Chapter 11
Find the warlock hiding in the gateway city of Serigel.
The new mission was intuitive.
It made Reinhardt feel depressed, but the Knight Commander, Ethan Taton, was grinning from ear to ear.
“This is a chance to elevate your honor! And with Dame Evangeline accompanying you, there couldn't be a better opportunity!”
To raise Reinhardt's value.
Ethan seemed to think there was no better chance than this to achieve that goal.
And he was right.
If Reinhardt could find and crush even one warlock, his prestige would literally soar.
“I will start moving in earnest from tomorrow. This doesn't seem like a problem to be approached rashly.”
“I’ll do as you say.”
Evangeline was cooperative.
She was still observing the situation and seemed intent on entrusting the leadership of this mission to Reinhardt.
Beside her, the attendant was still staring at Reinhardt with calm eyes.
Like someone determined to uncover something hidden.
‘Why is that bastard looking at me like that?’
Reinhardt deliberately ignored him.
An attendant assisting a knight in Paganoa was no mere attendant.
While the knight handled the combat when facing demons, the attendant by their side had their mind packed with knowledge about demons.
For instance, they would memorize information like the weaknesses and strengths of a particular demon, and therefore, what actions should be taken.
Not only that, but after undergoing the training course conducted in Paganoa, they would even gain a faint ability to sense demons.
‘They were practically high-performance demon detectors.’
However, this fact was not widely known.
It was something only someone who played the game directly would realize.
To others, they were merely attendants who were slightly more capable than average.
Reinhardt returned to his quarters.
As he sat down to rest quietly, his hands began to tremble again.
‘It must be a sign telling me to hurry out and find the warlock.’
He was fine when talking to Evangeline. That was because it was part of the process of planning for the mission.
It was much easier to control his anger when properly carrying out a given mission.
Reinhardt let out a deep sigh. In any case, the fact that he had to perform the mission remained unchanged.
Click.
He opened the community and started writing a post.
[Got attacked by Evangeline…….]
[Why is she suddenly like this?? Her attendant is also looking at me strangely]
[Added a few pictures I took recently]
He filled in the content with a light heart.
The post was more focused on the captured images than the text.
Evangeline, whom he met in the Knight Commander's office. The Taton Knights' quarters. The moment Evangeline aimed her sword at Reinhardt, and the image of Ethan Taton beaming about the new mission.
└Anonymous1: He brought another fake pic lol
└Anonymous2: There has to be a reason for this lol
└Anonymous3: Is this a routine post?
As the content was what it was, comments quickly appeared. Reinhardt smirked and replied.
└Author: I’m trapped in the game…….
└Anonymous1: lolol
└Author: It's true…….
└Anonymous3: lol so funny
Judging by the reactions, it was clear that other people were also smirking. It was just that kind of issue.
“I knew it. I wasn't expecting anything, you bastards.”
He had no intention of finding a breakthrough on the community. He was just consistently posting texts and pictures with a sliver of hope.
While also reminiscing about his memories of the modern world.
That was all he intended, but.
└Anonymous7: Isn't she suspecting you of making a pact with a demon?
└Author: A demon?
└Anonymous7: You said it’s before you entered Paganoa
└Author: yeah
└Anonymous7: Then it's plausible lol you suddenly get strong when the buff hits
“This... is plausible.”
Reinhardt muttered as he closed the community.
Whether one contracted with a demon or a warlock, their commonality was the fact that they suddenly gained explosive power at some point.
‘Reinhardt isn't the Knight of Light yet. If a side character from the outskirts acts like that, it's not strange to be suspected.’
Reinhardt scratched the corner of his mouth with his index finger.
He had to accompany Evangeline starting tomorrow.
He had to scour every corner of Serigel's streets with her to find the remnants of Black Magic.
‘This could be a problem.’
All sorts of situations played out in his head.
Among them, there were roughly three scenarios that could become troublesome.
First, the fact that Reinhardt himself might go berserk upon discovering something more ‘evil’.
Second, that by doing so, Evangeline's suspicion might deepen even further.
And the last one?
It was the situation where Evangeline, having finally cleared up the misunderstanding, would believe in Reinhardt's potential and offer him a proposal to join the order.
‘I can't let that happen. I have to make a move first.’
There was still a day's time before they had to go together.
Reinhardt got ready and left the knight order.
His destination was the headquarters of the guard, under the jurisdiction of the Serigel City Hall.
***
The Serigel Guard was bustling as always.
This was because, given the considerable size of the city, all sorts of incidents were breaking out everywhere.
But even though they were busy, their attitude toward Reinhardt was respectful. Guided inside, Reinhardt looked for Guard Hans.
“Sir Reinhardt! I heard you called for me!”
“You're Guard Hans, was it?”
“Yes! That's correct!”
Guard Hans, who had previously handed over the criminal, was tense as he faced Reinhardt.
He wasn't afraid. He just seemed thrilled to be able to speak one-on-one with such a great knight.
“You're working hard. Have you found out anything about the man?”
The only information he had received earlier with Ethan Taton was that the criminal seemed to be ‘related to Black Magic’.
