Chapter 381

The next day, the Ka`har Warrior underwent a brainwashing… or, to put it in priestly terms, a “spiritual cleansing” process, shedding all desires and achieving enlightenment.

In other words, she became a truth-telling machine.

With this, she could depart to a painless world and find peace, but I couldn’t tell whether she would have preferred a life of suffering as a captive or a life of losing her self, becoming a mere doll.

I guess I’ll never know.

Still, it was a necessary measure. Torture could extract many testimonies, but they lacked credibility, while brainwashing could confirm the truth but limited the amount of information we could obtain.

By combining both methods, we were able to uncover a great deal of truth.

This jerk told the truth about everything else, but he exaggerated the strength of the enemy forces. Unbelievable.

Even while being electrocuted, he couldn’t resist boasting about his own troops.

Anyway, since his words were proven true, there was no reason for me to stay in Landenburg any longer.

I informed Ludwig that I would return to the City of Exra-shapel and then went to tell my companions.

“Ugh, there’s still so much to learn…”

Minea seemed to have just started enjoying swordsmanship, as she looked a bit disappointed.

“You can learn swordsmanship in the capital too, so come along. Or do you want to stay here permanently?”

“Ah, no! That’s not it!”

Right. She probably doesn’t find this bleak city appealing either.

Anyway, I could leave her swordsmanship training to the Rose Cross Knight Order. They’d teach her well in a practical manner.

Since they owe their position to Leonor’s backing, they wouldn’t dare act superior to Minea, who’s under my protection.

“It seems we won’t be seeing each other for a while. What a shame.”

“What are you talking about? You’re coming with us. Marquis Ludwig said so.”

“Huh…?”

Nigel’s eyes widened. Was it that surprising?

Well, I was a bit startled too when I first heard it.

When I told Ludwig I was returning to the capital, he suddenly told me to bring Nigel along.

He said it would be more helpful for her improvement to follow me around rather than endlessly waiting here.

“Is that really okay…?”

“Yes. The eastern forces won’t be invading anytime soon, so losing one expert from the ranks won’t be a problem.”

“I see. If the Marquis says so, then it must be fine.”

A soft smile formed on Nigel’s lips.

She seemed to like the idea of traveling with me too.

“Nigel, you’re coming too? That’s great!”

“Yes. I look forward to working with you, Priestess Rana.”

Rana seemed happy too.

There was still a bit of distance between them, but after spending some time together, they seemed to get along better than before.

—

The next day, we left Landenburg Castle and headed back to the capital.

With two more companions, we switched to a larger carriage and added an extra horse.

It was a peaceful and leisurely journey.

I spent my time chatting casually with Rana, who clung to me and spoke in a sweet, cooing voice, while Nigel taught Minea swordsmanship during breaks.

Occasionally, we used the thieves we encountered as live training materials.

Minea was thrilled to receive direct instruction from a “master” like Nigel.

“Is… is this how you do it?”

“Yes. Twist your wrist slightly and bring the sword down like this… that’s it.”

Nigel, who had been formal with Minea when she was just a hired adventurer, now spoke casually to her, treating her like a junior knight under my command.

Minea also seemed more comfortable being treated as a subordinate rather than being addressed formally by a master-level knight.

“You have quite a bit of talent. If you keep this up, becoming a knight won’t be too difficult.”

“Thank you!!”

Minea smiled brightly and nodded enthusiastically.

Hey, she didn’t react like that when I taught her.

Back then, she was completely intimidated, but now she’s all excited.

Anyway, it was a happy journey for everyone.

Even the slaughtered thieves must have been happy to escape the painful world.

The only one who might have had any complaints was Ja-han.

Though it was more of a burden than a complaint.

Understandable. Coincidentally, our party consisted entirely of women except for Ja-han, and one of them was my liege.

It must have been like sitting on pins and needles for him.

Still, we couldn’t let him out of the carriage except when resting in remote areas.

