Chapter 30: Interrogation

The Empire’s Assassination Guild is a guild that primarily focuses on assassinating key figures, while at the same time making its name widely known in the underworld of the Empire through ‘various tasks.’

It’s famous for handling the dirty work they receive from their employers swiftly, without question.

The guild leader is Katarina, known as the Black Rose, and it’s said that the guild’s legacy continues to this day in the underworld.

In other words, Olivia’s mother.

It’s no exaggeration to say that my current mother still manages the assassination guild from behind the scenes.

One of the guild members, Claire, supposedly caught a succubus today.

“Is it here?”

The place I arrived at, following Claire’s lead, was a moderately sized mansion on the outskirts of the capital.

This used to be one of the hideouts that the assassination guild utilized.

Apparently, they have such places all across the Empire, which gives a sense of the guild’s scale.

Olivia’s mother—no, our mother—is amazing!

Yeah. After all that time putting up with nonsense from the hero, it finally feels like I’m getting some kind of reward.

I’ve always been doing everything alone like a dog.

But now, I have subordinates. Isn’t that great?

“Yes, Holy Maiden.”

“Holy Maiden? What’s with that all of a sudden?”

I never expected even Claire to call me that.

“I thought it might be more appropriate. That’s why you’re also wearing the nun’s habit, right?”

She had followed me wearing a nun’s outfit as well.

I slowly looked her up and down.

“Hm. It suits you quite well.”

With her good figure and looks, she actually pulls it off quite well.

“Thank you.”

“But there’s something I’ve been curious about.”

I’ve really been curious about this for a while.

I thought I should ask at least once.

“Yes, Holy Maiden.”

“How old are you, Claire?”

From appearances, she seems quite young, but there’s a certain atmosphere about her.

I’ve faced countless enemies with the hero’s party, so I can tell.

Those eyes, calm and cold, devoid of emotion, are the eyes of someone who’s crossed the line of life and death in fierce battles, like a master.

“Asking a woman her age is taboo, you know.”

She suddenly emitted a surprising amount of killing intent.

I won’t ask again.

I chuckled awkwardly.

“Uh, sorry. I thought it’d be fine since we’re both women.”

“It’s just that… you don’t seem like a typical woman. So, what are you curious about?”

It’s not exactly a burning question.

“Well, you look really young, but there’s something about your experience. Your appearance is youthful, but you have the air of someone who’s been through a lot.”

I mean, I get it, considering the environment I grew up in, but there’s something odd about her.

We’re the same age, but how can she have such an expression, like she’s been through so much?

“That’s the same for you, too, Miss.”

“Hm, I guess that’s true.”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t argue since she wasn’t wrong.

Since neither of us was nitpicking, it seemed we were both drawing a line there.

Right now, the succubus is what’s important, after all.

“I guess I should interrogate the succubus first.”

“But didn’t you say we just need to gather proof of the contract?”

True. That would be more efficient.

If Lily made a contract, a mark of the contract should appear on her hand or lower abdomen, depending on where it was made with the succubus.

To avoid detection, contractors usually engrave the contract mark on their abdomen rather than their hand.

For non-magic users, it’s difficult to tell the difference.

“Yeah. One punch to Lily’s stomach would probably reveal everything.”

But using force would leave me feeling uneasy.

And it’s not as fun.

Usually, these things are best when you slowly tighten the noose and crush them bit by bit.

“I need to know how much she collaborated. Otherwise, how can I get rid of Lily? You have to enjoy these things to get everything out of them.”

“Yes.”

As we entered the mansion, what appeared inside was very different from the exterior.

It had the distinct feel of a crime organization’s hideout, complete with a room that looked like a torture chamber.

In the center of the room was a creature with purple hair, almost half-naked.

Unlike Lily, the succubus had a full and seductive figure.

She had ram-like horns, bat-like wings, and a heart-shaped tail.

No doubt about it—she’s a succubus.

The succubus was captured and tied to a chair.

I once saw a succubus in Eugene’s tent before.

I barged right in back then.

***

• “Why the hell does this bastard not cover anything up?”
• “Eek! Please spare me, Hero!”
• “Stand still.”
• “Aaah!”

I smashed her head right in front of the hero.

At that time, we had to act since being associated with demons would have been troublesome for the hero’s party.

That was a fond memory.

Now, what should I do with this succubus?

The purple-haired succubus glanced at me and muttered to herself.

“I should’ve cut ties with that woman! Hey, let me go!”

So, she’s connected to Lily, after all.

“Hmm. You’re not bad looking.”

“Hearing that from another woman doesn’t make me happy.”

A laugh naturally escaped my lips.

Calling me a ‘woman’—how ridiculous, hearing that from a mere demon.

Until recently, I had the face and body of a man, but now that I hear such words, it feels a bit unpleasant.

But that doesn’t matter right now.

I need to make her spill everything about Lily.

“I’ll just ask this one thing. How many years has it been?”

“What do you mean, how many years? I don’t get what you’re talking about.”

Seeing her break into a cold sweat, it’s clear she’s not good at lying.

“I’m talking about your relationship with Lily. You can’t pretend you don’t know.”

“Lily? I don’t know anything about that.”

Playing dumb, are we?

