Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: The Interrogator
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It was well past noon when Loan, leading a long procession, arrived near the border where the four-party talks were to be held.
The journey had been anything but smooth, crossing rolling hills and attracting all sorts of attention along the way.
“Mama, what’s that? A circus troupe?”
A young child pointed at Loan, only to be soundly scolded by his mother.
Even so, he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
It was a spectacle grand enough to draw out people from every nearby village.
A handsome young man, so beautiful he seemed to be from a dream, with a chest full of glittering badges, smiled at those he passed. Trailing behind his silver hair were four floating fingers, and behind them, a person lying as still as a corpse, also levitating.
What followed was even more magnificent.
The sight of eighty dwarves marching in perfect unison, without the slightest waver, followed by a line of people caked in mud with their eyes and mouths sealed, being dragged along by a rope, was not something one saw every day.
“Uh… excuse me… are you from the Union?”
A flustered Le Dong border guard, noticing Loan’s attire, asked this question, but he stepped aside without even waiting for an answer, overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the group. It was a clear example of just how bizarre the procession was.
Having crossed the border between Le Dong and Pobel, Loan headed for the square of the Le Dong border town.
Sienna had told him beforehand that the meeting place would be set up there.
‘Why is the town so deserted…?’
The villages he had passed through until now had been boisterous, cheering or applauding his procession, but the Le Dong side was completely different.
It was unnervingly quiet.
Only occasionally could he spot small clusters of mana, hidden deep inside buildings.
The town was so empty it seemed as if the people had been deliberately cleared out for the talks.
It was strange, as the meeting didn't seem important enough to warrant such tight security.
‘Something’s going on.’
With this thought, Loan passed a closed-down open-air restaurant and arrived at the square.
It was just as he’d expected.
The moment he entered the square, he knew this was no simple four-party meeting.
Those meant to hold a conference or mediate it would never exude such killing intent and malice.
Moreover, the number of people was considerable.
Tents were set up on each of the four sides of the square, their affiliations easily identified by large flags.
First, Versa.
The number of people in light and heavy armor was greater than expected.
On the surface, one could say they had assembled enough military force to intervene and prevent any mishaps between the Le Dong and Albre sides, should the need arise.
He might have thought so, if not for the dark mana most of them harbored.
The Le Dong side was even more extreme.
Their numbers, double that of Versa’s, filled the barracks and the surrounding area.
It could have been a deliberate show of force since it was Le Dong territory, but seeing that most of those present were filled with dark mana, it was easy to surmise they had other objectives.
‘For now, I should consider those two sides enemies.’
In contrast, the factions opposing them were shabby.
The Lord of Pobel, Melville, the third son of the Albre family, sat alone on a chair with two guards behind him.
His expression and posture were incredibly dignified, but one couldn't shake the feeling that he was consciously trying to appear so.
‘…’
Still, Albre was in a better state than the last faction.
In the Union’s spacious tent, there were only two people: Sienna and Bella.
He didn't know why Bella was with Sienna, but the sight of two petite women standing there was hardly threatening. If anything, they looked rather pitiful.
And so, Loan raised an arm and waved enthusiastically at Sienna.
It was an attempt to change the atmosphere.
Sienna, too, was greatly surprised to see Loan entering the square.
It was a mix of relief and astonishment.
The way he was dragging along the fingers and the priest, just as he had done with the ghoul tongues back in Olen, was baffling even for a fellow Union member.
But Sienna merely watched Loan cross the square without any particular reaction.
As if it were all planned, or as if it were a common occurrence for the Union, she simply gave a few slight nods, greeting Loan with a composed demeanor.
Whatever their inner thoughts, the members of the other factions outwardly reacted in much the same way.
A few whispered amongst themselves, “They look like prisoners or criminals, why bring them here?” or “Is this an intimidation tactic?” or “What do they take these talks for?”
But most were either stunned by the sight of the levitating figure and the captives, or they deliberately hardened their expressions.
Loan carefully observed their reactions before arriving at his own faction’s tent.
As his companions took their positions around the tent in a highly organized manner, Loan exchanged a brief glance with Bella and then asked Sienna.
“Am I late?”
At the friendly question, Sienna let out a scoffing laugh.
“No. They were just exchanging pleasantries. The real discussion hasn’t started yet.”
“That’s good.”
“And these people?”
“The humans are from the Beauvoir Merchant Guild, and the dwarves were mining in the hills underground. It seems they were brainwashed by the floating Dark Priest.”
“Did they confess?”
“Not yet… but if they show any signs of it, please play along, senior.”
“With what?”
“You’ll know when the time is right.”
After whispering quietly, Loan once again scanned the figures in the tents.
His initial assessment was mostly correct.
Most of them were looking at the Union and the Albre family with malice and killing intent.
Aside from the Albre family, Sienna, and Bella, only one person, sitting in the center of the Versa tent—likely a high-ranking official or noble—possessed pure mana.
He showed no particular malice or killing intent, merely watching Loan and his group with eyes full of curiosity.
Then, his eyes met Loan’s, and he abruptly stood up.
He then addressed Loan.
“You must be Sir Loan of the Union.”
Though he spoke calmly from a distance, his voice, imbued with magic, carried to the far end of the square.
