Volume 2 Chapter 86 Servant Of The Dark King II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Following Maribel’s instructions, Kian sat diagonally in front of Shajar.
The old Twelve Divine Generals couldn’t hide their killing intent, but with Renaud and Guy’s watchful eyes beside him, it seemed he couldn’t afford to make a move.
The warrior monks attending him from behind felt the same way-dearu.
(It doesn’t seem like he has a blade hidden on his belt. If he attacks barehanded, I might have time to react. However, I must remain vigilant at all times.)
Shajar pointed to the Wolfman man sitting opposite Kian.
”Randy is a mercenary I hired. As you can see, he’s a Wolfman with very sharp senses. He can discern lies from heartbeats and body temperature.”
”────”
The man named Randy remained silent, just staring intently at Kian with his blue eyes.
Shajar continued.
”Of course, he’ll only be in the same room while we’re discussing Kian Vahid. After that, he will be dismissed.”
Maribel nodded as Guy translated what was being said.
”Understood. After having Guy translate the questions, I will have the content recorded in the common tongue of the West. Is that alright?”
”That’s fine. What I want is to question Kian Vahid here, and if I deem him likely to be the one impersonating ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’, I’d like to take him back to my territory.”
”He has been in Margrave Izerland’s domain for 14 years, contributing as a good resident. I have no intention of handing him over.”
”Why? He’s just a lower-rank adventurer. His status is low; asking for the handover of a free farmer is no different. I don’t understand your reason for refusal.”
”He is also a valuable asset to my estate. Not only does he pay taxes, but I believe he will thrive in many areas moving forward.”
”Even if I offer the equivalent of the money for a free man, you still refuse to hand him over?”
”If Lord Shajar were to demand that a merchant ‘give it up since I’ll buy it at any price’ for the sword he treasures, would he not be refused?”
”So Kian Vahid claims it’s Princess Maribel’s ‘treasured sword’?”
”Yes, I believe it is an exceptionally sharp and capable sword.”
”────”
Shajar’s eyes became filled with doubt.
Perhaps he was thinking that if Kian were a killer claiming to be the Death Sword User, Maribel could be secretly taming him to quietly eliminate key figures in various countries.
Unfortunately, that would be a complete misunderstanding.
”If Kian is not the ‘Death Sword User,’ then your apostle cleanly intruded into our territory on mere speculation and caused havoc, are you aware of that?”
”They did not cause any havoc. I will explain later, but it was an emergency measure. However, I will not shirk responsibility. As a ruler of a territory, I am willing to offer appropriate compensation as a result of discussion. Before we enter discussions, I must first confirm whether your Kian Vahid is indeed a notorious criminal wanted in our country. This is very important for both us and you.”
”Do you intend to judge whether Kian is the Death Sword User solely based on the words of your Wolfmen? If he is a mercenary, couldn’t he be bribed to say the answer you want?”
”Do you think we would resort to such dirty tricks?”
”It’s merely a matter of possibility. If you can objectively show us proof that such a thing is impossible, we will acknowledge it, but if not, doubts will persist.”
”Then it would be good if you also brought someone capable of exposing lies.”
At Shajar’s words, Maribel raised her hand.
Christy stood behind her, holding an owl figurine made of glass.
”Owl, can you hear me?”
’Yes, I can hear you and see as well.’
”Lord Owl will judge the truth. I hope that your mercenary’s opinion will not conflict with Lord Owl’s.”
”Let me make it clear, I believe the judgment of the Beastmen is merely one point of reference. What matters is how this man answers our questions.”
”Of course. By observing the content of the answers, expressions, and attitudes towards our questions, the truth will naturally become clear. Starting with Lord Shajar, we have several political professionals here. If he gives an unclear response, everyone will notice.”
Certainly, as Maribel said, important figures from Izerland and Azrael are lined up here.
Anyone with a normal mind would be stiff with tension just from being interrogated in this situation.
If someone could smoothly spin lies to deceive everyone present in this room, that person would have to be either a master of rhetoric or a demon beyond human intellect.
”Let’s begin the questioning.”
Shajar said shortly and glared at Kian.
The old Twelve Divine General’s gaze is formidable.
Without a doubt, he is a man who has killed well over 3 digits.
Even a low-ranked adventurer would surely struggle to speak under such pressure.
Christy, standing behind, gasped slightly.
Maribel, sitting next to her, smiled but trembled slightly with the hands resting on her lap.
