Lord of Rot

As they approached the Bonta market, a group was just leaving the town gate.

The two parties blocked the entrance, one unable to get in, the other unable to get out.

”Make way,” Leech said.

’We’re on my turf now. No need to cause a scene.’

Leech’s party split, clearing a path for the other group.

When the leader of the other group reached Leech, she removed her cloak, revealing a young woman with short hair.

Her skin was a healthy, sun-kissed tan, and her features were exquisite. A phrase appeared in Leech’s mind for the first time: ’exotic charm.’

He was rarely so struck by beauty that it left a lasting impression. So far, only Red Rose, Charming, Water Hyacinth, and the Elf Bai Lu possessed that kind of allure, with the elf’s being the most captivating.

”May the four gods bless you. Thank you, my lord,” the young woman said, smiling at Leech.

”No one could refuse to make way for a charming lady,” Leech replied.

”You are a gallant Knight.”

It was a brief passing, yet it was like a Prince meeting a Princess—a beautiful encounter worthy of a Minstrel’s song.

The young woman put her cloak back on, led her group away, and vanished into the desert.

Leech averted his gaze as well.

”What is it?” He glanced at Kuer and found him smiling knowingly, wearing an expression that all men understood. ”She’s beautiful.”

”The Desert Pearl, Lisu Muma,” Leech nodded. ”Her reputation precedes her, but seeing her in person... she is indeed beautiful.”

The group entered the town.

Kuer, however, asked in surprise, ”How did you recognize her?”

He knew this was Leech’s first time in the desert and was surprised that Leech was so well-informed about its affairs.

’Or maybe he just has a special interest in desert beauties. That seems more likely.’

”I have one of the Desert People in my domain,” Leech said. ”He occasionally tells me stories about the desert’s culture and people.”

”And desert beauties must be an unavoidable part of those stories,” Kuer said with a laugh.

Leech gave a slight nod. The truth was, he had killed Junma Muma of Mama City, so it was necessary to know the general situation of the family. They might end up fighting one day.

’A beauty’s head feels the same as any other when you chop it off.’

’Before Lisu Muma is a stunning beauty who impressed me, she is first and foremost a Muma. We’re enemies.’

Kuer didn’t know what Leech was thinking. If he knew his lord was once again contemplating lopping off the head of an unparalleled beauty, he would surely think Leech was insane. A woman beautiful enough to topple nations was worth giving up a lordship for.

Back at their residence.

”My lord!”

A chorus of lilting, feminine voices called out unevenly. A smile appeared on Leech’s face.

’What man wouldn’t enjoy a scene like this?’

’Looking at beautiful women is good for your health. It promotes longevity and fights aging.’

He turned his head and saw the Elf Bai Lu, Lin Nuo of the Northern Territory, and Vendra all staring at him.

The smile on Leech’s face stiffened.

”Ahem.” Leech waved his hand. ”You can all get back to your duties.”

”Yes, my lo~rd~”

The courtyard house wasn’t large. The women couldn’t do any heavy lifting, so at most, they handled chores like cleaning, serving tea, and pouring water. Their value was more ornamental than practical.

”You don’t understand the hardships of being a lord.”

Leech said as he sat down. He wanted to say something to salvage his noble image as a lord, but after a moment of thought, he found himself at a loss for words.

’There’s no good explanation. I just like having so many pretty girls around. They’re easy on the eyes.’

Lin Nuo and Vendra nodded silently.

’It’s perfectly normal for a noble lord to like young women. Even a poor old farmer likes young women.’

The elf girl, however, suddenly remembered something and asked, ”Does this have something to do with the dancing you mentioned before?”

”Dancing?” Leech was surprised someone was playing along.

”That’s right. I have to return to the East Gorge to attend three balls.”

Leech wore a helpless expression. This time, it was genuine. He wasn’t skilled at socializing, and he was quite passive when it came to chatting up ladies for a bit before heading to a room with them. Even with Lady Jie Lin, she had been the one to take the initiative.

Bai Lu, however, nodded lightly, pursing her lips as she thought, ’He’s one of the few who isn’t captivated by my appearance, so he definitely wouldn’t be easily swayed by feminine wiles. But these women were sent by Kuer Oasis, so he couldn’t just refuse them.’

’It’s all Kuer Oasis’s fault!’

’I haven’t heard of him making a move on any of the young women these past few days. That’s enough to show his character. He’s definitely not someone who can be seduced by beauty.’

’Seeing that helpless look on Leech’s face, I know he’s truly not interested in those noble ladies. He has his own ambitions.’

For some reason, Bai Lu’s mood brightened. It had nothing to do with romantic love. It was just that seeing someone who wasn’t attracted to her looks show even less interest in others gave her a sense of, ’This is how he should be.’

It was a way of seeking a kind of psychological equilibrium.

”I don’t understand you nobles, but if you need my help with anything, just ask.” She added silently in her heart, ’Even dancing.’

Lin Nuo and Vendra furtively glanced at the expressive Elf girl, Bai Lu, then back at Baron Leech.

Unlike Bai Lu, they could see it clearly. Baron Leech was simply a little smug. Three balls, with ladies and madams making eyes at him... even if it was a bit busy, some would be more than happy to enjoy it.

