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86. Cat

「We once lived together with the werewolves in the forest. The elders told me to ask for their help if they were still alive, so I crawled out of the mines. And now the 23 000 of us are under Marge-sama’s care.」

「And you were heading to the werewolf village alone to convey that?」

「That is correct. While roaming about, I ended up becoming a prisoner… Due to my belongings, it became known that I was heading for the werewolf village.」

「Ok. What about the dungeon?」

「Right now, only the dwarves know about the “Golden Land of Scarlet Luxury.” If the humans find out it, they will surely turned the dwarves into the vanguard soldiers.」

「Certainly, the dwarves are robust and adapted to being underground. They’re ideal for pushing into a dungeon.」

It is said that in some areas, slaves were thrown into dungeons to observe. And countermeasures were taken based on how they died.

The more you think about it in terms of efficiency alone, the more logical it is. Dungeons are dangerous precisely because you don’t know what will happen, and there is no better experiment than actually throwing people into it.

「It will end with the dwarves dying and perishing. To prevent that from happening, I have refused to confess to any form of interrogation or torture until today…」

I felt something was out of place. Not about what Azura told us. But rather her attitude.

The same goes for the discrepancy between what Shizuku said about the dwarves’ brutality, and the same goes for Chunaru and the others I met underground. Something is strange.

「Then why don’t you fight back? If it’s underground, the dwarves will have the upper hand! If you use the mines and dungeons as fortresses, you can surely put up a resistance with 23,000 people!」

「Even if you say that, dwarves are people of civilization who love books.」

「What, what is this… It’s like a beast whose fangs have been pulled out!」

「All I want is for everyone to eat yakiniku together.」

Shizuku was confused by the seemingly no reaction response. There was a huge difference between these dwarves and the dwarves she learned about. By being controlled by humans they seem to have even lost the will to resist.

「Azura, just look at me for a second.」

However, I had another feeling of discomfort. I placed my hand on Azura’s shoulder as she tilted her head slightly to look at me. I looked her in the eye, in a very kind manner.

「Oh, it is rare to see eyes this black.」

「Listen carefully, Azura. Listen to me.」

「Yes, I shall listen.」

「『I declare』.」

Azura’s body twitched slightly.

There was a reaction. This is a code used when another person issues an additional command to the person to whom Kirmiji used his suggestion skill on. I didn’t expect it to work.

「Azura the dwarf will become a cat from now on. She’s a free-spirited, selfish cat who just plays, eats, and sleeps all day long.」

「M-Marge? What are you say–」

「Nyaa.」

Before Shizuku could say anything, Azura squealed in a high pitched voice.

「Nyaan… Nyaonyao.」

「Azura? Ah, hey, don’t play with my tail! Shooshoo!」

「Gorogorogorogoro.」

Perhaps thinking that it was a green foxtail plant or something, Azura wrapped herself around Shizuku’s tail. Just then, she suddenly seemed bored and went to the wall and started scratching at the stone wall.

With Azura’s petite frame and her curly chestnut hair standing out, she looked as pretty as an exotic doll. The way she meowed and rolled around would be seen as a cute trick if it were at a banquet.

「Skill Lender-san, this is not an act… right?」

「Yeah.」

There aren’t many people who can pretend to be a cat to this extent without any practice. And there is no reason for Azura to go along with it.

There is only one reason for this.

「『Release yourself, that is no more than a dream.』」

「Nyaanyaan…huh? Um, is there something on my face?」

Azura suddenly regained her senses, but didn’t seem to remember anything.

Koe-san and the other two were speechless. But I knew. Things were worse than I expected.

「Azura, we can no longer trust anything you say.」

「Marge-sama, what do you mean?」

I should have realized it sooner. Suggestions are usually something that the person on the receiving end is unaware of. The right arm moving on its own and the likes are an exception. It’s nothing more than a flashy spectacle.

Even when Angelina cured Bellman with a placebo, Bellman had no idea he was being tricked.

「You are still under the effect of Kirmiji’s suggestion.」

「…!!」

「Kirmiji’s suggestions don’t just make you do something on the spot. I saw in the basement that you can also use suggestions to make people listen to what you say at all times. What’s more, you yourself don’t remember what you did.」

「What does that mean?」

「It means that Azura-chan wasn’t able to hide anything from the Knights Order. All information has been leaked.」

It’s better to think that Kirmiji knows about the dungeon at least. No, it’s doubtful that such a dungeon even exists in the first place.

「The “Golden Land of Crimson Luxury” does exist.」

「We’ll know once we go and see for ourselves.」

「Yeah.」

「Yes.」

The “Farthest Ends of Blue” of the Wolf’s Hidden Village was also an unexplored region that continued to exist without being known to humans. I wouldn’t be surprised if such places still exist in other places.

In that case, it would be a good idea to actually go and see it.

「But, master, if the enemy has also found out about the dungeon, wouldn’t they be waiting for us? Many of the dwarves might also be taken hostage.」

「There is that possibility. However, I don’t think they will be at full power.」

「What do you mean?」

「I told you about Sodom and Gomora earlier, right?」

The first time I felt something out-of-place with the dwarves was not because of Azura. It was when I fought the young dwarf named Chunaru and the others in the underground.

Once the suggestion was released, they fought back against Sodom and Gomora who were manipulating them, but…

「They didn’t kill those two. After saving Azura, I went back to check on Chunaru’s right arm and treat him. The dwarves punished Sodom and Gomora but didn’t kill them, and fled underground.」

That was the beginning of the discomfort. In hindsight, they may have received suggestions to not be able to kill them either.

「Then, did Skill Lender-san do something about Sodom?」

「Yeah, but I didn’t kill him. I just left him a little souvenir.」

「Souvenirs are important. What kind?」

「[Seraph’s Grace] can create a human being from nothing. If so, I thought it might be possible to “modify” an injured human being while treating them.」

The Knights Order is an organization that calls itself justice. If that’s the case, then there’s no doubt that we, their opponents, are the villains.

「It should be able to buy us some time. We’ll start preparing for it… But for now, I think everyone is tired today. Let’s make use of Angelina’s hospitality and rest while we can.」

「Yes, master.」

「Please use the head of the family’s room, Skill Lender-san. There’s no one there anyway!」

If I’m a villain, then I’ll act like a villain and make morally unrestricted choices. I muttered that to no one and asked Angelina to guide me.

◆◆◆

–Knights’ base.

「You mean there are two Marge Siu?」

「Y-Yes. The people who attacked the mansion reported seeing a man who looks like Marge.」

Kirmiji pondered on the report of his subordinate.

「Isn’t Marge Siu supposed to have escaped underground with the Dwarf Loyalty Corps…?」