Illusion Sword Master

＜The Inspector is Watching (5)﹥

Dark magic and the devil worship that served as its background were representative anti-imperial crimes.

When one came into contact with a dark magician, the only choice was to report them or eliminate them. All forms of interaction were strictly prohibited.

Possessing dark magic-related items without permission was, of course, an unpardonable serious crime.

As for magic books that allowed one to directly wield the devil’s power, it was a given.

Not only the person in possession but also those around them would be investigated, and failure to prevent it would be severely punished.

So, it was only natural that Belmont, who had discovered a dark magic book in his jurisdiction, was going crazy.

“What the hell! This is too much! Why did this bastard bring this thing here?! I’ve worked so hard to get on the good side of the high-ranking officials, and this is how they repay me?”

He, who had believed that this inspection would be the starting point of his rapid promotion, was screaming in despair. It was supposed to be the starting point, but it had turned into a complete disaster.

“That guy’s karma is really screwed up.”

I, who was about to leave the 8th Regiment after wasting some time, also wanted to grab Belmont’s hair.

Thinking back, wasn’t it because of this guy that we got into a fight with Grolla last time, and he got caught up in the rumor that the 7th Regiment was a “honey pot”?

“Maybe he just picked it up without knowing what it was? Maybe he didn’t know it was a dark magic book? Maybe he was just curious and was going to report it later? Right? Eh? Tell me, Ethan!”

“Please calm down first, you’re being too emotional.”

I silenced Belmont with a cold tone and added quietly.

“As you know, the problem is…”

“It’s only a problem if you make it one.”

He nodded, taking my words to heart. He regained his composure, recalling the old saying from his military days.

“What do you mean? The problem is the problem itself… Uh-huh!”

“Hey, let’s get a grip, okay?”

Ollecki brought up the correct argument, but Belmont, who was quick-witted, blocked his words.

I quickly gave instructions to the two.

“You guys will restrain Edgar.”

To determine if I could cover this up, I had to hear the truth from the owner of the dark magic book.

I slapped Edgar’s cheek with a not-so-friendly hand.

“Ah!”

He, who had been unconscious, was startled and opened his eyes.

“W, Inspector? Why are you here?”

Edgar’s pupils expanded as he confirmed my face. I held out the dark magic book in front of him.

“I’ll ask you directly, Edgar. How did you obtain this book?”

“Ah… I, I…”

Edgar didn’t answer my question, but…

“Damn it! You already know everything, don’t you!”

I could sense the gravity of the situation without needing an explanation.

“■■■. ■■■!”

Edgar’s mouth spat out an incantation that wasn’t human language, and crimson tentacles burst out around his body.

“‘As expected. He’s a black mage.'”

The tentacles moved as if they had their own will, twisting and turning to pierce me from multiple angles.

─ Seuk-

As I drew my sword, the tentacles were cleanly severed.

“‘Is black magic still in its early stages?'”

I’ve fought against several black mages, so I could roughly gauge his abilities.

Edgar’s skills were lacking compared to the orc black mages I had fought recently.

Compared to the black mage, Marcellus, who I had barely managed to defeat with Roland’s help during my student days, Edgar’s skills were pathetic.

Of course, my current abilities were also incomparable to back then.

“Ahah! ■■■! ■■■■!”

Edgar chanted again.

The severed tentacles regrew, but the result remained the same.

─ Ssukssak

The magical power that Edgar had unleashed like a madman was cleanly sliced and dispersed into the air before it even touched me.

“Surrender.”

“I won’t die like this!”

The two swords that had flown out of my waist pierced Edgar’s shoulders and stuck into the wall.

“Kkueok!”

Edgar’s attempt to gather his crimson magical power once more failed.

I approached him and swung my arm.

Hwik! Edgar’s head turned around.

“I’ll ask you again. The acquisition route of the black magic book. Reveal your reasons for possessing it.”

“I saw it! If I prove my faith, the great ancient gods will grant me power! Yes, yes, I’ll tell you, you…!”

I used more violence, but Edgar remained stubbornly silent.

“Heh… Heh… Kkueok. Give up.”

Edgar smiled faintly, with blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

The great ancient gods they spoke of – in other words, the fanatical belief in demons – was a chronic side effect of black magic users.

“‘You’re bluffing.'”

But I, who had lived a life of eating bitter medicine, could see it. The shallower the level of black magic, the less deep the madness, and the remaining fear in him.

