STM 180

Non-human beings may seem free, but I suspect that freedom stems from their acknowledgment of a superior power. Ever since I received a gift from the Spirit of Poison, most non-human beings haven’t dared to come near me.

They still were visible to me, they’d just retreated to a distance. But after I hung the serpent divine beast’s key around my neck, they vanished completely. Just like some kind of exorcism charm.

The only ones this charm didn’t work on were the divine beasts. So, the non-human entity behind that interrogator shouldn’t have been visible to me right now. Unless there’s another divine beast I don’t know about.

But it couldn’t be a divine beast. Because the filter is active. Then why is it here? The mystery unraveled as I scrutinized the non-human entity.

The starfish-like entity with a bumpy surface crouched behind the interrogator’s back. Its five arms were drawn in as tightly as possible, much like a person clenching a fist. It looked as if it were hiding out of fear.

But hiding was useless, given its size, far bigger than the interrogator’s. A single big eye sat in the center of its torso, but it was cast downward, so it couldn’t see me.

Upon looking closely, I saw the edges of its body tremble. Yet the fact that it didn’t flee meant only one thing. Shit, it wants something from me.

“Lu.”

I regained my senses at Tairok’s voice to find him and the interrogator staring at me. I struggled not to look at the starfish and managed to answer the interrogator.

“The gem isn’t mine.”

“Tell me the name of the gem’s owner. Before I pull out all your teeth.”

He ordered me dryly, like someone who was used to dealing with countless people. But no matter how he threatened me, it had no effect on me because of the starfish writhing behind his back.

Besides, it kept looking at me. Every time that huge eye turned my way, I quickly looked away. It was obvious that it was trying to ask me for something.

But I didn’t have the time to grant a starfish’s wish right now. I was already stretched thin just trying to stop my companion from making the situation worse.

“What’s the point of knowing who owns the gem?”

Tairok retorted. Startled, I turned to look at him. He’d been talking down to the soldiers and acting cocky, but back then, I felt that he was putting on a front.

But his voice now was completely his own. Just as I wondered if he was trying to intimidate him, Tairok smirked.

“Do you know anything about the gem’s owner?”

Know the owner of the gem? The only person here who would know that is the informant… Ah! I belatedly realized this and waited for the interrogator’s reply. He responded expressionlessly.

“I’m the one asking the questions.”

“That’s because you’re asking questions you already know the answers to. Stop testing us and ask properly.”

There was such intense power in Tairok’s voice that I flinched. Even without knowing his true identity, just hearing his voice was enough to intimidate anyone, yet the interrogator scrutinized Tairok without changing his expression. Then he muttered to himself.

“I thought you were fools since you got caught at the castle gate.”

A fool! Of course, he had been bragging about our “children” when we got caught in such a ridiculous way. I lifted the bag and asked him.

“Are you the owner of this bag?”

He remained expressionless, like a seasoned gambler, but an unexpected reaction confirmed my suspicion. The giant starfish hiding behind him suddenly and cautiously raised its upper arm, which jutted out like a horn.

Then it moved it big eye cautiously to check if I had noticed its movement. But the moment our eyes met, it recoiled in terror and lowered its gaze again.

They say every non-human being is unique, but I’d never encountered such a timid creature before. I sighed and turned my attention back to the interrogator.

“So you are the owner. Are you an Adeye informant?”

“Adeye? Why would I be?”

He retorted coldly, but his posturing didn’t work on me this time either. The starfish’s horn twitched again. On a whim, I asked a random question just to test him.

“Did you eat this morning?”

The starfish’s horn twisted from side to side. It looked like it was shaking its head. Wait, why won’t you just say it? Is this one part of the “speak with your body” crowd too? I felt a sense of foreboding, this one was just as frustrating as the bear divine beast.

“So you didn’t eat.”

“You… are just making up weird things on your own…”

“Yes, yes, I get it. Here, take this. Solongo said I just needed to deliver this.”

I pulled the empty box out of my bag. His expressionless eyes wavered for a moment. He must have been confused as to why I was so certain, even though he denied it.

“Aren’t you going to accept the reward?”

Spit it out and reveal your true identity, he finally admitted, having caught on to my intentions.

“What a pity. If you’d been a fool, I would have tried to extract it through torture.”

