Chapter 169: Chapter 154 Part 1

Translator: “Hakou” Editor: “Weasalopes”

At the southern part of Black locust country, near the border of the Kingdom.

The soldiers of Black locust country only arrived there a day after Lightning defeated the bandit Knights.

Those who attempted desperate resistance lost their lives and there’s only a handful of them who are still alive now.

「I’m sorry to make you wait. You can leave the rest to us」

Behind the fat man who was the captain, the work had already begun.

They tied a rope around the captured bandits’ neck. This scene with so many people lined up in rows tied with a rope looks like dried persimmons hung on the ceiling.

The tied up bandits were pulled by several golem carriages.

After leaving the task to them, Lightning and his companion went back home.

The soldiers arrived in town a few days behind Lightning.

***

Early summer sunlight shone upon Black locust country.

In the castle at the center of the town. The bandit Knights were put in its backyard.

(Those crests… if I’m not wrong, it belong to the nobles of the Kingdom)

A short old man with a round belly.

He was the minister of Black locust country, he glances through the window at the bandit Knights in the backyard. A short moment later he returned his gaze at the decoration on his table.

Lying there were three palm-sized boards. Each of it has the same crest embossed in the center.

(Even the crests on the exterior is crushed, the ones inside the cockpit was fine)

These were stripped from the bandit Knights’ cockpit. Seeing that it represents their origins, he was convinced.

Standing on his toes, he took a crest picture book from the bookshelf.

He flipped through the book and immediately found the corresponding house name.

(This house should have been destroyed recently)

The eyes under that ハ shaped eyebrows opened wide.

(It seems those who escaped the purge began to think of becoming a bandit, huh?)

Just as he grasped the situation and nodded alone, the King entered the room.

He’s a slim man in his prime.

「Did you understand something?」

To that question, the prime minister began stating his opinion.

The king nodded deeply, showing an agreement.

「So they escaped to the north and started doing business as a bandit around here, huh?」

What a troublesome bunch, he muttered while sighing.

「Originally, it should be death penalty for bandits but the circumstances are the circumstances. Let’s talk to the Kingdom about this」

Then this man showed an evil smile which is unusual for him.

「In the first place, this wouldn’t happen if the Kingdom properly managed their affairs. It wouldn’t hurt us to make them pay a little nuisance fee」

They won’t get a single coin even if they execute them right here, but they might get gold coins if they hand them over.

Besides, no matter what they do, the only thing waiting for bandits is death penalty anyway.

「What about their Knights?」

One unit was heavily crushed and two units were only slightly damaged. A total of three C-class Knights have been brought in.

「Same goes for those. The Kingdom is in need of Knights they would kill for it. Use that fact to your advantage」n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The minister made a relieved expression.

This is because the king did not say that he would increase the number of Knights they own.

「Don’t make such expression. I’m not a fool. Even I know that we have our hands full with our current Knights」

The minister looked away awkwardly with a smile on his face.

The king then continued without minding that.

「What to do about the interrogation? We can’t possibly hurt them if we’re going to demand a ransom. There’s only one woman even if we want to do the questioning by the Wickedness of the defeated」

It was the pilot of a Knight which got its leg destroyed.

She was a woman in her twenties with short red hair. Her looks aren’t that beautiful but not that ugly either.

「Only a pilot who get the right to do the Defeated Adultery Punishment to another pilot after all」

The minister sighed.

There are only two pilots in this country.

However Lightning disliked the Defeated Adultery Punishment because of his temperament. And the recently hired pilot is an old man so it’s physically impossible for him.

「Well, it’s fine. I don’t think they have any useful information for our country anyway. Let’s hand them over just like that」

The minister immediately began writing letters with his wonderful writing skill.

After he finished writing it, he handed it to the soldier to be delivered to the Kingdom.

He sighed as he watched the back of the soldier running down the corridor.

Incidentally, the king already left the room earlier.

「How unfortunate」

About the pilot they recently hired.

A person who arrived in this country recently.

