Volume 11 Chapter 17 Beast King Martial Arts Tournament Finals I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Nokin’s Perspective
”Hendric! Just give up and go back to your own mansion! If you stay at my place, rumors will spread and start to sound like the truth! Already, there are whispers all over Abyss Vena that we’re lovers!”
I was talking to Hendric face-to-face in the reception room of the mansion where I was staying.
”I don’t care about that. I’ve stopped pretending. I like Nokin, and I want to be with you. Let people say what they want; I’m not planning on leaving you.”
Since losing to me, Hendric had stopped wearing the gender-transforming necklace and remained in her original female form.
She looked dignified and possessed a different kind of beauty than Alonsa.
”Sir Nokin… Lady Alonsa might hear these rumors and it could lead to trouble…”
Terry, who was standing nearby, whispered into my ear.
I understood what she was trying to say.
If Hendric stays in the side room, won’t Alonsa worry unnecessarily about me…
”Hendric… Your feelings are appreciated, but I already have a formal wife in Alonsa. So, I can’t return your feelings. Give up and find a new partner.”
Hendric, who had taken to living in the mansion, would sneak into my bed at night, disrupting my sleep with Terry.
Helplessly, I asked Geronimo and Garo to guard my bedroom, but even they couldn’t stop Hendric from getting in.
”Then, I’m fine with being treated like those maids. I knew I couldn’t become your formal wife. If I can just be near Nokin, have your children, and raise them, that’s more than enough for me.”
Hendric said she was fine with being treated the same as Terry.
I felt my heart tremble at those words.
This was because I was charmed by Hendric’s swordsmanship, the best in the South District, and the thought of having someone with such incredible skills as my subordinate made my warrior blood boil.
”I’m okay with either. As long as Lady Alonsa doesn’t get mad, maybe we could have Hendric as Sir Nokin’s side consort. Plus, Hendric is strong. I like strong people.”
Geronimo, who was sitting with us, casually said this.
”I won’t say I don’t hold a grudge about the dojo being ruined… But she definitely carries on Sir Belholt’s true swordsmanship… If Sir Nokin is thinking of rebuilding the dojo, I believe she is an essential asset.”
Garo, who had his dojo destroyed by Hendric, spoke with a bit of sharpness, but he was also recommending that I accept Hendric.
”No, no… That would only lead to trouble with Kent. Hendric is a noble from the South District… It wouldn’t be good for me to bring her back without permission.”
Since Garo and Geronimo’s opinions were pushing the idea of having Hendric as a side consort, I dropped Kent’s name as a precaution.
”Then it’s fine. I’ve already told Lakia that I’m quitting as the Hunting Group Leader and leaving the group, including giving up my title. You can think of me as just a solo monster hunter now.”
Hendric was speaking casually without realizing the seriousness of the situation.
However, what she said could easily anger Kent.
If he found out that Hendric, whom he had promoted to noble for personal reasons, was returning her title, even Kent, who was soft on women, would surely be upset.
If Kent’s anger was just his own, it wouldn’t be a problem, but if that anger turned towards my country and led to war, even I, who loves fighting, would want to avoid it.
I want to avoid fighting Kent because his country is the strongest military group on the Demon Continent, and even if we could win, the damage would be huge.
”Wait! Did you really say that!?”
”Lakia kept nagging me to do my job, so I said I’d quit if that’s how it was. Then Lakia got mad and it became even more annoying, so I also told her I’d give up my title. If I can be with Nokin, I don’t really care about it anyway.”
At that moment, there was a knock on the reception room door.
The soldier from the South District, who was in charge of the mansion’s security, appeared at the door.
”Sir Nokin. There are journalists gathered at the entrance, all asking to meet you. They are all asking when you will officially marry Lady Hendric, and the number of people has already exceeded a hundred. I thought it would cause problems for security if this continued, so I came to report.”
The soldier seemed to have rushed in, his equipment and breathing all out of order.
”W-What are you saying!? I’m married to Alonsa, so I have no intention of marrying Hendric! I don’t want to meet those people!”
”But if we leave it like this, who knows what will happen… It would help if you could go out and deny it yourself, Sir Nokin. If we just disperse them, they will gather again right away…”
The soldier looked like he was struggling with the journalists who were gathering.
”I guess I have no choice… It’s a problem if they make noise in front of my house. Fine, I’ll go out myself.”
I had the soldier lead the way, and with Garo and Geronimo following, I walked towards the entrance porch where the journalists were waiting.
* * *
When I stepped out onto the porch, I had heard there were a hundred people, but it seemed like there were nearly 2 hundred overflowing in the garden.
