Chapter 102 - Hunt Down the Niosebuk

"I am Romphaia, Captain of the Border Reinforcement Unit and member of the Royal Palace's Fourth Knight Order of Reniosegra."

Great, I thought. Someone just shows up out of nowhere and starts introducing themselves.

And what a feat she pulled off—arriving in a hurry, yet managed to be just late enough to miss everything important. I pointed toward the field of mangled bodies. "The Niosebuk thugs you were supposed to drive away are all right over there, half-dead. Most of them are missing an arm or a leg and are officially retired from combat, but you’re not going to call this 'assault,' are you? I’m firmly claiming self-defense here."

"Rest assured," Romphaia replied calmly. "By the time we were deployed, the country was prepared for a full-scale clash with Niosebuk. Honestly, I’m surprised you managed to inflict such life-altering injuries on every single one of them without actually killing a single soul. You’re surprisingly merciful, aren't you?"

Wait a second. Is she mocking me? I wondered. My nerves were still frayed from the fight. I realized I needed a moment to cool down if we were going to have a rational conversation. Just then, a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Sao!" 

"Sis?!"

It was undoubtedly my sister, Calibur. She appeared a second later, sprinting toward me before launching herself into a flying hug.

"What are you doing here?! And wait—don't run! Don't jump! What if something happens to the baby?!" 

"Oh, please. Our kid isn't so fragile that a little jump would hurt. This is our baby, Sao! It'll be tougher than a crocodile!"

I had no idea what she based that on. But seriously, why were they here? I thought we agreed they’d wait at the inn to play it safe, especially since my skill had guaranteed their pregnancies!

"These knights happened to pass by the inn," Lady Staff added, appearing behind her. "We figured we might as well hitch a ride to town together."

Unbelievable. The entire squad of girls carrying my seed had moved to the front lines. I panicked. "How did you get here? Did you walk? A carriage? If you walked, I’m worried about your stamina, and if it was a carriage, the vibrations could be terrible for the babies!"

"Calm down, Sao," Lady Staff sighed. 

"We took the Magic Bus that Instructor Beaker prepared. That’s how we got to the inn in the first place, remember?"

Right. I forgot. That magically engineered bus had a ride so smooth it was practically made for expectant mothers. I felt a wave of relief.

"Our goal to conquer the dungeon hasn't changed," Big Sis declared. "Let's stick to the plan to the very end! Sao, let's clear the dungeon together!"

"Easier said than done," I muttered. The atmosphere in this town was no longer 'adventure-friendly.'

The 'Border Reinforcement Unit' that had marched into town numbered in the hundreds. With those kinds of numbers, they could have easily handled the hundred or so Niosebuk scouts. I could see their resolve to protect the country—even if it was technically useless since I’d already finished the job.

"Sir Sao," Romphaia said, "We will take custody of the Niosebuk soldiers you subdued. Fortunately, their mouths still work, so we’ll have them 'sing' whatever internal intel they have."

"Interrogating prisoners, huh? I figured that’s why I left them alive, but will they actually know anything? They’re just errands boys sent across the border."

"Does it matter? We plan to skip the interrogation and go straight to torture. These are the vanguards of Niosebuk, the most hated people in the world. Their pain will be everyone's pleasure."

The means becoming the end, huh? I didn't feel sorry for them. They’d lived lives that earned them this; they needed to burn off that karma in this life so it wouldn't haunt them in the next.

I looked at Romphaia. She was a knight... a female knight? Her full plate armor hid her figure, but her facial features and long blonde hair gave it away.

"Thanks to you, Sir Sao, not a single scout escaped," she continued. 

"That means no one is running back to their headquarters to report this. The enemy will need time to even realize something went wrong. That gives us a window."

"Good," I said. "That’s a win."

"During that time, we will use every second to fortify our defenses. So, Sir Sao... what will you do?"

