Having barely saved two girls who attempted to throw themselves into the rough sea from the cliff, I brought them back to the inn, “The Diva’s Melody Inn.”
The elder of the two girls had woken up, but was crying with her knees bent.
“It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to ask her what happened,” I muttered.
“Indeed, we can only wait for her to calm down,” Liliana agreed, sighing at the girl’s state.
“Hal, the other girl is waking up too!” Elise informed me.
The next girl to wake up seemed to be the younger sister of the first. She rushed to her weeping sister, embracing her from behind. The younger sister also had lustrous black hair that reached mid-back. Her eyes were brown, and her features were those of a beautiful, strong-willed girl. In contrast, her crying older sister seemed gentle compared to her sister. Like the elder sister, she was wearing a sailor uniform with her tie removed and two buttons at the chest undone. However, while the elder sister was tanned, the younger sister had fair, fine-skinned complexion.
After waiting for a while, the elder sister calmed down, and we found ourselves facing each other across a table.
“We apologize for the trouble we have caused. You should have just left us to our fate…”
“Sis, you need to thank them properly…”
“I don’t know what your circumstances are, but attempting to take your own life is no small matter. Since we’ve gotten involved, could you tell us what’s going on? I might be able to help in my own small way. To reintroduce myself, my name is Hal Raymond, leader of the adventurer party ‘Princess Harem.’ And Elise here is…”
I started by introducing ourselves to the sisters.
“My name is Solange Dutois.”
“And I am Solange’s younger sister, Mariel Dutois. I’m 14 years old, and my sister is 16.”
“Girls our age attempting suicide…”
“Everyone has their own struggles… I feel sad too,” Elise and Swan Hilda said with somber expressions.
Finally, the sisters introduced themselves. The elder was Solange, and the younger was Mariel.
“Solange and Mariel, what beautiful names! Now, could you tell us what’s going on?”
“Our family, the Dutois family, was originally a noble lineage in the Kingdom of Vandis. However, we were only at the lowest rank of nobility. And then—”
Solange then explained their story. The Dutois family had served the Kingdom of Vandis for generations as a minor baronage family. When the Kingdom of Sazania invaded, their father, the baron, happened to be without an official post, so he was spared execution and had his status revoked instead. He had originally been a knight but had been injured fighting the demonkin prior to the Sazanian invasion and was hospitalized. Although they became commoners, the Dutois family still had popular support and became raft owners, leading the fishermen. They should have been able to live comfortably thanks to the abundant seafood. However, when all the captured members of the Royal Family of Vandis were executed, the sea suddenly became rough, preventing them from fishing. Their savings dwindled, and their parents fell ill from worry and soon passed away. The cost of their medicine became a heavy burden of debt for the sisters.
The debt was taken from a greedy, middle-aged moneylender named Mathias Moreau. Mathias was a newcomer who had drifted in after the fall of the Kingdom of Vandis. They would have preferred to borrow from someone more reputable, but the naive sisters had no connections. Mathias, who had been humble when their parents were alive, became overbearing after their deaths. It seemed the corrupt moneylender Mathias had been targeting the beautiful sisters from the start.
“So, when is the repayment deadline?”
“Yes… it’s when the ‘Thanksgiving Concert’ at the Asgard Holy Church ends tomorrow…”
When I confirmed the repayment deadline, Solange replied that it was until the end of the “Thanksgiving Concert” to be held tomorrow at the temple of the Asgard Holy Church, located at the tip of the cape. If the “Votive Song” satisfied Aquaanar, the goddess of water, and the sea returned to its previous state, they would be deemed capable of repaying the debt and granted another six months’ grace.
On the other hand, if they failed, they were contracted to be sold off to the notorious slave traders of the Bashle Company. As an insider, I had heard of the Bashle Company’s ill repute. Unlike the Raymond Trading Company, their purchase prices were high, but all the “Level 2 Slaves” they acquired were subjected to “Slave Training” and reduced to “Sex Slaves.” Therefore, it was rumored that once bought by the Bashle Company, their life was over. Their clientele consisted of the wealthy and nobles with peculiar fetishes, and the “special slave training” tailored to their demands was said to be horrific. Gaspar once told me a rumor about a princess of a fallen kingdom who, after undergoing “slave training” as a sex slave, had her limbs severed at the elbows and knees according to a client’s wish, and was shipped out in the state of a “human dog.” The princess in question was renowned for her beauty and martial prowess as a “Princess Knight,” but after being shipped out, she had fallen into a mad, female dog.
