Happy New Year.
Thanks to your continued support, I was able to continue this series for over a year.
I would like to express my gratitude here.
H29.1.1 Typo Correction
① “Yeah, sure! If you say the Northern States, where I’m from, and Eria are from the same hometown, I’ll lend you a hand.” → “…I’ll lend you a hand.”
I, Hal Raymond…
My current full name, after a name change, is Hal Harem Von Raymond… but I don’t want to use it yet!
Alicia, who was present at the naming of my baptismal name, along with the party members of ‘Princess Harem’ and the bonus Ilisha, and the former demon girls, all laughed at me.
Furthermore, Kirika pointed out that I had fallen into a “Kōmei’s Trap.”
“Harem”… As a way to alleviate the unhappiness of my true baptism at the Asgard Holy Church, who bestowed this useless baptismal name upon me, I had a fated encounter at the high-class brothel “Secret Rose” in the Noble District of the Imperial Capital Granza. There, I met Eria, the second daughter of the “Rose Sisters,” the highest-ranking young prostitutes.
Eria, a young prostitute, had a cute appearance and personality that belied her profession, and I fell for her at first sight.
I became obsessed with uncovering the “Rose Magic” carved into Eria’s body and finding the secret rose hidden within her.
However, after our intimacy ended and I was about to freshen up in the bathroom, a single drop of red blood dripped from Eria’s labia.
I was initially confused as to why a prostitute would bleed from her crotch, but Eria had reached menarche.
Normally, a girl reaching menarche and becoming capable of pregnancy would be a joyous occasion.
However, at “Secret Rose,” where Eria belonged, it was considered a sign of her graduation from being a “young prostitute.” After transferring to a sister establishment, she would have to take on customers until her crotch was worn out.
Currently, Eria is a “Rose Sister,” and her clients are limited to one per night. The conditions for requesting her are strict, so there were many days when she didn’t have to work.
Eria had been looking for someone to buy her out while she was still a “Rose Sister”… but that ultimately didn’t happen.
I decided to do my best to try and buy out Eria Akue de Castina, a young prostitute.
The redemption price for Eria, a high-class prostitute, was an exorbitant 100 platinum coins (equivalent to 100 million yen).
With that much money, one could afford to buy a very valuable item, even a former noble lady from a fallen aristocratic family.
It was truly like “a drop in the ocean” compared to my allowance.
My plan was to use the funds from “Princess Harem” to cover the costs, and considering the remaining balance, it wasn’t impossible to pay.
Indeed, considering the investors of that money, it was accumulated through my own past life’s (cheat) knowledge in futures trading, using my allowance and the money I earned from selling Elise’s accessories to an antique dealer as seed money.
I had purchased the base mansion for “Princess Harem” with that money, and the remaining balance had become shared assets of the party members as a fund.
Considering the future, they would also have various expenses, so even as the party leader, and even more so as their master bound by “Slave Contract Magic,” I felt hesitant.
Recently, the party members have been engaging in various activities to Earn money, and although the balance has been steadily increasing, 100 platinum coins is a large sum.
I boarded the public carriage departing from in front of the Imperial Capital Granza’s city gate and began my journey back to the base mansion of “Princess Harem.”
Upon returning to the base mansion of “Princess Harem,” everything was as usual, and a peaceful daily life continued.
“Good morning. Marquis Harem…” followed by a suppressed giggle.
As I opened the entrance door and entered the great hall, Elise was there. She called me by a disrespectful title and then began to laugh again, remembering something.
“Hey, Elise! Isn’t it rude to suddenly start laughing like that?”
“I… I’m so sorry.”
“Hal-sama, good morning. … *cough cough cough*”
“Now it’s Swan Hilda…”
Swan Hilda then came down from the second floor, but like Elise, she started laughing.
It seemed that yesterday’s baptism was a very enjoyable form of entertainment for them.
“Elise, that’s perfect. Gather everyone in the living room in my private section on the second floor.”
“Is something wrong?”
Swan Hilda tilted her head.
“Understood. Hal-sama.”
Elise nodded respectfully, and I summoned all the members of “Princess Harem.”
Gathered in the living room, they all wore pitying expressions or managed suppressed laughter.
“Ahem… Silence, everyone! I’ve gathered you all because I want to use the ‘Princess Harem’ fund.”
“We are all bound by Hal-sama’s ‘Slave Contract Magic,’ so isn’t it alright for Hal-sama to use it however he sees fit?”
Ly then offered a logical response.
“So, how much do you plan to use?”
Freya, adjusting the arm of her witty accountant’s glasses, inquired.
“The amount needed is 100 platinum coins (equivalent to 100 million yen)!”
“That’s a large sum… It’s not an amount that cannot be drawn from the fund, but… what will it be used for?”
“Well, I’m curious too,” Kirika added.
“Indeed, I agree with Freya and Kirika,” Liliana said.
Liliana echoed Freya and Kirika’s opinions, and most of the party members nodded in agreement.
“W-Well, it’s for the redemption of a high-class prostitute. Last night I…”
In the end, my entire night’s activities were revealed, and my visits to the brothel were discovered.
