kscans

Chapter 56 - Should One Inherit Scars, or Feelings?

Mireille's behavior was strange. Leonhard was unsure how he should stop her.

If he showed any weakness, Kyle wouldn't talk. But this was clearly not like her. Her mind was elsewhere, and she was being too cruel. What happened today? I was so wrapped up in my own problems that I didn't listen to her properly.

Mireille's torture of Kyle continued. Blood spurted out, and the chain dug into his flesh until the safety feature activated. His breathing stopped. Then, as soon as the safety feature engaged, she would immediately pour a High Potion down his throat. ...He was still conscious. She was about to repeat the process.

No. This is enough.

"Mireille. As you said, it's hard to discern the truth with this chain. ...We're done."

He made it seem as if she had stopped of her own accord. But Mireille took out a dagger.

"!!!"

"Shall I cut it?"

"No, first get him into a state where he can talk. ...That's enough. Thank you."

He smiled, but his back was drenched in sweat. Please don't stab him with that dagger. It's an instant kill.

Leonhard looked down at the breathless Kyle and questioned him.

"Kyle. Are you just unable to defy the King? Or are you willing to switch sides?"

"H...uh... switch sides... you'd... trust... me...?"

"When it comes to being the King's pawns, the shadows, the Imperial Guard, and us, we're all the same. If we can't move as he desires, we'll die all the same, right?"

"..."

"But if you say you've sworn your loyalty, you can die a martyr's death as you wish. ...But we earned our place in the First Knight Order through skill."

The First Knight Order. An elite group chosen through tournaments and military achievements, where status didn't matter, only skill.

Leonhard stood up.

"I'll give you some time to think."

"...So this is what you get for climbing to the top, huh?"

"That's right. Whether you become a pawn or rise through the ranks, nothing changes when you're in the King's hands. ...But I have no intention of dying in a ditch. I won't let anyone get in my way. That's all."

With those words, he gave an order to the former First Knight Order members and the other soldiers.

"Watch him in shifts."

The problem started from here. When would Darius return? How much of the coup d'état should he tell everyone? What if the coup had no chance of success... and what if they said they wouldn't participate? Would he send his comrades back to the King? They would die either way.

There was no answer yet.

"Mireille. I'll provide you with a place to do your alchemy. ...It was originally your master's, the captain's office. You'll need materials, too."

He said it loud enough for everyone to hear. Doing alchemy in front of others was equivalent to revealing secrets. The soldiers seemed to understand and accept that.


The inside of the trench was dim, even with the electric lights. Only the sound of their two sets of footsteps, katsuun, katsuun, echoed.

The total length was about five hundred meters. One meter wide, two meters high. The passages were a complex maze, just barely high enough not to hit one's head. There were soldiers' rooms here and there, but with no doors or locks, there was no privacy. A chilly air flowed from somewhere.

"So my master spent her days in a place like this and came home with a straight face."

"Apparently so. I heard 'base' and imagined a building too... but I was wrong. But there's no monster damage. She built a base that could properly protect people."

Leonhard walked, looking around.

"If you're going to do alchemy, either go back to the tower or do it here with me present. ...As you can see, it's all men here with no privacy."

They arrived at the captain's office. There was a desk and a bed that was hardly suitable for sleeping. Mireille's face was sad.

"We don't know who's watching here, and everyone's on edge, being away from their families and lovers. ...I can't give you special treatment. So I can't ask you in detail right now, but... you're not being yourself. What happened?"

"...I opened the wooden boxes on the fourth floor. I found out about my master's past, and the past that led to me being here."

She opened it alone? At this timing.... He felt a headache coming on. He couldn't take his eyes off Kyle.

"I should be supporting you right now. But I'm responsible for everyone's lives. ...But I can say one thing. Your master wouldn't be happy to see you like this."

Leonhard continued, choosing his words carefully.

"Seeing you now, I can guess that your master worked hard to nurture your good qualities. And she probably built a shelter because she didn't want to involve you. ...I understand you want to be a substitute for your master. But right now, it looks like you're just getting hurt in her place."

He knew he sounded cold. He hadn't listened to her at all. He would probably regret it later. But right now, he had to stop the dangerously fragile Mireille.

Mireille held back her tears and bit her lip in frustration.