"What in the world are you guys doing here?"
When we arrived at Aramis's house, he greeted us with a visibly flustered expression.
"All the bars are closed. So, we decided to have a drink at your place."
Jjak!
"Is that the only reason you came to my house?"
Aramis smacked Lotos on his smooth, bald head.
"Aren't you the one with the most booze among us? That's why we came to freeload."
"I don't mind Marie coming... but you two, pay up and leave."
Just then, Laurent raised his hand. "I don't need to drink."
"Excellent." Aramis smiled at Laurent and nodded. "Anyway, it's good you're here. Cardinal-nim just sent me a letter, you see."
At Aramis's gesture, a servant brought a tray with a letter on it.
"I was going to read it when the three of us were together, but this works out perfectly."
Aramis tore open the letter and showed it to us.
[Visit my office on the Sabbath.]
"That's it?"
"Why would I hide the Cardinal-nim's letter?"
"Well, that's true."
"Alright, we've checked the letter, now it's time to drink! Ehehehe!!"
Lotos, excited at the thought of alcohol, laughed heartily and headed to the dining room.
"Aheut...! Laurent, please support me."
"Yes."
I tried to run after Lotos, but my lower abdomen ached, so I walked slowly with Laurent's support.
"By the way, Marie. Your gait seems strange today," Aramis noted, tilting his head as he watched me move. "Are you sick somewhere?"
"Uh...? No, I'm fine."
Despite my words, Aramis didn't drop his suspicious gaze. "Perhaps Marie, you..."
Kulkeok.
As Aramis trailed off, I unknowingly swallowed hard. Laurent was just as nervous, his pupils shaking wildly.
"Are you having your period?"
"Uh... uh?! Period? Y-yes, it's that time of the month..."
"Hoo..."
Thankfully, his off-target prediction meant that the events of the previous night weren't discovered, but I felt all my strength drain away.
"Everyone has their differences, but women apparently have lower abdominal pain every time they have their period. You should be careful about drinking."
I felt an unspoken pressure from him, implying that since I was in pain, I should just have a meal and not touch the precious alcohol in his house.
"...I understand."
"Excellent." Aramis gave a satisfied smile at my answer.
"Good, everyone's here."
Armand swept his gaze over the four of us—me, Lotos, Aramis, and Laurent.
"I've decided to entrust you with escorting the envoys coming from Flanders this time."
"Envoys coming from Flanders, you say?"
"Yes. The Flanders region, which broke free from the Osterburg family's rule during the last Thirty Years' War, wants to continue its close cooperative relationship with us."
Armand pointed to a map on the wall. "Elans, which had been surrounded by Osterburg until now, tore the Holy Empire into over 300 small countries through the Thirty Years' War, reducing Osterburg's influence."
He moved his hand across the map. "From Elans to Alant."
Armand drew a line with his finger from Elans to Alant, right in front of the Principality of Luth. "We, who had been surrounded and isolated, can now breathe thanks to this newly created passage. I designed it."
Armand took a sip of water from his glass and continued. "Therefore, it is a necessary route to move through the Gerk region, and it is a region that earns a lot of money through trade with Britum. In other words, we must maintain a good relationship with Flanders."
"Haaheum..."
At Armand's explanation, Lotos yawned without realizing it.
"Boring?"
"A... No, sir!" Lotos answered with rigid posture as Armand glared at him.
"Anyway, the envoys sent by Flanders this time are said to be coming through the Erzen Forest."
"The Erzen Forest, you say?"
"Yes, the Erzen Forest." Armand nodded at my question.
"Don't elves live there?"
"That's right, heathens live there."
These so-called elves were a race with a strong totemistic reverence for giant trees. They were a long-lived race and had been revered by humans since ancient times, but as many countries arose on the continent, they began to compete with humans for territory. Then, hundreds of years ago, many elves were massacred by the Pope's decree to kill all heathens, after which they barricaded themselves in the Erzen Forest, living in hatred of humans.
"They might attack, so why are they coming that way?"
It was insane to pass through the place where they lived.
"They say they're trying to create a commercial route using the Erzen Forest path."
"I don't understand." There were many other paths besides the Erzen Forest, so why insist on going there?
"So, you will enter as an escort for the envoys."
At Armand's words, we nodded.
"And, one more important thing."
"What is it?"
"Absolutely prevent the Duke of Orleans from approaching the Flanders envoy."
"The Duke of Orleans is approaching the Flanders envoys?"
"An informant has brought word that things are not right. If something happens to the Flanders envoy, it will be a problem for His Majesty the King, so be careful."
"Understood."
"Now go back, except for Marie."
"Except for me...?"
"Yes, except for my daughter Marie."
"I'll go ahead and start drinking." Lotos lightly tapped my shoulder and left.
"By the way, all the bars are closed, so where are you going to drink?"
"Your house."
"...?" Aramis was speechless at Lotos's answer. "I'll charge you."
Kung.
Everyone left the office, leaving only Armand and me behind. Armand quietly had me stand there while he approved documents. In the quiet silence, only the sound of the pen scratching could be heard before Armand made the first move.
"Were there any aftereffects?"
"...!"
At Armand's question, I looked at him with wide eyes. "Yes, there were."
"Yes, you overdosed on that drug, so there's no way there wouldn't be any aftereffects. It seems that even with God's blessing, the limits of the human body are inescapable."
Armand took out a notebook and began to write. "What symptoms occurred? Were they the same as the other victims?"
"They were the same as the other victims."
"How did you resolve it?"
At his question, my face began to turn redder and redder.
"Th-that... well... I mean..."
