40. Lodolan (2)
#40
Ronan narrowed his eyes when he saw Edeon and Cirilla. If shown to a hundred people ninety-nine people excluding the blind man would vomit or faint.
A humorous voice came from under the interrogator’s bird-beaked mask.
“Did you have good dreams?”
The square room had no windows. All six sides that made up the space were made of dull gray-white stone. A small lamp the only source of light was hanging in the middle of the ceiling.
“Keueuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…!”
“Aww…ahhh….”
Edeon and Cirilla were tightly bound to a steel chair. There was a long nightstand next to the two people about ten steps apart.
On the three-tiered side table tools specialized for interrogation or dissection were neatly arranged. The interrogator with his back to him slowly approached Edoon.
“Unfortunately I heard that you still have a secret left.”
Edeon’s limbs were still severed. Tentacles no longer grew from the four cuts covered with black cloth.
Instead tentacles were writhing and coming out of every orifice of the face except the mouth. As the interrogator pulled a strand of tentacles out of his eye sockets a bone-wrenching scream escaped Edeon’s mouth.
“Thanks to you I lose face in front of precious guests.”
“Huhhh!!”
Edeon struggled. The interrogator said wrapping the tentacle around his finger.
“This guy named Eduon learned black magic.”
“Dark magic?”
“yes. “It is a magic that has disappeared from the empire because it has so many cruel and terrible aspects.”
Black magic. It is said that unlike other types of magic that are born with attributes anyone can learn it as long as they have the skills to do so. The regeneration of Edeon’s body was also a type of black magic.
“The problem is that this old man also studied black magic at one time.”
The interrogator smiled darkly and pinched one of the tentacles again. Edoon who was convulsing opened his mouth in tears.
“Huh…! Stop that! “I told you everything!”
“Hehe you probably didn’t know that you could change the direction in which tentacles grow.”
The interrogator explained that each strand of the tentacle was focused on his nerves. There was nothing like the loyalty or composure of the past to be found in Eduon’s behavior even using honorifics and appealing for mercy.
The interrogator asked kindly letting go of his tentacles.
“Is that so? Did you say everything?”
“Keueuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! I told you everything…! I said everything…! The name of the church is Nebula Clage and that woman is Cirilla Remation the leader of Branch 8! “I told you everything everything we did…!”
“Then I ask. “What is the coming of the stars?”
Eduon sighed after hearing those words. A short but heavy silence fell.
Sigh! After waiting exactly three seconds the interrogator grabbed the tentacle that came out of his face in one go. And he started tearing at it wildly.
“Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Argh! “Ugh!”
“shit.”
Nabirose clicked his tongue. The steel chair heaved as if it would fall due to Eduon’s struggles.
Twisting tentacles came out with a sound as if deep-rooted weeds were being pulled out. The sight of the interrogator ruthlessly pulling out the tentacles was like a child unwrapping a gift.
“Turn it off….”
Soon the empty eye sockets were revealed. Various pieces of flesh were writhing under the chair of Eduon who fainted after screaming.
“It’s a disappointment for you Edoon. Don’t you know the old adage that friends keep no secrets?”
The interrogator who had pulled out all his tentacles turned his back. Cirilla hearing her footsteps flinched. Yellow urine was running down the leg of the chair she was sitting on.
“Miss Cirilla is my friend right?”
“Please. Please kill me. I was wrong. I was wrong. I was wrong. “I was wrong…!”
Cirilla’s limbs remained with only her left arm and right leg remaining. The thick bandages over her eyes with their bright red marks suggested that she could no longer see the world.
The most noticeable thing about her was both of her ears which were less than half of each. Her elongated ears which could also be called her elven features were cut into ugly polygons.
The interrogator opened her nightstand and picked up a pair of pruning shears used for gardening. He held Cyrilla’s left ear between the scissor blades and looked at her at Ronan.
“Isn’t the pain amazing?”
“yes?”
“I asked Miss Cirilla’s age the other day. It is said that she lived two hundred and twenty-two years. Even her elf who had enjoyed her life four times as long as this old man screamed no less than her own child at the sight of her pain that had crossed its limits. “She even cried out for the right to give up that long life.”
So said the inquisitor and cut off one of Cyril’s ears as long as the width of her finger. Snip. Jumping like a freshly caught fish she let out a blood-curdling scream.
“Keaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“There are not many ears left to cut Miss Cirilla. “What on earth is the coming of the stars?”
Cirilla only screamed and she did not respond. The interrogator let out a low laugh and took out a bottle from the bottom shelf of the nightstand.
“Is it such a big secret? “I will tell you my good news.”