One man spotted me and approached, holding a square box in his hand.
”Mr. Nokin! Is it true? Are you really going to marry the Hendric Hunting Group Leader? Is Lady Alonsa from your country going to be a side wife?”
The other reporters noticed what was happening and came closer, surrounding me.
The reporters were holding boxes that glowed with magic light, and they were shining a bright light on me.
”Mr. Nokin! Is it true that you brought Ms. Hendric into your house after she lost the match and are playing with her!?”
”Mr. Nokin! There are rumors that Ms. Hendric is already head over heels for you! What’s really going on!?”
Waiting at the entrance was a group of hyenas called reporters who collect and sell gossip about famous people.
They write all sorts of things about the people they target, spreading it throughout Abyss Vena and even the South District.
Thanks to Kent providing a lot of gossip, it was said that others weren’t being targeted, but it seems they’re targeting me this time.
”Wait! Wait! I don’t plan to make Hendric my official wife! My wife is only Alonsa.”
When I denied it, the reporters started asking questions all at once.
”So, is Ms. Hendric just for fun? She’s been staying at your house for days, right?”
”It’s true she’s staying here, but we’re not in that kind of relationship!”
I was getting angry at the reporters’s rude questions, but I held back and answered calmly.
”When a man and woman of a certain age live together, of course something’s going on~”
The reporters kept pushing.
I wanted to punch them in the face out of anger, but I clenched my teeth even harder and suppressed my anger.
”Also, there are rumors that Ms. Hendric has already resigned as the Hunting Group Leader of ‘Golden Apostles’ and left the group. Is that true!? Can we think of this as wedding preparations!?”
”That’s something she did on her own! I never asked for that!”
My words made the insiders (journalists) stir.
They were all saying things like, ‘Did you get tricked by false information?’ and ‘Maybe your info is wrong?’ in a panic.
”Mr. Nokin… I will ask you one more time. There is no official marriage talk with Ms. Hendric, right?”
A man, representing the insiders (journalists), jumped in with the first question.
”Yeah, there’s no such talk at all. I plan to send her home soon. I don’t know where those rumors came from, but it’s completely false.”
The magic lights that were shining brightly started to decrease in number.
It seems like I can somehow avoid a big problem… Now, I just need to properly convince Hendric to go home…
Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, I heard Hendric’s voice from behind.
”What Nokin said is partly wrong, so let me correct it. First, I am not Nokin’s official wife; I have become his concubine. He agreed to this position on the condition that I would bear his child. Also, Nokin and I have already started sharing a bed and are in a romantic relationship.”
Hendric, who appeared from behind, was spilling words that ruined my efforts to the insiders (journalists).
”Is that true, Ms. Hendric!? So, does that mean your recent stays together have been for baby-making!?”
”Yeah, I’ve been pretending to be a man for a long time, but Nokin taught me the joys of being a woman… I’m totally smitten; I can’t even live without him.”
The insiders (journalists) revived with Hendric’s shocking revelation and were once again exposed to the dazzling magic lights.
”Mr. Nokin! Earlier, you denied your relationship with Ms. Hendric, but she herself has admitted to a physical relationship with you! What’s going on with that?”
”It’s not true! I haven’t laid a hand on Hendric!”
I denied it in a panic, but it only seemed to deepen the doubt and mistrust of the people around me.
Bad!
This is very bad… If this continues, it will become a serious problem…
”Nokin likes his wife, Alonsa, that’s for sure. I’m just forcing myself on him.”
”But Ms. Hendric, you are also an adopted child of the severed Remarque family, and you was knighted by the late Margrave Sir Arbalest. You are a distinguished noble. Isn’t it thoughtless for the Garuda Clan Leader to toy with such a person and make her a concubine?”
The man hit a sore spot.
Indeed, Hendric was adopted by the Remarque family and might have inherited the title if she hadn’t been severed.
Hendric herself is also a noble who has been knighted.
It’s clearly illegal to arbitrarily make a noble from another country a concubine, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it led to war.
”No! I don’t intend to bring Hendric in!”
As I kept denying, the people around me grew more restless.
I could hear things like, ‘Hey, are you just going to play with her and throw her away like this?’ and ‘Nokin was originally a General from the Demon God Emperor country, is that why he’s so cruel?’ and ‘The headline in today’s evening edition will be Hendric’s 3-night breeding spree.’
”Sir Nokin… Denying any further will only make you more suspicious… Let’s end the press conference.”
Garo, who was in my guard, whispered to me.
