Academy’s Genius Swordmaster - Chapter 40
40. Rodolan (2)
#40
Seeing Eduon and Cirilla, Ronan narrowed his eyes. When shown to a hundred people, it was so terrible that ninety-nine people except for the blind would vomit or pass out.
A playful voice came from beneath the inquisitor’s bird-beak mask.
“Did you have good dreams?”
The square room had no windows. All six sides of the space were made of dull grayish-white stone. A small lantern, the only source of light, hung in the middle of the ceiling.
“Keuhuhuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
“Oh … Ah ….”
Edu and Sirila were tightly tightly in a steel chair. A long bedside table was placed next to the two of them, about ten paces apart.
Tools specialized in interrogation or dissection were neatly arranged on the three-tier bedside table. The interrogator with his hands behind his back slowly approached Eduon.
“Unfortunately, I heard that you still have a secret.”
Edoon’s limbs were still severed. Tentacles no longer grew from the four cuts covered in black cloth.
Instead, tentacles were wriggling out of every orifice of the face except for the mouth. As the interrogator yanked a tentacle out of his eye socket, a marrow-biting scream erupted from Eduon’s mouth.
“Thanks to you, I lose face in front of precious guests.”
“Huhhhhhh!!”
Edoon struggled. said the interrogator, wrapping the tentacles around his fingers.
“This friend named Edoon learned black magic.”
“Black magic?”
“yes. It is so cruel and terrible that it is a magic that has disappeared from the Empire.”
black magic. Unlike other types of magic that are born with attributes, it is characterized by the fact that anyone can learn it as long as the skills are supported. The regeneration of Edoon’s body was also a type of black magic.
“The problem is that this old man once studied black magic.”
The interrogator laughed grimly and pinched a tentacle again. Eduon, who was convulsing, cried and opened his mouth.
“Huh…! Stop that! I said everything!”
“I bet you didn’t know that whooping tentacles could change the direction they grow.”
The inquisitor explained that each strand of his tentacles had a point on his pain. Eduon, who used honorific words and appealed for mercy, could not find the slightest hint of loyalty or composure from before.
The interrogator, who let go of the tentacle he was holding, asked kindly.
“is it? Did I tell you everything?”
“Keuheuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu yes! I said everything…! I said everything…! The church’s name is Nebula Clash, and that woman is Cirilla Remation, an executive from the 8th branch! I told you everything, even what we did…!”
“Then ask. What is the coming of the stars?”
Hearing those words, Edoon sighed. A brief but heavy silence fell.
Knock! After waiting exactly three seconds, the interrogator grabbed the tentacles from his face at once. And he started tearing at random.
“Aagh! Aagh! Aagh!”
“shit.”
Nabi Rose clicked her tongue. Edoon’s struggle made the steel chair shake as if it were about to topple over.
Wriggling tentacles came out with a sound like pulling deep-rooted weeds. The appearance of the interrogator ruthlessly pulling out the tentacles was like a child unwrapping a gift.
“Go away…”
Before long, the empty eye sockets were revealed. Various pieces of meat were wriggling under the chair of Eduon, who passed out from screaming.
“It’s disappointing for you, Eduon. Don’t you know the old adage that friends have no secrets?”
The inquisitor, having pulled out all the tentacles, turned his back. Hearing footsteps, Cirilla shrank. Yellow urine dripped down the leg of the chair she was sitting on.
“Miss Cirilla is my friend, right?”
“Please. please kill me sorry. sorry. sorry. sorry…!”
Cirilla’s limbs were left alone, only her left arm and right leg. The thick bandages over her red-stained eyes suggested that she could no longer see the world.
Most notable were the two ears, each with less than half left. The elongated ears, which could be called a characteristic of elves, were cut into ugly polygons.
The interrogator, who was sitting on a bedside table, picked up the pruning shears that are used for gardening. He looked at Ronan with Cirilla’s left ear caught between the blades of her scissors.
“Isn’t the pain great?”
“yes?”
“The other day I asked Miss Cirilla how old she was. Two hundred and twenty-two years old. Even the elves, who have enjoyed four times the life of this old man, scream like children when faced with pain beyond their limits. Even crying out for the right to give up that long lifespan.”
Saying so, the interrogator cut off one of Cirilla’s ears the size of a finger. Snip. She sprang up like a freshly caught fish and let out a bone-inducing scream.
“Kiaaaaaagh!”
“I don’t even have a lot of ears left to cut off, Miss Cirilla. What on earth is the coming of the stars?”
Cirilla only screamed but didn’t answer. The interrogator gave a low laugh and took out a bottle from the bottom shelf of the bedside table.
“Is that such a great secret? I will tell you my good news.”
