On the way back from the Adventurer’s Guild, we b.u.mped into Alfred-tousan.

He was eating a skewer and talking with one of the stall owners on the main street.

“Al-kun!”

“Hey, Julia. Have you finished your business?”

“Yes, what about you?”

“I’ve finished making my greetings, so I waited here for you two.”

Because this was the way from the Adventurer’s Guild to the Viscount Chrebl estate, there was no chance of us pa.s.sing by each other.

“The man in black is about to be interrogated.

It’s not really something to show to women or children, but you two are probably curious too, right?”

“Of course, let’s go,” said Mum.

I also nod vigorously.

After Dad confirmed our responses,

“Well, shopkeeper-san, I’ll be going now.”

“Oh, you have such a beautiful wife, I’m jealous. Come by again.”

The two exchanged their farewells and we left.

We headed towards Fauno City’s guardroom where the city’s peacekeeping knights were.

As you go around the perimeter of the city council hall, the rustic building at the back is the guardroom.

“I’m coming in.”

With a carefree att.i.tude unbecoming of a Lord, Dad walks into the guardroom.

“We have been waiting, Milord.”

A young, honest-looking knight responded to Dad.

“It is this way.”

The knight guided us to the bas.e.m.e.nt of the guardroom, where the cells are located.

Inside a cell on a plain looking bed was a man wearing black clothes, bound with bandages and rope.

Since the molars containing poison were removed, he wasn’t wearing a gag.

“We used an anaesthetic to slacken his jaw, so there’s no need to worry about him biting his tongue,” said Dad.

The man in black looked this way after hearing his voice.

When he attacked us, he was wearing a mask that covered the lower half of his face, but now his full face is exposed.

He looked tough and strong-willed, but had an average face.

He glanced at us, who had stopped outside his cell.

Err……what was his name again?
[Appraisal]

《Lucretio:〈Yatagarasu〉Seventh Squad, Squad Leader. Level:33.》

Ah, yes, Lucretio.

“Yo, how are you feeling, a.s.sa.s.sin-kun?”

Dad asked.

He looked scary despite the smile he had on.

“a.s.sa.s.sin……? What are you talking about. I’m just a kidnapper.”

“Hmm. Then you admit to being a companion of the people who were kidnapping children around Riverette Village?”

“……Don’t know them.”

“So you insist that you were working alone?”

“……That’s right.”

He’s clearly lying.
However, it seems like it will be difficult to make him tell the truth.

Then Melby suddenly revealed herself.

“I will also help.”

“Eh-……?”

I’m surprised by the sudden proposal.

“These guys spread rumours about how we fairies kidnapped children, right?

“Y, yeah……”

“Then they are enemies of mine as well.”

“You say you will help, but how?”

“I can just use [Fairy’s Eye].
Since I will know for sure when he is lying, we can try asking him some questions.”

At Melby’s words, Dad nods.

“That will help. I leave him to you, Melby-san.”

Dad used -san for Melby’s name.

Since Pioneer Elves made fairies,  I thought that elves were descended from the faeries’ masters, but it doesn’t seem to be that simple of a story.

As a side note, when Melby asked to take me to the Fairy Garden once a month, Dad immediately gave his consent.

Dad added the condition that Julia-kaasan or himself were to accompany me, but I saw no harm in it.
Ah, but being seen chiseling away at the barrier for ages wouldn’t be that good though……

Anyway, Dad is going to interrogate the Man in Black ― Lucretio now.

“You are a member of , right?”

“….. I’ve been trying to tell you that’s wrong.”

“That’s a lie.”

At Melby’s words, Dad and Mum look at each other and nod.

By the way, Lucretio can’t see Melby.

“I wonder what position in you have…”

“……Like I said, I don’t know any .”

“He’s lying.”

“You, as an underling of , don’t hold much information.”

“……That’s because I don’t know any .”

“Lie.”

“In , you had a position where you were able to put together quite a few subordinates.”

“……You’re wrong.”

“Lie.”

“You know the kidnappers who took the children at Riverette Village.”

