What Have I Done After Escaping Isolet's House?

After escaping from Isolet's house, I surprisingly spent the next few days in relative peace. Of course, there were a few hiccups.

"What the hell?"

A few hours after escaping Isolet's house, a system window popped up announcing an overhaul of the Affection System.

"F-Frey! You! What do you mean 'terminal illness'..."

"...Call the guards."

Or Rosewin pounding on the front door of the mansion, screaming something while I was resting inside.

"H-Hey, loser. Still feeling sick today?"

"........."

"D-Does it hurt a lot? Are you really sick?"

"...Cough, cough."

"Ah, y-yeah, looks like it hurts. Th-then... I'll come back later."

My resistance to the curse still hadn't returned, so I'd been rejecting Aisi's requests, and now she was showing up at our house.

Isolet, whose handwriting was usually neat and precise, had sent a letter scrawled like a drug addict. For the record, I'd explained to her that it was all a fake illness for my own gain, even fabricating evidence. She was already conquered, but this was an attempt to lower her affection anyway. And honestly, I was scared of how she'd react if I told her it was real.

"Lord Frey! Please say something!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Is it true evidence of slave law violations has been found?"

"You've dismissed claims of a terminal illness, but according to our sources..."

"Will you join the Hero Party summons as a consultant?"

Beyond that, reporters packed into the mansion courtyard for days, making noise under the guise of coverage until they finally gave up on their own.

At this point, it might not sound peaceful, but to me, these were pretty good days. A life of relaxing in the mansion without risking my neck wandering around or fighting someone—it was more than satisfying.

- Ding-dong, ding-dong!

- Knock knock knock...!

But that morning's incident cracked those peaceful days.

It had been a while since I'd eaten breakfast in the mansion dining room with Lulu and Irina when suddenly the doorbell and knocking echoed from the entrance.

"...Gasp!"

As I tilted my head wondering what was up, Lulu—who'd been peacefully eating from my hand with her eyes closed—snapped her eyes wide and sucked in a sharp breath.

"I sense battle intent..."

At the same time, Irina shifted from her usual airheaded demeanor to the face and aura of a battlefield mage.

"Wh-what's going on..."

Tensing at their reactions, I grabbed the staff leaning by my chair and quietly activated its surveillance function.

"Hah."

I grasped the situation immediately.

"Imperial Knights, Holy Knights, and investigators. Their intentions are obvious."

The mansion entrance was swarming with representatives from the empire's two elite knight orders and investigators. They stood in serious formation, poised to charge the moment the door opened.

"Hmm... What now?"

With no response, the knocking grew more insistent, leaving me clutching my head and muttering.

"I wasn't prepared..."

The search warrant had come far sooner than expected, so I hadn't finished turning the mansion into a den of evil. I'd planned to disguise Demon King's succubi as sex slaves and stash them in the basement. If successful, points would've poured in like an avalanche.

'Searching ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now won't turn up a speck of dust... Wait, no—actually, there are a few things that could snag me.'

As ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I pondered, I remembered the corrupt documents and black magic artifacts I'd hidden around for surprise inspections. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠It eased my mind a bit. They were backups, so a little light, but since they came to frame me anyway, it should suffice.

"Lord Frey, please cooperate."

"It's an imperial order."

Composing myself, I opened the door, and the vice-captains of the Imperial and Holy Knights stormed in with grim faces.

"Imperial Knights, take the basement. We'll interrogate the staff. Investigators, search the mansion thoroughly."

The investigation team flooded in with military precision. Staring blankly, I subtly shook my head at Lulu—her demon eyes gleaming from behind—then looked up at the vice-captains blocking me.

"...Sorry! We can't go easy on this!"

The lead investigator, standing beside them, said cheerfully as he passed. Looking back now, that guy's consistent. Gotta throw him in jail later somehow.

"Pardon the intrusion."

"Cooperate."

As I thought that, the vice-captains grabbed my arms.

"No captains? Why you guys?"

"...Classified mission. Can't say more."

I'd hoped for the captains I'd bribed heavily, but alas, vice-captains handled this search.

"You two are pretty cute, huh? How old are you?"

In the empire's mixed knight orders, men were captains, women vice-captains—except powerhouses like Isolet. Vice-captains being women meant I could flirt.

Judging from the investigator's words that imperial and church forces were involved, bribes wouldn't work. So, to maximize notoriety points, I let them manhandle me while acting sleazy.

""......""

I should've paid more attention to their eyes then.

.........

