Chapter 74. Legally Stealing a Wife! (1)
"So... you came regarding the request?"
"Yes, I brought the request form here... May we come in?"
"Ah, of course. Please excuse the mess, but do come in."
When we knocked on the requester's door, a woman with a youthful yet mature appearance answered. She had a somewhat similar vibe to Cecilia - perhaps this is how Cecilia would look when she's older?
The woman welcomed us inside and guided us to the living room. The requester's house was an ordinary single-story home, with the combined living room and kitchen making an impression.
She seated us on chairs, served simple tea, then asked us to wait momentarily before disappearing into the bedroom. Probably to call her husband.
My, these requesters have alarmingly low vigilance. If we were shady adventurers, we might have stolen something.
Shortly after, the female requester emerged from the room with who appeared to be her husband, and both requesters sat across from us.
"So... you're the adventurers who came regarding our request?"
"Yes. I'm Triae the adventurer, and this is Cecilia, the priestess assisting me."
"Pleased to meet you... I'm Evi, and this is my husband-"
"I'm Oen Haidin. But if it's not the priestess... does that mean the adventurer is performing the doctor's role?"
They seemed to have assumed Cecilia in her nun outfit was the doctor, giving me deeply skeptical looks when they heard she was merely an assistant.
Understandable, since my appearance showed zero connection to medicine. What fool would readily believe a pretty-faced woman with a whorishly voluptuous body claiming to know infertility treatments?
But business is business, so I decided to ask a few preliminary questions.
"Haha, I understand your skepticism. First, may I ask - have others come regarding your request besides us?"
"Yes. But they all just told us to eat certain things, do specific exercises regularly, increase frequency... nothing beyond what we already knew. We never got the solution we wanted."
"Hmm. How often do you typically engage in relations?"
"U-usually four or five times a week... During busy periods, sometimes two or three times daily for a whole week..."
Mrs. Evi blushed shyly but answered obediently, recognizing the necessity of the question.
Hmm. A normally affectionate couple. What could be the issue?
Let me observe them through status windows. Pardon my rudeness...
- - -
<View Others' Information>
Name: Evi Haidin
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Level: 6
Title: Beloved Wife
Occupation: Housewife
<Stats>
Strength: 8
Agility: 9
Intelligence: 11
Health: 14
Magic Power: 4
*This individual is in perfect health. Her womb functions excellently enough to conceive even outside fertile periods. However, lacking distinctive traits makes her unsuitable as a vassal - not recommended.
- - -
<View Others' Information>
Name: Oen Haidin
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Level: 12
Title: Beloved Husband
Occupation: Carpenter
<Stats>
Strength: 17
Agility: 12
Intelligence: 11
Health: 17
Magic Power: 5
*This male's sperm is too weak to properly fulfill male reproductive functions. Not even worth using as a vital energy slave. That such defective males aren't naturally eliminated shows civilization's flaws.
- - -
...Heh. Found it.
Didn't expect this to work - when I opened the status window while mentally focusing on desired information, it displayed precisely the fertility details I wanted.
I immediately devised a scenario for how to proceed with this newfound knowledge.
Hmph, higher Intelligence stat does make mental processing faster. Not smarter, but...
"Doctors all say our sexual functions are fine, but what's wrong then...? It almost feels like Chelsea Goddess-nim is stealing our would-be children."
Of course their functions work fine. The problem is his sperm quality.
Ah, some might wonder about the goddess mention. Chelsea Goddess is known as the deity of beauty and cats, infamous for kidnapping pretty, cute children according to legend.
Despite her cruel, wicked nature and love for malicious pranks - causing natural disasters to kill indiscriminately, descending as a beautiful woman to make people kill each other while she enjoys the spectacle - she isn't classified as an evil god because beauty worship grants her too many followers.
Religion ultimately follows follower numbers. Can't be helped even if it defies normal logic.
"We just want to live happily raising two children who resemble us like other families do. Is that such an impossible dream?"
"Of course not. That's exactly why I'm here to help, so please don't worry."
Just then, children's laughter came through the window.
Turning to look, I saw kids from the neighboring house stomping grapes in a large wooden tub to make wine, playing atop the piled fruit.
The requester couple gazed longingly at this scene, clearly envying the children others had so easily that remained beyond their reach.
And I decided to exploit that emotional vulnerability without hesitation.
"Now then, shall we move to the bedroom?"
"Huh? Suddenly... why the bedroom...?"
"Diagnosis and treatment require a room with a bed. You'll cooperate, won't you?"
"But that's our private space - this is rather..."
"Hmm, resistance was expected. Can't be helped then. Please look into my eyes for a moment?"
"What? What are you-"
"Silence."
My eyes shifted from blue to pink, emitting an eerie glow. The resisting couple's eyes instantly glazed over as their bodies went limp.
"Only I can help you. Therefore, my words are absolute. Understood?"
"..."
Through hypnosis - no no, through my earnest persuasion - the couple finally nodded in agreement to cooperate with treatment.
A scenario where an inferior man incapable of impregnating his wife willingly offers her to another man with superior seed...
Haa, merely imagining it is delicious.
Suppressing my raging excitement, I followed the couple's guidance with Cecilia into the bedroom.
* * *
A large, plush double bed. A bookshelf filled with parenting and prenatal books. A fabric-covered baby crib in the corner.
My, what a perfectly prepared room for expecting parents.
I sat cross-legged on the bed while leisurely examining the couple's bedroom.
The requester couple stood side-by-side across from me. Under hypnosis, they couldn't protest my intrusion into their bedroom or me sitting on their bed, only wearing slightly dazed expressions while obediently awaiting instructions.
I'll soon give you the child you desperately want, so endure this rudeness.
I was about to begin anyway. Our purpose here is completing the request for payment, not lewd acts.
"Undress."
"...Pardon?"
"I believe I spoke plainly. Was I unclear?"
"N-no! Just... surprised..."
Expected this reaction. Hypnosis is merely suggestion - not like Cecilia's brainwashing that overturns common sense.
Their hesitation merely reflects conflicting instincts against my orders. A little pressure will silence that.
"I only request what's necessary for treatment. If you refuse, I'll have no choice but to abandon treatment. Then you'll never have children... Well, not my problem once the request leaves my hands."
"F-forgive us! Adventurer-nim, please! Help us!"
"Of course I'll help. 'For now' I intend to fulfill this request. To keep me willing, you'll obey properly, yes? Now, undress please?"
"Y-yes!"
Under my veiled threat, the couple nervously began removing their clothes.
Both flushed crimson with shame, but stripped completely down to full nudity.
Having frightened them enough, time for some soothing.
"Mrs. Evi, come here beside me."