Chapter 703 – Interrogation Room and Old Man

000

En Lai, who was on her knees with her entire body tied up and kept opening her mouth to answer questions, fell forward and lost consciousness.

This is an interrogation room to interrogate criminals in the palace of the Eastern Kingdom.

The criminal was not even allowed to sit on a chair, but was forced to pour out all the information he had while being tortured with his knees and legs fixed to the stone floor.

Even so, whether your life can be saved is another story depending on the nature of the crime.

Looking at the fallen En Lai, the interrogator who was continuing the interrogation sighs and returns his brush to the desk.

“I think that’s it for today. There is still a lot of information to be discovered, so we cannot let it die.”

As the interrogator spoke, the old man who was quietly watching the interrogation scene next to him took out a bottle containing pills from his bag and placed it on his desk.

Those who know that what is contained within it is Quartz’s special confession drug that paralyzes the human brain and causes one to lose judgment and answer all questions asked honestly, includes several servants who have worked in the palace for a long time, and Mi, who commands them. It was about a flame attack.

Asteris – No, she is said to be the best doctor in the Eastern countries, and in the past, she served as the king’s personal doctor.

To her neighbors, she was simply called a kind-hearted grandmother who made medicinal herbs, but behind her back, she was called the ‘elder’ who commanded the anti-guidance unit, and she manufactured various poisons and medicines that cause abnormalities in the human body, such as baekje.

Those who know her normally would not believe her because of her surprise.

However, all of her talents, as well as her medical and pharmaceutical skills, have long been used only to protect the safety of the Eastern countries.

With that, she could confidently say that she had never once made an innocent victim in her long 80 years.

“Then I will leave some medicine behind. However, if you use more than the specified amount, his brain will rot and become damaged.”

If you say that while giving your medicine to the interrogator, the interrogator will nod and bow his head deeply in gratitude.

＂Thank you, Quartz. You still have great skills. I never thought I would see Enlai turn into a doll and answer everything.”

“It wasn’t a very pleasant sight, right? Because you would want to use your skills to open the mouths of criminals.”

When Quartz said that as if she were somehow self-deprecating, the interrogator shook her head in response.

“Sometimes, when there are people who refuse to open their mouths even when tortured, I also want to rely on Quartz’s medicine. But, why did you intentionally participate in the interrogation scene?

“This is to prevent people like you from giving additional medicine to those who haven’t fully used the medicine and killing them.”

At Quartz’s point, the interrogator smiled, but scratched her head with a troubled expression.

“Wow, indeed… But you don’t have to worry. I have been working as an interrogator for a long time, so I don’t kill criminals carelessly.”

“Okay. That seems better than your father.”

When Quartz, who had been helping him with this task since he was a child, brought up the story about the interrogator’s father, he sighed as if he couldn’t win.

＂… My father… And his predecessor also received a lot of help from Quartz’s medicine. Me too. But Mr. Quartz, why don’t you take on any disciples?”

Quartz is also old. I’ve reached the age where it wouldn’t be strange if I exhausted my life and couldn’t wake up the next morning.

If there is someone who has passed the twilight and inherited all the knowledge and skills of Quartz, who has reached an age where there will be no problems even in the night, the royal palace will be able to rest assured.

However, she was a Quartz who had been told to take on disciples for many years – no, she had been asked to take on disciples for decades – but she had never formally taken in and trained a single one.

If this continues, all of her knowledge will disappear into oblivion.

“What’s so great about me is that I take on students and teach them my skills. There are excellent doctors and pharmacists everywhere on the continent. … And, drugs that destroy people’s minds by giving them to people, it would be better if they were cut off from me.”

Quartz said so, patted the interrogator on the shoulder as if to leave the rest to the interrogator, and left the room.

The interrogator, who was looking at her back, looked closely at the document containing the information he had obtained from En Lai.

Since when has Enlai been collaborating with the Exiled Church, who has she attacked in the process, and what unfair benefits have she gained?

Thanks to some of the cases that had been treated as cold cases and buried in the dark, he succeeded in uncovering the truth – but what was also important was the detailed information he had about the exiled church.

For example, information about the hiding place of the exiled church hiding in the Eastern countries, or their members.

