Chapter 313 Interrogation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
In order to share information about the drugs and get the full story, Lewya and I paid a visit to the Toys of Preference¹ (Shikou no Gigu). There, we stumbled upon Harmon-san in the middle of a heated argument with the receptionist. The moment he spotted me, however, he looked away, the picture of awkwardness.
”You here alone, Harmon-san?” I asked.
”Well, yeah… Even I want to play solo every now and then,” he grumbled.
”You didn’t exactly look like you were here for a good time,” I said. “Did something happen?”
”What do you mean, ‘something’? I’m my usual self, aren’t I?” Harmon-san replied.
”If you were your ‘usual self,’ the second I showed my face you would’ve been all over me,” I countered. “You’d be shouting, ‘Hey Nick, you here to get your rocks off too? Guess you’re just as much a slave to your junk as the rest of us! Here, let me pick out the perfect girl for you!’ The fact that you’re keeping your mouth shut proves something’s wrong.”
”…Damn. What a pathetic way to get caught out,” Harmon-san sighed.
Realizing his behavior was a dead giveaway, he gave up the act and threw a question back at me, his tone turning defensive.
”You’re here about the Pediros² situation too, aren’t you?”
”‘Too’?” I repeated. “You’re here for the Pediros case as well? Wait-how do you even know about that?”
Word about Pediros was supposed to be confined to the brothels. I couldn’t fathom how Harmon-san had caught wind of it.
”I had a bit of a hunch,” he said vaguely.
”A hunch?” I asked.
”Yeah. I came here to confirm it, but this receptionist is as stubborn as a mule,” Harmon-san said.
”Of course she is!” the woman snapped. “You can’t just barge in here and demand to meet a girl who was drugged with Pediros because you ‘want to hear the details’! What did you think I’d say, ‘Step right this way’?”
”Harmon-san, honestly… that’s a bit much, even for you,” I said.
”Ugh… alright, fine. Nick’s right,” he muttered, finally cooling off.
Once he settled down, I turned my attention to the woman. If I recalled correctly, her name was Cany-san. When our eyes met, she gave a troubled smile, glancing briefly at Harmon-san before looking back at me.
I didn’t quite catch the meaning of her gaze at first. She was silent, her eyes darting between us as if waiting for something. Then it hit me: this was my third time meeting Cany-san, but for the previous two, I had been “Neil.”
The first time, my identity had been blown despite being incognito. The second time, I’d come as Neil to ask about Stella-san. Now, seeing Harmon-san call me “Nick”-a name she’d never heard-she was completely lost on how to address me.
”Ah-forgive me, I’m late with my greetings,” I said, slipping into my role. “I am Nick, a servant in the employ of Neil-sama. I’ve come here today on Neil-sama’s direct orders.”
”Oh! Is that so?” Cany-san sighed, visibly relieved. “I am Cany. My apologies, but our manager has been summoned to the main office regarding the incident. Would you mind if I assisted you in their stead?”
”Not at all. I have two points of business,” I explained. “First is the matter of the medicine I mentioned this morning. It’s from some ancient literature, but I’ve discovered a formula for a compound that prevents unintended pregnancies.”
”Is that true!?” she gasped.
”Yes. However, the text is quite old desuno, so I can’t take the instructions at face value. I’ll need a little more time to verify its safety,” I said.
”I understand. …Forgive me, I know you have another matter to discuss, but would you mind if I stepped away for a moment? I want to give the news to the two who were given Pediros as soon as possible. It might give them some peace of mind,” Cany-san asked.
”Of course. Please tell them I should have the verification finished by the end of the week, so they needn’t worry,” I replied.
She must have been sick with anxiety for them. Cany-san gave a deep bow and hurried toward the back of the shop. The heavy thud of her footsteps echoed as she sprinted up the stairs.
Harmon-san, who had been listening in, looked at me with a frown. “Does a medicine like that really exist? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
”It dates back to the Iradekius Kingdom era. It’s no wonder it’s fallen into obscurity,” I said.
Pediros itself wasn’t exactly common knowledge, so it stood to reason that its counter-agent would be even more obscure. But there was something else bothering me.
”Harmon-san, how do you know about Pediros? I heard it’s famous among brothel owners because of the frequent abuse, but almost no one else has heard of it,” I asked.
