Chapter 107: Plant punishment for the perpetrator

Chapter 107: Plant punishment for the perpetrator

It started with a scream of a woman.

The evening party came to an end without any noticeable problem.

The only notable event would be the one where one of the guest fell ill during the party and took a break in one the room of the residence. The one who fell ill was the young lady hailing from another country{Yulfilia}, the one the Empire welcomed as a state guest.

Since Drist family was going to host party in an opportune moment, they invited the state guest in order to heal her fatigue accumulated from a long journey and also to deepen her knowledge of this country. (Only a few people are privy to the fact that she had already stayed in Draknil for nearly a month)

As the host, they advised her escort to arrange a doctor but it was refused with the words…

「With the exception of those she has grown accustomed to, my lady dislikes showing her skin and permitting others to touch her more than necessary. Nevertheless, we thank you for your concern.」

However, there was a concern that if by any chance something has befallen the state guest, the honor of Drist household, the host of the party and Ducal House of Auroti, the faction leader to which the host belonged to, would be besmirched.

But the escorts displayed an exceedingly well-mannered demeanor, so they could not force the issue. At that point, they had no choice but to abide.

And then, after the young lady who had recovered her physical condition expressed her gratitude courteously…

「I apologize for being the cause of concern.」

They were relieved to see that they did not made the wrong decision.

That being said, when the recovered young lady departed, she was curiously having difficulty in walking but the lady herself answered…

「There is no problem」

…with a slightly red face.

With the exception of the small happening, it was safe to say that the party generally ended in a great success.

Disposal of dishes left over from last night and cleaning up used tableware had already been completed. (The leftovers was gratefully partaken by the servants and guards of Drist family.)

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The remaining task be carried out was cleaning the venue used for the party. Large garbage had already been collected but finer details were easy to be overlooked until the sun rises and it becomes brighter. If there were any lost items dropped by invited guests, it must be identified and delivered to its owner immediately. After the festival{party} was over, it was also a festival until it was all cleared up.

It was early in the morning shortly after the sun had risen, when a servant of the Drist family came to work. Although it was still early, she was relatively diligent among the employees. Accordingly, she consistently persisted in trying to go to work early. She was especially more enthusiastic than usual on this day because there was the after party cleanup in addition to her usual workload.

She discovered [that] in a thicket on the way to the kitchen’s back door. She left the residence from the same doorway last night and went home using the same route. There was almost no light source at night other than starlight, so the visibility was poor.

Therefore, she did not noticed [that] hidden among the thickets. Ingenious as it were, if there was no light, [that] will not be seen. Conversely, [that] was hidden in such a way that would definitely be noticed in daylight.

However, as the first discoverer, she could not afford to review the situation calmly.

But of course. After all, a naked man in immodest posture was left unattended there.

ーーTo be more accurate, he was not completely naked. The man was bound with a rough rope in a form which a person of special inclination would prefer and restrained in a way that emphasized the important part of a man.

Moreover, a trunk, seemingly cut from a tree somewhere was pierced into his buttocks. If it were to be expressed in words, he would be a [garden shrub made of a human].

What was even more startling was the beautifully shaved hair of that man. The most prominent part of him -his hair- has been completely mowed, subtly reflecting the rising sun. And then, with closer observation, the hair on his lower half was also cleanly pruned.

Due to the shrill scream of the first discoverer, guards who resided within the residence was the first to flew in with their weapons. When they saw the figure of a human shrub restrained in a miserable form, they involuntarily hold their bottom due to the thickness of the trunk stuck in the butt of [that]. Everyone was horrified at the thickness that seemed to challenge the limit of a human. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

At first, the guards lost their words due to the impact of the scene. Unsurprisingly, they recovered faster than the woman who made the discovery. After returning to their senses, one of the guards noticed a piece of paper attached to the trunk.

ーーThis person is a miscreant who perpetrated assaults on women. Investigate him thoroughly.

Said miscreant was obviously the shaved man turned-garden-shrub but before anyone could dig deeper, the situation escalated even further. Imperial Knights, who happened to be patrolling nearby the Drist residence heard the woman’s scream and rushed over.

Upon arriving at the scene, the knights quickly began to act by questioning the Drist family and verifying the identity of garden shrub man. Concurrently, they also investigated the mysterious text.

Before long, it turned out that the garden shrub man was Madameo Charaos, the eldest son of a viscount family who attended the party hosted by the Drist household. He disappeared during the party and his whereabouts was unknown until he was found in a miserable state the next morning.

The knights initially set out to search for the criminal as dirt was smeared on the viscount’s name

ーーOr so it was supposed to be.

Disturbing rumors about Madameo regarding women had long been circulating but it could not be dealt with because there was no clear evidence nor any report from the victims. Nevertheless, the knights conducted a full-scale background investigation, triggered by the mysterious sentence left on his remains{not dead}.

As a result, numerous charges came to light. A large number of assault charges on commoner women and aristocratic daughters were discovered. For their honor, their names were not revealed.

The aristocratic daughters were administered with aphrodisiac and consent for the assault was taken against their will, recorded using a magic tool. The recording was then used as threatening material. He also assaulted city inhabitants by making use of his power as a noble. Even if complaints were filed, his father, who served the Imperial Palace squashed it.

