If the Kingdom of Lumin was a land of knights, then the Prasion Kingdom was a land of technology.
Of course, it wasn’t a level of technology as absurd as the dwarves’ weapons.
If it were, humanity’s kingdoms wouldn’t be three separate states, but a single empire.
After all, nobles everywhere are the same in protecting their own interests.
“At least it’s fortunate that they don’t quarrel in the face of the great calamity called the Demon Army.”
Anyway, currently, as the Special Task Force Captain, I had entered the Prasion Kingdom to recruit talented new recruits.
The only relief was that Beatrice was a bakery maiden living in a small frontier village far from the Prasion Kingdom’s capital.
Since I belonged to the Royal Family’s Direct Control Unit, it would be troublesome if I entered a foreign country without permission and got marked by the King of Prasion.
I was here to bring back my subordinate (soon-to-be), not to weaken humanity’s overall strength.
“So, why exactly have I been brought here?”
I dismissed Muffin’s question in one sentence.
“Hey, the superior is working, and the subordinate plans to be loafing around?”
“…I’m just here to recruit subordinates, so why am I caught up in this?”
“You’re on the payroll now.”
The Special Task Force was directly under the Royal Family.
Naturally, since the salary came in the Royal Family’s name, you had to do as you were told.
“And the King ordered me to perform the duties of the Special Task Force, so when I give orders to you who belong to the Special Task Force, my orders are effectively the King’s orders.”
“That sounds like some ridiculous nonsense depending on how you look at it.”
Muffin wanted to argue, but wisely chose to stay silent, tapping the back of his neck as he asked.
“Enough small talk. What are you actually going to make me do?”
I crossed my arms and nodded toward a certain place.
Before me was the exact scene in the montage—a guest being welcomed by Beatrice.
I handed money to Muffin and said,
“Go buy some food.”
“…Huh?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I said buy some food.”
“Why food all of a sudden? Isn’t it enough to just recruit them?”
I looked at Muffin with a disbelieving expression.
“If you go to someone with a proper job and blurt out ‘I’m from the Royal Family, become my subordinate,’ do you really think they’ll respond with ‘Oh, what an honor!’ and follow you willingly?”
“Then what should I do?”
“You have to gather information. Most of the Special Task Force’s future work will basically be information gathering.”
I looked Muffin in the eyes.
“Start learning seriously now. Soon a new member will join the Special Task Force, and you’ll have to train them.”
“Me?”
“Why, don’t you want to be a senior? Do you want to be the eternal youngest? Or do you plan to burden your sister, who is doing the best job in the Special Task Force, with training the youngest? You know you’re currently the least useful pillar of the Special Task Force, right?”
Muffin coughed weakly, struck in the solar plexus by my sharp words.
“…Ahem. Just saying.”
“I’ll cut you some slack, but from now on think twice before you speak.”
“I will remember that.”
After receiving the money, Muffin went to Beatrice’s bakery and picked out some bread.
Dumb as he was, his skill in choosing bread was pretty good.
He picked the freshest ones.
When he tried to pay, Beatrice spoke.
“Oh my, I haven’t seen you before. Are you traveling?”
“Ah, yes. I had some business passing nearby.”
“I see. Do you like strawberries? I made a new menu item this time, made with fresh strawberries. Please try it.”
“Oh, strawberries. My sister would love that. Could I get it to-go?”
“Of course. That will be thirty Fairy Tale Coins.”
“…That’s pricier than I thought.”
“Because the process of making it isn’t straightforward.”
As Beatrice said, the bread’s appearance was exceptional for something simple.
It contained various ingredients and was like a dessert fit for a noble household, so it was certainly premium.
“A frontier town that’s better off than I expected.”
But Muffin had been a noble before living in the Slums.
After a brief moment of surprise, he handed over thirty Fairy Tale Coins.
“Do you enjoy baking?”
At that moment, Beatrice’s hand paused briefly while packing the bread.
It was such a fleeting moment that untrained eyes would miss it, but she couldn’t avoid my gaze.
“Yes, it’s what I live for.”
“…I see.”
“Here you go, all packed.”
“Thank you.”
As Muffin left the bakery, he said,
“I’ll come back to buy more bread later.”
Beatrice smiled softly, covering her mouth.
“Hoho. Then I look forward to seeing you again.”
Soon Muffin approached me from across the street and handed over the bread.
As I unwrapped the package, I asked,
“Muffin, why do you think I brought you into the Special Task Force?”
“Isn’t it to be the bread shuttle?”
“That’s just secondary.”
“…Why deny it when it fits so well?”
“But you’ve been fulfilling the bread shuttle role way too faithfully.”
“…”
Unwilling to deny that, Muffin changed the subject.
“You told me to learn the Special Task Force’s duties. I guess you wanted to train me in that while I was out buying bread, too.”
“That’s right. So, what did you learn? Anything small will do—just say what comes to mind.”
Muffin groaned as if pondering, then slowly spoke.
“First, the variety of bread was huge. The baking skill would be no exaggeration to call first-class. The bakery was very clean. Even before I entered, quite a few people had gathered, but there was not a trace of footprints or dust.”
“Anything else?”
“At the register, I noticed a trash bin where several perfectly fine loaves were thrown away. Most seemed to have strawberries.”
I immediately took out a strawberry-filled bread from the package.
The sandwich-like bread had fresh cream inside with strawberries layered on top.
