Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Mask of Truth
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The suggestion was to summon Aul and have it cover Karl's face to extract the necessary information.
Werner didn't answer, merely tilting his head slightly to the side.
His narrowed eyes suggested he was suspicious of something.
Loan asked.
“What is it?”
“I’ve heard something about it.”
“You have?”
It made sense. Everyone who had seen Aul found it fascinating. Given its cute appearance, it wasn't strange for rumors to spread.
And as the Master of the Implementation Tower, he would be skilled at acquiring information.
“They say it’s hard to refuse.”
Werner said, feigning knowledge.
Loan was pleased that Aul was so well-regarded. Especially in the reclusive Schwerin.
He couldn't help but puff out his chest slightly.
He smiled shyly, a small grin.
“I’m not entirely sure, but that seems to be the case.”
At Loan’s reply, Werner let out a disbelieving scoff.
“What are their reactions usually like?”
“They tend to answer questions readily, but they stutter a bit. They trail off mid-sentence, too. So the meaning isn't always conveyed perfectly.”
“No, that's surprising enough. It means rational thought becomes difficult, doesn't it? I didn't realize it was to that extent….”
“I don’t really know the reason. Or if some special power was activated.”
Was Loan’s answer once again unexpected?
Werner hadn’t taken his eyes off him, but now it felt as if he were trying to stare right through his face.
Then, Werner shook his head.
His somewhat surprised expression quickly turned serious.
“Power, you say. To hear you say it yourself... How curious, and amusing. Then again, I suppose that too could be called a kind of power.”
He spoke as if he had just had an epiphany.
Loan was curious about the meaning behind his reaction.
Could the Master of the Implementation Tower be well-versed in demons? Could he have a demon of his own, awakened from a seal like Aul?
Perhaps that was why he was showing such interest.
“Are you well-versed in that field as well?”
He asked vaguely, as the topic could be a private matter.
This time, Werner’s face tensed slightly.
He needlessly straightened his shoulders and stroked his cheek and jaw, for reasons Loan couldn’t fathom.
Werner spoke.
“I don't know if you could call it a 'field.' Are you, perhaps, seriously studying it in an academic or research capacity? To enhance its efficacy?”
“I've been curious about the principle behind it, but I haven't been able to explore it in any greater depth. I haven't tried to strengthen it or improve its abilities, either. It's been like this from the beginning.”
A smile graced Werner’s face.
He nodded his head.
“Indeed… It's not something you can control at will. It's self-evident that what you're born with matters most.”
“Is that so?”
“Ahem. You asked about my expertise. I've never given it deep thought, but I suppose I've lived with a fair bit of confidence in that area. Well, I don't think I'm lacking even now.”
Just as he thought.
It seemed Werner had a being like Aul. And he sounded quite proud of it.
“I knew it. Is it a demon? Or perhaps a spirit? I heard that spirits no longer reveal themselves in this world after the era of the World Tree and the Great Beast.
During this tower tour, it occurred to me that the different dimension where the guardians reside might be the place the spirits returned to. For now, I’m calling it the intermediate plane and making various theories. The place where Aul roams is…”
This was the first time since meeting Aul.
Perhaps he was just so happy to have found someone to discuss the same topic with.
He was being uncharacteristically talkative.
Werner's brow furrowed deeper and deeper as he listened.
Loan stopped talking and read his expression.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I just got a little excited.”
“No, not at all.”
Werner blinked rapidly, organizing his thoughts.
He asked.
“I'm a bit confused. Are you comparing my appearance to that of a demon or a spirit?”
“Appearance? You mean… my face?”
“Yes.”
“What does that… No. I was trying to say that Aul was actually a demon before it was purified.”
Feeling that the conversation had started to go awry, Werner asked.
“Aul?”
“Yes. My friend. The owl.”
“An owl, you say. Then the method you mentioned from the start was…”
“Yes. I was saying that Aul has the ability to make people speak the truth. That's why I called it a power.”
“Huh? You didn't mean the power of your appearance, which captivates others?”
Just then.
“Bwahahahaha!”
Magda, who until a moment ago had been looking at Werner as if she couldn't stand the sight of him, suddenly burst into loud laughter.
Werner and Loan stared blankly at Magda, then perfectly realized they had been misunderstanding each other.
Loan’s face turned red as he spoke.
“My looks may be exceptional, but I don't have the ability to make people confess the truth. Bewitching people? Captivating them?”
“No. What I heard was enough to cause a misunderstanding. That just listening to you talk somehow makes one feel drawn in. I was even advised to steel my heart, as it would be difficult to refuse any request you might make.”
“Who would say such a thing…”
“It was me.”
Reinholdt, who had been listening, chimed in.
He was still chuckling, having replayed the conversation between Loan and Werner in his head.
“It was at the Union entrance exam. The moment I spoke with you during our first meeting was incredibly impressive to me. I shared that experience with the Master of the Implementation Tower.”
“So the Tower Master thought that after hearing your story?”
“As I conversed with you while staring at your face, I came to think it really might be true. That’s where the misunderstanding began.”
Werner laughed, looking deflated.
Loan, too, chuckled awkwardly as he replayed the conversation, and everyone who now understood the situation laughed along.
