Chapter 57
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Why Is This Your Wolf? -4
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After tending to the wounded and the dead, a massive search operation led by the imperial family began.
Especially once word spread that black magicians were involved, the imperial investigators left no stone unturned, no matter how minor the infraction.
As expected, the Beldah Viscount House had been up to all sorts of filthy schemes.
Their ugly underbelly was laid bare for the world to see.
Market manipulation, tax exploitation, kidnapping, false imprisonment, rape, ordering murders, embezzlement, bribery, and more.
They'd committed so many crimes that it would wear out one's jaw just to list them all.
In particular, evidence of their collusion with black magicians surfaced, sparking widespread outrage.
The Viscount Beldah had periodically kidnapped women from his territory, raped them, and killed them to keep them quiet.
He'd even supplied the corpses to the black magicians.
While I was clicking my tongue at the viscount's atrocities, Kizen returned with good news.
"Young Master, we've captured the black magician."
"A guy who can open portals, and you actually caught him?"
"Because I was there!"
Coco hopped out from behind Kizen and threw her arms around me.
I knew just how exceptional Coco's unique ability was, so there was no need for lengthy explanations.
Coco had tracked the black magician by scent, and Kizen had hauled him in.
I praised their efforts and took custody of the black magician.
Thanks to Kizen knocking him out, there wasn't much risk.
'No ability to extract the target's memories, huh?'
Tirving is not omnipotent.
'If I infused this guy's body with primal malice, I could pry the info out of him...'
I do not recommend injecting malice into a black magician. It could transmute into demonic energy.
'Yeah, better to minimize variables.'
Lately, I'd been leaning too much on my abilities.
I considered the best approach without relying on game items.
This wasn't a game—it was reality.
Master, what shall we do with him?
'Time to borrow water's help. Water knows the answers.'
You're thinking of spirit aid! Indeed, the water spirit Undine can reflect the mirror of the heart to read thoughts. A fine idea. But Master... when did you learn spirit arts?
'What are you talking about? I can't learn swordsmanship or magic—there's no way I'd master spirit arts.'
B-but you just said you'd borrow water's help...
I had Kizen transport the black magician.
Then I headed to the large bathhouse inside the viscount's mansion.
The floor was paved with marble, and lion-head statues spat water—a typical rich man's bathing facility.
"Hold him tight so he can't resist."
"Understood."
I forced the black magician to his knees, grabbed his hair, and dunked him into the bath.
The pain of scalding water covering his face snapped the unconscious black magician awake.
He thrashed to escape the water, but with Kizen pinning him, he had no choice but to endure the agony.
"Puha! Gack! Kek!"
"Feeling more awake now?"
"I-I'll kill you...!"
"First, time for some mental re-education."
I plunged my arm deep into the bath, soaking him from head to toe.
His struggles intensified, but a magician with no physical training couldn't overpower Kizen.
To break his hostility, I opted for water torture over interrogation—pure, one-sided sadism.
His skin cooked in the hot water, his breath stifled.
Just before blacking out, I'd yank him up for a gasp of air, only to dunk him again before he could recover.
Repeating this eroded the black magician's sanity bit by bit.
"If you want to breathe, answer my questions properly."
"I-I... Glub?!"
"By the way, if you try any tricks to sneak extra breaths, I'll shove you under without mercy, just like now. Got it? Bend your pinky."
The black magician writhed in pain but folded his remaining pinky.
I pulled his head out, then dunked him once more.
Expecting interrogation, he'd gulped a big breath—straight into his lungs with water.
His thrashing grew even more violent.
I imprinted on his mind that I was capricious and sadistic.
Borrowing water's help meant torture?
'Water torture works best on black magicians.'
In the story, every black magician chose suicide.
They ended it all before interrogation or torture, accepting death humbly.
I hated that. Those bastards deserved suffering, yet their ends were always clean.
That's why I chose water torture.
It blocked breathing, preventing incantations and sealing magic.
Plus, oxygen deprivation to the brain crippled rational thought.
I hauled the black magician up again; he coughed up water, gasping.
