Chapter 36 : I Should Be Careful From Now On (6)
Being tenacious during torture is not helpful, but that only applies to the informant.
What I wanted was a torture subject, and in that sense, Harotan was tenacious and a very desirable opponent as a torturer.
I nailed his hand to the floor and cut the flesh of his forearm with a dagger. When the flesh and muscle are cut, it makes a surprisingly clean sound similar to paper being torn. And a slightly sticky feeling wraps around the dagger.
Ignoring Harotan’s screams, I cut his bleeding forearm vertically, exposing the white bone.
Once you get to this point, the rest of the process is simple. The problem, if there is one, is that you have to make the incision with the meticulous care and attitude of a paranoid patient, making sure the subject doesn’t pass out.
And then I did one thing. I asked questions, and when there was no answer, I carved the bone with the knife.
At first, like tickling, just enough to make a small scratching sound.
Normal creatures go crazy with just that. My training subjects ranged from pigs to humanoid monsters, but without exception, they all screamed hysterically when I scratched their bones lightly.
When the iron knife scrapes across the white bone, making a scraping sound, chilling screams are heard. Several gangsters start vomiting at the sight, and the faces of those tied up with him turn white.
Up to that point, 1 minute.
The strange thing is, humans don’t die that easily. And they’re not creatures that faint easily either.
Even after scratching the bone a few times, Harotan only screamed, sweating profusely in pain, but he didn’t faint.
I kindly asked him questions. He stubbornly kept his secrets, and I delicately inflicted pain as a courtesy to a true man.
It was easy, except for a slight feeling of pity for the subject, as it was already ingrained in my experience.
1 minute and 30 seconds later.
After shaving off a bit of the bone, Harotan finally rolled his eyes and fainted. And I wiped the blood off the dagger, looking at the rest of them, thinking about how to spend the remaining 30 seconds meaningfully.
Enthusiastic informants lined up. Oh boy, this is good.
I sorted out the disorganized, terrified information, and gave the rest of them the kind gift of unconsciousness until they were taken to the Security Bureau. And I finished by exposing the location where the Baron and other important figures had disappeared and kindly writing ‘secret passage’ on it.
Before the Security Bureau arrived, I sorted out the injured, knocked out the remaining moving remnants, and escaped with all my might.
It was a raid that ended in exactly 13 minutes.
“Whew. I feel like my lifespan has been reduced by 130 minutes.”
“That’s an odd number.”
“Just think of it that way. But, do they teach people butchering at the Duke’s house these days?”
Jay asked as we watched the Security Bureau making a fuss in the distance, arresting everyone who remained. It was a play he ordered, but he was making the face of someone who ran out of toilet paper when he came out of the bathroom.
I decided to put on something called a smile. My body didn’t cooperate well with the suddenly recalled past experiences. It’s a simple expression that doesn’t require any special technique, but my clenched fingertips were trembling.
Holding my left wrist tightly with my right hand, I told Jay.
“Normally, they don’t.”
“Oh, so you’re saying they teach it in the Herduke family?”
“No. It’s just that I’m a bit strange. You’ll be the first to see it.”
“Huh, really, who would have known? You’re the type who gets things done if you think it’s necessary?”
“Because time is precious.”
I wanted to say it jokingly, but my chest and throat tightened. The smell of blood clinging to my body felt terribly strong. Jay whistled and said.
“Whew! I’ve been through a lot of carnage, but that’s the most brutal thing I’ve ever seen. I should be careful too. I might get separated from my bones and flesh if I’m not careful.”
“Don’t talk like it’s a habit. It’s something I don’t want to get used to. I wouldn’t have done it that way if I had more time.”
I snapped at him, feeling offended. Jay, who was smiling with his eyebrows furrowed, scratched his head and nodded.
“Oh, sorry. Well, if there’s anyone who would enjoy doing that, that guy’s a pervert. Hmm.”
“Alright, I get it……”
The trembling is slowly stopping. My mind is clear.
However, my body and mind are currently experiencing a slight disconnect.
Because I’ve gone back 10 years and become a completely different person, you could say. There’s a saying that people change when they go to the army, and that they become inhuman when they become knights.
It’s been over two months since I returned to 10 years ago, but the personality that occupied my body for 16 years is still ingrained in it. My body shows resistance to anything that contradicts it.
Tsk. This is what they mean by the body and mind being out of sync.
