■ Resistance □
To catch a fox, you first need to corner it in a crisis.
Following this basic principle, I have now dismantled one aspect of the Royalist forces that I had left untouched until now.
When a house’s pillar collapses, those who live under the roof supported by that pillar are bound to react in some way.
Some may try to move to another house, others might attempt to repair the pillar, and still others might dig tunnels to survive even if the roof collapses.
What I was wary of was the third scenario, and for nearly two years, I allowed the Royalists to retain their former power and swagger freely to prevent them from going underground.
During this time, as the nobility of the Oz Kingdom split into pro-mage factions and Royalists, engaging in fierce political battles, the Governor’s Office, firmly established on the foundation of colonial rule, has finally prepared to make its move.
And at this point, the noble Royalists who have outlived their usefulness are nothing more than obstacles.
Of course, since I had prepared beforehand to dismantle them whenever necessary, that’s why I was able to proceed with this operation.
The fourth day of the special investigation period.
Since most of the nobles affiliated with Marquis Quillern were arrested yesterday on charges of treason, the capital was eerily quiet this morning.
Some managed to evade capture after obtaining information in advance, while others were caught during surprise inspections while fleeing with their families and were dragged to the Governor’s Office.
There must still be people who haven’t managed to escape Oz and are hiding somewhere.
Because of this, Oz is practically under a state of semi-martial law.
Still, small-scale battles continue to occur sporadically throughout the capital.
My Master declared the neutrality of the Emerald Tower early on but said that any noble-born mage wishing to cause trouble was welcome to come.
As a result, the roster of mages affiliated with the Emerald Tower diminished almost fivefold within moments, but my Master remained unperturbed.
“Things will heat up again in a few years anyway.”
Indeed, someone who has lived long does seem different.
“Hail!”
“Yes.”
I am currently conducting a search and seizure at a club house frequented by Marquis Quillern’s subordinates.
A club house is a private building where only select individuals are invited to enjoy various activities.
Naturally, just anyone cannot enter, and it is common for there to be strict membership procedures to become part of the club.
Moreover, this place was operated directly by Marquis Quillern, one of the most powerful nobles within the royal court.
No one could predict what treasures might be hidden here.
As I stepped inside the building, one of the police officers bustling around approached me and said,
“Director of Finance, as instructed, all the servants and attendants inside the club house have been detained and their body searches are complete. However, no significant items have been found so far, and we are currently interrogating them one by one.”
“Is that so?”
I looked around the interior of the club house, which was adorned with various expensive items.
At first glance, it seemed like a playground for adults, filled with billiard tables, bowling alleys, darts, chess sets, and other gaming tools.
However, it didn’t seem likely that gentlemen in their 50s or 60s would gather here merely for leisure activities. It was highly probable that this was a place where key members of the Quillern faction would meet to conspire.
Quillern’s mansion had already been thoroughly searched, leaving this place as the last remaining location.
Looking at the staircase leading to the second floor, I turned to the officer who had spoken to me and said,
“Continue interrogating the staff. If anything suspicious arises, don’t make decisions on your own—report everything to me.”
“Yes, sir!”
After receiving a sharp salute, I gestured casually and ascended the stairs with my hands in the pockets of my overcoat.
[[#]]Just because someone is wealthy doesn’t mean they necessarily prefer large and ostentatious things.
Marquis Quillern appears to have had rather modest tastes for a nobleman, decorating his exclusive club house with antique wooden furniture.
Of course, each piece here would likely cost more than an average commoner could imagine, but at first glance, they don’t appear particularly luxurious.
As I walked down a long corridor lined with various animal taxidermy, I eventually reached a room used by Quillern as a study.
Upon entering, it appeared that the police had already swept through once, as all the books from the shelves were scattered on the floor.
In typical clichés from movies or detective novels, there might be a secret chamber behind the bookshelf, but realistically, such things rarely exist.
Experts can immediately detect something unusual just by looking at the architectural plans of a mansion.