”Where were you and what were you doing from about a month ago──between the 10th and 12th of last month?”
”────”
(Where and what…?)
If it was the 10th of last month, he was precisely involved in the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’ Quest, doing various things with Aliona, Serena, Esther, and Robert.
After defeating the vampire, he had been preparing and tackling the remaining Quest without Serena.
He had also made an appearance at the Guild and went to the monastery in East End──more like Aliona’s place to buy some herbs, so he has a solid alibi.
”…I was taking on quests from the Adventurers’ Guild. My adventurer’s notebook should be at the East End branch, so if you could check that, we should find a record. During that time, I also bought ‘Spoon Wing’ poison glands at the Guild store and traded herbs with Ms. Aliona Gouldrin at the monastery on the edge of town. I believe I greeted Ms. Nene, the head of the monastery, along with several nuns serving there. If you inquire about this, you’ll see it’s the truth.”
”I managed to obtain a copy of Kian’s adventurer’s notebook from the Guild at Izerland fortress. Here it is.”
”Hmm…”
Shajar took the document and flipped through its contents.
He stared at the paper for a while but then suddenly looked up and asked Kian.
”It seems like the entries from the 3rd to the 4th of last month have been unnaturally erased?”
”My previous officer, Ms. Sophia, made false entries on purpose, and it was corrected under the directive of Guild Master Mr. Friedrich.”
”And what of Lady Sophia?”
”Last month, she was abducted by the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’ and absorbed by the Leanan sídhe. We rescued her, but she ended up in a vegetative state and should have been sent back to her family──the Schwarzer family.”
”Looking at this record…”
Shajar regarded Kian with a serious expression.
”You seemed to be a bottom-tier adventurer until early last month, but suddenly, after dealing with the Griffin and vampire, your points have skyrocketed! There haven’t been any quest failures, and while you previously only received C ratings, now you’re mostly getting A or even S ranks.”
”What does that matter?”
”Are you really the same person as Kian Vahid 2 months ago? ──Princess Maribel, actually, that, oh…, I’m knowing this man’s past.”
”Well, it’s not just a matter of knowing, is it? He was in a relationship as yoyr eldest daughter’s fiancé, weren’t he?”
”That’s right. Unfortunately, he was deemed unfit as an apostle, and to prevent him from becoming a source of unnecessary political strife, he was exiled abroad. From my perspective, even as a boy, he seemed to have a naturally weak energy (ki), making it impossible for him to fulfill his duties as a warrior monk. If that weren’t the case, I would have thought he was a very capable young man, but I can also understand the Vahid family’s judgment in this matter.”
Despite this, the hands of the elderly Twelve Divine Generals formed clenched fists and trembled slightly.
Kian hadn’t asked Natra about Sarah’s current situation (or rather, he absolutely couldn’t have asked).
Perhaps sensing Kian’s feelings, Natra hadn’t spoken about the Nakash family except for the necessary information so far.
Where could she be now, and what was she doing?
The fact that she hadn’t come here today suggests she might be handling politics in Azrael, entrusted with Shajar’s absence.
Or perhaps she’s on some bloody mission──.
(Well, it’s none of my business.)
He strivse to keep his mind calm.
”It’s very difficult to prove that I am Kian Vahid as you know me. Let’s see…, how about I show you some memory information that seems unique to me? I remember that Ms. Sarah’s favorite blanket when she was a child had a red and blue striped pattern.”
”――――. What?”
”Ahem! …Kian certainly has a remarkable memory. Hehe…”
Amid the disapproving looks of the women from Izerland, the dark elf warrior monk standing behind Shajar chuckled softly.
”Rufna, is that true?”
”Yes, the young lady certainly used to love that unusual patterned blanket back then.”
”I also remember that she struggled with cleaning and loved the angelica that the traders brought from the north. …Back then, I had no place in the Vahid family…, and Sarah often took me outside, running through the maze-like market street together. Such nostalgic memories.”
The people in the room exchanged glances at the subtly heavy story told by the young warrior monk.
Shajar couldn’t say anything and looked at Kian, but eventually asked this.
”Then, why do you exude such strong energy (ki)? Your body doesn’t seem like that of a poor lower-rank adventurer either. Is this the standard for lower-rank adventurers in Franz?”
”No, it’s about Châtillon County, but lower-rank adventurers are indeed poor. Once you reach intermediate rank and can form a good party, only then can you finally earn about 4 or 5 silver coins consistently in a day.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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