Tears, snot, drool streaming down—reminding me of the lion statues. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Ready for an honest chat?"
"Kehok! Kehok! Haa...! Haa...! De-devil—glub!"
"Gave you a breather, and you try chanting right away? Not fully broken yet."
He was trying to say 'devil'...
Tirving was right, but I ignored it.
I had to ensure no funny business—like letting him suicide like the others.
"Right, time for a pat-down."
His hands and feet were bound, but there might be mana-activated magic tools.
I called Coco to hold his hair while I searched him.
True to form, his pockets yielded a trove of ominous items.
Nothing too dangerous turned up, so I was about to move on.
Then a single sheet of paper slipped from his pocket.
Something told me not to look, but curiosity won out.
Experimental records on the Flash Golem he called his masterpiece.
His ambition? Craft the world's most beautiful Flash Golem for his personal sex toy.
"Should I just kill him?"
Revulsion wrinkled my nose, but I forced myself to read on.
The final passage caught my eye.
Administered a potion to the Flash Golem to transform its form into that of a beautiful woman. Effects will manifest slowly, so time is required.
"...Potions on a Flash Golem?"
Not the one Garum devoured, surely?
But I'd never seen such a potion in the game, so I brushed it off.
The Flash Golem this black magician summoned had been utterly grotesque anyway.
His experiment was an obvious failure—one that would never succeed.
"You've already uncovered the black magician's hideout! As expected, you're incredible!"
"It's not confirmed yet. Too early to celebrate."
"Just getting a lead is more than enough. Thank you for your cooperation."
"I should be the one thanking you. Please convey my gratitude to Her Highness the Princess for her favor."
"No need to worry—I'll make sure Her Highness hears all about Young Master Altesia's exploits."
"That's really not necessary..."
I handed the black magician over to the imperial knights.
I shared the intel from the torture too, earning their trust.
Part of me wanted to join them in wiping out the black magicians, but my true enemy was the Nidhogg Cult.
I left the black magicians to the imperials.
Going up against two factions at once would wear me down.
"What about Garum's status?"
"If you mean the creation of the black magician, it's been recognized as your property, Young Master Altesia. Legally sound, but..."
The knight glanced at Garum beside me and shook his head.
Then he whispered,
"To be frank, it might tarnish your image, Young Master Altesia. The appearance is a bit..."
"I'll handle that. My reputation isn't great to begin with."
"But aren't the territory folk treating you like a hero?"
"Sure, but it's a burden to me."
Some locals swarmed the mansion daily for surprise worship sessions.
It was exhausting; this was my chance to tank my rep via Garum.
Time to reassert my scoundrel credentials.
"Understood. We'll head back to the capital then."
"Sun's already down. You sure?"
"Escorting criminals, dealing with the Beldah Viscount House, purging black magicians—the work is piled high."
"Can't be helped, then."
With that, the imperial knights departed for the capital.
I planned to overnight at a nearby inn and return to Altesia tomorrow.
No rush to head back, and since Kizen and Maribel's old home and wife's grave were in the territory, I'd give them time for a visit.
Without their guard detail, Coco and Garum had it covered.
Playing with two wolf pups? Already looking forward to it.
"Alright, let's head to the inn and prep for bed."
"Sounds good!"
"Kyarak!"
After a simple meal and bath, we all piled onto one bed.
Sharing with a minor like Coco didn't count as anything scandalous, and eyeing Garum that way would get me labeled a lunatic.
I shoved stray thoughts aside and drifted off, fluffy wolves on either side.
Just as consciousness faded—
Rustle rustle—!
Something crawled under the covers and climbed atop me.
Figuring Coco was playing, I sighed.
But a soft breath came from the side—turning, Coco slept soundly.
So who was on me?
Only Garum left, but the sensation on my abdomen wasn't fur.
Smooth human skin, if anything?
I peeked under the bulging blanket: wolf ears atop a woman's head.
And pressed against my stomach—definitely a woman's breasts.
I pulled the covers back up and closed my eyes.
"...Just a dream."
It had to be.