Minced Meat

Minced Meat

I’m quite pleased with the fact that I can now obtain information from enemies.

With a small smile at this realization, I spoke to the Inspection Chief in front of me.

“Unfortunately, that’s useless information. You’ll have to tell me other things.”

“……”

The Inspection Chief looked at me with a surprised expression, probably not expecting that I already knew this much.

Then, as if giving up, he nodded and spoke to me.

“I-I’ll tell you anything, just please stop…”

Tell me anything.

Upon hearing those words, I pondered for a moment and brought out a magic tool with recording capabilities, deep in thought.

‘If I were the Heaven God Cult, I might have anticipated that the Head of Inspection would be captured.’

There’s a high probability that they shared incorrect information with the Head of Inspection from the beginning.

As this judgment came to mind.

I decided that verifying the truth of what the Head of Inspection said was the top priority, and I decided to discuss it with Espin.

‘In addition, we can consult with the magicians in the family to verify the truth.

For now, let’s focus on extracting as much information as possible.’

Deliberately picking up a recovery potion for show, I spoke.

“As you probably know, from the moment you leaked information about the Heaven God Cult, your death at their hands became a certainty.”

The Head of Inspection silently nods in response.

I waved the potion at him like a carrot, speaking in a subtle voice to persuade him.

“You probably know that the Heaven God Cult, unlike me, doesn’t know moderation. They probably won’t torture you as lightly as I did.”

I’m not sure if it’s right to describe crushing flesh and bone with a mace as ‘light’ torture.

But it was certain that the Heaven God Cult would commit even more cruel acts.

He couldn’t say anything and just bowed his head. I waved the recovery potion at him again and spoke.

“In fact, if it ends there, it might not be a bad ending. At least your family and acquaintances could end up without suffering any pain.”

Just saying this much, he seemed to have guessed what I was about to say, looking at me with an urgent expression.

Realizing that he was finally ready to talk, I slowly brought out what he might want.

“Depending on your answer, I’ll also protect your family and acquaintances. So answer as sincerely as possible.”

Actually, this proposal is quite funny.

Even if I don’t want to, if I’m going to clash with the Heaven God Cult, I have to go in the direction of protecting their families.

I was planning to protect them to some extent even if I didn’t accept such a proposal.

‘From the Inspection Department Chief’s perspective, he can’t help but think that I won’t protect his family or acquaintances who are just strangers to me.’

I’ll have to accept the proposal.

I watched the Inspection Department Chief nod his head and decided to extract as much information as possible as I opened my mouth.

*

‘You were doing something interesting.’

I laughed after hearing all of the Inspection Department Chief’s story.

I had to filter it to some extent as there might be lies mixed in his story.

But even considering that, I was able to hear quite an interesting story.

‘After occupying the central government, they plan to domesticate living humans…’

I had vaguely felt it when I went to take the Seed of Negativity, but.

I just laughed because I didn’t know they would carry it out on such a large scale.

‘And after domesticating humans like that, it seems they’re trying to create a large number of Seeds of Negativity and put them into Rumi.’

The problem was that I couldn’t understand why they were particularly targeting Rumi.

‘I tried to put a new contract magic on the Inspection Department Chief in case he was hiding information, but.’

Even that didn’t make him speak, so it seemed he really didn’t know, which left me with no choice but to worry.

‘… This is giving me a headache.’

It would be nice if I could at least roughly understand the reason, but it’s just giving me a headache because I can’t get a grasp on it.

For now, I decided to postpone figuring out the exact information.

Around when moving my steps to deliver this information to Espin.

“……”

I caught sight of Rumi coming with cleaning tools in the corridor.

When I unconsciously approached seeing how she was walking while holding them somewhat skillfully as if familiar with cleaning itself.

Rumi looks at me with a startled surprise.

“… De-Deren.”

Then after calling my name in her usual way of speaking.

Soon firmly closes her mouth and speaks to me with a sunken expression unlike usual.

“What is the matter?… Young master.”

She deliberately adds the title ‘young master’ drawing a line with me.

Looking at such Rumi, I tried to say something recalling what I heard from Espin before but.

