230 So I don't want to drink that.

In order to enter the basement where Ts'doari's treatment was performed, you must approach the door with a special key that Ts'doari has prepared for you. There are two keys available. One is in Solide's possession and the other is in mine.

Without this key, even if you visit the entrance to the basement, you will not even be aware of it. Conversely, if you have this key, it is just an entrance to the basement.

The door on the floor leading to the basement is charred from the fire, and I don't want to touch it, so I stomp on it with my shoe, knocking a few times. After a while, I heard the inner bolt move and Solide crawled out.

"You're in a terrible state, Solide.

It's just a house on fire, that's all. So, Ritual, how well do you know what's going on out there?

Solide took a glance around and exhaled in disgust. He must have some idea of what's going on if the house he's been living in has just burned to the ground.

Trine's army has already retreated. Smaithos has been captured and Landosle and the others are under house arrest for questioning.

"Smaithos is out of the picture? I didn't think he was that stupid.

"He's a citizen of the planet Yuggra. He can tell who's hostile to him and who isn't by the distance between them as a person. If he suddenly appears, those of us who recognize him as an enemy will have no choice but to react.

"So that means that guy just walked in and started the fire. That's quite a bold move.

Solide is laughing, but this time, the other side has achieved more. It's a lose-lose situation. What's more worrisome is that .......

"Aren't the people of Yuggra supposed to be affected by your power?

That's for sure. It's true that I've implanted a solid, if shallow, wedge of the curse. Even though it's shallow, it's causing a certain amount of mental rejuvenation. In other words, he's been doing this for a long time.

Based on the man's character, he should not have taken such a step, but in fact he did. I even think that the man has different contents in the present and the past.

Now that Smightos has been captured, information about this place will leak out in the not-too-distant future. Even if we don't have to worry about being discovered, this area will be under constant surveillance.

"Considering the number of bastards in there and the food we have, I'd say we've got about a month. I'm going out there.

I'll go back to Serendipity and get T'Dourri. I'm going to go back to Serendipity and get Tzadari. I can't protect the bastards if I lose my home. Those that can't be used in battle will have to stay in the basement for a while.

As long as Ts'doari is here, he can move to Selende's base while distracting the pursuers, just like he did with Seraes last time. It's not my intention to take anyone to headquarters who hasn't already been there, but in this state of affairs, I don't have a choice.

The only bastard who could be a combatant is Komiha, but ...... I'm sure she can handle it.

You're in charge of this place. You're in charge of this place, so I have nothing to say about dealing with those who can fight. I just don't want you to use people who can't fight for any purpose.

"That's okay. Because the value of those who can't fight is about the same as that of ordinary people living in Trinh, right? Then we'll just use the latter.

By burning down the base, Solide was able to remove the fetters. If we fight by any means, it will be those around us who will be involved. Solide's rampage would keep the enemy's attention on him until he could bring Ts'douari to him.

I know it's useless to say, but try not to push yourself too hard until I return. I can fight with you after I've asked Ts'doari to evacuate the bastard.

Our chances of winning are much better if we work together. I'm glad to hear that. That's great, but that's advice you can't take, Ritual. I'm not gonna wait and I'm not gonna let up. Because you know what? Because if I don't now, who's gonna be my next enemy?

Unlike me, Solide is not moving for a purpose, but for the purpose of moving itself. He has an enemy in front of him that he must wield power against. How can I stop someone who has gained power as a bastard and is trying to fulfill his duty?

There's something different about the movements of the people of Yugra's planet. Analyze that before you make your move.

I'll listen to you for now. It might be the last time.

This is what I get for letting Solide do his job. I'll have to make arrangements to use him up. Yeah, I guess I have to. I wasn't going to bend to Solide's will. So I'll have to stick with it to the end.

◇

So far your friend has been proceeding cautiously, but this time things have taken a tremendous step forward.

First, I asked General Odysse to help me gather a group of Thorin's soldiers to arrest Solide, who was rioting in the town, and we rode to the Horstal Trading Company. The first thing I was told was that the three of us, myself, Lord Ecdysius, and a friend, would take advantage of the commotion to investigate the inside of the company at once.

