Chapter 23: Illuania

Originally, my intention was simply to ignore her.

The emotions and prejudices I had toward prostitutes of this era were not very good.

In my previous life, I had never come across women who worked at night, leaving me with no knowledge about them. However, here, I encountered them quite frequently.

They would emerge onto the streets like vendors during the night, effortlessly luring people to their establishments.

Amidst that scenario, I witnessed it multiple times:

The ghost of a fetus perched on women's shoulders, yearning for their mothers, or the specter of a man constantly cursing them.

Naturally, my perception of them was skewed.

‘But this woman.’

There was nothing like that. 

But I tried to just pass by, thinking that there could be such people.

However, two things bothered me.

One was her condition:

Her hand, gripping my arm, trembled slightly, and her pupils were tinged with a hint of redness. The color had faded from the corners of her lips, and her speech was peculiarly fast.

The other was my own body:

My heart was pounding. 

Personally, I didn't know her, and as a result, I had no emotional attachment, but Deus' body was responding strangely in her presence.

‘That bastard.’

He already had Erica as his fiancée, but apparently, that bastard was fond of this woman the most.

The more I got to know him, the more I hated him.

“Colton is looking for you. You asked for supplies, so why didn’t you buy them?”

The woman whispered secretly so that Deia and Finden Ai approaching from the other side wouldn't hear her.

"...Hah, what was your name again?"

“What? Are you kidding? Did you forget me?”

“Tell me.”

"Tsk! You're behaving strangely! It's Illuania! Did you forget you held me tightly saying you loved me?"

Damn, Deus.

"If you're going with her, can I take the day off?"

"...Trash."

As soon as they arrived, Finden Ai pleaded, hoping to get the day off from work, while Deia cursed and glared at me with disgust.

I didn’t correct them though. These were the things previous Deus did, so even if I made excuses, it would just seem like a futile struggle.

Furthermore, I couldn't just let it go.

“Let’s go.”

"Yay!"

"What!?"

When I agreed to follow the woman, Finden Ai, and Deia showed contrasting reactions. 

But soon, I trampled on Finden Ai’s wicked anticipation to get a day off.

"You come along too, Finden Ai. It won't take long."

Finden Ai tilted her, looking at me, “It won’t take long…? Do you finish too quickly? Perhaps premature ej*culation?"

This... Damn it...

I almost got angry for a moment.

Growing up, I had seen so many shocking things that I became numb to most situations. But sometimes, just a throwaway remark from Finden Ai would make me angry.

“What premature ej*culation! He's a beast! He goes on for several hours!”

For some reason, Illuania answered proudly right next to me.

Finden Ai grinned, finding it amusing, and Deia glared at me with an expression that she really wanted to kill me.

“Deia, go to ‘Gocheolsang’.”

“Huh?”

Deia asked as she folded her arms, perhaps not knowing that I would ever instruct her, “…What does that mean?”

“I know you understand.”

Deia grumbled for a moment, but after realizing that I hadn’t decided to follow Illuania just to have fun, she headed for the Gocheolsang’s quarters.

And, Fienden Ai and I followed Illuania.

"Are you Deus’ new lover? Be careful since I'm the real one."

"Hah! What nonsense are you spouting! I have nothing to offer him except my skills and perhaps… tea!"

'The tea that tastes like pig urine.' 

I told her not to prepare tea the other day, so she must have brought the topic out of spite.

Illuania looked at me, startled by Finden Ai’s words.

"Huh? But Deus told me that only the outlets of his sexual desires wear that exposed maid uniform."

"Oh, he stopped doing that. Thanks to that, other girls are really relieved."

The outfits had been burned a long time ago, and the maids who had once struggled with them felt relieved and pleased.

However, there was only one reason why Finden Ai was still wearing it.

"A master who brings a maid dressed like this seems somewhat perverted, don't you think?"

"Exactly! Very much so!"

"Hehe, that's why I'm wearing it. To rebel against the master, even a little."

Illuania accepted it without much thought.

“And don’t I look pretty? The kids were in awe when they saw me.”

Finden Ai walked forward and turned around, slightly lifting the hem of her skirt, pretending to be a lady-in-waiting.

When she was actively resisting the Clark Republic, she always had to hide her body and wear dirty clothes, so she seemed to quite like it.

Illuania clapped at her performance, laughing and giggling.

The two of them got along well.

Upon arriving at the brothel, Illuania entered the building and asked us to wait for a while.

Meanwhile, Finden Ai couldn't wait any longer and took out a cigarette, lighting it up immediately.

“Ah, master! We’re outside. May I smoke a little?”

She seemed to use honorifics only when she wanted something.

When I didn’t answer, Finden Ai threw the burning cigarette on the ground and stomped on it, muttering angrily.

"Is she a drug addict?"

