Proxia Republic, Capital Proxia.
The shining sun.
Warm sunlight reflects off the calm sea and the white sandy beaches, glittering brightly.
In the stone-built streets, burly, shirtless men—fishermen—carry wooden baskets filled with fish, suspended from poles. Sailors shout commands at the docks, while laborers haul heavy loads in this picturesque southern setting.
“Wow…! The ocean is so big! I knew it from books, but seeing it like this, it’s beautiful and moving!”
As I wrapped an arm around the excited Ada’s shoulders, I casually glanced around the town.
After about an hour passed…
A stout man with sunburned skin appeared.
“Are you with the Aurora Guild?”
Another bearded, fat, middle-aged man.
It seems that in this country, being fat with an impressive beard is the standard for being a desirable man.
There are apparently countries on Earth too where being overweight is seen as a sign of wealth and attractiveness, so I accepted it as just another thing.
“Yes, and you are?”
“Oh my, where are my manners? I am Manson Bouvan, a senator of the Proxia Republic! I’ll be guiding you to the mansion from here.”
Hmm.
“Fine, lead the way.”
The Mansion.
The mansion was, well, a mansion.
The architectural style wasn’t much different from Biltria, but I could tell that it was sturdily built to withstand erosion from the sea breeze.
Just like the showy and spendthrift nobles of the Biltria Kingdom, it had a luxurious design.
There were gargoyle-like mysterious sculptures on the gate walls, and the exterior was painted white with expensive paint, giving off an impression of wealth.
After being shown into such a mansion, we were asked the first question.
“So, regarding the gaming devices…”
“Ah, yes. I’ve already heard your surrender, so it’s fine.”
“Hm… this is a bit troublesome. Are you sure about that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Indeed, the Aurora Guild is a wealthy organization. However, at this rate, you’ll inevitably hit a dead end. Your expertise is in making products, not in selling them.”
“Well, if I have to choose between working hard myself and leaving it to greedy fools like you, I’d rather do it myself.”
“…It was Exus, right? That attitude isn’t very appropriate. You may be young and not understand, but your side is actually at a disadvantage, you know? You were the ones who antagonized us first, after all. That puts you in a weaker position.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?… Equal? Watch your mouth, pig. I’m the one on top here, and you’re at the bottom.”
“…I see! For now, let’s enjoy a meal and rest. We’ll welcome you with the utmost hospitality, and if you change your mind, feel free to let us know!”
And so, we were treated to a feast at the mansion, with dishes made from abundant seafood…
…laced with sleeping drugs.
“Hey, wake up that kid.”
“Yes, Master.”
Well, I guess it’s time to wake up.
“Yo, pig. That soup with the sleeping drug wasn’t half bad. Tell your chef to add just a pinch more salt next time.”
What I know is that we’re in a basement.
Dimly lit by only a few candles, the air was heavy and stagnant—a room clearly not meant for any legitimate purpose.
My guild officers, caught by the enemy, were chained up there.
Seriously, eating the enemy’s food without a second thought, only to get captured and thrown into a dungeon? These guys are hopeless. I’ll have to toughen them up later.
Me? Of course, I let myself get captured on purpose, fully aware of everything.
It’s fun to punch smug fools and knock some sense into them…
“What…?! Y-you’re awake, brat? But surely, you understand the situation?”
Hmm.
I was also shackled in the dungeon and had a collar around my neck.
I can vaguely feel some interference with my magic, but nothing too serious.
“Do you understand? That collar was developed by our country’s proud Technical Bureau—it’s a ‘Magic-Sealing Collar!’ As long as you’re wearing it, even a mage cannot use ma—”
“‘Magic Arrow,’ Launch.”
An invisible magic arrow shot from my fingertip, blowing off one of the pig senator’s ears.
“Gyaaah?! W-why?! Magic shouldn’t work!!”
“Hey, pig. Mind repeating what you just said? Huh? Our proud country? The Technical Bureau developed it? It stops magic? What? It stops magic?! What?! What did you say?!”
I taunted the senator from inside the cell.
“G-gh… grgh… b-but! You can’t escape that cell! The metal used in its construction is made of ‘Hama Iron,’ which blocks magic! No matter what you do, you can’t—”
I channeled magic through my body, using pure physical strength to break the shackles, twist off the collar, and bend the bars of the cell.
“What?! What did you say?! What now?! I can’t what?! I can’t… I can’t get out?! What?! I didn’t hear that, say it again! Huh?!”
As I stepped out of the cell…
“That’s enough.”
A dark-skinned woman with black hair suddenly pressed a knife to my neck from the side.
I recognized her from earlier—she was one of the servants who had served the food.
So, she’s part of some sort of dark organization or something.
“Yes, yes! Don’t move! Or you’ll lose your head, courtesy of my subordinate!!”
The pig senator was getting cocky again.
Alright, first, I grabbed the female assassin’s hand.
The hand holding the knife against my neck.
Then, I pressed the knife to my neck…
…But the knife couldn’t pierce my body, which was always reinforced with magic and protected by a constant barrier, and it snapped almost immediately.
“Huh?! Huh?! What?! What did you say, pig?! One more time! What?! Your subordinate will what?! Slice my neck?! What?!”
I kept taunting.
With everything I had.
“Guh, guh, gya, gyohohoh—!!!”
The pig was raging so hard, his face was turning a dangerous shade of red. He looked more like a red pig than a black one now.
“Ugh… Let go!”
The female assassin attempted a sharp kick.
It didn’t faze me, but I dodged for good measure.
As I released her arm, she backed away…
“Master! We can’t restrain him! We have to kill him!”
She pulled a needle-shaped dagger from her sleeve as she spoke.
“Y-yes! Do it, kill him!!”
So, I captured the female assassin with a force field spell.
Invisible force fields manipulate pure physical energy, making them undetectable.
It was simple.
I created a circular force field around her body and started shrinking it, gradually decreasing the loop until it touched her body. Once the field was in contact, it tightened, binding her like invisible ropes.
Tied up like a piece of ham, she was helpless in the force field.
I approached her and spoke…
“Have you ever experienced torture, miss?”
