Ch.351Chapter 351 – Why Not Change the Department Name While We’re At It?

‘If the Imperial Intelligence Bureau needs my help, just how intense is the torture they’re conducting?’

In South Korea where I was born and raised, until the 1980s, people trembled with fear at the mention of ‘Namsan.’

This was because Namsan was where the building of the National Intelligence Service, which was then called the Central Intelligence Agency, was located.

Perhaps it was because of the widespread perception that it was a place where even innocent people were dragged in and tortured until false confessions were fabricated?

People still thought of the National Intelligence Service as “a place where they take people away, lock them up, and torture them.”

Especially for those who lived through turbulent times, such perceptions would remain even stronger.

So what about the Intelligence Bureau of the Celebrio Empire where I now live… it’s probably no better than the Korean intelligence agency during its Central Intelligence Agency days.

In this world, there are various methods to extract information from suspected individuals.

Using mind control magic or confession-inducing drugs would be considered gentlemanly compared to the methods I’m about to introduce.

So what are the less gentlemanly methods? Obviously, torture.

Extracting necessary information through torture was a skill that every intelligence organization in this world was expected to possess.

In the process, people occasionally went slightly insane or broke down, but human rights awareness in this world wasn’t universal enough to guarantee rights to those who infiltrated foreign countries with ill intentions.

Anyway, the Imperial Intelligence Bureau probably requested my help to fix someone who had been broken during the torture process.

“Am I wrong?”

“Indeed, Your Grace’s insight is as remarkable as I’ve heard.”

See? Just as I thought, they want me to fix someone who was broken during torture.

An ordinary person would use the word “treatment,” but the subject requiring my abilities was someone caught by the Intelligence Bureau while attempting to cause trouble for the Empire.

Someone trying to disrupt the comfortable and peaceful life I pursue—do I really need to concern myself with the human rights of such a person?

“As Your Grace knows, we use relatively gentlemanly methods compared to other countries. However, with uncooperative subjects like the one you’ll meet today, we sometimes resort to more forceful measures.”

“Uncooperative, you say?”

“Yes. He’s an extremely stubborn one. He has resistance to confession drugs and mind control magic, so we had no choice but to torture him, but even when he was nearly comatose, he wouldn’t divulge any information.”

Resistant to confession drugs and mind control magic, and even withstanding torture…

Could it be that he simply doesn’t know anything and has no information to share?

I’m slightly concerned, but the Imperial Intelligence agents are experts who know better than I do.

Since this is their judgment after thorough investigation, I should respect their decision.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Arriving at the Imperial Intelligence Bureau’s safe house, I was led through a secret passage and soon reached the Intelligence Bureau headquarters.

Guided to the basement of the headquarters building, I could smell the pungent scent of blood.

‘So this is where interrogations, including torture, take place.’

Interrogations conducted in a dark, suffocating basement…

An ordinary person would quickly become terrified, and even a trained agent wouldn’t be able to endure for long.

“Your Grace. I’m about to open the door, but please prepare yourself as you may witness some gruesome scenes.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

I’ve seen plenty of gruesome scenes while fighting demon cults. I’ve witnessed sights more brutal than B-grade slasher movies during those battles…

The intelligence agent opened the heavily locked iron door, and along with the stale air, an even stronger scent of blood assaulted my nostrils.

‘Just how much torture have they done?’

I’d heard the person was damaged enough to require my help, but seeing the actual torture victim, his condition was beyond words.

One eye had long since disappeared, and countless scars covered his entire body.

They’d even removed part of his scalp, exposing a portion of his skull, as if they’d directly manipulated his brain.

Still, having seen such things before, I didn’t feel nauseous.

“Which country is he from?”

“We believe he’s from a kingdom near the Kingdom of Oberon, somewhat distant from the Empire. However, we couldn’t determine the exact information.”

If it’s near the Kingdom of Oberon, it must be one of the kingdoms that suffered from attacks by demon cults or demons.