The fact that he was a pilot. That was the only thing he remembered as he lost the memories about himself.

(No, it was destroyed might be the correct way to put it)

Although a small country, he’s been working as its minister for a long time. Even he knows some of its dark side.

(Interrogation using magic. They dig into his memories beyond limit with magic and ended up destroying it)

The minister made a painful expression.

It may not be life threatening, but your memory will never come back.

Then there’s another thing weighing on his mind.

(He was castrated)

That’s the reason why that old pilot cannot do the Defeated Adultery Punishment.

They performed 『ball removal』on him just like removing the nail of a stray cat so it would be harmless when you make it your pet.*

(*TL Note: This is something I came up with myself since the original sentence which, 野良猫を野に放す, is kind of hard to translate. Means removing the word 野(field) from 野良猫(stray cat) so it would left with 良猫(good cat). Do tell if you have a better way to word it.)

(The way they treat him is no different than to an animal. I cannot feel any respect like you would have when you interact as the same human being. Just what on earth happened that time)

The minister’s worries. That someone or something might have kept an eye on Black locust country.

He wants to keep an excellent pilot, of course, but there are also things to weigh and consider.

If this ended up bad rather than good, then he would have no choice but to advise the king to reconsider.

(Though I think it will be alright)

The treatment of the old pilot is similar to an abandoned animal.

And whoever this person keeping an eye on us is, probably has lost interest in the old pilot already.

(He might have no memories, but the fact that he’s an excellent pilot is unchanged. Moreover, he also have knowledge on martial arts)

The minister walked down the corridor with narrow strides.

***

The stage moves to south-southeast, beyond the border.

Royal capital, the central city of the Kingdom. A change begins to occur there.

A new culture was blooming.

「The war is over!!」

A cease-fire agreement was signed, ending the war.

Setting the disappointed leader figures, the citizens were honestly happy with that news.

The string that tightly tied up their purses now was loose as they started playing cheerfully.

In the red-light district, 『Oyakodon』and『Sin and Punishment』, which had never existed before, made an appearance.

People who like novelty immediately jumped at it and praised these plays.

『Oyakodon is now LIVE!!』

『The appearance of new play! Sin and Punishment!! Please give it a try at once!』

Such words are put up at the storefront.

The number of stores incorporating these new menus was increasing and spreading rapidly.

A temporary booming trend due to the recoil of the war. The possibility is high.

However, these new menus are known to other countries thus attracting many travelers.

It was from this moment that the Royal capital began to be called the『Capital of Flowers』, the origin of culture.

「So, Tauro-san. We’re going to Cassabell today, huh?」

Corneal said, in front of a white marble building.

It’s about the place where the『Adult Gourmet Club』going to hold its club activity yet again today.

I’m glad my ban in this place has been lifted too.

「You got that right. I have also properly made a reservation」

I answer and nod.

Apparently, there’s a sudden appearance of a Queen like a comet in the most prestigious brothel of the three families.

「It was introduced at Jayanne just recently, but it has already spread」

Exactly as Corneal says, it spread with an explosive momentum.

You can now be punished for your sins anywhere. As long as you don’t mind the difference in quality.

Similarly to Cionne, who claims to be the origin of Oyakodon, Jayanne has also declared themselves as the origin of sin and punishment.

Therefore, I decided to let them put my signature board in Jayanne’s lobby.

「Speaking of which, Tauro-san. Why Doom squad? Is it because you’re sending your opponent to their doom, hence the name?」

He probably recalled the signature board in Cionne that says 『Doom squad leader, Dr.Slime』. So he asked, while letting out a vulgar laugh.

The word, Die! sounded too strong to me, so I just made it a bit softer, that’s all there’s to it.

「I figured that just my nickname, Dr.Slime, alone looks lonely on the board, so I added my position as a leader. While the group name is just an extra」

Here, I’m thinking of trying to try and scout him.

「We are currently looking for more members. How about it? Would you like to join us, Corneal-san?」

Then he answered after pondering about it for a while.