The Land Abandoned by God (5)
Based on my memories, there is something I must do, regardless of whether we build rapport with the people of this pleasure city or if that rapport is slightly diminished in the process.
"His name is Park Changsoo."
I must eliminate Park Changsoo. If I were forced to choose between the benefits I could reap from Lampades and Park Changsoo’s life, I would choose to kill him without a moment’s hesitation. Even if it meant being banished from Lampades.
"I sense blatant hostility."
"We don't get along. Who knows? Perhaps you might understand why."
"Hmm...."
The King of Lampades let out a low groan. I already knew Park Changsoo was here, but the Mage King naturally did not. However, there was one thing I didn't know: whether Park Changsoo had been running his mouth about unnecessary things. Still, there was one fortunate point—the gazes and behavior the people of Lampades had directed toward us.
'They didn't see us as prospective heroes, but as mere tourists.'
Since he wouldn't want to die either, he wouldn't have recklessly spouted nonsense. Looking at it this way, it was clear Park Changsoo hadn't blabbered. Therefore, I would kill him now. I would shut his mouth before he could spew any garbage about tutorials or prospective heroes. For the sake of our comfortable life in this city of pleasure. To ensure the worst-case scenario didn't come to pass.
"Park Changsoo, you say. He must be from the East, like you?"
"Yes."
"Then there is no reason for him to be in a place like this. Why would anyone come to a town destined for destruction?"
"It is possible he arrived here while fleeing without even realizing it. He was on the run."
"On the run...."
The King of Lampades groaned and covered his face with his hand. His demeanor suggested he was recalling something. I quickly recalled our default state upon arriving in this city—our starting equipment and funds—and then tightened my neck muscles slightly.
"That guy," I said, my voice heavy and melancholic, as if even speaking of him was repulsive. "He is a pimp."
"What?"
"No, in a way, he is even more vicious than a pimp."
A human trafficker? There were pimps in Lampades, too.
"He sold his own comrades to the madam of a brothel."
"What?"
But there would be no one like him.
"To obtain funds from the brothel madam, he sold his past comrades to her. There were over five women."
"Hmph."
"My subordinate went to the brothel to save those comrades, but was instead subdued by the madam and her henchmen and nearly suffered a terrible fate. If the madam hadn't held back because she intended to put them out as 'merchandise'... they might have been raped."
"D-don't tell me...!"
"It is not my wife. It was a different woman, and my wife was not there at the time."
My goal was to eliminate Park Changsoo by creating a misunderstanding, but I didn't want to create unnecessary misunderstandings of that nature.
"Still, they were subordinates I cherished, and I managed to save them somehow. In the process of saving them, I received the help of a vampire and had the mark of Blood Magic carved into my heart... but in the end, I was able to save them all."
Reversing the order. It was a blatant distortion of the truth, but unless someone tore through my memories, what I said was the truth. Inferring whether it was the truth or not would ultimately rely on the clues visible to the eye. As a Great Mage, he would see the traces of Blood Magic dwelling within me, and he would know that it was the color of mana left behind by a high-ranking vampire.
"I know it is hard to believe. But what can I do? That is what actually happened."
"......."
"Among the women held captive in the brothel, there were even virgins who had never had sexual experience. They were people who had just reached adulthood, entered society, and were preparing to find jobs."
"...Haa."
The King of Lampades let out a deep sigh. The more I spoke, the deeper his dilemma seemed to grow. It had to be. Even if he suspected them and locked them away in a detention center or a prison, if they were truly dangerous criminals, he would feel as if he had made a mistake. Even as a king, as a human being, he couldn't help but feel the prick of conscience when protecting a criminal.
"...I see. If such a person exists, I shall have him thoroughly investigated. I do not know if the Park Changsoo you speak of will appear in the remaining time, but..."
He suppressed even that prick of conscience and made a choice as a monarch. Seeing him clearly demonstrate why he was the king of this desert city, I was convinced once more.
'What did the guy who got in two hours earlier do to make them feed us sleeping pills just to see if we were suspicious?'
It was because of Park Changsoo that suspicious gazes had fallen upon us.
'What should I do?'
If the King of Lampades had told me Park Changsoo was here, I would have dragged him into the next situation somehow, but unfortunately, the King of Lampades seemed to have no desire to talk about Park Changsoo anymore. If I pressed him unnecessarily now, it would likely backfire—
"Excuse me, Your Majesty."
A familiar voice came from behind me.
"Ah, you were here as well."
