The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Frondier bowed his head. Philly watched him for a moment.

If it were Frondier, he would truly follow Philly's wishes in that case, regardless of the command.

This was a sign of trust in Philly, but it also meant that he was certain of the existence of a shill.

'A shill...' [T/N: for those who don’t know what shill is like me: an accomplice of a confidence trickster or swindler who poses as a genuine customer to entice or encourage others.]

Philly also agreed with Frondier's thoughts.

The unsettling voices currently being felt within the Empire. No matter how famous Frondier was and how much circumstantial evidence there was, it was strange for things to come together to this extent. There was someone who had intended this situation.

'The problem is how to find them.'

It was obvious, but the Empire was vast, and there were just as many people. Even if they vaguely referred to them as a shill, it was difficult to grasp where to start.

Perhaps Frondier knew this and had asked Philly for help. There was no one more suitable than Philly for this issue. No matter how vast the Empire was, Philly's reach could extend anywhere, even if it meant pushing things a bit.

"It's likely someone with a certain degree of power. A considerable number of people would be needed to inflate a rumor of this magnitude. At the very least, they would be in a position to command others."

Frondier said. Philly nodded.

In addition to that, they would need to know Frondier to a certain extent. A rumor without any basis was merely gossip. For people to truly become suspicious, a corresponding possibility had to be presented.

'They would have investigated Frondier quite a bit. Or they knew him from the beginning. If it's the former, it's still not easy to narrow down the scope, but if it's the latter...'

Frondier was now a celebrity, so if someone decided to investigate him, it wouldn't be too difficult. Moreover, because he was a celebrity, the possibility of being investigated was high. So, there was a good chance that they had investigated him before starting the rumors.

However, if it was the latter case, it meant that they were ultimately connected to Frondier, which would immediately reduce the scope.

"We don't have much time. If we leave things as they are, Frondier's position could become dangerous. Speed is key in this matter."

"That's right."

Rumors, once ignited, tend to burn on their own. The shill, as the name suggests, simply fans the flames. After that, there's no need to use a shill. People will naturally exaggerate the story. 𝖗å₦ΟʙƐš

At that moment, Elysia muttered softly.

"...Time."

The word Philly said somehow stuck in Elysia's mind. Her mind began to race.

'If I were someone who hired a shill.'

Elysia, who had inherited calmness and calculation skills from Philly.

In addition, Elysia knew the 'psychology of the mastermind' from experience.

A shill, a person with power, a considerable number of people.

Time running out.

"...They wouldn't want to get caught."

Elysia murmured.

Not understanding the meaning of her words for a moment, Frondier looked at her. Noticing his gaze, Elysia waved her hand.

"Ah, no, it was just a thought."

"Mei I ask what you mean?"

"Hmm. If I were a shill, or someone handling a shill."

Saying that, Elysia lowered her eyes slightly.

"They wouldn't want to get caught, right? The fact that this rumor was due to a shill. That would make it difficult to form the desired public opinion."

"...That's right. If people find out that it's not a pure rumor, they'll start to doubt the authenticity of the rumor itself."

"Right. But Frondier realized that there must be a shill. Without even knowing who the shill is."

Frondier sensed the existence of a shill in this situation.

It wasn't because there was clear evidence.

It was because he thought, 'There's no way the rumors would spread this quickly and this widely, with such intention.'

In other words, conversely,

"If the opponent had taken enough time, things wouldn't have turned out like this. If they had slowly grown the rumors and taken enough time while maintaining the existing evidence, by the time Frondier realized the existence of a shill, he would already be in a dangerous situation."

"...Ah."

That's right. The reason why the Empire was buzzing with talk about Frondier right now was because the rumors weren't entirely baseless.

There was some basis, and there were clearly mistakes that Frondier had made. So, the opponent could have handled things much more easily than this.

"But they didn't do that. Or rather, should I say they couldn't? In the end, Frondier started to have doubts because of this strange speed and scale."

"Then, the enemy is in the same situation."

"Right."

Elysia nodded.

"Maybe the opponent is also pressed for time?"

* * *

Morion Prison.

This, the Empire's highest-security prison, was holding more prisoners than ever before.

This was because all the key figures from the war with Manggot were gathered here.

Of course, many of those who had committed the treason of targeting the Emperor had been executed, but not all the important figures were dead.

There were those whose sentences were still pending for reasons other than the severity of their crimes.