However, the Horstal Chamber of Commerce has a track record of defeating investigations by Trinh's army in the past, and I and Mister Eckdoyk said that they might be taking some sort of countermeasures. .......

It's not a problem. Then there's no problem.

And so we made our preparations, and on the day of the event. I couldn't move that far because I was guarding your friend, but Mister Eckdruk searched the house as much as he could. As a result, there was no success in finding Solide or the other bastard.

However, his friend had a different goal in mind. He had prepared a barrel full of magic seal stone fragments, which contained a large amount of flammable magic stone fragments mixed in. From the soldiers' point of view, they had no choice but to believe that it was a magic seal stone since they could not use magic because of it. Even if there were a few pieces of different colors mixed in, they would have misunderstood that it was dirty.

After investigating the last room, he stacked the books on the bed in one of the rooms, placed the burned magic stones on top of them, and set them on fire in time. The scattered magic stones ignited one after another, and the house burned down in an instant.

I didn't think they'd try to burn the whole place down to the ground.

"But only one bastard was actually captured, a bastard who was mixed up with the Horstal Trading Company. Solide was never found. ......

Solide was already on the run. He may have been the first to detect the movement of Trinh's army. But then, I have no idea where he ran off to. Perhaps he should have continued his investigation a little more carefully, and aimed for a time when he was sure that Solide would be there.

Are you dissatisfied with your people's methods?

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. "...... I am troubled by the thought that I may have destroyed all of your friend's carefully prepared plans at once. ......

I agree with that, but my people are getting results. I don't see any signs that they are concerned about anything.

While the two of you are talking, the interrogation of a bastard named Smythos is about to begin in the dungeons of Torin's garrison. His arms are bound with chains extending from the wall, and he has been forced to bite an instrument into his mouth to prevent him from committing suicide. It is only natural that we should interrogate him--

"Well, Smaithos. First, let's define the goal of what we're going to talk about. I want to know the whereabouts of Solide and any other bastards that may be out there. I don't know if he ran away or hid well, but I'm sure you have some idea. You can tell me, can't you?

"Are you stupid? What makes you think I'll answer?

Hmm? I mean, you've heard about me from Solide or Ritual or someone like that, haven't you? I'm sure you're thinking that you can't keep a secret like that from me, and that it would be more peaceful if you just told me what you know.

I've heard that he's dangerous. I've heard that he's dangerous, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to give him the information.

Your friend is talking to you with a cheerful expression. For those who know your friend, that alone may give you a chill. But from the point of view of Smythe, it's probably just an amateur interrogation with no energy whatsoever.

"Well, I'm going to do a little interrogation, but ...... I don't like this kind of thing because it requires a lot of patience. That's okay.

There's no such thing as a light or heavy interrogation.

Let's talk in stages. Let's start with my analysis of you. Your left hand, it's a poisoned hand, isn't it? That's why it's unnatural that the poison prepared by your other hand doesn't work on you. So maybe your talent as a bastard is your immunity to poison?

"......

Your character is quite provocative. I think it's more of an affectation, but people like that tend to have lived frightened lives in the past. What did the aristocracy do to you when they found out about your talent? If I use you, I can experiment with all kinds of dangerous drugs, right?

Smythos is trying his best to keep his expression intact, but even I can see that he's upset.

Next, I'll tell you what I'm thinking about this next phase. What I want to do is to eliminate the enemy, and also to stop the bad things that Ritual is up to, or something like that. Aside from the latter, the former, eliminating enemies, has several implications. For example, if you betray LITIAL and become an informant, you are no longer an enemy. You will be monitored, but that's all. Of course, if this continues, you will be an enemy and we will have to eliminate you.

"What does it matter if it's ......?

"It's not that I hate you so much that I want to kill you. It's not that I hate you so much that I want to kill you, it's that I don't care that much about you personally. It's just that I don't care that much about you personally, so I don't feel comfortable torturing you for fun or for comfort.

Oh, that's very kind of you.

That's why I'm going to use you as a tool.

"What?