"You couldn't have endured it alone...?"
"Yes... that's right." I covered my face with both hands in embarrassment and nodded.
"If you received help from someone, who was it?"
"Laurent helped me."
Actually, it was closer to me attacking him rather than him helping me, but I thought this much of a lie would be okay since he wasn't here.
"You asked a close acquaintance for help."
"No, why are you asking about this? I'm so embarrassed I could die."
Every time Armand asked a question, I kept thinking about what had happened a few days ago. I fanned my flushed face with my hand.
"If there is such a record, it can be helpful when someone experiences the same situation as you."
"Hmm..." I groaned at his words.
"And, it's kind of fun."
"What is?"
"It's a bit interesting to hear that even with God's blessing, you are affected by a low-quality drug."
"Oh dear..." I touched my forehead.
"Above all, there's no story more interesting than a tale of love between a man and a woman. I look forward to another interesting story next time."
I couldn't get angry, so I just made a subtle expression.
"And, I almost forgot to tell you this." Armand handed me a document. "This is the content of the investigation into the condition of the orange sapphire addicts after you rescued them."
I slowly read the document. They all seemed to be suffering from the aftereffects of the drug like me. They said that the symptoms subsided after masturbating until they were exhausted. But the problem was that this phenomenon continued to occur.
"Uh... so, will I keep doing this?"
"Probably...?" Armand shrugged.
It seemed like there would be a situation where I would have to attack Laurent again.
"If I have to masturbate until I collapse from exhaustion, how will I do my mission?"
"Read the document to the end."
At Armand's words, I continued to read.
[It is determined that receiving a man's semen into the body is the fastest way to reduce the aftereffects of the victim.]
"Ah... Aaa..."
I couldn't help but sigh after seeing the conclusion written in the document. In the end, it seemed I had no choice but to rely on Laurent.
"Ah, and receive these."
Armand handed me a pouch that seemed to contain something heavy, along with a document, as I was laughing in vain.
"What is this?"
"It's travel expenses and a document that will prove your identity. I should have said it when everyone was gathered earlier, but I forgot."
When I opened the pouch, there were gold and silver coins mixed together.
"You can save it or drink it, but don't use it for gambling."
"Understood." I nodded and put the money pouch in my arms.
"And that document has my seal on it, so if you go to Flanders and show them that document, everything will be fine. Keep it safe."
"Yes, I understand."
"Then, step back now." Armand waved his hand, issuing an order to leave.
The four of us loaded food and items needed for the journey onto the horses and set off for the Flanders region.
Of course, this time I also brought my beloved weapon, the musket. I had to bring it with me because I didn't know when or where I would have to shoot, even though it was an expensive item.
And this time, since I was riding a horse, I specially wore pants. I was used to wearing only dresses, so it felt unfamiliar to wear pants for the first time in a while, as they clung to and wrapped around my entire leg.
"Ugh... it feels like I'm only wearing underwear..."
In particular, the empty space at the crotch area was completely in contact with the pants, making it feel even stranger.
I rubbed my thighs, trying to calm the strange sensation in my legs. As the pants clung to my lower body, the curves of my legs and the shape of my buttocks were clearly revealed. Lotos and Aramis didn't seem to care at all, but Laurent kept glancing at me, looking at my buttocks and legs as if he was bothered by it.
The problem was that I could feel those gazes.
'Agh... I'm already awkward in pants, but it makes me even more self-conscious...'
I deliberately avoided looking at Laurent as we moved.
We rode our horses quickly along the large road and arrived in the Flanders region in a few days. Flanders was a famous commercial area, so many people were gathered in front of the castle, trying to get inside. We headed to a small gate next to it.
"Stop!"
Having arrived in Brignon, the capital of Flanders, we were stopped by the guards watching the castle gate. They held halberds and pointed them at us.
"We are escorts for the envoys from Elans. We would like to meet your superior."
I got off my horse and showed them the document Armand had given me.
"Please wait a moment."
As one of them went inside to call their superior, the remaining guards lowered their halberds. Before long, someone who appeared to be their superior arrived.
"I heard you are from Elans."
"That's right." I showed him the document again.
"I received a call a few days ago. Please come inside."
At his words, I mounted my horse. "Tell me where the envoys going to Elans are gathered. We will go directly."
"They will all be gathered at a large inn near the west gate. You can go there."
"Thank you."
We rode our horses to the inn where the Flanders envoys departing for Elans were gathered. When I opened the door and went inside, the inn was crowded with people going to Elans. Everyone was chattering loudly, but when we entered, they all stopped what they were doing and looked at us.
"Who are you?" someone shouted at us from inside.
"We are the people from Elans who came to escort the envoys."
At my words, he stood up from his seat and approached me. He was a little taller than Lotos, so I had to look up at him.
"Nice to meet you. I am Romel Lucar, the person in charge of this delegation."
"I am Marie de Roang of Elans."
"Roang is the name of the Cardinal-nim..."
"I am his adopted daughter."
"I see."
We introduced ourselves and shook hands.
"And, take a look at this." I took out the document that Armand had given me from my arms and showed it to him.
"Hoo... It's definitely Cardinal Roang's autograph." He slowly read the document and nodded. "Well... the departure is tomorrow, so how about we drink together today and depart tomorrow?"
"Good! Our King took all the alcohol to treat you, so I was thirsty for a drink. I'd love to!"
At Romel's words, Lotos's face lit up and he immediately ran out.
"Haa... Please understand, that friend is a heavy drinker..."
We sighed as we watched Lotos grab the bartender by the collar and threaten him to hand over the booze.