“The Bashle Company, huh… I hear they’re terrible. By the way, how much is the debt?”
“The borrowed amount was 20 gold coins (equivalent to 2 million yen), but with interest, it has now grown to 500 gold coins (equivalent to 50 million yen). And—”
“The interest rate is outrageous. Mathias Moreau is a wicked lender.”
When I inquired about the debt, Solange replied that the principal had ballooned with interest, resulting in a massive debt of 500 gold coins (equivalent to 50 million yen). Freya, the sole survivor of the Vandis Royal Family who should have protected the sisters, was indignant about this usury.
“So, if I were to cover the debt, we’d be free?”
“No, the repayment contract only allows for the two options based on the results of the ‘Thanksgiving Concert.’ And—”
As an emergency measure, I proposed paying off the debt, but the contract stipulated that it must be based on the outcome of the “Thanksgiving Concert.” Although the “Thanksgiving Concert” had been held many times before, no one had ever succeeded, and upon failure, the slave registration process would commence, and they would be transported to the Bashle Company.
“Can’t we just run away?”
“Please look at our ankles. This is—”
Elise, feeling pity, suggested they run away. Solange and Mariel then rolled up the hems of their right trousers. Black shackles were attached to both of their ankles. These were “Stigma,” a simplified slave band to prevent escape of detained slave candidates. In essence, Solange and Mariel were already bound to the Bashle Company. The moneylender Mathias had actually attached them, charming them with his words and then threatening them by explaining the function of the magical item. The “Stigma” worn around the neck, a magical item, had escape prevention and suicide prevention functions in addition to signifying slave status. The “Stigma” worn on the ankles seemed to be a simplified version, specialized in escape prevention. This was apparently why Solange and Mariel attempted suicide by drowning.
Ultimately, the only way to save Solange and Mariel was for Freya to sing a “Votive Song” at the “Thanksgiving Concert” and create a miracle, buying them time to repay the debt. “Princess Harem” included Freya Diva Vandis, the legitimate heir to the Kingdom of Vandis and known as the “Diva.” However, I had never seen or heard Freya sing, nor did she claim to know the “Votive Song.” I felt like we were stuck.
“Could you tell me about the ‘Thanksgiving Concert’?”
“The ‘Thanksgiving Concert’ is held to appease the rough seas—”
According to Solange, the “Thanksgiving Concert” was an event held to appease the rough seas that had become turbulent since the massacre of the Vandis royalty. It involved dedicating the “Votive Song,” whose score had miraculously been preserved, to Aquaanar, the goddess of water, at a temple built at the tip of the cape. The “Votive Song” was to be performed on a stage facing the open sea. Attendees could register up until noon on the day of the “Thanksgiving Concert,” which would begin in the afternoon. For this year’s “Thanksgiving Concert,” the Asgard Holy Church, fearing a loss of authority due to repeated failures, had invited renowned bards from the Espana Imperial Kingdom and a saintess who could heal wounds with the blessing of song. However, the odds were not in their favor. The parchment containing the score of the “Votive Song” was also freely given at the temple, but due to the countless challengers who had failed, it had become difficult to gather participants recently.
I had Solange and Mariel, who were exhausted, rest in bed again and decided to discuss our plan with just the members of “Princess Harem.”
“To save Solange and Mariel, I believe Freya must participate in the ‘Thanksgiving Concert’ and perform a miracle. What does everyone think?”
“As I’ve explained before, I have never sung the ‘Votive Song’,” Freya immediately demurred when I mentioned the best course of action.
“You! You used to call me a ‘magic bag,’ so isn’t it your turn to create a miracle, Freya?!”