＇… But, if what Enlai said is true… The power of the Exiled Church has also been greatly exhausted.’

Of the two major executives who commanded the exiled religious order in the Eastern countries, Enma and Dharma, one of them fell.

Enlai, who had used their power to expand his power in the eastern countries, was now captured and unable to do anything.

Enrai – To be precise, he and his ancestors took on the role of the head and secretly wielded the ‘right hand of destruction’ called Dharma and the ‘left hand of death’ called Enma, and now the head and left hand are gone.

If we can finish them off before the Exiled Church reorganizes its stance…

However, even for that, we had to find a way to get into the place where they were hiding.

The temple of the Eastern Kingdom’s Exiled Church was hidden in a place where ordinary humans could not enter.

─Seasonal area.

The way to enter the gap in the world, cut off from the outside world, was an ancient secret that even Enlai did not know.

001

When Quartz was suddenly called to the palace in the morning and heard that Enlai had been arrested, and a confession was needed to interrogate him.

He didn’t think he would be able to relax today, and he thought it would be late to leave the palace.

I never would have thought that I went in when the sun was above my head, and when I came out, the moon was up instead.

When I glanced up at the sky that had completely turned into the color of night, there was a girl coming right next to her without any sign.

“I will take you to the mansion. Elderly person.”

She is a girl who wears ordinary clothes that can be seen anywhere in the East, but she is actually a girl who hides her sword and the horns that grow from her head.

When Aine came closer to Quartz with a small smile, Quartz could tell as soon as he saw her that even with her light armament, she had the skills to be an excellent warrior. 〉

As for her Quartz, who has taken care of her since she was a young child, he would be deeply grateful that she has grown up so proudly.

Quartz, who prefers to think about such things within herself rather than show them on the outside, nods her head.

＂I will carry my bag.＂

“Okay. Please.”

At Aine’s words, I handed over the wooden bag containing the medicine, ingredients, and tools in her hand.

There were several glass bottles and iron tools inside her, so it felt a bit heavy for an elderly person over 80 to carry around.

When she was holding the quartz, she was carrying it so lightly that it didn’t seem like it weighed that much, so Aine looked back at the weight she felt when carrying her bag and the quartz.

I was relieved that she was still healthy and walked at her own pace.

The road from the palace back to her home is a dark road.

Although there is moonlight illuminating the night road, the large trees growing in an unknown person’s yard create shade, so you are constantly moving from shadow to shadow.

However, for Aine, who is a swordsman who hides in the dark and cuts down ghosts, the darkness is something she is used to, and it is in that darkness that suspicious movements are sometimes more visible.

Rather, I am relieved to walk this path.

However, although Quartz is healthy, it is true that her back is bent and the speed at which she moves her legs has slowed down, so she walks slowly and leisurely as if she is enjoying a night walk.

Naturally, to escape her silence, Aine started talking to Quartz.

“I never thought the day would come when Lord Enlai would be imprisoned for treason. This too is thanks to Lord Cleon.”

Quartz responds to Aine’s words by slowly nodding her head.

“The visit of the kingdom’s delegation must have been a difficult time for that young man, but he never thought he would join hands with them and fight Enrai. That much was beyond my expectations.”

“Honestly, I think it’s amazing. I was able to cooperate with someone who was originally supposed to be my enemy.”

The Banguidae, who had even planned to evacuate Cleon and his group, could not help but be surprised by the development going in a completely unexpected direction.

Aine continues by recalling her nagging to Draine, who was complaining that her opportunity to be active was lost thanks to her.

＂Problems related to the Dark Giant of the Luxury, Enma, Lord Enrai… And many other big and small incidents. Thanks to Lord Cleon’s visit to Asteris, it seems like there is a positive impact on this country.”

“Aren’t you quite taking that young man’s side? “I’ve never seen you praise anyone else that much, except for your younger siblings.”

When Aine said something that seemed to praise Cleon, Quartz laughed and spoke to Aine in a teasing manner.

“Is that so? I was just saying what I thought.”

She blushes at Quartz’s words, but doesn’t deny it.

Quartz is talking to her because she looks like such a girl.

“When Miyeomgong and Sanghoe Herti bring him back, will they be medicine or poison for this country? The future was very uncertain. As a doctor, I helped those children – but because of that, this country could have gone into war with the kingdom.”

