25 – Interrogation
“So, you’re saying that you did that to chase away the monsters in the river.”
“Yes! Do you think we would have done that to make the kids and the two of you suffer?”
After sending Siz and the kids to the healer, I sat down with the high elves and had a conversation.
When I pressed them on why they used such a radical magic, the high elves blushed and expressed their injustice.
When I gave them a suspicious look, the other high elves sitting next to them also chimed in.
“There could be beasts or demons in such a wide river. It was relatively safe because it wasn’t hunting season, but normally, doing anything near the water would be suicidal.”
“Thanks to the mana of the spirit tree, we were safe on the raft, but if we fell into the water, we would have a high chance of being attacked. We had no choice but to eliminate any possible danger. We are really innocent, candidate.”
It was a radical magic act that overturned the river by flipping the boat.
I wondered if it was a tragedy caused by the high elves’ characteristic sh*tty personality, but when I heard the story, it seemed that they had a reason for their actions.
But if you argue that way, another problem pops up.
These guys didn’t give me any hint that they would use large-scale magic.
I expressed my uncomfortable feeling openly and grumbled at the high elves.
“You should have told me in advance. It’s different to know and to not know.”
“…We thought you were already expecting it.”
“Would a guy who knew it act so confidently?”
“Aren’t you a druid candidate? We thought you were feeling relaxed in that situation, like the strongest warrior candidate of the Great Forest.”
“……”
No. If you talk like that, I can’t argue at all.
I scratched my head and frowned, unable to say anything.
I felt good that I was recognized as a druid candidate, but it didn’t feel refreshing because I felt like I had paid off my debt instead of gaining an advantage.
Then, a small commotion came from the entrance of the village.
“What did you bring a human for?!”
“He survived in that magic?”
The elves who participated in the operation returned and caused a fuss.
It looked like a Tang Dynasty army returning sporadically after completing the operation, but except for the high elves, they were all villagers, so it was strange to expect discipline.
Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed that they had brought some trouble, but since Shizu was being treated, it would be better to solve it on our side.
I got up from my seat with the high elves and headed to the entrance of the village.
[Gaul! You arrived first!]
“Yeah. But what’s going on here?”
[We captured a prisoner!]
“A prisoner?”
At the entrance of the village, there were countless elves gathered, including Pii.
They seemed to have finished cleaning up and returned last, as their hands were full of all kinds of heavy loads.
The most eye-catching thing among them was a red-haired human woman who was trembling with her eyes covered.
I held Pii, who was jumping around asking for a hug, and asked the elves with a question.
One of the elves who met my eyes cautiously opened his mouth.
“We brought her because the tree spirit over there told us not to kill her. He said it would be a waste to just kill a healthy human….”
It would be a waste to just kill a healthy human.
I flinched for a moment when I heard that the cute Pii had such a brutal opinion.
What was he thinking when he suggested capturing a prisoner?
I lifted Pii in front of my eyes and asked him softly.
“What are you thinking? What are you going to do?”
Pii made an incongruous and sinister expression and answered me.
[hehehe. Let’s try to collect some information.]
“Information collection?”
[Yes!]
Pii finished his words confidently and raised his nose as if he wanted me to praise him.
Information gathering.
We certainly lacked information on the human side right now.
I was human, but I was ignorant of a lot of things about the humans of this world.
So that’s why they brought back a healthy human to gather information.
Pii was more rational and smart than he looked.
I praised Pii by patting him on the head.
“You’re the best.”
[Phahahahahat! Of course!]
He laughed gleefully as I lifted him high above my head, showing off his superiority.
The elves around us looked at us with sour expressions, but we didn’t care about the glares of the incompetent long-livers compared to Pii.
How long were we cooing over him?
One of the high elves who was watching us quietly pointed at the human woman and asked me.
“Then, candidate. What will you do with that human?”
Maybe it was because of the conversation earlier, but I felt that his attitude towards me was more friendly.
I didn’t gain authority, but I succeeded in getting a positive response.
I put Pii on my shoulder and answered the high elves.
