— Scarlet Grand Canyon – Improbable Black Fortress
Not a sound could be heard from the prison I created beneath the fortress. This was only natural, as everyone imprisoned was either rendered immobile by Rion’s lightning or under Sera’s control due to the effects of “Blood Dye.” Even the Golems on guard duty merely bowed their heads to us and remained otherwise inert. They were created with an emphasis on production speed, so their basic functions were a bit simplistic. The Controlled Soldiers and dragons sat on the spot with vacant expressions, heads bowed—it felt a bit like playing the villain. I couldn’t help but get a little sentimental.
“Sera, how much longer will your ability hold?”
“Hmm… two hours, no, it’ll last for three hours!”
It’s a vicious skill, I have to admit. Its applicability even in close combat makes it more troublesome than Clive’s “Charm Eye” if you’re on the receiving end. Even without using her skills, ever since Sera evolved, I’ve been defeated repeatedly in training matches. I’m getting close to double digits in losses. I don’t know how strong past Demon Kings were, but Sera right now could genuinely reign as a Demon King. Yes, once she masters Colette’s barrier, I’ll be able to spar with her all out, without holding back. Yeah, I’ll do that.
“Should we control that man too? If you need information, it’s more reliable than a fleeting dream.”
“That’s a last resort.”
Now, the only ones conscious, Azgrad and Rozaria, were confined in the special cells at the deepest part of the fortress. Opening the heavy doors, which boasted the same sturdiness as the fortress itself, revealed three cells and a simple chair. That chair was what Gerard, the guard, had been sitting on until just a moment ago. Of course, a few Golems were also on standby, but that alone wasn’t enough to feel secure against this group. We drew lots to decide the guard rotation for our party, and Gerard was the first to lose. Efil was an exception, as she was in charge of cooking.
Looking into the cells, Azgrad watched me, legs crossed in a seated position. His pupils still showed no sign of despair, and he seemed to be burning with fighting spirit. He made no move to speak. This was because his mouth was covered by the Metalization restraint of Kuroto.
“….”
“Kuroto, you can release the mouth restraint now.”
As per my order, Kuroto released the metal restraint from Azgrad’s mouth. Azgrad seemed somewhat displeased as Kuroto’s body liquefied and flowed away.
“…Why are you keeping me alive? Just kill me already.”
“Don’t be so hostile. We’re here to negotiate with you.”
“Negotiate?”
“That’s the main point, but let’s start with some small talk. Is Clive doing well?”
“Don’t mess with me! You killed Clive, didn’t you!”
Azgrad reacted with fury. He may have called me trash and scum, but perhaps he had a degree of trust in me. However, that doesn’t add up.
“I didn’t kill him. He escaped due to my mistake.”
“…Huh?”
“I had him cornered, almost there. But Tristan interfered. He was a General in the Mixed Beast Corps, wasn’t he?”
“Don’t lie. Tristan said you defeated Clive in retaliation. You killed Clive, didn’t you?”
…He’s quite honest. This might be a successful persuasion.
“Clive tried to make a move on my woman. If that were the case, I’d be satisfied, but in reality, after I cut off his leg, he escaped with the power of Tristan’s subordinate monsters and Tristan’s summoning magic combined.”
Well, the trick is somewhat revealed, so I’ve made preparations this time regarding that. That summoning magic can’t be used here.
“So, I wanted to ask the Prince for Clive’s whereabouts. But Tristan, who accompanied him back, insists Clive is dead. Is that right?”
“….”
“I’ll take that as an affirmation.”
Behind me, I could hear Dahak mumbling to Efil, “Who’s Brother’s woman?” Stop it, Efil is blushing. And this is a very serious situation right now.
“Clive’s leg bleeding was severe. It’s possible he ran out of strength midway. But even so, isn’t he a General of a unit? Wouldn’t he have brought back the corpse?”
“…There was no body. Only the report that you killed him.”
“Then there’s no proof. In that case, where did Clive, or his corpse, go?”
“Please wait. Azgrad, what the man over there is saying also lacks evidence.”
A voice from the cell opposite Azgrad’s. Oh right, Rozaria had her restraints removed too. Rozaria is an Ancient Dragon, but her size was not significantly different from an adult dragon, so she barely fit in the special cell.
“When General Tristan arrived, Clive was already killed by him. The story that he saw that and returned without contacting him also makes sense. He might simply be trying to frame General Tristan.”
I didn’t expect them to be convinced, but Rozaria seems to be thinking faster than Azgrad.
“Normally, one would think that. Weren’t you fooled?”
“You—”
“Then, have the Charm Eyes affecting the Magic Knight Corps soldiers been removed?”
“…!”
It’s hard to tell from Rozaria’s expression, but Azgrad’s eyes widened. So they haven’t been removed yet. Given Clive’s personality, I assumed he would have used his Charm Eyes on all the women in the Knight Corps. When the user of a skill dies, its effect is removed. This is a universal rule in this world. In other words, Clive is alive. Somewhere, unknown even to General Trisen.
“Let’s move on to the next topic. Judging by your reactions, you know that the effects of a spell disappear when the caster dies. If so, why haven’t you realized such a simple thing until now?”
Let’s organize our thoughts. First, the fact that Azgrad and the others didn’t question the lack of removal of Clive’s mind control. This suggests they might have been manipulated by similar abilities. However, they each have a clear sense of self. It doesn’t seem like Clive’s Charms that oppress, but rather a force that unconsciously impedes certain actions. That’s the impression I get.
Furthermore, when I questioned them, they seemed to have no doubts about the existence of the Demon King or the act of attacking other countries. Despite the rapid increase in military strength, a simultaneous declaration of war against the other three Great Nations and the Adventurer Guild. Gown, ruled by the Beast King, another S-Rank Adventurer like myself; Traage, protected by the Water Dragon King; and Delamis, blessed by Melfina. All of them are strong nations, and it was sheer recklessness. Similar to the matter of mind control removal, it was only when I pressed them that they began to suspect something. Could this also be due to that power? Though, in Azgrad’s case, I suspect he was simply seeking strength. In either case, the resistance provided by the ring Melfina created for Clive might be useful.
The prime suspect for the caster would be Tristan. He made Clive’s whereabouts vanish and, though acting as a proxy, has taken over as the successor in the Magic Knight Corps. It’s also said he has dealings with a mysterious merchant behind the scenes. Apparently, Dahak’s collar was also acquired from this merchant through Tristan. Who is this merchant, anyway? Hmm, Tristan also recommended Clive, so isn’t he the Black one? Isn’t he the Demon King instead of King Zel Trisen? However, he didn’t have the “Tenma Hajun” skill, the mark of a Demon King.
Next would be the King himself, Zel Trisen. He had been suspected of being the Demon King for some time, but as mentioned earlier, he might have been manipulated by Tristan. Still, Zel himself has several suspicious points. From what I learned when gathering information at the Elf Village, his personality and preferences have changed compared to before, and he occasionally emits an unsettling pressure. Zel is indeed suspicious.
“We… were controlled…?”
Azgrad was visibly shaken. Is it time, perhaps?
“So, what do you want to do from now on?”
“What do I want to do…? We’re prisoners.”
“What do you want to do, huh? If anything, we want to crush the one who framed us and Trisen…”
“Azgrad…”
“As an S-Rank Adventurer, I have considerable authority from the Three Nations Alliance and the Guild. If I wished, I could place you under my supervision, albeit with restrictions. An Ancient Dragon is not something that can be handled easily by ordinary means. Otherwise, I’ll hand you over here as usual and be done with it. I don’t know what happens after that.”
I took out the collar from my pocket and dangled it in front of the princes.
