Chapter 146 The Deposition
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The deposition regarding the “Pink Devil” requested by Her Majesty¹ happened around the time it was just becoming barely noticeable that my beloved experimental slave Lily’s stomach was growing.
”Heh, so Lily had a younger brother, huh?” I asked.
”Yes, well, we aren’t blood-related. No, since we’re of the same clan, I’m sure we’re connected somewhere. But my feeling is that he’s a stranger, or someone from the same village—at most, a very distant relative,” Lily replied.
The Popol family², where Lily was taken after leaving her birthplace, was said to be highly valued in the Coalmine Kingdom³, referred to as the Pink Clan⁴. However, several years ago, the head of the house passed away, sparking a succession feud, and Lily escaped in the ensuing chaos.
Up to this point, it was a story I had heard before. But this was the first time I’d heard about a sibling. Well, if she was technically taken in as an adoptee, I suppose it’s not that strange.
Lily then explained that if anyone could reorganize and revive the house currently lacking a head, it would be her younger brother, Martin Popol.
”I had other non-blood-related siblings and cousins, but Martin is the most likely candidate in terms of lineage and ability. He was born to the wife the previous head brought from the clan’s ‘homeland,’ he manifested the clan’s ‘power,’ and he had many supporters.”
”I see. But if that’s the case, it doesn’t seem like a succession feud would break out…” I said.
This, too, was mostly as I’d heard before. Lily’s clan lives in a deep-snow remote area called the ‘homeland,’ and those who leave the homeland to live in the streets—called ‘the shameless’—occasionally come back to take children.
This is because those whose blood has thinned do not manifest the ‘power’ to mimic others’ skills, and the Popol family would weaken if things remained as they were. So, they obtained and raised children from the ‘homeland,’ making them soldiers or using them to produce children who possessed the ‘power’…
And the Martin Popol in question was one of those children. He possessed the ‘power’ and was the son of the head, so there shouldn’t have been a problem, yet it turned into a feud.
”He was merely the most likely; there were many other candidates. After all, the previous head was vigorously procreating under the pretext of ‘for our country’s long-held ambition.’ He told the clan to just keep having children. He had the men who manifested the ‘power’ or the boys he brought in create harems, acting as if they’d hit the mark eventually if they fired enough shots…”
”That’s… a bit of a painful story to hear,” I muttered.
Watching the men of such a clan, did Lily not feel a sense of revulsion? Reflecting on my own current harem situation, I feel a bit uneasy. No, in the first place, Lily was the one who triggered me to reach out to various others…
”Fufu, it would have been nice if the men of the clan were the type to let the fish they caught grow plump like you do, Master. If that were the case, I don’t think the succession feud would have become so extreme. The women were merely tools to bear children, and if the ‘power’ didn’t manifest or was weak, they would be neglected, so they were desperate too.”
”Ah, that sounds like a terrible Theological Faction⁵, where everyone’s pulling each other down… The children would get caught up in the fights between their mothers… Wait, could it be that Lily was about to face that same fate…?” I asked.
Lily seems to see right through my inner thoughts. It’s helpful that she seems to be saying, “You are different from those people.” Yes, I shall work hard to ensure that neither the girls nor the children to be born ever have to feel that way.
”Yes, that’s why I ran away. If the head were alive, I likely would have been forced to have children with him, or with Martin after he passed away.”
”…Weren’t they technically your father and brother?” I asked.
”Well, it wouldn’t matter. I’m an adoptee, and apparently, even those with much closer blood ties were ‘doing what they do,’” Lily replied.
As expected of the “Lewd Pink” clan. To think they had built such a depraved web of relationships within the entire family. Hmm, certainly, from the Popol family’s perspective, it’s a matter of life and death, so perhaps it’s unavoidable in some aspects…?
The status built upon the clan’s “power,” and the fear of that “power” being lost. For the exact details, one would have to ask the deceased previous head, but they were likely driven by such things.
But still, thinking that Lily was almost subjected to such treatment, I can’t remain calm…
As I was thinking that with an indescribable mood, Muse-san—the maid of Her Majesty who had been silent until now—opened her mouth while giving me a cold, dead-eyed stare. Come to think of it, this place today was established for the purpose of conveying information to Her Majesty through her.
”Um, excuse me, but could you please stop flirting…?” Muse asked.
”Eh?” I and Lily said in unison.
