Bonus Save 03 – Wish

The nights in the royal capital were bustling.

People enjoyed walking or doing evening activities.

Like Viscount Baltimore who was in his mansion in the capital.

It didn't have a house there before.

He acquired it after some business to settle.

He was in a bathrobe since he was in a tub with women.

He went out to smoke and drink liquor.

He was enjoying his peace and quiet until a servant knocked on his door.

The viscount thought it was unimportant news, so he didn't let him in.

The next morning, the viscount regretted not doing so.

"What did you say?"

The servant was frightened.

"As I said my lord. We received a report that a fleet from Bismarck Household accompanied by Viscount Bradford are heading for the territory."

"Why didn't you inform me about it before?"

"You told me to get out of here..."

The servant was afraid, but the fear in the viscount's expression was greater.

He left the servant and approached his table. There was a letter there.

When he opened it, the letter was from his son.

"Shit!"

He went back to the servant.

"If you don't want to die, contact the territory quickly! Tell them not to let Mark out of the house or he'll ruin everything!"

The viscount's son was a troublesome boy. But not because he caused trouble, but because he was a fool.

He could tell things he shouldn't if he wanted to.

"Hurry up, it's not just him that's the problem, but that guy too!"

◇

I couldn't sleep well last night.

That's why I wanted to finish this quickly.

We was on Brunhilde's deck. A group of spectators were standing nearby.

Alisa and Airi along with Vayne were watching me go upstairs.

Hudson, on the other hand, was ready.

His armed unit was the color of his hair. We were going to use wooden swords, but it doesn't matter in my case.

Hudson was talking to me while stretching with his armed unit.

"I thank you for that, viscount."

"You're welcome. Let's finish quickly please."

"I hope that's not the case."

Hudson finished stretching the joints of his armored unit and grabbed the wooden sword. He got into an attack stance and then quickly came towards me.

I could tell his skill with the sword by the way he held it and the speed with which it came.

But I didn't care.

I raised Battler's right hand and then as if swatting a fly, I swatted him.

Hudson went down.

After a brief moment, he stood up.

"Huh...?"

"Again!"

"…"

We went back to the same thing. This time it was with my left hand.

"Again!"

"Huh?"

We repeated this situation several times until Vayne said.

"Hudson, that's enough. Your armed unit is getting bruised, end it now."

"But Vayne-sama..."

"No buts. The viscount's armed unit is stronger than yours. "

Hudson was silent. The cockpit of his armed unit opened and he said as he stepped out.

"Thank you very much, viscount. Even if you did not get serious. I could check that the victory definitely your strength is true."

Vayne came up to me and said.

"Viscount, we must dock at a nearby island for supplies."

Yesterday we spent a lot of meat and water.

Part of it was because Airi ate so much. I liked watching her stuff her mouth with meat, Alisa was the same way.

◇

We arrived at an island similar to where we went recently.

Everything looked oriental. People wore yukatas and men in loincloths carried wood to build boats.

It was all very surreal.

But I didn't care.

Vayne was talking to Captain Mathias and the feudal lord of these lands. A noble of the kingdom who wore a mismatched yukata.

Derek who was next to me was telling me the other reason for coming besides investigating the viscount's territory.

"Pirates?"

"Yes. For months now, we've been getting reports that the pirates in that area haven't shown up."

"There is nothing strange about it as many nobles also notified."

"But... those nobles were related to pirates."

Thanks to the Rossini, we know that there are nobles who deal with pirates. Some even secretly support them to become nobles by buying them noble titles."

Titles of nobility can be bought, it's something I discovered after I became a viscount.

A title of baron or viscount can be bought for a large amount of money, as the buyer would be a wealthy merchant.

The following titles cannot be purchased as the palace awards them with a ceremony.

But in the case of Earl Rossini, I discovered that his title was acquired without the need for an audience with King Leonis.

Court ranks are granted by His Majesty exclusively, so it is strange that Baltimore Household has the rank of a marquis being a viscounty household.

"It's certainly strange."

"It is. But stranger is the palace's latest report on the Baltimore."

"A certain... Gayle Olba was recently appointed as an upstart baron. The strange thing is that he does not have his middle name and neither has he presented himself at the palace to receive his title, he was a vassal of the Baltimore's who were the ones who presented the paperwork."

That's weird. There's definitely something weird going on there.

Two people approached me while I was thinking about how intriguing this was.

"Rudel-san!"

Airi was calling me from the stairs, Alisa was behind her.

When they came near me, they told me.

"Rudel, come with us."

"Where to?"

"I heard from a man who sold eel that there is a shrine in the mountains. There they pray to a deity who blesses those who wish to become engaged."

"How?"

Am I that desperate to pray to a mysterious deity?

Of course it is.

"Let's go!"

I said that and went with the girls to meet that shrine.

I want a wife... and lose my virginity.

◇◇◇

A person was arriving from the capital to his home on the border.

He was the heir son of Viscount Baltimore, Mark.

A boy of short stature, small eyes, freckles and beard.

Mark entered his house and headed for his father's office.

When he opened the door, a man who was not his father was there.