”…Well, I’m from the territory of Viscount Pelant,” he grunted.
”What does the Pelant territory have to do with Pediros?” Lewya asked.
”There’s no direct link, but do either of you know where Pediros is actually manufactured?” Harmon-san asked.
Lewya and I both shook our heads.
”Pediros is made in the Republic,” Harmon-san explained.
”The Republic? Wait, wasn’t the Pelant land the only territory that maintains trade with them?” I asked.
”Exactly. Which means every single gram of Pediros circulating in the Empire was imported through the Pelant docks,” Harmon-san said.
”Hmm. But surely they’re just the importers?” Lewya pressed. “From the way you’re talking, it sounds like there’s more to it than just trade.”
”Before I answer that, let me ask you both something: what do you think of Pediros?” Harmon-san asked.
”I think it’s a necessary tool for those who can’t manipulate magic power,” I said carefully. “But it’s also a dangerously precarious substance that relies entirely on a person’s moral compass.”
”I agree with Nick,” Lewya added. “I cannot dismiss it as purely evil, but its potential for harm is undeniable.”
”Right. Pediros is like a blade,” Harmon-san said. “It’s a tool for good or ill, depending on the hand that holds it. We don’t ban knives just because people get murdered with them every year. We arrest the killer, but the merchant who sold the blade goes free. Pediros is the same. Neither the drug nor the distributors are ever held accountable. And because Pediros isn’t a ‘visible’ danger like a knife, no one feels the need to be on guard. Aside from the brothels that get targeted, almost no one even knows it exists.”
”A perfect tool for foul play,” Lewya remarked. “But I still don’t see the point. I understand people use it for ill, but what is their goal?”
Harmon-san made a sour face at her question.
”There ain’t no ‘grand goal’ for most of them. Most of these bastards are just using it to satisfy their own filthy urges,” Harmon-san said.
”I am well aware that villains act on desire,” Lewya said, her voice growing cold. “What I am asking is the reason for forcing a pregnancy. What does the perpetrator stand to gain from such an act?”
”Well, see…” Harmon-san looked at her, struggling to find the words.
”Lewya,” I interrupted, “men like that don’t care about what happens after. To them, the act of making a woman pregnant is the goal.”
”Making them pregnant is the objective…?” Lewya whispered, horrified.
”I hate to sound like I’m defending these scumbags,” Harmon-san spat, “but it’s that basic biological instinct-the ‘reproductive drive’ to leave behind descendants. Not that it gives anyone the right to force it on a woman without her consent.”
”But a child… a child is supposed to be a symbol of love, conceived and raised by a husband and wife,” Lewya argued, her voice trembling.
”Unfortunately, some men have their brains directly wired to their crotches,” Harmon-san said. “It’s just a question of how much ‘reason’ they can use to keep the beast in check. Without it, they’re just monkeys in heat.”
”…I see. I understand that such people exist,” Lewya conceded. “But surely that can’t be the only reason. The group that appeared at the frontier settlement was being paid. That suggests something beyond mere personal desire, does it not?”
She was right. This wasn’t just a case of individual depravity. There was clearly someone pulling the strings. But we had no idea who, or why. We’d come here hoping for a lead, and-
”I had a nasty feeling about this,” Harmon-san muttered. “It really is that, isn’t it…”
”Harmon-san?” I asked.
He sounded like he’d suspected a mastermind all along. He’d mentioned having an “idea” earlier-could this be it?
Before I could press him, Cany-san returned.
”Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said.
”Welcome back. How are they doing?” I asked.
”I can’t say they’re perfectly fine, but they seem much more at ease now. Truly, thank you,” Cany-san replied.
”Save the thanks for when we’re finished,” I said with a smile. “Now, about our other business… we’d like to hear about the men who brought the Pediros in.”
”I see. You’re taking this quite seriously then? You want a fundamental solution, not just a quick fix?” Cany-san asked.
”……”
”Cany-san?” I prompted when she suddenly went silent.
”My apologies,” she said after a moment. “I just… I didn’t imagine you’d consider this such a major problem. Usually, the feudal lords just brush it off as a ‘brothel issue’ and ignore us. To be honest, I’m stunned.”
”You’re all members of this frontier settlement,” I said firmly. “I have no intention of drawing lines between ‘brothels’ and-“
Suddenly, Lewya gave my back a sharp tap, cutting me off. She stepped forward to speak in my place.