Amelia was brought to this country with her body in shambles.

She remembers that even when she treated that child, her sense of duty as a doctor was stronger.

That’s why she told the Banguidae to keep an eye on Cleon and his group, and she decided she could trust them based on what they saw during the excavation of the artifacts.

Who would have thought that the trust in him that started from there – and cooperation would greatly move the Eastern countries to this point.

Quartz back then was probably something I had never imagined.

“This country is changing. Certainly, you can think of it as a good direction. Just as the constellations that decorate the sky change each time the star of destiny twinkles. Around that young man, the fate of many people seems to have deviated from their original path.”

Aine nodded her head strongly at Quartz’s words.

─But, at that time.

＂You are a noble person! Wow!”

There would be a lot of people gathered at this time, and Aine turned around when she heard people screaming coming from a little distance away.

And looking back at her Quartz, she nods her head and lets Aine go, putting Quartz’s bag down on her seat.

She looked at the place where Aine had disappeared like the wind in an instant, and then she quietly opened her mouth.

“What is it that makes this old man so afraid that he is alone? Are you that scared of that kid?”

When Quartz’s self-talking voice echoes in the darkness, the wind blows and the leaves above his head sway.

Feeling as if something was hidden inside, Quartz slowly turned his body and looked behind him.

Then, there is a big man wearing a mask quietly looking down at the quartz.

“The old man… Speaks well.”

“Someone said, wasn’t Enlai’s dog a good listener? Your master is in the palace right now. Don’t you need to go rescue him?”

Quartz looks up at a man who appears to be twice – no, three times as tall as Quartz, with his back bent, but doesn’t seem to have any fear.

Then, an evil glow and murderous spirit emanate from the eyes under Dharma’s mask, but he manages to hold it back and speak.

“The owl wants you. He says he needs to fill the empty position. I don’t know what an old man like you can do…”

As Dharma spoke, he spoke while looking at someone’s house right next to him, where people seemed to be still asleep.

“If you resist, the people around here will face misfortune.”

＂Resistance?＂

To Dharma’s threat, Quartz responds with a small smile as if he had heard a strange story.

“Look, young man. I am this old person, and I am a doctor with only a needle and medicine. How can I resist you? Is it a threat made because the old man is scared to do it after even removing the guards?”

＂…＂

As Quartz spoke as if laughing off Enrai’s threats, Dharma was beginning to feel the limits of his patience –

“Then. It means that they will follow without resistance, right?”

Once again, he swallows it down and then asks her a question.

Quartz sighed softly as if there was nothing he could do, and then she spoke to him.

“It has to be that way, right? Don’t be a turtle and do your job.”

＂You damn old man… If it weren’t for the pact with the owl, you would have been killed right here without leaving a trace…”

Enlai snorts and talks about Dharma’s growling words.

“So what are you going to do? This old man has a sore leg. Would you please give me a piggyback ride?”

“Shut up!”

Although Dharma was indignant at Quartz’s words, he threw the amulet he had into the air.

Then, the magic that opens the dimension door contained within unfolds, creating a temporary gateway connected to another space beyond.

When Quartz, seeing this, twitches his eyebrows and trembles, Dharma lifts Quartz’s body with his large hands and strides over to the gate.

When the gate that the two passed through was closed, there was nothing left to prove that Quartz and Dharma were there, only Quartz’s medicine bag that Aine had left behind.

After a while, the child returned with the sound of the wind passing by once again.

“I’m back, old man… Old man?”

However, when she notices that only her medicine bag is left there, she looks around in confusion.

＂Elderly man… Elderly man!? Where─＂

And then, what she discovered was hidden in the darkness – a black and small magatama that seemed to melt into the shadows.

＂This is… Quartz’s magatama… No way…!?”

The magatama was an object that had the property of remembering the existence of the person who had held it for a long time and trying to return to its owner.

It was also a precious treasure that the three members of the Bandwidai first gave to Quartz so that if anything happened to her, they could come to her rescue at any time.

Aine looked at it for a moment, then grabbed her magatama, packed her medicine bag, and left the place.

The place she was heading to was the merchant’s mansion where Cleon and his group would be.