Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: The Debrainwashing Plan
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Elbert Tiran's command was systematic.
He left only the minimum personnel at the rift in case of any unforeseen incidents and withdrew everyone else.
The relatively unharmed soldiers began carrying the wounded and the bodies of the dead back to the temporary camp.
We followed suit and quickly returned to camp.
‘He’s a capable commander.’
Even without experiencing it firsthand, it was clear that leading this many people wasn’t easy.
It required leadership, inclusivity, smooth communication, extensive battlefield knowledge, and more—not to mention the overwhelming force needed to maintain control.
Above all, what I valued most was flexibility in command.
Elbert Tiran had it.
‘If he were rigid, he would’ve shot down both the resident rescue from District 7 and our push to the front lines.’
Appropriate judgment in the right situation.
His earlier actions had already proven his flexibility.
As long as he continued commanding here, I wouldn’t need to interfere much.
Back at the temporary camp, I set aside those worries and turned to other thoughts.
‘……Now I need to solve that problem.’
There was still one issue left.
The treatment of the District 7 residents we’d successfully rescued.
Truth be told, this was the biggest problem.
“Absolutely no human experimentation.”
For now, I’d convinced Elbert by saying we might be able to resolve Asmodeus’s ability.
I had no choice since I needed a valid reason.
But if that truly was the goal…… we could end up conducting human experiments on the residents to counter Asmodeus’s power.
For Kayla’s sake—no, to preserve at least the basic dignity of human beings—I had to prevent that at all costs.
But how?
As I pondered that.
“Hm? What human experimentation are you talking about?”
Barundel, who’d been checking his gear nearby, asked.
It seemed I’d accidentally voiced my thoughts aloud.
‘Barundel’s someone I can trust.’
Maybe he could help, so I shared my concerns.
Barundel was a dwarf with far more depth than his appearance suggested.
After listening intently, he nodded gravely.
“Hmm, so that’s how it is. Those were the missing District 7 residents…… Quite the shock. I get what you’re worried about.”
“Any ideas on how to handle it?”
“Hmm.”
Barundel rubbed his temple with his stubby finger.
Of course, I wasn’t expecting much.
I’d just thrown it out there, figuring there was no harm in asking.
But then.
“How about this?”
Unexpectedly, Barundel offered a solution.
“We try undoing the brainwashing ourselves. That way, they won’t need to study the residents, right? Countering the legion commander’s power would be a bonus.”
“……Pardon?”
It was an answer I hadn’t even considered.
Yet for some reason.
His words felt like a ray of hope.
“……Huh, that actually makes sense?”
At first, it sounded absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
If we could break the brainwashing, there’d be no more issues.
Plus, solving something this critical would earn us major merit points.
In simple terms, the kind of 4-star merit awarded for actions that turn the tide of battle.
We could aim for that.
Of course, it was still just hopeful thinking for now.
Still.
“Shall we give it a try?”
It was definitely worth attempting.
***
Late at night, with everyone asleep except those guarding the rift.
War had begun, so there was no soft moonlight—only the solitary red moon hung in the sky.
Pat pat pat.
Barundel and I rose silently, held our breath, and slipped out of the building.
What we were about to do blatantly violated military law, so we had to avoid detection at all costs.
The first words we exchanged were at the entrance to the temporary detention center.
“This the place?”
“Yes, they said they’re holding them here.”
This temporary detention center was originally for rebels who defied orders or unidentified stragglers, but now it housed the District 7 residents.
And the reason we’d come here.
‘We just need to extract one.’
To sneak out one of the residents brainwashed by Asmodeus.
We needed a subject to break the brainwashing.
In a way, we were doing the human experiments Elbert might have conducted……
‘But I’ll only try safe methods.’
It was still better than Elbert, who didn’t even treat the District 7 residents as people.
Anyway, inside the detention center we’d infiltrated.
The two-story interior was entirely lined with iron bars.
Inside, the District 7 residents slept deeply, just like the soldiers.
Even brainwashed, they couldn’t fight basic human instincts like the need for sleep.
“Let’s go with this guy.”
After scouting around, I pointed out a man first.
Barundel checked him and nodded.
“Young, sturdy build—perfect.”
“Right?”
I’d deliberately chosen someone robust.
Breaking brainwashing from the legion commander’s power would be grueling.
The subject needed the stamina to endure it.
Once we’d selected him, things moved quickly.
“I’ll open the cell door.”
“You can do it?”
“For a dwarf with blacksmith blood, this is child’s play.”
I didn’t get how blacksmith blood related to picking locks, but he looked confident.
I nodded without pressing further.
“Then I’ll move the guy. Please.”
“Got it.”
Barundel moved to the cell door, and I stood silently behind him, gathering mana.
Whoom.
A small light flickered at my fingertips, illuminating the door.
All I could do now was pray Barundel succeeded quietly.
