Ch.282282. Pleasure Cult and Drug Dealers

In the distant past on Earth, drugs were quite commonly used.

In the underdeveloped medical context of that time, the immediate effects of drugs were nothing short of divine, and despite knowing vaguely about side effects, they were used anyway due to a lack of alternatives.

Moreover, most medicines of that era came with side effects comparable to those of drugs, so ultimately, before entering the modern era in earnest, drugs were simply used….

Even after entering the modern era beyond the 19th century, drugs continued to be used in various places.

“Vin Mariani,” a wine mixed with cocaine, was a hit product of the era, favored by Queen Victoria of England and Thomas Edison.

It was so beloved by Popes Leo XIII and Pius X that they kept it in flasks and drank it whenever they had time.

Before 1929, Coca-Cola truly contained cocaine as its name “Coca” Cola suggests, and even now, coca leaves with all drug components removed are used for flavor in Coca-Cola.

“Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup,” a popular product used to quiet crying babies and help them sleep, was a household staple in American and European homes until the early 19th-20th centuries….

This “Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup” contained opium and morphine as ingredients.

Additionally, methamphetamine—used as a stimulant like modern energy drinks during and after World War II—was kept as emergency medicine in the German army until the 1970s.

The East German military used methamphetamine for air force pilots in emergencies until as late as 1988.

In 19th century America, marijuana’s status was similar to today’s Tylenol, a kind of over-the-counter medicine.

Other drugs like cocaine, morphine, and heroin were openly sold in pharmacies.

The fact that marijuana became illegal just under 100 years ago by today’s standards proves how frequently drugs were used in actual history.

People of the past weren’t particularly foolish, so they roughly recognized the addictiveness and dangers….

Yet there were specific reasons why drugs were so widely used throughout history.

First, non-drug medicines weren’t necessarily safer, and above all, drugs guaranteed definite effects in certain areas.

But…how would drugs be treated in a fantasy world?

With a priest’s healing magic, severed limbs can be reattached, incurable diseases or congenital disabilities can be effortlessly healed, and even the dead can be resurrected.

Of course, not everyone can easily receive such priestly treatment, so most countries still use opium for first aid purposes, but…

What about the Dawn Empire, where priests’ public healing services are well-established?

No matter what injury one has, visiting a temple of the Vengeance Order ensures dedicated treatment, and even for serious injuries, they prioritize treatment even if it means summoning higher-ranking priests.

Even if someone dies, they provide free resurrection magic as a form of national healthcare, and anyone who visits a temple can at least receive “treatment,” regardless of what happens afterward.

Therefore, in the Dawn Empire, where medical drugs are unnecessary, possession, distribution, manufacturing, and use of all types of drugs are strictly regulated for any reason.

It’s almost an open secret that the Heresy Inquisition has a department dedicated solely to drug-related matters, and it’s quite famous that a high-ranking official who reached the position of minister was turned into a bloody eagle totem for involvement in drug trafficking.

The Dawn Empire’s approach to drugs, with the motto “No tolerance,” is quite understandable given the vicious drugs circulating in this world.

Particularly, the drugs of the Sodomia Gomorio Blutas Pleasure Cult or the worshippers of “Lust” are incredibly dangerous.

Increasing sensitivity or pleasure upon consumption is child’s play; for a drug to be properly recognized among them, it must increase sensitivity by at least 3,000 times.

At this level, even without doing anything, just having clothes or wind brush against you causes terrible orgasms, making one sincerely wish for death.

Even this is merely cute compared to the drugs they commonly use.

Drugs that disrupt the nervous system to make pain feel like pleasure, drugs that forcibly connect soul wavelengths to make one feel the same stimulation as another, drugs that amplify sexual desire to extremes, making one worse than a beast in heat.

And drugs that convert all external stimuli into pain, causing intense pain whenever emotions are felt—these are what circulate among them.

Moreover, the vast majority of these drugs are often processed potions with the magical effects of “Pleasure,” naturally giving them magical properties that make them impossible to detoxify through conventional treatment methods.

Therefore, in the Dawn Empire, which enforces drug control perhaps excessively—

‘…Fucking idiots.’

Several Heresy Inquisitors who had rushed to the scene after receiving reports of drug “observation” were now examining the situation through magic, wearing expressions of disbelief.

“Ah…♡! Ah ah! Ah ah ah…!”

“[CENSORED]”

They looked with contemptuous eyes at the fools collapsed on the floor, making embarrassing sounds.

※ ※ ※

Here, there is a merchant group called “Jasa Trading Company” that specializes in trade with the Yamato Kingdom.

They mainly sell the Empire’s magical items in exchange for local specialties and art pieces, but…

In reality, they were a pleasure cult formed by a group of medium-sized “Pleasure” worshippers.

“Praise the Two-Faced One!”

“Scream! Rejoice! Until your breath stops!!”

“Ahhh…Beautiful One…!!”

Their goal was to spread pleasure cult drugs in the cities of the Dawn Empire, which opposes “Pleasure,” turning them into extremes of corruption and surrender.

Then, by offering these corrupted cities, they hoped to gain the favor of “Pleasure” and obtain even more pleasure.

Of course, carelessly spreading drugs would obviously lead to capture and execution by the Heresy Inquisitors, so they planned to distribute drugs during the upcoming Soul Festival celebration.

On this public holiday commemorating the dead, a festive atmosphere prevails with drinking parties everywhere, and many companies and stores distribute free alcohol—

Jasa Trading Company planned to participate in the free alcohol distribution event and mix various drugs into the drinks.

Since free alcohol distribution is an unofficial event, there’s no prior verification process, and even in a strict environment, the atmosphere would surely lighten during the festival.

“How is my plan?”

“””””It’s perfect! Cult leader!!”””””

Thus, they stacked drugs secretly brought into the basement of Jasa Trading Company and could barely contain their excitement as they listened to the plan of their leader, who was also the head of the trading company.

Craving—what dominated them was an endless craving for pleasure.

So, to create drug-laced alcohol for distribution during the festival, they joyfully opened the lid of a container filled with portioned drugs in the sealed basement—

Here, there’s something important to know.

Many potion-based drugs used by pleasure cults are not only easily degraded in liquid state, but also appear so weak in liquid form that they’re usually detected during quarantine.

Therefore, “Pleasure” worshippers typically solve this by gasifying the drugs, then magically processing them to compress enormous amounts of drug gas into containers as small as cans for distribution.

But these people, not knowing this properly, thought the drugs were in liquid form in the container and simply opened the lid—

As a result, the compressed drug gas inside spread everywhere, causing a disaster.

To make matters worse, they opened the container in a sealed basement.

Fortunately, the drug gas completely decomposes after about a day to eliminate evidence, but…

“……..Ah.”

“[CENSORED]”

“[CENSORED] [CENSORED] [CENSORED]”

“[CENSORED] [CENSORED]”

A day was enough time for these 30 men to become “intimate” in various senses—

—and for their nervous systems to be completely destroyed from inhaling massive amounts of drugs through their respiratory systems, resulting in only two survivors when they were discovered days later.

“Ah…♡! Ah ah! Ah ah ah…!”

“[CENSORED]”

Even these two were found in a miserable state, moaning unpleasantly while on the verge of death.

Such was the typical end for drug addicts.