Chapter 72 Triumph and Takedown The Logic of the Forbidden Tool
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Heave ho! Heave ho!”
”Silence, silence, please!”
First, the Beast-person women who had secured the victory tossed Suu, the secretary of the Beast-person Association, up in the air in celebration, while the moderator, Archbishop Trantestar, tried to calm them down. When she was finally set down, even the iron-clad poker face of Suu was colored by a faint blush on her cheeks.
I couldn’t help but feel warmed inside as I watched the scene. Maybe that was my mistake. I was slow to react to the voice that called out from the side.
”Now then, for the next question…”
Professor Soi from the Ajire Seminary announced this calmly, as if nothing had happened. Deep within the many wrinkles etched on his face, his eyes, which had not lost their light, shone intensely and stared straight at me.
His demeanor clearly indicated that the real challenge was just beginning. A shiver of goosebumps ran across my entire body. I had let my guard down because the questions had been surprisingly gentle until now. That wasn’t because my thesis was excellent or because he was satisfied with it; it only meant he hadn’t yet shown his true colors.
”While we acknowledge the efficacy of the device for Beast-person women dealing with their ‘Heat Period’¹, should we permit its widespread sale to the public? Specifically, we must clarify whether there is any danger for women of the common folk².”
”Th-That’s right! Even if we allow its sale to Beast-persons, we absolutely cannot permit its sale to the common folk! The ‘Church Law’ explicitly states that the sale of tools that cause pious believers to be unable to endure the pleasure of climax is strictly forbidden!”
Following Professor Soi’s statement, Cardinal Mork, who seemed to be a central figure among the “Inquisition” members, raised his voice. For some reason, he kept glancing sideways, looking frantic, as if being chased by something. He was looking at the masked “Inquisitor” that Your Majesty had warned me to be wary of.
”Cardinal Mork, silence, please! You must ask your questions in the proper order.”
”Guh…! I-I know that!”
The officiating Archbishop cautioned the Cardinal. The Cardinal, wiping the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, despite being a high-ranking official, somehow reminded me of the middle-management executives at the company I used to work for in my previous world.
He was the image of a non-interventionist, a pitiful sight of a man living his life praying that no extra work or emotional distress would fall upon him.
”Hmm. Coincidentally, the topic of my expertise, Law, has come up. Are you familiar with the ‘Church Law’ regarding ‘Forbidden Tools’?”
”Yes, I have studied it somewhat.”
So this old man was a law expert… No wonder high-ranking officials—even Cardinals, regardless of their ordination—defer to him. According to what Sister Amelia told me, ‘Church Law’ is supposed to be the law that binds the conduct of the faithful, based on God’s words written in the Sacred Scriptures and the actions of past Saints.
This meant this old man was far more knowledgeable about the Sacred Scriptures and Saints than a haphazard Cardinal, and in some cases, he could even condemn their actions. He could also give opinions, or be asked for them, based on the law concerning difficult events. It made sense that he was chosen for the “Inquisition.”
”Then, do you also understand the conditions for designating a ‘Forbidden Tool’ that Cardinal Mork just mentioned?”
”Of course. I understand that a ‘tool’ that cannot be endured even by the faithful who are skilled in the art of controlling their sexual urges is not permitted for sale, and some might even be prohibited from manufacturing.”
”Indeed. This clause is based on the anecdote of a former Saint, who said, ‘If I cannot endure it, who could?’ and designated a diluted version of the ‘Sensitivity Three-Thousandfold Aphrodisiac’³ as a ‘Forbidden Tool.’
”However, Sister Amelia has overcome that point through her training. Even when she visited me to conduct an ‘audit,’ she managed to overcome the pleasure provided by the ‘Tremble-Ddo-Buddy.’”
”That is true. Therefore, the point of this trial can be stated as follows: ‘Should a tool be exempt from being designated a Forbidden Tool if only a small minority of people have overcome the pleasure?’ And the material for that judgment is the thesis you have written.”
Professor Soi spoke as if he were assigning a practice problem to a student. It was quite enjoyable for him, but there was a logical flaw in his question. I decided to launch a small counter-attack of my own.
”Wait a moment. In this case, what is the number at which this ‘small minority’ ceases to be a minority? Is it two people? Five? Or ten? What is the basis for saying one person is not enough?”
”Hoh, that is certainly a difficult question. The anecdote of the Saint serves as a basis for designating a ‘Forbidden Tool,’ but it doesn’t serve as a basis for exemption from the ‘Forbidden Tool’ designation.”