This suggests that events that could throw the world into chaos might be brewing in that region.

“Your Grace. Can you fix him?”

“Fixing him isn’t difficult. But can you extract reliable information from him?”

I looked at the intelligence agent as I spoke.

They were all wearing masks, so I couldn’t tell who was who, but judging by the fact that this person had guided me here, they must hold a fairly high position.

“Not many people can maintain their sanity in the face of relentless, unending pain that never dulls with time.”

In other words, they would continue torturing him until he broke. Intelligence professionals are truly merciless.

“Very well. Bring me a hammer.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Go fetch a hammer. Make sure it’s new since His Grace will be using it.”

I was concerned they might bring a hammer soiled from the torture process, but fortunately, they said they would bring a clean new one.

Shortly after, an agent brought a hammer that was indeed pristine. It looked like it had been taken straight from storage.

I gripped the hammer and walked toward the interrogation subject.

‘I need to be careful not to get blood on me.’

Cautiously, to avoid getting blood on my clothes, I swung the hammer three times toward the subject.

All the wounds on his body disappeared, and he began to regain consciousness.

“Ugh, where am I…?”

As he came to his senses, an intelligence agent approached him.

“Are you conscious?”

“You, you evil bastards. Didn’t I tell you I don’t know anything!”

“Don’t know anything? If you don’t know anything, why were you investigating the guard shift changes, patrol routes, and rest periods?”

Wow, judging by the questions the intelligence agent is asking, these are all dangerous matters.

“That, that’s—!”

“Ordinary people don’t care about guard shift changes, patrol routes, or rest periods. Only one type of person is curious about such things: those with impure intentions who aim to infiltrate this country.”

That’s right, that’s right. Ordinary people don’t care about such things. So it’s impossible not to be suspicious.

“I, I was just following orders!”

“Then why did you contact the minister of the Kingdom of Ermenes?”

“H-how did you—?”

The man being interrogated was startled when he heard that they knew about his contact with the minister of Ermenes.

“Did you think we just brought you here for no reason? Did you think we wouldn’t know that you contacted the minister of Ermenes and received some kind of mission?”

“Kuh, I don’t know anything!”

As the man stubbornly insisted he knew nothing, the intelligence agent sighed.

“Take him out.”

“Yes. This way, please.”

Perhaps they were about to begin torturing the person again. The intelligence agent who had guided me gave the order, and I left the basement with another agent.

[AAAAARGH! UWAAAAAH!]

[Tell the truth! You won’t be able to die even if you want to!]

[UWAAAAAH! KYAAAAH!]

Deliberately ignoring the faint screams coming from the basement, I was guided to the quarters where I would be staying for the time being.

The room was furnished with a bed, desk, chair, and other items that seemed quite expensive, making it comfortable enough.

Additionally, sandwiches and drinks had been prepared for a light meal, which helped me satisfy my hunger.

‘But what am I supposed to do here?’

While the intelligence agents were interrogating the person to extract information, I had nothing particular to do.

“Excuse me, Your Grace. It seems we need your assistance again.”

“I understand. I’ll come.”

While waiting in my room, I received another request for my help.

I went back down to the basement to heal the person being interrogated, and the torture began again.

How many times did we repeat this?

“I’ll, I’ll tell you everything. Please, please just stop…”

Finally, the man completely surrendered, raising both hands and feet in defeat.

No matter how much he resisted, whenever he was about to die, he was revived, again and again, and again—it seems he was about to go insane.

Watching this, I looked at the intelligence agents.

“Why not rename your department the ‘Torture Bureau’?”

“We wouldn’t go this far if the subject cooperated well.”

Anyway, the subject finally spilled everything he knew, and we learned about what was happening outside the Empire.

“The formation of an Allied Kingdom, and war…”

After the war with the demon cult and demon gods, they’re trying to start another war?

When will I ever be able to live a quiet and comfortable life…