He poured the liquid from the bottle into Cirilla’s ear. Then the wound where her blood had formed slowly began to heal. The interrogator spoke in a soft voice.
“You can’t leave Lodolan until you spill all your secrets. Either alive or dead.”
“Ah…ahhh!…ahhh!”
Cyril pale as ever screamed in despair. The interrogator turned back to Ronan and Nabi Rose and shook her head in pity.
“This…I guess it will take some more time. It seems true that there are still secrets being hidden so would you like to go back first? “We will contact you later.”
“I see. “What do you want to do Ronan?”
Ronan didn’t answer. He was thinking about the conversation between the two people that he overheard in the Great Pupil and the current situation.
– I’m sorry but I can’t answer that question.
– Please kill me…!
It was strange. At first I thought it was just a matter of pulling it off. However it bothered me that even though all the other information was revealed the word ‘arrival of stars’ was not even mentioned.
A ridiculous number of cases ran through my mind. What if Edeon’s words meant what they said? Ronan who was smoothing his chin quietly muttered what he had guessed.
“Is it possible that there is some sort of magic at work?”
“yes?”
“No because something was strange. I’ve been talking about everything else for two days but I’m not saying that even if I die. I thought you really couldn’t speak. “Isn’t there some kind of magic that prevents you from speaking to people who aren’t members of the organization?”
There was silence for a moment. Ronan embarrassed scratched his head. Anyway there is no way such a convenient magic exists. At that time the interrogator put down the scissors he was holding.
“…This is a day when my pride is truly hurt.”
“yes?”
“I guess I was shocked that there were still secrets left. No actually this is also an excuse. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice such an obvious thing… Could you wait a moment?”
The voice was strangely excited. The interrogator came out of the room.
bang! As the door closed silence came again. In the dark room only the sound of Cirilla sobbing could be heard. Ronan laughed.
“What can I say…you’re a really good old man who does a good job.”
I could feel his love for his job in his every action and word. I asked looking at Ronan with the butterflies that had been crossing her arms the whole time.
“It’s nothing right?”
“Oh it’s a little disgusting but it’s worth it.”
Of course it could not be denied that the inquisitor’s work was terrible. Cirilla and Edeon now look like statues carved with the hammer and chisel of malice.
However as you wander around the battlefield you are bound to encounter worse situations time and time again. As I was staring at the side of Ronan’s face I shook my head as if I was shocked.
“…You are a truly unique student. “Don’t you find that old interrogator repulsive?”
“Not at all. “Someone has to get their hands dirty.”
In fact Ronan felt respect for the old man. Is it because he feels a sense of kinship from his experience as a punitive soldier who had to take on all the dirty work? A few minutes later the door opened with the sound of urgent footsteps.
“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”
“…what is that shit…no that shit-looking thing?”
Ronan frowned. The returning interrogator held a lump the size of an apple in each hand. There was a large eye stuck in the center of the lump of meat that looked exactly like a tumor.
I was completely disgusted by the sight of his golden eyes rolling back and forth. The interrogator held up the lump and said:
“This is Curse Eye a monster that eats curses. ”
“Monster? A curse?”
“yes. It is used when interrogating criminals who have been rendered speechless by various curses. The forbidden magic that Ronan just mentioned… that type of magic is separately classified under the concept of curse.”
It was the first monster I saw. The interrogator approached Eduon holding the Curse Eye. Before he knew it regenerated tentacles were moving in and out of his ears and eye sockets.
The interrogator made Eduon’s head bend forward and placed a curs eye on the back of his head. slam! Curse’s eyes which were stuck like an octopus opened brightly.
“Huhhh!”
“Come on relax. “Because I am removing the curse that is binding you.”
Kurse Eye’s eyelids were fluttering. A continuous moan flowed from Edeon’s mouth. Ronan noticed that the color of the poop dumpling’s eyes was slowly changing.
“Ruruk.”
Finally Curse Eye’s eyes turned completely blue. The interrogator smiled in satisfaction grabbed Edoon’s chin and lifted it up.
“Now Edoon. “I believe that with this the wall of heart that separated us will be removed.”
“Whoa…whoa whoa…!”
“Ask me again. “What exactly is the coming of the stars?”
There was silence for a moment. The interrogator sighed and brought his hand to his tentacle again. Edoon’s lips slowly opened.
“The day when the stars…come. “This is the fateful day that our denomination is dreaming of…”
Ronan’s eyes widened. Cirilla hearing Edoon’s voice hurriedly turned her head.
“Eduon no!”