As I clicked my tongue and leaned against the railing, Old Man appeared.
“Master.”
“Ah, Old Man, welcome. Did you do what I asked?”
“Yes. I’ve blocked the five secret passages. Unless there are more secret passages we haven’t investigated, Baron Makean will be trapped there.”
“We’ll know by tomorrow morning. They’ll probably have the trade ledger with them. If they’re caught, the anti-empire nobles associated with the Merchant of All Things will be hit, and even if they’re not, they’ll be quiet.”
“Now that things have come to this, they won’t have time to worry about the Imperial envoys, at least. However, the problem is, even though we’ve led them to this, I’m worried if there will be anyone left in Ast to endure the aftermath. A bloody night war will break out soon.”
Old Man had the knack of looking like he wasn’t worried at all while expressing concern in a calm tone. Instead of asking him if he was really worried, I asked about the practical aspects.
“Estimated time of war outbreak?”
“Five days later, within a week.”
A major war will break out between the 25th and 27th. That should be enough, though. I nodded and asked.
“How many are left from today’s incident?”
“A total of 80 participated, 20 dead. About 30 injured. 30 remaining including minor injuries. 60 able-bodied.”
“You said you picked out the useful ones. It must be a shame.”
“It’s alright. If you’re going to get involved in a heated brawl in the back alleys, you have to put your life on the line from the start. As you instructed, Master, we excluded those who didn’t want to be involved in the first place. They were putting their lives on the line anyway, so they wouldn’t have felt wronged even if they died. They were able to take a big revenge on those who had oppressed them until then.”
These are the tough guys from the back alleys who believe in the creed that if there’s no food, they’ll eat their conscience, but their pride will remain even if they’re reduced to bones. Even so, the most people died because of my orders.
Should I mourn the dead?
“Pfft. That’s funny.”
“Excuse me?”
“Talking to myself.”
To be honest, I can’t understand the dynamics of this world.
I told them to convey that there was a high possibility of death, and Old Man did. But because of that pride that remains even after death, 80 people gathered. And some of them actually died.
They die happily.
I can’t understand it.
Before I died, I was forced to face that possibility of death, and I really didn’t want to die, but in the end, I died.
What I felt before I died was injustice.
Most of those who participated in the war would have died unjustly, and there would have been many pointless deaths among them, but to be honest, my own death is hundreds of times more important than the deaths of others.
I don’t know the pain of others.
Others don’t know my pain.
It might be selfish, but anyway, I felt my pain the most. Probably others feel the same way.
I realized it only after I died.
Insults heard while alive are much better than condolences received after death. Because you can’t receive anything after you die.
Nevertheless, they died with their chests puffed out for their pride. To mourn them would be an insult. Because keeping their pride would have been their greatest joy.
I can’t understand it, but I can bow my head.
After briefly bowing my head to express my gratitude to them, I lifted my head and said.
“Old Man. Jay.”
“Yes, Master.”
“What’s up?”
“Leave Ast.”
A cold statement. Not only Jay, but Old Man also remained silent for a long time. Then, they asked back at the same time, as if they had promised to do so.
“Excuse me?”
“Huh?”
“I said leave Ast. You wouldn’t be able to withstand the attacks of the seven organizations anyway, would you? And I’ll rarely come back to Ast once I return. So keeping you here is a waste.”
“Th-then, Master……”
Old Man asked with an anxious expression. The suspicion that had half-formed on his face was just about to evolve into certainty. I decided to complete that evolution by nodding.
“Yes. As you guessed. I’m changing the base. Liquidate the goods we got today as quickly as possible, pack up the necessities, and head to the Imperial Capital Nek. That will be your new home.”
This is my real purpose. I have no intention of leaving them in Ast. There’s no reason to leave them in a place where war will break out soon.
Jay and Old Man can’t set foot in Ast anymore because of today’s incident. If they’re going to leave anyway, they might as well sell everything quickly, pack up, and start anew in the Empire.
“Hu-huh. Ma-master, you don’t mean you’ve been planning this from the beginning……”
“Didn’t I tell you? We’ll see if you can still talk about where you’re going to stay in five days. Bring the rest of them if you can. You all did a good job, so you won’t have any regrets, right? Then leave without regrets. Departure date is the 24th. Unless you use magic, I’ll arrive before you on the 1st of the next month. I’ll cross the border officially by ship, but you’ll have to sneak in.”
