Chapter 54

Beribelom was a gateway city.

Only by passing through here could one truly say they had left the central part of the Empire.

Money gathered, goods gathered, and people gathered.

Therefore, inspections were naturally strict.

A short phrase carved into the stone wall next to the checkpoint proved its strictness.

[Imperial Law, Article Forty-Two, Regarding Passage and Inspection.]

[Those who enter or exit a city of the Empire are obligated to undergo inspection according to proper procedures.]

The very gaze of the soldiers was different.

They had their hands on their sword hilts, ready to cut off a wrist at any clumsy attempt to offer a bribe.

In other cities, inspections were just one of the many duties of the guards, but in Beribelom, it was different.

These were inspection soldiers whose sole profession was managing the gate.

“Juet Acrobat Troupe? I've heard of them.”

Marcus Merius was the inspection commander of Beribelom.

A forearm the thickness of a woman's waist and a neck even thicker.

At a glance, he was no ordinary person and he truly wasn't.

If one were to call the former commander of Cordis's 7th Legion a normal person, then the Second Prince Secundus Debius would be nothing more than a healthy individual.

“You came to Beribelom before, didn't you?”

“It seems it was about three years ago.”

“That's right. I went to see it with my daughter. The wolf who spoke with a perfect imperial accent was quite impressive.”

Pen-Houchil raised his hand from behind.

“That was me.”

“A wolf beastman?”

“As written on the travel permit.”

Hmm, Marcus Merius nodded his head.

His attitude was not hostile.

He smiled and asked Helena.

“A performance this time too?”

“That is our job.”

“That's good news. My daughter has been getting bored lately.”

“Those are very pleasing words for us.”

Helena gave a faint smile.

There were also Special Operations Unit members from the Security Bureau at Beribelom's checkpoint.

However, Marcus had no intention of letting outsiders swagger around pretending to be Special Operations Unit members.

This was very good news for the Juet Acrobat Troupe and me.

“If this isn't your first time in Beribelom, there's no need for further explanation.”

Marcus snorted, hmph.

“Follow the proper procedures. Then there will be no problems.”

The inspection commander, having finished speaking, disappeared into his office.

His work was done.

Now it was the inspection soldiers' turn.

They gestured to the Juet Acrobat Troupe members who were lined up.

“Two by two, please step forward.”

First were Vice-captain Helena and Pen-Houchil.

They presented their travel permits and the inspection soldiers confirmed if the personal information written on them was true.

Having confirmed that there were no irregularities, the inspection soldiers guided them to the next room.

The inspection soldiers were imposing but not rude.

Rather, they felt very polite.

Beribelom's inspection soldiers were not a threat to those who followed the proper procedures.

None of the Juet Acrobat Troupe members were worried.

They always prepared thoroughly for inspections.

They had checked several times to see if there was anything that could be used against them.

Any suspicious information or items had already been burned.

The members left two by two.

No one seemed to have aroused suspicion.

There were many unique individuals, but it was largely thanks to them being acrobat troupe members that it seemed natural.

“Next two.”

It was my turn with Henry Horbi.

Henry snickered and said.

“Kid, are you nervous?”

“Do I look like it?”

They each presented their travel permits.

Henry's was real and mine was fake.

However, it was not a low-quality forgery that would be easily exposed.

As expected, the inspection soldiers found no irregularities and shouted.

“Please take your travel permits and go to the next room.”

Several procedures followed.

There were things like holding up magic detectors, or touching the skin of their faces.

However, no one detected Henry Horbi's illusionism.

He wasn't a high-ranking operative of the Erta Security Bureau for nothing.

They passed through several rooms.

They faced several inspection soldiers.

They stopped after a time long enough to finish a meal.

The soldier who had guided them said.

“Inspection Commander Marcus will ask a few questions in the next room. This is the last step, so please wait a moment.”

The soldier, having finished speaking, left the room.

In the next room, Inspection Commander Marcus seemed to be talking to the twins Roten and Rite.

Henry Horbi, realizing they were alone, adjusted his round glasses.

“Goodness, it's always a struggle whenever I come here.”

Henry Horbi had also been present during the visit to Beribelom three years ago.

At that time, he was a greenhorn who had just been deployed to the Empire, but he felt that quite a bit of time had already passed.

Henry, who was absentmindedly fumbling in his pocket, realized he had put his pipe in his luggage and slapped his forehead.

“This is boring.”

He wanted to smoke, but he couldn't.

It was a torment that those who hadn't experienced it couldn't understand.

Henry Horbi casually touched his lower lip a couple of times and then turned his gaze to me.

“By the way, kid.”

“I told you, it's Shion.”

“Let me ask you just one thing.”

I raised my head.

Thanks to Henry Horbi's illusionism, my face was covered in freckles.

“What?”

“You seemed to be on good terms with the vice-captain. Did you say your father was friends with the vice-captain?”

“…That's right.”

One of the operatives dispatched to the Empire had died.

He was Helena's friend and my father.

Helena had introduced me to the acrobat troupe members that way.

Everyone didn't doubt it.

Because there was no reason to doubt.

I nodded my head while slightly frowning.

Why was he talking about unnecessary things during an inspection?

“I don't know why you're asking, but I don't want to talk about it anymore here.”

“It's alright.”

Smoke leaked from Henry Horbi's mouth.

