A New Habit
Due to habits that had become familiar for over thirty years, my mornings were quite fast-paced.
Rubbing my sleepy eyes as I woke up, I drank water, lit a cigarette, washed my body cleanly, and changed into the neat clothes provided by the palace.
The Hound work hadn't come in yet. If it had, Haria would have told me somehow.
So I went out and had fun. I went to a famous shop for food, enjoyed my tongue, watched plays or circuses, and had fun with my eyes and ears.
I had the Golden Imperial Token given upon officially marrying the Empress. With just that token symbolizing the royalty of the Vlata Empire, I could eat and enjoy anywhere I wanted.
The legal wife's words about high blood or something were a bit awkward, but fun was fun.
While having fun, I also bought daily necessities. Especially, I shouldn't forget to visit the potion shop to replenish the emergency contraception for a clean and safe relationship.
There were things women could take, but sometimes outside, carrying them every time was bothersome.
Moreover, taking it out during the act would break the mood, so I preferred the male version that I could take myself.
After that, to satisfy my senses, I wandered around the Imperial Capital, lured a suitable woman, had sex, and the day ended.
"Shall I try something a bit different today."
No matter how good something is, repeating the same thing every day gets boring. Above all, there was a place I had earmarked to visit by evening.
"Oh oh. Is this the casino that might be the best in the empire, or even the continent?"
I got off the carriage in front of the brilliantly decorated building named Diarose, and as if waiting, dozens of staff lined up on both sides and bowed their heads.
I like receiving such treatment every time. I won't get tired of it.
Then a man walked towards me with a thud, bowed his head, and said.
"It is an honor to welcome you, Lord Isaac. I am Paris, the manager of Diarose. Please grant me the honor of guiding Lord Isaac's first visit."
"I don't mind. But how did you know I was coming?"
"Hahaha. If you don't know that Lord Isaac is moving, you don't have the qualifications to do business. Then this way."
This guy is subtly mocking me.
Once inside, it felt like it lived up to its name. Not just gamblers, but waiters serving drinks and dealers shuffling cards, no one looked ordinary.
Not just people. The decorations were so dazzling that it made me think the palace where he stays should be given one hand in terms of splendor.
No, really, my eyes are hurting from the glare.
"Hmm. Good. But I don't play gambling well."
"Haha. No need to worry. Everyone starts like that at first, but after a few times, you'll get the hang of it quickly. The funds will be provided by us too, so just enjoy the atmosphere comfortably."
"Eh? Is it okay?"
Even though I expected it, when Paris the manager smiled nicely and answered my surprised question, I was surprised.
"Of course. The reason we can do business like this is thanks to the grace of the Vlata Imperial Family. But it's a secret from other customers."
Paris smiled energetically and I smiled back. But Paris's hospitality wasn't over yet.
"And this is actually a service provided only to a few VIPs..."
"What is it?"
Curious, the place Paris guided me to was the VIP room.
The room was also flashy, like shrinking the large casino into the room. The other difference was that half-naked beautiful young girls were waiting there.
"I thought Lord Isaac might prefer this over gambling, so I guided you here. What do you think?"
"Excellent?"
"It is an honor. Then enjoy your time."
The girls came over and started undressing my clothes. With me behind, Paris closed the door and left, still smiling.
Then, as the door closed, Paris muttered to his subordinates, "Well monitor this guy well." with a smile.
"Idiot."
It was audible, you idiot.
"...Are you coming and going to Diarose?"
"Yes."
While handling state affairs in the office, Marianne's hand paused for a moment when she received a report from Haria. But it was just a moment.
She resumed her work without a hitch and asked Haria.
"Do you know that the place is a funding source under Abrarum?"
"..."
Abrarum. The name of the criminal organization that boasts the largest, most powerful underworld force among the forces in the Vlata Empire.
I don't know exactly when it started, but it was clear that it greatly expanded its power during the previous emperor's time when corruption reached its peak.
As an empress, it was a target to eliminate someday.
There were too many things to do due to the previous emperor's misdeeds and her own rebellion, and above all, the political situation of neighboring countries was unstable, so she couldn't move for now.
Even the Empress called Iron-Blooded couldn't easily lay a hand on Abrarum because it was huge and strong. The massive financial power and the spiderweb-like networks everywhere were troublesome, but the most bothersome was the military power created using all of that.
"Diarose has more high-rank adventurers than the guild, they say. Recently, they even hired retired or expelled imperial knights."
Of course, people employed by places like Abrarum wouldn't be good people in terms of character.
The high-rank adventurers or imperial knights Marianne mentioned were all people who caused problems and could no longer do that job.
The problem was that they had the ability to grant high ranks or become imperial knights.
"Due to the stabilization of the empire and border defense, we're pouring all our power into it, so we leave it alone, but they are people who must be eliminated. So what? Did he bring any useful information?"
Haria gritted her teeth and cursed Isaac in her heart. But she couldn't lie in front of the Empress, so she had to state the facts.
