The Damn Family Is Back Again

221 – The Source of Contamination (3)

– Thud, thud, thud, thud!

The sound of soldiers’ footsteps echoed loudly.

There were also sounds of rummaging through the rooms in the corridor, and soon a sharp knocking came at this door as well.

– Knock, knock!

“Excuse me. We have reason to believe an intruder is hiding here; we need you to open the door.”

Then Harnié shouted out to the soldiers outside with a voice she had never used before.

“You must be completely mad. You dare interrupt my sweet time for such a trivial reason?”

A true noble’s demeanor was indeed on another level.

I couldn’t help but admire her inwardly.

“P-Please just open it once. I’ll take a quick look and leave!”

“How dare a mere soldier think they can barge into the room where a noble lady resides? Ha.”

“T-that’s…”

“Shut that ugly mouth and get lost. If this door opens and I see your faces instead of that intruder, you’ll be the ones who should prepare yourselves first. My patience isn’t as deep as you might think.”

Once again applying pressure, I could picture the anxious faces of the clumsy guards behind the door.

Surely they would back off now.

That’s what I thought.

“Hey, you there.”

“Huh?”

“Step aside.”

…Vicky?

A murmuring sound came from outside, followed by a sudden impact against the door.

-Bang!

“…!”

“What are you doing?!”

“This is a warning. If you don’t open the door, we will force our way in.”

Harnie shouted urgently again.

“I’m already on edge because of an intruder that your incompetence allowed to slip through, and now you want me to open the door?”

“There’s nothing we can do about the intruder situation. It would be problematic if there’s even one accomplice among you.”

Even so, it seemed they wouldn’t let this go easily.

‘There’s a place to hide…’

Yes. I didn’t say this place was safe for no reason; I could see a small passageway above.

If I could slip away through that passage without causing a commotion, it might allow me to wrap things up quietly. I didn’t know where it led, but… for now, I had to run toward that direction.

-Bang! Bang!

“This is your final warning. Next time, we’ll really break down the door.”

There was no time left.

I had to move quickly.

But…

As I attempted to leap into the upper passageway, Harnie suddenly pushed my body back.

I collapsed onto the soft bed.

This isn’t the time for this… What’s going on?

“…I’m sorry. Karsein.”

“W-what…?!”

“If you just hold on a little longer!”

“H-hold on? What do you mean by that…?!”

-Swish.

Huh. Suddenly, my vision was obscured.

-Drop. Thud.

Then, my clothes began to be torn off unexpectedly.

By Harnié’s hands.

“Harnié? What is happening right now…?”

“You didn’t open the door even after I said all this, so we have no choice but to be suspicious.”

“…!”

“…!”

-Bang!

Before I could even ask why, a dull voice echoed with an even louder crash than before.

“I can’t delay any longer; I will break in. Please forgive my rudeness.”

-Bang! Crash!

The locked door rattled ominously as it teetered on the brink of collapse and then shattered completely.

And at that moment, the buttons of my clothes flew off as well.

“You’re interrupting my delightful time. I hope you’re prepared for that?”

…What is this? I can’t see through the curtains.

What kind of situation is this?

***

As Harnié asked them with a warning tone, the soldiers began to stammer.

“Uh, um…”

“Erm… hmm…”

The soldiers averted their gazes.

And who could blame them? The atmosphere was such that they dared not meet eyes with what lay beyond.

A silhouette barely visible between the lace curtains.

Buttons torn here and there, and the sound of something rolling across the floor in the silence.

A bare torso exposed to view.

Eyes covered, vision obscured.

A man lying on the bed with his hands tightly bound.

And atop him, a woman wearing a mask.

The scene unfolding in that chaotic room…

It conjured up images in the soldiers’ minds that were disturbingly plausible about what had transpired here.

‘Well, that’s quite something. I suppose it’s just another day in this seedy black market.’

‘True enough. In this underground market, anything could happen.’

‘From drugs to potions for training slaves or hallucinogens—what’s happening there isn’t surprising at all.’

“Seeing the man not move an inch, it seems he’s been well-fed?”