"That bastard has no intention of opening his mouth."

Esther, the warden of Morion, said.

She was currently receiving a rare visitor. The visitor nodded heavily upon hearing Esther's words.

Azier de Roach.

He had come to Morion.

The two of them looked at someone sitting quietly beyond the glass window.

A man who had kept his mouth shut for several hours in the interrogation room.

"I expected as much. He wouldn't open his mouth so easily."

Azier said.

"If he's at the core of Manggot, he would be at least that much."

The man inside the glass window was Hagley.

Azier had come here today to investigate the 'Ancient Language'.

The Ancient Language found within Manggot. It went without saying that Hagley was related to the Ancient Language.

Furthermore, he was possibly the only person who might be able to decipher the Ancient Language.

"I don't understand. It's not like we're asking him to betray Manggot. Just talking about the Ancient Language would significantly reduce his sentence. Why would he refuse such a deal?"

"Perhaps, from Hagley's perspective, that would be a greater betrayal."

Esther's eyes gleamed coldly at Azier's response.

"...So, it's definitely true that that bastard knows something about the Ancient Language."

"That would be the case."

Azier stood up.

"I guess I'll have to talk to him myself."

"Interrogation doesn't work on him."

"Yes. I don't expect to get anything out of it either. But there are things you only know when you face them directly."

"For example?"

"How many moles he has on his face."

Was this a joke? Azier's expression was so serious that it was difficult to tell.

Azier walked over and opened the door to the interrogation room.

Hagley, who had shown no interest in anything until then, widened his eyes slightly when he saw Azier.

But soon, as if disappointed, his eyes sank again.

"...What, it's you?"

"Who did you mistake me for?"

"Who else? Frondier."

Azier sat down opposite Hagley.

"My brother and I don't really look alike."

Frondier with his languid and relaxed face, Azier with his sharp features. They were brothers, but it was very easy to tell them apart.

But Hagley said.

"You don't know, do you? You two are quite similar. Frondier himself probably feels it."

"...You seem to know quite a bit about Frondier. Why were you looking for my brother?"

"Looking for him? It's the opposite. He's the last person I want to meet."

"Why?"

Hagley's face contorted as if he had just recalled Frondier's face.@@novelbin@@

At that moment, Azier realized that Hagley's knowledge of Frondier wasn't just a bluff.

"That guy has a devious way of thinking. Yeah, in that sense, he's different from you. I'll admit it. Your brother isn't as pure or upright as you."

Esther, who was listening from behind the glass window, unknowingly nodded her head.

Whether Azier was pure was a matter of opinion, but compared to Frondier, he could be considered very clear and clean.

"But you also came here to dig something out of me, didn't you? Azier de Roach."

"Will you answer if I ask?"

"Of course. I've been cooperating kindly so far. I don't know why you're still holding me here."

Hagley shook his head. The genuinely tired look on his face was quite the acting skill.

"Then I'll ask too. The sentences written in the Ancient Language in Manggot. What do they say?"

"I don't know."

"That's a completely different answer from what you just said. As expected."

"So, I really don't know. I've been saying this all along, but why do you think I can read the Ancient Language?"

"You have the Ancient Language in your hideout."

"Right. We built the hideout 'because' there was the Ancient Language. Look, Azier. I don't know what you're mistaken about, but the Ancient Language is literally a language used in 'ancient' times. It couldn't have been written later. We, like you, 'discovered' it. We just discovered it a little earlier."

Right. They knew that.

The letters discovered by the imperial scholars who arrived at Manggot were all severely damaged and worn down by the passage of time.

But conversely, it was also difficult to think that they were written that long ago. At least, considering that they were written during the time when the Ancient Language was used, their state of preservation was too good.

Azier said.

"We found traces of numerous research materials inside that cave. Most of them were already burned."

"Well, that's true. By the time I stepped in, the war was already looking bleak."

Hagley had ordered the complete destruction of all research on the Ancient Language early on in the war. He hadn't thought Belphegor would lose, but he had judged beforehand that it would be impossible for the Shepherds of Manggot to reach the Imperial Palace.

As a result, his thinking was correct. Manggot had been defeated, and scholars from the Empire were combing through the interior of Manggot.

"You conducted that much research, and you can't read the Ancient Language?"

"If you want to mock our research achievements, feel free to do so. I'm mocking them too."