The Empress's expression didn't change, listening to Haria's report with her ears while her hands and eyes continued working.
Originally, she brought him to kill. Disappointing if he doesn't perform is worse than a beast. So the Empress opened her mouth calmly.
"Every day, he comes and goes to Diarose, gambles away the gold coins they gave him, goes to the VIP room, and spends time with women in pleasure."
"..."
Unlike Haria's worried answer, the Empress didn't seem to feel anything special. Since she was in a position where she might die at any time, it wasn't bad to enjoy everything while she could.
Marianne had no intention of blaming Isaac. She had just felt a bit of curiosity about his confident demeanor from their first meeting conversation.
That curiosity had just disappeared. After all, it was that kind of emotion.
"Hmm. Good work. Then see you at the next regular report."
After the Empress dismissed her, Haria bowed and went out. At the same time, thoughts about Isaac disappeared from the Empress's mind.
The last thing she thought about Isaac was that she would have to prepare for the funeral soon.
"Is the Empress's husband the same today?"
"Yes. He was a very lively guy. The women who went in all said he was clumsy."
Actually, it was the opposite.
Women who had tasted Isaac's body and skills kept begging to be put in his room, and other women who saw that and felt curiosity asked to be put in, leading to fights between the two groups.
But the executives who had worked under Paris for a long time knew that saying that would be a big problem.
Paris couldn't have sex with women due to his physical structure, and because of that, he was a terrifying being who hated both men and women.
In short, Paris was castrated.
"Huhu. Really? Then I have to use the tools I have to satisfy those kids later."
Paris smiled lewdly, and the executives followed with laughter, but in their hearts, they were picking a list of women to discard.
Paris couldn't have sex with women due to physical problems, so he was obsessed with tools, and they were all sadistic and perverted.
Among the women who had sex with him, none had come willingly, and some even died, so it was common sense for the executives to always have victims ready.
"Well, that's aside. Now let's start. After observing for a few days, that guy was really a fool with no thoughts. So there won't be any backlash."
At first, he was somewhat cautious, but even that was a foolish thing to regret, and Isaac was just a fool who only knew how to have sex, according to Paris and the executives.
"That is?"
"Here it is."
One of the executives took out a small box from Paris's words. Inside was a small amount of powder. Except for the turquoise color, it didn't look special, but this was a drug called Miracle.
"Kk. Turquoise Miracle. This alone would make even the Empress's husband submit to me. I got this luck too."
The Turquoise Miracle was an extremely rare drug that only a tiny amount entered from outside the continent, so even with money, it was hard to get.
Even Abrarum tried hard from all directions but couldn't find out where the Turquoise Miracle was produced or who the exact seller was.
However, the effect was already verified. Anyone who ingested even a tiny amount of the Turquoise Miracle was temporarily trapped in immense happiness and pleasure.
That pleasure was incomparable to ordinary drugs.
In short, it completely ruins the senses, but during the ingestion, even drinking muddy water feels like the ultimate sweetness.
Of course, the side effects are huge, and from the moment the effect wears off, you suffer from severe anxiety and depression, including withdrawal symptoms, and due to ruined senses, you become a state where you feel nothing no matter what.
Because of this, the addiction is immense, to the point where there are stories of kings going crazy and rebelling.
"From the morning, doing that, so in the afternoon, he'll sleep. When he wakes up in the evening, feed him the drink. Then it's over."
Even a scarecrow-like husband is the Empress's husband. Since he lives in the palace, if I decide to use him, there are countless places to use him.
I can treat him like a slave until he breaks and then kill him without leaving evidence. By then, Paris could rise to a higher position in the organization using him.
Paris smiled happily imagining his future.
After enjoying the party all day yesterday, sleeping in the afternoon and waking up, it was evening time.
When I woke up, a staff member came in as if waiting and handed me something.
"This is a drink mixed with the best potion for male stamina recovery. I specially got it for Lord Isaac, so please try it once."
"Ah, really? ...Hmm?"
"...Why?"
"No, the smell is good."
I drank the drink in one go. Then the person who gave me the drink smiled widely.
If you smile like that openly, it's hard to match the rhythm.
"Then enjoy your time today too."
After the staff left, I ate first. The thing I ate earlier was fast-acting, but probably they would bring it again when the withdrawal symptoms hit.
I could enjoy it here until then, but since I was getting a bit bored, I should move immediately.
After eating, I went to the bathroom, but the toilet was clogged. I had no choice but to go out now.
When I opened the room door, I saw two door guards. Their backs are wide open.
"Hey."
The two who were focused on something dirty turned when I tapped their shoulders.
"Room toilet is clogged, where is the bathroom outside?"
"Ah, go this way."
Not only physically dull, but also mentally dull. Judging by his face, I should go to the bathroom first.
"Hey, wait!"
The door guards called me back as I was heading to the bathroom. It's not normal for a person to be that dull.
"Why? Have you seen a person moving after taking drugs for the first time? And the bathroom isn't the one I blocked."
This was a truth without a single lie.