Illusion Sword Master

＜ Tools Don’t Blame the Craftsman (3) ﹥

“Why do you make someone as kind as me become violent?”

In the room, which was a mess due to the sword fragments, I sat on a chair, letting out a sigh.

It seemed like I had finally taken the upper hand after being on the defensive for so long. For some reason, I felt refreshed.

“…”

On the other hand, the goat-bearded man, who was kneeling in front of me, looked like he was in a terrible mood. He had a sulky expression, rubbing his tearful eyes.

“You’re called the ‘Black Hand’? Tell me everything you know about the organization.”

“I-I’m just a low-ranking member. I only do as I’m told and don’t know anything!”

“I won’t ask twice. Surrender and seek enlightenment.”

“I-I really don’t know. I’m telling the truth!”

“Heh heh. You’re a sly one, aren’t you? If you don’t know, do you think this situation will end well?”

The technique of extracting information from someone by threatening them is a skill that anyone can master after about ten years of experience in the battlefield.

After employing several interrogation techniques, Yeomsooyeom surrendered in less than ten minutes.

“Ah, stop! That’s enough! I’ll tell you everything! Ah, ah, ah!”

By then, Yeomsooyeom’s pride, his beard, had been completely shaved off.

Just then, Roland, who had gone to tidy up the other guards, returned.

“I’ve subdued all the other personnel inside the building and tied them up.”

With Roland safely back, Yeomsooyeom, who had been hesitating, began to spill the beans.

“It’s true that I’m just a low-ranking member. I don’t know anything… Ugh!”

His head spun around. I had slapped him on the cheek.

“Enough. Where’s the ledger?”

“What?”

“Who’s the idiot who bought them. Where did they sell the people they caught, and how much money did they make? There must be a record. I’ll count to ten. One. Four. Eight.”

“Ah, I’ll bring it right away!”

He rummaged through the corner of the room and hastily brought out a thick notebook. After a quick scan, I found that it contained a detailed record of their transactions and money flow.

Some numbers were encrypted, but with Yeomsooyeom right in front of me, it wasn’t a problem.

I handed the ledger to Roland.

“Roland, we can track them down according to the ledger.”

“Hmm. Got it. You’re quite skilled.”

“It’s not a skill. Idiots like him are naturally weak. Then, I’ll rescue the dwarf lady and head to the blacksmith’s first.”

I quickly drew a line.

My role in this matter was only to find the dwarf elder’s granddaughter.

As I looked around, I saw a dwarf woman locked up, and she must be the elder’s granddaughter.

I just wanted to complete the elder’s task and fix Black Thunder, then return to the War Academy.

If I lingered outside, I might get entangled in another incident.

“Let’s go. Your grandfather is waiting for you.”

As I opened the iron door and spoke to the dwarf woman, she tilted her thick neck and asked back.

“What’s with the nonsense? My grandfather passed away fifteen years ago.”

“Uh… Are you not the blacksmith’s granddaughter?”

“She left yesterday?”

No. This was getting complicated.

“What? Where did she go?”

“How would I know?”

“…”

“Wait a minute.”

“Hey, you crazy bastard! You’re supposed to rescue me, not leave me here!”

I locked the iron door again and immediately returned to the room, where I tortured Yeomsooyeom and confirmed the contents of the ledger.

According to the ledger, a dwarf woman had been sold yesterday.

The destination was…

[The estate of Viscount Daimbart.]

After further investigation, I found that the payment for selling interracial slaves had also been sent to the same location.

All the evidence pointed to Viscount Daimbart, the owner of the estate, as the mastermind behind this incident.

Daimbart’s self-introduction, a name that lingered in my memory.

There were countless letters delivered to my dormitory every day, including an invitation from Daimbart himself.

The invitation was to attend a banquet, and coincidentally, the banquet was scheduled for tonight.

“What a hassle. He’s involved with the Black Hand, making things difficult.”

Roland muttered, looking troubled.

“Do you know about him?”

“He’s a knight from the Imperial Family’s faction. Originally, he served with the Imperial Family in the southern front lines, but he recently emerged in the capital’s social circle. I thought he was just recruiting talents, but it seems he’s been plotting something behind the scenes…”

Roland furrowed his brow, continuing his monologue.

“As an inspector, if I make a move, they’ll definitely be on guard. I promised the master to find his granddaughter, but what can I do about this…?”

His worried gaze turned to me. I felt uneasy and tried to avert my eyes, but it was too late.

