Chapter 85:

“Brauder has been taken. So where should I dig next?”

In a shadowy back alley of the Imperial Capital, a white-haired woman furrowed her brow while looking through a newspaper.

The job Kaseph and Valheit had entrusted to Til had seemed easy at first.

All she had to do was find the ones who had cursed Kranacht and trace them back.

Of course, there was no way the job would be that easy.

Too many troublesome people were involved.

While she was investigating, centering on the most idiotic of them, Brauder Stetten, he got himself kidnapped like the idiot he was.

“I can see the rough picture but I think there needs to be another central figure besides Brauder.”

In the middle of her notebook, various lines chaotically stretched out from Brauder’s name.

About half of these were just Vestol mosquitoes trying to suck Brauder Stetten dry.

The other half moved in secret, but they were bound to leave traces.

Brauder didn't go to meet the rats hiding in the sewers himself.

There were cases where Stetten's knights moved on his behalf, but the vast majority of transactions were done through someone else.

Among the many people connected to Brauder, I need to find out who's the guy that walks around in the open with his head held high, but frequents the gutter behind the scenes….

“You shouldn’t be tailing people.”

A thuggish voice came from above.

I waited here for a while, but for them to find me only now, aren't they too slow?

“I don’t know who you work for, but if you’ve been sticking your nose into suspicious places….”

Splat.

The head of the man who was speaking triumphantly from above fell onto the road, making a disgusting sound.

The subordinates who had followed him drew their weapons in panic, but it wasn't long before their heads were also rolling on the road.

“Making a person wait.”

“Heek!”

The only bespectacled guy whose neck was still attached tried to turn and run, but he fell to the ground after just two steps.

“Fuck!”

“You’re the real person in charge, yet you just send your subordinates forward. What’s that going to accomplish? Well, we’re both tired, so let’s end this quickly. Who’s the one who sold weapons and magic gear to Brauder?”

“I-I’m just the one who makes the final delivery! I don’t know where it came from or who sold it!”

“Another small fry. Then, farewell.”

“Wait, wait!! Information, you need information related to Brauder, right?”

The awl that was plunging towards the glasses stopped.

Til said nothing and waited for his next words.

“I-I don’t know who prepared and handed it over, but I know the place that acted as the middleman! I-if I just tell you that, will you let me live….”

“You talk a lot.”

“The People’s Medical Center! The exchange happened at the People’s Medical Center from Vestol!”

At the unexpected name, Til tilted her head.

Isn’t that just a volunteer group and educational institution?

“How do you think they get all that expensive medicine and equipment? It’s because they’re doing shady stuff behind the scenes!”

“Hmm. Might be worth a look.”

“Then….”

Before he could say anything more, a blade entered the bespectacled man's mouth.

A pink tongue fell onto the street along with crimson blood.

“Come to think of it, if I let you go like this, you’ll still be able to write.”

“Uaargh! Nuaauegh!”

The bespectacled man tried to say something while vomiting blood, but the blade of Til’s axe was faster.

Next to the pink tongue, eight fingers were added.

“Bandage it up well to stop the bleeding.”

She threw a bandage at the struggling man and walked out of the alley.

Unlike the scene from a moment ago, which was spattered with blood, the quiet street felt peaceful.

“Get a free check-up! In 10 minutes, we can tell you what illness you’re suffering from!”

On a street with few people, someone was raising their voice, sweating profusely.

Most people passed by without even looking, and those who showed a moment of interest were startled when they saw the nameplate on the table and quickened their pace.

After observing the scene for a moment, Til approached the young man who was shouting.

“Can you really find out in 10 minutes?”

“Ah, yes! About nine times out of ten?”

“That’s a bit vague.”

“Still, it’s the latest technology. There’s nothing to lose, so why not give it a try?”

The young man launched into a lengthy explanation, as if grateful that someone had spoken to him.

I couldn’t understand about half of what he was saying, but that wasn’t what was important.

On the nameplate placed on the side table, it was written:

Vestol People’s Medical Center Free Clinic Service

***

The Brauder I saw in the novel was unlikable, but he wasn’t a character who had given up on being human.

The description of a rich wimp fit him well.

A guy like that agreed to a plan to curse an entire city and even actively participated?

Something was strange.

“You must be curious as to why Brauder got his feet wet in such a dangerous affair.”

“Have you found anything out?”

“Not at the moment. No, it would be more accurate to say that I don't know. The demon folks should be finding out.”

He was fated to become a traitor anyway, but was his involvement in such a strange affair due to the story changing?

“Where are they staying now?”

“They’re staying in a vacant lot owned by Chartra. It's a place where wandering demons often stay for a bit before leaving, so it draws less suspicion.”

“You kidnapped Stetten’s second son to a vacant lot?”

“The most unassuming places are often the best for hiding something.”

Still, if Stetten had followed them, Werner and Noah’s party would have been crushed at the very least, and even the Eight Council could have been implicated.

“So, are you planning to walk all the way to that vacant lot?”

“Of course not. We have to take a detour.”

Could a man who was so obviously Werner Chartra avoid pursuit just by taking a bit of a detour…?

Vestol, having lost its collaborator, would be monitoring his every move.

After about 30 minutes of wandering around.

Werner, who had been moving erratically, stopped.

“We can go now.”

“The presence of those following us has certainly vanished.”

“Just because they hide doesn’t mean Chartra can’t find them.”

Is this how he shakes off all the spies who tail him so ignorantly?

In a way, it did fit the image of Chartra.

“We’re here.”

“Yes?”

“This is the Chartra-owned vacant lot.”

This isn't a vacant lot.

On a plain that stretched on without a single small bush, shabbily woven tents were packed tightly together.

