Volume 7, Chapter 18 – Interview Investigation (1)

In the end, not a single survivor was found in that brothel. On the other hand, the body of the Elf woman was not found either.

Furthermore, after the patrolling guards rushed to the scene and conducted their investigation, it became clear that the culprit had most likely acted alone.

This was because only one type of footprint, presumably belonging to a man, was found in the prostitutes’ living quarters, and those same footprints were spotted in various places throughout the brothel.

While they couldn’t conduct an investigation as precise as the ones in my previous world, considering the methods used, it was unlikely that there were multiple experts of this caliber; it was concluded that there had only been a single perpetrator who massacred the prostitutes, and even if there had been an accomplice, they were likely very few in number.

“No matter how much they were just civilians, I can’t believe someone could go this far. Was the person who did this really human?”

Chris-san let that slip unconsciously.

Hmm. Certainly, killing even the women who were victims of the Enslavement Curse Mark—not to mention those who weren’t criminals—is beyond the pale.

Honestly, I just don’t understand it.

Also, just in case, the patrolling guards reportedly conducted inquiries at other brothels, but there were no abnormalities there, and it seemed no one had heard any sounds of a struggle coming from this particular brothel.

In other words, it seemed the attacker had targeted only that brothel, massacred everyone except the Elf woman without anyone noticing, and then taken her away.

“Considering the situation, I feel the line of a rescue operation by the Elves is quite strong,”

“B-but! There are no forests around here, so we Elves lack strength!”

“Mu, that is also true.”

“Then who on earth could it be…”

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No matter how much I thought about it, no answer came.

After using Funeral Magic to send off the deceased, I decided to return to the hotel for a while.

◇ ◇ ◇

The next day, we were allowed to be present during the questioning of people who had used that brothel in the past.

It seemed the rumors about there having been an Elf prostitute were true, and several men who had been customers were found, so I had asked Hilar-san for the favor.

Incidentally, we weren’t allowed into the interrogation room itself; instead, we were placed in a separate room to listen to the proceedings.

Apparently, if I were there, there was a good chance they’d stop talking—even about the things they otherwise would have admitted.

Hmm? I feel like if I used Charm, they’d spill everything pretty easily…

Ah, but I suppose I can’t just use Charm so casually.

And so, I was secretly peeking at the interrogation from the monitoring room. Inside the room, a male interrogator and a slightly chubby, greasy middle-aged man sat facing each other.

By the way, this wasn’t an arrest; he had been brought in purely for investigative cooperation, so he wasn’t particularly restrained.

“When did you buy the green-haired Elf?”

“Eh? Leia-chan? The first time I bought her was about half a year ago, I think. Guhehe. She’s a truly demonic woman. That beauty, that body, and her technique for pleasing men is perfect. Plus, she’s an Elf. No, really. I’ve spent so much on her I’ve honestly lost count. Oh, and she said that although her status was a slave, she said she actually likes this kind of work, so it was her true calling.”

The man being questioned had become surprisingly talkative.

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He seemed to be very fond of that Elf prostitute.

“Right, and you see, the competition is incredible. Recently, reservations have been full three months in advance, and since the reservation slots have become an auction system, someone ordinary like me probably doesn’t stand a chance of booking her anymore. Ahhh, Leia-chaaan. I wonder if there’s a day without a reservation somewhere…”

He just kept rambling on despite nobody asking.

“By the way, was there anything like a tattoo carved into that Leia-chan’s stomach?”

“Eh? …A tattoo? Uh, I don’t think there was?”

I see. So does that mean she didn’t have an Enslavement Curse Mark after all?

No, but the way he’s talking is suspicious.

“I see. Then, finally. Please come in.”

At the interrogator’s words, Lu-chan entered the room.

“Eh? Leia-chan’s… little sister?”

Upon seeing Lu-chan, the man stood up in surprise and stared intently at her.

Lu-chan frowned under his blatantly leering gaze.

“Ah, maybe you can be bought too? When are you available? Hey?”

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As he approached Lu-chan while saying this, I blocked his path with a Defense Wall.

“Buhe!”

Letting out a ridiculous little yelp, the man slammed his face hard into the Defense Wall.

“We’re coming in too.”

“Yes.”

“I leave it to you.”

And so, we burst into the interrogation room.

“Just what are you thinking! To treat my precious little sister-figure like a prostitute! And in the first place, why didn’t you stop him!”

I protested to the man and the interrogator, then pulled Lu-chan into a tight hug.

Chris-san and Shizuku-san stepped in front of us, shielding Lu-chan from the man.

“S-Saint-sama! My sincerest apologies!”

The interrogator went Bitan and apologized to me.

Ah, so they use the same pose for apologizing as they do for praying.

Wait, no! That’s not the point right now!

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“Lu-chan. It’s okay now.”

“Onee-sama… I’m okay. Thank you.”

Lu-chan said in a small, slightly trembling voice.

I gently patted Lu-chan’s back again to reassure her, then glared at the man who had approached her.

“Eh? Eh? Sai… nt… sama?”

Not understanding what was happening, the man looked at me with a vacant expression.

“Hey, you. This person is Saint Fiene Argentata-sama. And the woman you just approached is Saint-sama’s attendant, Lumia-dono.”

When Khalid-san, who had come along with us, told him this, the man turned pale, went Bitan, and repeated his apologies while crying.

“I am terribly sorry! I am terribly sorry! I had no idea she was Saint-sama’s attendant! I am terribly sorry!”

No, that’s not the problem here…

“Does that mean it would be fine if she weren’t my companion? Women are not objects, you know?”

When I said that, the man wore a blank expression for a moment, and then simply continued apologizing.

No, he absolutely doesn’t understand why I’m angry at all, does he?