Chapter 9: Confession Magic(2)

The vast clearing in front of the prison.
Only she and I stood at its center.

“Derek Minster. Do you know why I’m here?”

She asked, the massive spear Landruin resting on her shoulder.
In my memory, she’d swept through hundreds of enemy soldiers with that spear.

A mad character with absolute magic and martial prowess.
No wonder she was assassinated to balance the game.

Her death would trigger countless flags for the empire’s downfall.
Her very existence was overpowered.

“Warden of Berryhill, I greet Your Highness.”

I paid my respects as naturally as possible.
Grovelling now would only make her think I’m guilty.

“If I may presume Your Highness’s intent, could you please retract this intense mana?”

“That depends on how well you cooperate.”

“Understood. Then, as a humble servant, allow me to offer my modest opinion.”

“Make it short and clear.”

Thankfully, she gave me a chance.
In return, I adjusted my disheveled uniform cap.

“I suspect this is about the recent Holy See incident. I’m a prime suspect, aren’t I?”

“Correct. You’re well aware.”

The Princess haughtily tidied her golden hair flowing in the northern wind.
But my next words froze her hand.

“Yet, you have no evidence. Bringing the empire’s proud White Cavalry suggests as much.”

A backwater warden had pinpointed her intentions exactly.

“You hoped I’d confess out of fear from seeing your army. If I resist, you’d resort to Confession Magic.”

I placed my hand on my chest and bowed respectfully, as I did in my days as Knight Commander.

“Confession Magic causes great pain. You likely want to resolve this humanely.”

I raised my face slowly, smiling with emerald-green eyes.

“I’m grateful for Your Highness’s merciful consideration.”

Clea, watching from afar, sighed in relief.
The Elder, observing from his cell, snorted at my sly hospitality.

“You understand my position well. I appreciate it, Warden.”

But the Princess’s expression remained unchanged.
Like a living ancient statue, devoid of emotion.

“Good. Since you grasp my intent, give an answer to match.”

Everyone fears her ability to force the truth.
But having witnessed Camillia’s life through three regressions, I saw her differently.

She’s a steadfast guardian of this world.

Gifted in both magic and spearmanship from childhood, she endured harsh training and noble jealousy.
Most royals would break or give up under such a life.
But she silently devoted herself to training, protecting herself.

A ruler optimized to resist her environment.
Perfect as the next emperor to sustain the empire.

For my peaceful noble life, Camillia must survive.

“Understood. I’ll be blunt. I have no connection to this incident.”

I must prove my innocence first.
Only then will she heed my advice to prepare for assassination.

“I lack the means to hire a mage who controls monsters. I’m an outcast even in my family.”

“As expected,” she sighed briefly, leaning on her spear.

“Everyone I meet denies involvement first.”

Camillia, oblivious to my true thoughts, stared imperiously.
Pointing at the old prison, she commanded:

“Then we’ll do this by procedure. Bring the Saintess Anje and Elder Dark.”

As expected, it wouldn’t be easy.
But that’s fine.

They’re uninvolved too.
Though the Saintess is highly suspicious, her mental magic surpasses Camillia’s.

Confession Magic won’t work on her; she’ll just deny everything.

“Understood. I’ll summon them.”

I glanced at Clea, who nodded and promptly complied.

Moving calamity-level prisoners freely is absurd, but the Princess, a Swordmaster and Archmage, didn’t care.
Likely confident she could handle them all.

“…”

Minutes later, Clea returned with the handcuffed Saintess and Elder.
Thankfully, both prisoners looked calm.

“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

“Two months, isn’t it? Good to see you, Elder.”

While Dark, her uncle, greeted casually, the Saintess remained expressionless.
Suspicious, Camillia zeroed in on her first.

“Self-proclaimed Saintess Anje. Is prison life bearable?”

“No issues.”

Soldiers on standby saw the Saintess for the first time.
Her infamy for mass brainwashing made them tense.

The Elder was equally imposing.
Despite being a remote exile, the air felt heavy, like the imperial palace.

“Good. I called you here for some questions.”

The Princess first turned to her uncle.
The political titan who valued ability over good or evil.

“Elder, during your time here, have you noticed anything suspicious about the Warden?”

“Not sure. How would a mere prisoner know the Warden’s affairs?”

“You’re not one for vague answers.”

“I’m just responding as befits my status.”

Camillia’s face hardened at her uncle’s evasive, politician-like reply.
She disliked his ambiguous stance on good and evil, and now he was shielding a prime suspect.

It fueled her suspicions further.

‘Just say I didn’t do it. Why only claim ignorance?’

Dark smirked coldly at me.
His eyes said he’d play dumb, so I’d better hide the evidence well.

That look drove me crazier.
Since the victims were my tournament opponents, he likely thought I did it.

“If you’re covering for the new Warden due to collusion, that’s problematic. Your sentence could increase.”

“Of course. You can pull the truth from anyone if you wish. I’ve no reason to lie.”

The Elder drew a clear line, easing my nerves slightly.
But then…

“Our Warden’s too thorough. Whatever happened, it won’t be easy to uncover.”

