Chapter 127 – 127. Duke’s Eighth Disruption (1)

– One –

“Have you failed again…”

“I’m sorry.”

Took.

Regal puts the report down on the desk and lets out a long sigh.

Regal’s furrowed eyebrows do not think to straighten for about ten minutes.

“The unexplored land in the north looks like it has become a slaughterhouse for slaughtering our operatives. For some reason, if we just dispatch operatives there, everything has failed, died, and there is no response. …”

Regal grumbled, but the butler couldn’t say anything to Regal.

His excuses, explanations, and refutations are impossible.

No matter what you say, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.

“So, are there any survivors this time around?”

“Yes. None.”

“Are there no survivors in the northern rebel stronghold?”

“That’s right.”

“Kuhuhm…”

Regal groans.

The blow he suffered this time was not at the level of being laughable.

Among the operatives, there are 2 special class, 10 first class, and 100 and 500 second and third class, respectively.

It is said that ordinary soldiers of the rebels can take out indefinitely by kidnapping and brainwashing civilians, but the operatives did not.

No, it’s 600 combatants below the 2nd level. If there is enough time, it can be mass-produced.

The money to be invested in fostering is not even something to worry about.

However, first-class and limited-class combat personnel are not like that.

Among the operatives who spend a lot of time and money to train, only a few who are gifted with natural talent can be reborn as first-class combat agents or higher.

This is because only those who have the qualifications to rise to the pinnacle of power were able to attain such a rank.

They had no choice but to be extremely valuable talents as Regal.

All of them were slaughtered this time.

When Regal read his report, his bones groaned with pain.

“Who do you think intervened? Do you think the Imperial Task Force or the Imperial Army were involved?”

“Their movements have not been reported at all. There is no indication that any of them have left their posts.”

“Then, did the experimental subjects from the northern unexplored land intervene?”

“I think that’s very likely.”

“I see… I guess we should consider that the saintess also intervened in that?”

“That’s right.”

“Damn it… Did you try to clean him up too soon…”

There’s a flex in Regal’s jaw muscles.

Dark shadows fill between the curves.

He gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger.

“Majesty.”

“Speak.”

“I don’t think it had much to do with when the operative was brought in.”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“After Viscount Uweboll left the test subjects’ residence, it was decided to put in the rebels and operatives. Therefore, the time when the operatives led the rebels and Viscount Uweboll came into contact with the test subjects was more than a day’s walk away. It must have been after the incident. If all the operatives dispatched to deal with Viscount Uwevol were attacked, it would be reasonable to assume that the subjects read our movements in advance and decided to actively respond.”

Regal nods his head.

But his expression doesn’t lighten up.

“I see… If the subjects were determined to come to the fore, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference in terms of failure, no matter when the operatives were put in, whether they floundered or were massacred.”

“That’s right.”

The owner of the house continues his words while carefully examining Regal’s eyes.

“Even when the couple of Subject 28 worked at the Imperial Central Research Institute, they had a reputation for possessing extraordinary insight and intellectual abilities. In my opinion, I think it was their trick.”

“No. 28… It was within reach, but it’s a pity that I missed them in vain.”

Regal shakes her head and broods over her regret.

After a moment of silence, Regal speaks again.

“By the way, do you think that the male and female of Experiment No. 28 are the actual brains of the group?”

“Yes. Maybe they were behind the scenes of the press, giving them a new concept of advertising and inciting them to rebel against Your Highness, I’m wondering that lately.”

“Hmm…”

Regal lowered her head for a moment and pondered.

Then he shakes his head shortly after.

“Those behind the news media, it seems likely that they are not. As I said before, the researchers at the Imperial Central Research Institute put only historical records as the highest value for judging something. It is difficult for them to come up with such an unconventional idea. Take it.”

“However, they are researchers who are also famous for proposing very unconventional theories. If you became a participant and rejuvenated, and even your brain became young as a result, wouldn’t such an unconventional idea be possible enough?”

Listening to the butler’s rebuttal, Regal smiled silently.

He shook his head quietly.

“Chief butler. I am also a participant. I will be fifty the day after tomorrow, but from the outside I look no different than a young man in my twenties.”

