess.」

「We couldn’t use carriages or horses and had to walk two full days to finally arrive.」

Three feudal lords with titles walked together?

How poor are they?

The three of them pat their somewhat dusty formal attire.

For how destitute they are, the clothes are woven with gold thread. I wonder if this is an area where nobles won’t compromise on.

「I can’t hide it from Lord Hardlett, as ashamed as I am. It is the result of my wife and daughter’s hard work.」

The glimpse that Count Monashi shows me of the inside of his clothes is covered in patchwork.

「This is reality, sadly.」

Viscount Binbo is wearing rags that commoners would wear underneath his jacket.

「I did not have enough fabric……kuh!」

Just when I thought Baron Gokhin’s clothes looked nice and didn’t have any visible stitching, I realized it was just the front. The backside is tied together crudely with string and even his ass is sticking out. I’m surprised nobody found out yet.

「Rukino’s half-exposed ass is sexy, but this is horrible. There’s a mole and hair sticking out.」

「I know I’m poor, but I can’t reject the invitation to the party.」

Rather than coming with your ass showing, I think you would retain your honor if you were absent.

「Um.」

Rukino tugs on my sleeve with a troubled expression.

These guys distracted me enough that I forgot about the crucial plan.

「By the way, Lord Hardlett, I also heard the rumors regarding the other individual.」

「Rumors say that lady is a traitor who lost her status.」

「Why did you deliberately bring her with you?」

As usual, the three of them talk in waves.

Maybe it’s fine to tell them.

「Actually, I want her to act as a governor in my territory.」

While ultimately facing the poor trio, I talk loudly enough for other people to hear.

My statement surprises the three men and also prompts those nearby to eavesdrop.

One, two……wait, that’s everyone.

「That’s not good!」

「She may not have been sentenced by His Majesty, but I can’t believe you’re going to make a traitor your governor!」

「A governor has many responsibilities! That person will not be able to negotiate properly with anyone!」

I say governor, but she’s really going to be a minor feudal lord ruling over a city and a village.

She will have to do business with merchants, hire workers from other regions and decide on how to station guards if there are other lords at the border.

But nobody will want to negotiate with Rukino when she’s still being treated as a traitor.

At this rate, she won’t be able to do her tasks as a governor and any family she leaves behind will endlessly be bullied.

That’s why I’m putting on this play.

I hear people gossiping.

Clearly, our conversation can be heard by everyone.

「It’s better if you arrange for somebody else to be governor!」

「If you need a governor, my eldest son……no, he’s a muscle-brain. My second son is a womanizer, my third son is an idiot! My fourth son ran away in debt……grrrr!」

「Now that it’s come to this, we have to make an acquaintance here!」

The last remark prompts those around to close the distance.

It pains me to use these three, but it can’t be helped.

「That won’t do. I want to make her the governor no matter what. I’ve recently laid my hands on her, you see.」

I smirk and reach for Rukino’s partially visible ass.

Knowing what’s coming next, she holds onto my arm with both hands, wiggling her body slightly in resistance.

I move my finger along her buttcrack and push against the string underwear that barely covers her anus and nether regions.

「Nnhaa.」

An erotic sigh leaks from Rukino.

If she was acting just now, that’s pretty impressive.

Two approaching middle-aged men hunch over and retreat.

「You must not be deceived by allure.」

「Exactly, those who have betrayed once will do it a second and a third time.」

「I don’t want to see a man of Lord Hardlett’s stature get caught off guard.」

The three of them glare at Rukino.

I applaud internally. I wanted them to say that.

I remove my finger from Rukino’s ass and shove it inside her mouth.

「No need to worry. She can’t betray me.」

I say as I twirl my finger in her mouth.

Drool trickles down the corner of Rukino’s lips as she chases my finger with her tongue.

「Her very soul is completely obedient to me. Isn’t that right?」

「Yes. My lower parts get hot just by being next to Hardlett-sama, so how could I ever betray him?」

Rukino, who lowers her head before looking up, has eyes that are entranced like she drank an aphrodisiac, indicating her affection to me and submissiveness.

The gossiping grows louder.

「It’s not a good idea for a traitor to become governor. You don’t know if there will be another secret meeting.」

「Look at those eyes though. They resemble the eyes of a bitch in heat. What did he do to get her like that……」

「Hmmm. Those eyes are similar to the ones my wife has when she looks at my brother.」

One more push will do it.

When I rub Rukino’s shoulder, she acknowledges me with rational eyes, then switches back to being charmed and shivers.

「If you touch me like that, I won’t be able to take it anymore. W-why don’t we go together to the toilet or the changing room?」

That draws out gasps and scornful comments.

She purposely spoke loud enough to be heard.

I gently push her back and shake my head.

「I still have business here. Go and relieve yourself.」

Rukino turns red, nods, and then runs off.

「What a shameless woman! She didn’t bother to whisper the invitation to sex!」

「But she can’t communicate with Kenneth like that. She’s completely a prisoner of Lord Hardlett and can only think about dick.」

First, I remove the risk of betrayal.

Now, for the next part.

「You reap what you sow when it comes to betrayal. Criticism is inevitable but I won’t forgive harassment. There was a knight that we encountered on the way that threw a stone at her.」

My eyes open wide to emphasize my point.

「I flew in a rage and captured him――then ripped it to pieces.」

It’s all lies.

「I-I think it’s best if we don’t ask the details.」

「I’m sure he means his clothes! Hahaha, hahaha……」

「More importantly, let’s eat! We haven’t eaten in three days.」

That also halted the surrounding voices in their tracks.

「D-do you think it’s true……it has to be. I saw Lord Hardlett pull off an enemy soldier’s head on the battlefield.」

「But didn’t that knight do the right thing? One or two rocks isn’t much……」

「Logic won’t work on Lord Hardlett. He’s a person who is unpredictable when angry.」

I’m sure not everyone is happy, but they should know that it’s dangerous to harm Rukino.

With so many nobles here, I just have to let the rumors spread to the neighbors.

「I feel sorry for his wife. She must be offended at such an open request.」

I’m worried about that too.

I’ll have to get on my knees later and insist it was part of a plan.

「Wait! This is-」

「Shut up!」