He was a big burly man, his clothes were those of a person who didn't care about his appearance.

His hair was spiky curly yellow. His pills reached up to his mustache.

His face and body bore battle scars.

Behind his neck he had three small ponytails tied with human sinews.

His left eye was glass with three claw marks around it, due to so many battles he had and he lost it in one of them.

That individual was called Basley the Executioner.

A fearsome pirate.

A long time ago he fought a battle against a man called the pirate king. That pirate took his eye and Basley had to rest because of the defeat.

Some time later he learned that the pirate had been defeated.

Basley would take a bottle of wine and drink it as if it were water.

He noticed Mark's presence and asked him.

"What are you doing here, brat?"

Mark picked his nose as he answered her.

"I came home because I felt like it. Besides, I brought you a present, noble pirate sir."

Mark took out a document that said that Basley was officially a noble recognized by the kingdom.

"Congratulations, Baron Olba. You're quite the noble pirate now, haha."

Basley took the document in one hand and read it as he emptied the bottle of wine.

"It was very annoying to have to pay a large amount of money. Even though that money wasn't ours, hahaha."

Basley's pirates called themselves the Red Ogre Gang.

They came long ago to the territory of the then Baron Baltimore.

They made an agreement and the Basley pirates stayed living in the territory.

They plundered ships of merchants and nobles who were not their friends.

It was a profitable business that the Rossini and other nobles did.

But thanks to a certain someone. Pirates and corrupt nobles have it tough.

Mark and Basley were talking about what they were going to do now about finding new territory for him.

A vassal of the family came.

"Mark-sama! There's trouble!"

Mark looked at the servant and said.

"What's the matter?"

"His father send a message! He said a fleet from the capital is coming straight here to investigate!"

"Huh?!"

Mark made a frightened expression as he went that.

"In that case, Basley hide."

"You don't have to tell me, I'll go tell the boys."

After Basley stood up, Mark asked for more details.

"Who's coming?"

"Bismarck Household sent a fleet accompanied by a nobleman outside of his function."

"Outside? Who is it?"

"Yes. If I'm not mistaken, it's a... Viscount Bradford."

Basley stopped as he was about to leave the room.

"What did you say?"

Basley approached the servant and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"... Viscount Bradford and Bismarck Household straight to us I said."

Basley turned to Mark.

"Brat, I have a favor to ask of you."

Mark shivered as he listened to Basley's proposal.

◇

We arrived at the shrine.

A very beautiful place indeed.

In the shrine was a temple with a statue of a scantily clad woman.

Underneath the statue a wooden donation box.

Sweeping the place was a little priestess whom we greeted.

The little shrine maiden greeted us with a smile.

"Ah, welcome foreigners. Do you know what to do?"

We approached that statue to pray.

"W-We're supposed to make an offering, right? How much does it cost?"

Alisa, embarrassed, pulled a gold coin from her purse.

Airi looked at her.

"T-That amount?"

"Is this not correct? This is normal in temples."

As I stood next to the two of them, I put a roll of bills and some gold coins to pay. Was I crazy? I don't think so. I'm desperate to have a girlfriend.

I don't say that as a virgin, but because my social life was at stake. Not that I care much about it, though...

While they were both dumbfounded, I politely said my prayers.

"God, I will not ask for anything luxurious. So please let me have a wife! Please let me marry a kind woman with good sense! I don't want a woman who belittles her husband and brings up her son as if he were a stranger. Please give me a suitable companion!"

My strong desire escaped my mouth.

They were both surprised, but this was a very important issue for me.

Despite having done all I could, the results had gone awry and I had to suffer several setbacks So please grant this wish to my pitiful self, God!

As I prayed frantically, Alisa and Airi also began to pray beside me.

As expected, they did not express their wishes.

I wondered what they both wanted.

I had no idea about Alisa's prayer, but it probably had to do with marriage since that's what the shrine was for. As for Airi... I wondered if she would pray to find a good man.

For some reason, I disliked that. Why?

I thought about my desire again.

"If possible, make her chest big like the queen, and a narrow waist would be nice too, just like the queen. It would be even better if she was a little playful! Honestly, I want a loving adult like the queen who can spoil me and- I'd like her to be the queen."

Hearing my prayer of unstoppable desire, Alisa and Airi tugged my ears and dragged me away in shame.

"Wait! I'm not done yet! There's still more I want to say!"

Alisa's face was all red.

"W-What are you saying in front of a child, you idiot!?"

The young shrine maiden's face was also red.

That was pretty cute, wasn't it? No, I didn't mean that in a twisted way. I thought it was beautiful that a girl was so pure.

Pure enough to be ashamed of my own desires.

Airi apologized to the shrine maiden.

"I'm sorry. Please forget what you just heard."

"U-Umm, okay. I was very surprised, but do your best!"

"If you want it badly enough, God will grant your wishes as long as your heart is honest."

Right! I would do my best. I would do my best in the pursuit of marriage.

I waved my hand to the smiling shrine maiden, and we descended the stairs.

After a few hours of getting supplies, we set sail, but they gave me a lecture.