Ernette. Unlike her previous combat attire, she was dressed like a typical princess of a desert city—or perhaps a dancer. Her belly was fully exposed, thin crossing straps barely covered her areolas, and her skirt was so revealing that the slightest movement of her legs would show not only her upper thighs but also whether she was wearing underwear or not.
"That is...?"
"It is an outfit to teach your wife various things. Ah, do not misunderstand. It is not as if I am teaching her anything strange."
"Where is Shin Yuhee?"
"Here."
Ernette shifted her body slightly to the side. The figure behind her tried to hide behind Ernette like a beam of light, but Ernette was faster, moving behind the shadow and grabbing her shoulders.
"Hiccup?!"
"What do you think, my friend?"
"...Wow."
Shin Yuhee, dressed in a white dancer's outfit. Fortunately, it covered a bit more area than Ernette's, but because her breasts were so large, it felt like they might spill out if she moved too vigorously.
"S-senior...."
Shin Yuhee bowed her head. For a moment, her gaze turned toward my lower half, and seeing the subtle anticipation in her eyes, I briefly pondered what to do.
"...Ahem."
I leaned forward slightly. Shin Yuhee blushed but gave a faint, bashful smile, and her slightly hunched shoulders began to straighten.
"Is that outfit a traditional dress of Lampades?"
"Indeed. It is the attire of desert dancers, and one could say it is a form of training wear."
"Training wear?"
"Yes. Originally, it had even less coverage than this—"
"Daughter."
The King urgently called out to his daughter, who had been excited to explain.
"That is enough. That is not what is important right now."
I didn't know how much less coverage it had in the past that the King would try to change the subject to save face.
"Have there been any suspicious individuals who visited this city recently... from places I am unaware of?"
"Suspicious individuals?"
"Yes. Suspicious individuals."
"Well, that is—"
Ernette looked at the King of Lampades as if asking what he was talking about.
"There haven't been. No. Nobody."
She replied immediately, without a single change in her expression, in a flat, monotone voice.
"The guard keeps a close watch on those entering and leaving Lampades at all times. There have been no suspicious individuals."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
I wonder if that is truly the case.
"So they say."
"......."
Well. If that is their choice.
'There are plenty of opportunities, and plenty of time.'
I just need to find Park Changsoo's trail and eliminate him. I will eventually be found out, but since I am acting with the resolve to be found out, it doesn't matter much.
"Senior, why? Is something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing. I just had a few things I wanted to ask His Majesty."
"...Could it be."
Shin Yuhee's expression hardened. The look she had worn until just moments ago, seemingly wanting my opinion on her wearing the dancer's outfit, vanished completely.
"That person...?"
She swallowed hard, speaking very vaguely. It was a sudden and somewhat bewildering action for me, but—
"It's okay, it's okay."
I immediately pulled Shin Yuhee into my arms and patted her back. Not as a sexual act, but to calm my wife, whose emotions had been shaken by panic.
"There won't be. Yes. It's fine. Your Majesty, I apologize, but may we be excused for a moment?"
"...You may."
The King of Lampades nodded briefly, and I led Shin Yuhee out of the throne room while continuing to pat her.
"......."
Ernette sent a complex gaze, filled with questions, our way. I bowed briefly to her as well, then led Shin Yuhee out of the royal castle toward the terrace that connected to the outside.
"Haa, haa."
Shin Yuhee was buried in my arms, breathing heavily as if some trauma switch had been pressed—but—
Lick.
Without making a sound, she playfully licked my collarbone through my clothes as she clung to me.
"This won't do. For now... we might have to go back to where we were staying."
Until they misunderstand on their own and eventually bring Park Changsoo out.
* * *
And at that moment, in the throne hall.
"...That man was such trash?"
"According to that young man's words, that is the case."
"......."
The King of Lampades and Ernette exchanged information quickly.
"Why did you hide the fact that he was here..."
"I could be misunderstanding, but it seems that man named Park Changsoo tried to sell that woman to a brothel."
"Pardon?"
"Seeing how he tries to hide the name Park Changsoo from his wife... hah. This is getting complicated."
The King of Lampades rubbed his temples and groaned.
"It would be nice if I could use mind-reading magic."
"Are you unable to use it?"
"Yes. I don't know what kind of magical protection it is, but I cannot use it. In the first place, the same was true for that man named Park Changsoo."
"...Father. By any chance. This is just a one-in-a-million possibility."
Ernette continued very cautiously.
"Because Park Changsoo is here, they wouldn't move up their departure date, would they?"