Chapter 46
Translator - Zofu
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Right, even if Atlantia, who'd been quiet all this time, suddenly set her sights on the anti-Lucid struggle and pulled some scheme to harm me, how sophisticated could it be? And if the item she handed over openly as a "gift" turned out to be poison, she'd be the first suspect... and that would end with a nation's princess being "forced to commit suicide."
There's absolutely no reason to be scared something might go wrong when using this syringe. As a plot to assassinate me, it's far too sloppy. So it's right to view this as a purely genuine "gift." And yet... I couldn't shake this unsettling feeling.
I've never once received a gift from that brazen bitch of a sister, so maybe that's why this feels weird. It'd be great if someone could step up and test this syringe for me before I do... Just as I was thinking that, Prime Minister Bilnave somehow caught wind of the rumors and showed up at the palace.
"Your Majesty, I came after hearing there was quite a disturbance in the palace last night. Fortunately, from what I hear the urgent fire has been put out... but should any embers flare up again... though I am incompetent, I shall gladly defend the Imperial House at Your Majesty's command."
"Is that so. I was just about to summon the Prime Minister, so I thank you for coming on your own initiative. Is this not a sign that good things will happen?"
Wait, I heard the report said we blocked the rumors from spreading outside the palace... That guy wasn't even in another city on Earth, but at his mansion on Mars—so how the hell did he sniff this out? Still, I responded calmly without showing my surprise. I still don't know why that bastard suddenly crawled his way in here.
Puppet Emperor, as if you'd tell me even if I asked about your source. Unlike with the Princess, Bilnave had obtained an audience with the Emperor through more formal and dignified procedures befitting his status as Prime Minister, and though he knelt down to the floor and pretended to be all polite, his insides were black as night.
Since the last Great War, he'd already tossed aside his loyalty to the Atlantis Imperial House, secretly contacted the Lucid Empire, sold our secrets, sabotaged the Atlantis Imperial Army's arms expansion, and finally stole the Emperor's seal to unilaterally sign a humiliating armistice—he'd been serving a new master for a long time.
Though he could have ousted the Atlantis Imperial House and taken the throne himself as reward for actively collaborating with the Lucid Empire, the reason he didn't was purely because he judged it better to set up a puppet and wield real power from behind the scenes rather than become too conspicuous a target—not because any loyalty to the Imperial House remained.
Prepared to be recorded as history's greatest traitor, having already committed all sorts of treason, it was only natural he'd plant his confidants beside the puppet emperor—and even the official who reported that the cover-up was perfect was one of Bilnave's confidants.
That guy gave false reports to the Emperor and scurried to Bilnave to give detailed reports, loyal not to the puppet but to the real power holder. Thanks to him, Bilnave learned of the palace disturbance with a typical businessman's sense and realized this was a venture that would bring in enormous profits, hurrying to Earth.
"I humbly report, I heard this disturbance began with a wench the Princess brought in from outside. I'd like to dig up more information on that..."
"Ah, if it's information you want, it's right here. My sister gave it to me to try."
Thinking "perfect timing," the Emperor showed Bilnave his hand. Bilnave's eyes sparkled at the syringes in the box the Emperor held. He'd received reports on the pheromone component analysis, but thought it'd take time to commercialize... who'd have thought he'd meet the finished product so quickly?
Bilnave had an idea what it was. That... whatever-it's-called, Kaldir, the lewd scent that common wench gave off, made into a pharmaceutical product. He could figure out the manufacturing process slowly; what he needed now was to test how potent the drug was.
Simply inhaling the natural pheromones made women experience extreme sexual arousal, feverishness, withdrawal-like symptoms of thrashing about—and if it went through pharmaceutical processing... the effect was a guaranteed jackpot, the monetary value immeasurable.
Not to mention classic drugs like Philopon or heroin, these days even artificially synthesized endorphins—800 times stronger than morphine—are traded at high prices. If he released something even more potent than existing drugs on the market, druggies who enjoy drug-fueled sex would pay whatever price.
If the experiment concluded the drug was premium grade... then he could stand as the seller, deciding how much to sell it for, how much to sell, when and where, and control all potential buyers.
"The Princess brought this...! If Your Majesty permits... I would like to personally test this item..."
"I was planning to do so even if you hadn't said so. I'd like you to join me in the experiment. As for the wenches to be test subjects... I've already prepared them."
The Emperor, as if knowing he'd get a positive answer, finished speaking and gave the prearranged signal—a clap twice. When the Emperor clapped, a tent that had been hidden behind was removed... revealing beautiful slaves, completely nude and bound. Three of them, no less.
I didn't plan to drag out the introduction either, but I didn't expect to get to the main point this quickly. Bilnave, despite being over 120 years old—six times older than the Emperor—forgot his dignity and examined the offerings the Emperor had prepared.
The Atlantis Empire's upper class generally consumed women with modest breasts and slender builds, but today's offerings defied that common taste. Breasts so huge you wondered if they were faces or watermelons, and sizable asses. These slaves' appearance didn't quite match the Emperor's usual preferences, from what Bilnave knew.
"Is... is this appropriate, in a place like this?"
"Only in a place like this can we properly conduct business, Prime Minister. The thrill of doing what shouldn't be done in a sacred space... you know well how great that is, don't you?"
"I cannot say I know much about that... though I think I understand what you mean."
Even when the Emperor tested him openly, Bilnave kept feigning ignorance to avoid any traps. Finally, the Emperor gave up on probing his intentions and decided to call in a second guest. This made three syringes, three experimenters, and three test subjects.
"To say you don't know much is overly modest. Ah, I've brought one more guest, so let us three have a pleasant time."
There's another guest? Sure enough, the spotlight above the door in the corner suddenly flared and revealed an unexpected guest. He was Admiral Baltic Union Washington, who'd taken office as governor-general of the puppet Atlantis Empire.
"Fancy meeting you here, Governor-General."
"I didn't expect to meet you here either, Prime Minister."
As the two hid their true expressions behind masks and exchanged pleasantries, the Emperor grabbed one of the trembling slave girls by the hair and dragged her out. Then he threw her down the stairs. Aaaah! The slave girl suddenly collapsed on the floor and screamed; the other two squeezed their eyes shut.
"Which of you two will test this first?"
"I shall test it first. Should it be poison..."
Bilnave took a syringe from the Emperor and approached the slave girl clanking in her handcuffs and shackles. Looking closely, this girl... didn't she look quite similar to that Kaldir wench?
Though he'd only seen the wench called Kaldir in photos on reports, she was a blonde, blue-eyed, huge-breasted white horse beauty—so he could guess what that puppet was thinking, bringing slaves that didn't match his usual taste.
Without hesitation, Bilnave stuck the syringe in the Kaldir-lookalike girl's forearm and injected the drug made from Kaldir's seductive pheromones, extracted from Kaldir's body. Even rapid alcohol decomposition injections used by heavy drinkers take minutes to kick in, but this reacted instantly.
"Ahhh... ughhh... my body feels like it's burning... save me... please save me..." The slave girl injected with the mysterious drug flushed red in the cheeks and ears within ten seconds, lewdly crying and begging for salvation. But that didn't last long. Overwhelmed by arousal, she forgot even the fear that she might die having her chastity violated here, gathering her breasts with her hands to create a massive cleavage.
Not even Philopon or heroin is this strong—he'd found a real winner! Bilnave smiled contentedly, watching the slave girl's masturbation show without caring who saw. The other two likewise watched, cocks throbbing in their pants.
Gulp. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, the Emperor and Governor-General each took a remaining syringe and rushed at the other girls as if they'd planned it.