It soon became transparent.

Invisible smoke surrounded them.

He could still use illusionism even without his pipe.

“There are no ears in this room. Even if there were, I can make sure a conversation of this volume doesn't leak out.”

“……”

I glared at Henry.

His words were true.

There were no particular magical devices or surveillance in this room.

If Henry Horbi's illusionism was added, no one would be able to eavesdrop on their conversation.

However, even so.

“…Why, here?”

“Because it's here.”

Henry adjusted his round glasses and raised the corner of his mouth.

He spoke as if whispering.

“I can ask you now because only the two of us are left.”

Henry Horbi was a high-ranking operative of the Erta Security Bureau.

Before my regression, he had also been my subordinate, but he was also a man whose inner thoughts were sometimes unfathomable.

Especially when he smiled like that, he always had some scheme.

“You, Shion, it's all a lie, isn't it?”

***

“I don't know what you're talking about and I don't know what kind of answer you want either.”

I blurted it out first.

It was because I didn't particularly want to respond.

Henry Horbi smiled slyly, as if he had expected it.

My blue eyes sank deep.

‘Has he noticed something?’

Henry Horbi was wearing a confident smile.

As if he had figured something out, and was deeply convinced of it.

Though he was a capable fellow.

I clicked my tongue softly.

He was a man who often acted as if he had a screw loose.

But he was no fool.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to rise to the position of Erta Security Chief.

Looking at Henry, who was smiling slyly at me, I let out a small sigh.

‘Because he's an old comrade……’

Something stirred within my body.

Mana Armor Valziart.

Sen Sorti's masterpiece, created from a noble of the shadow dimension.

Underneath my invisible clothes, black armor covered my skin.

And, ‘Fantasy Finger’.

Seventeen invisible hands.

‘…I didn't want to kill him.’

I could have drawn black thorns from my sleeve and stabbed Henry's neck at any moment.

I could have broken his neck with the ‘Fantasy Finger’.

If Henry Horbi knew something he shouldn't know, if he tried to blackmail me with it, I would have had to do it right away.

An old comrade was important, but he couldn't compare to my destiny.

Should I stab him in the neck, pass through the last room and enter Beribelom?

No, Inspection Commander Marcus was no ordinary man.

Heading further into Beribelom would be dangerous.

Then should I turn back and leave?

Though I had come quite deep, with my two Ars and Valziart, it wasn't impossible.

However, my future schedule would be quite complicated, and that was quite annoying.

“Aren't you staring too much?”

Henry waved his hand.

It was because he had seen my eyebrows furrowed in a deep frown.

He didn't seem to have thought that I had even planned to stab him in the neck.

“Calm down, calm down……”

He bowed his head to meet my eye level.

I seriously considered whether I should stab his neck even now.

If he hadn't used polite language, I might have actually done so.

“…Please don't get too angry.”

“Why the respectful language?”

“…I, Henry Horbi, am a quick-witted fellow.”

The man pretended to suck on his pipe.

“I know everything. You came from the Brotherhood, didn't you? The vice-captain too, she's really trying to benefit all by herself, it's too much……”

Only then did I let out a small laugh and returned Valziart to my body.

It seemed I wouldn't have to take Henry Horbi's life.

He continued talking excitedly, not even realizing that he had almost died.

“I don't know which elder you are. I have no desire to find out and put myself in danger.”

He smiled slyly.

“But please remember me. It's Henry, Henry Horbi.”

“You waited for us to be alone just to say that?”

“Of course. In hopes of remaining a little more special in Your Highness's heart.”

“You're an interesting fellow.”

I, Shion Pollinglight, began to act like a big shot, just as I had with Vice-captain Helena.

I slightly raised my neck and stroked my chin.

I looked at Henry with eyes that seemed to be completely looking down on a subordinate, and he bowed even deeper with a smiling face.

“You asked me to remember you. Why do you think I don't know you?”

“…Do you know me?”

“Yes. Old Heindel often talks about you.”

“M-master……?”

Hah.

Henry Horbi raised his head.

If he could casually mention his master's name, it meant that the kid in front of him was in a remarkably high position.

Respect began to grow in his eyes.

It was as I had intended.

“I've been looking favorably upon you, until now.”

“…Until now, you say?”

“I was wondering what you were going to say at the checkpoint, but you said to take good care of you……. Should I take this favorably?”

My tone was somewhat sharp.

“When your heart races ahead, quick wit often becomes poison.”

“…M-my, my apologies.”

Henry came to his senses as if cold water had been poured over him.

He hastily straightened his back.

“Don't tremble, mister.”

I acted like a child again.

“To tremble in front of a kid like me, how strange would that look to others?”

“…Yes. No, um……”

Henry caught his breath.

Soon, his trembling subsided.

I whispered softly, just loud enough for him to hear.

My smile and voice were childlike, but the content was not.

“Mister. Do you know this proverb from the Western Erta?”

“What proverb……?”

“He who talks much dies early and he who keeps his mouth shut lives long.”

“…Was there such a proverb? This is the first I'm hearing of it.”

“Perhaps it will arise in the future.”

The regressor's eyes curved gently.

There was a smile on my lips.

However, my blue pupils were not smiling at all.

Henry Horbi swallowed dryly.

“I hope you live a long life, mister.”

“……”

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