Chapter 80

"Jalm! Do you have any information on that man yet?!"

Prime Minister Bar Morow, as soon as he summoned the Third Knight Regiment Commander Jalm to his office, bellowed loudly.

"Just a little more time, please...!"

Jalm bowed his head. However, the current situation regarding Second's information gathering was only getting more difficult.

"What about the dog? Didn't you say there was a dog?"

"He's been completely focused on forging official documents... I need a bit more time..."

"Get it done as soon as possible. It's the top priority. Even if the rumors can be quelled, as long as that man is in the Court Magicians' Corps, we won't have peace."

"Hai..."

Jalm had received a report from a subordinate that the key dog "seems to have turned traitor," but he couldn't bring himself to say it, and he just bowed his head, drenched in cold sweat.

We have to do something—there's no time to be picky about methods anymore.

After Jalm left the room and returned to his own, he gave instructions to his subordinates with a serious expression.

"Summon Tender."

This was the pseudonym of the head of the so-called "shadow department," the man who controlled the shadows of the Third Knight Regiment. The reason for summoning him was not hard to guess.

"That little girl... She's made me look like a fool...!"

His fist, which he slammed on the desk, trembled violently.

If that's how it's going to be—Jalm, despite his rage, twisted his mouth into a sneer.

"If you say he's turned traitor, then I'll use it to my advantage."

---

"You're an idiot, you know. That's why you end up getting caught."

Shortly after Tender received instructions from Jalm and began investigating Sylvia Virginia.

Tender, suspicious of Sylvia secretly checking the documents when Second was arrested, decided to act when she was out, to confirm the contents of the documents.

...Unaware that it was a trap.

"Are you from the shadow department? And a high-ranking one at that. Maybe even the top?"

The man captured by the Firstest family's elite group, the 'Eve Squad,' was none other than Tender himself.

Why the head of the shadow department was acting personally. There were many reasons. He had the absolute confidence not to fail, the necessary knowledge of the internal situation to understand the contents of the documents on the spot, and the ability to act alone and lightly. Only Tender met all these criteria. And above all, Winfield knew very well why he had no choice but to do so.

"You were careless, weren't you? Maybe a bit too complacent. At least, you should have had a subordinate with you."

"..."

Winfield smiled as she spoke. Surrounded by several maids in black uniforms, Tender, with a gag, remained silent.

"Just kidding. I know. Your subordinates are all on high alert for Second, Sylvia, and Biside."

"..."

At this, Tender finally showed a slight reaction.

Tender's face was very clear to Winfield. If there were subtitles, they would say, "You set all this up, didn't you!?"

"That's right. To isolate you, I had Second and the First Court Magicians' Corps conduct military drills, sent Sylvia back to her hometown, and had Biside give a speech. Then, the shadow department had no choice but to allocate personnel to those areas."

"!"

The surprise here was, "Can you read minds!?"

Winfield didn't deny it, but smiled gently and then spoke.

"By the way, I think it's impossible to assassinate Biside. There's an 'unbelievable shield' by his side."

She crushed even the slightest hope.

"I'm looking forward to the night."

"..."

Torture would be meaningless, Tender's eyes said.

"I didn't tell you, did I?"

With a soft laugh, she said one word and left. Tender understood the meaning of her words that night.

---

"Second! It's your turn."

As soon as Winfield returned from her teaching job, she approached me closely.

The Sylvia decoy operation must have been successful. Which means...

"Finally, brainwashing, huh?"

"Yup."

The long-awaited brainwashing magic! I was so excited about using a magic for the first time that I skipped with Winfield to the basement of the servants' quarters.

There, a man in his late 30s was lying on the floor, surrounded by maids. Poor guy. But it could also look like a certain kind of play.

"Let's get it over with quickly and let him go. So, do as we discussed."

"Sure."

I approached the man with a nonchalant response, crouched down, and touched his forehead with my fingertips.

I knew how to use it. Just touch the person's face, think of what you want to brainwash them with, and activate the brainwashing magic.

"---!!"

The man looked startled.

...It worked. Probably.

It was surprisingly simple.

I removed the gag and asked him.

"Who are you?"

"I am the Ninth Regiment Commander of the Third Knight Regiment, Tender. My real name is Rednet. In secret, I am the leader of the assassination team under the Third Knight Regiment Commander Jalm."

"How do you feel?"

"Terrible. The floor is cold, and the ropes are tight."

"Understood. Just so you know, I won't allow you to commit suicide."

"Yes, I understand."

The content of the brainwashing was absolute obedience. I made sure that I would be the first in his every thought.

When I cut the ropes and freed Tender, he knelt and bowed. The maids around him gasped in surprise.

"It worked. Second, give him an order."

For a moment, I wondered if he was just acting, but since Winfield said it worked, it must have. I gave the order with confidence.

"Do you know who tampered with the original official documents?"

"Yes. There are two people."

"Bring the higher-ranking one alive, and bring the original document as well."

