I, Hal Harem Von Raymond, am suffering from a hangover after a long time.
The reason was that I was force-fed a lot of alcohol at the high-class merchant’s house, “Rose Annex Lily Honey,” last night.
“Ugh, damn it, my head is throbbing. I’m completely hungover…”
After casting “Healing Magic” on myself to normalize the condition caused by alcohol and checking my surroundings, I saw Shera, holding a sake bottle, snoring heartily next to me, and Eria sleeping with a contented expression on the other side.
Furthermore, a Sex Spirit was sleeping spread-eagled on my stomach.
“First, let’s wake Eria.”
I cast “Healing Magic” on Eria, who was sleeping so peacefully, to remove the alcohol.
And then, looking closely, I saw Melody hugging Eria’s thighs.
Looking around again, I saw unknown young prostitutes sleeping in clusters.
According to my vague memories, Soprano, Menuet, and Rhythm, three protruding-toothed prostitute girls, were called for clients during the drinking party and returned to work.
On the other hand, those who had finished their work gathered to greet Eria, and it turned into an endless hell of drinking.
*Thump*
“Ow! It hurts. Master, please be more considerate of that.”
As I sat up to cast “Healing Magic” on Eria, the Sex Spirit sleeping on my stomach fell and hit the floor.
He woke up from the shock but was spouting nonsense. I hadn’t given him permission to sleep on my stomach, so it was his own fault.
“Good morning, Serena. I’m going to wake everyone up now, so please turn invisible.”
“…Alright, Master.”
Although she looked a little resentful, Holy Spirit Serena, sensing the situation, turned invisible and disappeared.
To the three protruding-toothed prostitute girls and several other young prostitutes, Holy Spirit Serena might just appear as a capricious fairy.
After all, in this world, she is the only spirit with a physical form…
“G-good morning, Hal. You have a good awakening this morning… Huh? Someone’s hugging my leg, is that Melody!”
Immediately after Holy Spirit Serena became invisible, Eria greeted me with a refreshed expression.
“Good morning, Eria. You seem to be feeling alright.”
“Yes! My hangover… you healed it, Hal. Melody, Melody, wake up, Melody, it’s morning.”
“Ugh… my head hurts! I think I drank too much yesterday… I had Madame Jeanne mix me a hangover remedy… G-good morning, Eria!”
“Good morning, Melody. Are you perhaps hungover!?”
“N-not at all. I could never be defeated by that amount of alcohol.”
“Oh… that’s good.”
Melody’s attempt to act tough in front of Eria despite her hangover was adorable.
However, this meant I couldn’t cast “Healing Magic” on Shera.
This is because my being a healer is a secret here.
If word got out in this red-light district, I have no doubt that I would be swamped with patients and unable to move.
“Heyyy, Shera-neesan, it’s morning!”
“–…Ah, I… Gwaaah, my head, my head feels like it’s splitting. I’m hungover, alright… Wait, Hal, Eria, good morning.”
I shook Shera, who was sleeping with a bottle in her arms, and as expected, she was hungover and clutched her head.
The remaining young prostitutes seemed tired after their night’s work, so I quietly headed out into the hallway and ran into Madame Jeanne.
“Good morning, Madame Jeanne. Thank you for last night.”
“Don’t mention it. Thank you for letting me have Melody give me practical training. Melody is becoming quite skilled at those alluring expressions. Perhaps it’s time to let go of your ‘cool beauty’ persona?”
“Good morning, Madame Jeanne. I… I was surprised to realize how sensitive my body was when Eria was toying with me. Also, I heard that you ladies are heading to the Asgard Holy Church’s infirmary next. May I guide you there?”
“Yes, that’s fine. Before that, I’ll prepare breakfast, so please eat.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Madame Jeanne.”
Thus, thanks to Madame Jeanne’s kindness, we had breakfast and ventured out into the morning red-light district.
“It was so lively last night, but it’s so deserted now…”
The red-light district, illuminated by the morning sun, was quiet with hardly any people.
Occasionally, customers returning home early walked briskly, or prostitutes who saw them off looked sleepy.
The seductive, garish colors illuminated in the darkness seemed somewhat faded.
It was truly “the aftermath of a battle.”
By the way, I managed to find a moment to cast “Healing Magic” on Shera, who was suffering from her hangover, and removed the alcohol.
If Shera, my bodyguard, is hungover, she won’t be able to handle anything if something happens.
As for Melody, who volunteered to guide us, I didn’t use “Healing Magic” on her, but it seemed she had her pride as a current young prostitute.
Our current formation is Melody, with her arm around Eria, leading the way; Hal behind her; and Shera bringing up the rear as escort.
And Holy Spirit Serena, in her invisible state, was likely flying nearby.
“Hey, Melody, wouldn’t it be faster to take a gondola along the canal?”
“The infirmary is located at the edge of the red-light district… so we can walk there, hehehe.”
Melody let out a strange laugh, but her true intention seemed to be prolonging her time with Eria by walking.
