Chapter 123: Berthold

"Roy, can you do it?"

As we planned our next steps, Albert asked me if I can stall the two bodyguards for a while.

"Just one minute at most. Don't expect it to be more than that. You just need to prepare your questions that can be answered within one minute." I said to Albert.

One minute can be short, and can be long depend on what you're doing. But it won't be enough to have someone explains everything. I wonder what Albert going to ask him?

Albert then discussed something with the Prime Minister and his son about the questions to ask. I told Sonia to call Ian pretending to make them think that Ian is informing the king about them to the king to stall for time.

While the guy who seems to be the last noble we're going to ask, looked terrified about something. Must be related to the two people he brought. What are they planning to Albert?

"Roy! Hey, Roy!"

Victoria is calling me. She's now part of my outfits like usual since Albert said to not kill any nobles.

"What is it?"

"That day that you practiced gas that can make people hallucinating, what did you make Kayla see?" Victoria asked.

"I don't know. Maybe something fun or happy? She was smiling and refused to answer me after the effect is gone. Then she said to never use it on her ever again."

If she's happy, why did she refuse to have me used it on her again? I'm still wondering about it. And if I tried to use it on my own, my concentration will broke and the magic is cancelled. So I will never know the answer unless Kayla is willing to tell me. Which I won't force her to.

"I think she might be high." Victoria said.

"No she isn't. We're on the same level ground at the time."

"Not that high. A different type of high."

High but not high? What is she… ooooh, right. I'm a doctor myself so how can I forgot about it?

There was even a story in my past life that says someone break into a hospital and only steal drugs so that they can get high.

I never get high before and I hope I won't in the future.

Then Victoria continued.

"I think it's better if you said some suggestion so when they started hallucinating, what you said will happen in their mind."

"Like hypnotism? There are mages who has mental type magic that can hypnotize others. Can I do that too?"

"Well, you already able to make people hallucinating so I guess you can. Let's say something that won't make them suspicious once their consciousness return."

Victoria might be right. So if I said dancing monkey, they will start hallucinating and see a dancing monkey. What should I tell them now so they won't be suspicious once the hallucination break?

I think I know what.

"Alright. I have prepared some questions. Are you ready?" Albert said.

"Just give me the signal. Can't we just use it right away?" I asked why I can't just use it once they entered the hall.

"We need to see first if those two are here to harm us. If they're trying to harm us right away, just kill those two and we can ask Berthold everything as much as we can. If he's part of them, we will kill them all."

So his name is Berthold.

Let's hope those two bodyguards of his will attack us so we can kill them right away.

Albert called Sonia and told her that the three are permitted to enter.

"Tell Ian that I gave them all permission to enter. Also tell him to be careful toward the bodyguards."

"Alright. After this, I'll return to the inn. Just call me if you need anything."

Since Sonia has no other works to do, she told us that she'll return to the inn. I want to do that too but I'm busy. Just a few days more until all the books in the Library Tower are done. Good luck, me!

Then, the three people entered at the same time. I waited until all three of them entered and close the door. If they are planning something, they would need to wait until the door are closed.

But they didn't do anything. Which mean they are not planning to attack Albert. Maybe they are just here to observe him and the people guarding him.

The man called Berthold seems… cowardly. He kept sweating since he entered the waiting room. Be careful of hydration, dude.

And the two bodyguards are wearing a robe and their faces are hidden under the hoods of their robes.

"Berthold. Is something the matter?" Albert asked first before Berthold give him a greeting.

"No, sire. Nothing happened."

"Then why do you want to have your bodyguards here?"

As soon as Albert said that, the two bodyguards are preparing to cast their magic. Since their body is hidden under their robes, no one other than me can see it. But I gave a signal to Mustache that these two are preparing something.

"No! Nothing happened! I just… I just scared of Ninja! That's right! Ninja!"

He made some kind of excuses. And he's afraid of me? I think he's more afraid of his own bodyguards than afraid of me.

"Do you have anything happened between the two of you that resulted in Ninja wanted you died?"

"…maybe it's something that involved him indirectly?"

Yeah, maybe. Maybe I want to kill you now.

"Ninja, do you want him dead?"

Albert pointed his question at me. And the three of contestants turned their head to me. Berthold is even shrieking as if he's dying.

"No. I don't even know him."

"Berthold. This is Ninja, my childhood friend since the time I sneaked out of the palace when I was a kid. The reason he's able to sneak into the palace and killed Tim is because of my involvement. I let him in and let him kill Tim. The reason he killed Tim is because Tim… killed an innocent live. Ninja's friend. I allowed him to kill Tim is because I found out that… he has a malicious intent to my wife, the queen."

Good! Albert is good in making bullshit! But I guess the part where he allowed me to kill Tim is because Tim has feeling toward Marie is right.

Then I see that Albert is raising his right thumb up. It's time to move.

"Time Stop!"

I said that as a suggestion while putting my hands forward to the two bodyguards from behind them as soon as they returned to face Albert again and activate my magic. Now it should seem that for these two that time is stopped. They should be thinking that everyone can't move while in fact, we're still talking. I hope it works!

"Berthold. Our time is just one minute. Answer me, are you part of the cult just like these two?" Albert's interrogation started.

"Your majesty?" Berthold is confused, but Albert gave him no time to be confused.

"Just answer! Quick!"

"No! I'm not a member of that cult! They came to me three days ago as my wife's friend, and took my son hostage! If I escape and refuse to do what they want me to do, they'll kill my son! The one who's a member of that filthy cult is my wife and I never know about it until then!"

"Have you ever did a crime in which you might be arrested for and do you have something for us to use as evidence? I'll put a pretense that you are arrested because of it so we can legally attack your place and rescue your son at the same time. Then we can have more time to talk."

"That's… My father used to do slave trading in our land. I have some evidences in my home here. It's in the…"

"Good. Our time is up. Pretend we never have this talk and speak as if we have just started our chat today."

Then Albert looked at me and nodded. I guess it's time to stop my magic. It's tiring and if we continue a few more second, I will faint. This magic is too much for the weak me to use against stronger mage. I should really stop doing anything else and just return to training.

I hope when we return to Cassau, those magic stones will be turned into Air element magic stones. I really need it.

As I cancelled my magic, the two bodyguards looked like they are just woken up from a sleep. They should be thinking that time is stopped for them and they don't know about the conversation between Albert and Berthold. I hope that's the case.

"Don't worry, Berthold. Ninja won't kill you as long as told him not to. I just put him here so he can be my bodyguard for a while together with Miguel. He will return home to his village after the parade. I just asked you to come since you're not looking well these past few days. You can go home now and rest."

"Thank you, your majesty." Berthold and his bodyguards left the palace soon after.

Berthold doesn't seem to be as afraid as he was when he entered the hall.

"Finally the audition is over! Good luck in arresting him. I won't help you this time." I said.

"That's fine. It's also a good time to test the audition winners. Thinking that today is an audition instead of interrogation makes today much more interesting than usual."

"It's all in the mind. As long as you have fun, even doing something you don't like will be enjoyable."

"I guess that's true."

I said farewell to Albert and return to the library to finish the floor.

However Albert tries to arrest Berthold is not important to me. He'll speak to me if he found something interesting.