”Wait, wait! Did Sister Amelia really overcome the ‘Devil’s Rod’ in the first place? What proof do we have that she is not favoring you?!”
”Th-That is an insult to me! As a Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugation, I swear before God that I am not lying!”
”Your Eminence the Cardinal, Sister Amelia, silence, silence, please!”
The Cathedral began to descend into chaos. Mother Marian was faintly gathering power beside Amelia, and I sensed Tania was gathering magic at the back. On the other side, the “Inquisition” members were also bracing themselves, and it seemed as if “Divine Miracles” and “magic” might soon fly, but then Professor Soi’s voice rang out.
”Ahem! Well, precisely because it is a difficult problem, that question will only lead to an argument that goes nowhere. We must judge the situation individually, and we should avoid controversy that deviates from the contents of the document. How does that sound?”
”Yes, it seems we have no choice but to proceed that way.”
The old man and I nodded to each other. Amelia and the Cardinal seemed to have their own thoughts, but they decided to stand down. I let out a small sigh.
This was the point we both wanted to clarify. For me, it would be impossible to call in the subjects for another investigation, as many of them were no longer present. For Professor Soi, deciding to resume sales based only on Amelia’s overcoming of the pleasure left lingering doubts. So, we confirmed that we would settle the matter based on the content of the thesis.
I saw a man, presumably a clerk standing at the edge of the “Inquisition” group, moving his pen at considerable speed. The Professor’s statement would likely become a precedent and a standard for the ‘Forbidden Tool’ designation in the future. For me, who is likely to develop suspicious products in the future, this was a helpful outcome.
”Very well, let us start over. First, let us address the average frequency of self-pleasure. It is stated here as an average of five times per week. There are outliers of over ten times, but could this not be a sign of addiction?”
”I do not believe so. The average for the vast majority is below daily, and healthy young men are likely to be more sexually vigorous. The outliers represent a frequency that is impossible unless they have a considerable amount of free time. I surmise they were already people with time on their hands, and it does not seem to impede their social lives.”
In the corner of my eye, I noticed Amelia blushing, realizing her own frequency of self-pleasure was significantly above the average. There were others in the audience fidgeting, and I didn’t miss the fact that Your Majesty’s ears were turning red. She must be backed up… (with stress, not sexual desire).
”Hmm, hmm, well, that reasoning makes sense. Another point of concern is that so many people wrote that they ‘couldn’t imagine letting go of this now.’ Do you also consider this not to be a symptom of addiction?”
”Yes. Take the magic tool for starting fires, for instance. People probably can’t imagine letting go of that either. Would you prefer to live with a flint and steel, like the people of ancient times? I believe this is a similar case.”
I had logically prepared for the parts I expected to be questioned on. When I answered smoothly, Professor Soi smiled happily again.
”Indeed, it has been many years since the Church authorized the use of ‘Magic Tools.’ Even in my youth, no one desired the life of a monk from ancient times. Now, the remaining questions concern the same point as before, and the investigation method.”
Professor Soi’s cheeks lifted in a grin, and he wore a face as if he were setting a trap. This was indeed the biggest ‘hole’ in my defense. I braced myself for the question I knew was coming.
”Namely, the effectiveness of this ‘survey,’ and the question of whether the number of respondents, a little over one hundred, is sufficient or not!”
What a great old man he is, honestly… Professor Soi’s eyes were sparkling, waiting for my answer. He looked as if he was about to jump for joy, having secured an unexpected piece of luck —a total windfall. I gave the prepared answer.
”Regarding the number of respondents, I will repeat my previous answer: this is the maximum number I was able to secure. Or would you prefer me to distribute a ‘Magic Tool’ whose ‘Forbidden Tool’ designation has not yet been decided and conduct the investigation?”
”Hmm, that is logical. Whether the number is sufficient or not, we have no choice but to make a judgment based on the material we have here.”
”And regarding the validity of the survey, I would like to ask you instead. From your perspective, what do you think? Could such clear information have been collected by any other method?”
At my question, Professor Soi pulled his body in with a twitch. His mouth mumbled as he suppressed a laugh. Then, he sat up and spoke with a bright, clear face.
”Well said! A magnificent study! I have nothing more to say! While continued observation may be necessary, sell as many of your ‘Tremble-Ddo-Buddys’ as you like! In fact, come work for me! I will create a position for you!”
A cheer erupted from the venue at his declaration. Ah, all my hard work had paid off. I had to thank Lily and the others who had supported me this far. I let out a breath and wiped the sweat from my brow. I silently thanked the ‘Tremble-Ddo-Buddy’ that continued to vibrate manfully. However, the “trial” was not yet over.
