In a World of Reversed Chastity, I Strive to Become an Honorable Male Knight, but Lustful Women Keep Targeting My Body - 314

Chapter 314: The Kukkoro Male Knight and the Sexual Harassment War Council

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After that, the Vanka faction also withdrew their units as if the tide were receding. Since it would be difficult for the Vanka faction alone to oppose us, it was a natural decision. We, too, decided not to launch any further counterattacks. We might have been able to win if we pushed recklessly, but the losses would inevitably be great. Besides, if we advanced our forces too far, we would endanger the civilians in the rear.

Setting aside the Vanka faction that had abandoned the men of its own accord, listening to the statements of those ant soldiers only made my anxiety grow. If the men were to fall into their hands, it would surely be a dreadful outcome. I wanted to avoid that.

“Though we were wary of high-scale magic… it didn’t seem like there were any signs of it.”

In the command dugout at dusk, I said that while using a large stone I had picked up as a footrest. At the moment, I wasn’t even wearing socks, let alone boots. I was drying my feet to prevent trench foot. The trench was as soaked with water as ever, making it extremely unsanitary. On top of that, the temperature was dropping as the sun set. Trench foot was a disease that frequently occurred in cold, damp conditions, so this was a very dangerous situation. I had also issued orders to my subordinates to make sure they took proper precautions.

“If it were that Vanka, they wouldn’t hesitate to fire strategic magic even if it meant dragging ant soldiers into it. The fact that they didn’t attempt such a thing in the middle of that chaotic melee suggests… it is only natural to assume they don’t have a caster capable of using strategic-class magic on hand.”

Warming her hands and feet over a brazier, Sonia agreed with my opinion. Despite being from the north, she was extremely sensitive to the cold. Well, it couldn’t be helped, as Dragonewts were a race inherently weak to low temperatures. With water pooling inside, the command dugout was quite cold. There was a canopy serving as a makeshift roof, but the north wind freely slipped in through the gaps. Not only us, but the soldiers were surely having a hard time as well. The distribution of warm meals and cold-weather gear was essential.

“Still, that gave me quite a scare, Al-sama. To think you would take the lead among the elves and leap out of the trench… If the enemy had been able to use strategic magic, you’d be nothing but cinders by now. Please show more restraint.”

“But you see, it would be dishonorable to force only the elves to take on dangerous missions. If you’re not prepared to shed blood together, you can’t call yourselves comrades…”

In truth, as Sonia said, that charge had been something of a gamble. I had won that gamble in the end, but I did think it had been a reckless act. Still, leaving the attack entirely to the elves was honestly terrifying. They were already hard to control as it was, and if I threw all the commands to them, there was no telling what they might do. Letting them loose like that would be like unleashing a Tosa fighting dog. That was a bit much.

“Mm, mm. Just as Albert says.”

Sitting beside me, Lady Dalaiya nodded with a knowing look. Ever since that kiss, the sense of distance between us had gotten strangely close. On top of that, she had started calling me by name without honorifics. 

What is with this loli granny…?

“The elves will not recognize someone who merely lounges around in the rear as their leader. The reason those troublesome ones obediently follow Albert’s words is because you always stand on the front line.”

“That’s right. The Orphan royal family ended up in such a state because, in the early stages of the civil war, my mother avoided leading from the front…”

The one nodding repeatedly with arms crossed was Lady Orphan… or rather, Fezaria. She too was sitting next to me, close enough that our shoulders touched. Could it be that she was competing with the loli granny? Well, both of them were strikingly beautiful. One a lovely young girl, the other a beautiful childlike figure. It didn’t feel bad, but the way they turned into demons the moment they stepped onto the battlefield was a bit…

“…”

Sonia was looking at me, sandwiched between elves, with an indescribable expression. Feeling uncomfortable, I slipped out from between the two of them. Putting on a pair of makeshift wooden sandals made from driftwood and scrap wood (my boots were still drying), I sat down next to Sonia. This was my usual spot. Without a word, Sonia pulled out a large wool coat from a nearby wicker trunk, draped it over herself, then lifted me up like a child and seated me on her lap. It was the so-called shared-coat style. I remained silent and let her do as she pleased.

We had both already removed our armor. The sensation of her ample chest pressing firmly against my back was quite stimulating… Though, in winter, Sonia was like this all the time, clinging to me constantly, so I had grown somewhat used to it. Even so, not being able to stay completely unaffected was probably just a man’s nature.

…Or was it? Men in this world didn’t seem to have as strong a sex drive as men from my previous life… Maybe I was just unusually lewd.

“What is that supposed to be…?”

With a strange look on her face, Lady Dalaiya asked. Well, to someone not used to it, it probably looked quite shocking. Fezaria also had an intense expression.

“We’re just keeping warm, aren’t we? Dragonewts are weak to the cold. So we use a partner as a substitute for a hot-water bottle. It’s the most rational solution, isn’t it?”