“I’m saying I don’t know.”

“Lie.”

“You were in a position where you could lead the kidnappers at Riverette Village.”

“Wrong.”

“Truth.”

“Okay……so you worked separately from the kidnappers.”

“……”

Lucretio closed his mouth to hide his agitation.
His mouth was quivering, probably due to the anaesthetic’s paralysis.

“You knew about the kidnappers’ failure, and were ordered to hunt us, who knew the circ.u.mstances, down.”

“……k, Wrong!”

“Lie.”

“The Archbishop of gave you the order. Archbishop Glutometsa. Just saying his name makes my mouth feel tainted. He does the work of the devil, he’s not even a perso–”

“You’re wrong! Wrong wrong wrong!  Archbishop-sama is a holy person!”

“First half, lie. The second half was the truth.”

“You finally showed your true colours. You’re a member of . Am I right?”

“……What about it?”

“Truth.”

“Then let’s have you spit out everything. ’s structure, personnel deployment, and everything else; if it’s confidential information, anything is fine .”

“Who would say those things. Even if you torture me, I won’t tell you.”

“Well, well, you’re pretty professional aren’t you? A filthy a.s.sa.s.sin who worships The Evil G.o.d in high regard and goes around killing innocents is……”

Dad said as if he was boasting about his own faults, laughing as if he were mocking the a.s.sa.s.sin.

Of course, this should be for the purpose of provoking Lucretio so he spills the beans.

“We are proud messengers! What do you know!

If we don’t defeat the devil, this world will fall to ruin!

Filthy!?

To not even look at the sacred duty bestowed by Founder-sama, people who eat like dogs and  sleep like pigs like you are the filthy ones!

Release me from my admonitions!
I will make you an offering to the one who continues to battle against the devil, the holy Evil G.o.d, Monguenues-sama! ”

Lucretio snapped at Dad’s provocation.

If he snaps at this level of provocation, he will never get good at fighting games.

But……it came to Monguenues, huh.
On top of that, “The holy Evil G.o.d who continues to battle against the devil”, huh.

isn’t just an a.s.sa.s.sin organisation, it’s evidently a religious cultof a.s.sa.s.sins.

But……why were these guys kidnapping children?

Lucretio continued to spout nonsense after that, so Dad had no choice but to temporarily stop the interrogation.

“Fu~. Well d.a.m.n.”

It had gotten completely dark by the time we were heading back, and Dad was complaining as we walked behind the city council hall.

The light that Mum made with ∩(Light) was directed at and illuminated the ground for a few metres in front of us.

With the hand that wasn’t maintaining ∩(Light), Mum held my hand.

Melby was floating in the air next to me.

Dad continued to grumble.

“Hearing his story makes me feel as if we’re in the wrong.
I should tell the knights who are in charge of interrogation to continue in shifts instead of persevering at it.”

That’s true, he definitely seemed convinced of the existence of “The holy Evil G.o.d who continues to battle against the devil”.
If someone were to stay with him for too long, they would probably go crazy as well.

“What’s an evil G.o.d?”

I asked, with a face like I don’t know.

“Ah, so Ed doesn’t know.
The Evil G.o.d is a legendary being who calls himself Monguenues and is trying to incite mankind into destroying the world with their own hands.”

“Legend……is it?”

“Well, who knows.

But, the story about the Evil G.o.d fighting a Devil, that’s the first time I’ve heard it.”

“Al-kun, it would be best not to seriously believe what that man in black says.”

“Well, it’s not like I took it seriously…… but it seems like it may have affected me a bit.”

Dad shook his head with a frown.

“If you’re talking about an Evil G.o.d, then there is one.”

Melby suddenly said.

“Eh? Really?”

Said Dad.

“Really. The one who sealed my master should have been an apostle of the Evil G.o.d.”

“Hmm……”

“Among the Evil G.o.d’s apostles, there seems to be one with the ability to influence other people through hearsay.
If Alfred-san felt persuasiveness in that man’s words, then maybe that man has an apostle of the Evil G.o.d supporting him.”

