Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Improving the Constitution of a Modern Man (10)
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The winter banks of the Myre River were utterly desolate.
Water birds scurried about among the yellowed, withered reeds in search of food, and when a sharp wind blew, the snow-laden bushes rustled, occasionally revealing the entrance to a raccoon's winter den.
"Definitely... not easy to spot."
Bang! Click!
The loud noise sent the flock of birds scattering in a flurry.
A short man in a black coat snapped several photos of the reed beds with a large camera, then pushed through them to uncover the hidden cave.
With the police department officially closing the investigation, no one was left guarding the site for fear of contamination.
The police announcement stated not only the capture of the individual kidnapper but also a commitment to rooting out the mysterious organization known as the White Crow Unit.
The man lit a lantern and scanned the cave interior before pulling a document binder from his bag—the investigation files stored within police headquarters.
He meticulously compared the photos inside the binder with the cave's features.
"Graffiti on that wall..."
The gruesome words, too vile to repeat, had evidently been scrubbed away by the constables. Beneath an unusually clean section of cave wall stood the large rock where Miss Braithner had been found.
The man began measuring his paces from the rock to the cave entrance.
"Low ceiling, but considerable depth. Roughly thirty steps."
Pacing back and forth while inspecting the floor, he compared faint bloodstains to the photographs.
"They definitely said he crawled along the ground."
Lucas Redan had testified that he'd been gravely wounded in a fight with the kidnapper, then crawled to the entrance screaming for help after the perpetrator fled.
The man read the report's description of Lucas Redan's injuries, then traced the same pattern over his own clothing with his hand.
"The perp flees abruptly, leaving behind an opponent this badly wounded. Clearly didn't finish him off."
Lucas Redan claimed the kidnapper had fled into the reeds clutching the weapon used to stab him.
"But snow fell that night, obliterating the tracks."
The man dropped to his stomach at the cave mouth and peered outside.
"Even with moonlight, you couldn't see the reeds, let alone your own nose."
He brushed himself off and stood, speaking dryly.
"Perjury. No—staged incident."
But why?
Stab yourself for an uncertain payoff?
Just a fool with unbreakable willpower?
Or... what if the whole thing was a lie from start to finish?
Yet the circumstances fit together too perfectly for that.
The man quietly pulled out a pen and began jotting notes in his notebook.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A massive creature resembling a lizard waddled about.
Its beautiful golden scales gleamed under the chandelier's light.
A flickering scarlet tongue darted through the air, paired with delicate blue eyes like fine glasswork.
A exceedingly rare lifeform with the power to captivate any beholder.
It was a gold dragon.
But the moment anyone laid eyes on this stunning creature, pity would cross their face.
Its right wing was grotesquely twisted, hanging limply in an unsightly manner.
A disability from an accident in its youth.
Unable to balance properly, it shuffled awkwardly, its right wingtip dragging across the glossy marble floor, scales scraped off to expose raw flesh.
Yet no one dared mock it.
For this gold dragon was none other than the Leader's pet, "Crieseus."
A tall man with golden hair and blue eyes lounged in a vast bubble bath.
Known to be sixty, he was actually five years older.
But his sharp jawline, smooth skin without a single wrinkle, and perfectly maintained thick mane made him look like a man in his twenties.
Thanks to the myriad magical perks reserved for Schupaven's supreme leader.
After a time of silent contemplation with eyes closed, he slowly rose.
Water droplets trailed from him as uniformed attendants rushed to towel him dry and drape a robe over his shoulders.
Without a word, he spread his arms, and Crieseus waddled over to nestle into them.
"Good boy."
Krüger smiled, stroking the smooth scales.
A place where everything bent to Great Leader Krüger's will—a miniature of Schupaven's order.
This was the heart of Lüdelheim: the Leader's residence.
"Eve."
Krüger spoke as he wandered the vast bedroom in just his robe. The woman shadowing him bowed slightly.
"Yes, Leader."
"What do you think? About that fellow."
"The man who rescued Miss Braithner?"
"Yes."
The Leader replied lightly and extended a hand; she politely offered one of the document binders from her arms.
A report from the elite guard Feroint.
His eyes skimmed the words "possibility of perjury."
All documents produced in Lüdelheim flowed to the Leader's residence—even from those unaware.
Separate from direct reports, Krüger had read the files on the young man's heroic rescue of the kidnapped woman and let out a scoff.
It reeked of suspicion.
To prevent public unrest, he'd ordered the police to resolve it swiftly while dispatching his own investigators.
His elite guard Feroint was far more reliable than the ragtag police.
And today came the report: Lucas Redan appeared to have staged self-harm for a bigger reward.
A delighted smile played on the Leader's lips.
'Desperate to survive, even like that?'
A human groveling in the muck for the tiniest gain.
How could that not be amusing?
"Give him a medal."
"Yes, Leader."
"Package that street rat into something presentable and treat him like a hero. The public will eat it up.