His flat tone didn’t sound like a joke. Suddenly, I didn’t want to give him the box anymore. If only the starfish hadn’t brought its two arms together in front of it and begged so earnestly. It begged as if it had committed a capital offense.

Damn, I’m a softie when it comes to stuff like this. So I changed my plan, which was to get the information first and then hand it over, and just tossed it onto his desk before quickly stepping back.

As I approached, the starfish started rattling like a washing machine. Unlike the starfish, who was in a submissive posture, the interrogator looked at me with suspicion.

“You’re just giving it to me?”

“Yes, I was told to deliver it. Just check to make sure it’s the right one.”

He stared at me for a moment, then opened the box and examined the contents carefully. What is hidden in that box…? But the box slid effortlessly from his hands.

Instead, he carefully laid the dried herbs that had filled it onto a cloth. Only then did I realize that those herbs were the real purpose.

“Medicinal herbs, I suppose.”

I heard Tairok mutter. Ah, medicinal herbs. As expected, the interrogator examined each blade of grass meticulously before tucking them into his pocket.

Judging by Solongo’s reaction, they must be incredibly valuable. Well, it wasn’t really my business… or so I thought. The starfish suddenly lifted its eye and met my gaze.

Its body began to quiver even more, and its eye shook like a pendulum. Then, with that body, it suddenly threw itself face-down onto the floor.

Just as I was about to sigh in frustration, the informant handed us a piece of paper. I took it and unfolded it to find a rough sketch.

It appeared to be the interior of Montaine Castle. As I quickly studied the sketch, Tairok asked the informant.

“What’s the situation inside Montaine?”

“My only instruction was to reveal the internal layout of Montaine Castle. I can’t tell you anything beyond that.”

“Beyond that,” he said. So does that mean he knows more? I asked him directly what I wanted to know.

“Ma Hoiga, who is to become Duke Kilu’s consort, arrived here not long ago. Do you know where he is now?”

“I don’t know.”

Contrary to his firm answer, the starfish’s horn twitched.

“Ah, so you do know.”

“Is there something wrong with your ears?”

“They’re fine. My eyes are even better. But you don’t seem to hold a high rank, how did you find out that information?”

Instead of continuing to deny it, he frowned.

“You’re being stubborn and rude. What do you know to be spouting lies like that?”

At the harsh words directed at me, Tairok smirked with a cold gaze. It was the same murderous look he’d shown when he tried to kill me before, so I quickly stepped in to stop him. Because now the starfish was lying face-down, rubbing its hands together earnestly again.

That really bugs me!

“I don’t have time to explain right now, so let’s get straight to the point. If you need more of this herb, I’ll ask Solongo for it, so will you tell me about Ma Hoiga’s situation?”

“Ha, you’re going to give me more? I had to wait months just to get this. Even Adeye couldn’t get that in a single day.”

I guess it’s incredibly rare.

“Then tell me what other price you’d like in return.”

“Price?”

The informant snorted.

“I’ve put my life on the line. Unless you bring me Salvation, there’s no way.”

Tairok and I froze for a moment before looking at each other.

“What are you going to do once you meet Salvation?”

“None of your business. Since you’re here scouting Montaine, you’re probably just disposable scum destined to die. I’ve received my payment, so my task is done. I’ll call the soldiers, so get the hell out of my sight right now.”

He drew a line in the air and turned his gaze away completely. Tairok was surprisingly willing to back down. He stepped back, but I couldn’t do that. The starfish rose to its feet and clasped its arms together in front of it.

It looked like it was pleading. Then, it spoke. Since the voice of a non-human entity was converted into text, the words appeared as characters right before my eyes.

[D-d-death.]

When I didn’t react, it seemed to think I didn’t understand, so it placed its hand on the informant’s body.

[D-d-d-death.]

Why is it stuttering so pitifully? And it was unable to speak in anything but single words, like a child. I couldn’t help but sigh.

“Ugh, excuse me. Didn’t you get the obedience bracelet? You leaked information to us, won’t your body start rotting?”

Tairok raised an eyebrow, and even the informant frowned. Faced with looks that asked, “What are you talking about?”, I had no choice but to speak up.

“Is the reason you’re trying to drive us out because you’re on the verge of collapsing right now?”

It didn’t matter if the informant didn’t answer. There was someone above doing it for him.

“What nonsense… Cough, cough.”

He suddenly started coughing in the middle of his sentence. I hurried over to the informant. He was spitting up dark red blood.