“Ah! You’re here! Since there’s a banquet at his mansion, you can go and take care of it.”

“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea for an uninvited guest to show up.”

I tried to hide the fact that I had received an invitation and expressed my reluctance, but Roland didn’t care and continued speaking.

“It’s all right. If you visit, they’ll welcome you. The master’s reputation will be at stake, and they can’t refuse the visit of a rising star like you.”

Roland quickly continued, as if he had come up with a plan.

“You go to Daimbart’s mansion first and grab his attention. Try to find any evidence that can prove the contents of this document. I’ll sneak in later, once the situation here settles down.”

#

And so, I attended a noble’s banquet for the first time in my life.

“Damn Roland.”

Who wouldn’t laugh at his serious face?

I chuckled to myself, remembering Roland’s difficult instructions, and felt like cursing him out loud.

“Anyway, this is ridiculously luxurious.”

I thought Daimbart’s mansion would be simple, given his knight background, but in reality, it was extravagant.

I wondered where all the empire’s money was being spent, leaving front-line soldiers struggling to make ends meet, and it seemed like it was all being wasted on this.

The unfamiliar environment was overwhelming.

I didn’t come with pure intentions, and to make matters worse, my sword was confiscated at the entrance, making me even more uneasy.

I entered the banquet hall, fidgeting with my empty sword belt.

I wore the uniform of the War Academy’s Magic Department, with a 4th-class Military Merit Medal on my chest.

My distinctive attire, combined with my already-known face, made people recognize me the moment I stepped into the banquet hall, and they began to murmur.

“Is that him, Ethan?”

“Hasn’t he recovered from his injuries?”

“That’s just an excuse. He’s been focusing on training and hasn’t been interested in socializing.”

“A student from the Magic Department, Ethan has arrived!”

The writer’s enthusiastic introduction added to the excitement, and I inadvertently became the star of the banquet.

The nobles at the banquet, who were like seasoned politicians, trying to expand their connections and exchange favors. They swarmed around me like wolves who had found prey.

“Who’s from which family? It’s an honor to meet you.”

“I’m thrilled to meet the hero of the western front lines. Please visit us whenever you have time.”

“You defeated the Orc tribe’s leader, didn’t you? Won’t you share your heroic tale with us directly?”

I tried to maintain a polite and respectful demeanor, but the crowd’s relentless pursuit of conversation and favors was exhausting.

“Ah, please just leave me alone.”

It’s not entirely a false statement, but it did contain a hint of resentment towards me.

The main culprit wasn’t me, but Roland.

[You’re just a low-ranking pawn, only doing as you’re told, and you don’t know anything!]

Why did the words of the goatee suddenly come to mind?

“You don’t need to flatter me. You expected this much when you arrived. Only the Third Prince would be interested in the identity of a half-breed like me. That’s right. Did you come to capture me?”

“Not at all. I just brought a single dwarf I caught yesterday.”

I quickly denied it. In reality, I didn’t know if the Third Prince or Roland wanted to judge me according to imperial law, but that was their business.

Things were getting complicated, but my role remained the same: to bring the blacksmith’s daughter.

“What nonsense! You came to intimidate the imperial knights just for a single dwarf girl?”

I didn’t intend to intimidate anyone from the start.

On the other hand, I thought to myself:

Why is this person trying to shift the blame onto me after making a mistake?

Do they have some sort of conviction? Or is it the pride of a knight?

The speed of his actions was faster than my judgment, which was clouded by the absence of my sword.

“If it were the Third Prince’s order, I would have accepted it. I’m also a knight loyal to the empire. However, there’s a time and place for everything. You can’t just barge into a banquet and intimidate the host. It’s hard to bear the humiliation.”

He got up from his seat.

I also stood up, alert, and hid behind the chair.

Fortunately, he didn’t suddenly attack me. He passed by me, left the room, and threw a remark at me.

“You said you liked that sword? Take it and follow me.”

“Where to?”

“To settle our dispute in a duel in front of everyone. My crime and your rudeness. The one who survives will be spared.”

Huh? Why was the conversation flowing like this?

After he left,

I reflexively activated my magic on the sword hung on the wall. As the sword hilt stuck to my palm, my half-lost sanity returned.

‘I’m in trouble.’

It was the current situation I calmly assessed with a clear mind.

＜ The Tool Does Not Blame the Craftsman (3) ﹥ End