“Excuse me, but isn’t that outrageously high for just redeeming a prostitute? Aren’t you being ripped off, Hal-sama?”
“I think so too,” Dietlinde added.
Dietlinde, who had a good grasp of economics, questioned the high redemption price, and Tirna agreed.
It seemed this was their collective opinion.
“I consider the young prostitute Eria, or Eria Akue de Castina, whom I intend to redeem, to be on par with Ly, another young prostitute, Liliana Emilia Yangas.”
“M-Me…?”
Liliana, who had been brought up as an example, looked bewildered.
“The full name of the young prostitute you just mentioned… it’s very interesting.”
Meanwhile, Ly seemed very intrigued by Eria’s full name.
“Ly, did you find something interesting?”
Elise seemed curious about Ly’s reaction.
“Could it be that this young prostitute is from the Northern States, like me?”
“That can’t be right! That place is completely ruled by demonkin!” Edele exclaimed, recalling something. Swan Hilda was skeptical.
“Hal-sama, could you please tell me her physical characteristics?”
“Sure, Ly. Eria has very beautiful, light blue hair…”
Recalling last night’s events, I listed Eria’s physical characteristics.
“It seems there is no mistake. Hal-sama, the Eria you found is a former royal of the Castina Kingdom, which was destroyed by a demonkin invasion long ago.”
“Castina Kingdom? I’ve never heard of it,” Sophie asked, as Ly explained that Eria was a former royal.
“Sophie, it seems you need to study history and geopolitics more,” Ly chided.
“I… I’m already being squeezed dry by Liliana every day, I can’t possibly study any more!”
“It sounds like some frivolous nonsense I’m hearing… Liliana, please push her harder starting tomorrow.”
“Understood, Ly-sama.”
“I’m already doing my best…”
“Sophie, big sister… Ilisha, who is in the same curriculum, is keeping up.”
“Grrr…”
It seemed Sophie had unintentionally dug herself into a hole and her studies had become even harder.
“Ly, tell me what you think.”
“Yes, Hal-sama. Eria…”
According to Ly’s explanation, those with “de” in their full name were nobles or royalty from the Northern States.
Come to think of it, Edele’s full name, Edele, who underwent the true baptism with me, is Edele Yung-Fern de Desmonia, and it also has “de” in it.
And the Castina Kingdom in question was a country destroyed by a demonkin invasion over a century ago.
In other words, the destruction of the Castina Kingdom was a historical issue, not a current event.
As a former princess of the Waiyar Imperial Kingdom, Ly had likely been educated in the history of other civilizations as well.
At this point, Freya and Dietlinde questioned whether Ly was using a false name, but Ly dismissed their concerns.
She explained that she was convinced Eria was genuine because Eria’s physical characteristics, which I had described, showed traits of the Castina royal family.
Those characteristics included Eria’s light blue hair.
This light blue hair was commonly referred to as the “Castina’s Wonderful Flow” and was a moniker signifying the royal family.
“Hal-sama… Therefore, young Eria is a person worth securing, even if it costs 100 platinum coins.”
With Ly’s logical explanation, the decision to redeem Eria was made.
“However, 100 platinum coins is a heavy burden…”
While I was happy about the decision to redeem Eria, I sighed at the cost.
“Hal-sama, why not have someone with money bear the burden?”
“And who would that be?”
“Why, ‘Bess-chan,’ of course,” Ly replied.
Ly then began writing something on a piece of stationery.
“Swan Hilda, could you discreetly deliver this letter to Crown Prince Elizabeth?”
“Yeah, sure! If you say the Northern States, where I’m from, and Eria are from the same hometown, I’ll lend you a hand.”
With that said, Swan Hilda, still in her inconspicuous attire, soared away.
After a short wait, Swan Hilda returned carrying a wooden box containing 100 platinum coins and a reply.
“I must say, she returned surprisingly quickly, almost anticlimactically.”
“As soon as I gave her Ly’s letter, she made a quick decision. The reply should also state that if Eria is redeemed successfully, she wishes to form a ‘Sisterhood Vow’.”
“…Indeed, that’s exactly right. Thank you for your trouble, Swan Hilda.”
“It was nothing.”
“Hmm.”
“Mai, I’m sorry to trouble you…”
Swan Hilda, having traveled to and from the White Castle and discreetly contacted Crown Prince “Bess-chan,” was lightly sweating. Mai handed her a towel in acknowledgment of her hard work.
Behind them, Shera, who had been dozing off, was caught by Elise and Freya, who were playfully tugging on her tail.
Thanks to Ly’s letter, I was able to easily obtain the large sum of 100 platinum coins. After having lunch at the “Princess Harem” base mansion, I promptly returned to “Secret Rose” in the Noble District of the Imperial Capital Granza.
By the way, lunch today was Tirna’s special paella and a seafood consommé soup.
As always, Tirna’s culinary skills are beyond compare.
Thank you for reading.
Episode 28-2, Redemption of the Rose ②, is scheduled for posting on January 3rd at 0:00.
Actually, I didn’t have as much time as I expected at the end of the year, and the latter half of episode 28 is currently being written.orz
I hope to finish it during the New Year’s holiday…