Sonia said that with a smug look. In fact, in her homeland, the northern frontier, this shared-coat style was quite common. In winter, hume and Dragonewts lived pressed closely together. Naturally, as childhood friends, we were no exception.

At first, I had been thrilled, thinking, “I get to be this close to a beautiful girl! What a rewarding event!” (Sonia had been beautiful even as a child.) But since it happened every day, I quickly got used to it. Now it was just part of daily life, like a seasonal tradition.

“Oh?”

Lady Dalaiya raised an eyebrow and glanced at Fezaria. The two elves nodded to each other and edged closer. Then they forcefully pressed in on either side of us, sandwiching us between them. It became an elf sandwich inside Sonia.

“What are you doing, getting so familiar? Back off!”

Sonia shouted angrily, but seasoned elves wouldn’t be intimidated by that. Lady Dalaiya and Fezaria spoke as if nothing was wrong.

“Well, it is quite cold today, after all.”

“We thought we might partake as well.”

Resting her chin on my head, Sonia ground her teeth. Sensing that things would turn violent if left alone, I immediately decided to change the subject. My childhood friend was the type to act before speaking.

“Putting that aside, I’d like to discuss our policy going forward.”

“Yes.”

Sonia was a soldier. When it came to work, she had no choice but to listen seriously. She nodded, though she looked rather disappointed.

“After taking such a painful counterattack, the enemy will likely hesitate to launch another. Unless we make a move, I think this standoff will continue for a while.”

“Our side does have greater numbers. And with this fortified position, forcing an assault would be nearly impossible…”

“Exactly. However, on the flip side, it’s also difficult for us to launch a counteroffensive. If it were just elves, that would be one thing, but the enemy has ant.”

The ant’s phalanx formation was currently a significant threat. In the last battle, we dealt with it by forcibly breaking their ranks using grenades, but we couldn’t use that same tactic again. We had nearly exhausted our stock of grenades.

“Our supply of arrows and ammunition is also running low. If an offensive fails, we’ll have to fight them with just swords and bayonets. No matter our numbers, that’s far too dangerous. So…”

“We wait for reinforcements, correct?”

As expected of my reliable adjutant, she caught on quickly. I nodded.

“I’ve already sent a birdman messenger to Carrera City. I had prepared an operation plan in advance in case of an emergency. By now, Gilberto should be making preparations to march out in a hurry.”

“Reinforcements, huh. About how many?”

At Fezaria’s question, I recalled the contents of the operation plan I had written. The operation I ordered Gilberto to execute was codenamed Red Plan, a scenario assuming a complete breakdown with the elves and a full-scale confrontation. Naturally, it involved committing the entire force of the Liseben army.

“Just under three hundred.”

“Hmm…”

Slowly stroking her well-shaped chin, Fezaria let out a thoughtful hum. She was probably wondering how much use three hundred Liseben soldiers would be. Well, in terms of training, the average Liseben soldier was far inferior to an elf soldier. It wouldn’t be fair to compare martial artists who had trained for hundreds of years with hastily conscripted street thugs turned into soldiers.

“They’ll be a reliable force. You can rest assured. This unit includes six mountain guns and twelve mortars. On open ground, ant soldiers will be swept aside with ease.”

As I said that, I twisted the hand of Lady Dalaiya, who had secretly slipped her hand inside the shared coat and began rubbing my thigh. 

Are you the Chancellor Adelaide or something, you perverted loli granny?

Lady Dalaiya silently withdrew her hand, her mouth opening and closing. If Sonia noticed, she’d be beaten half to death, so she couldn’t cry out or complain. Ignoring her, I thought things through. Right now, the most frightening enemies were the ant. With artillery, we could wipe them out in one sweep. And while we were at it, we wanted to reduce the Vanka faction’s elves as much as possible while they remained on the riverbank. In open terrain like this, firepower mattered far more than individual skill.

“Hmm. I don’t quite understand, but if Albert-dono says so, then I’ll trust you.”

Unaware of the covert skirmish happening beneath the surface, Fezaria nodded several times. Serious and commendable.

“Until the reinforcements arrive, I plan to hole up here. However, the problem is supplies… especially food. We have a large force. The more mouths there are, the faster supplies are consumed.”

“We’ve already used up the rations we brought from Carrera City… From here on, we’ll have to rely on what we requisitioned from Runga City, but even then, the quantity is…”

Sonia muttered as she slipped her cold hand inside my shirt and pressed against my stomach. 

Hey, cut that out. Even if it’s cold, direct contact is crossing the line. We’re both unmarried, and not even engaged.

“It looks like we’ll need to be extremely frugal. This might turn into a difficult battle in a different sense…”

As I fended off Lady Dalaiya’s hand attempting another intrusion, I said that. 

…Why am I holding a war council while being sexually harassed by multiple people?

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