“That’s right.”

“And my organs, my brain, all went back to those of a young man. But just because I’m young, do you think my way of thinking has also become younger?”

“That…”

The butler blurted out his words.

“You’re not going to be able to judge that easily. I’m not a contestant, so it’s only natural. But I can assure you, my mindset has never changed to that of a young man.”

“Why is that?”

“It seems that a kind of inertia also works in the individual’s selection and control of the flow of thought. To put it simply, a habit of thought that has been maintained for decades cannot be reversed in an instant simply because the brain becomes younger. .”

“Ah…”

“A person who has been obsessed with outdated thinking for decades, and who has only been obsessed with what has been verified as a result, in an instant turns to the realm of intuition that transcends the flow of thought? If that can happen, it is not rejuvenation, but , It should be seen as a realm of personality change.”

The house boss nods his head.

He could now understand why the 28th couple couldn’t be behind the press.

“For that reason, even after I became a participant, the flow and pattern of my thoughts did not drastically change in a short period of time. That is why I highly value your wife’s advice.”

“I understand, Your Highness.”

“Perhaps these subjects from the Imperial Central Research Institute are satisfied with the role of real brain advisors. Thinking that crosses the realm of intuition, although it may be disruptive in itself, does not have a sense of stability and no proven results. So, as advisors, they will take on the role of criticizing and verifying the agenda proposed by the brain with the most conservative gaze.”

“So, are you saying that the real brains are most likely young experimental subjects?”

“At least I’m judging that. But, I don’t really know who the brain is. Saint lady, she’s nothing more than a rotten old prostitute… Not a real prostitute or a fledgling former mercenary… I would…”

Let’s take a look at each of the contestants reported that the Regal has established itself in the northern outback.

He frowned, as if he didn’t know at all.

“When you say Park Park-ah and the idiot, are you referring to the plant magician’s experimental subjects?”

“That’s right.”

“I think that the male plant magician experiment subject you called an idiot is quite cunning, contrary to what is known. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to infiltrate for a long time, kill all the special operations agents and 10 combat agents who have been accompanying you, and disappear leisurely. Your Highness. Based on the judgment, it is judged that it is most likely that it is serving the role of the brain.”

“However, it is a barbaric serf. It must have no real insight into the imperial system or political dynamics, so why should its brains be highly valued? It seems to me that the operatives’ plans Rather than seeing through it with this ability, it seems that the military power that it had from this ability was excellent, and it seems that it overcame all those situations. Or, it is judged that there was help from a third party.”

“There is no clear basis for me to judge that it is a real brain. However, unless it has a brain enough to detect the intentions of the special operations agent and the ability to quickly detect the situation regarding the abduction, the plan at that time was so thorough. I just thought it didn’t make sense to fail.”

“I see… Hey, it’s just a trivial matter that’s not worth much to discuss here. Let’s move on for now. After bringing them all in front of me, it’s enough to discuss them then.”

“All right.”

Slurp.
Slurp.

The two quench their thirst with tea.

The meeting hall was silent for a while.

But it was a tense silence, far from peaceful.

“By the way, do you think the annihilation of the rebels is related to the strange phenomena reported in the north?”

“Are you referring to the phenomenon where the fortune tellers talk about the fire dragon ascending to heaven?”

“That’s right.”

The butler nodded.

“I think it’s clear. The location where most of the insurgents were last headed exactly matches where the phenomenon occurred.”

“I see… Did they join a test subject that can control the flames?”

The butler chose silence.

Because I couldn’t make a quick decision.

“What about your judgment? I think it’s very likely.”

However, Regal wanted to hear the answer to the end.

It seemed that it was not easy for him to judge properly.

“I think it’s very likely not.”

“…Why did you decide that?”

When the opinion is divided with the butler, Regal’s expression is different.

“Because other physical factors can suffice to cause such a large fire.”

“I see. But isn’t there a possibility that someone with a special ability caused the fire?”

“What is the need for a test subject that has fled to the north to unnecessarily show off its superpowers throughout the empire? If they had sneaked into the north at this point, it would have been clear that they were the ones who knew the continent’s situation early and hid there. , I don’t think such a person would do anything that stands out.”