He poured the liquid from the bottle into Cirilla’s ear. Then, the wound that had been covered with blood began to heal slowly. The interrogator said in a soft voice.
“You can’t get out of Rodolan until you spit out all your secrets. Either alive or dead.”
“Ah…aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
The whitened Cirilla screamed in despair. The interrogator turned to Ronan and Naviroze again and shook his head as if he was sorry.
“This… I think it will take a little longer. It seems to be true that there are hidden secrets left, so would you like to go back first? We will contact you later.”
“is it. What do you want to do, Ronan?”
Ronan didn’t answer. He was thinking about the conversation between the two overheard in the Great Pupil and the current situation.
– I’m sorry, but I can’t answer that question.
– Kill me…!
It was strange. At first I thought it was just a catch. However, even after revealing all other information, it bothered me that he did not even mention the word “the arrival of the stars.”
The number of absurd cases crossed my mind. What if Edoon’s words were meant exactly as they were? Ronan, who was touching his chin, muttered softly what he had deduced.
“Maybe…something like magic is at stake?”
“yes?”
“No, something is strange. I’ve said everything else for two days of messing around, but that’s the only thing I don’t spit out even if I die. I’m afraid I can’t really talk. Like not being able to talk to people who aren’t members of the organization… isn’t there some kind of magic?”
For an instant there was silence. Embarrassed, Ronan scratched his head. No matter how, there could be such a convenient magic. At that time, the interrogator put down the scissors he was holding.
“…This is the day that hurts your pride properly.”
“yes?”
“I guess I was shocked that there were still secrets left. No, actually, this is an excuse. I can’t believe I didn’t notice such an obvious thing… Could you wait a moment?”
His voice was strangely excited. After all, the interrogator left the room.
bang! When the door closed, silence came again. In the dark room, only Cirilla’s sobs could be heard. Ronan laughed.
“How to say… He’s a really good old man.”
It was felt that he loved his job in every action and word. Butterfly Roze, who had been crossing his arms all the time, looked at Ronan and asked.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, it’s a little disgusting, but I can endure it.”
Of course, it was undeniable that the work of the Inquisitor was terrible. Cirilla and Edoon’s appearances now were no different from statues carved with a hammer and chisel of malice.
However, as he rolled around the battlefield, he was bound to encounter even worse situations several times. Butterfly Roze, who was staring at Ronan’s side face, shook his head in amazement.
“…You are such an unusual student. Don’t you find that old Inquisitor repulsive?”
“Not at all. Somebody has to get their hands dirty.”
Rather, Ronan felt that the old man was respected. Is it because of the sense of kinship that came from the experience of being a punishment soldier who had to do the dirty work? A few minutes later, the door opened with the sound of urgent footsteps.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“…what the fuck…no, that thing that looks like a beggar?”
Ronan frowned. In both hands of the returning interrogator, there were chunks the size of apples, one by one. A large eye was embedded in the center of the lump of meat that looked like a tumor.
The little girl rolling her golden eyes here and there was disgusting. The interrogator held up the lump and said.
“It’s a curse-eating monster, Curse Eye. ”
“Monster? Curse?”
“yes. It is used when interrogating sinners who are speechless due to various curses. The forbidden magic that Ronan-nim just mentioned… that kind of magic is classified under the concept of a curse.”
It was the first monster I had ever seen. The interrogator approached Eduon with the Curse Eye. Regenerated tentacles were moving in and out of his ears and eye sockets.
The interrogator, who made Eduon bow his head forward, placed a curse eye on the back of his head. slam! Curse Eye’s pupils, clinging to him like an octopus, flashed open.
“Huh uh uh!”
“Come on, eat in peace. We are removing the curse that binds you.”
Curse Eye’s eyelids trembled. A continuous moan flowed from Edoon’s mouth. Ronan noticed that the color of the dung ball’s eyes was slowly changing.
“Ururuk.”
Finally, Curse Eye’s eyes turned completely blue. The interrogator, who smiled contentedly, grabbed Edoon by the chin and lifted him up.
“Come on, Edoon. I believe that this will remove the heart wall that stood between us.”
“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh heh…!”
“Ask me again. What the hell is the coming of the stars?”
There was silence for a moment. It was around the time the inquisitor sighed and reached for his tentacles again. Edoon’s lips parted slowly.
“The day the stars… arrive. This is the fateful day that our denomination is dreaming of…”
Ronan’s eyes widened. Hearing Edoon’s voice, Cirilla hurriedly turned her head.
“Eduon can’t!”
“shut up.”
puck! Ronan punched Cirilla in the stomach. Nauseous, she threw herself over. Edoon continued.