”That is correct,” she said. “Neil-sama has stated clearly that he does not distinguish by status or occupation.”
Safe. I’d almost slipped up and spoken as Neil again. With Harmon-san standing right there, I had to be more careful. I gave Lewya a silent look of gratitude and continued in my role as the servant, Nick.
”If we could get back to the customer who brought the drug in… I heard one of your girls noticed something was wrong before she took it. Could we speak with her?” I asked.
”Oh, that would be me,” Cany-san replied.
”Wait, what?” I blinked in surprise.
Harmon-san nearly jumped. “You were the one involved!? Then why the hell were you playing hard to get with me earlier!?”
”You only asked to meet the girls who took the drug,” Cany-san shot back.
”I didn’t know someone caught it before drinking! You knew I wanted to find out about the Pediros, not just gawk at a victim! You were keeping quiet on purpose!” Harmon-san shouted.
”The entire house is on edge,” Cany-san said, her eyes flashing. “Why should I go out of my way to help a man who tries to bully his way through our doors without a shred of consideration for our situation?”
”Guh… alright, alright. I was wrong. I’m sorry,” Harmon-san sighed, looking genuinely ashamed.
Cany-san seemed to accept his apology, as she didn’t press him further.
”As long as you understand. You can stay and listen… though I’m afraid I don’t have much to tell you,” Cany-san said.
”Anything helps,” I assured her. “No matter how small.”
”Well, the first thing that struck me as odd was the ‘play’ the customer requested. It’s rare for anyone to choose a ‘full service’ act here at Toys of Preference; usually, people come here for the unique combinations they can’t find elsewhere. Occasionally a regular who’s infatuated with a girl will ask for a standard night, but this man was a first-timer. He requested a standard act and asked to include a single pill. It was suspicious from the start,” Cany-san explained.
”What kind of pill?” I asked.
”These,” she said, pulling two tablets from behind the counter.
”The white one is Pediros. The yellow one is called Koruodo³-it’s a sedative used to dull the senses. Originally, the customer takes it so they can last longer, but he insisted that I be the one to drink it. Between that and his behavior, I knew something was off,” Cany-san said.
”Hmm. They’re similar in shape and size, but the colors are completely different,” I noted.
”In this light, yes. But the private rooms are lit by a single candle. In that dimness, it’s almost impossible to tell them apart. To be honest, if I hadn’t been on high alert, I might have swallowed it without a second thought,” Cany-san said.
She looked down, her voice trembling with a mix of shame and regret.
”I was helping with the floor yesterday instead of working the reception. If I’d been at the desk… if I could have warned the other two what to look for…”
”So the others were caught with the same trick?” I asked.
”Yes. It seems they were offered a variety of ‘plays,’ but they were tricked into taking the Pediros by being told it was Koruodo. Normally, a girl has the discretion to refuse a customer’s request if it’s outside our usual menu, but they were caught off guard,” Cany-san replied.
”I see. And the man we caught? What happened to him?” I asked.
”He’s already gone. Once he spat out everything he knew, he scrambled out of the settlement as fast as he could,” Cany-san said.
”You let him go!?” I exclaimed.
”Even if we turned him in, there’s no law to charge him with,” Cany-san said bitterly. “So many girls have been forced to just suffer in silence in the past.”
”No law? How is that possible? It’s a crime!” Lewya demanded.
”If you’re asking if it’s ‘wrong,’ then yes,” Harmon-san said, his voice heavy. “But there is no specific law against drugging someone. If the drug kills or injures them, you can get them for murder or assault. But otherwise…”
”So you are saying… that forcing a pregnancy on a woman without her consent is not a crime?” Lewya’s voice was dangerously low.
The room fell into a suffocating silence. None of us could look her in the eye.
”The ‘common sense’ in this world is that you can’t have a child without the mother’s will,” Harmon-san explained. “People think it’s impossible to get pregnant unless you ‘want’ it. So there’s no law for it. Worse, if a woman claims she was drugged, people just look at her with contempt. They say, ‘You made the child yourself, didn’t you?’ and turn their backs.”
”But Pediros victims have existed before,” Lewya persisted. “How can this still be unrecognized?”
