Chapter 15 : Trash needs to be removed

.Gellord’s advice was that it would be best not to tell anyone about anything related to drugs.

Perhaps he was being cautious because if news spread that magic could be used, some commoners might try to dabble in it out of curiosity.

Or maybe he simply calculated that there was nothing to gain from this being revealed, since he had independently sought my help.

“Well, he’s not exactly wrong, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”

In any case, I had no intention of telling anyone except those I trusted and could work with.

Among the people in the mansion, it would probably only be Ord.

I had considered including Serena, but I didn’t want to involve someone I was supposed to protect in something like this.

The reason I even agreed to help in the first place was because there was a possibility that this drug might be connected to her.

A girl who effortlessly wields magic, and a drug that enables commoners to use magic.

Could this really be a coincidence?

I hoped so, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that there might be a connection.

For now, since that mystery wouldn’t be solved easily, I decided to set it aside and focus on finding out who was making this.

If it weren’t for the fact that it was a drug, this item would have caused a huge uproar among wizards.

There was no way some random nobodies had managed to create it.

I figured it had to be someone among the known wizards.

[Cynthia]

“…Who the hell is this?”

An unfamiliar name popped up, leaving me bewildered.

For a moment, I thought it might be an alias, but when using my skill to search for information on a person, it always revealed their real name.

Or could it be that there’s a wizard out there who has hidden their true name?

When I asked for more details on this person—

[No such information exists.]

An even more baffling response came back.

“Is this thing broken?

What the hell is going on?”

The skill I was born with in this world is by no means omnipotent.

It can’t reveal a person’s innermost thoughts, predict future events, or provide information beyond my authority.

However, what I just searched for was the personal details of a living person.

This skill can even uncover the identity of someone who has died, as long as they actually existed.

So how does it make sense that there’s absolutely no information at all?

At the very least, there should be some record of their birthplace, right?

“Ugh, my head hurts…

What the hell is this…?”

I had planned to just use my skill to quickly track down the mastermind, but this unexpected situation was giving me a headache.

Should I just give up now?

…No, wait.

Let’s think this through.

Even if this person is some kind of ghost with no recorded personal information, I should still be able to track their location.

Clinging to that sliver of hope, I commanded the skill once more.

Soon, a map of the continent appeared, with a large dot marking a specific location.

But why is it in another country?

“…Huh?

What the hell…?”

The situation had just gotten even more complicated—so much so that the back of my neck started to ache.

What good is knowing who the culprit is and where they are if they’re in another country?

You might think, “Just ask that country for help,” but that’s beyond my abilities.

Even a royal might hesitate to get involved…

“So, I can’t capture the kingpin right from the start, huh?

Guess I’ll have to go after the small fry first.”

Accepting that I wouldn’t be able to go after the boss right away, I decided to track down his underlings instead.

And as I did, countless small dots began appearing on the map.

It was as if this organization had spread its roots into almost every nation on the continent.

How could such a massive operation exist while leaving behind no information at all?

I was staring at the skill window in shock when a few dots caught my attention.

Zooming in just in case, I realized that two or three of them were located near my own territory.

“Hah.

These bastards…”

I had suspected that their influence might reach here eventually, but to think they were already right at my doorstep…

A slow-burning rage bubbled up within me, and the heat spread through my head.

At this point, I barely even noticed the nauseating aftertaste of the mana potion I had taken to recover my energy.

Right then, Ord came in carrying a tray of desserts.

Saved me the trouble of looking for him.

“…Why do you look so upset, my lord?”

“It’s nothing.

Anyway, Ord, get in touch with the security forces right now.

We’re going to need their help soon.”

“…Excuse me?

Where is this coming from all of a sudden?”

Ord was clearly startled by my sudden outburst of anger, considering I had been perfectly fine just minutes ago.

But isn’t there a saying?

You have to exterminate pests before they hatch.

Cleaning up sooner rather than later never hurts.

“I’m heading out for a bit.

There’s something I need to take care of as a lord.”

A tavern located on the outskirts of the territory.

The loud chatter inside grated on my ears—perhaps because the surrounding forest was so quiet that every sound stood out more sharply.

Whatever the reason, I stepped inside, determined to silence every voice in that place.

“…What the hell?”

The air was thick with the stench of alcohol and tobacco.

Dozens of rough-looking men, who had been chatting without a care, all turned to stare at me.

A noble in a place like this?