The conversation wasn't going anywhere.

Then Hagley said.

"If you're so curious about the sentences written there, just show them to your brother."

"...What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?"

Hagley smirked at that point.

"Because Frondier can read the Ancient Language."

"...What?"

Azier, showing a meaningful expression for the first time since he arrived. Finding it amusing, Hagley continued.

"Oh, you didn't know? Frondier has a talent for deciphering the Ancient Language. I discovered that and lured him to Manggot. I even attached a female subordinate to him. He spilled the beans about the Ancient Language quite well with that."

Hagley spoke with excitement.

Of course, he knew.

That Frondier had 'intentionally' revealed information about the Ancient Language.

Looking back now, the knowledge that Frondier had conveyed to Manggot through Selena was merely a side branch, and he had subtly avoided the core aspects.

Since Selena had betrayed Manggot and stood by Frondier's side, he considered this to be almost certain.

However.

Azier didn't know.

"Thanks to that, I learned quite a bit about the Ancient Language. Look, Azier, the Ancient Language was originally written with Mana mixed in. So, now that the Mana mixed in the letters has dissipated, it's impossible to decipher it. Unless you have a natural talent like Frondier. Well, even he didn't know everything in the end. He couldn't decipher the sentences in Manggot after all."

"...Stop your nonsense. My brother having such an ability..."

"Is impossible?"

Azier's words stopped there.

Hagley twisted his lips and said mockingly.

"Would it be troublesome if Frondier had such an ability? Azier. From the way you talk, it seems like no one in the Roach family noticed that talent? Even though you've been together as a family for so long! Hahaha! Azier, you truly are a swordsman! You truly are the son of Enfer, who bears the name of the Iron Wall!"

Kwang!

Azier's kick.

The table in the center slid back, knocking Hagley over.

"Cough!"

Thud, thud, Azier walked over to the fallen Hagley, grabbed him by the collar, and threw him against the wall.

Bang!

The glass window that Esther was looking through shook as if it would shatter, and Azier lifted Hagley by the collar.

"Wait! Mr. Azier!"

Esther shouted from the other side, but of course, it didn't reach the interrogation room. Even if it did, Azier would have ignored it.

"I'll kill you here."

"Keu, haha. Go ahead! With Manggot's plan in ruins, my life has no value! I should have died a long time ago! Azier de Roach! It would be quite an honor to die by your hand! Hahahahaha!"

Crunch

Azier's molars clenched.

The swordsman, Azier.

To him, who even raised anger coldly, Hagley continued to shout.

"Azier! I was the one who recognized Frondier's talent! A talent that even you, his older brother, didn't know about!"

"You're still talking nonsense...!"

"While you guys were busy branding Frondier with incompetence based on his appearance."

Pow!

"Keuk!"

Azier's fist struck Hagley's face.

Yet, Hagley's mouth wouldn't stop.

As Azier continued to strike Hagley, his cursed voice continued.

"During that time, I! I discovered Frondier's talent, keuk! And I worked hard to make it bloom! Hahaha! The reason he's so dedicated to research is because of you guys, cough! Thanks to you guys! He discovered his own talent, which he thought he had none of. Of course he'd work hard! No one ever acknowledged him! It's something to be grateful for! A family that instills inferiority in their own child!"

Kwang!

"Kwaaak!"

Azier slammed Hagley to the floor.

Azier pounced on top of him. Hagley still showed no signs of being intimidated.

Esther hurriedly ran over and opened the door to the interrogation room.

Seeing that, Hagley grinned and said to Azier.

"Keuheheu, that's right. Knowing only how to use force is the symbol of the Roach. Swords and armor that only think about killing monsters! That's why they couldn't recognize Frondier's talent! They would have gotten rid of Frondier like a burden without any patience! That's why he came to me!"

"Shut up. You, who have been defeated, dare to...!"

"Frondier's greatest misfortune is being born into the Roach family!"

Azier pressed down on Hagley's neck. Pain and pressure immediately overwhelmed Hagley.

If this continued for a little longer, Hagley would soon lose consciousness.

In the meantime, with his barely audible voice, Hagley spat out as if possessed by evil spirits.

"You, bastards, what, did you, do...?"

"...!"

"Lazy, bastards...."

Thud

Hagley's hand fell limply.

Seeing Hagley lose consciousness, Azier slowly rose to his feet.