Chapter 140: A Brief Interlude (What That Person Is Up To Now)
When he regained consciousness, he found himself lying in a completely unfamiliar place.
The room was about the size of a moderately spacious inn. There were no windows, but soft light streamed down from the ceiling. The decor was unified in calm colors like milky white and brown.
Beside the bed where he lay was a side table. A closet stood against the wall. A simple desk and chair completed the furnishings.
That was all that was provided in the room.
At the far end, there was an indentation resembling a door, but no doorknob was in sight.
What had happened? Why was he lying in such a place? With no memories to guide him, he felt utterly lost.
Minutes passed, and as he steeled himself to get out of bed, placing his feet on the floor, a knock echoed through the room.
Startled, he turned to look in the direction of the sound. There, at the indentation that resembled a door, it slid open on its own.
“…!”
He gasped in surprise. It wasn’t just the door moving automatically; it was the person who entered that took him by surprise.
“Have you awakened?”
She spoke with a voice like ringing bells, offering a charming smile, but he felt no sense of relief. This was the very girl he had previously marked as a target.
“…So, I’ve been abducted by your organization?”
“Oh dear, that’s a harsh way to put it. Abduction? Such a term carries a negative connotation, don’t you think?”
“It was merely a matter of neutralizing an enemy to protect ourselves,” she replied, implying that he was considered an enemy and had been incapacitated.
He felt a shiver of fear creeping into his body, but he mustered his strength and raised his head. After all, he had made a living through stealth reconnaissance and assassination. He knew how to control his emotions.
However, that did not change the dire situation he found himself in. The room was clearly designed to keep him inside. There were no windows for light, and only one exit. The fact that she had appeared before him indicated that she was there as both caretaker and jailer.
“Rest assured. Fortunately, we have not suffered any harm, and if I were to put it bluntly, the only disturbance was caused by your collapse, which caused a bit of a stir at the venue. Since there was no actual damage, we have no intention of harming you intentionally.”
She giggled softly, her laughter sweet and innocent. Naturally, he could not find anything to laugh about. Where was the reassurance in her words? Just because they had no intention of harming him did not mean he was safe or protected.
“By the way, could you tell me about yourself? We—no, I—know nothing about you. Shall we have a little chat?”
“…”
Thus, he found himself subjected to an interrogation disguised as a conversation by this seemingly delicate girl.
What could possibly be amusing to her as she sat in front of him, grinning? He had been using his ability on her since earlier, a power that merely made her harbor a slight fondness for him.
Whether it was working or not, he could not tell.
“Oh! By the way, I’m starting to feel a bit hungry. Please wait a moment.”
With a snap of her fingers, she said this and gracefully hopped off her chair (the chair was slightly too high for her). She scampered toward the only entrance to the room.
As she stood before the door, it opened on its own.
“Would you like to see the other rooms? There’s a washroom, a bath, and a kitchen as well.”
She beckoned him, and he slowly approached the door. Beyond it lay a short hallway, and to the immediate left, there indeed appeared to be a kitchen. To the right, he could see another door, and at the end of the hallway, there was yet another door.
“The left is the kitchen. The right leads to the bath. I’ll teach you how to use them later, as I doubt you’ll know. Meals will be delivered, but you’re free to cook for yourself if you wish. Feel free to do as you please.”
As she spoke, the girl moved with efficiency, quickly preparing tea.
“Your meal will be delivered in about two hours, so let’s have some tea in the meantime. The tea snacks today are special—a delicacy brought directly from the Forest Country (Lebresta).”
The man, who had been standing idly, was gently pushed back by the girl and obediently sat on the bed. She swiftly arranged teacups and snacks on the side table, placing a teapot alongside an hourglass on the desk.
“This is called black tea. Have you ever had it?”
“…Ah.”
“I see. Actually, these tea leaves were imported directly from Lebresta. They’re quite rare these days, so please look forward to it.”
He wondered if his Mystic Eyes were having any effect on her. Since she had shown little hostility from the start and was sitting so close, he couldn’t discern any difference. However, it seemed she had no immediate plans to do anything to him. He didn’t know how many hours would pass, but for now, their conversation, which was more like an interrogation, continued.
It seemed she was waiting for him to speak voluntarily rather than forcing information out of him.
Although he specialized in espionage, his skills relied heavily on his Enchanting Magic Eye. He was not well-versed in the art of extracting information through eloquent speech or coercion. At best, he was slightly better than others at choosing his words based on the other person’s demeanor.