No wonder they were on edge.

Ignoring their gazes, I walked straight to the counter and took a seat at an empty spot.

“…Well now, what brings a fine young lady from a noble house to a place like this?”

The man behind the counter, who seemed to be the tavern owner, grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth.

But I had no interest in idle conversation.

I got straight to the point.

“Fairy Tale.”

“…!”

“You’re selling it here, aren’t you?

You scum.”

I already knew the answer, but I had no intention of hiding it.

Their shocked expressions made that clear.

Shouldn’t the boss of a criminal organization at least try to act a little more composed?

Hearing the sounds of others getting up behind me, it seemed they were ready to resort to violence as well.

“This bitch came here alone, knowing all that, without a shred of fear?”

“Whatever she’s relying on, she’s dead anyway.”

Ignoring their nonsense, I pulled out a small watch from my pocket to check the time.

The guards still had quite a bit of time before they arrived.

Or maybe I had come too early?

“Get that bitch—!”

The noise was getting on my nerves, so I lightly fired a magic bullet.

One of them dropped instantly, his chest blown open.

The others, who just moments ago had been ready to pounce like wild beasts,hesitated—perhaps unable to process the fact that their comrade had just died in the blink of an eye.

Originally, I had planned to capture them all alive…

But considering how many there were, ‘accidentally’ taking out a few shouldn’t be a problem.

Yeah, let’s just say I panicked and overdid it.

That way, I wouldn’t feel as guilty about killing someone.

“A-Aaargh!”

One of them finally snapped back to reality and screamed, which threw the whole room into chaos.

Some rushed at me.

Some fell to the ground, paralyzed with fear.

Others tried to escape through the tavern doors.

They should’ve just given up—it would’ve been easier for them.

I sent those charging at me flying with a wind spell, then used an electric spell to knock out the ones who had collapsed in despair.

And as for the ones trying to escape—

“W-What the hell is this wall?!”

They screamed as they slammed into the Wall Shield I had placed around the entire tavern beforehand.

Like hell they were breaking through that.

They couldn’t even use magic.

Once I had taken care of them all, no one was left standing.

“…Something’s back there.”

My gaze landed on a door deep inside the tavern.

It probably led to a storage room where they kept their drugs and other goods.

I was about to check it out when the door burst open, and more of their members flooded out.

“You dare mess with our organization?

You’re dead, bitch!”

Was he blind?

Could he not see the pile of his fallen subordinates right in front of him?

“Take it out!

She’s a mage!

If you hold back, you’ll die!”

“Y-Yes, boss!”

At the barked order, they all pulled out small glass vials from their pockets and emptied the powder inside into their mouths.

The color of the powder was different from the sample Gellord had given me, but there was no doubt—it was Fairy Tale.

“Ugh…

Agh…!”

Moments later, their bodies began to spasm, trembling uncontrollably.

Their eyes lost focus, and saliva dripped from their slack jaws.

It was almost eerie—like their souls were collectively being sucked away.

“…Hyaaah~ Feels so good~”

“A rainbow…

I wonder if I can cross it?

Hehehe!”

“Mom!

Look at me!

I’m flying in the sky!

Kyahaha!”

Whatever agony they had been in seconds ago vanished, replaced by twisted grins and nonsensical babbling.

Their legs wobbled as they stared blankly at nothing, some running toward the walls, others jumping in place like lunatics.

At first, they seemed like your average drug addicts—

But then, mana rippled from their bodies, and in the next moment, fire, water, wind, and electricity flickered to life in their hands.

Could it be that the type of magic they gained depended on the color of the drug?

“One, two!

One, two!”

“Hey, little rabbit!

Where you runnin’ off to?

If I catch you, I’ll tear you apart!

Hehehe!”

“Hihihihihi!”

Lunatics.

I muttered under my breath as they all suddenly turned their attention toward me and charged.

Had a sliver of sanity returned, allowing them to recognize me as their enemy?

Either way, this was getting annoying.

‘I wanted to take at least a few alive…’

But if I held back, this whole tavern would collapse in the chaos, destroying any evidence I could use to track the source of the drugs.

Which left me with only one choice.

“Looks like there’s no saving you.”

Even if I spared them, they were too far gone to be interrogated.

So I decided to kill them all.

Gathering my mana, I prepared to end it in one strike.

Don’t hold it against me.

After all, you were the ones profiting off other people’s suffering.