However, it’s hard to believe that Melody, who was so haughty when we first met, has become so attached to Eria…
She must have lived her life as a young prostitute, holding her head high, but Eria’s excellent caresses have likely melted away her pent-up emotions along with it.
Leaving the high-class brothel “Rose Annex Lily Honey,” we walked along the main street of the red-light district, then turned into a side street, heading towards the location of the infirmary.
The infirmary was an old, two-story brick building, located somewhat deep from the red-light district.
Looking closely, there was a cemetery behind it, where those who died in this place or the red-light district would be buried.
Even so, it was an old and dilapidated building.
It had an atmosphere that seemed like it could collapse at any moment.
However, I also felt a sense of nostalgia.
Come to think of it, in my past life, the atmosphere was similar to the workplace of Lester the Cleric before he was discovered by the Hero Albert Sandia.
The operating costs of such facilities must be covered by donations or their own earnings, so the atmosphere inevitably becomes similar.
On the dilapidated signboard, it read, “Asgard Holy Church Affiliated Infirmary: Lily’s Healing.”
And beside the entrance, there was a small flowerbed, where a middle-aged, stout nun was tending to it.
“Excuse me, I heard that a person named Noella Sante is staying at this infirmary?”
“Oh my, you all are new faces! I’m Maria, who does odd jobs here. Who might you be?”
“My name is Hal Raymond, an adventurer. This is my companion Eria and Shera-neesan, and here is Melody, who guided us.”
At my introduction, everyone gave a slight bow of greeting.
“You all… are you debt collectors? That poor girl is already bedridden and penniless.”
“We are not debt collectors. We just have a few questions…”
“I see… Please wait a moment. I’ll call the person in charge, Father Harris.”
Nun Maria, getting up with a sigh, went inside the infirmary and soon returned with an elderly priest.
“I am Harris, in charge of this infirmary, ‘Lily’s Healing.’ What business do you have with Miss Noella Sante, who is being treated here?”
“My name is Hal Raymond, an adventurer. I received a request from a client who wishes to meet a female party called the ‘Knights of the Azure Moon.’ I obtained information that Miss Noella Sante might know them, so I came to ask her about it. This is a modest contribution, please accept it.”
After bowing politely, I offered five gold coins (equivalent to ¥500,000).
“Indeed, this infirmary is in dire straits, but we cannot accept bribes! Please leave at once!”
However, when I produced the gold coins, Father Harris’s expression became stern, and his attitude hardened instantly.
It seemed I had made a mistake in handling the situation.
Still, I found his clumsy stubbornness, which reminded me of my past life as Lester the Cleric, rather likable.
“My apologies. These gold coins were purely intended to help the patients; they are not bribes. Besides, even if I cannot obtain information from Miss Noella Sante, I will not demand a refund!”
“Hmm… In that case, I will escort you to the patient.”
“W-wait a minute! If you want information from Noella, you’ll have to pay me a consultation fee!!”
As I hastily explained, Father Harris seemed to understand and accepted the contribution.
And as we were about to enter the infirmary, another man called out from behind us.
What’s more, he intended to charge me for information.
Turning around, I saw a handsome man who looked like a playboy standing there with a grinning smile.
His hair was messy, brown, and unkempt, and he wore an eyepatch over his left eye.
In other words, he was a typical thug.
“W-who are you!?”
“I’m Adams, the one-eyed man. I’ve lent money to Noella, and if you have something to say to her, you’ll have to go through me first.”
“You! Aren’t you the man who abandoned Miss Noella when she fell ill! You have no right to be here!!”
“Shut up, you damn old geezer. I’m talking to this young master here.”
“That man seems to be the pimp who was controlling Noella,” the young prostitute whispered.
The righteous Father Harris detests the thug who called himself Adams, but Adams, unconcerned, insists on talking to me.
And to explain this situation, Melody approached me and whispered about the thug’s identity.
In this tense situation, Eria and Shera seemed to have finished preparing their magic attacks.
As Party Members of “Princess Harem,” both had gone through their fair share of rough situations and wouldn’t be scared by a mere thug.
On the contrary, Melody, who whispered to me, and Nun Maria looked pale.
Father Harris, although outwardly maintaining a firm stance, did not seem skilled in combat.
“Mr. Adams, how much is the consultation fee?”
“Let’s see… for now, one gold coin. Depending on the content, I might ask for more.”
“Understood. Please accept it.”
“The young master knows how to get things done.”
I paid him the exorbitant consultation fee of one gold coin and proceeded towards Noella Sante’s sickbed.
Accompanying me were Eria, Shera, Father Hans, and the one-eyed Adams. Nun Maria returned to tending the flowerbed, and Melody returned to “Rose Annex Lily Honey.”
However, in Melody’s case, it was largely Eria who persuaded her to leave.
Thank you for reading.
episode37-9, “The Stubborn Priest of the Infirmary and the Dying Streetwalker ②,” is scheduled for release on October 17th at 0:00.
