Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: "Hellooo? Can You Hear Me In There?"
Greetings! I am Violia Nico Fortesia!
I have done it! The lightning-using mage I met at the Castane mansion when we broke in before! I have met her again, so I knocked her out and brought her back!
"I have done it."
"Eh, what? You brought her back?"
Chesta, who had been staying behind, has a puzzled look on his face, but he is quite slow on the uptake!
"What should we do with this one? Should we restrain her for now?"
"Yes. It would be best if we could seal her magic as well."
"Yes, yes. I've prepared that just in case."
And so, we successfully restrained the lightning-user.
"...So, what are you going to do with her? Put her to torture and make her spit out information?"
"Well, that would be fine too, but..."
Everyone is so slow on the uptake.
The reason I brought this girl back is for only one reason!
"Let us make her defect to our side!"
From there, we entered into deliberation.
But well... the deciding factor was that 'we want at least one mage.'
Mages are precious. After all, high magical power is almost synonymous with lineage. And nobles do not live as outlaws.
It is not as if there are no commoners with enough magical power to be mages, but in any case, it does not change the fact that mages are precious.
...And well, since I can only use a bit of magic, we are overwhelmingly lacking in members who can use magic.
Being able to use magic expands the range of strategies. Or rather, if one aims for true assassination, magic is the best means of attack.
After all, one can kill the opponent even without bringing in a weapon! No traces of the killing remain! No evidence will easily come out unless a mage investigates! It is the best!
"Well, it would be good to have another person who can fight stably. Lately, I've had one person watching my shop, so that only leaves two people including Chesta."
"If there are three people, we can be at ease even if Chesta is incapacitated!"
"Chesta is difficult to use in many ways, after all."
"Isn't your evaluation of me a bit harsh?"
It is a natural evaluation. It cannot be helped in an emergency, but I do not want to continue basing plans on a junkie.
"...Therefore, what do you think? This girl seemed to be able to use reasonably strong magic, and I thought she would become even stronger if we raised her."
"What's the basis for that?"
"Her health is undoubtedly poor. She is too thin. First, we shall guarantee her food, clothing, and shelter, make her eat more, let her sleep, and dote on her, and I believe she will become much stronger."
Magical power is an ability based on talent. However, that does not mean effort is entirely unnecessary.
Just as muscles reside in a healthy body, magical power also exists upon a healthy body. After all, magical power is greatly influenced by the spirit. And to have a strong spirit, the body must be firm!
Therefore, if we let this flat and straight beauty put on a little more meat, I believe she will be able to produce a more stable and high output.
"...I was watching the battle, and it seemed her magic aim was poor. It might mean she wasn't controlling it well. Also, her rate of fire was slow. Is that also due to her health?"
"Yes. At the very least, regarding those two points, we can expect significant improvement through health management and training."
When I said that, Doran thought for a moment... and then, he nodded!
"I understand. The rest depends on her will, but I think it's fine to bring her in. She's likely a hired guard anyway, so there's a good chance she'll defect to someone stronger and with more money."
"In the worst case, can't we just get her hooked on drugs?"
"Wouldn't that just be adding another Chesta?"
Well, our opinion has been decided!
The rest is...
"Oh, are you waking up?"
"Ugh... where, am I..."
It depends on her.
As soon as the lightning-user woke up, she saw my face and braced herself. But it is futile. After all, she is carefully restrained.
"Please do not struggle too much. It is not my intention to kill you."
Since she immediately began to struggle, I took the liberty of putting a knife to her neck. It is to have a rational dialogue. It cannot be helped.
"Now then. I shall have you answer a few simple questions."
The lightning-user was staring at me intently, but being stared at by a cute face is not scary at all.
"...What do you want to know?"
"Your will."
While showing a suspicious look at the word 'will,' she seems to be in the mood to listen to our words for now. That is quite good.
...And so!
"Guarantee of your life! A bed and food! And money! Days where you can live in luxury! And the right to participate in heart-pounding projects! ...I shall give you all of these!"
"Ha?"
"On top of that, let me hear it! Do you not feel like defecting to our side!?"
She was taken aback.