Your friend took out a leather canteen, shoved it into Smyth's mouth and poured the contents in. Smaith spits it out immediately, but gurgles in pain.

What is this poison? Ugh, oh...

"Wow, you really have a resistance to poison, don't you? That's great. "Wow, you really are resistant to poison. You won't die from the poison, but you will suffer from it. How convenient.

...... What do you mean?

This poison is not meant to kill. This poison is not for killing, it's for making them suffer, it's an invention for these interrogations, to make it easier for the prisoners to suffer without killing them. It's okay if they die in the end, but you have to make them suffer enough to get them to confess, right? But there's a limit to how long you can keep trying with a criminal. I don't have a bad taste in my heart for how I'm going to torment you. You should just suffer as you feel. That's the only way to get good research results.

My friend laughed, placed a leather water bottle and a piece of parchment on the desk he had prepared, and hummed as he wrote something on the parchment.

I've prepared some kind of poison to induce vomiting this time. Didn't we just eat? Well, I'll have them ready later, okay?

Wait, wait, I want to make a deal, I want to make a deal!

Okay, fine. I'll ask you the same questions tomorrow at the same time. I've already decided to use you as a lab rat today, so I won't hear a word about you until tomorrow.

"What?

I'm sure they have some kind of water torture device here at the garrison. If so, can you bring it to me? If you have it, can you bring some? I'd like to make them drink the same amount each if possible.

Your friend turned back to us, laughing. The friend kept a cheerful smile on his face from beginning to end, as if he was enjoying the situation. .......

All right, I'll take a look. Don't go near the prisoners until we get back.

Be back by the time I finish my first observation.

Lord Eckdruk reminded the nearby guards to stop their friend if he approached the prisoner, and he and I were to search for the tools he had been told to look for.

But my people are good, aren't they? Smythos was already trying to make a deal. It will only be a matter of time before he extracts the information.

"Lord Ecduke! Are you out of your mind? Your friend has been acting like that!

He looked puzzled and then began to explain, as if he had just realized something.

It's just a potion. It's just a potion. Thanks to the abundance of larvae of the Aedes aegypti butterfly, it's not something you want to drink any more than any poison.

"...... What medicine?

"I helped mix it this morning and I can vouch for it. None of those pills contain anything harmful. They do, however, contain ingredients for medicines that are known to be extremely bitter or tasteless. I'm sure it's a new experience for Smyths, who has been experimenting with harsh medicines and poisons, because no matter how resistant you are to poisons, you can't do anything about the bad taste.

How did you do that, ......?

You're here to interrogate Smightos, aren't you? My people figured out early on that Smightos was a bastard with a strong immunity to poison and tried to scare him with a bluff.

"The bluff ...... is?

If you ask me, there's no way your friend could have concocted a poison to torment someone in such a short time. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

"It's an act to make Smightos more averse to poison by telling him about his past beforehand. After all, it is instructive to see the methods of one's own people in action.

"Doesn't your friend at ...... seem unusual to you, Mister Exdoik?

"Hmm? Of course they are abnormal, right? It's only natural, isn't it, that his people are now what they were a few years ago?

No, that's not what I mean. ...... It's just that he's a different person. ......

"In terms of personality, I suppose so. But the way you do it, you don't feel that different from your usual compatriots, do you?

That can't be true. ...... Huh? I'm not sure what to make of this. So why am I here ......?

It's not just me who has concerns about your friend, but also Lakra and Harkdock.

"......Well, no, but Harkdock is ......hmm.

I think it is not me who is strange, but Mr. Eckdoik. I have a feeling that you are the only one who is not familiar with your friend's changes.

Do you have any idea what's going on?

"There is, but ...... I'm sorry. I don't think this is something I should be talking about.

What?

I'm not sure what to say. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.

You look very surprised. ....... But I'm sorry, I think it's better if the Mixes figure this out for themselves.

"But, sir! If you leave your friend's abnormality untreated for any longer, you'll end up worrying your brother and Lord Ratzel.

"No, I don't think Marith and Ilias will be that worried.

Yeah, .......

What is it that Lord Ecdysius knows and I don't? I'm not sure what to do, but I'm not sure what to do.