The Plight of the Wild Goose
A new ability acquired after defeating the Kraken: generating a paralyzing mucus.
Considering that paralysis was the single most potent status ailment in The Knight Never Breaks, it was undoubtedly a powerful skill. Whether coating my own body with it or secretly mixing it into someone's food to paralyze them, it was an incredibly versatile and appealing ability with countless applications. My only regret was how awkward it was to combine with my current combat style.
If I had gained the ability to sprout multiple tentacles instead, it would have been far more useful. I could have wielded a sword in each one, achieving a literal ten-sword style. And as a bonus, tentacle play would have been on the table.
Well, sprouting tentacles is also way beyond the realm of normal humanity...
But then again, so was generating mucus. And between the two, sprouting tentacles sounded infinitely cooler than shouting, "Heheh! Mucus blast!"
Not that complaining about it now would change anything.
"Alvin. I laid her down in the cabin's bedroom, just like you asked."
"How is Master doing?"
"I knocked her out, so she should be fine. The paralysis has mostly subsided, too."
"Thanks, Luna. By the way... you didn't happen to touch any of the mucus, did you?"
I had wiped the mucus off Scarlet immediately after spraying her, but a faint residue might have remained. Knowing that, I probably shouldn't have tasked Luna with carrying her. If Luna ended up paralyzed and aphrodisiac-addled as well, it would have been a massive headache.
And yet, I had asked her anyway. Because there was something I needed to confirm.
"Luna, how do you feel? Any discomfort?"
"Not at all. Why?"
"If you're fine, then that's all that matters."
I had already confirmed this through her diary, but she was completely immune to the paralyzing poison. It seemed the aphrodisiac effect didn't touch her either. At this rate, she might very well possess a body entirely immune to all poisons.
A paralyzing poison that worked on the leader of the Red Lion Knights had absolutely no effect on my childhood friend. I honestly didn't know how to process that fact.
"Mmm... actually, I do feel like my body is getting a little warm...♥"
"Let me see."
I stepped closer and placed my hand on her forehead. It didn't feel particularly hot at first, but as the seconds ticked by, her skin was definitely warming up.
"You do have a slight fever. Did you catch a cold? Or is it seasickness?"
"Alvin...?"
"You shouldn't breathe in the sea breeze. Go back inside the cabin and get some rest."
When I offered her a gentle smile, Luna's temperature spiked. Ultimately, she was the one to back away first, frantically fanning her face with her hand.
"O-okay!"
With a hurried reply, Luna bolted back toward the cabin. When we first boarded, she could barely even stand, but she seemed to have adapted perfectly now, judging by how fast she could run.
To think Luna would be the one to retreat and flee.
I realized then that while her offense was terrifyingly strong, her defense was surprisingly weak.
Ever since our first night together, her overbearing, obsessive edge had softened considerably. Perhaps that was why she reacted so shyly whenever I initiated contact.
If she ever becomes too difficult to handle, I'll just have to make the first move.
Of course, if I teased her too much, she might just pounce on me right then and there. I decided I would hold her tight when my own lust was uncontrollable, and play a bit of push-and-pull when it wasn't. It was a somewhat trashy mindset, but keeping a healthy distance from Luna was definitely the safer bet.
"Excuse me..."
Once Scarlet and Luna were gone, a middle-aged man approached me. I recognized him as one of the sailors who had almost been swallowed by the Kraken.
"What is it?"
"As the captain of this vessel, I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for saving my crew."
"So you're the captain."
"My name is Edward."
Edward offered his hand. I took it and gave it a firm shake. I kept the possibility of a trap in mind, but I wasn't particularly worried. Even if it was a trap, a quick burst of my paralyzing mucus would leave him writhing on the deck in seconds.
Though, the more I think about it, the more that aphrodisiac effect feels like a massive downside.
If the target was a woman, it would at least provide a pleasant view. But if it was a man... I grimaced. The mere thought of another guy getting hard was utterly repulsive. I resolved to avoid using the paralyzing mucus on men whenever possible.
"I..."
"You are Sir Alvin, correct? And the lady who saved us was Lady Scarlet."
"...Yes. There's no point in denying it now."
While few had ever seen my black aura, Scarlet's aura was famous enough that practically every citizen of the Empire recognized it. Having witnessed her signature eternal flame, trying to hide our identities any longer was completely meaningless. It was much easier to just speak openly.
"May I ask... why would two knights so deeply trusted by Her Majesty masquerade as pirates and resort to such violence?"
"I should be the one asking you that. Do you really believe your own hands are clean?"
"..."