“…you noticed?”

When I said it with a slight glance, Finden Ai placed her hands on her hips and replied as if she found my question pitiful.

“You know that there are about three times as many drug addicts in the Clark Republic than in the Griffin Kingdom, right? There are more drugged people than the sane ones there.”

"Well, most drugs are made in the Clark Republic."

"That's right! For example…" Finden Ai took a deep breath, then spoke, "Like the Flower Garden."

"..."

Bitterly, Finden Ai clicked her tongue and instinctively rummaged through her pocket, about to take out a cigarette, but then she glanced at me and just crossed her arms.

"By the way, wanna hear something you don't know?"

"..."

When I beckoned her to try it, Finden Ai giggled and answered while looking at the door Illuania entered.

"She's currently..."

.

.

.

.

After a while, big guys came out of the door Illuania had entered.

They immediately split to the sides, clearing the way, and bowed deeply.

At the end stood a rugged man with a long scar on his bald head.

"Hey, young master! Long time no see! I was really surprised when you suddenly became an academy professor."

“Colton?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, so do I look a little different? Perhaps a little more handsome?”

I had taken a guess, and I was right.

Then my attention shifted to Illuania, who stood leaning against the doorframe, laughing softly as she held a syringe in her hand.

Colton approached me with a smile.

The stench that stabbed my nose was incomparable to the smell of cigarettes that usually came from Finden Ai.

"We received some good stuff this time, young master. I even saved some for you. Shall we go right away?"

"No, it's over today."

“Yes?”

I declared to Colton, feeling a deep sense of disgust.

“Dispose of all drugs you have. They are of no use to North Whedon.”

"...What kind of insane nonsense are you spouting?"

Colton's expression showed genuine incomprehension. 

The towering figures who had been bowing slowly straightened up, glaring at me.

"Young master, no, Deus. Have you gone mad? Are you too high to figure out the situation? Don't you remember how you crawled to lick my shoes when I couldn't give them to you for a few days?"

“Hahaha.”

Finden Ai covered her mouth and giggled, asking if what he said was real. 

Pretending not to notice it, I let out a sigh and tapped the ground with my cane.

“Clean up, Finden Ai.”

"Roger!"

Finden Ai’s fist plunged into Colton. It was a blow that resembled winter's skin-penetrating chill.

Colton's blood and teeth scattered in the air, painting the snow-covered ground red. The next moment, he fell to the ground, passing out.

"Brother!"

“You bastard!”

"Get him! Grab him and drag him inside!"

The bulky men rushed towards me. 

I walked forward as if they didn't exist, and Finden Ai moved gracefully, the hem of her skirt fluttering.

Ultimately, my steps continued forward without hesitation, never encountering any obstacles.

Soon, the gangsters were sprawled on the ground as if a storm had passed by, but Finden Ai, the perpetrator, yawned sleepily amidst the chaos.

Illuania, seemingly unaware of the situation around her, was about to inject herself with a syringe into her forearm.

Crack!

But my mana violently shattered the syringe.

"Huh? Huh? Huh!"

Illuania stared dumbfoundedly at the broken syringe and glared at me with anger.

Not minding her gaze, I spoke bluntly.

"Be careful with your actions... Your actions don’t affect you alone."

“… … What?”

But that’s all I had to say.

Soon after, Deia brought the members of the Gocheolsang crew as I had instructed.

"Oh, Captain!"

“It's been a while! You are still so pretty!”

"The clothes suit you really well, Captain."

"Right? Now, don't get too excited, you lot."

Finden Ai twirled her body as if dancing among the scattered bodies and bloodied floor.

Meanwhile, Deia approached me with a furrowed brow.

"What's going on?"

"There must be drugs inside. Since the members of the Gocheolsang crew are from the Clark Republic, they should be skilled in the disposal. Instruct them to dispose of everything."

"...You didn’t take drugs, did you? Honestly, I doubt it."

I didn't bother answering.

It wasn't the case now, but it was obvious that I had done so in the past.

I clicked my tongue as I looked at Illuania, who was hugging her stomach as if protecting something precious.

"I'll also hire a maid, so prepare a contract."

"What? Why would I...?"

“Ah, my child. my child.”

Deia, who was about to grumble, seemed to have caught something in Illuania's mumbling. Her eyes widened.

"Could it be... it's not you, right?"

I sighed, “I was in Robern Academy for three months. But the child seems to be only a month old now.”

"Really? Phew, thank goodness. That would have been crossing the line."

As Deia cautioned me not to cause trouble elsewhere, I turned my gaze away from her and looked at Illuania.

She was a woman who had come in a broken state - useless no matter where she was. As she was nothing more than a desperate drug addict, but…

‘It worked out well.’

I had the certainty within me that she would be the key to solving my biggest problem.

--- End of The Chapter --

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