“Yes, I am.”
Loan replied from where he stood, his own voice spreading in all directions.
The man’s expression flickered with admiration as he nodded.
“I am Vertloup, an administrator from Versa. I arranged today’s talks and intend to mediate. Before that…”
Administrator Vertloup’s gaze swept over the area around the Union’s tent.
“Could you please explain your rather unconventional companions? Everyone seems curious, and some appear to be quite upset.”
It seemed Administrator Vertloup had perceived the sudden surge of killing intent and malice as mere displeasure.
Loan offered a polite bow and walked toward the center.
Murmurs of admiration rippled through some sections of the crowd.
Even his enemies couldn't help it.
His appearance was already eye-catching, but arriving late and taking the center stage alone made him seem like the most important figure in these talks.
“First, I apologize to the representatives of Versa, Le Dong, and the Albre family for my late arrival to this important gathering.”
Loan looked at the three factions and gave a slight bow.
His posture was polite, but his gaze toward two of the factions was rather cold.
Amid the slightly heightened tension, Loan continued.
“As today’s talks concern the ownership of the hills, I was delayed while investigating the area for any potential sources of conflict. It was routine Union business, but unexpectedly, I was given the opportunity to subdue a cell of the Grave.”
Administrator Vertloup asked.
“Does that mean the individuals behind you are prisoners from the Grave, captured in the hills?”
“Yes, that is correct. We must now interrogate them to find out precisely what they were plotting.”
“You mean to find out here?”
“Wouldn’t that be for the best? That way, both the Albre family, who owns the land, and the Le Dong family, who desires it, can be at ease. If there are any issues with the hills, we can resolve them cleanly right here and now.”
Loan turned and pointed to his companions as he spoke.
“The one floating in the air is a Dark Priest of Le Tell. He is the mastermind of this incident, and I believe we can obtain valuable information by interrogating him.”
At the mention of a Dark Priest of Le Tell, a low groan spread through the square.
“The dwarves were mining in the tunnels beneath the hills. Most have not yet awoken from the Dark Priest’s brainwashing, but the esteemed Sir Gradin, one of the dwarves who has, will testify on their behalf about who they were mining for, what they were mining, and the circumstances surrounding it.”
Despite the sudden development and introduction, Gradin remained composed, drawing a large circle with his short arms in a polite greeting to everyone.
His demeanor was so earnest that no one could bring themselves to laugh.
Loan then pointed to the mud-caked individuals.
“Finally, these are members of the Beauvoir Merchant Guild. They were apprehended near the underground tunnels in the hills while attempting to attack a Union Runner. They are believed to be directly connected to the Dark Priest and the underground mining. And though I cannot reveal it now, they also seem to be involved in a serious issue between the duchies.”
“The Beauvoir Merchant Guild…”
Administrator Vertloup’s head slowly turned to the side.
His gaze met that of the head of the Le Dong family.
A short, stout man who looked like someone had squashed a Schwerin sausage from above glared and shouted.
“Wh-what nonsense! Where is the proof that they are from the Beauvoir Merchant Guild? And even if they were, what does that have to do with us? Since when is a noble family blamed just because a merchant guild they do business with commits a crime?”
He was vehemently denying it before any responsibility had even been assigned.
It wasn't a reaction born of mere indignation.
It felt like a guilty conscience, but Loan nodded his head deeply as if in full sympathy.
“The Lord of Le Dong is correct. We cannot simply assume you are in the same boat. On the other hand, the Lord of the Albre family must also feel wronged. A crime has occurred on land currently under his family’s ownership, so it will be difficult for him to be completely free of responsibility. Even if he has only just become the lord. Isn’t that right?”
At Loan’s question, Melville shot up from his seat and nodded.
He seemed a bit flustered, but his eyes soon sparkled with understanding.
“Th-that’s right. This incident was the first time I’ve even seen the hills; I am still slow in grasping the state of my domain. If that is a fault, then it is my fault, but I have never had any dealings with the Grave.”
“In that case, you must wish to clear yourself of these suspicions transparently and cleanly here and now.”
“Of course. Why would I not cooperate with an investigation when I have done nothing wrong? I only hope that Versa and the Union will resolve this matter properly.”
It was an answer that perfectly understood his young master’s intentions.
Loan expressed his gratitude to Melville and then spoke again to the Lord of Le Dong.
“As Lord Melville has said, since you both feel wronged, we must properly sort out the issues of the hills and the merchant guild here. If we investigate the priest and the guild to determine the chain of command and the flow of funds and profits, the truth will soon be revealed.”
“That is…”
The Lord of Le Dong, looking flustered, tried to say something, but Loan cut him off.
“Fortunately, the perfect person for an interrogation is present. With this person on the case, it will only be a matter of time before the truth is laid bare.”
Administrator Vertloup asked.
“Who might that be?”
Loan spread his arms wide and took a slight step to the side.
Everyone’s gaze naturally followed the tips of his fingers.
“The master of torture and interrogation techniques, the Cold Witch of the Union, the Artist of Pain, the Tamer of Inflammation, the Angel of Torture, the Painter of Blood, the Inquisitor who digs for truth. Runner of the Union’s Faith Division, Sienna.”
Sienna hiccuped.