Unfortunately, I’m Not A Hero 49

Unfortunately, I’m Not A Hero 49

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Shaderic

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The phrase “it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission” is used my manipulative liars who want relationships between people to suffer. As far as advice goes, it’s inherently predisposed towards destroying the trust between two people, and is only given by people with cruel intentions. It’s not bad advice, it’s a complete, utter lie designed to manipulate someone into losing reputation in the eyes of their superior, friend, or family.

Sabotage.

When you ask for permission to do something, you acknowledge your relationship with another person, especially if they’re connected to what you want to do. When they say no, you’re supposed to have a discussion about the situation, and if they don’t want to have one the one being problematic is them. 

That’s basic trust, and by going against it and doing something anyway, you damage that trust and have to put in work that can fix it.

If it can even be fixed in the first place. 

Therefore, by all means, its better to have to ask for neither forgiveness and permission?

Hm? 

What do I mean I by that?

I mean that relationships built off of trust is worthless when it comes to politics and managing a country. Everyone has their own separate goals, desires, and needs, while everything remains finite and no one can get anything they want. Therefore, it’s a fact in my current line of work, wanting to be trusted by my colleagues and my boss is foolish.

They’re Kindred.

They want to have a nation that’s lets them fuck and be fucked all day every day, while they stay at the top. That’s true for most of the nobility that I rub shoulders with, and to a large extent, the same could be said for Roseanne. The Demon Lord’s reforms are set to uplift the lower classes of Kindred, and maybe a few men here and there are going to decide to no live as studs fro the rest of their lives, but there’s no rights for men included in her overall plan.

As leaders of Kindred, they’d be shooting themselves in the foot if they decided to take up what I believed in, even if they magically, suddenly thought it was the right thing to do. Even if they suddenly gained modern morality, learning that their current system is bad, they’d know that the masses would revolt against them if that particular public service suddenly stops. Those with brains will know that it’d be stupid to stop it, and stop the idiots who want to do it before they could.

Meanwhile, I want to make a place that I can tolerate, and use to reach out and bloody the Empire. 

In the “tolerate” part of that caveat, I wasn’t going to tolerate intelligent beings being treated like property and fucktoys, even if it is a step up from being enslaved, mindless soldiers.

Naturally, that puts me on a path that might run parallel with the Kindred, but is defintly divergent.

Therefore, it’d be foolish to make a relationship based off of trust, in which I’d have to ask for forgiveness or permission.

Ultimately, the best possible relationship between Ylstu and the Kindred is that of mutual dependency.

A relationship where we tolerate each other, because not having each other would be detrimental to us both.

Is it healthy?

Not by a long shot.

But, if a bunch of kids tell you to help them not become professional courtesans for vastly older women, what can you do but make that fact very, very clear to anyone paying attention to you?

Ah, who am I kidding?

The more chances I get to make it clear that Ylstu’s mine the better, especially when I’m about to take in a massive amount of funds from another Kindred province.

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Kuzunoha Mai looked every bit of the veteran I expected her to be. While Kindred are all supernaturally beautiful, it’s without a doubt that battles take their toll on the individual. Sure, she had a figure that’s literally reserved solely for fantasy, but the toll of battle was apparent. She sat stiffly, there were wrinkles on her face, and didn’t bother for pleasantries at all.

She’d worn a scowl on her face the moment I walked into the room and her teeth grit when I took a seat before her.

It was our first meeting since I’d arrived, she’d learned everything I’ve done since then, and now we were supposed to have drinks, converse, and relax… even though all the politicking was already done and over with.

And, by all means, I’d won because Kurama pulled out all the stops on her end. 

“You are an infuriating human to deal with, Hikigaya Hachiman.” Kuzunoha Mai gritted out, while Kunoichi came forth and placed small tables before us. The tatami room was quite large, and the garden outside very pleasant, but most of my entertainment was from the Kitsune whose coffers I was emptying courtesy of some very, very underhanded politics by Kuruma. The Kuzunoha family and province is now going “all-in” on Ylstu, making up the wealth I’d lost during the battle, and providing more with barely any interest involved whatsoever. Naturally, she’s pissed. Thus, I’m entertained. “I don’t know how you’ve made my daughter so smitten with you, to the point where she’d thrown aside everything to be with you, but I promise you that I will find out how… and if you did anything untoward to her, I’ll kill you myself.”