Further investigations revealed his father also had many female-related charges. The modus operandi were the exact copy of his son’s or rather, compared to his son, his accumulated crime was even greater because he had been doing it for many years.

Draknil’s royal family punished the Charaos family for the scandal that lasted for two generations.

First of all, they were demoted from the rank of viscount to a baron. Their territory were confiscated and made into restitutions for the victims. The Charaos family were prohibited from entering the capital city unless granted special permission and they were sent to the border where damages from magic beasts was said to be the highest. Henceforth, they will surely be driven to fight to their last breath.

That being said, the head of Charaos family had already divorced his wife who gave birth to Madameo and with the exception of the father and son, there were only servants in their mansion. Whether or not the servants would follow the Charaos father and son to the border was not compulsory but left to their own will. Only a few among them were dragged into the retribution of the pair’s immoral conduct.

In addition, the Charaos father and son were embedded with a special magic tool designed to inhibit prisoner’s action. The inhibition was [if you assault a woman, you will die instantly]. This was a measure to prevent a relapse happening beyond the reach of Imperial Knights and Imperial Administration.

Then again, aside from the father, it may not have any use for the son. Because heーーMadameo lost his male function since that night. The cause was unknown. Whenever he gets excited about a woman, intense pain wells up in his buttocks. His male function withered immediately in consequence, going as far as losing his consciousness. According to the doctor’s diagnosis, he had suffered some sort of a deep mental injury{trauma} but the specifics were unclear to them.

Finally, it should be noted that the knights in charge of this case was the Phantom Dragon Knight Order, who was the first responder when Madameo’s body{like i said, not dead} was discovered.

Around a week after the party at the Drist residence, I got called to the headquarters of Genryuu Knights.

Of course it’s about the matter caused by gaudy aka Madameo.

Properly speaking, the report I just read is confidential but Real gave me special treatment and let me read it. Because reading it is the fastest way to catch up with the story.

Sure enough, that gaudy is a scum that made many women cry using the same trick. Moreover, the parent is also in cahoots. Perhaps the incident at the party venue was a trick directly inherited from the father.

「Well, at any rate, the villain was defeated. My bad Real. I gave you more work.」

It was no coincidence that the Genryuu Knights was the first to respond upon discovery of gaudy-in-a-shrub. After returning from the party, I flew to their headquarters and asked Real to arrange a patrol around the area early in the next morning.

Before anyone noticed, the development of investigating the person who made gaudy-in-a-shrub was able to be redirected into investigating the criminal acts of gaudy. Thanks to that, gaudy’s attempted assault on Faima wasn’t discovered and he got punished severely.

「We are the ones who are grateful. Thanks to you, we were able to prevent a fatal crack between Draknil and Yulfilia. It’s horrifying just to imagine what would happen if Madameo inflicted so much as a scratch on miss Faima.」

Those who are aware of the fact that Madameo did it again at the Drist family party are those present at the scene; Rand, Kiska and me. Real, commander of the Genryuu Knights and Becht, her deputy. And a limited number of people in Draknil’s administration. They seem to be a tight-lipped group who are trusted personally by Real.

「I feel a little bad for miss Faima but it was a good chance to condemn the parent-child duo of Charaos. I have heard sporadic dark rumors about them for a while now but I could not get my hands on any proof.」

「Come to think of it, what about gaudy’s associate?」

The noble man who collided with Rand and Kiska under the guise of an accident at the venue and the waiter who gave gaudy the glass containing aphrodisiac are definitely his accomplices.

「The waiter cannot be punished directly because Miss Faima’s affair cannot be made public. However, he is a fool who received money in exchange for lending a hand to a viscount of a lower rank than the earl{master} he serves. If we shake him up, dirt will drop as much as we want. The noble associate will eventually be involved in the investigation.」

ーーThis is a future development.

As Real expected, the waiter of Drist family who cooperated with gaudy apparently had problems. It seems that he secretly sold furnishings of the residence and used it as funds for gambling. He cooperated with gaudy because he was having trouble to repay a debt that he had incurred through a substantial loss in gambling.

He would be arrested for theft and forced into severe and lengthy labor to pay for the furnishings he sold off. I didn’t hear a specific amount of years but I’m told that the chances of him accumulating the amount in his lifetime are pretty low.

Unfortunately, the knights couldn’t find any noticeable allegation on the noble man who stalled Rand and Kiska. If I were to guess, perhaps they cooperated under the same monetary exchange as the waiter but no clear evidence came out.

However, a closer examination on gaudy’s background revealed that they had committed offence against the country and just like gaudy, he would be punished because of a testimony.1

It should be noted that the punishment for gaudy and his associates are much heavier compared to those who committed the same crime but if the fact that gaudy made a move on Faima were to be discovered, it could result in a deep rift in the country’s foreign relation.

Since that would lead to execution with no questions asked, it’s better to keep their lives. Let them reflect on that.