"Understood."

As we left the basement, Tender bowed to me and then ran off into the night.

...It's cheating. The brainwashing magic. There might be a limit to how many times it can be used, but it's too powerful.

If someone does this to me, even I would be in trouble. Specifically, if Sylvia were brainwashed, she could be assassinated. Echo and Yuki shouldn't have a problem due to their status difference with me, but there's a chance if Sylvia's archery skills were used to snipe me unexpectedly.

"Don't worry. I won't let that happen."

Winfield said this, as if reading my thoughts. She's a real support.

"Then, I'll inform the Vins newspaper."

"Ah, then I'll... "

"No, it's okay. I'll go."

Winfield easily declined the maid's offer and glanced at me. I understood and spoke.

"You must be tired from keeping watch today. Get some rest."

"Yes, thank you, Master."

The maids all bowed happily and dispersed.

Winfield seems to be a good wife who supports her husband. On the other hand, she can't keep any secrets.

"Thanks."

"It's okay, my dear."

A kiss on the cheek, and she left like the wind.

I've always thought she might have a crush on me... "My dear."

"...My dear!"

---

"I've brought him."

The next morning.

Tender brought a man in his late 40s. Like Tender, he was gagged and tied up, trembling and teary-eyed.

"Here's the original document."

"Is that so..."

He works too fast. Probably, they thought "Tender would never betray us," so things went so smoothly. The power of brainwashing magic is truly overpowered.

"Wow, that was quick. We just told them, and they might make it to the evening edition?"

Winfield returned at the expected time. I asked Tender.

"Who is this man?"

"He is the director of the Royal Archives."

Seriously? Too much corruption...

"Then, let's brainwash him too. Then, we'll take these two to Minister Hailai and make them confess."

"Make them confess?"

"Yeah, it's finally happening."

"Are you coming with us?"

"No, I have something I'm curious about."

Something she's curious about? Ah, I remember. "When politics are stalled by trivial fact-checking, something dangerous is often happening behind the scenes."

"Is it still not clear?"

"Yes, sorry."

"Don't apologize. I'm a bit surprised that there's something you don't know."

"Well, I think there are more things I don't know."

Her insightful comment only increases the sense that she knows a lot.

"Master, I've seated him in the chair. Please proceed."

"Thank you."

I stood in front of the director, guided by Yuki. He looked like a small animal, trembling and a bit pitiful.

"Winfield, you and Master seem to have a good atmosphere?"

"Ah, Master, what a coincidence. To meet here..."

"Wait. You don't mean..."

Oh no. She might have noticed that I was slightly infatuated with Winfield. Yuki, as always, is too sharp. But, Winfield's clever words—

"Well, I have to go and investigate now..."

Clumsy!

"......I have something to talk about when you get back."

Yuki sent Winfield off with a voice so cold it seemed to freeze the room.

The director's trembling seemed to increase.

But, unlike Sylvia, Yuki is angry at the other person, not me. That's Yuki for you.

"Alright. Let's get back to the brainwashing..."

I touched the director's forehead... but it was sweaty and unpleasant. The tip of his nose... also greasy and unpleasant. Ah, the chin will do. I placed my finger on his chin and activated the brainwashing magic—

"Hey, what are you doing... tying up an old man... What kind of play is this...?"

Sheri, who had just woken up and come to the living room, misunderstood at the perfect moment.

After a lot of explaining, I finally finished brainwashing the director about an hour later.

---

"Phew. Master is still as jealous as ever..."

Winfield, having escaped from Yuki's cold gaze, was taking a breather in the shadows of the bushes near the entrance. She knew Yuki well, which is why she was hiding.

"Tsk... She got away."

Yuki, who had followed Winfield, spat and returned to the entrance. "I have something to talk about when you get back" was a lie to make her guard down, and then Yuki would deal with her when Second wasn't around. It was Yuki's usual tactic.

Between the two of them, the relationship between master and spirit is so intense that a high-level and fierce psychological battle is constantly waged.

"Now, what should I do?"

While thinking about how to investigate something that was secretly active in the kingdom and how to deal with Yuki when she returned, Winfield was about to head to the capital.

Then, a carriage arrived. It stopped in front of the house, and two people got out of the driver's seat: the butler Cubero and the head stableman Just.

If she came out of the bushes now, she would startle them unnecessarily. So, Winfield decided to sneak out from the back and turned around.

...But, she stopped when she heard their conversation.

"But I'm worried about Sobra. He might be in serious trouble."

"Yes, I'm worried too. And it doesn't seem like just a simple illness."

"Maybe we should consult Second?"

"But he's so strongly against it..."

"Maybe he doesn't want to worry anyone?"

"I hope so. But we should consider the possibility of something worse. We should consult—"

"Hey."

She appeared in front of them, calling out. She no longer cared if she startled them.

"Tell me more about this."

Her face, unusually, was very serious.

Thank you for reading.