”Most people have never even heard of the drug. The lords and higher-ups might know, but to them, it’s not worth the time or gold to write new laws for a ‘handful’ of prostitutes. That’s the cold, hard truth,” Harmon-san said.
”This is monstrous…” Lewya whispered.
”Other places might be like that,” I said, my resolve hardening, “but the frontier settlement-no, Neil-sama-will not let such cowardice stand.”
I couldn’t allow this kind of violation to go unpunished. I would talk to my father immediately. We had to establish regulations for Pediros in the lands of Count Atmiras-at the very least, within the frontier settlement-and we had to do it now.
”The man who did this was paid, right? Did he say who hired him?” I asked.
”No,” Cany-san sighed. “A man hiring for a job like that isn’t going to give his real name. All we got was that a suspicious man in a hood approached him in a back alley in Denarl.”
”Denarl, huh? We should probably warn Viscount Hedmar to be on the lookout,” I suggested.
”Yeah… but I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Harmon-san interrupted.
”What? Why not?” I asked.
”Because the target isn’t the Empire,” Harmon-san said, his eyes narrowing. “The mastermind is after the frontier settlement specifically. They aren’t going to waste time picking fights anywhere else.”
”Harmon-san… do you know who’s behind this? Is this the ‘idea’ you had?” I asked.
”Yeah…”
Harmon-san looked me dead in the eye, his expression grim. Then, he suddenly dropped into a deep, ninety-degree bow.
”I’m sorry, Nick. This whole mess… it’s my fault!”
”What? Wait, why are you apologizing to me!?” I asked, bewildered.
”Because…” Harmon-san’s voice cracked. “Because I was the one who suggested you use Dhru Wheat⁴ for your bread.”
”Dhru Wheat? Wait-you don’t mean…”
”It’s him,” Harmon-san spat the name like a curse. “The trash lord of my hometown… Pelant Broome.”
—
Summary:
Nick and Lewya visit the Toys of Preference to investigate a drugging incident involving Pediros. They encounter Harmon, who reveals his origins in the Pelant territory and the dark truth about the drug’s import. The chapter concludes with Harmon apologizing, identifying his former lord, Pelant Broome, as the mastermind behind the targeted attack on the frontier settlement.
—
Character Insight:
Nick demonstrates maturity by shifting his persona to protect his ‘Neil’ identity while taking charge of the investigation. Lewya’s growth is seen in her fierce moral stance against systemic injustice, while Harmon’s rough demeanor cracks to reveal deep-seated guilt and loyalty to Nick.
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Behind the Scenes:
Author utilizes the ‘Dhru Wheat’ connection as a clever callback to earlier chapters where agricultural development was discussed, turning a seemingly innocuous plot point into a central conflict.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Harmon – An experienced hunter and guard who came to the settlement and stayed. He is part of a hunting group with Demar, Dominic, Jott, Victor and Kilk. He knows Nick and Lewya, and discusses business ideas with Nick. He first appears in Chapter 220.
• Nick – A servant who serves Neil and is trusted to protect him. He is strong enough to potentially fight Momoka. He first appears in Chapter 225, where he is introduced as a servant who is worried about Neil’s well-being after a monster attack. He is later revealed to be Neil himself, pretending to be a servant named Nick.
• Cany – Female. A member of the empire’s fanatics, also known as Grelego. She is skilled, resourceful, and exasperated by Remia’s detached demeanor. She rescues Remia from the Marquis Barone and offers her a chance to join her organization. Her relationship with Remia begins as a rescuer but evolves into a mentor-like role.
• Stella – Female. A young woman from a village in the territory of Count Cordis. Her appearance is that of a young girl with a fixed smile, reflecting her traumatic experiences. She was renamed Remia by the brothel owner in Malm. Her relationship with others is marked by survival and adaptation, as she endures sexual exploitation and bullying. Her inner thoughts reveal a deep sense of despair and disconnection from her original identity.
• Count Atmiras – MC’s family
• Denarl – Known as the ‘City of Craftsmen.’ Now, just an ordinary city.
• Viscount Hedmar – Zora’s biological family
• Broome – A Viscount of the Empire’s northernmost territory. He is a portly man in his sixties with an extremely selfish worldview, caring nothing for his family name or territory’s prosperity. He is known as the noble other aristocrats most wish to avoid.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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