「I just want to ask you one thing……」

「Hn? The villain already met his punishment, so it’s all settled, right?」

「Ah……no. ……Just a little doubt of mine.」

「What’s wrong? You’re being evasive. ……Don’t tell me making gaudy a garden shrub was an overkill?」

Goes without saying that the miserable figure in which gaudy was discovered was done by Rand and Kiska under my instruction.

To be specific, Rand was acting as a lookout outside the door while Faima and I were doing various things{nyannyan} inside.

In reality, Kiska acted alone. [Naked], [binding], [clean shave (up and down)] were all my instructions but how to tie him up was left to Kiska’s discretion. I never thought it would be tortoise bondage. That girl always go beyond my imagination.

「On that note, your very existence itself sometimes goes far beyond my expectations.」

「………………(〃￣ω￣〃)」

「Mainly about the way you are currently behaving. That was not a praise, you know.」

Reproachful eyes from a beauty are reward enough.

「That was a fitting punishment for those who preyed on women. I have no intention whatsoever to reproach your action.」

As one of the same gender, Real seems to be strongly indignant towards gaudy.

「What I wanted to ask is about the aphrodisiac used by Madameo.」

After the crimes of Charaos father and son made public, a sweep of their mansion was conducted and the drugs allegedly used on the victims was found. Upon closer examination, it seems to be a powerful drug a step above the ones circulating within the market.

「The devious part about the property of the drug is that it does not contain [toxic substances] that has an adverse effect on the body. It is purely a drug that only makes the imbiber highly excited. Therefore, an antidote does not exist and even detoxification spell has little effect on it.」

In other words, other than forcing the one who took into into an immediate sexual excitement, it’s a gentle drug with no lingering side effect after that. However, ingredients required to compound it are quite rare and the effect is too strong. In addition, once imbibed, it can’t easily be detoxified.

For those reasons, the general public can’t obtain it easily. Even nobilities would find it difficult to obtain without going through a special channel.

「Some of the victims of Madameo who took the drug sought a treatment using healing spells but detoxification spells had little effect and it seems that the effect could not be eliminated without [releasing] it to some extent.」

In short, [release] means you-know-what aka nyannyan, I guess.

ーーーーhn? Why did Real touch this topic?

Real places both elbows on her desk and put her hands together in front of her mouth.

For some reason, her gesture are making the crisis detection device{red alert} inside me ring with a fierce warning sound.

「……At first, I thought that miss Faima detoxified the drug using some kind of method but she was not poisoned to begin with.」

I can feel Real’s gaze gradually getting colder.

「So, I have a question for you. Why don’t you explain what method you used to calm miss Faima’s [arousal]? 」

Strange. I feel a chill across my back but I can’t stop sweating.

「What’s the matter, can’t answer?」

The lights disappeared from her eyes and in its place, Real is looking at me with eyes filled with a deep darkness. I unintentionally gulped down my saliva loudly.

「That’s……how should I say………u-um……」

With my back soaked by cold sweat, I desperately think of an excuse.

「Surely the one who personally prevented Madameo’s shameful act would not turn his fang towards miss Faima.」

She found out!

I’m definitely absolutely out!

I mean, her last line, it was definitely an assertion!

The action with Faima was so intense that I thought I’d be squeezed dry and if Faima hadn’t put up a soundproof barrier in advance, it would definitely leak out.

It was even more amazing compared to Chloe’s first, even though it was also Faima’s first. Let’s just chalk it up as probably because of the superficial knowledge about sex she gleamed from reading books.

For the sake of her honor, I’m reluctant to explain further.

At the end of the third round, the drug’s effect seemed to have finally dissipated. Having regained her normal state of mind, she covered her face with both hands and curled herself up in shame.

Later on after Kiska finished beautifying gaudy, I took over her place to keep a lookout in front of the room alongside Rand and asked her to take care of Faima and the room. The thick smell in the room was ventilated by Faima using wind magic after opening the window.

When it’s all done, Faima came out nicely dressed while being supported by Kiska. She informed the Drist household about her early departure and returned to her room at the Imperial Palace.

Looking at the result, it was the correct choice to resolve it without relying on a doctor. Thanks to that, dealing with the aftermath was completed without anyone noticing and the offender even got his well deserved punishment.

However, here, at this place I got exposed by the last person who should be aware of it.

During the time I spent frantically working my brain to come up with an excuse, Real released a deep, deep sigh before sporting an exasperated look.

「I could guess what happened between you and her. I am not going to reproach your relationship with miss Faima more than necessary.」

Her gaze is still frosty but at least the light of sanity is back in her eyes.

「…………po?」

It’s certainly not the kind of [po] when one fell in love. It’s the surprised kinda [po].

「I am well aware that you, the man named Kanna is not a lowlife who would force a woman into a relationship. I also understand that it was an unavoidable situation. ……What? You look as if you were a dove shot by a bow.」

「Wait, that dove would be dead, y’know.」

There I was, having a vision of being split in half by Real’s prided greatsword and made into a dragon’s feed.

It’s a bit of a let-down actually.

Well, if I’m safe then that’s fine.

「However, I cannot praise your lack of faithfulness to a woman.」

ーーguha!!

Those words caused the most damage today.