chapter 66

「Ohー, they’re comingー . Get readyー」

Because of the incident earlier, everyone was just silently holding their weapons .

「Oi, they look kinda strange」

「Ah, they’re looking shaky and some are even vomiting . There’s a lot of them who are already collapsed」

Good . It looks like it succeeded . Well, a mild case of alt.i.tude sickness is just the body adjusting to how thin the air is, but if you run at full strength, you’ll end up like that .

「Alright~ . It’ll be smooth sailing from here . All that’s left is to seize their ship . The rest of them who are still fine don’t have weapons so just hit them to shut them up then tie them up . Alright, let the operation commence . Iyaー, knowledge can also be used as a weapon, am I right?」

After I said that, I cheerfully ran towards the pirates when the one that was leading all of them fell . As he looked up, I hit his head with my shovel which caused him to faint .

It would be best if we didn’t suffer any losses to our side .

「How is it onboard the ship?」

「Sir! The non-combatants have been captured, sir! n.o.body was injured」

「Alright . Please continue investigating what’s inside the ship」

I took the rope that was given to me and started tying up the pirates’ hands behind their back . We s.p.a.ced them 50 cm apart so that they wouldn’t be able to try anything .

「Which one of them is the captain?」

I asked that question to one of the former pirates who were nearby .

「It’s the guy rolling around over there」

After seeing who he pointed to, I walked over to the captain with rope in hand .

I folded a 10-meter rope in half then measured 40 centimeters then made a knot to form a loop and put it on his neck . From the first knot, I made more knots every 10 centimeters until it reached his groin area then pa.s.sed the rope under his legs and pulled it through the loop on his neck . After that, I took the two ends, pulled under his armpits then inserted it in the hole between the 10-centimeter knot and hooked it through the rope on the back . I repeated that until I finished inserting the rope in-between all of the knots then tied it all together to complete the tortoise-sh.e.l.l binding . I also tied up his arms and feet so that he won’t be able to move . 2

「Iyaー . I’ve always wanted to try this at least once . I didn’t think I would be using it on another man though」

I had a huge smile on my face as I said that but n.o.body was looking . Or rather, they didn’t want to make eye contact with me .

「Are all of them tied up? If so, we can just leave them on the beach for now . Gather all of the women on the ship then take them to the plaza and have the women on the island look after them . Bring some spare clothes and plenty of clean cloth」

With that said, we left them seated on the beach . As for their captain, we made him do a seiza after tying him up . Once we were sure he couldn’t get up, we moved on into the ship .

In the ship, several naked women were handcuffed and chained by the neck . It seems like they were forced to do various things that defiled their purity . There were even some that were bruised and wounded .

They were all afraid and resisted, some even fell due to the effects of my magic earlier, but we forcibly held them back, removed their shackles, then transported them to our temporary base .

「Alright . Like I said earlier, since you decided to ignore my warning and proceeded to attack the island, we’re going to sell you off as slaves . Otherwise, if you are on the wanted list, we’ll surrender you to the authorities . The higher up that list they are, the better it is for us after all . Errー, that might have been a bit complicated but anyways, I haven’t heard the former pirate captain’s name, have I? What is it?」

「It’s Edward sir」

「Hmm…… We might experience a couple of inconveniences when we go to town so you should shave off your beard and trim your hair . As for your name, let’s see…… When we go to town, you’ll go by the name of Benjamin . This Orca guy might snitch on us and say that you’re also a pirate and I’m a Demon Lord but please rest a.s.sured . Since I will also get dragged into this mess if he manages to do that, I will make sure he won’t be able to utter a thing by cutting off the part that makes him speak . Ah, please make sure you hold him down properly okay? He might die if I make a mistake and we’ll end up with no money」

After I said that with a smile, the former pirates held Orca down and secured his head firmly . Orca’s face turned pale in an instant after realizing what’s going to happen .

「Ah, please prepare a potion as well . These guys should have some on their ship right? There were some in Benjamin-san’s after all」

After I said that, the former pirates hurriedly opened the lid of a box they had and brought me a potion bottle .

「Thank you」

WARNING: If you’re squeamish, you might not want to read the next paragraph .

