The Culprit Is in Here. (3)
Ghislain had a few reasons for his suspicions.
The Salvation Church had long been operating in the shadows of the continent, pulling countless schemes.
Of course, unlike in his era, they had not succeeded in bringing an entire kingdom to their side. That was because humanity now recognized the Salvation Church as an undeniable enemy.
However, they could still incite chaos while concealing their true identity.
In fact, he had even suspected that the one who approached the dark mage Basilud in the Nordhill territory was a priest of the Salvation Church.
That was why he had asked if someone had instigated the prime minister.
The prime minister stared at Ghislain for a moment before suddenly laughing.
"What are you implying? Who is it you're trying to frame this time?"
"I'm not trying to frame anyone. I just want to know if there was someone behind this."
"A foolish question. I am the prime minister of this kingdom. Who would dare stand behind me?"
"Then are you saying that everything was done according to your will?"
"Yes, I conceived the plan, and the chamberlain was the next to join. From there, we gradually increased our allies. You already know all this, so what exactly are you trying to confirm?"
The prime minister's gaze was unwavering. Now that everything had been exposed, he had nothing left to hide.
Ghislain asked once more.
"Was it really all your idea?"
"Then whose idea would it be? If the plan had succeeded, I would have gained the greatest power. So tell me, who else could be behind me?"
"........"
"If not for you, this plan would have succeeded. We were so close. And now, you ask who was behind it all? Are you here to mock me?"
The prime minister sneered. His reaction was only natural.
Ghislain looked at him for a moment before turning to leave. No matter how he saw it, the prime minister appeared sincere.
As he was departing, the prime minister spoke.
"Even in death, I will never forget you. Let's see how long you lowly mercenaries can keep running wild."
"Do as you please."
Ghislain had received such curses countless times before. He could hear them a hundred or even a thousand times and still not be fazed.
As he walked away, he suddenly halted.
Tilting his head a few times in thought, he murmured to himself.
"This doesn't sit right with me."
Something about this didn't feel right. His instincts were screaming at him not to let it go.
Ghislain turned back and charged straight at the prime minister.
Boom!
The iron bars of the prime minister's prison shattered instantly.
Ghislain rushed in and seized the prime minister by the throat.
"Ugh... Are you seriously trying to kill me now?"
"No. I just need to be absolutely sure."
Flash!
Ghislain's eyes turned purple.
The moment their gazes met, the prime minister's eyes turned the same color.
"Urgh! You bastard!"
The prime minister felt something invading his mind.
He clenched his teeth, trying to resist, but he was no match for the magic of Ghislain, who had reached the 7th Circle.
The magic surged into the prime minister's body and took control of his consciousness in an instant.
Staring into the dazed prime minister's face, Ghislain asked,
"Who was behind the poisoning?"
".......There was no one. I planned and executed it myself."
"Was there no one secretly inciting you?"
".......No one. I did it because I wanted to."
"......"
Ghislain bit his lip.
Under the effects of mind control, it was impossible to lie.
Was he wrong after all? Was he just being overly sensitive?
It was possible. His history with the Salvation Church was filled with nothing but bad blood.
Just as he sighed and began withdrawing his magic, the prime minister's lips moved again.
"Well... now that I think about it... There was someone who gave me the idea…."
"What?"
"I never dreamed of such a thing from the start... but at some point, the desire began to grow…."
"Explain in more detail. Why did you start thinking that way?"
"There was someone who always brought me good tea and took care of my health... One day, after seeing the Third Prince, he said… 'It would be good if the elders of the royal family remained healthy, given how young His Highness is.'"
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly that… He mentioned how troublesome it would be if a disease spread and only the Third Prince was left, since I would have to act as regent… He said that's why everyone needed to stay healthy…."
Ghislain's expression hardened.
"You didn't find that strange?"
"Strange? What's strange about it...? He was simply concerned for the royal family's well-being…."
Ghislain quickly moved his magic to probe the prime minister's consciousness. He was searching for traces of mind control.
'Nothing. There's no trace of it.'
Perhaps too much time had passed, and the effect had worn off. Mind control couldn't last indefinitely unless it was linked through black magic.
But even so, something was still off.
The prime minister had casually spoken about a scenario where a disease wiped out everyone but the Third Prince, leaving him as regent—without a hint of doubt or suspicion.
For a man who had risen to the position of prime minister, that was unthinkable.
If it had been mind control, he should have felt some level of unease when the effect wore off.
"Keep talking. So what did you do?"
"....One day, I just thought—what if it really happened? Then I could become regent… and rule the kingdom… It wasn't impossible, was it?"
".....You're saying you came up with that idea yourself?"
"Yes, at some point… the desire inside me just kept growing. So I acted on it. That's all."
"Who was the person who gave you the idea?"
"The former royal physician…."
"Former?"
"He said he wanted to retire… so he stepped down… He was such a good man… always looked after my health…."
Ghislain was now convinced—his instincts had been right all along. That royal physician had definitely done something.
But it wasn't mind control. He had used some other method to manipulate him.
"How did that physician take care of your health? What exactly did he do for you?"
"Nothing much… Whenever I was tired, I'd visit him… He would serve me a medicinal tea… light fragrant candles… and let me rest on a soft bed while he gave me a massage…."
"A massage?"
"Yeah… It felt so refreshing and pleasant that I would unknowingly fall asleep every time… When I woke up, all my fatigue had vanished… Even now, he still seems like such a regrettable loss…."
"I see. Were there others who received the same treatment?"