"Wise words, sir."
If he'd gone to such lengths for more money and attention, then let him have it.
"Overlook it. It's entertaining."
The Leader set Crieseus down with a grin.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "A fight with the kidnapper, eh? Fine theater."
Lucas Redan's shoulders stiffened at the whisper-like tenor.
His complexion had never been great, but in an instant, all color drained from his face, leaving him corpse-like.
His eyes darted wildly, unable to focus, then began shaking madly.
"L-L-Leader, I... I never lied...!"
His fading voice was drowned by the noisy crowd.
"I... I just... to ease Miss Braithner's plight... no, to alleviate your worries, Leader... as a loyal citizen, I only did what was natural...!"
As he babbled incoherently and swayed on the verge of collapse, I reached out to steady his shoulder.
"Why so tense?"
"I-I deserve death...!"
Krüger's lips curved softly at the thrilling shiver creeping from his toes.
'Beautiful.'
He enjoyed his army's precise obedience below him, every nod or gesture effortlessly executed.
But a lowly creature weeping, begging over a trifle—ecstatic perfection.
This wretched, frail thing...
"Keep up the good work."
Krüger gently turned Lucas Redan around and smiled for the cameras.
The cheers swelled.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Ugh, this place again. Getting old."
Those were my first words as the blindfold came off.
A stark, empty square concrete room with just two chairs.
A very familiar face sat across from me, smoking.
I gave a nod to Lieutenant Philipp Decker, who'd removed my blindfold. He smirked and left the room, whereupon Captain Johann Werner offered me a cigarette.
"Thanks."
I replied dryly and lit up. My eardrums, ruptured from the Leader's roar earlier, throbbed painfully.
Slight ringing and dizziness.
'Gotta ask Richard to disinfect it. Probably just a minor tear anyway...'
As I finished my smoke lost in thought, Johann finally spoke.
"Must be an honor. The Leader suspects you enough to order a personal interrogation."
"What bullshit is that?!"
I shot back reflexively, then chuckled.
"Yeah, no clue how, but he sniffed out the self-harm."
"Anything more?"
"Dunno."
When Krüger mocked it as "theater," I thought I'd faint dead away.
It wasn't some movie-script masterpiece due to time and budget limits, but I'd given it my all.
I couldn't fathom how the staging got exposed, reaching even the Leader.
But in that split-second mental scramble, it hit me: once he took interest, this was inevitable.
'So that's why I was so uneasy?'
Was that the source of my bad feeling? I rolled my eyes like a clueless fool while my mind raced.
'Fight with kidnapper. Theater. Theater? Leader wasn't angry. Just amused. And contemptuous.
If he'd uncovered the White Crow Unit as fabricated, linked to missing persons cases and Erika's kidnapping, he'd be furious.
In the mountains of data Lucas pored over, Krüger was narcissistic and emotional yet colder than anyone. He'd never tolerate defiance...
So that smile—was it pity for a pathetic youth clawing for his notice?'
Conclusion drawn, I shuddered violently, channeling fear and despair.
To the nation's top power, I was...
A bungling hero-wannabe craving newspaper glory and extra reward money.
A foolish youth slashing his own flesh for petty reasons.
'Yes, mock me. I'll be even more groveling, more idiotic.'
I poured my soul into trembling under scrutiny, my clumsy facade fully exposed.
Praying to be etched as utterly worthless, worm-like.
Harmless to him entirely.
"...And it worked."
Johann fell silent after my measured words.
"Sure about that?"
His cold question came. I shrugged.
"If it hadn't, would I be sitting here? Otherwise, he'd have ordered Ossel in the 13th District to dig out the truth. Hell, he'd have shot me on the spot—or knifed me on the way home..."
Of course, Krüger wouldn't personally command Johann. Just order Ossel to handle it.
That's why, after bragging my medal to Mrs. Schmidt and sleeping soundly, I'd been dragged here under "follow-up investigation."
"Krüger planned to use me from the start. Just look at that speechmaster handing me the medal with an impromptu address.
After such fanfare, punishing or killing me would confuse the public. Sure, he could cover it up, but why bother?
So through Ossel—you—"
"Quietly uncover the truth and release me?"
I nodded casually.
"More precisely, your superior—the colonel? It'll be his job."
Johann laughed coldly.
"He ignores trivialities, even Leader's orders. Too busy raging to crush the White Crow Unit."
"Really? Prioritizing real 'loyalty' over the Leader's favor? Rare breed. Anyway."
I stretched and straightened up.
"Let's start the investigation."
For a while, only my mumbling echoed in the concrete room.
"I wanted to seem like I'd done something greater. There was no kidnapper. When I found Miss Braithner, I suddenly craved the praise... So I staged a brawl with the cave knife. Nearly died for real, so I crawled out for help. Tossed the knife in the river to avoid detection..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Krüger smirked as he read the statement. Then promptly erased it from his mind.