I continued doing my best to maintain my smile as I took out an obsidian knife and sliced open the area where his Adam’s apple is then cut my way to his larynx where I removed the vocal cord muscles . After that, I poured the potion into the wound in order to close it . I’m glad that I made the women stay behind now .

「Don’t make sudden movements since the wound might open and you’ll die」

Orca moved his lips but no sound came out, only air . I don’t think there are any artificial vocal cords in this world so I think it’ll be alright . In all honesty, I could have just cut a part of the vocal cord muscle but it would have been troublesome if he could still somehow speak once the wound gets cured .

「Well then…… As for the rest, you guys are also awaiting the same fate . Please don’t worry since you won’t get left out . Ahー, if the first mate can hear me, I have some questions so please present yourself . If any of the other pirates want to sell him out, please let me know」3

It was a pain but we were able to find the first mate and aside from him and the noncombatants, I was able to finish up making sure the rest of them weren’t able to speak .

「Um, Maou-sama…… What are we going to do about these people’s meals?」

They changed how they called me all of a sudden . How should I react to that, I wonder?

「If we just want to make sure they survive, we can just give them water with sugar and salt in it but it would be bad if we continue with that for 10 days straight . If that’s the case just alternate that with half a piece of bread and some thin soup . If you feel bad for them as former pirates, it’s also fine to just give them regular meals . After that though, you should gag them with a rolled cloth on their mouth so that they won’t bite their tongues and die」

「Y-yes sir」

「Well then, as for you…… I would be happy if you answer me honestly . How much is the bounty for that Orca guy? Also, where is your base located? That’s where you guys store all of the money you stole right? It would be better for all of us if you just answer me honestly and save us all the time . I don’t really like torture after all so it would be nice if you decide to talk」

I said that with my usual smile but he just kept on silently looking down .

「Hmmー, I guess it can’t be helped . Did you know that the pinky finger is surprisingly important for gripping? I wonder which hand is your nondominant one?」

This time, he glared at me but he still didn’t speak .

「I seeー . Still not willing to talk huh? This really isn’t a hobby of mine so I don’t really want to go any further than this but you still won’t talk, will you?」

I took out an obsidian knife as I said that .

「What more do you want when my comrades can no longer speak!? Just kill me! You won’t get anything from me」

「I just want to know how much reward money we’ll get for turning in your captain and where you collect your loot you know? Well, we can just find out how much money he’s worth from somewhere else but do you have a base where you acc.u.mulate all of the loot you get?」

「We don’t have a base . And from the port city we last visited, the reward for turning in the captain was 5 gold coins」

「You were going to talk anyway so what was all of that for!」

A former pirate that was standing next to the enemy first mate yelled at him .

「Now now, it’s fine . It’s not particularly important after all . Even you guys kept all your money on your ship, right? We’ve already seen the loot on their ship but it wouldn’t be a big deal even if it wasn’t there so it’s fine . Well, I’m just glad I didn’t have to resort to torture . I’m not very fond of it after all . Now then, I’ll make it so that he won’t be able to talk so please hold him down okay?」

I went back to my smile as I asked the former pirates to hold him down .

「Eh? Ah, yes! Oi, you guys!」

Orca’s first mate was held by several people so I was able to finish a lot quicker than the others .

「Now then, please lock them up inside the ship」

「「「Yes sir! As you command Maou-sama!」」」

「……uh, sorry for threatening you earlier . You can continue acting as you did before . You’re tired of talking like that right? 」

「No we’re not . We’ve been acting rudely until now so even if it’s just to save our lives…… I mean it’s to show how grateful we are that you spared our lives!」

Why did you correct yourself just now? I guess it’s impossible to change how they call me for a while . Well, I should still apologize anyway .

「Um, I apologize for scaring you earlier . Please just continue treating me like you did before」

「I-is that an order?」

「It’s a request . Well, I felt like what I did was too much . It was a necessary measure though . I mean, if a Demon Lord does anything that grabs bad rep, they’ll send out the hero, right? Even with that said though, if I just kill them all, we would lose out anyway since we won’t be getting money . Ah! I know . You said earlier that I wasn’t acting tense at all, right? I was just making it look like that . Aw geez, you didn’t know how tense I was~」

「…………」

They looked at each other for a while then the person who usually takes an initiative cut in .

