Chapter 207: 192

The musty basement of the castle.

I thought this place seemed familiar, but it was the place where Lola's body had once laid.

I was bound to a chair there.

The manacles and shackles connected to the chair's legs and armrests were made of steel, and the chair itself was made of metal. There was a hole in the chair where my buttocks were and a tray underneath, presumably in case I shat or peed myself.

Needless to say, my weapons were taken from me.

As well as my hat, Yukikaze(which was disguised as a lantern), my glasses, and my hidden karambit.

I gave the filth in dresses a bored look.

I affected an even more bored look when I saw the implements lined up on the table next to them.

Pliers, knives, hammers, saws, nails, needles and threads, bandages, and medicinal vials.

They looked more like surgical instruments than torture devices.

There were even large glass containers, presumably for storing gutted innards.

「King of Beasts, I have a few questions for you」

「I want my lawyer」

When I made light of the situation, I was struck across the cheek with a hammer.

「Ggh」

I felt the crunch of my cheekbone shattering.

My brain jolted, my vision swam.

「I have questions for you. I want to have a constructive conversation」

Her face expressionless, the red and black dress fiddled with the hammer.

「No no, wasn't that too quick? And isn't it bad if you jostle my head like that? I think that hit just made me lose all my memories. Aaah, what should I do~? I've forgotten what you people want to know~」

I provoked her with a thoroughly mocking tone.

I got hit in the abdomen next.

Then the shoulder, collarbone, and knee.

Flesh was crushed and bones were cracked.

This much is nothing. The regeneration point will heal everything up. It's just pain that I have to endure.

「So, is this your idea of a constructive conversation? Dumbass」

Then the red and black put down the hammer and picked up a pair of pliers.

She held it up to my eye―――――

「Magistrate Jutta」

The blue and black stopped her at the very last moment.

「What is it, Assistant Morniella?」

「I would advise against that. As I suspected, physical torture is not very effective against adventurers. Besides, this【King of Beasts】has a high tolerance for pain. In fact, I believe he has a penchant for torturing himself. Based on the above, let's take a different approach」

「I understand, Assistant Morniella」

「Please give me a moment, Magistrate Jutta」

The piece of trash acting like the assistant walked out and the piece of trash acting like the magistrate remained in the basement.

I had no idea what she was thinking, but the magistrate suddenly undressed and laid her dress over the torture devices.

She had stripped to her undergarments more easily than a dancer in a bar. Moreover, she was wearing a corset, garters, and knee-highs, none of which covered her breasts or the key part of her lower regions.

What surprised me was her back.

There were bones similar to rib bones growing out of her back.

No, that's not right. Those are wings that have been stripped of everything but the bones.

Does this thing have some sort of connection to the Guild President?

The magistrate picked up some bandages and wiped away my blood.

She then disinfected my knees and thighs with an alcohol-soaked piece of cloth, and then sat down.

She was three times heavier than I had expected.

What's with this piece of living filth? Is there something "inside"?

No……

「And what are you doing?」

I can't make any sense of what she's doing.

「There's only one chair in this room. I don't want the dress the prince gave me to get dirty. Resting unclothed is the rational thing to do here」

「If you do this in a bar, you're sure to make a pretty penny. Harlot」

「Is "harlot" meant as an insult?」

「That’s right………urk」

She seized my member all of a sudden, then pulled with such force that it felt like it was going to come off.

「I want to study the regeneration point of this land. Shall I test it using your body?」

I'd rather it not be torn off. Even if it'd be restored by the regeneration point, it wouldn't be a good feeling, and she's really letting her guard down too much.

I bared my fangs at her.

As if snatching something away from someone as they passed by, I bit down on her.

In terms of texture, it felt like I had bit into a fruit with thick skin. It was something like biting into a pomegranate.

I had no intention of tasting or swallowing.

I spat out the taste of the piece of trash's flesh along with my saliva. A person's windpipe flumped onto the ground

At the same time, her blood……

「What?!」

……didn’t spray out.

The piece of trash was unperturbed by the hole my teeth had made in her throat.

On top of that, her flesh regenerated instantly, filling up the gaping hole.

Is this the regeneration point?

No, it’s different. There was no glow of magic. She had been healed through some other means.

「You monster」

At my expression of surprise, the magistrate smiled for the first time. It was the smile of a monster that had devoured people before.

She pounced on me in retaliation.

She latched onto my mouth and bit down on my tongue.

「Urgh! Ughh, ughh, ughh」

My mouth was flooded with a liquid that wasn't saliva and the taste of iron. My body locked up at the sound of flesh being torn apart.

「Urgh, gurgh」

Blood spilled from my mouth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the woman's throat move as she swallowed the flesh.

「Do the tongues of people who make delicious food taste different, I wonder?」

「As if you can tell what anything tastes like, you monster」

「And what's the difference between us and adventurers who heal the damage to their bodies using the regeneration point?」

I checked the condition of my tongue.