Magda didn’t miss the opportunity to tease Werner.
“What? You've lived with a fair bit of confidence? And you don't think you're lacking even now?”
“…”
Diligently ignoring his ex-wife, who was clutching her stomach and cackling, Werner urged Loan on.
“Now that I understand the situation, do as you will. So, you'll uncover the truth through this owl named Aul? Where is it?”
At Loan’s call, Aul made its appearance, taking a few pitter-pattering steps in mid-air.
Gasps rippled through the onlookers.
It could have been because of its cuteness, or because of the simple summoning ritual.
Perched on Loan’s shoulder, Aul turned its head from side to side.
Its large eyes quickly took in those who were reacting and those who were unconscious on the ground.
And then.
“Aul…”
*Is this all there is?*
Its voice trailed off into a whimper, clearly displeased by the lack of anything suitable to eat.
Loan said coaxingly.
“There are no demons here. I’ll make sure to feed you plenty next time I see one. You still have some chunks left in your belly, right?”
He had asked thinking there would be some leftovers from before they came to the tower.
The answer he received was unexpected.
“Aul…”
“Hm? No, the man with the nest-hair went back to his own country far away. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him for a while.”
Was a comfortable space the next thing on its mind after hunger?
Well, food, clothing, and shelter were essential for humans to live. For Aul, who wore no clothes, food and a nest must be quite important matters.
After hearing Loan’s answer, Aul looked around again, disappointed.
The others, curious about Aul, drew closer, but none of them had hair as fluffy as Archbishop Fabian of Cion.
“Aul…”
It looked dejected.
But Loan had made a bold promise to everyone.
It was a bit heartless, but he repeatedly promised a future reward and requested the [Mask of Truth].
Aul listened quietly to its master’s earnest plea, then, as if admitting it had also been too arrogant, tapped its chest a few times with its wing.
Loan gently patted Aul’s head.
“We’re ready.”
“I see…”
Werner seemed utterly fascinated by Aul.
Loan explained the situation to him, who couldn’t take his eyes off the owl.
“It’s called the Mask of Truth, but its activation time is limited, so I need some preliminary information to ask questions efficiently. I also need to know what you want to find out, Tower Master.”
“Mm. Of course. First, I wanted to find out how they learned of this location. It couldn't have been by chance.”
“You said this was a top-secret space. What about those who were sacrificed?”
The mages who had been impaled on spikes.
Perhaps they had gotten the information from them beforehand.
“They were under a contract of silence bound by death, so it’s unlikely they leaked any information.”
A contract of silence.
The image of Dean Arthur and Director Lazarus, who had sworn their lives to protect his secret, flashed through his mind.
Shaking off the momentary pang of nostalgia, Loan spoke.
“It seemed their goal was more about luring you, Tower Master, to your death than it was about greed for the magic stones. It’s as if they knew the value of this place from the start.”
Werner nodded.
“The mining ended long ago. We’ve just been steadily taking out what was mined and stored when needed. Since it was on the verge of being shut down, your thinking is logical.”
“Then is there no need to suspect those who did the mining?”
“They, too, are not free from the contract of silence.”
Judging by the Tower Master’s attitude, he wasn't even considering an internal information leak.
“Understood. How they found this place is the most important question. I’ll focus on interrogating him about that, his objective, and the locations of Brien's headquarters and forces.”
Werner immediately released the mana chains that had been binding Karl.
Just as the freed flesh wobbled without limit.
“Aul.”
“Aul!”
Aul leaped toward the man and covered his head.
Karl moved his obese body violently, trying to shake Aul off, but his arms soon fell limp, and he froze.
Aul drooped down to Karl’s heavily wrinkled neck.
Only the man’s mouth remained visible in a crevice of flesh.
Considering their respective sizes, it was truly a remarkable ability.
Soon, Karl’s mouth opened.
“Wrong guy… came… messed up… damn it…”
This was a common occurrence when the Mask of Truth was used.
Loan asked.
“What is your name?”
“Karl… Gerhardt…”
After the answer, Loan confirmed that Aul’s drooping form had shrunk ever so slightly and continued with his main questions.
“How did you find out the location of this magic stone depot?”
“A request…”
At that single word, Aul’s form shrank in an instant.
It meant Karl’s mind had fiercely resisted uttering that word.
There might not be many chances to ask questions. Loan rephrased the question to be more specific.
“Who requested what, telling you the location of this place?”
Karl’s body trembled violently where he stood.
This question was also a considerable burden. His mouth slowly opened.
“From the royal family… kill… the Tower Master…”
“Brien has royalty? I didn't know they'd established a country. How did the Brien royal family find out this location?”
This time, Karl’s body trembled even more violently.
His body shook tumultuously as if it would explode, then calmed.
And then, unbelievable words.
“No… the Grafton royal family…”
Loan instinctively tilted his head. Did he hear that correctly?
He asked again for confirmation.
“Are you saying it was the Grafton royal family that told you this location?”
Shortly after.
An unexpected name flowed from Karl’s mouth.
“Denian… Grafton… directly…”
Denian Gladwyn Grafton, the first crown prince of Grafton.
The very same one who had once been defeated in a duel with Loan.