“Oh? So you’re trying to stay loyal, huh.”

“Urgh.”

Her face twisted, making it clear loyalty wasn’t the reason.

So there’s something else, then.

Hmm, just as I thought.

It doesn’t make sense for a low-level succubus with no real power to be wandering the Empire alone unless she has something to rely on.

And it seems like Lily is that something.

If she betrays Lily now, the tower she’s worked so hard to build will crumble.

My guess seems to be spot on.

Without Lily, she’d have no one else to lean on.

“So, there’s no one else but Lily to cling to, is there?”

Her pupils trembled violently at my words.

It seems I was right.

“That seems to be the case.”

The succubus’s face twisted visibly.

I can see it all plain as day.

It’s too late to act like it’s not true now.

“Alright, then. Let’s get started.”

I pulled out a flail from the sleeve where I had cast space magic.

It wasn’t just any flail; it was coated with magic power.

While it may look easy, even great mages have difficulty handling magic coatings.

The moment you ease up on the control, the coating immediately dissipates.

But for a great mage like Olivia, this is nothing.

“How did something like that come out of such a narrow sleeve? Is that… is that a real flail?”

“Curious?”

She’d find out if she got hit by it.

I swung the flail a few times, getting a feel for it.

It fits nicely in my hand.

Next time, I might as well carry an axe or a club instead.

“What… what is this? You’re really going to hit me with that thing?”

Why is she so scared? Surely, she’s killed at least one or two people before.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made it this deep into the Empire.

“If you wish, I’ll kill you.”

“When did I ever ask for a flail to the head?!”

Not saying anything is the same as asking to be hit.

Yet, she’s still trying to play coy.

If it were the old me, I would’ve killed her on the spot.

“Not saying anything means you’re already prepared for a beating, right? Well then, those who must go, shall go.”

I twirled the flail and slowly approached her.

“I’m not one of the ‘those who must go!’ I’m not even human!”

So, she doesn’t want to die, huh?

“A succubus who must go… will go.”

***

Bang!

The flail I swung struck the ground between her spread legs.

I can’t kill her yet—she’s still useful.

From now on, I need to properly tame her.

After all, she’s made it deep into the Empire, so she must be useful in some way.

If she can provide sustenance? I could send her to one of those host clubs frequented by noble ladies.

“Eek! Eeek!”

This succubus seems far more cowardly than I expected.

Just a little threat with the flail, and she’s already made a puddle beneath her.

In all my years, I’ve never seen a succubus wet herself.

Should I just kill her or not?

She seems dumber and more cowardly than I thought.

But this level of fear makes her even easier to play with.

“Alright, since I am a merciful holy maiden, I’ll give you one last chance.”

I don’t actually plan on killing her.

I’ll just beat her to the point where she won’t die.

“What are you going to say?”

“If you confess everything now, I might consider sparing you. I’m honestly sick of killing.”

I can’t kill her since I still need her, but I can definitely rough her up.

“What have you even been doing in that nun’s habit all this time?”

“She’s overreacting. I haven’t even hit her yet.”

“That’s none of her business.”

“Is that something you need to know? I’ll ask again—when did you meet Lily?”

“Why do you suddenly have to make things so serious? Ugh!”

Seeing her try to crack a joke, I hit the succubus hard in the stomach with my fist.

Does she need to be told twice?

Monsters only listen once they realize they’re dealing with someone stronger.

Even though she’s a succubus contracted to Lily, I was planning to go easy on her.

“When did you meet Lily?”

“F-Five years ago.”

“Five years. That’s quite some time.”

“It was when the hero’s party was actively working hard.”

“Those were the days when I lived like a dog.”

Thinking about it, that hero Eugene was really something—living lavishly without a care.

The fact that I put up with that for over six years is impressive in itself.

But now’s not the time to think about that.

First, I need to thoroughly beat this pitiful succubus, who made a contract with Lily.

“How did you meet?”

I’m genuinely curious about that.

As I cracked my knuckles, the succubus gulped and started to speak.

“T-That’s…”

This won’t do, will it?

It seems I need to help her remember.

So, I decided to hit her again.

Wham! Crash!

The succubus, still bound, collapsed backward after taking a punch to the stomach, coughing and crying out in pain.

Even if you’re hungry, you should speak properly.

“Claire, help her up.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Claire quickly lifted the succubus up, still tied to the chair.

She looked so wronged, but I’m the one who should feel wronged.

It’s because of that cursed contract with Lily that the previous me had to die.

As the second Olivia, I must settle the grudges of the first.

Only then will I have the right to use this body.

I brushed my hair back and lowered my voice.

“Do I need to ask you twice?”

The succubus coughed and finally opened her mouth.

“F-Five years ago, I first met Lily when she was abusing orphans with potatoes in a village!”

“Succubus normally prey on foolish women with ambition, leading them down the path of corruption. I take it Lily fit that description?”

She did look pretty foolish, after all.

No wonder the succubus targeted her.

“Y-Yes. Th-That’s correct.”

“Good. Now, wouldn’t it have been better if you’d said that sooner? You don’t want to get hit again, right? Let’s do this properly from now on.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

At last, she’s being honest. That’s better.

I really hate monsters.

They always force good people like me to resort to violence.