Chapter 60 60 – Planning

Szur can only extract Seth's memories of Michelle when they were kids. So, I ordered this shapeshifter to make an adult version of the girl, including her voice. We're just guessing about those. The important thing is that it looks convincing.

I sneered when I saw Seth, who could only freeze with wide eyes.

"Are you really torturing her, Xenora?" I asked while patting the shapeshifter on the shoulder.

Xenora flashed a smile full of satisfaction. "Not really, she managed to replicate the torture wounds. Well, sometimes I go too far and accidentally hurt her, though. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter." The shapeshifter still had a blank expression. "Our race is basically boneless."

"But, when I crush your 'bones,' the sound feels real." Xenora Grimaced. "I'm jealous of you."

What the fuck, Xenora.

I took the knife from Xenora's hand. That thing is indeed covered in blood. However, it hardly came from the shapeshifter's body.

"As a member of an elite organization, you don't recognize this trick?" I pressed a button on the knife's hilt, causing the tip to ooze a thick, red liquid. "This tool is usually used for pranks. Here, look." I poked my palm with the knife. "The tip isn't sharp at all."

The prisoner still didn't respond.

I went into the cell, crouched next to him, and whispered. "You have failed as an agent of the state."

With an unbelievably stiff motion, the man turned his head to me.

"You have become a traitor to the country." I continued by displaying a sinister smile. "Because of your feelings, you couldn't think straight and instead leaked a big secret. Now I ask you, what should you do after this?"

Seth lowered his head, still with his eyes wide open.

"You can't return to the Shadow." I patted him on the back. "Well, I'm not sure the organization will still exist after this. In a moment, I'll be setting up a raid there."

That man closed his eyes and sobbed. "Please, just kill me...."

"With pleasure." The veins on my face tightened.

I grabbed the man's body and threw him into the corner of the cell. Before he could fully get up, I approached him and grabbed his hair.

"How dare you hurt Phisovia!!!" I hit the man's head against the stone wall, leaving a trail of blood there. "We never attack your government!!! We never touch your king!!! We hardly hurt innocents!!!"

I kept banging the captive's head. I knew he wasn't actually responsible for making Phisovia suffer. However, he is still part of a state structure that gives orders to do so.

So, he must be punished too.

More and more blood decorating the cave walls, but I had no intention of stopping. Every hit that I do makes me wilder.

"Enough!" Xenora caught my hand.

I froze, looked at the captive's head which was only a quarter left, then dropped it.

Xenora sobbed. "Enough, my lord…. This will not make Madam Phisovia heal."

I wiped my face with my bloodied hands.

I should've realized there were still many ways to take advantage of Seth. Maybe some deep information can still be extracted from this man, or I can persuade him to become my subordinate. I will gain a lot of insight into that Shadow organization.

However, I can't contain my emotions.

I walked out of the cell. "Leave him here. If anyone wants to eat him, go ahead. I don't care."

I kept walking through the passage, wondering if this kind of thing would happen to me often.

***

After that incident, I've long thought about what steps the government of the Durcia kingdom would take and what I should do.

"So, the point is that the government has moved." Emily, just listening to my explanation, answered. We're on a long-distance call.

"Forgive me in advance, Emily." I sighed. "I know you're tired after the chariot ride."

"What is it, Your Majesty?"

"Once you get to the base, I want you to come to the undead cave to resurrect the corpses there." I massaged my forehead, looking at Phisovia, who still showed no sign of waking up. "How many of them are there?"

Emily was silent for a moment. "There might be about two hundred... However, I'm not sure I can do it. The cave has been damaged. Besides, as I said before, I won't be able to resurrect all of them. There will definitely be some who will still die."

"Ah, you were able to resurrect them many times before because of the magic in the cave, huh? You used them as a challenge to those who came."

"You are right, Your Majesty," Emily responded again. "And I don't understand how that magic in the cave works."

I got up from the chair and walked towards the exit. "Well, even if you can't do it, that's fine. There's still a mass grave of state rebels west of the cave. It's about a two-day walk from there. And, of course, there are victims from the crime area in Marystar. They were also buried in mass, located on the city's outskirts in the north."

"Sure, sir. I'll be there, whether I can resurrect the corpses in the undead cave or not." She fell silent again. "If there is a war, we must have a lot of troops, after all."

"Ah, there's one more, Emily." I came out of the room. "I prepared some shapeshifters to accompany you."

"What for…." Emily was silent for a moment. "Ah, you want me to train them in necromancy. Well, that makes sense. We can't rely on me alone to control the undead army in war."

"This is to save time." I keep walking. "I asked you to train them on the way. Again, I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"It's okay. Even though I've never taught anyone, I'll try." Emily continued. "But please don't ask Ritor to accompany me. I can't stand his idiotness."

I chuckled. "Thanks, Emily. Don't worry. Ritor has to guard the base. Okay then, see you, and sorry for not being able to visit you by teleportation. I'm busy preparing a lot of things."

"Please, enough with apologies, Your Majesty. After a while, you become annoying." Emily grumbled but didn't sound serious. "I'll take my leave then."

"Take care." I stopped the call and walked over to Xenora, who was talking to some succubus. "Let's go, Xenora."

She raised an eyebrow. "Where are we going, Your Majesty?"

"To see the mayor of Silkdale again."