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t think of anything worth saying in the current situation so had no choice but to close my mouth.

‘There’s no way I could say things like the kiss with Sien was a mistake, or I’m sorry for showing such a scene.’

If I said such things it would rather have the opposite effect.

While staring intently thinking it would be better to just keep my mouth shut.

Rumi grips the water bucket she was holding even tighter and speaks to me.

“Then I’ll be going now… I have a lot to do.”

At those words, since it seemed this kind of situation would keep repeating if I let her go like this.

Having no choice, I grabbed Rumi’s wrist and spoke.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

As if she hadn’t expected me to grab her at all, Rumi opens her eyes wide while looking at me then.

She then tries to put on a calm expression and says to me.

“… I, I don’t want to.”

I never expected to hear Rumi say she doesn’t want to.

I’m momentarily stunned by this somewhat shocking situation.

Rumi, seemingly realizing this won’t do, starts to move her feet quickly, trying to run away.

A gut feeling tells me I can’t let her get away like this.

I quickly reached out my hand and grabbed Rumi’s wrist, pulling her towards me.

“……”

Due to the somewhat forceful pull, the water bucket falls and rolls on the floor.

I decide to help with that later and calmly convey my sincerity.

“Don’t run away.”

At those words, Rumi flinches and looks at me.

Then, with a complicated expression, she closes her eyes, and with her whole body trembling, she says to me.

“… If I don’t run away. What can I do?”

“What?”

“You know, don’t you, young master? That I’m someone who can only run away.”

Rumi hesitates for a moment, looking at my hand still holding her.

Then, forcefully shaking it off, she says to me.

“If I… if I get involved with anything, it just breaks or dies. How can I not run away and face it…?”

Thanks to having read the original novel, I could somewhat empathize with the feelings behind Rumi’s words.

The repeated sense of defeat and helplessness.

Rumi clenched her fist as she spoke, as if this was all natural, perhaps because she had spent so long in negative emotions believing things would never improve.

“I… I intend to keep living like this no matter what you say, Young Master. If I don’t get involved with others, I won’t cause any harm. So… please leave me alone.”

Hearing those words, I slowly met Rumi’s eyes and said.

“How dare you?”

Rumi looked at me with a bewildered expression, as if she never dreamed I would respond like this in this situation.

Looking at Rumi like this, I thought.

‘What’s needed now isn’t consideration or gentleness, but a forceful attitude.’

Since Rumi has a personality that tends to be pulled along by others, in this situation, rather than letting her do as she wants.

Forcefully telling her what to do would more likely lead to a positive choice.

So I continued speaking forcefully.

“Who are you to dare worry about my future?”

“Th-that’s…”

“Don’t you know that your concern is not only meaningless, but insulting to me?”

“……”

Thinking that I never expected Deren’s usually unhelpful manner of speaking to be useful in a place like this, I continued.

“So don’t have unnecessary thoughts or take unnecessary actions. Just do as you usually do.”

“……”

This should be enough for her to understand now.

‘No, even if she doesn’t understand. She should be able to reach a compromise on her own.’

A compromise that causing trouble for others isn’t a problem at all.

As I was thinking this and about to stop tormenting Rumi and let her go.

“Young Master!”

A somewhat urgent voice is heard from one side.

I look to the side, wondering what it is, and the butler approaches me with a pale face and shouts.

“The Herdy family is reportedly under attack by an unidentified group!”

The Herdy family was certainly Delia’s family.

I frowned at the situation where Delia was being attacked following Espin, and said.

“What about the guardian forces we planted before?”

“They’re still holding on, but it seems they’ll collapse soon!”

As I was about to depart immediately upon hearing this.

The butler tries to stop me and shouts.

“Please go with the knights when they’re ready. It’s too dangerous to go alone!”

The butler doesn’t know how strong I’ve become, so he seems to be worried like that.

I was contemplating whether to tell him it’s okay.

But thinking it would be better to show results rather than explain, I ignored him and slipped out.

‘Then, I’ll use space compression magic.’

As I’m heading towards the Herdy family mansion as fast as possible.

Luna suddenly pokes her head out of my arms and says in an excited voice.

[Are we going to make minced meat again this time!?]