Cough!

His pointed remark made me choke.
The Princess’s eyes narrowed, as if she’d caught the snake’s tail.

“Indeed. The Minster family’s ability to commit countless assassinations and retain their earldom speaks volumes.”

The sound of her grip tightening on Landruin echoed.
Once the empire’s downfall is averted, I’ll lock my father and brothers in empty cells.

“Fine. We’ll move on for now.”

The Princess turned to Anje, arms crossed.
As two peaks of magic, their tension was immense.

“Anje Lenoir. What’s your connection to this incident?”

“No idea. I’ve been locked in solitary.”

“Unlikely. Someone of your caliber would sense a monster moving nearby.”

“How, with this on my neck?”

Anje pointed to the sealing artifact on her graceful curves.
Indeed, with the necklace on, she didn’t seem as powerful as when she peered into my memories.

“So you’re saying I can use Confession Magic on you?”

The Princess didn’t let it slide.

She instantly realized the artifact didn’t fully suppress Anje’s mana.

“Go ahead if you’re confident.”

Anje didn’t back down either.
A massive shadow of death loomed behind her red smirk.

“Now, now, let’s all calm down.”

I slithered between the two women like a flexible snake.
Caught between their immense mana, my arms tingled.

“As you can see, prisoner Anje shows no signs of controlling monsters. The artifact is intact.”

“You could’ve briefly freed her. If you’re allies.”

“Where would I get such power? These prisoners are terrifying.”

“…”

My aggrieved expression made the Princess pause.
Come on, a mage of your caliber can sense my sincerity!

Able to read emotions with her superior mana and senses, she pondered, a finger on her chin.

Then, the ultimate variable I wished would stay quiet spoke up.

“Exactly. So stop harassing the Warden.”

Shielding me after the Elder, Anje opened her mouth.

“He’s a better ruler than you think. He might govern beyond this prison someday.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Anje Lenoir?”

Her near-insubordinate words made the Princess’s brow furrow sharply.

“While you fail to rule the North, letting heretics like the Holy See run rampant, Warden Derek is improving this place daily.”

“It’s just a small prison, Your Highness!”

I thrust my face into the Princess’s glare at Anje, wearing my most benign smile.

“She’s probably excited from seeing sunlight after so long. Please forgive her generously.”

“Is that so?”

The Princess tilted her head, leaning on her spear.
As if she’d found not just the snake’s tail but its body.

“Strange, Warden.”

Her hostility was noticeably stronger.
My scoundrel body screamed to flee.

“The Elder I know doesn’t easily defend anyone. Nor does this self-proclaimed Saintess.”

The Elder only protected carefully vetted talents.
Anje, meanwhile, brainwashed those she liked into slaves.

Yet she was defending someone without brainwashing for the first time.
As the puzzle pieces aligned, Camillia’s eyes locked onto the shady-eyed man.

“All signs point to you as the culprit.”

She stared coldly, hand on her hip.

“It seems I’m doing well as Warden, earning such trust from prisoners.”

I glared at the Elder and Saintess, begging them to shut up.
They responded with impassive expressions.

“Don’t worry. Without clear evidence, Confession Magic is illegal.”

“Exactly. All she can do is intimidate like this.”

Sure, but it makes me look like I committed the perfect crime and am gloating!

“Fine. Playing it that way.”

Look at Camillia’s eyes.
Not even when she single-handedly crushed foreign cavalry did she look this fierce.

To her, I’m now an enemy on par with the Holy See’s Pope.

“I’ll leave for today. As you said, there’s ‘no clear evidence.’”

She yanked her spear, longer than her body, with one hand.
I know most men can’t lift it with two.

“But next time we meet, be prepared.”

“Of course. I’ll diligently serve as Warden until then.”

She was retreating, albeit grudgingly.
I had much advice about her future, but with her this angry, I’d save it for later.

“It was an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

I knelt on one knee respectfully.
My sword at my waist clinked against the ground.

Clank.

“Hm?”

The Princess’s eyes fell on my sword.
Unmistakably high-quality for a backwater warden.

Puzzled, her lips parted slightly.
She knew exactly who its original owner was.

“Derek Minster.”

“Yes…?”

As I tilted my head, her spear, Landruin, swiftly pressed against my neck.

“Looks like I’ve found evidence you’re the culprit.”

Her golden hair shimmered faintly.
She glared down at me with the haughty gaze of an empress.

“That sword. It belonged to Bern’s lord, didn’t it?”

My lips parted.
Bern’s lord was the one Anje brainwashed the masses to kill.

“If you have no ties to the prisoners, why is the sword Anje killed and stole at your waist?”

Blue mana flickered at her spear’s tip.
The empire’s Arbiter declared:

“Warden of Berryhill, Derek Minster. You’re charged with conspiring with prisoners to kill two Holy See knights and a head guard.”

A massive magic circle formed around my kneeling form.

“Today, you’ll face Confession Magic interrogation.”

This is insane.
I closed my eyes, resigned.