“shut up.”
puck! Ronan planted his fist into Cirilla’s stomach. Her disgust made her throw herself down. Edoon continued.
“We are so weak… Humans who cannot live for even a hundred years and elves who grow old along with the mountains… In the end we are all running towards a meaningless end… We in Nebula Clage… are living in a world called emptiness and eternity. “We are torches gathered under the stars….”
The word starlight appeared again. Ronan felt his breathing becoming heavier. The interrogator and Nabirose were listening to his words with expressions of confusion.
“The arrival of the stars…is a day when we joyfully welcome the starlight pouring from beyond the sky. “Our longing is to slow down futile development and prevent the sword of barbarism from being pointed at the stars.”
“That’s long-winded. Maybe it’s because I’m old but it’s hard for me to understand. In short does something come down from the sky that day?”
“that….”
Edeon closed his mouth again. Unable to bear it any longer Ronan pushed past the interrogator and stepped forward.
“Wait a minute.”
“Master Ronan?”
Ronan took a deep breath. He said putting his face close to Edeon’s ear.
“Do you know the name Ahayute?”
For a moment Edoon’s shoulders shrank. He slowly turned his head towards Ronan. An agitated voice came out of his mouth.
“Uh where…that name…Wook!”
At that moment Edoon’s forehead began to swell. The expressions of the people watching hardened.
In an instant the inflated head became like a balloon about to burst. Should I cut it up and throw it away? Ronan was about to put his hand on the hilt of his sword. The interrogator grabbed Ronan’s shoulder and pulled him back.
“Please step back.”
“Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”
The Inquisitor deployed his mana shield. pop! Eduon’s swollen head exploded. His brain and torn tentacles flew in all directions.
However thanks to the mana shield the three people and Cirilla were not harmed. When the interrogator lifted the shield pieces of meat and liquid 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?”
“Cases of death if the prohibition is broken are common.”
I thought the person who spilled their side dish while eating would be more embarrassed. The interrogator continued looking at his headless corpse.
“But I’m surprised Curse Eye didn’t absorb all of the curse. “He starved for almost a year…”
Curse Eye was a monster that preyed on a curse placed on someone. The fact that the curse was not lifted even after eating Eduon’s curse until the stomach was full meant that it was either a strong curse that could not be solved with just one fish or a mixture of other curses.
Ronan who had been pondering his words opened his mouth.
“The first is that we cannot tell information about the arrival of the star to those who are not members of the organization. The second curse would be that if you lift that curse and fill in in-depth information your head will explode. There may be a few more hanging.”
“That is certainly the most reliable inference. But…I felt it before but Ronan shows the talent of an interrogator.”
Suddenly the interrogator took off his mask. He opened his mouth to shake Ronan’s hand.
“Do you ever plan on working in Lodolan in the future? “My name is Karaka.”
“Do not bring strange colors to my disciple.”
Nabirose who was watching this growled. The sparkling eyes beneath the thick eyebrows were fierce. Karaka smiled sheepishly and stepped behind her.
“Please calm down Sentai Sword Saint. “It was just a suggestion.”
“Thanks for the offer Karaka. “If I can hear you I’ll think about it seriously.”
Ronan smiled and shook hands with Karaka. It was an action that conveyed his intention to refuse but Butterfly Rose clicked his tongue as if he didn’t even like it.
“Anyway it’s a shame we lost one. “They are harder to catch than most phantom species…”
Karaka who had been watching Nabirose skillfully changed the topic. Curse Eye who was attached to Eduon was swept away by the explosion and died.
Karaka said as she lifted the remaining Curse Eye in front of the two.
“If you look closely it’s quite cute. Would you like to touch it?”
“I refuse.”
“Uh me too.”
It was something I never wanted to touch even if I had to pay money for it.
“Urororok!”
At that time Kurse Eye who was quietly curled up in Karaka’s palm lunged at Ronan. Ronan who saw the sucker unfolding slowly reflexively pulled the hilt of his sword.
“Oh shit it’s a surprise!”
La Mancha drew a stroke in the air. Tuk. Curse’s eye cut in half fell to the floor. Karaka’s eyes grew so big that they almost seemed like they would pop out.
“Huh…!”
Even after being cut in half Curse Eye wriggled as if it were still alive. Ronan who belatedly remembered the saying that it was as valuable as a phantom species spoke in an amused tone.
“I can’t ask that question. “You saw this bastard rush in first.”
“This is…?”
Suddenly Karaka grabbed Ronan’s right arm. He placed Curse Eye’s body in Ronan’s hands before Ronan could say anything.
The eyes of Curse Eye who had been cut in half instantly turned blue.
────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────