"...Ha? Without asking about my circumstances or my employer at all, just that?"
"That is right."
"Isn't that a bit too reckless?"
"Is it? But I do not care what your circumstances are, and even if your employer is a dangerous person, it is not a problem. We shall crush them all together anyway."
When I answered, the lightning-user gasped.
...Well, ninety percent of what I am saying is true. Even if this girl's employer were dangerous, our ultimate goal is to crush the royal family. If there is someone we crush along the way, we shall simply crush them as a side matter! It is no problem!
"...What if I say I won't defect?"
"It would be a pity, but I shall kill you."
"Then what if I say I'll defect here?"
"For now, we shall have a late-night snack. Are you not hungry? You are far too thin."
"No, ask about my employer first."
Food is important. The person we will crush in the future is less important than our current meal.
"...Listen. Don't you consider the possibility that I'll say I'm defecting and then betray you?"
"Well, I shall kill you then."
"Can't you think about the fact that it'll be too late even if you kill me?"
...Too late even if I kill her, is it?
For example... if the raw materials for Mystic Ruby were known, that would be a bit troublesome, wouldn't it?
Well, in short, if our information were leaked somewhere, it would be too late even if we killed this girl.
"Well, if information is leaked, we just have to crush everyone it was leaked to, and there will be no problem."
"How...?"
"I shall tell you that after you have defected!"
Well, information beyond this point will be after you officially become a comrade!
"Rest assured! We are a group of villains who are extremely short-staffed! An excellent mage like you, and a cutie with plenty of room for growth, is most welcome! And since we are not a large group, the share of the reward will be large! In fact, the welfare benefits are perfect! See? It is a very good deal, isn't it!?"
Complaining comes later! Now! Let me hear your conclusion!
"Now! Let me hear it! Will you defect? Or will you not?"
"I refuse. ...Kill me."
"Muuu! Why does it turn out like that!?"
I do not understand it at all!
"Why is that!? Do you want more rewards!? What is it that you want!? You are quite the greedy one, aren't you!?"
"I won't defect no matter how much reward you pile up."
When I grabbed the lightning-user's collar and shook her, I was shown a tremendous sense of loyalty. It was somewhat unexpected...
...Or so I thought.
"It seems I can't draw any more information out of you, so I have no choice but to be killed."
Saying that, the lightning-user looked away.
...Hmm? What does that mean?
Even if she drew out information, if she is killed, she cannot take that information back, can she? Then there is no point in drawing out information...
If there is a reason to draw out our information in such a situation...
...At that moment, I found it.
Inside the collar that had loosened when I grabbed and shook it, there was a glint of metal...
A collar, it was.
"This...!"
"Let me see that for a second."
When I pointed out the collar, Giovan crouched down next to the lightning-user and began to observe the collar.
...And then he frowned and raised both hands. A gesture of surrender.
"It's a Slave Collar. If she doesn't follow the master's instructions, or if she's away from the master for more than a certain amount of time, it tightens and kills her."
'Slave Collar.' I know of that as well.
This country has slaves, for now. Mostly, they are survivors of other countries destroyed in war who were captured and made into slaves, and the collar they are made to wear is this.
The effect is simple. It is as Giovan said.
If they do not follow the master's instructions, the collar tightens. A slave who does not listen dies. That is how it works.
I have learned the magical mechanism of this to some extent. It seems it 'strengthens the slave's sense of guilt' and reflects it in the collar. ...Because of this, a complete madman cannot be made into a slave... It is a defeat for modern magical technology.
And the other effect is that if they are away from the master for more than a certain amount of time, the collar tightens. An escaped slave dies.
This can be set in advance by contract. If one wants to send a slave to a distant town for shopping, the limit would be set to a month or so, and conversely, if they are to be a guard or an attendant, it would be set to a day or so.
...By the way, this is a tool coveted by villains, but it cannot be obtained by villains because it cannot be worn unless the proper procedures are followed at a place permitted by the royal family... It is a pity!
"That means there is a time limit?"
"That's how it is."
The lightning-user laughed as if she had given up and said dismissively.
"The limit is set to one day. So... I'm destined to die by tomorrow night. That's why defecting or anything else is useless."