“If he’s a slave bought from the black market, then he must be in training for some nobleman. If he’s of the same nobility… well, perhaps it’s an affair or someone with peculiar s*xual fetishes.”

One might think this place is inappropriate for such thoughts, but in truth, this black market fits that kind of scene better than anywhere else.

Thus, the guards’ thoughts converge towards a common direction.

“…An intruder has entered this place?”

In that scenery, there’s no reason to even mention an intruder.

Yes. Here…

A noblewoman was merely purchasing a slave and training him in this very spot.

“Even after I warned you all, you still broke down the door… I will personally inform your master of this.”

At her chilling words, the guards flinch involuntarily.

As a result, their resentful gazes shift toward one direction.

“It’s because of that guy that we’re in trouble now.”

“What? Knowing full well what goes on in this black market and calling him an intruder?”

“If we get caught for barging into a noble’s chamber… damn it. I don’t even want to think about what comes next.”

“Better off just…”

It was clear they were going to face consequences for their actions.

They began to move as one mind and purpose.

– Assess!

“Ugh?! What are you doing right now…?”

“I’m sorry. This idiot happens to be our captain. I’ll report him directly to the Count so he can face punishment.”

“What? You dare lay a hand on your superior right now…!”

“Shut up, you b*stard!”

“Can’t even recognize your place!”

“Ugh?! You, you guys…!”

Who was the superior and who was the subordinate?

A blatant act of insubordination unfolded before their eyes.

The former captain of the guards collapsed after being mercilessly beaten by a multitude of guards who didn’t want to bear any blame.

The guards who instigated this insurrection quickly wrapped things up and exchanged nods among themselves as signals.

“We’re sorry! This foolish idiot acted unilaterally and ruined our enjoyable time.”

“If there’s any punishment you’d like to impose, please let us know.”

In the end, only one person needed to take the fall.

***

“I’ll be taking my leave now!”

The guards who had dragged out the former captain immediately bowed their heads and disappeared.

With that, any suspicion that an intruder might be in this room would surely vanish as well.

And indeed, even the status window confirmed it.

▶Trap effect has dissipated.◀

▶Pursuit has been lifted.◀

After holding my breath for a moment in silence, I noticed that even with my enhanced hearing from mana, I could no longer hear the footsteps of those pursuing us. With my mouth tightly shut while only my ears were open, I easily loosened the shackles on my hands and stood up.

It seemed that for her as well, it required quite a bit of courage; Harni let out a sigh of relief.

“Is it true that my fiancée is quite adept at making threats?”

“I almost got caught; is this really the time for such games?”

Still, I had to ask the questions that needed asking.

“…So, why were my eyes covered, and why were my hands tied? What on earth was going on?”

“Well, that’s obviously because… Aah!”

-Zap!

A piercing gaze shot from Harni as she let out a sigh of relief.

She glared at me with fierce eyes, quickly scanning my body before abruptly turning her head away.

“Oh, clothes! You should put some on first!”

“But… you tore them off…”

“I was in a hurry; what could I do? Here!”

Turning her head away from me, she handed over a new shirt.

I accepted it awkwardly.

“Why do you ask when you already know everything?”

“Huh?”

“You know everything. You know why.”

“…I don’t.”

“What?”

“I’m genuinely asking because I don’t know. Why I’m lying here like this, why my shirt is torn, why my eyes are covered and something’s pressing down on my stomach. I’m asking because I truly have no idea.”

“…”

After putting on my shirt, I asked the question again, and Harnié bit her lip, avoiding my gaze once more.

“What am I supposed to do if I’m being chased? We have to pretend like we’re doing something here…”

“Something like that?”

“You… really.”

What on earth does that mean?

Can you just say it outright?

Then Harnié flushed red and seemed to hold back for a moment before finally speaking up.

“A grown man and woman… locked in a room together. What else would you think?”

Uh…?

“Besides, this is an underground market where drug deals and slave trading happen. Nobles come here to satisfy their desires without regard for gender, so calling for a slave… Ah, anyway! That’s part of what I was trying to show.”

…Hmm.

I can somewhat guess what she means.