“I’d be threatened, if I did anything.” Kuruma knew the stakes. Ylstu is set to become the center of the continent. She sees its progress, its policies, and everything that’s happening within it before even Roseanne. With knowledge, intelligence, and upbringing, she knows to commit to it. Why live under her mother’s shadow, ruling a place which is all but set in stone to grow at a certain pace, when she can lay claim to something that’ll grow larger and greater in just a few years? Without a doubt, I had to be careful around the woman who’s second only to me in terms of influence in Ylstu, but for now I was just happy to get all the funds I needed and more. “She went to Ylstu, liked what she saw, and that’s that. You should just be a good parent and give her you blessing, y’know?”

Woah there, granny, if you hold on that tightly to that table at your lap, you’ll break it. It’s a very fancy, drinking table too with all that lacquer and floral print. Are you sure you should crack it any more than you already have? At some point, even gold can’t make things prettier after they’re broken… not that you have much gold left to spare, right?

Heh.

“I will be sending more guards to look after my daughter. They will protect her and the assets my people are taking responsibility for.” Yeah, it’s very great how the Kuzunoha Family is now taking up the maintenance fees of the apartments, schools, and small-shops that I’ve made. But you know what’s better? Getting more Kunoichi and Onimusha, expertly trained espionage specialists and warriors, to help my Amazons patrol and keep my laws in this city. “These ones will not be seduced by you. They are wed and their husbands shall be with them.”

More dudes to soak up the female attention in Ylstu? Dudes that are veterans, training in the Kuzunoha’s schools, and willing to fuck more women? Yes, please, send them along so that I can profit from your shit system, while doing none of the dirty work myself. I’ll reeducate and rehabilitate them as much as possible, so I’ll get everything I want, too. 

“Go ahead. I don’t care.” Kuzunoha smirked at that, thinking that she had me on the backfoot. Maybe, if I wasn’t sure that whoever she sends to Ylstu won’t like it there more than here, she wouldn’t be looking like an idiot. However, I can pay whoever she sends double, give them houses, and a place to live with better hours, payment, and entertainment. Unless you have some die-hard fanatics, granny, you’re not going to get very far in making a police force loyal to you in Ylstu… and the regular police force inside the city’s already, completely mine. “So, who pours the drinks? Me or you?”

Kurama informed me that the host would decide who’d be pouring and who’d be drinking first. If the host poured for themselves, and drank first, it’s a “subtle” fuck you to whoever they’re meeting. If the visitor poured for the host, and themselves, while both drank at the same time, the host acknowledged their relationship as that of equal and—woops, I’m already pouring for myself and raising my glass. 

Aha.

I’m so dumb. (lol)

A growl left Kuzunoha Mai, as she poured her drink into her own glass, and began to bring it to her lips. Her eyes narrowed and grit, when she noticed I hadn’t even taken a sip of my cup, and begrudgingly raised her cup towards me as little as possible.

That’s right. 

Equality is very, very annoying isn’t it?

But, still, there’s a point I shouldn’t cross so I took the lightest sip of alcohol I could, set my cup down, and played my hand.

“If I die, all of Ylstu will be the Kuzunoha clan’s.” I pulled out a sheet of paper from my jacket’s pocket, and unfolded it before placing it on Kuzunoha’s drinking table. For a will, it was pretty simple, but binding thanks A’Bel and a thumbprint of blood courtesy of yours truly. “How you treat men will have to change, but besides that this place is the best I’ve seen since coming to this world.”

Kuzunoha was quick to pick up the small contract and read through it, and soon enough her grimace turned into a frown. 