It appeared to have regrown just fine thanks to the regeneration point. I was a little bit relieved to find that it wasn't as badly mutilated as I thought it would be.

Exchanging words with the monster was too much of a pain, so I spat the remaining blood in my mouth into the magistrate's face.

「I was right to take off my dress after all」

She looked unaffected by the blood in her eyes. She didn't even try to wipe it off.

「Is this what you call a constructive conversation?」

「It's all part of facilitating communication. Some would call it banter」

「I'll at least listen to your questions. Just get to the point」

If chewing on flesh is communication to you, then you're a monster in body and mind.

「Give me the key to the source」

「What is this "source" that you’re talking about?」

「I'm talking about the source of your knowledge」

What is she going on about………………

No……

Could it be……

「It would seem that you've finally caught on」

「………………」

Are these people aware of the existence of A.I.s?

「Long, long ago, a foreigner possessed a book filled with infinite knowledge. However, after the foreigner's death, no one could open that book. It had been locked. We've been searching for the key for a very long time」

This is bad.

There would have been nothing to worry about if we're talking about Makina from the early days. At worst, she would just blow herself up to prevent any information from getting out.

But it's bad if we're talking about the current Makina.

I now hold a password that grants me full authority over her.

Recently, I met a magician who could read people's minds to a certain extent.

Since that encounter, I've had a certain fear.

Is there a way to steal the knowledge in people's minds in the alternate world?

When I asked Rana, the answer she gave me was a resounding yes.

It's complex, the success rate is low, and there's a possibility of killing the person, but there is a way to steal the knowledge in people’s brains.

If that's the reason why the people the magistrates torture end up dead, then it's really bad.

If these people were to get their hands on the A.I.'s knowledge, the world would change forever. There would be a technological revolution, no, a singularity. And with it, mass genocide.

What's more, their opponents are the armies of the Myriad Kings. His Majesty, and even Maria, would be on the receiving end.

I can't allow myself to be the cause of something like that.

「You seem to have an idea, am I right? No matter the subject at hand, it's always better to speak quickly. Now talk」

「I see, I understand now」

I can't let these two live.

In retrospect, I should have accepted Khius' request. I had thought that accepting his request would be more trouble than it was worth, but look at me now. Life truly never goes the way we want it to.

「It's good that you're obedient. What's needed for smooth communication is――――――」

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I head-butted the magistrate, dropping her to her knees.

My head spun. It had felt like I was head-butting steel.

「I refuse. I won't hand over a single scrap of knowledge to you people」

That said, I have no real plan.

Worst case scenario, I guess I could topple the chair over and smash my head into the floor to destroy my brain. It would be pointless if they could still extract the information from my busted head though...... Hmm, that's probably not a good idea.

It's hard to kill myself when I'm immobilized like this.

「You're quite the bad listener, aren't you? It can't be helped. I'll return folly with folly」

The magistrate picked up a knife.

「First, I'll ravage your innards until your regeneration point runs out」

I’ve only just realized that the chair I’m in is firmly secured to the floor.

I can't move at all.

「Oh, err, my head slipped. I apologize, so let's start things over again」

I was stabbed in the abdomen.

「Oh, that's right. I want to eat your stomach」

「Hang on」

I tasted gastric juices and blood in my mouth. I could feel the coldness of the knife as it cut through my abdomen and plunged deep into me. It appeared that she wasn't going to hold back. She didn't rush and took her time. She moved the knife in such a way as to let me taste the pain and despair for as long as possible.

I coughed up bloody vomit.

Right in front of my eyes was the broad smile on the face of a man-eating monster.

I had forgotten.

There's meaning in exchanging words only when it's between humans. It's pointless with this thing.

There's a way out of this situation.

A way that's worse than me dying.

I wonder how many casualties there would be if I used that inside the castle. In what form would that thing called a curse linger in the building itself? There are too many unknowns. There would also be too many sacrifices.

I choked on my blood and emptied my stomach.

The container of the regeneration point hanging around my neck is almost two-thirds empty. The pain is bearable. I can endure the pain, but I don't see any point in going along with this any longer.

I can hear several footsteps getting closer.

It seems that the assistant has returned.

It's just as well then. Giving it a shot is my only――――――

「Stop this!」

A familiar voice rang out.

Lanseal pushed aside the magistrate and wrapped her arms around me.

「What on earth have you done?!」

「Beastkin. Despite your lowly status, you assaulted a magistrate of Elysium. Not even a thousand deaths would be enough to atone for your transgression」

As she said that, the trash-like magistrate rose unhurriedly to her feet.

Blood had clogged up my throat and I couldn't speak.

This is bad. This is really bad.

「Souya! How badly are you hurt?! I'll get you treated right away!」

I somehow managed to cough out the blood and yelled.

「Lanseal, behind you!」

I was too late.

The assistant brought the hammer down on the back of Lanseal's head. Lanseal slumped to the ground, unconscious.

