Chapter 33 – Sorry, my fellow men.
After playing with her friends for two hours, Bonnie ran home.
"Mommy! I'm home!" Bonnie happily yelled after opening the door.
"Oh, my little Bonnie!" Irene, who was in the kitchen making juice, turned around, her face glowing.
Bonnie also saw the new uncle and Auntie Havre calmly drinking some juice.
"Uncle! Auntie!" Bonnie innocently waved at them.
"Oh, hello, Bonnie." Gerhart smiled and waved at her.
"Did you have fun?" Havre asked.
"Yes! Timmy showed me a cool bug!" Bonnie smiled and ran to Irene, hugging her.
"Oh, that's great, Bonnie." Irene gently smiled, affectionately stroking Bonnie's head. "Oh, and Bonnie. I want you to do something."
"Yes, mommy?" Bonnie curiously looked up at her mother.
"Uncle Gerhart will do something wonderful for you, so please don't resist," Irene narrowed her eyes, her smile widening.
"Oh! What is it?!" Bonnie became excited.
"You will see," Irene replied and lovingly looked at Gerhart.
"That's right. I have a gift just for you, Bonnie." Gerhart knelt and smiled, placing a hand on Bonnie's head. "I will give you a great gift, so close your eyes and try accepting it as much as possible, okay?"
"? Okay." Bonnie didn't understand what he meant, but didn't doubt him. After all, how could her mother lie to her?
"Hm. I am taking you under my wings." Gerhart said, black energy seeping into Bonnie's head.
Bonnie suddenly felt something warm entering her.
"Ah... It's so warm and fluffy..." Bonnie thought as the energy gently merged with her.
She then heard a kindly voice, like a doting grandpa to his granddaughter.
Grow well, child, and become a proud citizen.
"I see my experiment with the enthralling process was a success." Gerhart thought, lifted his hand, and stood up.
Using his new affinity to the enthralling power, Gerhart could change its nature. In the default form, it is cold and authoritative energy, but he could manipulate it in more friendly ways to make it easier for others to accept willingly.
"This approach is better when dealing with those who cooperate. But I should avoid using it on those who resist." Gerhart thought.
Soon, Bonnie opened her innocent eyes.
When she looked upon Gerhart again, idolization filled her.
"My lord!" Bonnie said and hugged Gerhart's thigh as if hugging the father she never had.
"You can keep calling me uncle, Bonnie." Gerhart smiled, rubbing Bonnie's head. "And what is your Position?"
"It's Underage Citizen, Uncle." Bonnie smiled back.
"Hm. I see. Let's keep it as it is." Gerhart nodded. "Since you are my first underaged subject, I will give you a small gift so you will grow healthy and strong."
He then blessed Bonnie with 100 Energy Points, focusing on her Vitality and health talents. When she lost consciousness, Irene lovingly held her and carried her to her bedroom. Although Irene became Gerhart's Thrall and Concubine, it didn't change her love for Bonnie, especially when she also became Gerhart's Thrall.
"While it isn't much, she would at least be less prone to sickness. While I don't want to enthrall the children, I should do it just in case." Gerhart thought.
Of course, he didn't plan on doing this for everyone. If he blessed all 700 villagers with 100 points, it would cost 70,000 Energy Points. He wasn't that rich yet.
On that note, converting Irene cost him about 11 points, and Bonnie only cost him about 4. Children were much cheaper to convert than adults; The younger, the better. Of course, this was when they didn't resist and accept the energy. If it weren't for that, it would cost much more.
"Hah... It would be nice if everyone were this easy." Gerhart wishfully thought.
"Husband, I think I have a way to help you subdue more women in the village. I know the recipe for an aphrodisiac passed down for several generations." Irene said, returning after putting Bonnie in her room.
"Hm?! I never heard anything about that." Havre exclaimed.