"...I see. Hey, Giovan. Can you not remove this?"
"Hmm... it's a bit tough. A Slave Collar can only be removed when the master declares they're giving up ownership, or when the master is rewritten to someone else through such procedures. And only when the master dies. I'd like to remove it for her too, but..."
"If Doran does it with all his might, won't it break?"
"I'd like to think even our Doran doesn't have the physical strength to break magic silver with his bare hands."
"I don't."
I see... I thought something might be done with brute force, but as expected, it is impossible.
Is there no other way to remove this?
After that, Giovan and I continued to observe the lightning-user's collar, refusing to give up.
"Hm?"
...Then suddenly, Giovan let out a groan.
"Is something the matter?"
"No... it seems there's some other trick to this. But I have no idea what kind of trick it is."
"A trick?"
I also took a look, and it certainly seems different from a normal Slave Collar.
However, I can tell that it is not something related to attack. I was an honor student at the Magic Academy, after all!
Doran poked his head in... and then, he noticed.
"Could it be, audio?"
"Audio... ah!"
"I see... so that's it."
That makes sense.
In short, there is another magic cast on this collar... and through that magic, all the conversations here are leaking to the lightning-user's master.
That explains why the lightning-user was trying to draw out information for no reason.
"Eeeh? Isn't that bad?"
"No, we've already talked about all sorts of things, it's too late now. They probably already know almost everything about us anyway."
"That means this conversation is also leaking."
Thinking about that makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable. Every word of this conversation is being heard by someone, somewhere... and someone who is clearly trying to crush us.
But if we cower in fear every time, nothing will begin!
"Hellooo, someone somewhere, can you hear meee? Please answeeer!"
"I hate to break it to you while you're talking to the collar, but this is one-way."
Ah, is that so? Why didn't you say that sooner? Don't I look like a fool talking to the collar?
"That means we cannot talk to the person on the other side of the collar..."
"Of course not. What are you talking about?"
I am only saying perfectly reasonable things! She is cute, but quite impertinent, this girl!
"...Young Lady, what were you planning to do by talking to the person on the other side of the collar?"
"I only thought I would have them give up ownership of this girl."
"No... that wouldn't happen. If they let go of her, she'd be handed over along with the opponent's information. And the opponent would be killed by us."
"I know that, of course. That is why I wanted to make a deal... but it seems difficult this way."
To have this girl handed over, we must somehow communicate with that person. Hmm, I wonder if I can find out who the master is from her?
"...I shall ask just in case. Who is your master?"
"I can't say."
I thought so.
"In other words, it means you have been ordered 'not to speak the master's name.'"
"That's right. Ah, naturally, don't think of any clever tricks like writing it down being okay. The instructions are 'do not harm the master,' 'do not insult the master,' 'do not leak any information that could identify the master,' and 'do not fall into a situation where you might accidentally leak information.'"
"The last one is cruel. In other words, you cannot get drunk or get high!?"
"What kind of slave drinks alcohol during a mission?"
"And is it also no good to have you guide us to your master?"
"Of course it's no good! Think with common sense!"
"Is it also no good if we release you and let you go, and we just follow after you?"
"I told you! It's no good!"
Ah, I see. She is quite inflexible...
And so.
We cannot expect information from this girl.
But there is much that can be understood.
...The limit is one day. And the time limit is tomorrow night.
In other words, it has only been a few hours since this girl separated from her master.
Doesn't that mean this girl's master is within Elsemarin?
And one more thing.
...I know the mechanism of this collar.
The function of this collar where 'it tightens if instructions are not followed' operates through the 'slave's sense of guilt.'
Therefore, if one almost says something, realizes it, feels guilty, and immediately shuts their mouth, they will be saved, and in the first place, if they do not remember what they said themselves, it will not operate.
Of course, the instruction 'do not fall into a situation where you might accidentally leak information' is given to prevent this. That is why getting high on drugs or drunk on alcohol is out.
...However.
Even if one is perfectly sane, there are 'accidents.'
Yes.
She cannot possibly know what value that information has to the opponent.
If it is information she is unaware of, she will surely leak it for us.