“Wh-what will we do in the Imperial Capital?”
“Expand what you’ve been doing so far. I said I’d hire you for three years, right? During that time, I’ll give you one task. At least conquer the underworld of the Imperial Capital. Don’t collude with any nobles and survive on your own. Of course, you’ll have a head-on confrontation with Edian. Absorb them. Devour them.”
Edian exists in every underworld of the Empire. They are associated with certain nobles and provide them with most of the information. This is why they can always thrive in an advantageous position.
My father knew this, but he couldn’t sanction them.
The Herduke family is powerful, but the true power lies in the Dukedom. My father, a loyal subject, considers pointing a sword at the Imperial Capital itself as treason. Besides, even if he tried to do something, it would have been too late.
Nine years from now.
It was only after Daisy was toyed with for years and committed suicide that we found out that the people who taught the princes were those guys.
They thrived because they had power.
Then, before that, we’ll stop them from thriving, pull them down, and clean up the nobility. If there were only nobles who thought about the country like my brother, the five princes wouldn’t have been able to cause such a mess.
I put on a determined expression, and Jay frowned for a moment before finally speaking.
“Hey, Boss, you’re not putting a seed cake in front of me and telling me to eat it, are you? Do you think that’s as easy as it sounds?”
“Edian originally started in Edikinz, but now they’ve moved their main house to Nek. There are many other small organizations in the Imperial Capital as well. Unite and embrace them, then sweep away Edian. I’ll give you enough funds. You’ll have to earn your own living after that, but I’ll provide you with the capital to start your business. That’s the price I pay for owning you for three years.”
“Then, what happens after three years?”
“Keep what you’ve earned. By then, you can renew your contract with me, put you at the top of the customer rankings, or send assassins to claim the price for the trouble you’ve gone through. It doesn’t matter.”
During those three years, I have to work hard too. I need to show them that I’m someone worthy of being above them, so that after three years, they will truly pledge their loyalty to me.
Jay and Old Man looked at each other and blinked. After a long pause, Jay scratched his head, sighed deeply, and said.
“Ha, I guess my life is screwed. Boss, you’re a crazy kid after all. Normally, people wouldn’t ask for such a huge task.”
“That’s because I recognize your potential.”
“Ha, how big is the Boss’s potential to see us as such big vessels?”
“I’m not a vessel. I’m a cupboard.”
To be able to hold all kinds of vessels.
Jay stared at me blankly, then chuckled and burst into laughter. Old Man also smiled broadly.
“Puhaha! Hahaha! Really, who would say such a thing if they weren’t crazy! Hahaha! This is hilarious! Don’t you think so, Old Man?”
“You said it. It seems like my plan to retire and run a quiet bar will have to be postponed to the distant future.”
“Hahaha! I like this job a lot! Take over the Empire’s underworld! Kyahaha! That sounds like fun! If a man’s going to risk his life, it should be for something like this! Hahaha!”
“It seems like the decision has been made, Master.”
Old Man bowed his head with a grin. And Jay also laughed loudly and bent over.
They think it’s worth taking the risk because it’s dangerous. Not because the result is good, but because they like the fact that they overcame the danger?
They are people with a way of life that I will never understand in my entire life, but I can nod my head. It’s even more interesting because I can’t understand it.
“Alright, Jay, Old Man. I’ll see you later in the Imperial Capital. I’ll try to gather some basic information before you arrive. We need to have a base to start with.”
“Ha, really, there’s no other noble’s son like you in the world.”
“Of course, because I’m the only one.”
Take what you need first. Use whatever you can. You only need to grow enough conscience to knit a handkerchief.
Honestly, the Empire’s night will soon suffer, but I don’t feel much guilt.
Because I believe this is the shortcut to a much better future.
“Yeah, I should be careful from now on. Our Boss, if we underestimate him, he might tell us to go and pull out a dragon’s heart with a straight face.”
“It’s okay. He won’t ask until you’re capable of it.”
“Ugh! So you’re saying he will if we’re capable?!”
“Well, I don’t know. What do you think?”
I shrugged. And Jay’s scream, that he’d really met the wrong person, rose into the night sky of Ast.
It was a clear night with a clean moon and a cold breeze.
Now, shall I go and see the Sword King lady who might pull some crazy stunt?
I hope it’s quiet. Sigh.
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