“So you’re saying the intruders thought they were interrupting us sharing affection? Is that what you mean?”

“…Yes! See? You know everything! You did it on purpose!”

That makes sense. The way she jumped at the idea confirmed my understanding was correct.

But… was it really necessary?

“While showing them a misunderstanding could work, wouldn’t it be easier if I just jumped up there instead?”

“Huh?”

“If I’m not visible at all, then whatever I’m doing alone in this room would be easy to explain.”

“Uh…?”

“There was never any misunderstanding about hiding an intruder in the first place. It would have been simple to say that those guys woke me up from my sleep. It would have been much easier to just chase them away, asking how they could possibly find an intruder here whom I’ve never even seen.”

Blink. Blink.

Harnie’s violet eyes stare blankly at me.

It was a moment of realization.

“Well, if you had told me beforehand, it would have been nice?! I didn’t even need to do something so embarrassing…!”

“No. That’s because you suddenly laid me down.”

“Eh…?”

“You covered my mouth before I could say anything. You tied my hands and even blindfolded me! You were the one who told me to be quiet and that it would be over soon.”

Harnie’s eyes begin to blink again.

It seems another moment of understanding has arrived.

“Anyway, I couldn’t speak even if I wanted to. You were showing off your high-class acting skills by tearing off every button on my clothes… Ugh!”

-Crack!

“Th-that’s enough! Don’t say another word here.”

“Ugh… Why…? It’s not wrong what I’m saying—”

“I said don’t say anything!”

“Eek!”

Today, there are two handprint marks on my back.

***

Since we couldn’t continue our conversation in front of the shattered door, we decided to move elsewhere.

As I rubbed my still-stinging back, Harnie asked me a question.

“So, why are you here? Karsein.”

“That’s what I want to ask you…”

—A jolt.

“Are you going to answer first? You lied to me. If you’re headed for the Duke of Bagrand’s estate, then why are you here?”

Ugh. I have no words for that.

Reluctantly, I explained the circumstances leading up to this point.

I detailed the issues in Shatren and the clues suggesting external interference, as well as how I tracked down the scent of Talphon to arrive here.

“I see. Who would have thought that the source of the fertilizer ruining Shatren’s territory would be right here… So you’ve come to gather evidence.”

“That’s right.”

This simplifies a lot of complicated facts that needed conveying.

As expected, she’s a clever woman.

“And you’ll pay for pulling off such a dangerous stunt without any warning.”

…Ah.

Having someone smart on this side is quite troublesome too.

“Sigh. If it was going to be like this, I shouldn’t have bothered hiding it.”

“Huh?”

“I’m also trying to gather evidence here in order to break free from Marquis Teresia’s grasp… If that’s how it is, maybe we could have teamed up…”

So our goals overlap.

‘I’m thinking the same thing.’

Of course, I never imagined it would turn out like this.

– Ding!

▶ Episode XI. The Source of Contamination is in Progress. ◀

▶ You have entered the black market. From now on, you must uncover the traces of the Waglulu faction. ◀

▶ As the means of proof increase, so too will your options. ◀

‘Proof, huh.’

I thought I could gradually expand my rights through clue and prove events in my territory, but it seems I must resolve this final challenge in a manner similar to those events.

If this were a Tsukuru game, I’d likely be gathering clues scattered everywhere and completing side episodes or fulfilling gimmicks from urgent missions to accumulate choices.

It doesn’t seem easy.

I’ve never taken this route in the game before; there’s absolutely no information available.

However,

– Ba-ba-ba-bam! Bam-bam-bam! Ba-ba-ba-bam!

“That’s the signal that the auction is starting. It looks like things are about to kick off, but if we stay here we might draw suspicion again, so let’s move.”

There are informants out there.

What remains is for me to think on my own terms—it’s crucial now.

“Understood. Let’s go—”

– Ding!

▶ Episode XI. An urgent mission has occurred during the progress of The Source of Contamination! ◀

▶ If you can uncover traces of the ancient kingdom, rewards may follow. ◀

“Karsein?”

“Oh yes. Let’s go.”

…The remnants of an ancient kingdom?