“Not yet. The man remains unconscious and won't wake up… If we learn anything, we will report immediately.”
“Where is the man now?”
“He is being held in the underground prison. The interrogator is trying his best to wake him up.”
“I'd like to see him myself. I'll need the Guard Captain's permission, right?”
“Pardon? Ah, the Captain is not here at the moment. He went to the City Hall to report on the matter.”
“Is that so? Then I'll wait.”
“There's no need for that….”
Guard Hans trailed off and thought for a moment.
It was obvious he was thinking, ‘Wouldn't it be fine if it's Sir Reinhardt?’
“If it's Sir Reinhardt, wouldn't the Guard Captain likely give his permission? I could speak to the interrogator and….”
Then he paused again and shut his mouth. Guard Hans began to glance at Reinhardt with a look of someone who had made a huge mistake.
“I apologize. I misspoke.”
“Misspoke?”
“I remember you saying that principles must always be followed. I was too hasty in my desire to help.”
It seemed something had happened in the past.
A knight with no flexibility must have nagged him about principles.
“No, I don't think so.”
“……Pardon?”
“Sometimes, principles become shackles that bind your ankles. Unless it's for personal gain, principles are something that should occasionally be ignored.”
Hans's mouth slightly opened. His expression was one of considerable bewilderment, so Reinhardt quickly added.
“Values are bound to change. Don't you think?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. Of course.”
“I'll come back later and ask for the Guard Captain's understanding. I'll make sure no harm comes to you. Where is the man?”
“Th-yes, I will lead the way.”
Guard Hans led the way with a somewhat dazed look.
As they descended the stairs, a bleak chill could be felt.
Unlike modern prisons, this was a place where once you were thrown in, you could only barely get out after your health was severely ruined.
“This is the place. Interrogator?”
After passing a few cells with bars, they reached their destination.
He saw the criminal tied tightly to a chair with ropes, and in front of him, an interrogator smacking his lips as if in disappointment.
Beside the interrogator, all sorts of tools for ‘interrogation’ boasted a gruesome presence.
“Well, look who it is! It's Sir Reinhardt.”
“You're working hard, Interrogator.”
“Not at all. I was just feeling lonely as I haven't had a chance to use these friends recently. I am very pleased that you have given me work.”
“……Is that so.”
The interrogator's smile was as gruesome as the tools he used. Reinhardt unknowingly swallowed dryly and nodded.
“He hasn't woken up yet?”
“That's right. Because of my profession, I've seen many scoundrels who pretend to be unconscious, but this one is really out. He shows no signs of waking up.”
“Since when has he been like this?”
Reinhardt asked, looking back at Guard Hans.
“On the way here, he suddenly gasped and lost consciousness. He's been in that state ever since.”
In that case, it was highly likely there was external intervention.
Either the warlock controlling the man did something, or they had prepared for him to automatically lose consciousness in certain situations.
“Interrogator. Could you step out for a moment?”
“Pardon? As you know, Sir, I cannot leave my post until the interrogation is over.”
“That would be the principle.”
“That's right. That's the principle.”
The interrogator also looked puzzled. In response, Reinhardt gave Guard Hans a meaningful look.
Fortunately, Hans was quick-witted.
He quickly approached the interrogator and whispered something in his ear.
From what he could overhear, it was something like ‘the knight has changed’ or ‘principles sometimes’ and so on.
The interrogator's expression changed from moment to moment, and then he slowly nodded a few times.
“Sir Reinhardt.”
Then the interrogator spoke. For some reason, his intrigued expression sparked a strange sense of unease.
“If it's not too much trouble, could you watch this fellow for a moment? An urgent matter has come up, and I need to attend to it.”
“Is that so? It can't be helped. I'll keep an eye on him.”
“Thank you. The time it will take to resolve the matter is….”
“It seems it will take about 20 minutes.”
“Yes, you've guessed it exactly. I will be back in 20 minutes. I hope the man wakes up by then.”
After speaking smoothly, the interrogator disappeared somewhere with Guard Hans.
Now, only Reinhardt and the unconscious man were left in the cell.
‘Let's see.’
Reinhardt had an idea.
After all, he was someone who had played the game to the end several times.
Although he had failed to save ‘Reinhardt, the Knight of Light,’ it meant he knew most of the major elements of the game.
Sshhh.
Reinhardt lifted the bound man's shirt and examined him all over.
The back of his neck, his ankles, his waist, and inside his armpits.
And then, he found it.
‘There it is.’
A mark resembling a snake's eye was tattooed there.
The size was about a finger joint.
The location was the very center of his back.
“Agrio-s.”
Just as regular mages were categorized by Magic Towers, warlocks also had divisions like schools and factions.
The main magic of Agrio-s was [Domination] and [Brainwashing].
[Domination] was magic that literally blew away the consciousness entirely and controlled the target, while [Brainwashing] left the consciousness intact and made them cooperate.
It was the moment Reinhardt had thought that far.
Flash.
The eyes of the man who had lost consciousness opened, and a raspy voice began to flow out.
“You know of us. Are you, too, a hypocrite of Paganoa?”