Receiving an incomprehensible tsukkomi, our voices overlapped. We don’t intend to be flirting… we look at each other’s faces.
”It’s exactly that kind of thing… The content of the conversation aside, Kento-san, why have you been massaging Lily-san’s body for a while now?” Muse asked.
”Ah, sorry, it’s… unconscious, I guess… Her morning sickness has been terrible lately, though it’s settled down a bit now… She said massaging her and rubbing her back makes it easier, so I’ve been doing this as much as possible,” I replied.
Indeed, it was truly unconscious. Habit is a terrifying thing. I answer Muse-san while kneading Lily’s upper arm. Since Lily’s condition worsened, I had been taking care of her almost constantly, and we were often alone, so I didn’t mind it.
”I keep telling him I’m fine and he doesn’t need to worry so much. I’m sorry, Master is just overprotective…” Lily said.
”Ah, by the way, did you take your medicine? That’s right, we’re talking too much, so you need to stay hydrated…” I said.
”Both are fine. I’m aware I’ve caused you worry, but I’m not that fragile. If you keep on like that, things will get even harder from here on out,” Lily replied.
While saying this and that, Lily looked happy as I immediately had her drink the fruit water I always keep on hand. I sometimes give it to her via mouth-to-mouth upon request, but she didn’t ask for it this time.
This, too, had been quite an ordeal. At the worst of times, she would vomit no matter what she ate, and kissing was out of the question. Since she would get dehydrated if she didn’t hydrate frequently, I gathered things that seemed like they might go down her throat while being taught by Aki-nee, the tiger beastman mother of four, and old woman Miranda, my magic medicine mentor.
The most effective was this fruit water. It’s fruit juice from a fruit similar to an orange, diluted with water and chilled; along with simple hydration, she said drinking this made her nausea easier, so I always have it ready.
When I go out shopping at the market, the very first thing I seek out is fresh (pseudo) oranges, but sometimes they are sold out. In those times, I’ve even burst into the Akatsuki merchant guild⁶ that handles food items…
Deep in emotion that she’s recovered enough to answer questions, I transition to massaging her upper arm.
Oh, right, the questions. What were we talking about? When I glanced over, Muse-san was muttering something with distant eyes, having given up on everything.
”We work to protect this peacefulness… we work to protect this peacefulness… we…”
Ah, yeah… Realizing I had done something terribly sorry, I hurriedly urged the resumption of the questions for Lily.
In the end, she managed to finish hearing detailed stories about other “Pink Clan” personnel and their fighting styles, and she returned to the royal palace with a face like a Noh mask.
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Summary:
Kento and Lily undergo a deposition by the maid Muse regarding the Pink Clan. Lily reveals the dark history of her family, including their ‘breeding’ practices to maintain power. Kento acts as an overprotective caretaker due to Lily’s pregnancy and morning sickness. Their constant intimacy exasperates Muse, who eventually leaves after finishing her investigation.
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Character Insight:
Kento demonstrates extreme devotion to Lily during her pregnancy, showing his growth from a simple ‘owner’ to a genuine partner. Lily, while sharing traumatic family history, shows resilience and a quiet joy in Kento’s overprotectiveness, contrasting her current life with the ‘tool-like’ existence of her female relatives in the Pink Clan. Muse serves as the ‘straight man’ (tsukkomi), highlighting how normalized Kento and Lily’s intense intimacy has become to them but how ‘poisonous’ it is to outsiders.
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Behind the Scene:
The Pink Clan’s history adds a darker, more political layer to Lily’s character, explaining her initial flight and her current loyalty to Kento. The mention of ‘pseudo-oranges’ and the Akatsuki guild suggests a functioning but fragile supply chain in this isekai world.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Lily – the sl*ve and primary experiment subject for the magic shop, ‘Harvest.’ She has striking pink hair, Blue eyes, medium breasts, which the Protagonist associates with being ‘wanton’. She has a working knowledge of magic, which she kept hidden from the slave trader.
• Martin – Lily’s non-blood-related younger brother. Considered the strongest candidate to succeed the Popol family due to his lineage and manifested ‘power. He has pink hair.
• Muse – Cecile’s trusted attendant and chief maid, Muse handles sensitive, discreet tasks like espionage and product acquisition. Have sharp, black eyes, wearing maid uniform, and have expressionless face.
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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