Public Interrogation
The morning of a public official begins with coffee.
“Ah, Special Interrogator sir! Good morning to you.”
“Good morning.”
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Mm.”
The beans were harvested by elf slaves from the dense southern forests. Elves live for a very long time—two thousand years, they say. Most of the ones picking coffee beans are between twenty and fifty by their reckoning. In human terms, that’s adolescence. Young people just entering society are the cheapest and most exploitable labor. By elven standards it’s an atrocious violation of child labor laws, but since imperial law treats anyone over eighteen as an adult, there’s no problem.
Thanks to those immature elves being whipped day and night by racist plantation owners, I can start my mornings with a clear head.
“The aroma is excellent.”
A toast to the glorious Empire.
“Special Interrogator sir, which prisoner do you plan to use for today’s public interrogation?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Surely it has to be the Perlos princess, right? She’s royalty, so she must know plenty of secrets. And above all, she’s beautiful. Ever since we captured her, I’ve been dying to see her sobbing and blubbering.”
By the way, the one casually bragging about her peculiar tastes in everyday conversation is Sena. She’s a junior interrogator, a seventh-grade official. And yes, she’s a woman. She’s been stationed at the western border for quite a while and is learning all sorts of things.
“You seem quite satisfied with your job.”
“Of course! It’s an important duty to extract information that threatens the Empire and catch reactionaries. There’s no greater patriotism than this.”
Sena’s short bob swayed lightly. Whenever the topic of torture came up, her eyes sparkled with zealous passion. She was clearly mentally unstable, but she was diligent and very helpful.
“It’s a special position that you can’t even apply for as a ninth-grade official. I studied hard to pass the seventh-grade exam.”
“Impressive.”
“Not as impressive as you, Special Interrogator sir. I heard you were in the Information Bureau back in the capital. Is that true?”
“It is.”
The Information Bureau. In addition to the regular armies and defense forces that the imperial family operates for national security, this was an agency organized directly under the Emperor for special missions. Even I don’t really know how I ended up there. One moment I was conscious, the next the Emperor had shoved me inside. The Bureau had the authority to inspect other administrative agencies as well.
“Whoa. Then the rumor about the Black Hawk of the Imperial Court must be real.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s your nickname, Special Interrogator Phillion, sir. They say you filled an entire parade ground with the spies and reactionaries you captured.”
“Who the hell calls me that?”
“Black Hawk sir! Good morning!”
A knight heading toward the checkpoint saluted me sharply. Was I the only one who didn’t know?
“Why a hawk, of all things?”
“Um… maybe because your hair sticks out like a hawk’s?”
It does stand up rather well.
“There isn’t a single interrogator who doesn’t know the Black Hawk. My dream is to serve the country with the same patriotism as you, sir, and receive a rank directly from His Majesty.”
Try working just one day at the imperial palace. You’ll want to run away immediately.
“Later, if I get the chance, I’d love to learn your interrogation techniques. How exactly did you get those reactionaries to talk?”
“Mm.”
—This time, a spy caught smuggling secrets from the administrative branch. Any volunteers for interrogation?
—Me!
—I’ll do it!
The bureaucrats who volunteered for the Information Bureau—especially the interrogators—were all completely insane. I only handled the arrests; I dumped every single interrogation onto my subordinates. They were excellent employees who didn’t mind voluntary overtime. I pocketed the overtime pay. Two birds, one stone. Even I had to admit it was a brilliant career strategy.
Which is why I don’t know the slightest thing about actual torture techniques. No matter how you look at it, this is a barbaric medieval world without proper human rights, but before I reincarnated here I was an ordinary citizen of South Korea. I grew up under the rule of law, you know.
I’m scared of blood.
“Someday, I hope I can pass my skills on to you.”
“Really?! Yahoo!”
“If you need anything, just tell me anytime.”
“Oh, is that okay? Actually, I’ve been thinking it would be nice to have an Iron Maiden. There aren’t many torture devices in this prison.”
The imperial palace, which stockpiles torture devices by the ton, is the weird one. The position of interrogator is closer to what we’d call an investigator in modern terms. There aren’t that many situations where you actually have to torture someone to make them talk. That’s also why I handle immigration screenings during the day. If I honestly declared that I would only do torture as my title suggested, I’d be reported for dereliction of duty immediately.
“What do we have here?”
“Probably just Jiggle and Boggle.”
Sena pointed to one corner. There was a branding iron heated over fire and a bucket for water torture. Jiggle. Boggle. Excellent search engines. Answers come out quickly.
“I’ll put in a request.”
“Thank you!”
“And one more thing.”
It was time to bring up the real matter. People are more likely to accept bigger favors after you’ve shown them goodwill first.
“You will be conducting today’s public interrogation.”
“…Pardon? Me, sir?”
Sena’s eyes sparkled brightly.
“A glorious position that only a Special Interrogator can take… and you’re giving it to me! Thank you so much. I won’t disappoint you—I’ll show you the greatest interrogation of your life!”
“Mm. There was that black magic suspect we arrested yesterday. Find out his purpose for entering the country.”
“Leave it to me!”
Sena was so happy she looked ready to jump for joy. Her face was already beaming as she imagined how she would torment the prisoner.