"All the high-ranking officials in the royal castle must have received it at least a few times…."
"The royal mage as well?"
"I believe he did on occasion… But he said it wasn't as good as the rumors claimed… Typical of a mage, always so particular… He was full of complaints, too…."
Ghislain twisted his lips into a smirk. Now, he understood.
That so-called royal physician had spent a long time subtly manipulating his targets' subconscious.
He had likely amplified their existing desires or slightly altered their direction over time.
That explained why there were no traces of mind control. The prime minister truly believed he had made those choices on his own.
And the physician had likely chosen only those without mana, carefully working on them bit by bit.
"Did you persuade the royal mage yourself?"
"Yes… If we wanted to avoid suspicion, we needed him on our side… I promised him wealth and power… He was a greedy man with no loyalty to begin with…."
"I see."
The royal mage was a 6th-Circle master, someone who would not easily fall for mind control or brainwashing.
So the royal physician must have done nothing to him directly. He couldn't risk raising suspicion.
Instead, the prime minister had persuaded him personally. Against the royal mage, that approach had been far more effective.
In the end, the former royal physician had achieved his goal and disappeared, leaving only chaos and power struggles in his wake.
Gurgle…
Blood began seeping from the prime minister's eyes, ears, and mouth.
The forced mind control had taken a toll on his body.
"I see. I understand now."
Ghislain withdrew his magic and released the prime minister.
The man who had fled must have erased all traces of himself. It would be impossible to track him down now.
"Urgh…!"
The prime minister coughed up blood and collapsed. His aged body could not withstand the shock of mind control.
By now, soldiers had gathered around the scene. They had rushed over as soon as they heard the iron bars shatter.
However, upon hearing the conversation between Ghislain and the prime minister, they had decided to wait. The situation seemed serious.
The prison warden asked hesitantly,
"W-what happened here?"
"It's nothing. I was just confirming whether he had any other accomplices. Move him to another cell and keep a close watch."
"A-ah, understood."
With a vague explanation, Ghislain left the scene and returned to his quarters. There, he shared everything he had learned with his companions.
They were all stunned. As it turned out, Ghislain's suspicions had been right—there was another accomplice.
After a moment of contemplation, Yulian asked,
"Could it be… the same person who contacted the dark mage in Nordhill?"
"It's possible. They might be part of the same faction."
"Then…."
Everyone swallowed nervously. It felt unsettling to even say the name out loud.
Ghislain nodded.
"Yeah, they must be from the Demon Realm."
There was no solid proof. But if someone was causing chaos everywhere without even seeking power, there was no other explanation.
The Demon Realm thrived on disorder and weakening humanity. That was how they won.
Kyle asked urgently,
"Then… are you saying everything that's happened so far was all their doing?"
"Not necessarily. They wouldn't be able to approach powerful figures like Marquis Falkenheim. They've likely only targeted those within their reach."
"So there were both real conflicts and fabricated ones mixed together?"
"Exactly. They're trying to make every situation spiral further into chaos."
"Hmm… Shouldn't we spread the word about this?"
"We'll inform the kingdoms we're on good terms with first. But that alone won't be enough."
Even if they warned others, the most they could do was stay cautious.
There wasn't enough proof to actively hunt down traces of the Demon Realm, and no kingdom had suffered direct harm significant enough to take action.
And those rulers who had no connection to Ghislain's group would likely ignore their warnings. No kingdom would listen to mere mercenaries.
"We need evidence."
With concrete proof, they could resolve everything in one stroke—by presenting it to the Holy Empire's Pope.
If the Pope declared it, every kingdom on the continent would have no choice but to acknowledge that the Demon Realm was on the move.
Kyle asked again,
"How are we supposed to find evidence? They've been incredibly cautious so far."
"We'll start looking now. They must be stirring up trouble somewhere else already."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
They still couldn't be completely certain about the Demon Realm's involvement, but they had to investigate.
There had already been a mysterious figure who sought out the dark mage in Nordhill. If that person turned out to be a priest of the Salvation Church, it would be a grave concern.
Ghislain immediately informed the King of Arsena about the situation.
The King found it difficult to believe but could not afford to ignore Ghislain's warning.
"I understand. I will remain vigilant."
The kingdom's upper ranks had already been shaken by the rebellion. For the time being, they would be in disarray.
Since the conspiracy had been uncovered, the enemy was less likely to make another move soon.
But at the same time, they could take advantage of the kingdom's weakened state.
So Ghislain gave a stern warning, and the King took it seriously.
Ghislain then changed his plans—he would remain in Arsena for the time being.
"We need to mobilize our mercenaries across various branches. Gather information on any ongoing incidents."
As soon as the mercenaries received the order, they moved swiftly.
Soon, they sent a flood of reports back to Ghislain.
[A flood of information reached us. Thanks to the King of Arsena actively supporting us, we obtained more intelligence than expected. The world was in turmoil, with incidents occurring everywhere. The sheer volume of information overwhelmed us.]
[I just wanted to enjoy my love life, but instead, we spent day after day combing through reports. We had to find even the smallest suspicious detail. Even someone like me, Ghislain, struggled to sift through all the information to identify connections to the Demon Realm.]
[Day after day, without rest, we pored over documents. There were countless suspicious incidents, but verifying them all was impossible. In the end, we had to pick the most promising lead. We couldn't waste all our time buried in paperwork. If this ended quickly, maybe… just maybe, I could focus on romance…]
[And so, we set out to personally investigate the chosen incident.]
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