I swallowed dryly without realizing.
‘Please……’
Honestly, it wasn’t easy.
Picking the lock was one thing, but doing it silently was another.
If we made noise here……
Gulp.
All the residents inside would wake up.
From there, it was obvious what would happen.
‘……We’d be done for.’
Countless residents causing chaos, and we’d be dragged before Elbert, unable to move.
We might not even get to attempt debrainwashing—instead, we could end up detained and sidelined from the war.
Sure, every bit of manpower was precious now, so it wasn’t highly likely, but still.
We had to be extra careful.
As those thoughts raced through my mind.
Click.
The lock opened.
Barundel had succeeded flawlessly.
And quickly, too.
“Whoa! How did you……?”
“These locks are simpler than they look. Once you understand the mechanism, opening them isn’t hard.”
“Impressive as ever, dwarves.”
“Heh heh, it’s not the dwarf—it’s me.”
Barundel’s lips curved up at the praise.
I stepped past him into the cell.
Our chosen subject lay sprawled in the center, fast asleep.
I crept forward carefully.
Even with good intentions, sneaking like this felt like assassin training.
‘I might have a talent for this.’
Shaking off the idle thought, I cautiously approached and lifted the man.
No matter how careful, though.
Flash!
Without sedatives, he inevitably woke.
But we were prepared.
I immediately channeled mana.
Tsss!
An opaque barrier enveloped his face.
[Silent Barrier].
The spell Roan had used when we first met at the central library.
I’d only seen it once, so I couldn’t cast it over a wide area like him, but covering one face was easy enough.
“*^$@*&!!”
The man yelled something, but [Silent Barrier] muffled it completely.
Come to think of it, I could’ve used this while picking the lock.
‘Hm, I worried for nothing. This spell’s more useful than I thought.’
Deciding to refine it later when I had time, I started moving.
Just when everything seemed to be going smoothly.
“Uh……!”
Thud!
Barundel, following behind me, suddenly tripped.
“B-Barundel!”
“S-Sorry. This guy shifted suddenly and hooked my foot……”
“You should’ve dodged! You’re the one training my body—can’t you handle that?”
“……Sorry.”
Apologies meant nothing now.
I quietly scanned the surroundings, holding my breath.
The fall had made quite a noise, but luckily, no one woke……
“Uwaaaah!”
“People! It’s people!”
Sigh. Of course it couldn’t go that perfectly.
Starting with one nearby, they woke one by one.
Their eyesight had long since recovered, so they could see us clearly.
No choice now.
Full retreat.
“Run!”
Tadadadah!
I coated my body in electricity first and bolted out of the detention center at full speed.
Barundel followed at an astonishing pace.
The noise woke the entire center, but it didn’t matter.
Escaping was the priority.
“Stoooop!”
“Die! Die!!”
We fled the center in a panic.
But outside was chaotic too.
The alarm blared from the temporary camp buildings, soldiers pouring out and rushing this way.
We even made eye contact.
“Tch, intruders!”
“W-Wait, demons? No, humans?”
“Who are they!”
Fortunately, Barundel and I wore hasty masks, so they didn’t recognize us.
Relieved inwardly, I accelerated again.
I wanted to toss a mini flashbang to blind them…… but that’d give me away instantly.
No choice but to run.
“This way!”
Tat! Tadadadah!
I couldn’t even use electric transformation magic.
Only raw physical speed was available.
But thanks to consistent training, it was enough to shake off regular soldiers.
“Huff…… huff……!”
“G-Gone now.”
“Phew……”
We finally lost them.
Our hiding spot was the temporary camp’s second building.
Used for reinforcements during the next wave, it was empty now.
“Let’s stash him here for now.”
“Here? Won’t they find us? They’ll search every nook and cranny.”
“Don’t worry.”
I bound the man we’d grabbed and locked the door tight.
Then I channeled mana.
Whooooom!
And then.
“Huh, what?”
The door to our hiding space vanished seamlessly.
A light magic application I’d learned from Perzon.
An optical illusion using light refraction.
I added a wide [Silent Barrier] over where the door had been to block sound.
That finished it.
No one would find this space unless I released the mana.
“You can do this stuff now too?”
“For someone with a mage’s blood, it’s child’s play.”
“Hahaha……”
Barundel laughed in admiration, and I urged the next step.
“Let’s head back. Staying out too long will raise suspicions.”
“Got it.”
We returned to our assigned spots.
Maybe because the tough op had succeeded, our steps felt light.
They definitely felt light……
So why?
“Where’ve you been?”
Back at camp, the local commander, Elbert Tiran, waited with his back against the wall.
As if he’d been expecting us.
I tried an excuse in a hurry.
“J-Just to the bathroom……”
“Oh? I see.”
Damn. No way that’d work.
As I’d sensed before, Elbert Tiran was a knight with sharp instincts.