Taking a bite, the soft cream mixed with the juice from the fresh strawberries, delivering a strong sweetness in my mouth.
“More?”
“…From here, it’s just my personal impression, with no proof or certainty.”
“Go on.”
“I somehow feel that woman’s outward demeanor isn’t genuine. It’s as if she’s wearing a shell.”
Now that the real information was coming out, I nodded.
“Continue.”
Muffin frowned.
“That’s all there is. I can’t say anything more recklessly, and it would be rude to do so.”
“Didn’t you feel it was dangerous?”
“…Huh?”
Muffin made a confused expression at my question.
But rather than genuinely not knowing, it looked like he was vaguely aware of something, his expression ambiguous.
“She looks somewhat fragile. Pitiful. You get the feeling you want to protect her.”
Listening to me, Muffin’s expression turned goosebump-inducing.
“Did you learn some kind of mind-reading magic? How do you know exactly what I wanted to say?”
“…Is that so?”
I have memories from a past life, so I could understand, but Muffin was truly someone with an incredible ability.
He’d caught on to what I only vaguely felt after just one look.
“Muffin, there’s a real task you have to do from now on.”
The bread shuttle’s eyes turned serious.
“What is it?”
“Simple. You’ll conduct a field investigation.”
I immediately took a paper from my pocket and handed it to Muffin.
“A map.”
Muffin took the paper and checked the contents as I nodded.
“That’s right. The place I’m giving you has been verified by the Capital Slums King.”
“Where is this?”
I calmly spoke, recalling what I knew about Beatrice.
“It’s the location of Beatrice’s birthplace.”
After sending Muffin to the place where Beatrice’s birthplace was, I waited for nightfall.
The moment Beatrice closed the bakery and left after finishing business, I waited for her to disappear, then prayed toward the moonlight.
Optimized for concealment, I headed straight for the bakery.
Normally, I would have entered without leaving a trace, but since it was Beatrice, I changed my approach.
Since I had already decided to recruit her, I couldn’t avoid confrontation.
I pulled up my hood, took up the Holy Sword, and sliced through the bakery’s entrance.
The firmly closed door was cut away, revealing the interior.
A faint scent of flour permeated softly.
Passing by the tidy display shelves, I entered through the back door.
It was the storage for baking ingredients.
Looking around, I found an entrance leading underground.
I immediately swung the Holy Sword, smashing the floor.
Stairs leading underground appeared, and I entered without hesitation.
As I descended the stairs, a foul stench that hadn’t risen before mixed with the pleasant bread and thick flour scents.
Entering a chamber inside the underground area, the source of the stench greeted my eyes.
“I knew it.”
Corpses were strewn about.
So many that it was impossible to count.
They weren’t just lying on the floor.
Some were hung on the walls as if butchered.
The scent of blood was thick and the stench overwhelming.
An ordinary person would not have just gagged but probably vomited at the sight.
But it didn’t stop there.
“All the corpses have been desecrated.”
The corpses weren’t just corpses—they bore marks of being indiscriminately mutilated after death.
Like an outlet for rage.
“What is the rage aimed at?”
I recalled the details about Beatrice, the Commander of the Legion of Destruction, the captains of the Legion she led, how she increased her strength, and the environment she was entangled in as a human.
I let out a soft sigh.
It was enough to sketch out what situation Beatrice was facing.
“Who are you?”
At that moment, Beatrice appeared behind me, realizing something was wrong at the bakery.
Since I had cut the door and the Spatial Magic used on it, it was natural.
Having heard footsteps from outside while I observed the mutilated corpses, she arrived exactly on schedule.
I walked through the desecrated corpses and asked.
“Did you do this?”
“That’s not an answer to my question. Besides, do you think I’d kindly explain this to an intruder who broke into my store?”
“Why do you think you can’t explain it?”
“…Who wants to show others killing people?”
“But these aren’t people, are they?”
I swung the Holy Sword immediately.
The sword, which cannot cut ‘people,’ sliced one humanoid corpse in half.
“Anyone who knows the Demon Army would probably do this kind of desecration to ‘Demon Race’ corpses.”
“But before they were Demon Race, they were people.”
“I see.”
I curled my lips and looked at Beatrice.
“So, are you ashamed that not only did you kill humans, but you also desecrated their corpses and got caught?”
“Hah! That’s ridiculous sophistry.”
Beatrice narrowed her eyes and took a stance.
“I just don’t want to be wrongly accused by someone I don’t even know and be driven out of the village again.”
“Wrongly accused.”
The interesting words kept coming out.
“I see. So, those human-form traitors who sided with the Demon Army came after you, and to resist them, you had no choice but to kill these. But since they look exactly like people, there’s a high chance of being falsely accused. Actually, not just a chance—you’re already going through it. Am I right?”
“If you know…”
Beatrice’s gaze glinted sharply.
“Then just die quietly!”
Those were the eyes of a murderer.
Clang!
I blocked Beatrice’s dagger with the Holy Sword and whistled.
“Hey, hey, calm down. I’m not here to hurt you. Why so impulsive? We’re still talking.”
“If you weren’t here to hurt me… then you shouldn’t have broken my bakery door!”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
Clang!
Sparks flew as I pushed my face close to Beatrice’s and said,
“But honestly, this situation is much better than stabbing each other while you’re honestly running your bakery.”
Beatrice’s eyebrows furrowed fiercely.