Chapter 89

I apologize for the length, but here is the translation:

Although it was a bit short...

The date with Yomi was filled with various events, but it ended up being very satisfying. I was constantly on edge due to the girlish side of Yomi that I had never seen before. Even though the alley wasn't popular, the possibility of being seen by someone made the kiss even more tense.

In the end, we wandered around the main street and ended up looking at clothes. ...The clothes Yomi chose were all very mature and sexy. Still, they suited her so well that it was surprising.

Is this due to the benefits? ...No, it feels like it's Yomi's own power.

"Hehe, it was fun, Mr. Owl. Let's go on another date next time!"

The way she calls me has returned. Maybe that atmosphere is only for dates. It's a bit sad, but I'll think of it as an added pleasure.

"Yeah. I hope there won't be any interruptions next time."

"Hehe, even though it was a bit of a hassle, it felt like you were protecting me, so I didn't mind."

Yomi has a devilish smile, but if I keep looking at it, I might get drawn in. It feels like I might drown... No, I kind of want to drown.

After the date, we returned to the castle. When I asked Luna and Din, they said nothing special had happened. Lily was busy running around, but she was mostly nearby, so there were no attacks.

Even though we can breathe a sigh of relief, we can't let our guard down.

"Hey, Master, are you going out now? It's already night..."

"Yeah, I have some errands to run. Take care of the princess."

"Please be careful."

I'm going out now. My destination is the man I met in the evening. I could have caught and interrogated him then, but I thought it would be better to cut off the root.

He probably doesn't think I can track him from a distance. I still don't know who his client is, but I'll take up the challenge.

Well then.

'Magic Search'

Well, well, that man... There he is.

"Alright, let's go!"

Body Enhancement!

And, while I'm at it, I'll wear the Stealth Bear's cloak. This is made by Garu, so it should be effective.

I don't want to be seen, so I'll try to run on the rooftops. It's become second nature, even though it's not something to boast about...

"Hey, what? The atmosphere of the town has changed... Is this a 'slum'?"

There are many dilapidated houses, and even though it's late, there are people sitting on the streets and wandering around. If I look closely, I can see women selling themselves in narrow alleys and prostitutes.

If I look closely, I can see children smaller than me. They are all emaciated, and the sight is unbearable. I'm not a hypocrite who wants to change this situation, but I do have some thoughts.

This is the empire, and I can't stay here forever.

It's frustrating.

Still, I've ended up in a dark place. However, the reaction is even deeper in. This is probably a relatively shallow part of the slum.

"This is a bit too stimulating for a kid like me... But even in such a prosperous empire, there are slums. It's not as surprising as I thought, but is it really unsolvable?"

Well, it's not something I should be thinking about. By the way, are there slums in the capital? I hope not.

"Alright, is that it? It looks like just an abandoned house..."

Spatial Awareness!

It seems to be heavily modified underground. It looks like a small mansion. The guy living in such a hideout is probably no good.

But, in a way, it's romantic. Having a secret hideout underground is something I've always wanted. Maybe I'll make a secret laboratory in the basement when I go home.

...There are over 30 people. This is going to be a hassle. But most of them seem to be drinking.

The guy from earlier is in the back. This is perfect. I'll take care of these guys as well. However, they might be maintaining the slum's security, so I'll leave them alive for now.

The problem is how to infiltrate. There seem to be guards in the abandoned house on the ground. The safe option is to infiltrate without being noticed.

...This is a sneaking mission, right? Alright.

I'll show off a stylish sneaking move, like in a certain Metal Gear game. It's one of the games I've played a lot.

But, how do I fool the two men standing at the entrance... I can't think of a good plan. If I were a woman, I could have approached them somehow.

...

'Thunder Ray x 2'

Snap!!

Alright! The guards are out! I'll move them to a place where they won't be noticed.

Phew.

In the end, it always comes down to brute force. But at least I managed to knock them out. The real sneaking starts from here... Though there's no one around, and I don't really need to hide.

When I opened the door, the inside was as dilapidated as the outside. However, it felt lived-in, which was strange. It's probably because a lot of people come and go.

As evidence, there are no spider webs anywhere, and there are spots without dust.

And, there's a dead end where there's no dust. It looks like just a bookshelf, but one book is noticeably dirtier.

If I follow the cliché, pressing this book will move the bookshelf and reveal a passage, right? But is there really such a gimmick?

"...There's no other hint, so I'll just press it."

Swoosh... Click... Clack

Wow, it really opened!! Amazing!! If I can destroy this hideout, I'll definitely steal this gimmick!!

"There seem to be more people deeper inside."

I cautiously entered the opened passage and soon found stairs leading down. Beyond that, there seems to be a large hall. I know from Spatial Awareness that over 30 people are drinking there.

Was this building originally like this? Or did they dig it out? Either way, they put a lot of effort into it.

With such a solid construction, it could be put to many uses if the outside building were cleaned up and renovated.

Moreover, I thought it was only men, but there are women as well. ...But these women are definitely not their companions. They are either kidnapped or slaves.

Evil must be destroyed, and there is no mercy.

I'm changing from sneaking to extermination.

There are a lot of bad people behind this door. I don't know who these women are, but they are definitely the companions of the guy who challenged me.

Alright, the excuse is perfect.

I kicked the door open with my enhanced body.

"What's going on?!"

"Who's the enemy?!"

"Enemy attack?!"

"Just one kid!"

"Kill him!!"

The women are not slaves but look like village girls. Some even look like adventurers. This means they might be targets for the guild.

Some girls are crying, and some seem to have broken down mentally and are not moving. Moreover, there are women in their 20s and children around 10 years old, which I didn't expect.

...I feel like vomiting. I didn't want to think that men could be this corrupt. But this is reality. I'll think about what to do with them after I capture them.

"Ah, Luna, Yomi, I'm sorry for the sudden call. Please come to where I am as soon as you hear this. It's in the slum area, a bit away from the castle. Please come as soon as possible."

Alright, they should be here in about 10 minutes. I'll leave the protection of those girls to them and capture these guys.

"Count your sins!!"

I will continue to update slowly. I would be happy if you could rate, bookmark, etc.

Thanks to everyone, I won the [Net Novel Award] and will be published by Futabasha.