“The difficulty level is completely different between Elise, who just prayed in the ‘Secret Room,’ and me, who has to sing the ‘Votive Song’!” Elise, who was a friend of Freya’s in their arguments, incited her.
“Mai also… thinks so…”
“I think this is the only way too. Perhaps if she stands on stage, she’ll receive Aquaanar’s protection as the legitimate successor?”
“I also vote for receiving the goddess’s blessing at the last minute.”
“I also believe in the miracles of heroes, and I consider the words of Swan Hilda, a Lower God Clan, to be weighty.”
“Freya, do your best! Go, Freya!”
Mai, Swan Hilda, Kirika, Liliana, and Shera then followed, encouraging Freya from their respective standpoints.
“Thank you, everyone. I doubt I can do it, but I will participate in tomorrow’s ‘Thanksgiving Concert.’ So, Hal, what specifically should we do?”
“It seems Freya has made up her mind… However, would it be problematic to compete under her real name? R-right… For registration, please use the name ‘Frey’.”
“Understood, Hal. I will participate under the name ‘Frey’.” Freya lifted the temple of her glasses with a “click.”
“Elise, go to the temple, get the parchment with the ‘Votive Song’ score, and find out more about the ‘Thanksgiving Concert’.”
“Understood, Hal.”
“Kirika, accompany Elise to the temple and procure the costume for Freya.”
“Understood, Hal.”
“Mai, investigate Mathias Moreau’s weaknesses.”
“Hmm.”
“The rest of you, Swan Hilda, Liliana, and Shera, please assist Elise or Kirika.”
” ” “Understood, Hal.” ” ”
“So, what will you be doing, Hal?”
“I’m going to check if there are any magic spells or curses placed on Solange and Mariel’s bodies, other than the ‘Votive Band’ on their ankles.”
“That’s important too… I wanted to join you in that.” Elise looked quite disappointed when I told her I would be giving Solange and Mariel a “Body Check.”
And so, “Princess Harem” began moving to support Freya, who would be participating in the “Thanksgiving Concert” tomorrow. Meanwhile, after Elise and the others departed, I visited the bedroom where Solange and Mariel were sleeping to conduct the “Body Check” as promised.
I knocked on the door of the bedroom where Solange and Mariel were sleeping—*ton, ton, ton*.
“Wh-who is it?”
“It’s Hal… I’ll be coming in.”
“Please, come in.” Solange replied from inside the room, and I entered.
“Is something wrong?”
“After considering what you told me earlier, there’s a possibility that magic or curses have been placed on your bodies. I’d like to perform a ‘Body Check.’ How about it?”
“Wh-what do you mean!?”
“Sis, that’s just a bluff!”
When I suggested the possibility of something other than the “Stigma” on their ankles being embedded in their bodies, the elder sister, Solange, became flustered, while the younger sister, Mariel, bravely dismissed it as a bluff.
“So, what kind of ‘Body Check’ will you be performing?”
“First, a light palpation over your clothes, then I’ll have you undress. After that, I’ll conduct a thorough examination.”
“How indecent!!”
“I won’t show my body to any man!!”
When I explained the nature of the “Body Check,” the elder sister, Solange, blushed crimson and accused me of being indecent, while the younger sister, Mariel, hugged her chest with both arms and glared at me.
“I don’t particularly care whether we conduct the ‘Body Check’ or not, but with malicious merchants, you never know what they might have concealed—” I repeatedly explained the necessity of the “Body Check” to Solange and Mariel, and somehow managed to get them to agree.
“I… I wasn’t planning on exposing my skin to any man until my wedding night…” Solange, persuaded by me, lowered her head, muttering something.
“I’m so embarrassed… Why did this happen!?” Meanwhile, Mariel, her face flushed with shame, writhed in distress.
“Then, let’s begin the ‘Body Check.’ We’ll start with you, Solange. Mariel, you can monitor me to ensure I don’t do anything strange.” Thus, the “Body Check” of the two began.
Thank you for reading.
Episode 20-3: Body Check ① Solange △ has been scheduled for release on August 1st at 0:00.