”Elder Soi! What are you saying?!”
Cardinal Mork stood up and loudly objected. Booing erupted from the audience. But, his face red with anger, he continued speaking.
”This time, I can only believe this is fabrication by that man! An anonymous survey with no direct interviews cannot be accepted!”
”I told you that’s an argument that goes nowhere… In any case, my questioning is finished. I, Professor Soi of the Ajire Seminary, guarantee that this thesis provides sufficient reliability and a conclusion!”
”G-Guh… Then, what about the ‘Sacred Artificers’⁴! Is there no flaw in the materials or mechanism of the ‘Devil’s Rod’?!”
”No, it’s really well-made. I’d actually like to apprentice myself to him, if anything…”
”Y-You useless fool!”
The Cardinal broke down when the woman, who looked every bit the engineer with her large, thick-rimmed glasses, spoke. I entertained the thought that if this were a manga, steam would be flying out of his head. At that moment, the masked “Inquisitor” stood up.
”Hey Mork, isn’t that enough already? I don’t think that’s a dangerous tool, y’know.”
It was the light-hearted voice of a young woman.
—
Summary:
The Beast-person Association’s joyous victory is quickly overshadowed by the serious legal scrutiny of Professor Soi. The protagonist must defend the ‘Tremble-Ddo-Buddy’ against the rigid, fear-driven objections of Cardinal Mork, who uses outdated Church Law to fight the product. The debate boils down to the validity of the protagonist’s survey, which is revealed to be the only available evidence. Professor Soi, an expert in law, ultimately accepts the protagonist’s logic, deeming the research ‘magnificent.’ However, the victory is immediately challenged by a furious Cardinal Mork, who is finally silenced by the casual, unexpected interjection of the mysterious masked Inquisitor.
—
Character Insight:
Professor Soi, though an inquisitor, shows his true colors as an academic who values logical argument and sound research above rigid doctrine, making him a surprising ally. Cardinal Mork’s desperation reveals him to be less of a true believer and more of a stressed bureaucrat terrified of blame and change. The protagonist remains calm and logically prepared, securing his victory through wit and solid data.
—
Behind the Scene:
This chapter is the climax of the legal battle, shifting the focus from the Beast-persons’ right to the device to the device’s legality for all common folk under Church Law. The ‘Sensitivity Three-Thousandfold Aphrodisiac’ is a key piece of lore, establishing a dangerous legal precedent. The final appearance of the masked Inquisitor sets the stage for the next phase of the confrontation, as her true motives remain a mystery.
—
T/L:
¹ The Japanese uses the term ‘Hatsujouki’ (発情期), which is the scientific term for the breeding season or ‘heat’ in animals. I have translated this as ‘Heat Period’ to maintain the context of the Beast-persons’ specific biological state, which is key to the legal argument. ↩
² The term ‘Hito’ (只人) is used here, which translates literally to ‘just people’ or ‘common people,’ distinguishing them from the Beast-persons. ‘Common folk’ is the best fit for the formal legal setting. ↩
³ The name of the forbidden drug is ‘Kando Sanzen-bai Biyaku’ (感度三千倍媚薬). I have translated this literally as ‘Sensitivity Three-Thousandfold Aphrodisiac’ to preserve the in-world, over-the-top technical naming convention. ↩
⁴ ‘Seigushi’ (聖具師) are the Church’s technical experts, often translated as ‘Sacred Artificers’ or ‘Holy Craftsmen.’ ↩
Notes:
• Trantestar – The middle-aged man Archbishop of Canarias and the initiator of the current trial. He is an alleged ally of Kento but remains suspiciously neutral.
• Suu – Secretary for the Royal Capital Beast-person Mutual Aid Association and a cat beast-person. Sample No. 19 in Kento’s report. She steps up as the first witness for the defense.
• Soi – An old professor from Ajire seminary, the first to raise a question. Looks like wizardly.
• Mork – A central figure in the ‘Inquisition.’ Acts panicked and constantly looks sideways, seemingly pressured by the masked Inquisitor. He represents the rigid, fear-based opposition to the protagonist’s products.
• Amelia – The Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugating, who usually buys from Kento, has light blue hair.
• Marian – A ‘Mother’ and supervisor from the Church of Demon-Subjugation. Her appearance and demeanor defy the Church’s purported ‘chastity,’ instead she has wavy purple long hair, busty, black nun, tear mole under eye, and monroe walk. She has arrived with a clear purpose: to confront Kento about the ‘Devil’s Stick.
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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