"Of course not. Those who use it are usually the impotent men in the village, and they don't talk about it out of shame. However, in the rare case when a guest is uncooperative with leaving their bloodline here, we use aphrodisiacs on them for motivation. It is effective on both genders, by the way." Irene smiled.
"Holy... I never knew that." Havre rubbed her chin.
"That sounds forceful." Gerhart raised an eyebrow.
"It is, but there is little choice in the matter. First, we need new blood, so it is for our survival. And second, we do this for the guests. Powerhouses have a knack for dying young, not leaving descendants, so we do this to ensure their bloodline doesn't die out. I had to use it on Bonnie's father back then." Irene said with a hint of regret. "If I knew my husband would come, I wouldn't have resorted to such foolishness." But then her expression softened again. "But at least I have Bonnie now."
On this note, Gerhart left Irene's position as Concubine. As a Concubine, she sexually serves Gerhart, bearing his offspring and raising children. However, Concubines could also function as Rulers if allowed but were subordinate to the Wives. Gerhart planned on temporarily making everyone in the village under Irene.
"Then how is the aphrodisiac taken? Orally?" Gerhart asked.
"Yes, it works orally. However, it also works when absorbed through the skin. For example, I can make an aphrodisiac massage oil." Irene explained.
"That would indeed be helpful!" Havre widened her eyes. "Are there any limitations?"
"It is a gentle and non-addictive aphrodisiac, so it needs time to be absorbed to become effective. But I suppose that if you use a combination of medicinal tea and a full aromatic oil massage, it would be enough to make any woman without enough resistance several points hornier. Coupled with Havre's massage, I think even a frigid woman would be begging for attention." Irene said.
"Then please make it as soon as possible." Havre requested.
"It would be ready by Market Day in three days." Irene nodded. "By the way, who do you plan on targeting next?"
"Either the hunting team or the village watch. The cooks are also viable targets. Anyone we can safely isolate is also a target." Gerhart explained.
"Hm... I see. The village watch should be simple enough. Except for the lesbian captain, Kerry, the others are all childless and frustrated young women. They would spread their legs just for satisfaction. As for Kerry..." Irene turned to Havre.
"I will help with that. But I will need that aphrodisiac of yours." Havre said.
"Of course." Irene nodded, and then her expression hardened. "The hunting team is tricky. Seven are men, and five are women. The oldest is nearing the maximum age of 35, and the youngest is barely 18. Of the guys, six have life partners, and the final one is gay; out of the women, four are bachelors, one of which is also a lesbian, and the last one has had a partner for two years but didn't have a child yet."
In this village, mothers are usually not placed in dangerous situations, tasked with raising and protecting the children while working. Also, hunting has the highest lethality rates in the village due to fighting monsters, so they place an age restriction, making those above the limit retire and do other work.
"Hm... That is indeed a problem." Gerhart muttered.
Aside from the women, the men were difficult to tackle. He couldn't replicate what he did with Irene with the men and wasn't willing to if he could.
"I have a method that can work on six of the seven men," Irene said.
"Oh? What is it?" Gerhart curiously asked.
"You should control the male hunters' life partners first. That way, you can safely poison them during the hunt. It would then be much simpler to subdue them." Irene sinisterly said.
"Ah, right. Gerhart can cuck them." Havre lightheartedly said.
"You want me to cuck them?!" Gerhart flinched. "That's mean."
Even by Deadmeat standards, that is pretty mean to use on an innocent guy. He would be actively creating a wedge between a loving couple.
"Not exactly. The oldest hunter is getting on his years and is too tired to satisfy his partner anymore, if not ignoring her and sleeping. Another hunter is energetic enough but has a diminutive pecker, so his partner barely feels anything. A third hunter is cheating and seeing another woman, gets into heated arguments, and would have separated if not for their two young children. A fourth hunter suffered an injury in his crotch and can't get it up for over a year now. And the fifth one is okay, but his semen is watery, and his partner didn't get pregnant even after two years." Irene explained
"What about the last one?" Gerhart curiously asked.