“‘Then there’s a way.'”

Among them was the method of forcing the opponent’s mouth open.

After being exposed to extreme situations for a long time, even a pacifist like me would become cruel when necessary.

I pulled out a dagger from my belt.

“‘Are you going to do that?'”

Belmont, who had been watching silently, asked.

“That’s right. Since we don’t have time to wait for him to open up, we have no choice but to do ‘that’.”

“Ugh. I don’t want to see it.”

Belmont shook his head.

“‘That’ was an act so cruel that it would even make someone who had just tried to swallow Edgar whole feel sorry for him.

“Ugh, you can’t even see the guy who’s holding onto ‘that thing’, right? If we can get information from him, wouldn’t it be better to keep him alive instead of killing him?”

Belram also showed concern about ‘that thing’.

“Don’t worry, the person who created ‘that thing’ is Ethan. He’ll make sure it’s not too extreme.”

“Really? Is that true? I thought it was some cruel person who made it. You’re a really scary person when you’re angry, Inspector.”

Belmont’s explanation made Belram shudder.

“What is ‘that thing’ that you two are talking about?”

Olek asked innocently.

“If you still don’t know, then just close your eyes and ears. I’m saying this for your own good.”

“That’s right, Inspector. There are many things in life that are better left unknown. ‘That thing’ is just like that.”

Belmont and Belram tried to persuade him, but Olek didn’t care.

“It’s okay. If the Inspector is doing it, I’ll make sure to remember it with my own two eyes.”

It would be better if he really didn’t know.

Right now, they didn’t have the luxury to worry about others’ mental health.

The situation was urgent, with a dark mage infiltrating the unit, and they had to quickly get to the bottom of it and grasp the situation.

“What, what are you going to do! Ahhh!”

I brought a dagger to Edgar’s throat.

It hadn’t even been a minute.

“Oh… this… Goddess, please forgive us.”

Olek, who had always been brave in the face of danger, let out a trembling sigh.

#

“Ma… I’ll talk. I’ll say everything! Please, just stop!”

Ten minutes later, Edgar, who had regained his composure, declared his surrender.

Although there were no visible signs of violence, this was the scariest part of ‘that action’.

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning. How did you get the dark magic book?”

“I received it from… Maktobre, the Shaman.”

“What?”

Everyone, including me, couldn’t hide their surprise at Edgar’s words.

I still remembered when I entered the War Academy, and the king, who had unified the fragmented tribes, appeared along with a great change in Orc society.

The emergence of Shaman Maktobre was also part of that.

He was the first dark mage to appear among the Orcs and played the role of their strategist.

“Tell me more.”

I held the dagger in front of Edgar’s eyes.

“Heeek!”

He let out a scream and began to confess everything that had happened to him.

To summarize, it went like this.

A month ago, Edgar was wandering around the 8th Division’s mountain forest when he was attacked from behind and lost consciousness.

When he came to, Shaman Maktobre was there, and he had made an offer that Edgar couldn’t refuse.

If Edgar betrayed the imperial army’s secrets, Maktobre would give him the wisdom of dark magic and a glorious future.

Whether Edgar was persuaded or brainwashed, that’s roughly what happened.

“‘How dare you. You’re saying you’re not the only one who’s been in contact with the enemy, having learned dark magic?’

Someone was enjoying a comfortable life, being treated like a magician, while others were dying on the battlefield.

I was furious and slapped him across the face, then asked again.

“Are there any other spies?”

“Yes, that’s right. Maktober said I wasn’t the first. There must be other spies.”

The situation was more serious than I had expected.

There were spies who had learned dark magic hiding everywhere in the unit.

“This is ridiculous. If our internal affairs are this corrupt, how can we win the war?”

I slapped Edgar’s face again.

“What else do you know? Tell me everything in detail.”

“I don’t know anything else. I swear it’s the truth!”

I still had my doubts, so I pointed my dagger at him again.

“…… Uh… Ah, Maktober, the dark magician! I was supposed to meet him today! I was going to help him with the ritual!”

Edgar finally revealed the truth, his eyes tightly shut.

“What ritual? Where is the meeting place?”

“I don’t know the details. I only know the location.”

Even after I tortured Edgar some more, the only information I could get out of him was that Maktober was preparing some kind of ritual with a small group of elites in a location not far from the 8th Division.

“Heh heh. The ritual might have already started. If you let me go now…… Uh…”

I slapped him across the face again. His teeth were loose and about to fall out. I had left him alive for a smooth interrogation, but now he was no longer needed.