If there had been anything hidden, the investigators would surely have tipped me off.
With that in mind, I walked straight toward the desk without even glancing at the books or shelves.
A polished hardwood desk.
It seems well-maintained even in regular use.
I opened the tightly closed drawers of the desk.
Ink, quill pens, envelopes, seals.
Nothing but ordinary items typically found in a study.
On a whim, I pressed the bottom of the drawer, but there was no sign of a double-bottomed structure.
Feeling somewhat deflated, I leaned back in the black leather chair.
“Oh. Nice.”
It looked ordinary from the outside, but it was incredibly cushioned.
It felt like a magical chair that made you never want to get up once you sat down.
While thinking I should definitely ask Quillern about the maker during the interrogation later, I glanced around the room and my eyes fell on the fireplace.
“Hmm?”
Something felt off.
It felt like something that should obviously be there was missing.
It didn’t take long to realize what it was.
‘No signs of soot?’
Unless this study hadn’t been used at all during winter, that didn’t make sense.
In this world, where modern boiler technology doesn’t exist, the only heating devices available are fireplaces or oil heaters.
But with a fireplace present, there was no need for an oil heater, and there was no visible heating device anywhere in the room.
It might have been stored somewhere because it wasn’t used in spring, but fundamentally, I tend to trust my instincts.
Creak—
“Somewhere…”
I bent over and peered into the fireplace.
Its structure was no different from a typical fireplace.
A hole connected to the chimney above, and the less visible areas were finished with plaster.
Out of curiosity, I created a light using magic and examined the inside of the chimney when I noticed something unusual.
“…”
It was unmistakably a button.
Something used to activate a special mechanism.
“Director of Finance? What are you doing over there?”
At that moment, a few police officers entered the study, so I put my finger to my lips, signaling for silence.
Although puzzled, the officers obediently shut their mouths.
I pressed my ear against the plastered wall inside the fireplace.
I couldn’t hear any sound.
After waiting for a while and hearing nothing, I was about to press the button to check when I felt a faint vibration from the other side of the wall.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
Short, rhythmic tremors.
I realized it was someone’s footsteps.
There was no need to look further.
Click!
As I pressed the button, there was a grinding sound, and the fireplace I was standing in rotated entirely.
Once I stepped out of the fireplace, I saw several men who appeared to be members of the Oz Independence Association staring at me in shock.
“As they say, the darkest places are often overlooked.”
This wasn’t a club house for nobles; it was a safe house for the Resistance.
The first man I made eye contact with shouted,
“Kill him!”
Hearing this, the two men in front hastily drew their swords and rushed at me.
But for someone who has fought in countless battles, their reaction was nothing more than clumsy defiance.
I quickly stood up, deflecting their blades with a sweeping motion and noticed a mage preparing to cast a fire spell to destroy evidence. I countered with a gust of wind.
“Cawing!”
The mage collapsed after being hit by the wind projectile.
Seeing this, the remaining member tried to knock over the candle he was using for lighting, but the air in this space had long been under my control.
With a gesture of my hand, the room instantly became a vacuum, extinguishing the candle flame. Deprived of oxygen, the four Resistance members gasped and clutched their throats as they fell to the ground.
I glanced down at them, their bloodshot eyes glaring up at me, then collected all the documents and letters they had been reading moments ago.
Gradually, due to lack of oxygen, the Resistance members began to lose consciousness.
Snap!
At the right moment, ensuring they wouldn’t die, I released the vacuum, bound their bodies with rope, and destroyed the entrance to the secret chamber—the fireplace—with a wind spell.
BOOM!
The police officers outside entered awkwardly upon hearing the explosion, discovered the unconscious Resistance members on the floor, and promptly arrested them.
I instructed them to manage the important witnesses well, ensuring they couldn’t commit suicide, then exited the room with the letters and maps the Resistance had been reading in the secret chamber.
It seems I’ve found some fairly useful items.
