Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.39 – The Two Men Go All the Way (3)
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Lee Han's Lie Detection Function was a skill even Isis acknowledged.
His hearing picked up heartbeats, and his sense of touch caught the slightest movements.
His sense of smell and taste could detect not just the scent of sweat, but even the faint odor of deception—the subtle shifts in hormones.
His vision detected minute muscle relaxations, pupil contractions, and the body's faint tremors.
Finally, his sixth sense aided in overall judgment and decision-making.
In this way, Lee Han's lie detection ability was a 'technique' that mobilized every sense.
But while it was easy to describe in words, using it in everyday life was extremely difficult.
Because it involved reading information with all senses at once, the accumulated stress and fatigue were immense.
Abusing it could even make his head spin.
Perhaps this proved that great power came with a fitting price?
Thus…
"First question. If you know whether the exiled mages from the Magic Tower are alive or dead, can you track their locations as well?"
"……."
The mongrel shook his head vigorously in denial.
As if to say no.
Zing.
…For a split second, there was a faint whiff of sweat and a fishy sensation.
"I see. So you can."
"!??!"
"Second question. Then, can you track their locations right now?"
"……."
"Hmm…."
The mongrel invoked his right to silence.
It was probably his first lie, meant to test Lee Han's detection ability.
True to form as a spellcaster, a cunning move.
A resolute determination not to react further.
It was clearly a tricky situation, but Lee Han…
"I see. So you can."
"!!!"
…didn't care if the bastard stayed silent.
Bodily reactions couldn't be hidden simply by showing no response.
Even without an answer, he could glean plenty from subtle changes in body odor, heartbeat, muscle tremors, pupil dilation, and breathing.
Combining that information into certainty was his sixth sense—or as it could be called, 'judgment'.
For three years—no, for more than half his life in a sense—he had been entangled with spellcasters, devoting himself to fighting them.
As the saying went, you master what you hate.
Antis badmouthing celebrities in his past life became experts on the stars they despised just to tear them down.
And Lee Han was the ultimate 'anti of antis', despising and hating mages more than anyone in the world.
He could be called an appraiser and expert at discerning mages' true natures.
—I'm not wrong.
Lee Han firmly trusted the information and judgment he'd obtained, impressing it upon himself like a mantra.
Without the slightest shake.
With the conviction that he was the world's greatest mage detector.
And so.
"Is the Magic Tower still in contact with the outlaw mages?"
"Does the Magic Tower have devices to monitor, track, or communicate with outlaw mages?"
"Did you come to the kingdom not just to meet Irene Windler, but also to meet outlaw mages?"
"Do you have impure intentions toward Irene Windler?"
"Are you planning to carry out terrorism in the kingdom?"
"Are the Empire and the Magic Tower plotting to attack Pendragon?"
A barrage of questions.
Drip…
Before long, cold sweat trickled down, and Lee Han's head throbbed slightly, but he didn't stop asking.
A near-mad obsession.
A determination to uncover the mages no matter what—or rather, to know everything.
"…Ugh, ugh…!"
The mongrel, Huey de Baylor, trembled in fear.
The opponent's terrifying obsession, madness, and murderous intent toward mages drenched him in terror.
It felt like a vow to eradicate mages root and stem, and before this momentum, Huey de Baylor finally…
"Guhhh…."
Thud…!
…rolled his eyes back and fainted.
"…Damn punk, such a drama queen. You're making me want to die."
Foam at the mouth made it look like a somewhat rough faint.
Lee Han clutched his aching head from the headache, frowning.
His own head hurt like hell, so why did this guy cooperating with the investigation suddenly roll his eyes and pass out?
Typical spellcasters—weak in both mind and body.
Lee Han chugged the iced coffee and milk tea, everything left.
His throat was parched beyond belief.
At that moment, the cafe's patrons fell suddenly silent.
Just moments ago, ordinary housewives, laborers, and part-time girls had all stopped smiling or chatting.
And then.
"…I'd faint too in his shoes. No, I think it's impressive he only fainted."