“This is a ritual that requires coming all the way to the enemy’s camp.”

It was unclear what was going on, but if we didn’t stop it, it would lead to a disastrous outcome.

My head was spinning.

“What do I do now?”

This wasn’t a problem that could be solved by covering it up or ignoring it.

The problem was how to resolve it.

“Even if it’s a small group, it’s still the enemy’s elite forces. Can I cover it up on my own?”

The best option was to wait here and call for backup.

But time was running out, and we couldn’t afford to wait for support.

“Edan, maybe this is an opportunity?”

Belmont put his hand on my shoulder.

“We can catch the spy and the enemy’s commander. This is a chance to turn the tables!”

“Is this an opportunity for the battalion commander to get promoted?”

“Heh heh. There’s also the expectation of additional achievements……”

Belmont, who had been hit where it hurt, forced a smile and said seriously.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but if we don’t stop it, it’ll be a disaster. So, Inspector, please do something. I’ll be loyal to you! Please!”

Belmont even forgot his dignity and knelt down, grabbing my leg. He seemed like he would even lick my shoes, so I pushed him away.

“Calm down.”

I had no choice anyway.

Calling for backup was one option, but for now, I had to do something.

“Hmm, it’s a mess.”

As always, to avoid the worst, we had to choose the second-worst option.

“I’ll take on any risk!”

“It doesn’t feel right, but… if Inspector-nim says so, I’ll do it willingly.”

Olek showed his determination with a bold expression, and Bellam nodded with a calm demeanor.

“Olek, Bellam. If there’s a decent sword in the unit, gather them all and bring them to me.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And, Commander-nim, please communicate with the General directly and explain the situation. Request support from the Inspector’s Special Forces and move quietly with a small elite team.”

“Yes, sir! I’ll follow Inspector-nim’s orders! Thank you, Ethan!”

As I watched Bellmont, who was overjoyed as if he had received a blessing, I made up my mind.

I would definitely promote this guy and make him work under me.

Until the day I retire, I’ll make him work harder than I ever did.

#

Behind the 8th Regiment’s mountain.

The expedition team, formed to stop the evil ritual of Maktobre, the leader of the dark magic orc wizards, was too small.

There were only three of us: I, armed with multiple swords as usual; Bellam, holding a bow and quiver; and Olek, carrying a bundle of swords.

Regular soldiers wouldn’t be of much help when facing high-ranking orc wizards or dark magic users.

At least a knight or mage-level warrior was necessary.

That’s why I only brought Olek, who might be able to surpass an orc leader in terms of strength, and Bellam, a veteran who could protect his own life even in unfavorable situations.

Since a skilled dark magic user might have a way to observe mana, I didn’t use my flying sword to avoid drawing attention.

Bellam skillfully led the way up the steep mountain path, and Olek and I followed.

“You’re quite skilled. Have you been here before?”

“I’m half-elf, aren’t I? Even if it’s my first time, I can sense the direction. I’m taking the shortcut.”

Elves were naturally skilled rangers. Bellam, with his mixed elf blood, was an excellent guide.

Thanks to him, we were able to reach our destination quickly via the shortcut.

The cave where Maktobre was hiding was perfectly concealed due to the dark magic’s influence.

If I didn’t have my ability to sense ominous energy, we would have wandered around for a long time without finding it.

Before entering the scene, I reminded my team of the precautions.

“Our goal is not to annihilate the enemy. We’ll just confirm their strength and try to delay the ritual if possible. If things go wrong, we’ll retreat and wait for support. Especially you, Olek, don’t rush in recklessly.”

“I’ll remember, Inspector-nim.”

We had to form this team because we didn’t have an elite force that could be deployed immediately. If the enemy’s strength was too great, we would retreat and wait for support at any time.

I didn’t want to engage in a fierce battle like we did in the 13th Regiment and risk our lives again.

“Alright. Let’s move in then.”

Bellam and Olek nodded.

“…”

A brief silence passed.

As if Olek was waiting for me, the leader, to take the lead, I told him again.

“Olek, you take the lead. You’ll have the honor of being the vanguard.”

“Thank you, Inspector-nim!”

I felt relieved to have a loyal and sturdy deputy, and I followed him from a distance.

Into the cave, where unknown dangers lurked.

＜ Inspecting Officer Watches Over Us (5) ﹥ End