The wild Ka`har were too much of a stimulus for the empire’s civilians.

He wanted to ride a horse or at least sit in the coachman’s seat rather than being cooped up in the carriage… but that wasn’t possible.

If he were spotted, it would undoubtedly cause unnecessary commotion.

—

And then, a commotion did happen.

“Ka, Ka`har…! No way, Ka`har! What on earth…!”

A knight guarding the city gate collapsed in shock.

“Ka`har has appeared!”

What an over-the-top reaction.

You wouldn’t make that face even if you found half a cockroach in your breakfast.

“Ka`har…?”

“Ka`har? Isn’t that Count Median? What’s this about…?”

The knight’s outburst drew everyone’s attention toward us.

Right. I had a feeling this would happen when we asked for permission to verify identities.

We had been quietly staying in the carriage until now, but with the inspection, Ja-han had no choice but to show his face.

Originally, we could have breezed through the inspection with Landenburg’s influence, but for some reason, that didn’t work this time.

Did something happen in the capital while I was away?

Anyway.

“Why are you so surprised? Haven’t you seen a Ka`har before? Half of me is Ka`har, you know?”

In situations like this, it’s better to act shamelessly.

To the people here, bringing a Ka`har of unknown origin into the capital would be like smuggling a bomb into the city.

It’s only because I’ve built up enough standing in the empire that they didn’t immediately draw their swords. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been strange.

“My apologies, Count Median. But who is this person…?”

“My subordinate. Like me, he betrayed the Ka`har and sought asylum in the empire. We have the permission of the Margrave of Landenburg, so there shouldn’t be any issues. I vouch for him.”

“I… I see…”

The knight still looked uneasy. From my perspective, you’re the one who’s unreliable.

You’re a knight guarding the capital’s gates, and you collapse at the sight of a Ka`har? What kind of knight are you?

To be fair, Ja-han does look a bit intimidating, but despite his appearance, he’s one of the more good-natured Ka`har.

Honestly, if he can endure Hersela’s heavenly horse training, he’s practically a saint among the Ka`har.

“So, can we go in now? Or do we have to stay here as a spectacle? I’m tired and want to rest, and all these stares are making me uncomfortable.”

“…If the Count vouches for him, then it should be fine. Please proceed.”

The knight bowed and saluted, stepping back from the carriage.

He looked pretty pathetic, but at least he had some basic sense.

If we had been stuck here any longer, I might have gotten a bit annoyed.

“Good work.”

After giving the knight a hand gesture, we boarded the carriage and entered the capital.

—

“This is the heart of the west…! The city walls we saw earlier, and now this bustling city… The empire truly is a powerful nation.”

Ja-han peeked out the carriage window at the capital’s scenery and marveled.

He looked like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time. Nigel couldn’t help but smile proudly.

She looked like she wanted to say, “Do you feel the power of the empire, barbarian?” though she wouldn’t actually say something like that.

—

The carriage arrived at a massive mansion located in a corner of the capital.

Originally owned by Isabella, it now belonged to me. In fact, this was my first time visiting it.

Before heading to my residence at the academy or the imperial palace where Leopold was waiting, I planned to drop Ja-han off here.

I also wanted to introduce him to my knights.

The mansion we finally arrived at was… beyond simply being described as luxurious.

“How much money… how much money was poured into this place?”

I couldn’t help but mutter.

My companions must have felt the same.

“…Even the imperial family’s villas aren’t this extravagant, are they?”

Nigel murmured in a daze.

“Your sister was really rich…”

“Yeah…”

The mansion was so dazzling it was almost blinding.

Isabella, you crazy witch. Did you build this mansion out of gold?

How much tax money did you embezzle?

If this mansion were melted down into gold, you could live in luxury for thirty generations, not just three.

Compared to this, the academy’s professor residence was like a cheap shack.

Leopold gave this to me? Unbelievable.

Even I, who am not particularly materialistic, felt a surge of loyalty toward the empire.

Long live His Majesty the Emperor.