“Looks like the Perlos princess will have to wait for next time.”
“Ah, I plan to interrogate her alone for the time being. In a solitary cell.”
“By yourself, sir…?!”
“I’ve determined she possesses important classified information. It’s not something that should leak outside.”
“O-ohhh.”
Sena’s hands trembled faintly.
“A secret interrogation of the Perlos princess by the Special Interrogator himself in a solitary cell… I can’t even imagine how brutal it will be. I will take this as inspiration and devote myself even harder.”
“Good work.”
I had already finished the cup. Time for a refill.
That day’s immigration screening went smoothly. As usual, quite a few people were caught with forged passports, but most were judged to be refugees rather than dangerous elements and were deported. The Empire’s policy is not to block immigration as long as identities can be verified. The land is so vast that even one more tenant farmer is welcome. Most are sent to noble territories according to the waiting list. In practice they become second-class citizens, treated as commoners slightly better than slaves.
Even knowing this, people keep pouring in, desperate to flee to the Empire. Their countries have collapsed, or they’re deserters. If they emigrate to a neighboring country they’ll just get conscripted and dragged back to the battlefield, so they figure they might as well become slaves. The western region really is a complete mess—I’ve only vaguely sensed it so far.
Among today’s immigrants was a fifth-circle mage. Mages are rare and valuable talent. At that level, he could even obtain regular citizenship. In exchange, he would be placed under lifelong surveillance to prove he wasn’t a spy. When we grant citizenship to talented individuals, even the screener—me—receives additional compensation. In a way, it’s hazard pay. After all, if the person I let in turns out to be dangerous, I’m held responsible.
Guess I’ll have to eat steak again today.
Now that my wallet was nice and full, I should enjoy the moment.
“That’s all for today! We’re closing the checkpoint gate! Stop pushing!”
The knights wrestled with the dense crowd of immigrants outside the wall and finally managed to close the gates. It was time to leave work. Or, more accurately, the start of overtime.
“We will now begin the public interrogation!”
The parade ground was growing dim as twilight fell. Whoosh! Torches flared up. The day’s main attraction—the black magic suspect—was brought out tightly bound to a chair.
“Ooh, it’s Interrogator Sena today!”
“She’s so pretty!”
“Marry me!”
“Jiggle! Jiggle!”
The soldiers watching the interrogation show were getting excited. They shouted slogans and waved their hands. What is this, an idol concert?
Sena took a big swig of strong rum, then—Puuu!—sprayed it toward the branding iron in her hand. Fwoosh! The spectacular fire show made the audience’s cheers grow even louder.
There was only one person who couldn’t enjoy the show: the black magic suspect who was about to be tortured. He’d wet himself.
Now I remember where I’ve seen this before.
It was no different from an executioner’s show. No matter how I thought about it, I had been given the wrong job.
The detailed events that followed are omitted for the sake of my mental health. A precious young man like me shouldn’t have to watch something like this. I’ll just erase it from my brain.
“Interrogator Phillion, that was an excellent public interrogation! Your eye for choosing the right person is superb.”
As soon as the show ended, General Rommel approached me with a friendly greeting.
“To think there was a hideout of black magicians infiltrated in the northwest of the Rundstedt Countship. This is an enormous harvest. The knight order will launch a subjugation campaign.”
“It’s fortunate we learned about it in advance.”
“Please continue to produce results like this. The soldiers’ morale has shot up as well. Ah, and one more thing.”
He leaned his face close to mine. He must have had bacon for dinner.
“I reported the information you uncovered yesterday to the imperial court.”
“About the Perlos princess. Did they send a reply?”
“It seems other nations are entangled in complicated ways. They ordered us to keep her under strict confinement for additional interrogation.”
“She must be an important witness. What information do they need?”
“I’ll receive the details in a document tomorrow. And one week from now…”
He cleared his throat and continued.
“His Majesty himself will visit to observe the interrogation.”
“?”
If there was one good thing about being assigned to this remote backwater, it was that I didn’t have to see the Emperor’s face. Why on earth is he coming all the way out here?
“Does that mean he wants to see a public interrogation?”
“It will be conducted privately. There seem to be circumstances involved. He specifically ordered that you be the one to perform the interrogation.”
“Oh, damn it.”
He wants me to do that inhuman thing Sena had just done? I felt nauseous.
“Haha, isn’t this a fine opportunity to show His Majesty your achievements? I’ll deliver the interrogation records as soon as they arrive. Have a good night.”
After parting with the general, I headed straight for the prison.
“Sedna de Perlos.”
“Eek! You startled me!”
The princess, who had been tossing and turning on the bed inside the iron bars, jumped up in surprise.
“I was changing my clothes. Don’t you have any manners, barging into a lady’s room like that?”
“I’m glad the room is cozy.”
“I never said it was cozy. My back hurts so much I could die. I’m hungry—did you bring dinner?”
“Before that, there’s something important we need to discuss.”
Sedna tilted her head as she looked up at me.
“Have you ever heard of WWE?”
“W…W… What?”
I couldn’t let the interrogator faint in front of the prisoner during questioning. Special training was necessary.