Chapter 176 Winning Over

Afterward the demonstration ended with me and Diana showing a bit more.

Diana stunned everyone with her exotic archery and spirit arts.

I fully displayed the magic I’d honed until now.

Only Morgan held back—no spells from her.

With her tendency for mana runaway, an accident was too likely.

Being a dragon already gave her enough presence anyway.

Her arrogant, mysterious aura actually worked better.

Either way, the vassals’ attention was entirely on me.

More precisely, on my absurdly improved magic after living in the witch territory.

"Hah! I had a feeling after seeing witch magic, but this is beyond anything!"

"It’s like he studied abroad in the witch lands!"

"I’ve never seen magic this refined and powerful. The Mars family could become the greatest in the world!"

"Reunited with the great witch herself as the young master’s wife!"

The vassals who saw my magic spared no praise or admiration.

What I showed was honestly at a level almost no one on the continent could replicate.

I’d quickly absorbed the witches’ knowledge and systematized it myself.

I’d mastered the most efficient ways to use magic.

No human mage could match me anymore.

It was only natural the vassals drooled over my genius.

’Meanwhile the lord bastard’s insides must be burning more and more.’

His already shaky position, and now the rival he forcibly banished returns with overwhelming power.

In wuxia terms, it’s like the protagonist the family exiled comes back as a peak expert.

And I don’t just have the great witch Circe—I have an elf and a dragon too.

Rumors were probably already circulating among the vassals about what to do with me and the current lord.

No matter what anyone says, it’s a fact that Dale snatched the lordship illegitimately.

And clearly I’m the far superior mage and would make a better lord.

’But I can’t stop here. Nothing is certain yet.’

I’m not without weaknesses either.

Unlike Dale who can live here permanently, I married a witch and am fated to return to her lands not like I can’t stay here, but I don’t wanna.

To others I could just look like a talented outsider.

Truthfully, I don’t plan to stay in the territory long-term either.

Frankly, taking the territory is purely personal revenge.

To the husband of a great witch, a lordship this size is neither interesting nor worth it.

’Still, I can’t let them think I have zero chance of becoming lord. That’s why I need solid image-building.’

I need them to know I truly love this territory.

And how beneficial my existence is.

So I scattered the gifts I’d prepared throughout the town.

"Here you go, everyone! Gifts from the second son of the Mars family who’s been away too long! They’re free—take as much as you want!"

I literally poured out treasures of immense value to the commoners.

Fine silks, food, jewelry—you name it.

To witches with overflowing resources and technology, this stuff was commonplace.

To these people, it was an incredible windfall.

All bought with money I earned working in the witch territory.

"Oh my goodness, such expensive gifts..."

"We’ve been struggling lately—thank you so much...!"

"It’s nothing. Your happiness is my happiness. I’m also a child of the Mars blood, born to the same father."

Since ancient times, the best way to win hearts is money and gifts.

And the commoners didn’t even see it as bribery.

Why would a noble, the lord’s brother, with those kinds of beauties, need to butter them up?

Thanks to that, my popularity among the people exploded.

I’d always been fairly kind to them even in the past.

’Modern morals in a noble body aren’t common. I just didn’t want to be an asshole.’

The women I’d slept with also became quiet propaganda agents.

Completely obsessed with me, they were basically a fan club idolizing their bias.

’The people are done. Next, the vassals.’

I approached the vassals too.

They were seasoned politicians.

They already roughly understood the current mood in the territory.

And why I was putting on this performance.

"Sir, please take this."

"Hm? What’s this?"

"A rough compilation of witch magical knowledge. I’m sure it’ll be a huge help."

"W-What?! N-No, such a precious thing...!"

To be exact, it was knowledge I’d personally developed or learned while studying witch magic.

I wrote the book myself.

Even witches are strict about not leaking core knowledge or grimoires outside.

But this level was fine to share.

To witches it was outdated magic not even used for children’s early education.

Yet to humans it was priceless information.

Just a fragment of witch magic held insane value.

For vassals starving for magical growth, it was worth more than most wealth or power.

"Are you sure I can really accept this? Even as the great witch’s husband, if this leak gets discovered..."

"Come on, we’re family. I know full well the contributions you’ve made since father’s time."

"Still..."

"Think of it as a grown son finally doing his filial duty to his parents. I need at least this much to stand proudly before their graves..."

"You... you truly move me."

The vassal teared up looking at me.

He was probably genuinely touched beyond politics.

He’d watched me grow as a mage since I was a baby.

That’s how I quietly slipped the books to every vassal.

Each one was overwhelmed with emotion.

Some clutched them to their chests like treasure.

"Mmm...! Haah... I’m so happy just seeing your face again. Thank you for the gift too. Want a quick suck to celebrate?"

"I’d love that."

A former lover among the vassals even gave me an instant blowjob.

I laid her on the desk and fucked her—she came squirting in three minutes, screaming how good it felt.

’Vassal recruitment is basically perfect now.’

Overwhelming support from both people and vassals.

Plus my superior skill and the injustice done to me.

With just a bit more time, taking the lordship would be easy.

’Of course, actually becoming lord isn’t my real goal.’

If mere lordship satisfied me, I wouldn’t have come this far.

I secretly called a maid to my room.

Sarah—the former sex buddy I’d fucked countless times.

"Hello, young master~ You look even more radiant?"

"That obvious?"

"Of course. Better body, even more handsome. You must’ve been living the good life there, huh?"

"Beauties are my medicine. Fucking girls like that every day, of course I’d improve."

"Wow~ So all the ladies you brought are your partners. Legendary."

Sarah, who knew I’d fucked and trained every maid in the mansion, instantly guessed the situation when I brought the girls.

"We’ve been missing the lord so much. So jealous~"

"Jealous?"

"Well, jealousy needs similar level opponents. How could anyone be jealous competing with bodies and faces like that?"

True—witches, elf, dragon.

Add their insane beauty and most women would be on the floor.

"But I’m jealous I can’t taste young master’s cock every day~"

"Then come suck it for old times’ sake. I’ll lend it to you just for now."

"You beast♥"

Sarah ran over and greedily started sucking.

From how hungrily she swallowed, she really had missed my cock.

"By the way, did you prepare what I asked?"

"Of course. Here it is."

Sarah handed me documents.

"Everything on the current lord’s corruption and crimes."

"Good work. Very thorough."

I’d asked her before I left—gather anything that could be used against the current lord.

A lone maid couldn’t access this level of secrets, of course.

But all the trained maids and some vassals were on my side.

Together they slowly collected this over time.

Basically spies I’d planted inside long ago.

I never thought I’d use them like this back then.

"But with just this it’ll be hard to drive him out. He’s still at the top of the territory."

"Don’t worry. This is only for justification."

Crimes and punishment always depend on who commits them and the situation.

With the vassals’ help and public support, even small sins can be blown up huge.

"And I’ll use this separately too."

Above all, this was blackmail material.

To fuck that bombshell sister-in-law who’d been childhood friends with the lord.

....

A|N: I’ll post sister in law illustration on discord maybe on novel too.