As he said, I realized that continuing to deny would not be the right way to dispel the doubts.
”Mr. Nokin!! What is the real story!? Do you plan to make Ms. Hendric your official wife or not?”
”I have nothing more to say!! The press conference is over!! Get out of the premises!! If you stay here any longer, I will call the guards!!”
I announced the end of the conference and pulled Hendric back into the mansion.
After that, until the day of the finals, reporters camped outside the mansion, and Hendric stayed there, causing even more speculation and leaving me mentally exhausted.
So, I faced the finals against Kent, mentally drained and unprepared.
* * *
*Kent’s Perspective
Talia’s plan hit the mark perfectly.
From the day after I announced it, rumors about Nokin and Hendric spread among the reporters, and for 2 days, everyone in Abyss Vena was talking about them.
Normally, the reporters follow my gossip, but this time, Talia leaked the information, and the competition for interviews with Nokin heated up, with reporters occupying the front of the mansion where he was staying.
I was also written about a lot, but that kind of press attack would be tough for someone without immunity… I remember when I first became a Lord, I was written about too…
They even gave me nicknames like South District’s Stallion and Harem King, which I didn’t appreciate, but I think it’s a sign of peace that I’m the only one making news.
So, I let them interview freely.
However, the freedom to interview only applies to me; I strictly prohibited any interviews about my wives and children.
While I was thinking about Nokin’s future, someone knocked on the bedroom door.
”It’s open!”
The one who walked in was Talia.
”Sir Kent… Lady Lakia has achieved 40% of the ‘Golden Apostles’. Right now, we are trying to persuade the Hunting Group members stationed at Felward Fortress. It seems everyone is disappointed with Hendric, the Hunting Group Leader’s words.”
”Oh, I thought they wouldn’t move for money…”
”No, I think they are impressed by Sir Kent’s willingness to invest a large sum into the newly formed Hunting Group, not just the amount of money. Besides, Sir Kent is recognized as a pretty good king, except for being a bit loose with women.”
”Since it was originally the ‘Golden Apostles’, even though Hendric left, if we can get a group of top-notch Monster Hunters for that amount, it seems like a good deal to me.”
”Is that so… If we can get Lakia, I think it’s a cheap buy.”
Lakia hasn’t become a Carrier yet. She planned to disband the ‘Golden Apostles’ and start the ‘King’s Sword’ before becoming a Carrier.
For a swordsman, she has a nice figure, and while she worries about it, I can’t help but smile, dreaming about how to enjoy her body.
Lakia has a different charm than an athlete’s body, so I’m looking forward to it…
”Don’t forget that I was the one who recommended Lakia.”
Talia approaches me proudly.
”I haven’t forgotten. Is this where I should thank you?”
I casually started to play with Talia’s tail.
”Mmm! The plan is not complete yet. So, I intend to receive a generous reward from Sir Kent after I finish the plan.”
”I see, then I guess I’ll hold off for now. But if you make me wait too long, things could get really intense, so try to finish it quickly.”
I pulled my hand away from Talia’s tail.
”Haha, I think I can report the results by tomorrow’s Beast King Tournament finals. Please wait a little longer.”
Talia replied in a slightly sultry voice, then straightened her disheveled clothes and left the bedroom.
* * *
The next afternoon, the finals of the Beast King Tournament finally began.
I entered the arena in the morning and met with Lakia, who had just returned from Felward Fortress.
”Your Excellency Kent… I successfully got 90% of the Hunting Group members in ‘Golden Apostles’ to agree to transfer to ‘King’s Sword.’ Some members wanted to stay, but they plan to go independent. However, most core members have confirmed their participation. It seems everyone is satisfied with you, Sir Kent.”
”Oh, Hendric’s influence has really dropped in just a few days.”
”Originally, her forceful participation in the Beast King Tournament made the Hunting Group members suspicious, and with that statement… I think it’s only natural for everyone to lose interest. Even I thought I couldn’t keep up…”
Hendric had exposed Lakia’s secret resignation as Hunting Group Leader and her departure from the group to the insiders gathered at Nokin’s place, claiming he had a romantic relationship with Nokin.
That statement spread like wildfire, quickly reaching Abyss Vena and astonishingly fast to Felward.
It was suspected that Lakia’s successful persuasion was due to the Hunting Group members feeling quite disappointed after not being able to hunt properly in the absence of a leader, especially after hearing Hendric’s remarks.
”Now, everything is ready. After the match, I will announce the dissolution of ‘Golden Apostles’ to the people and inform them about the establishment of ‘King’s Sword.’”
”Yes, leave that to me.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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