One man approached.
A man with a weary face, but eyes calm and sharply gleaming—a figure of considerable stature.
Lee Han calmly thanked the one who'd helped him.
"Thanks."
"No need, sir. Glad to be of service, Sir Lee Han."
Simon, chairman of the Pendragon Guild Union.
He was also the one who'd hired every customer and staff in the cafe today.
"I'll settle up later."
"Haha, no need at all. Ah, and you should move soon. Guild soldiers are diverting other troops from entering the cafe, but they can't hold them off forever."
"…Got it."
With that, Lee Han shouldered the fainted mage and leisurely exited the cafe.
With unhurried steps, as if in no rush.
Watching him go until the end, Simon muttered.
"…What a scary guy."
Simon had watched the entire interrogation from start to finish.
Ruthless?
No, beyond ruthless—something more.
Like gazing into roaring flames, with the mage flailing as if engulfed.
If Simon had been in his shoes, he'd bet he couldn't last a second before fainting or wetting himself.
That frightening.
Ghosts or evil spirits would seem cuter by comparison.
"Whew, I really need to stay on good terms with that guy."
Having once been his enemy, he'd learned that ruthlessness—and the more he knew, the scarier it got.
Simon stuck out his tongue, thinking if asked who was the scariest person in his life, it'd be that man.
Munch munch.
Leaving the cafe, Lee Han pulled a lunchbox from his bag and ate.
A lunch prepared by the maid.
"…Tasty."
As expected of the maid.
She might suck at housework, but her cooking was top-notch—a thoroughly satisfying meal.
Whoosh!
Perhaps thanks to the heartfelt meal, his fatigued body and mind from overusing his senses recovered somewhat, and Lee Han stretched.
Feeling like…
Half a day, or at least three hours of rest, and I'll be good.
Calculating his recovery time precisely, Lee Han decided to find a spot for light rest.
Where to? The black dog's place? Or the timid one's hideout?
Thanks to his good disciples, he had plenty of options for a quick break.
Or maybe drop by both and check on them?
He needed to hide the body, but also had questions for those two.
Questions like whether this had happened before regression or in the game story…
He needed to resolve those doubts, and if it was an event that hadn't originally occurred, it made sense to pinpoint where things went wrong.
As Lee Han pondered his choices.
Halt.
"……."
…A new option appeared, forcing him to stop.
Wrapped in cloth to conceal it, but the eye-catching load(?) made him stick to less-traveled paths.
Yet directly ahead, a man stared at him.
None other than.
"We meet a lot? Not thrilled about it."
"Fellow alumnus."
Lark de Dylon.
A knight of Galahad whose name stuck perfectly in Lee Han's notoriously poor memory was blocking his path.
As if he'd known and waited for him to come this way.
"…No time for you. I'm busy."
Lee Han showed no regard for his presence, striding forward unimpeded, but as he tried to pass…
"'Galahad's safe house' is nearby."
"……."
"You look like you need rest. Our safe house would be perfect. Even has a medicinal hot spring."
"Hrrm…."
Unlike him, resorting to wheedling, and Lee Han swallowed a groan.
Already desperate for rest, the mention of a hot spring shook him badly.
Whether he knew it or not, hot springs were one of his hobbies.
And the guy landed a follow-up.
"Plus, high-quality milk and ice cream."
"Come on, how old do you think I am to fall for that? Ridiculous…."
Lee Han found the guy's final boast laughable.
Of course, he knew high-quality milk and ice cream in this world cost a fortune, and were incredibly rich-tasting and healthy to boot—but still, he wasn't a kid to cave to that?
Thinking the guy wasn't much of a talker either, Lee Han…
"What're you waiting for? Lead the way."
"……."
"Why?"
…hadn't caved to the hot spring or premium ice cream.
Merely, begging his young disciples looked bad, while fleecing a rich guy pricked his conscience less.
So nothing to feel guilty about—
"Wipe your drool, you thug."
"……."
…But overlooking this was the way of the jianghu.