CH 312.1

The season is summer.

(As expected of a big city where people gather for its long history.)

I think as I cross the central square while carrying a number of potions that make a clanking sound inside the bag I carry on my shoulder.

Good climate, good crops, and a strategic military position. If these three are the main factors, then the royal capital would be first for its good climate and then for its good crops.

(Because a livable climate and the ability to grow crops don’t always go hand in hand.)

It’s like Snow Country* in my previous life. It used to be a center where many people lived, but now it is depopulated.

「*TL Note: Snow country refers to areas in Japan characterized by heavy, long-lasting snowfalls.」

『Heating and snow removal. Even though it was harsher in the past, so why this place?』

I wondered and investigated it, and turns out the answer was 『Water』.

Rice would wither without large amounts of water during the drought season in the summer. In Snow Country, the water from the rivers lasts until summer, thanks to the snow held by the mountains.

(No matter how comfortable it is to live there, without food, then there’s no meaning.)

The most important question is not whether it is hot or cold, but whether people can eat or not. It was precisely because people had to rely on local production for local consumption in the past that they flocked to the snowy valley surrounded by mountains.

(Haa… What am I thinking so high and mighty?)

As I was rubbing my nose alone, feeling smart, I saw a white light crossing in front of me. A woman collapsed at the edge of my vision, followed by a scream.

(A Light Arrow!?)

The words 『Indiscriminate shooting incident in the central square of the royal capital』 immediately appeared in my mind. Immediately aware of the danger, I lay down on the cobblestone pavement.

When I hear a voice calling me, I turn around to find a young man I don’t know knocking over a wooden table at a food stall. I guess he is telling me to hide behind the table.

「Thank you, you saved me!」

I thanked him and moved to take cover shoulder to shoulder with the young man behind the table that served as a shield. The plain, simple young man nodded his head but kept his eyes on alert.

(Ohh he’s good.)

I was a site supervisor in my previous life, but in this world, I have experienced rough work as a 『Knight Pilot』. I thought I had more experience than average people, but it seems I was overestimating myself.

As I was reflecting on myself and feeling impressed at the young man, I noticed that the person who was supposed to be the shooter had been knocked down from behind with a wooden chair by someone and was being subdued.

「Thank you very much.」

I told the young man and went to take a peek curiously.

It seems that the man who hit him with the chair was the owner of a nearby food stall. The man holding him down on the cobblestone pavement seems to be his son.

The young man who was restrained was uttering some sort of excuse from his twisted mouth.

「Shut up! What the hell do you mean it’s just a joke? You shot a person, you bastard!」

I involuntarily winced at the owner’s furious shout. I open my eyes, which had been closed for a moment, and see a wand lying on the ground.

That’s when I realize what was happening.

(Isn’t this the toy they used at the lower-class brothel joint event?)

When the wand is waved, a harmless light arrow would shoot out, and when it hit, a stick the size of a thumb would vibrate.

Perhaps he was fooling around, or perhaps he was playing outdoors with a woman he knew. And the owner didn’t know about it.

Just to be sure, I went to the woman who had been shot and found her being assisted by the people around her.

「Excuse me, please. I have some knowledge of this.」

With a smug look on my face, I went down on one knee and took the victim’s hand, giving off a doctor-like vibe.

When I activated my magic eye, I saw a shiny thumb-sized lump on her lower abdomen.

(Ah, it’s as I thought.)

It’s definitely an outdoor play. Exhaling lightly, I tell the people waiting for the results of the examination in a calm tone.

「It’s okay, she’s not injured in any way. She may look like she’s in pain, but she doesn’t need any medical attention.」

I could go into detail, but it would be troublesome. If we are talking about injuries, the culprit bleeding from his head would be more serious.

Well, he deserved it, so I won’t try to heal him.

「Miss, please be mindful of the time and place in the future.」

Leaving a somewhat cool remark, I turned around and headed for the merchant guild.

「—And something like that happened.」

A few moments later, the place moved to the third floor of the merchant guild that stood on the east side of the central plaza.

In the office of the guild, I was talking about what just happened in front of the guild master and vice master. Incidentally, the potions had already been delivered at the counter on the first floor.

The topic of conversation naturally turned to the joint event at the lower-class brothel after the toy 『The Revolutioner』 made was mentioned.

「There was that little lady with a ponytail who was the first to collapse with her body bent like a prawn, wasn’t there?」

The words were uttered by a small old man who resembled a goblin. He must have been referring to Ponytail which had been hit by concentrated fire, and instantly suffered the maximum vibration right then and there.

I nodded, and the guild master continued.

「The concierge of Cassabell saw this and decided to use the toy.」

Cassabell is the oldest of the top three brothels and is famous for its 『Sin and Punishment』. There is not a gentleman in the royal capital’s red-light district who does not know its most famous girl, the Plain Queen.

「That’s a very big move. Is Cassabell going to start introducing the shooting play too?」

Chasing girls around with a wand in hand in a room full of luxurious furnishings. It’s not bad, but it’s hard to picture.

I furrowed my brows as Goblin Jii-chan shook his head.

「It seems it’s going to be the Queen’s weapon.」

Apparently, a thumb stick would be implanted in the butt of the male customers, and the vibration would be the punishment. And since there are about ten levels of punishment, the Queen will probably be able to take her time torturing them.

The goblin-like guild master smiles at me as he puts his hand on his chin and shakes his head.

「That’s not all. I also heard that they’re going to plant a stick in the Queen’s stomach as well.」

After blinking a few times, I recalled the Plain Queen in her early days. Back then she used to get a lot of comebacks from her customers and would sometimes be brought to her knees.

The sight of her face twisted in frustration as she reached unwanted heights. This is what earned her her reputation and led to her current popularity.

「That means that if a customer takes the Queen’s wand, they can strike her back, is that it?」

Looks like my guess is correct, the guild master nodded with a smile.

(Being verbally abused and repeatedly hit with the white light shot from the wand.)

The Queen would look down with a mocking smile at the male customers who screamed at the sensation of vibration in their butts.

(But there, they take her weapon and start fighting back.)

A barrage of light arrows fired at the Queen, who was stubbornly resisting.

Seeing her heart finally break and she begs for forgiveness, the customer shouts at her, 『Where was that energy you had a moment ago, huh, you bitch?』 as they deliver the final blow to her with a very powerful vibration.

Then, as the Queen’s body twitches, the customer pulls out his rod and thrusts it mercilessly into her without giving her a break.

「…..That does sound nice.」

「It sure does, right?」

I told my opinion as I exhaled deeply, and the guild master agreed with me. We then promise to go together, including the vice guild master, when the service starts.

「Speaking of which, about the woman with huge breasts who stood out in the second round…」

After a pause, the Santa Claus-like vice guild master joined the conversation. The old man with a long white beard and a round belly, who did not participate in the first round, didn’t see Ponytail’s fall to madness.