“Yes, please. Be careful; it’s hot.”
As he stared intently at her, a cup of tea was placed before him. He couldn’t judge the quality of the tea, but the aroma suggested it was not bad.
“In a place like this…”
“You don’t need to worry about poison. There are far more direct ways to harm you than poisoning you.”
She laughed as she said this, adding, “After all, I could have easily done something while you were asleep.”
That was true, and he resigned himself to take a sip from the tea set she had prepared.
For the next few days, he lived under the care of the girl. When he awoke in the morning, she would notice and begin preparing breakfast. This would lead to morning interrogations, followed by lunch and more questioning throughout the day. After dinner, a bath would be drawn for him, and while he was free afterward, he had nothing to do but sleep.
The girl’s questions and explanations spanned a wide range of topics. From the kingdom’s noble system to methods of civilian healing. Questions about the time from sunrise to sunset, the moon in the sky, childhood anecdotes, and the popular entertainment of the Forest Country (Lebresta).
He lacked for nothing in terms of food, clothing, and shelter, and while he was not bored to the point of despair, he still felt a growing sense of urgency.
With no way to gather information from the outside world, the only person he could interact with was this girl. His proud Mystic Eyes seemed to be having some effect, as she appeared quite fond of him by night, but by morning, she reverted to her previous demeanor.
Thus, he resolved to escape.
His target was the end of the hallway where the girl frequently entered and exited. The door had never opened for him, but she always used it. He had no idea what lay beyond, but he had no intention of being swept away by this uncertain situation any longer.
In the dead of night, he rose from his bed and stepped into the hallway. Then, he collapsed.
“Hyah…! Kha…!”
He gasped for breath, trembling. He clawed at his chest, arching his back and writhing in agony.
This was his finest performance. Of course, it was not a haphazard act. He had trained for such scenarios, mastering the art of feigning sudden attacks in captivity. Even if shown to a nearby doctor, it would be difficult to discern it as an act. It was that convincing.
A hissing sound echoed as air escaped.
“Are you alright!?”
The door at the end of the hallway burst open, and the girl rushed out. Backlit by the light, he could not see her clearly, especially in the midst of his act.
Even so, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Kha!”
With all his might, he roared. He unleashed a wave of magic power, disrupting the flow of magic within him. If the opponent were a skilled fighter, this would be a futile trick.
Yet, the girl stiffened in surprise, unable to counter his intimidation unless she was accustomed to battle.
He kicked off the floor with all his strength, dodging the girl and diving through the open door.
What lay beyond was a vast space illuminated by a soft light. It was about the size of a small party hall. However, the room was filled with an array of unidentifiable objects. Flat structures emitting a gentle glow, and massive metallic machines with numerous pipes protruding from them.
He dashed between the structures. Why was there such a room just outside his own? Where had that girl come from?
“…Ahhh!!”
He slammed into a wall and turned right. Ahead, he saw several large transparent tubes that appeared to be made of glass. Something was inside them. Ignoring it, he tried to run past.
“Hyah!!”
Noticing what was inside, he jumped back. He collided with something solid behind him.
A massive glass cylinder. Even if he stretched out his arms, he wouldn’t reach halfway around it. It seemed to be filled with liquid, small bubbles rising slowly from the bottom.
And inside it…
“It’s useless to run away.”
With that voice, his right hand was seized. Despite her slender appearance, her grip was as strong as a vice.
“…!”
The girl he knew was holding his wrist. For some reason, she was not wearing any clothes and was dripping with a mysterious liquid.
And floating inside the glass cylinder was another girl, identical in appearance.
“You can’t escape. You’ve been captured by us.”
There were not just one or two glass cylinders before him. There were many, all containing girls with the same face.
“Now, let’s go back to your room. We have more talking to do tomorrow.”
“Ugh, nooo—! I don’t want to—!!”
“…Why does it have to be horror-themed?”
“Yes, Ma’am.
We hastily packed the minimum functions into the offshore equipment, resulting in that design.
The Communicator Android requires a standalone Brain Unit for analysis and cleaning each time, so we prepared multiple units to rotate.
I didn’t intend to frighten you that much, but…”
“Well, it is scary. If you show that to someone suddenly, it’s terrifying. Just invite them to Port Town of Terek. Otherwise, the story won’t progress.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will do so.”