’That was just him complaining. It’s not like he doesn’t want to go, right?’

”Help? Great!”

Leech’s spirits lifted instantly. He said, ”While I’m away from Bonta Market, I’ll leave a few people to help Kuer control the market. However, the Wandering Knights are always an unstable factor, and the Iron Fist Gang needs to be watched as well. I’ll have to trouble you with that.”

The Corpse Ghosts could also handle this, but there were many trivial matters that required Leech’s personal attention.

It wasn’t hard work, but it was tedious for him to do it himself.

Bai Lu: ”...”

”That’s it?”

”For now, yes,” Leech nodded. ”Also, that cavern from before, you should check on it occasionally. I’ll be back around August... If anything happens that you can’t control, find my Personal Guard. They have ways to contact me.”

”Understood,” Bai Lu nodded.

Leech knew perfectly well that he had just missed a good opportunity to get closer to Bai Lu. But he wasn’t arrogant enough to think he could conquer the Panbo Continent. It was doubtful if his two-masted sailboat could even cross the ocean.

”Lin Nuo, Vendra, you two will come back to the East Gorge with me.”

Lin Nuo nodded. As long as she was paid, she didn’t care what the job was.

Vendra also nodded with a pained expression. He had no choice.

Bai Lu: ”...”

’So I’m the only one staying behind? Why does something feel off about this?’

’But he’s entrusting all this work to me alone, so he must trust me a lot. Only by gaining more of his trust will he be willing to help me return to the Panbo Continent! Yes, that’s it!’

”Have Buerwell and his men returned?” Leech asked.

”They came back once to repair their weapons, then left again.”

”When they return, have them come see me,” Leech said. ”I have a use for them.”

...

「The waystation outside Bonta Canyon.」

SLAP!

A hand slapped a swaying behind, the flesh rippling and captivating the eyes of a group of travelers.

”Naughty~” The proprietress twisted her ”Bonta white melons,” cursing with feigned anger.

But this only provoked a round of lecherous laughter from the crowd.

”Pour the wine!”

”Coming~” the proprietress called out, walking to another table and bending over to pour wine.

The man sitting across from her craned his neck, unable to resist staring at the precarious, beautiful view.

The canyon was magnificent, just a little more and he could have seen it all... A pity the cup was now full.

The man quickly grabbed his cup and took a swig.

’This water has a hint of wine in it.’

He smacked his lips, and his head, which had been muddled by the beautiful sight, cleared up.

’Damn it! I’ve been had!’

”Pour the wine!”

The man watched others slap her again and again, and suddenly his own hand started to itch.

’If I get a slap in, drinking some watered-down wine won’t be a total loss.’

When a man starts getting worked up, he loses his reason and begins to act illogically. If both his heads get worked up, then he’s no longer a rational creature.

After a busy round, the proprietress took the opportunity while carrying a dish to slip into the back kitchen. It was steamy inside, with a row of roasted meat on the stove.

The moment she entered, she was drenched in fragrant sweat from the heat.

”Why aren’t they back yet?” she asked in a low voice. ”We’ve had a lot of fat sheep lately. Could something have happened in the canyon?”

”Impossible!”

The cook wiped his bald head with a burlap cloth and said, ”They have crossbows, armor, and shields. As long as they block the narrowest part of the canyon, not even an army of thousands could get through!”

”Speaking of an army, that reminds me of that noble from the East Gorge a while back,” the proprietress said. ”They must not have run into our guys... Sigh, they looked so rich.”

”Maybe they’ll run into them next time.”

”New customers are here! Where is everyone?” a voice called from outside.

The proprietress quickly turned and left the kitchen.

Her eyes lit up when she saw who had just walked in.

She had just been thinking what a pity it was, and now that very same group had returned, led by that handsome, black-haired noble.

The difference was that besides the four-armed freak, he now had a man and a woman with him.

A fierce-looking woman with two axes hanging from her waist, and a pitiful-looking man with a scarred face, clutching a Golden Cup.

”My lord, you’ve returned?”

”Just bring us something to eat,” Leech nodded by way of greeting.

He sat at a table by himself.

Trevor, Allen, Lin Nuo, and Vendra sat together at another table.

The Corpse Ghosts didn’t need to eat and stood to the side.

For this trip back to the East Gorge, Leech had deliberately left two Corpse Ghosts at Bonta Market to handle any unforeseen circumstances.

But the strength of his personal retinue hadn’t diminished.

The food arrived quickly.

The proprietress pulled her old trick again, performing a ”shaking of the white melons” for Leech. Unfortunately, the bit of eye candy wasn’t nearly enough to offset the bad mood from drinking watered-down wine.

The other patrons also lowered their voices after seeing Leech and his party.

Common travelers should be thankful they weren’t simply cleared out and kicked out when a noble lord was present.

As they ate, the sky grew darker and darker.

”Desert bandits! It’s desert bandits!” a terrified shout suddenly came from outside.

The proprietress, who was waiting on Leech and the others, suddenly craned her neck. A flash of joy crossed her face as she thought, ’Perfect timing.’

”Ah, desert bandits,” Leech said, looking curiously at the proprietress. ”Aren’t you afraid?”