“I have been filled in on the details. It seems you are stuck in quite a complicated case.”

There was a report submitted about this case a while ago, although it skimmed over the important details. I informed Frederich of the key information, and the potential leads so far. He did not look satisfied.

“That amounts to a straw in the entire hay farm!”

My face seemed to reveal a smile. I could not remember the last time I had smiled honestly. I wanted all this to end soon, so that I may retire early. Although I knew that Lieutenant Klaus was not going to leave me a moment before my tenure. I realized that these thoughts were high-headed, but I failed to resist the temptation of thinking in a non-practical manner. After all, blessed was he who could enjoy similar thoughts without a care. Contrary to this, I felt I was an earthworm on which salt was being sprinkled constantly.

“Frederich, how is your family? Is your sister doing well?”

Frederich had a slight hint of hesitation on his face.

“My family is doing well. After I was transferred here, I was able to pay for my father’s surgery, and my mother was happy that he was healthy again. My sister, well, she was not able to attend her military interview as she was attending to family business constantly. I felt guilt at first, but I realized that life is like this, Hermann, full of struggles and tears.”

I could not reply. Not even a single emotion went through me. It felt like I had become a vermin, heedless of any suffering of others. I had become apathetic. Rather, I wanted to experience them myself. I wanted to feel something. I wanted to find the part of myself that I have lost in the process. Despite listening to his struggles, to think only about myself, I felt truly selfish.

We had not spoken a word later on, and in no time, we were standing outside the room.

“I can already sense someone has performed something of malice.”

Frederich was an expert at detecting the nature of mana that was available in his perimeter. He had been trained especially for situations like these which involved investigatory work. Before being transferred here, he belonged to the Investigatory Unit of the highest order. At the same time, he worked under me due to the frequent nature of my job. This skill belonged again to the “Pawn” series.

Among the “Pawn” series, there were different sets of skills which varied quite a lot. To gain the position of “Pawn” of the highest order, one must be able to cast the magic sequence of one move, or be able to cast a single spell completely at a time.

I touched the doorknob, and a shock travelled through my hand.

“Frederich, try opening the door.”

Frederich was able to open it with ease. This was quite peculiar to me, but I did not tell him. I had not told him about my inherited identity either.

The inside of the room felt ominous to me, although Frederich did not seem to notice this. Like his usual self, he quickly started to investigate each and every nook, while I scanned the room for any abnormal signs. I drew a magic circle, and chanted the words for it, which belonged to the Miasma series. Now, I found a book with an abnormal amount of mana being transpired across it, coming from the left bookshelf.

It was the same book which I saw in my sight, with the same name on the first page. On the second page though, the contents of the novel appeared to have been modified. This was also true for some of the other pages. On the 13th page, I found a similar symbol of the reversed cross printed on it. Below it, there was blank space.

I remembered that there were two crosses on the opposite ends of the sigil. In addition, the blank space seemed to be left intentionally, as if there was a secret hidden in it.

“Beyond this realm, there was his friend.” To begin with, the use of ‘friend’ was done without reference to a single entity. It might refer to Heinrich, or to the spirit which possessed him. Its reference to Skold would also be plausible. While it felt like I was drawing conclusions from thin air, there was a commonality in all this. I drew the two crosses from the sigil in the blank space, and a small text overwrote the page.

“There are signs of witchcraft everywhere. Someone must have pulled quite a stunt here.”

I ignored him unintentionally, and glared at the four lines that had appeared:

“Dead men are the most free,
And rebellion against omnipotence grants it,
The mark of the beast!
Praise to the Heavenly Lord!”

It seemed to be a reference to Oulanem, and its link to rebellion against the Heavenly Lord. I felt I already knew this. Beneath it, there appeared an uncommon pictorial representation of the Heavenly Lord, and there were his servants besides him along with their names mentioned beneath each figure. I took notice of the 2nd character, and the sigil which was inscribed for him. It was the exact same as put outside the room.

Then, I glanced at the sigil which Frederich wore on his side, revealing itself suddenly along with a magic incantation overwhelming the entire room, and out of chance, looked from the side of my eyes at the name of the said angelic figure: “Pawn to the Lord, Frederich.” I realized the situation well. From the moment I felt the shock from touching the doorknob, I should have realized this room was sacred. A trap.

I locked my sight on the door, but it was too late. I had started gasping, and my conscience was fading. I felt terror grow onto me, as I realized this must have been arranged. The roots, this time, ran deep. The Commander might have been involved as well. I knew Frederich had betrayed me, but I felt only regret. I could not bring myself to hate him.

“Frederich, why did you do this?”

He let out a sadistic smile, and said with conviction in his voice.

“Praise to the Heavenly Lord!”