“I want to get information from that human as Pii suggested. Since Shiz is injured, I’ll take charge of the interrogation. Is anyone opposed?”
“We’re fine with that. We’re also curious about how those bastards infiltrated this far.”
“Good. Then prepare a suitable place for me.”
“Yes. Please follow me.”
The high elf who finished answering dragged the human woman along and walked ahead.
‘I thought they would just kill her, saying there was no information to get from a human!’ I was honestly a bit surprised.
I had never interrogated anyone in my previous or current life, but I thought I could manage somehow.
I grabbed the chainsaw that the elves had brought and followed the high elf into the village.
* * *
“Shall we take off the blindfold?”
“No. Just leave it for now.”
We arrived at a warehouse-like place and surrounded the human woman, creating a fierce atmosphere.
Her hands and feet were tied, her eyes were covered, and the elves around us were growling.
The woman was gasping for breath and trembling pitifully, as if she would faint at any moment.
What should I ask her first to make a good impression as an interrogator?
I crouched down in front of the woman and opened my mouth quietly.
“Let’s start with your name.”
The woman flinched and looked at me.
The cloth covering her eyes was damp, so it seemed like she had already cried.
But she was too scared to answer, as if her throat was dry.
I felt a pang of sympathy for her, as a fellow human.
I tried to speak a little kindly, clearing my voice, but one of the high elves next to me stepped forward and snarled.
“Hey, human. Are you mute?”
“Eek!”
The sight of him kicking the woman casually was anything but high-elf-like.
Because of that, the woman curled up like a bean bug as if she had fallen into a panic.
If they left the interrogation to the high-elves, they would catch a person in no time.
I sighed and ordered everyone to leave.
“Hey. You all get out.”
“No! Doesn’t that b*tch ignore the candidate’s words?!”
“I’ll handle it myself, so just go out.”
“……Okay.”
Fortunately, the high-elves followed my words obediently.
Of course, they were still angry and kicked the human woman’s butt as they left the warehouse….
“Ow!”
“Eek!”
“Hey!”
“Kyaa!”
The high-elves left and only me, Pii, and the human woman remained in the warehouse.
Now I can proceed with the interrogation.
I untied the woman’s blindfold and spoke as kindly as possible.
“Don’t worry, there are no scary elves now.”
“Huuk….”
“What’s your name? I couldn’t hear your answer earlier.”
The woman’s tearful eyes turned toward me.
Then, as if she realized that I was human, a flush of hope rose on her pretty face.
She must have not expected to encounter a human in this situation.
She sniffled and sobbed, barely telling me her name.
“Le, Lenny… My name is Lenny…”
Her eyes pleaded with me to save her, making me feel uncomfortable.
I put down the Pi on my shoulder and told her our names.
“I’m Gaul. This guy is Pi.”
“Are you, a tree spirit?”
Lenny looked amazed, as if she had never seen a tree spirit’s avatar before.
Then, Pi, who had landed on the floor, kicked Lenny’s knees with a growl.
[Hey, human. Don’t look down on me.]
“Uh, yes?”
[Geez! Are you trying to blind me?]
“Eek!”
I had sent away the high elves, but now Pi was causing a fuss.
Why is he acting like this again?
I picked up Pi and put him back on my shoulder.
Pi calmed down after pulling a handful of my hair.
“He’s usually nice, but he must be acting like this because of what you did.”
From Noble mtl dot com
“I’m sorry… please spare me….”
“I wish I could spare you too.”
I meant it when I said I wanted to spare Lenny.
But even though I was a druid candidate, I had no authority to decide the fate of a prisoner.
To save Lenny, I had to come up with a good reason.
I lifted Lenny’s chin, which was hanging down.
Then I looked him in the eye and opened my mouth softly.
“If you want to live, you have to do what I say. We’re both human, right? I want to spare you too.”
“Yes. I’ll do whatever you say….”
He’ll do whatever I say.
That’s a really good answer.
“Good.”
I have quite a lot of things I want to ask you.