I hesitated. What was I going to do? My original plan was to dive into the dungeon, haul out some loot, and get rich. It wasn't urgent; it was just a way to keep my new club active. But now, with every woman in the club pregnant, I had a desperate need for cash. Raising children is expensive! I wanted money—and I wanted a lot of it, right now.

Actually, should I just rename the club to the 'Fertility and Childcare Circle'? I thought.

"I don't need Niosebuk making things complicated," I grumbled. 

"I’m trying to hustle for my future family here; I don't need their drama." I really hated those guys. Their existence was a nuisance. 

"Wait, what happened to the plan where assassinating their King would keep them distracted?"

"The civil war is resolving faster than expected," Romphaia explained. 

"Intelligence suggests that instead of total chaos, the succession struggle has narrowed down to three main candidates: the Third Prince Gangastra, the Fourth Princess Shinsenoiza, and the Sixth Prince Terracoas. Prince Gangastra is currently in the lead. Even our Queen believes he will ultimately take the throne."

I’d heard that name from the soldiers I’d just trashed.

"This Third Prince is as ambitious as he is skilled," Romphaia said. "He saw the King's death as a golden opportunity. He moved immediately, assassinating the First and Second Princes the very same day the King was killed."

"So the dad and the brothers share a death anniversary?" Talk about cold. He didn't even mourn; he just went straight for the throat. Using the term 'beast' for these people was an insult to actual beasts.

"His actions were brutal," she continued. "It established his presence, but he overplayed his hand. The remaining siblings are now wary of him and have banded together to resist."

"So he has the drive, but lacks the foresight," I noted.

"Exactly. He’s being pushed back by his younger siblings. The Fourth Princess and Sixth Prince have formed an effective alliance, leading to a stalemate. Both sides are now busy with shadow operations—which is likely why they moved on this city."

"What a headache," I said. "They shouldn't bring their family drama across the border."

"Kitoteru is a prize because of its dungeon," Romphaia said. "We drove them off this time, but they’ll be back. I worry if we can truly protect this place forever..."

I couldn't help her with her 'worries.' I had my own hands full with my kids and their mothers. I didn't have the luxury to care about others unless our interests aligned.

"In that case, how about this?" a small voice chimed in.

It was a petite figure in researcher’s robes—Beaker. Or rather, Instructor Beaker, the special lecturer from the Royal Academy.

"You're Beaker?!" Romphaia gasped. "The genius magic researcher?!"

"If you know me, this will be quick," Beaker said. "As a researcher, I have an idea for city defense, but it requires the cooperation of Sao and his 'merry' band of friends."

"Wait, Beaker," I interrupted. "Why are you roping us in? I already told you, I just want money for my kids."

"And I’m in the same boat, Sao," she said with a wink. "After all, I’m carrying the new life you gave me, too! ❤️❤️"

Ah, right. During the chaos at the inn, Beaker had joined in, and I’d definitely left her filled with my seed. Now, this genius girl was carrying my child, too.

"It’s my wish to raise this child well," she said. "So I’m proposing a solution that satisfies everyone. Trust me—I am one of your wives, after all."

Usually, I’d never trust a mad scientist, but coming from her, I felt like I had to. She was already acting like my wife (not that I could complain after knocking her up).

"Let’s look at the problem," she began. "Niosebuk wants this city because of the dungeon. If the dungeon disappeared, their biggest reason for invading disappears too, right?"

"Wait, you're going to erase the dungeon?!" I asked, horrified. Knowing her, she probably could.

"Don't be hasty. Erasing it would destroy the city's economy. I’m talking about a temporary 'shutdown.' I am the peerless genius Beaker; I can use my research to halt the dungeon's functions for a set period. Say, one year. Both sides of the Niosebuk civil war will want to settle things within a year. They won't waste resources on a 'dead' dungeon that won't pay out for twelve months. The city will fall off their radar."

"If that's possible, it's a brilliant plan," Romphaia agreed.

"Alright then," Beaker smirked. "Let’s do it... it’s time for the Dungeon Desiccation!"

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