Rattling!
"Well, please come in. Your Royal Highness, Duke of Carriers."
A man with his head bowed with an awkward expression caught my eye. Judging by his knowledge of noble etiquette, he seemed to be the manager of the Erset Mine.
"Hey, You could have appeared a little better."
"Yes?"
As I was muttering to myself, the other person looked puzzled. At that moment,
Josef quietly intervened.
He had an unusually solemn face.
"We came to investigate the Erset Mine. If you do not cooperate sincerely, you may be punished, so think carefully."
"The prosecutors have already been here?"
"This is not done under the authority of the court!"
When Josef shouted loudly, the manager pretended not to be able to resist and got out of the way.
Then he rolled his eyes and turned around.
"Please come this way."
It wasn't clear, but I thought we could proceed with the investigation anyway.
Still, I felt uneasy for some reason, so I called the judges together.
"Please keep a close eye on the soldiers. They can't be allowed to do such nonsense."
"All right," Josef replied with a bright smile as he adjusted the collar of his robes. For the first time, I felt like I could trust him. The determination to stop any wrongdoing was evident in his eyes. But at the same time, I was worried.
'I was in a hurry, so I couldn't bring the drivers with me.'
Of course, I wondered if anything would happen. Even those just leaving Amman wouldn't attack a member of the royal family and the highest judge. Aren't Kolund and Josef, who came with us, of formidable status? I entered the inner building with the manager. The office was shabby, as expected from a place where iron ore dust was always flying around. Actually, there was nothing to look at.
'Because all the evidence would have already been erased.'
After briefly flipping through the ledger, I found the date the workers had fled. It was consistent with what the prosecutor investigated. It was said that wages were not paid from then on. So I got up straight away.
"Are you done already?"
"No. It's starting now. We need to do on-site verification."
"Yes?"
"Where is the tunnel? I'd like to see it."
"Uh… It's over there, but it's probably better not to go there. It's a very dangerous place."
"It's okay."
When we went to the place the manager pointed out, a hole in the cliff appeared. People with glowing stones on their heads were frequently going in and out of that place, carrying large lumps. I called the workers passing by and gathered them together. The idea was to ask a few questions.
"When did the tunnel collapse…?"
But then a group of people gathered around and surrounded the area. I was trapped in the human barrier without even being able to ask properly. Moreover, with a few light gestures, the workers immediately dispersed. It was a truly absurd situation. How can they interfere with the investigation in this way?
'It looks like they couldn't even stop the workers from joining.'
You would never have thought that a judge would come to visit in person. With just a few questions, you would be able to find out the date and location of the mine collapse. Then, uncovering Erset Mine's lies would not be a difficult task. If we're lucky, we'll find the body. But what if these guys come out in a mess?
"It's better. I can strike the mace of justice myself."
I looked at the soldiers surrounding me with a grim smile. Then the manager said with a smug smile, "I know. Wouldn't it be better to do it in moderation? I guess the tunnel will collapse once more today." It seemed like he was trying to bury me. If it's deep in the mine, no one will be able to find me. It would be enough to just say that the tunnel collapsed during the investigation. They would insist that they tried to stop it until the end.
"Thank you. For showing your true colors in advance."
I smiled and took out the gavel. As the small hammer was revealed, a sneer appeared on the soldiers' lips. It looked quite funny to see me wearing a fancy legal uniform and holding a toy-like weapon.
Slurp. Slam!
Then the soldiers also drew their swords. As a base in a remote location, it felt quite elite. Even though they were not knights, they were well-equipped with armor and weapons.
"Hehehe! You must be a nobleman whose liver has gone overboard, to come to this dangerous place without an escort."
"Whether you are a judge or not, Viscount Erset's word is law in the mines."
"Just be buried quietly."
The soldiers got closer and closer, spitting out harsh words. Even judges with heads full of ink would tremble, but I was perfectly calm. Because I was confident that I could beat them all by myself.
"I mixed the sprouts into soup and ate it. Do you guys know what this is?" I said, holding the gavel forward. Then the manager chuckled and sneered.
"No gavel? It's useless because it's made of iron, so the sound is sharp."
The attitude was, "Why on earth did you bring something like that?" A bitter smile naturally appeared. As I kept hearing that disgusting sound, it felt like flames were rising from inside me. For berserkers, anger is the driving force of battle. I held the handle tightly.
『Activation of the Heart of the Beast』
Tsutsutsutsu!
As my vision began to blur, red energy surged from the gavel. Before I knew it, my body had moved like a bullet. As soon as the skill was activated, I jumped forward. The distance closed in an instant. Jump! A hammer engulfed in red energy was thrust into the manager's mouth. As drops of blood burst out, pure white fragments embroidered the air. I looked directly into the guy's glazed eyes and muttered softly.
"What is this?"
"Of course, the gavel."
"Wrong. This is an etiquette injector."
"… … ."
"It's the perfect thing to use on a scoundrel like you."
Soon, a red flash appeared once more.
Kwasik!