“We are too weak… Humans who can’t live even a hundred years and elves who grow old along with the mountains… In the end, we’re all running towards an empty end… We Nebula Clazier… It is a torch gathered under the stars…”
The word starlight came up again. Ronan felt his breathing grow harsh. The interrogator and Nabi Rose were listening to him with expressions of incomprehension.
“The arrival of the stars…a day to welcome the starlight pouring down from beyond the sky…with a joyful heart. Our long-cherished wish is…to slow down futile development…to stop pointing the sword of savagery at the stars…”
“Long story. It’s hard for me to understand because I’m old. To sum it up, did something come down from the sky that day?”
“That’s…”
Eduon fell silent again. Unbearable, Ronan stepped forward, passing the interrogator.
“Wait.”
“Ronan?”
Ronan took a deep breath. He put his face close to Edoon’s ear and said.
“Do you know the name Ahayute?”
For an instant, Edoon’s shoulders shrank. He slowly turned his head towards Ronan. An agitated voice leaked from his mouth.
“Uh where…that name…wook!”
At that moment, Edoon’s forehead began to swell. The faces of the people who were watching hardened.
The inflated head in an instant turned into a balloon about to explode. Should I cut it off? It was the car Ronan was about to put his hand on the hilt. The interrogator grabbed Ronan’s shoulders and pulled him back.
“Please step back.”
“Keeh eh uh uh uh uh!”
The Inquisitor deployed the mana shield. pop! Edoon’s swollen head exploded. Torn tentacles of brains and bone splintered in all directions.
However, thanks to the mana shield, the three of them and Cirilla were not harmed. When the interrogator released the shield, pieces of meat and liquid that had been stuck in the air fell down.
A calm voice flowed from under the interrogator’s mask.
“hmm. It seems the curse was stronger than I thought. There were a few more hanging.”
“Damn, does this happen often?”
“It is not uncommon to find cases where people die if they break the ban.”
It seemed that the person who spilled the side dish while eating would be more embarrassed. The interrogator looked at the headless corpse and continued.
“But it surprises me that Curse Eye didn’t absorb all the curses. He’d been starving for a year…”
Curse Eye was a monster that preyed on someone’s curse. The fact that the curse was not lifted even after eating Eduon’s curse until the stomach was full meant either that it was a powerful curse that could not be solved with one animal, or that other curses were mixed together.
Ronan, who was brooding over his words, opened his mouth.
“The first is that we can’t tell the writers who aren’t members of the organization about the coming of the stars. The second curse is that if you lift that curse and pack in-depth information, your head will explode. There may be a few more hanging.”
“Certainly that is the most convincing reasoning. But…I’ve felt it since before, but Ronan-sama has the talent of an interrogator.”
Suddenly, the Inquisitor took off his mask. He opened his mouth to shake Ronan’s hand.
“Are you thinking of working at Rodolan in the future? My name is Karaka.”
“Do not bring strange water to my pupil.”
Butterfly Roze, who was watching the scene, growled. Beneath his thick eyebrows, his eyes flashed fiercely. Karaka smiled and stepped back.
“Please calm down, former swordsman. It was just a suggestion.”
“Thank you for the suggestion Karaka. When I get deaf, I will seriously think about it.”
Ronan smiled and shook Karaka’s hand. It was an act of rejection, but Nabi Rose clicked her tongue as if she disapproved of even that.
“Anyway, it’s a pity to lose one. They’re harder to catch than some of the fantasy species…”
Karaka, who was looking at Nabi Rose’s notice, skillfully changed the topic. The curse eye attached to Eduon was swept away by the explosion and died.
Karaka said while holding the remaining Curse Eye in front of the two of them.
“If you look closely, it’s pretty cute. Would you like to touch it?”
“I refuse.”
“Oh me too.”
It was something I never wanted to touch, even if I had to pay for it.
“Urororok!”
At that time, Curse Eye, who was quietly crouching on Karaka’s palm, attacked Ronan. Ronan, who saw the suction cup wriggling and unfolding, reflexively pulled the hilt.
“Ah, what a surprise!”
La Mancha drew a stroke in the air. Took. Cut in half, Curse Eye fell to the floor. Karaka’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.
“Heh uh uh…!”
Curse Eye wriggled like it was alive even after being split in half. Ronan, who belatedly recalled that he was as precious as a phantom species, spoke as if he was looking around.
“I can’t ask the damn thing. You saw this bastard run first.”
“This is…?”
Suddenly, Karaka grabbed Ronan’s right arm. He placed the corpse of Curse Eye in Ronan’s hand before Ronan could say anything.
Curse Eye’s half-cut eyes instantly turned blue.
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