"Oh, him?" Havre had a look of undisguised disdain. "He is a willing cuck who repeatedly requests his partner to sleep with guests such as yourself for his sexual gratification, a truly pitiful man. One time, when I massaged Gracie, his life partner, she broke down and told me all about it. She loves him, being her childhood sweetheart, but he has been doing this to her since she was 17 when they partnered, and she is now 20. She didn't even get pregnant because she used contraception magic on herself, wanting to bear his child first, but he never slept with her on the same bed once. He is a trash of a man that deserves no mercy for playing with a woman's heart."
"Oh..." Gerhart uttered, his face changing to one of contempt.
"Sorry, my fellow men, but I'm going to cuck you. I will try making it up to you." Gerhart apologetically thought. "But not for the cheater and willing cuckold. Fuck you both."
"Now that we have this discussion out of the way, want to continue studying magic, my husband?" Irene asked.
"Ah, of course." Gerhart nodded.
And so, Gerhart's training continued.
.
.
.
Later that day.
After dinner, Gerhart made Havre his second Envoy. After waiting for some time, Havre woke up, happy.
"Ah... I feel it. I Conquered the voices. They won't bother me anymore." Havre said with a euphoric look.
"I'm happy for you." Gerhart smiled.
"It is all thanks to you, my lord. I can never repay you enough for this saving grace. I will serve you with all I have." Havre looked at Gerhart with an idolizing look.
"I am in your care," Gerhart said.
"I am also happy for you, Havre." Hope also smiled, sitting beside Gerhart. And then, her expression turned serious. "Now that you are an Envoy, can you do it?"
"Yes... I think I can try~" Havre deviously smiled, her eyes shining with a silver light.
.
.
.
The next day.
Gerhart joined Hope in Aura training, punching sand repeatedly.
"Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!" Gerhart shouted while punching sand, his fists carrying whisps of silvery light.
"Yah! Yah! Yah! Yah!" Hope also did the same, but her Aura unknowingly changed color from white to silver.
The color of one's Aura usually corresponded to talent, but it wasn't a constant rule. One could change their Aura to different types, and the Aura would carry different properties, such as increased attack and defense. Some Aura had superior qualities to other Auras, but in the end, the user dictated the power.
Also, there were two types of use with Aura: external and internal. External Aura is projected out of the body and used as a weapon. Meanwhile, internal Aura reinforces the body.
Gerhart and Hope were using the roughest form of Aura, trying to draw more and more of their Aura, an uncontrolled mishmash of external and internal Aura use, and were considered Aura Initiates. Many who could use Aura remained at this level, but those who receive formal training or gain enough experience can control it, becoming Aura Warriors.
When one was good enough, they could circulate Aura in their bodies, allowing them to slowly strengthen it and break their level limits over time, called Body Tempering. In this way, one who has never gone to the dungeon before could theoretically reach lvl 100, given enough time. Of course, this process depended on the innate Aura talent, and it could potentially take thousands of years to reach lvl 100 in this way unless you were a prodigy.
Even in Deadmeat's time, his four masters could only reach about lvl 50 before they reached adulthood. If Havre was a full Sword Saint, she could have probably done the same, if not better.
"That is enough for today," Havre said, stopping them. "Go wash up and then have some lunch."
"Okay." Gerhart and Hope nodded and stopped training.
After returning, Gerhart and Hope washed themselves with cold water while talking with Havre.
"While you were training, I spoke with Albatia, one of the village watch. She will come to the massage room after dinner, after the end of her shift, for a relaxing massage, so don't use all your fuel on Irene." Havre meaningfully smiled.
"I know." Gerhart nodded.
"Please also leave some for me for tonight." Hope hugged Gerhart's arm.
"Hmhm. I will." Gerhart chuckled.
Inwardly, he thought, "I will be swinging my hips more and more from now on. Thanks to my new talents, my stamina is enough, but how much can I do it before being tapped out?" Gerhart wondered.
Curious, he wanted to test that out today.