“The Evil G.o.d’s apostle!?”

Dad couldn’t believe Melby’s words straight away.

From my perspective, I thought that Melby’s apprehensions seemed plausible enough, but it would be hard to convince Dad of that.
I don’t think I will be able to explain about the incident with Goleth well either; we still haven’t even talked about it yet.

“Edgar-kun, aren’t you tired?”

Mum came to ask.

“I’m fine.”

Indeed, I’ve been walking around with Mum all day, a normal 3-year old would be completely worn out.

Since my [No Fatigue] is working perfectly today as well, my body’s condition is no worse than how it was at the beginning of the day.
If anything is strange……it’s that I’m a little hungry.

“Edgar-kun, you have quite the stamina, don’t you ?”

Even Julia-kaasan can’t believe it.

While looking at Mum’s state, I think.

――I might be reaching the limit of how long I can hide it for.

In regards to that, I’ve already secretly asked Melby for advice.

“Um, sorry, I might not be able to help.”

Is what she said.

For a fairy who can’t lie, it’s hard to keep secrets anyway.
Thus, she has never had to worry about how to reveal a secret.

“Thinking about the other person’s feelings is important but ……As I expected, honesty is best, right?”

Even if she says that, the content of the secret is that, so…

As I was thinking and walking, I didn’t notice Mum stop walking and almost fell over.

“That is……”

Mum murmers as she looked into the darkness.

I belatedly follow her line of sight.

At the entrance of an alley, a servant-looking young woman and a man wearing traveller garb are huddled together.

But it doesn’t seem like they are lovers.

The man brings his face closer to the woman, pressing her with a sharp tone.

I look at the woman’s face again and feel that I have seen her before.

“That girl is…… one of our servants, isn’t she?

At Dad’s words I realise.

[Appraisal].

《Marcella Rinne: Chrebl Viscount House Servant.》

“Marcella-san”

“You remember. Yes, that’s her name. And the man is……?”

[Appraisal] ―― that was what I had planned on using, but Mum walked forward and blocked my line of sight.

Mum continued to walk towards the two.

Since Mum was still using ∩(Light), the two spotted Mum quickly.

“Hey. What do you need from our servant?”

Mum asked the man.

The man spoke as if he was spitting the words out.

“……It’s none of your business.”

“Didn’t I just say she is our servant? If you’re too stubborn–”

Mum lights the tip of her finger with a flame.

“–I will become your opponent?

“……. I was just bringing that person a message.”

Mum asks the servant with her eyes.

The servant, after hesitating, said this,

“……Y-yes. That person is a messenger from home, Madam Julia.”

“……Really?”

“Yes……”

Mum warily observed the man and,

“Marcella-san is from the capital right?
–How has the capital been, Messenger-san?”

“……Hmm. The capital has been dangerous, recently. When I left, rumours of the Demonic Ripper were everywhere. The guy who awakens every few years, the apparition of the capital.

“Demonic Ripper……?”

When I murmured as I walked closer, the man grinned,

“That’s right, kid. If a brat like you wanders around in the middle of the night, a scary ladywill appear and say…… “I will cut your mouth with these scissors”.”

“……Isn’t that the Slit-mouthed Woman?”

“Huh? What did you say, kid?”

“No, just that it’s scary.”

“Keh. A brat who isn’t scared by threats.
So, Madam, if your doubts have disappeared, can I leave?”

“……I suppose so.”

When Mum reluctantly nodded, the man turned his back to us and left.

I look at the man as if disciplining him, and cast the familiar [Appraisal]――

“――!!”

As I try to [Appraise] the man’s back, I’m frozen.

The man turned around right when I was about to use [Appraisal].

Was I found out……? No, it has to be a coincidence…….

Our gazes meet.

The man grinned, raised his index and middle fingers, and gestured like he was trying to cut something.

At the same time, he moves his mouth.

――Snip.

Even after the man disappeared into the alley, chills run up my spine and don’t seem to go away.