“I told you. Wandering demons come and go. If they decide to hide, it’s hard to find them, no matter how conspicuous a Diaboli is.”

“Hide a tree in the forest. That’s what you meant.”

“That’s a good saying. I’ll have to use that myself later.”

Werner let out a short laugh.

A hint of fatigue flashed through the gap, but I decided not to point it out.

“What kind of place is this where so many demons gather?”

“Even if it’s this crowded, they don’t get chased away. It’s owned by Chartra, but it’s as good as empty land. Demons who are moving to other places after their residence permits expire have gathered here.”

Even while meeting the gazes of the demons, filled with various emotions, Werner paid them no mind.

As if overwhelmed by his aura, the demons didn't dare to approach him carelessly.

“It’s here.”

As we entered a shabby tent that looked no different from the others, there was a staircase.

“A basement?”

“I said it was a vacant lot, I never said there was nothing here. We sometimes conduct training here, like how to hide when demons gather.”

“What a twisted hobby.”

“Not as twisted as yours, Count.”

Werner, who snorted, went down, and a larger space than I expected appeared.

Karl, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, recognized me and gave a light greeting.

“Didn’t I tell you not to expect to see me for a while?”

“That was the plan, if you all hadn't kidnapped the Third Duke of the Empire’s brother.”

“Mmph! Mmph mmph!”

A desperate sound came from within.

When I glanced over, a man with his mouth and hands bound was struggling.

He looked exactly like Timershi, so it was definitely Brauder.

To think he would willingly participate in cursing an entire city…

He looked quite pathetic.

“We will meet again soon, Valheit.”

“I’m glad you look alright. From now on, please find a way to hide those horns when you walk around. Don’t go around advertising that Diaboli has arrived.”

“Hmm, are they that conspicuous?”

I walked past Noah, who was scratching his head, and approached Brauder.

The guy whose eyes widened upon seeing my face was exactly as I had imagined.

He was handsome, but looked like a wimp, and there was not a shred of dignity in his actions.

He was exactly as he was depicted in the novel.

“Is this the guy who wiped out 30 percent of Kranacht’s population?”

“We don’t know yet. Have you found anything?”

“Not at all. To be honest, I’m starting to suspect he might just be an ordinary person who knows absolutely nothing.”

As Karl spoke scathingly, Brauder made a pitiful expression.

It was not a pleasant sight.

“Let’s untie his mouth for a moment.”

“Pah!”

“Brauder Stetten. Is this our first meeting?”

“W-what are you talking about! We saw each other when my father invited you!”

“I don’t quite remember….”

Even if we had actually met, I wouldn't remember anyway, so it made no difference.

Brauder’s eyes darted around, looking a little shocked that I didn't remember him.

“Count, you know. I’m just a worthless idler. If you’re going to capture and torture someone, you should capture my brother, not me! Of course, that doesn’t mean you should….”

“Did you torture him too?”

“Mr. Werner made me promise not to hurt him, so I was so careful.”

Noah, who shook his head as if he had been wronged, glared at Brauder, and Brauder used all his strength to avoid his gaze.

“…Lord Werner, no, Mr. Werner. Is this really the man who committed treason against the Empire and betrayed its people?”

“The physical evidence says so. But seeing this state, honestly, I’m starting to have my doubts as well.”

At the words 'betrayal' and 'treason', Brauder’s face turned white.

He started to stutter extremely fast, as if in a hurry.

“W-w-what… what are you talking about, are you t-t-t… trying to f-f-frame me b-b-because I hung out with the V-V-Vestol guys?”

“Speak slowly. You’re starting to annoy me.”

As I clicked my tongue once, Brauder, who had been trembling as if on fast-forward, shut his mouth.

“I didn’t tell you not to speak. My apologies, Mr. Werner, but may I kick this guy once?”

“Just avoid the face.”

“I’m telling you, I don’t know what these demon guys are talking about, or what the Fourth Duke and the Count are asking! I really don’t!!”

As he started to whimper and sob, my desire to ask him anything completely vanished.

If this was an act, he could easily win an Oscar.

“Kranacht. Do you know where that is?”

“…….”

The guy who had been crying and wailing that he didn't know anything suddenly clamped his mouth shut.

From the cold sweat pouring down his face, it seemed I had hit the mark.

“If you make me ask twice again, I’ll bury you, second son of Stetten or not. Kranacht. Do you know it?”

“I know it, it’s our territory.”

“What did you do there?”

“Y-you’re asking because of the plague, right? I didn’t really do anything….”

“Shovel.”

Noah threw me a shovel at the right timing.

Ha.

Making me do some digging after all this time.

“I didn’t! But I made an introduction! To my Vestol friends!”

“Are these ‘Vestol friends’ the merchant gnats you usually hang around with?”

“Uh, no.”

Seeing him just say that and blink his eyes like a toad, I began to dig into the ground with the shovel without mercy.

“I’m sorry, Count! I’ll tell you everything I know! Th-they’re a famous charity in Vestol, for the friendship of both nations, what was it they said? Anyway, they said they were working on it!”

“You’ll need to remember the name of the organization.”

“Min, it was something Min Medical Center?”

“It seems to be the People’s Medical Center. It’s the most famous charitable medical organization in Vestol.”

Karl added a supplementary explanation.

The People’s Medical Center.

I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere recently.

“Hmm, I think some of the guys who traded with this halfwit did seem to trade with the People’s Medical Center as well….”

“I answered, so can’t you let me go? I didn’t do anything wrong….”

Thwack!

Werner threw a kick as fast as lightning.

Brauder couldn’t even let out a yelp as he rolled across the basement floor.

“Don’t worry. I’m an expert at hitting without leaving a mark.”

Vestol’s People’s Medical Center.

Shall we start from there?

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