I wanted to swing by the capital of Aberis to see how things were going, but I definitely didn’t want to take a retinue of ten lionesses with me. That was how many protected my door and followed me around the mansion. The one time I went outside, that number blew up to twenty.

“Bodyguards…”

“Bodyguards?”

“In the past, you were just an adventurer and a small-time lord for a little city in the middle of nowhere. However, once Dioshin opens up, Chalm will become a major trading hub between the west and the east. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this city will become the center of all commerce in the southern part of the continent.” Elaya explained.

“S-seriously?”

“You have a close relationship to the King, even impregnating his sister, who now happens to be seemingly running the Ost Republic. You’re also close allies with the wolfkin tribe and even have made all of Dioshin, every tribe, owe you a personal favor. You’ve gained the loyalty of the Osterians, the Deep Dwarves, and even the Foxkin.”

“There is not that many foxkin…”

“There weren’t until the experiments got out… I just received news that the entire foxkin tribe has decided to relocate.”

“Where?”

She lowered her eyes at me, and I blushed slightly. “Yeah… yeah…”

“They will be moving to Ninetails.”

“Nintails?”

“That’s the city the foxkin built.”

“They built a city?”

“Have you been paying attention at all?” She demanded in an exasperated voice.

I hadn’t been paying attention close enough. It seemed like every time I looked, something new was happening. Did the Osterians name the location they were staying as well? The Osterians didn’t remain as distant from Chalm as the foxkins, since they were trying to push the boundary to the west. The foxkin had positioned themselves safely to the south of Chalm and southwest of Chalm’s Crossing. That meant I had officially founded 4 cities. If I included Alerith which Bernice had returned to, that was five cities in the west.

Well, only Alerith and Chalm were of sufficient size. Then again, depending on how many foxkin migrated to this Ninetails, it might end up being a fairly large city too. Were the two cities too close? They might merge into one city eventually. That’s what would probably end up happening to Chalm’s Crossing. It’d one day become a suburb of Chalm, especially since my palace was between the two.

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Elaya sighed as she saw me deep in thought and continued. “As the lord, it’s not just likely you’ll be promoted to Duke, but your power might be on the same level as King Aberis.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not.” Elaya sniffed. “You’re just going to have to come to accept it. You’re a person of interest. If the Imperial Cloud Meadow wasn’t looking for you before, they certainly are now. With notice come dangers. Dangers like assassinations, and plots. You experienced on in the Ost Republic. Had you had bodyguards, just a thing wouldn’t have happened as you dying on the Illusory Sword Dungeon and your soul bonds being cut.

“I can call my party…”

“They are all busy now, working on tasks to help you, Master. They can’t be available around the clock to watch after you. That’s why you need a small, well-organized team to protect you. For that, the lionesses are your best bet. They are powerful, organized, and loyal.”

That was ultimately how they were assigned as my bodyguards. However, compared to being around the women I loved, the lionesses were more of an irritation. Thus, after my bath, I opened up a portal in the changing room. That was the one place I wasn’t being watched by lionesses or maids. Of course, my girls were always a Slave Communication and a portal away, but the lionesses could cool it.

I stepped through the portal and closed it. With a sigh of relief, I opened the door from my master bedroom in Chalm only to find a girl with purple hair right in front of me. She looked to only be about 13.

The girl immediately gave a curtsy. “Master has arrived. Capital Head Maid at your service!”

“We’re in the Capital?” A small voice came from behind me.

I jumped and turned around to see the little lionkin girl. She had somehow followed me through the portal. It wasn’t easy being a lord.