Ch.186This Place is Safe! (6)

# Chapter 186: It’s Safe Here! (6)

Perhaps it was because he took such amazing photos.

The journalist who had nearly been pulverized without question by the Purification Unit members was now being escorted back into the Diplomatic Executive building with great ceremony.

And I too headed to the basement of the Executive building…

Only to find Ambassador Samiya, who had disappeared at some point, standing there with arms crossed, staring at me.

She was accompanied by two burly Prosnack marines flanking her sides, looking like Hulk incarnates.

“Oh, Ambassador Samiya, you were here?”

“…”

“I was worried about where you’d gone. I’m glad you’re safe.”

I could have sworn she came out with me.

Seeing her already back at the basement entrance, I nodded and made a friendly gesture toward Ambassador Samiya.

But despite my friendly attitude, the look in Ambassador Samiya’s eyes was, how should I put it?

I could sense some rather complex emotions in her gaze…

‘Why is she looking at me like that?’

I was honestly feeling somewhat bewildered by her response, as I couldn’t possibly guess the reason.

But her hostile attitude melted away the moment the door to the underground passage I had entered through closed.

Like winter snow exposed to spring sunshine, her demeanor dissolved and instantly transformed into a friendly one directed at me.

“You’re truly remarkable. How could you manage such perfect self-promotion in such a short time?”

“…Pardon?”

“You’ve always been this way, but what kind of ability does your brain possess… As a fellow diplomat, I feel quite defeated.”

Her tone had become much softer than before… no, her entire attitude had become noticeably more friendly, which I could feel with my whole body.

The one thing that bothered me was that this wasn’t simply a friendly attitude, but rather…

‘Wait, this feels exactly like the initial attitude of those who ended up fanatically devoted to me.’

Faced with this inexplicable behavior, I made a gesture of incomprehension and said:

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Ambassador Samiya.”

“…Hmm, so that’s how you’re going to play it.”

‘Seriously, why…’

Since I couldn’t just stand there forever, bewildered by Ambassador Samiya’s attitude.

I decided to observe this situation for now.

“So, where are our cute and adorable prisoners?”

I shifted my steps with a lively attitude, wanting to see the faces of the prisoners that Meteorn had captured.

—————————

But…

“I apologize, Minister, in that short time they’ve…”

“Oh.”

By the time I arrived, only what used to be prisoners remained.

Perhaps it’s just the times we live in.

The bodies of the prisoners, injected with self-replicating suicide viruses, were decomposing in real-time, turning to powder.

“Suicide?”

“Not exactly. Some of them had their suicide viruses activate before they even regained consciousness.”

“Hmm.”

After observing the prisoners (or what was left of them) that had transformed completely inside and out,

I decided to ask Meteorn, who was standing at attention, if they had managed to get anything from the prisoners.

“Meteorn.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“Did you find out anything?”

“I apologize, we were just about to begin the interrogation procedures… Unfortunately, we learned nothing.”

And behind Meteorn as he spoke…

For some reason, a muscular ‘male’ unit member dressed in a nurse’s uniform was laying out various interrogation tools on a table while saluting me.

“I see. Then there’s nothing to be done.”

To prevent further visual terrorism, I quickly turned my head away, vigorously nodding as I tried to forget what I had just seen.

Of course, as research suggests that humans cannot “not think” about negative thoughts,

The more I tried to forget, the more my mind filled with images of the buff unit member in a nurse outfit.

A mini-skirted nurse uniform in light pink, with a headband.

White gloves and stockings on the arms and legs, and even garter belt-style stockings.

‘…If it’s for prisoner torture, it’s truly an excellent strategy.’

Although the prisoners who were supposed to be tortured had no need to endure such pain as they were turning to dust,

And I was the innocent one being subjected to this visual assault.

Life truly works in mysterious ways.

——————————-

And afterward, more of the relatively intact attackers and fanatics who had raided the Diplomatic Executive building were dragged into the basement where I was…

“…!”

-Fssssss…

“Tsk, this one too?”

There were fewer than 10 knights remaining.

Most of them either turned to dust during transport or…

“Speak! Now!”

“AAAAARGH!!!!”

…were just useless fanatics, drugged-up gang members, or downtrodden lower-class people.

“What was your objective?”

“Ughh… W-we were going to eliminate the villain who’s trying to sell the Empire to the Prosnack bastards…”

“And who would that be?”

“O-of course it’s that Arto or whatever his name is…”

-CRUNCH!

After another failed interrogation, the Purification Unit member’s brutal hand crushed the rat-like man’s head.

“Next.”

“W-wait! I really don’t know anything!”

After forcibly restraining the next person brought in and sitting him in the chair.

“What do you know about this? Tell us everything.”

“I really don’t know anything… I was just…”

Watching the Purification Unit members continue their thoroughly compartmentalized actions like emotionless killing machines,

I nodded and slowly backed away to a nearby sofa.

And at that moment, another notification sound rang in my head.

-Ding!♪

[Pause]

[Event: Searching for Traces of the Mastermind]

[You’ve realized that the attackers of the Diplomatic Executive building are loyal followers of the previous Pope who somehow survived.]

[However, something feels off, so you continue interrogating the relatively sane survivors.]

[Will clues fall into your hands?]

[Random probability check with each interrogation, low chance to collect clues about the ‘mastermind’]

[Applying probability adjustment… ‘Lucky One’ trait detected in player.]

[Through this character trait, some of the random probability event chances are additionally adjusted.]

[Current remaining prisoners and survivors: 97]

[!!Warning!! If the number of prisoners and survivors reaches 0, the event automatically fails.]

‘Hmm… this feels similar to a quest window.’

Since I already knew that the two event windows were essentially the same thing,

I decided to trust in the abilities of our competent Purification Unit members and take a short nap on the sofa.

‘It’s not really something I need to worry about anyway.’

Honestly, all this talk about a mastermind, but isn’t it already obvious?

It clearly seemed to be one of the messes left behind by the previous Pope that had fermented and suddenly exploded.

But perhaps my attitude displeased someone.

Does our great Heaven hate it when weaklings like me try to rest?

Just as I was about to lean back on the sofa and find some peace,

“Hmm… Minister? There’s something that puzzles me…”

Faced with Ambassador Samiya’s question that wouldn’t leave me be, I forced myself to overcome my fatigue and address her inquiry.

“What is it, Ambassador Samiya?”

And immediately after,

“Why do those knights… and some of the fanatics have needle marks from our Covard Type-C 19 vaccine?”

As soon as Ambassador Samiya finished her genuinely curious question.

-Ding!♬

[Pause]

[Event: Identity of the Mastermind]

[As the likely identity of the mastermind behind the Diplomatic Executive building attack is revealed, you and your subordinates cannot hide your surprise.]

[It turns out that the attackers’ bodies contain Berry chips inserted through what Prosnack calls a disease vaccine… actually a hypnotic brainwashing conditioning that makes them unable to refuse orders from Prosnack leadership.]

[More specifically, orders from the Supreme Commander.]

[Of course, more investigation is needed for details.]

[For discovering such a crucial clue, you and those involved might receive some kind of reward.]

[Due to the unexpectedly rapid progress, Minister Arto Virtorius Sevelli is granted the ‘Ultra-Speed’ trait.]

As the event message appeared in a rush, I couldn’t hide my bewilderment in many ways.