“For my bloodline to eligible to take all your knowledge and property, I must change the curriculum of my clan’s schools and give rights to men?” Kuzunoha frowned, but didn’t tear apart the contract, or do anything else stupid. Therefore, I knew that I had her, especially since she didn’t reject it right away. Instead she was thinking and trying to plot. No can do, granny, that’s not happening. “I won’t—

“You will, because its worth it. You make a few changes, and if I die, you get everything that I have and own.” Ylstu is well known now, but Kuzunoha knows more about it than most, courtesy of Kurama. She knows about the Dwarves under my command, already making a name for themselves in regards to armor, arms, and booze. Then, there’s the artisans at my command, whose gifts have been spread during my very fast journey from the center of the continent to her. Those alone would be carved up by current neighbors, if there’s no heir to inherent them all, but if she had a solid claim to them and the rest of Ylstu? She can’t ignore it, especially since her money is already going into it. “Kurama safety gets assured too. If there’s any danger, she’ll be sent straight here no matter what, and you get Ylstu and your daughter back.”

“…If you die.”

“And, if I don’t, Kurama gets it eventually, because I’m just a normal human. This just makes sure you get it if I don’t die naturally.” I did my best to give Kuzunoha a warm smile, but whatever came up on my face made the Kitsune Matriarch look away. Oi, I’m not that ugly, y’know? “Take the deal, since you can just be a piece of shit and take it all away once I die.”

“I will not tarnish the Kuzunoha name by doing such a thing!” A hotheaded snarl left Kuzunoha’s lips, but I just kept leaning back on my arms, while awaiting her inevitable answer. Her hands curled into fists and brought together the fabric of her skirt. Hah. For someone so against this deal, you sure are ready to commit to it already, granny. “Should you die in battle against the Empire, who my clan promise vengeance against, then I would uphold your will as I would any ally of mine.”

“I won’t care when I’m dead, but whatever makes you happy. So, sign the damn thing, since you literally lose nothing.” When I’m gone, Ylstu will continue. The least I can do is pass it on to someone who can keep it together, as well as make use of what’s left. Putting it in the hands of the Kuzunoha, who’ve been fighting against the Empire without stopping, and will continue my work is the best possible outcome. Doing nothing will leave it being picked apart, or Roseanne coming in and doing her best to use it in the most conservative way possible. Neither possibility appealed to me, since it wouldn’t be used against the Empire… or keep the people I’ve brought together working together. “It’s a Demonic Contract too, so you’ll have A’Bel to help you carry it out. Isn’t that nice?”

“Are you sure that she is the Demon, and you are not, Hikigaya Hachiman?” As if I’d be here, making assurances on keeping my modern weapon system working after I die, if were a Demon. I’d be wreaking havoc on the Empire, using my power to destroy everything I could, until I died. So, basically what I’m doing now, except without any allies or a city to drag into modernity. Damn. That sounds super nice. I’d very much like to be just a terrifying monster of destruction without any responsibilities. Where can I sign up? “Every word that comes from your mouth urges me to take this deal, and betray my daughter for the sake of my people.”

“If I die, Kurama can find someone else, since she’ll be the heiress to the richest, most influential faction of the Kindred to ever exist.” Time heals all wounds, especially when assisted with tons and tons of money, as well as a way to get revenge. I wouldn’t know, personally, but I’m sure it works for most people who haven’t been pushed too far. “She’ll get over it, or you’ll eventually die, and she’ll be angry at herself for not loving her mother who put her above everything else.”

With those final words, I gestured towards the contract… and Kuzunoha Mai downed her whole bottle of alcohol in one go, before drawing blood from her thumb with her teeth. 

“If you die, it shall be my victory. If you live, it shall be my victory. Yet, I find myself wishing for you to live. Not for your sake, but for my daughter’s.” Lady, you’re seriously overestimating how much an heiress could ever like a washed up, wannabe villain doing his best to fuck over an entire country. Kurama’s out to take Ylstu for herself— “Because, no matter what you think, I believe my daughter may very well follow your path of self-destruction and suicide, if you ever die… and this will might be my only hope of keeping her alive, if you do.”

At those words, I frowned, and Kuzunoha Mai laughed. 

“Oh, you foolish, broken human, you see enemies everywhere… and cannot see love.” She stood up, barely shaken by her drink, and began to walk away with contract in hand. “I wanted to curse you for taking my daughter from me, but I can see now that my hatred is wasted on you.”

A feral smile played on her lips, as she looked at me over her shoulder.

“You abhor yourself more than I ever I could. “