「If you say so then it can’t be helped . We’ll act like usual」

「Thanksー」

Un . It’s good that I was able to use this opportunity to make things go back to how it was .

After that, I moved to the place where we were housing the women who were being used as the pirates’ playthings .

I stood at a place where I won’t be able to look inside, knocked on the door, then waited for someone to come out .

「Yes? Do you need something?」

No one came out though, they just spoke through the door .

「Should I bring hot water? Do you need more clean rags? Were there enough clothes for them to change into?」

I could hear them discussing something inside then after a while they gave me a reply .

「Some hot water would be goodー」

「Got it . I’ll get a pot to put the hot water in . After I’m done filling it, I’ll knock twice then leave it by the door so please wait for a while before taking it . I’ve also brought some of the soap that I’ve made so please try to use it」

「I understand . Thank you for your concern」

I brought over a pot used for cooking, filled it with hot water, knocked on the door then walked away .

「It would be a waste if I don’t resume making the cookies, wouldn’t it? Should I add a bit more sugar for the kids? I’m no longer in the mood to make it though」

While muttering that, I added a bit more sugar to the dough, kneaded it again, then tossed it into the stone oven . I also took some of the hard biscuits, grounded them up then boiled them in hot water with salt to make some gruel to bring to the women .

I knocked again, stood at a place where I can’t and won’t be seen from inside, then waited for a reply but n.o.body answered .

「Um, I brought some sweets and some food that’s easy on the stomach . If possible, I would like you to take it . Sweets can help to calm down the spirit you know?」

The door was opened a bit after I said that so I handed over the pot of gruel, the plates, and some cookies through the crack on the door .

「I’ll leave the treatment of their physical and mental injuries to you . If any strong-willed women would like to take revenge, please let me know . I will help them as much as I possibly can」

「We understand . If there is someone who says they want that, we’ll send them to you Caam-san」

「Also, after they finish eating, please keep the utensils at a place that’s out of reach . When you go to sleep, please make sure that you secure the door so that n.o.body can enter nor escape . We don’t want any incidents to happen after all」

After all of that, I went back to my house then sat down on the floor feeling all gloomy . Wulf who came from behind sat down beside me so I patted his head .

□

「Um . That hand I saw just now, are there Demonkin here?」

One of the women meekly asked .

「Ohー, that was this island’s Demon Lord」

「Ah, you idiot!」

There was a short shriek that came after that but the woman continued .

「It’s fine, it’s fine . That Demon Lord acts more like a human than a Demonkin you know? We were also slaves but from the very beginning, he gave us warm meals and even removed our shackles . We didn’t have much at first, not even beddings, but he never forced us to do hard labor, and we’re given days off . Since there was no bathing area, he drew water so that it’s closer to us and he even made sure that we wouldn’t be a.s.saulted by the men . He hasn’t used any of us for pleasure as well」

「Is that true? Even though he’s a Demon Lord?」

「That’s right . He’s also good at cooking and can even make sweets . He’s kind to children as well」

As she said that, she took a bite out of the cookie that was handed to her .

「……delicious」

「Right? No matter how you put it, that Demonkin is the one that works the hardest here . I don’t think you will believe what I said right away but just know that you’re safe here . You can freely use this place so take your time eating this gruel then go to sleep to ease your mind and body okay? We’ll be at the corner of the room so please let us know if there’s anything you need」

「Yes . Thank you」

「Still, I can’t accept that he’s even better at cooking and making sweets than us women」

After that conversation, the five women ate, and then they must have felt relieved, since they immediately fell asleep .

□

「We need to talk 」

After I’ve sorted out my thoughts, I decided to have a conversation with everyone except the children before we had dinner .

「This is about the women that we rescued today . Women who went through that kind of experience would usually end up being afraid of all men . Even such a small thing as a man coming close to them would make them recall all the bad things they experienced causing them to throw up or even collapse . Because of that, the men should avoid trying to speak with them . Please only speak when you’re spoken to . If it’s absolutely necessary, please make sure you have a woman together with you . It will provide them a bit of relief and it will also serve to prevent any accidents . Please understand that this is a kind of illness so I hope that everyone will cooperate . Well then, let’s eat, shall we?」

After dinner, I was interrogated by the old men about what I did to the pirates . Since they would find out eventually anyways, I decided to just tell them all about it .