「Hey」

The assistant tied Lanseal's hands behind her back and then pulled a leather bag over her head.

I put everything I had into moving my body.

Flesh tore and blood spilled out, wetting the shackles, but everything I had wasn't enough to break them.

「Hey, stop!」

The drawstring of the leather bag was also meant for strangling the person it had been pulled over. The assistant sat down on Lanseal's back and pulled the drawstring tight without hesitation.

Lanseal regained consciousness, and her body jerked from confusion and the lack of breath.

Because her expression couldn't be seen, it made me all the more anxious.

「STOPPP!」

I screamed, and the assistant stayed her hand.

I could hear Lanseal's sobs as she gasped for air. The urge to kill came over me.

I can't let these two live. Without fail, I'll kill them. I'll exterminate them.

But for the moment, I need to suppress that urge.

There's something more important that I must protect.

「I’ll talk. I’ll tell you about my source」

「Excellent work, Assistant Morniella」

「I'm extremely grateful for your praise, Magistrate Jutta. This beastkin had been making eyes at this King of Beasts, so I figured it might prove worthwhile to make use of her」

「However, Assistant Morniella, this beastkin is the illegitimate offspring of King Lemuria, indeed. Won't it become a problem later if we cause her harm?」

「Magistrate Jutta, this is a beastkin. Is there a problem?」

「I see. There's no problem」

「I'm glad to hear that」

There were two of them, so it was twice as revolting.

「Now, King of Beasts, tell us about the source」

The asshole piece of trash assistant turned to face me. She still held the drawstring in both hands, indicating her intention to pull it tight if I respond incorrectly.

「I do indeed have a lump of knowledge」

「Hmm, what kind of object is it? What's it shaped like, indeed?」

「It's in the shape of a narrow board. There's a glass-like coating over its surface」

「A board? Ah, I see, it must be an electrical information terminal of sorts. But that's not all, is it?」

These guys have a certain degree of knowledge about the modern world.

How did they obtain that? How many foreigners have they killed to steal that?

「That’s all」

「Those kinds of systems ought to have backups」

「I lost almost all of my resources coming to this world. That's the only "valuable" item I have left」

「………………」

The assistant fell silent.

I wonder if I can get away with only turning over the tablet device I have at home.

It contains some general knowledge, household medical knowledge, and some simple survival tips. If I can successfully dupe them with just that……

「That's a lie, isn't it?」

「………………」

I was seen through immediately.

「Mmh――――――Mmrk」

Lanseal jerked as she was strangled again.

「Stop!」

「Then speak」

This is bad. This is bad. This is bad.

Is it okay to reveal Makina’s existence? But if I keep my mouth shut now, Lanseal will die.

I can't think of any other alternative.

It's a bitter pill to swallow, but I suppose that’s the only way to overcome the current predicament.

In a bad way, my thoughts kept going round and round in circles.

But when my eyes fell on the trembling Lanseal, all thought flew out of the window.

「There's an object that has a will of its own」

「I knew it」

I’ve done it now.

「There ought to be some words that can make it obey」

「There's no such thing. Because it has a will of its own, it won't do anything that endangers this world. That also means that it won't cooperate with you if you've done anything to harm us」

I'm well aware that it's a stretch.

「Magistrate Jutta, what do you think?」

「Assistant Morniella, I believe it's 90% true and 10% false」

「I concur, Magistrate Jutta. What do you think he lied about?」

「The part about it having free will, Assistant Morniella. There’s absolutely no reason to give a tool something like that, indeed. Even if it possesses a mechanism that makes others think that it does, there ought to be some way to control it」

「Magistrate Jutta, I believe that it should be a few simple words」

「Assistant Morniella. I concur with that as well. There was nothing that looked like a key among his belongings. That leaves only words or blood」

「We've reached a conclusion」

「A complete answer」

Standing side by side, they turned to look at me at the same time.

『Then all that's left is to seize it from him』

Four uncanny eyes shone.

Like glass, like jewels, like magic mirrors, they shone with inhuman light.

My brain lurched.

My vision swam and I heard the whispers of sleep, the sweet call of death.

My efforts to resist were futile.

My consciousness plunged into darkness in the blink of an eye.

Woah, things really went sideways. Will Souya give up the password? At least his password is hella complicated. Those two thought it would be simple, but it’s a poem with really difficult language. In case you forgot, it’s a long excerpt of William Blake’s “Auguries of Innocence”.

Also, in case it slipped your mind, Souya had to put a master password into Makina’s system because she was no longer able to identify him through the usual methods as his DNA and irises had changed from what’s registered because of Wild Hunt. That’s what he was referring to when he said it would have been fine in the early days, as there was no master password that gave full control over Makina back then. If you recall, he used it to shut Makina down forcibly back in volume 3.

Well, what’s going to happen?! Will Souya somehow manage to escape?! Will someone come and save him?! Stay tuned!

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