"If you have nothing to hide, then you won't mind if I take a look around your ship, will you?"
Somewhere inside this vessel, there had to be kidnapped imperial citizens destined for human trafficking. The moment I found them, I would have the legal authority to deem everyone on this ship an accomplice and execute them on the spot. And I could kill them in ways far more agonizing than simply tossing them into the sea.
As if realizing the gravity of his situation, Edward fell to his knees and pressed his forehead flat against the deck.
"I have committed a sin worthy of death!"
"So you did know exactly what you were doing. Did the rest of the crew know as well?"
"Y-yes, they did!"
"And you understand that what you've done is absolutely unforgivable, correct?"
"Yes...!"
Edward trembled violently, pressed flat against the wood. Facing his judge and executioner, his terror was entirely natural. Yet, proving he was still the captain, he managed to endure the crushing weight of my gaze.
"If you have an explanation, let's hear it."
"We are all sailors hired by Viscount Gelberto. He approached me when my family was facing financial ruin, offering to help us out of goodwill. But then, using absurd, twisted logic, he demanded ten times the amount he lent us. He threatened to turn my family and me into slaves if we couldn't pay."
"So you're saying you had no choice but to participate in the Viscount's crimes?"
"Yes... With our families held hostage, we had no choice but to take to the sea, even knowing it was a crime."
When family is held hostage, anyone would be driven to make extreme choices. I could understand Edward and his crew's actions, but they could never be forgiven. After all, there were others whose lives had been utterly ruined by their hands.
"Did you ever stop to think that the people you sold off also had families?"
"I have no excuses..."
"Well, fine. Putting that aside, do your families know what you've been doing?"
"They likely don't. They were taken away to the Viscount's estate as hostages."
"Did the Viscount's soldiers come and drag them away?"
"No. We woke up one morning, and our families had vanished without a trace. We only found out later that they had been taken in the dead of night."
"Hmm?"
They were kidnapped, yet no one noticed? If they had been dragged away by force, there would have been resistance. There would have been noise, and they naturally should have woken up. At the very least, some trace of a struggle should have been left behind. To have no sound and no trace whatsoever was highly suspicious.
"Have you ever met with your families since they were taken hostage?"
"No."
"Did you notice anything unusual before you were separated from them?"
"Well... Ah! Come to think of it, my wife started going out much more frequently. She often took the children with her, too."
The distinct, foul stench of a dirty rag began to waft in.
I ordered Edward to gather the entire crew. When I questioned them about their circumstances, their stories were practically identical to Edward's. Families vanishing overnight. Wives or fiancées acting suspiciously beforehand. Every single detail matched perfectly.
"I have a few more questions for you all. Before your families were taken, did your wives suddenly start dressing up or wearing makeup?"
"Huh...? Y-yes, that's right!"
"My wife, who never touched a speck of makeup in her life, suddenly started painting her face one day."
"My fiancée started dressing up excessively, too!"
"Next, for those of you with children. Did your kids start ignoring you or reacting with disgust?"
"Yes! My children, who used to welcome me home with open arms, wouldn't even greet me!"
"Their bright smiles were my only joy in life..."
"My daughter would tremble and even throw up whenever she looked at me."
With every question, the sailors' expressions grew increasingly bleak. Some clutched their heads, while others buried their faces in their hands. Every single one of them let out heavy, agonizing sighs.
It felt exactly like watching a gathering of miserable, cuckolded fathers.
If this really is an NTR game world...
I began to realize exactly what kind of situation they were in. But right now, I only had suspicion, not concrete proof. Even if I explained it to them, they wouldn't easily accept it.
"To open their eyes, I need undeniable evidence..."
"Alvin!"
As I stroked my chin, Luna emerged from the cabin. In her hand, she held a crystal ball—a communication magic tool manufactured in the Magic Republic and distributed throughout the Empire.
"I found this in the innermost room on the second floor!"
"The innermost room on the second floor... that's where the mercenaries hired by Viscount Gelberto were staying."
"Is that so? Luna, hand it over."
"Here!"
I took the crystal ball from her. As I stroked its smooth glass surface, it began to blink. There was only one contact saved inside.
When I connected the call, a room lit by a single candle came into view.
A man was rolling around on a massive bed with several women. I didn't even need to guess who he or the women were.
Because the sailors staring intently at the crystal ball had already gone completely pale.
Given the wide range of ages among the women, it was safe to assume that the wives, fiancées, and daughters of the men gathered here were all present in that room.
"You want revenge, don't you?"
In that single moment, the men of the sea who had once dedicated their lives to the Empire transformed into bloodthirsty pirates.