The Imperial Knights had always been the emperor's dogs. The Holy Knights had devolved into the Pope's private army lately, so I hadn't expected mercy. But seeing the investigators—whom I'd lavishly bribed into near-personal guards—gravely searching my home was quite unseemly.

Still, there were amusing moments.

"Th-the basement only has cheese and wine?"

"...Already moved it."

The Imperial Knights mistook ancient wards guarding the Hero's Armament for sex slave defenses, spending all day searching the basement only to emerge defeated and dust-covered.

"Grrr..."

"Th-this is odd. No signs of mind manipulation... Ow!"

Lulu, fanatically loyal since swearing the Death Oath days ago, bit a Holy Knight investigator mistaking her for a mind-controlled sex slave.

"You're... Frey's 'sex slave'?"

"Yes."

"And that's your free will? Not forced?"

"...Yes. I find joy in being held by Lord Frey."

"Uh, um. What now?"

Unable to detect Aris's Subjugation Curse, investigators eyed her strangely while she uttered lewd words with a shameful expression, unbefitting her personality.

"Th-this. I won't report it, so can you give it to me? I've wanted it so bad..."

"Sigh."

The lead investigator whispered about a black magic artifact I'd conveniently hidden—trouble if nothing turned up.

Was I under investigation or watching a comedy?

But the levity didn't last.

"...Hoo."

Investigators rummaging through my parents' rooms. Flipping portraits carelessly, tossing heirlooms. Rearranging furniture touched by longtime staff I'd grown up with, now gone.

It felt like lead settling in my chest. The real ordeal beginning—the signal for the empire, the world, everyone except the five main heroines, Lulu, and Isolet to stab me in the back.

For the first time in ages, my heart grew heavy, suffocating—an old anxiety flaring.

"Follow us."

"...It'll be quick."

"Huh?"

And that's when that incident happened.

"What? Where are you taking me?"

The vice-captains, statue-still gripping my arms in the living room, suddenly started walking somewhere.

"What's up? You like me or something? Or locking me up?"

I'd been relentlessly sleazing on them, so expecting the worst, I followed silently.

"...Hngk."

Until they roughly sat me in a chair in my room. I braced for a beating.

- Swish...

"Huh?"

But they pulled out blindfolds and ropes from their bosoms?

"Wh-what?"

Staring dumbfounded, they swiftly blindfolded and bound me.

"......?"

I was tied to the chair before I knew it.

"...Do we have to go this far?"

"O-orders. No choice."

"You'll promote us, right? Not gonna ghost us?"

"...Gulp."

Their whispers followed.

"Wh-what? What are you doing!"

'Torture?'

I could break free easily but feigned helplessness to observe.

"Stay still, Frey."

"Just think of it as stepping in shit."

'Come to think of it... opportunity?'

As things turned suspicious, I got excited—maybe turn the tables and negotiate with the knights.

- Swish...

Then they started undressing me.

"...!?"

I froze.

- Shing...!

"Don't resist."

The knight pressed a dagger to my throat coldly. I grimaced, tensing to break free—but

- Rustle...!

"...Someone's outside. Check it."

A noise from somewhere made them leave. I paused, straining my ears.

"............"

A long silence followed.

'What?'

The day was bitterly cold; I shivered, debating untying myself.

- Creak...

Someone entered the room.

- Step, step.

The mystery figure approached. No killing intent, so I relaxed, watching.

- Step...

They reached my nose.

- Thud.

Grabbed my shoulder.

"Eut..."

Then suddenly moaned, trembling.

'Woman, at least...'

The moan confirmed it. One of the vice-captains back?

- Rub, rub...

She slowly rubbed against my side.

- Slide...

Her shaking hands grasped and untied the ropes.

"What..."

I whispered a hollow laugh.

"Lulu, right?"

Only Lulu would rub against me like this while saving me.

- Lick.

She cautiously licked my face. Confirmed.

'It's Lulu.'

Definitely Lulu.

.........

"Lulu, that tickles. Stop licking."

Frey grinned foolishly.

"........."

Staring at his smile.

'U, ugh...'

Thanks to her Hero Party commander's status, Isolet had raced to his house lightning-fast upon learning of the imperial and church plot against Frey.

'Wh-what have I done...'

Having impulsively licked Frey's face after he called her Lulu.

"Demon eyes? Didn't hurt, right?"

She swallowed dryly, gazing down at Frey—bound to the chair, smiling innocently.

"...Gulp."

Her eyes began shaking wildly.