“Right.”

“Furthermore, if it was a fire created by a person with a special ability, the person with the special ability could have destroyed it. But that flame whirlwind burned for more than half a day without stopping. It would have been possible to achieve and eliminate it. By doing so, it would have been possible to fundamentally block the rise and fall of the luxurious people’s cuba. Judging from the fact that it did not do so, I judged that it was a fire caused by a physical phenomenon.”

“But didn’t Experiment 16 leave traces of itself all over the continent? They didn’t even try to overturn and cover up the traces they left behind. Do you think there’s no possibility that they’re such an inferior person?”

The butler ponders for a moment.

He soon shakes his head.

“They didn’t leave marks as large and extensive as this one. Had the survivors not been tracked down and their tracks carefully examined, the location of the incident was so remote that others would not have even known about the new forest. If more time had passed, everyone who discovered it would have mistakenly thought there was such a forest from the beginning.”

“I see. Listening to you, I think there is a high possibility that there is no person with the ability to handle flames. If that’s the case, then that means they made that kind of fire themselves…”

Regal’s expression slightly distorted.

He didn’t have a comfortable day these days.

It was because it seemed that someone invisible was determined and interfering with everything he did.

As if a thorn had been lodged in his throat, there was something that kept bothering him.

And there are constantly stumbling and creaking parts.

“Haa… Really, no matter who it is, it makes me want to rip off the scalp.”

“It’s a bit harsh, but I fully agree with Your Highness.”

Regal sighed and instructed the butler.

“For now, change the organization of the shaman and mage troops a little.”

“Can we organize additional people who are well versed in water attributes?”

“That’s right. If you think you’ve been attacked like that after a large army goes out, it’s quite dizzying.”

“I agree. Even if they weren’t wiped out, close to half of the soldiers might have been wiped out at once.”

“If that’s the case, I would have had to immediately declare the expedition a failure and retreat.”

Whoop.

Regal calmly sips her tea.

It was very unpleasant for him to have to soothe his bitter heart with fragrant tea.

“Then, butler.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Where has Viscount Uwevol gone, have you found out anything about his whereabouts?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I couldn’t find his whereabouts at all. It’s as if he flew into the sky and ran away.”

“Is that so… Is there any possibility that he died by fire along with the rebels?”

“I have that part in mind as well, but I think there will be no setbacks if we set the direction of our future response, assuming that we are returning to the system while surviving.”

“That’s right. If he had died at our hands this time, he would have really solved a lot of things easily… It’s a pity.”

Regal clicks his tongue and shakes his head.

“It seems that he will return to his own territory or to the hideout of the imperial faction within the system. If we cannot find out his whereabouts in the middle, why not kidnap him and assassinate him right after he returns?”

Regal shakes his head resolutely.

“No. It only hardens the belief that we assassinated him, and we can’t find any practical benefit from the assassination after his return. There must be no disagreement about the fact that he was killed by the saintess and the rebels in order to induce the imperial army and the imperial faction to participate in the war. Wouldn’t it be helpful to do that. If I assassinate him after returning, it will only split the main and new factions within the imperial faction, and there will be no further effect.”

“Okay. Then, let’s increase the level of pressure around him.”

“Like that. There’s a good chance you won’t see much of an effect on him, but wouldn’t it be better than not doing it?”

“That’s right.”

“This matter will be reviewed later, after his return is detected. More than that, how are the retaliatory measures against the imperial faction going?”

Upon hearing Regal’s question, a fishy smile appeared on the butler’s face.

The butler was in the process of confirming his own survival through the death of others.

“It’s very smooth.”

“That’s fortunate. Didn’t they stumble?”

“That’s right. In the first place, it was thoroughly disguised and arranged so that it could only be seen as a suicide or accidental death. The part about the crown prince is also progressing smoothly.”

“I see. You worked hard.”

“No. Everyone, isn’t it the hard work of the special operations agents who went to the scene?”

“Still, it can’t be said that your hard work is small.”

“It’s too much praise.”

Regal’s expression widens a little.

It would have been possible for him not to run amok in a fit of rage, not having received only reports of failure each time.