When I opened his hood, a horrifying sight was revealed. A face covered in blue bruises almost made his face unrecognizable, but the distinctive clothes he was wearing could easily identify him.
Yes, I know this person.
Our eyes met, and... he somewhat had a grudge to me.
But... I know he just joking about this current situation.
"Okay! Let's skip the interrogation process and go straight to the execution part!" I said while smiling at him.
"How cruel, Master Karl! Please don't joke around when my life is on the line!"
"What other stupid things have you done? Execution is just perfect heaven for you."
As you can see, I know this person very much. He was a little bit troublesome but have a jack-of-all-trade options when using in the right condition.
This person is Ivan, a Late-to-be-Spymaster who works without a clear purpose just to survive after war.
A few years ago, we caught a spy wandering around like a chick looking for its mother. Because of the never-ending conflict in the Flora Kingdom, he tried to find information to save the villagers where he was born from the wrath of the Flora Kingdom foolish act.
A special contract was made between us and Ivan, we accepted all the villagers and Ivan would work hard to find sensitive information without involving us. You could say, he is a spy who moves freely without direction and working for the sake his villagers. Like a knife that freely to stabs the obstacles in front of him.
These few months, he had been gone without a trace and... now he was caught by Chiyuki. I don't know what nightmare he had when he was facing Chiyuki, so I'll just keep quiet.
"Er... Master Karl. Don't you want to ask me something or two things?"
"Oh, no, I don't care anyway," I answered shortly. Forgetting the pleasantries, I immediately stabbed the knife Chiyuki gave me into his groin.
"Ahhhh! It hurts! Eh..? Ah? Why doesn't it hurt?" Ivan, who suddenly screamed, was surprised by the pain that disappeared just like that.
"Oh! It worked!" Chiyuki said happily.
Well, this wasn't an ordinary knife. With a new poison that Chiyuki had developed, a poison that eliminated pain when it seeped into the bloodstream has been created.
"Uh... why am I suddenly sleepy?" Ivan continued.
"Tch! Failed again!" Chiyuki grumbled.
If you want to know what happened, I'll explain it briefly. Chiyuki has an ambition to create a poison that eliminates pain without causing drowsiness. Chiyuki got this inspiration after trying the newly developed "Pain Killer".
Normally, a painkiller is used to suppress pain. But.. Chiyuki slightly changed it into a painkiller, with final goals not causing drowsiness, then when the painkiller effect wears off.. the burning sensation for the side effects will immediately activate.
Well... it's not a Pain Killer anymore, right?
"M-Master Karl.. I feel strange. What is this? Why does it feel so hot?"
"Ugh! AH!!!" Ivan suddenly shouted.
"Oh, this one finally works? Not bad, Ivan," I said casually.
"Stop using my body to test the medicine!" Ivan protested while enduring the heat in his body.
"Well, I wanted not to do it for you.. but your wife said otherwise. How long do you think you've been missing from your wife?" I asked.
"Oh... Ah.. Sorry?" Ivan replied with doubt.
"Why are you apologizing to me, not to your wife?" I replied while pulling out the knife that was stuck in his thigh.
"Ah! It hurts Master Karl!" Ivan slightly endured the pain when the knife was removed. It seemed like the pain when removing the knife could still be felt.
"Oh, sorry Ivan.." I stuck the knife back in the same hole.
"Why did you stick it in again?! Master Karl, there is a limit to joking!" Ivan protested for the second time.
"Why are you disguising yourself as a Pastor now? Are you that religious now?"
"T-There is a reason for this!"
"Oh, and then?" I replied coldly.
"Remember the proposal that came in when the temple asked for gold coins for the reason of supporting the victims of war? That was just nonsense.. their real goal was to build a magic weapon to destroy our territory!"
"Oh.. is that all?"
"Come on... Master Karl. At least be a little surprised! Appreciate my efforts to sneak into their circle!"
"Yes.. yes.. your efforts are good but the execution is wrong."
"Eh?" Ivan was a little confused by my words.
"If you want to go somewhere, please tell your pregnant wife. By the way... Ahem! Your wife is on her way here."
"P-Please don't joke around, Master Karl. Isn't she busy working at home right now?"
"Oh, really?" a deep voice sounded behind me.
For this matter, I can't interfere anymore.
A husband has responsibilities in their household. That's why.. household affairs must be completed by the household members.
"Ahem..! Selena.. do you want classic torture or modern torture?" I asked Ivan's wife.
"Classic, Master Karl" Selena answered briefly.
"Ahem! Chiyuki.."
As if understanding what I meant, Chiyuki threw a small bag to Selena.
Selena accepted the small bag and opened its contents.
"Honey.. you left without saying a word. I think... it's time to end your bad habit."
"O-Of course.. I-It's just a misunderstanding to leaving you without trace, my dear," Ivan tried to find a logical reason.
"ARGHHHH!!!" ignoring her husband's reason, Selena immediately vented her desire to re-educate her husband's bad habit.
Hearing that scream, I was a little relieved and scared.
Should I get married?
What will happen if my household is like this?
What is this...
I feel.. my mentality is not ready to build a household.
Let's put those worries aside and enjoy this beautiful view a little longer.
[...]
"Wow, Ivan! You're still alive?" For some reason, Ivan came to my room.
"Master Karl, with all due respect. I almost died last night!" On this bright morning, Ivan with his youthful enthusiasm let out his complaints.
"First, it's your fault. Do you think your wife is insensitive if her husband disappears who knows where while she's pregnant? Honestly, I wonder why you two got married?"
"Um... maybe we married... Accidentally?" Ivan joked.
"You know... if your wife hears this. I can't defend you."
"Huh? How could she hear it here?" Ivan replied confidently.
When Ivan finished saying that sentence, the sound of the door suddenly closing and caught his attention. From behind my room door was Selena who entered with a gentle smile.
"Whatever it is, please don't dirty my room with blood," I said to warn Selena.
Ivan looked very restless, his temples sweating until his shirt collar was wet.
"G-Good morning, my dear," Ivan said to break the atmosphere.
"Oh? Good morning, honey.. is there still something spot missing from last night?" Selena asked coldly.
"Master Karl, everything that was ordered has been completed. Now.. we just need permission to send the ordered goods," Selena continued while handing over several important documents to my desk.
I accepted the documents given by Selena and read their contents.
"The Alpha unit should have been mobilized to solve this problem but they are busy teaching our new generation at the Academy. For that.."
I immediately stood up and took the special equipment under my desk.
"Master Karl?" Selena asked.
"Oh, no! A situation like this again?"
These husband and wife have the same brain frequency.
I immediately opened the special equipment, and several tactical maps and military attack scenarios opened. Ivan and Selena rushed to observe the tactical maps and scenario guides.
"Gosh... this can't be happening, right?" Ivan asked, anxious when he saw the military attack scenario.
"For this one.. it feels very disgusting to face them," Selena added.
"Well, anyway. Our opponent this time is the undead, special preparation is very necessary."
"Yes, Master Karl!" replied the husband and wife.
They then rushed off to carry out this plan.
After the two couples left, Mercedes appeared and brought some snacks. She looked restless when the small paper she was carrying fell.
"M-Master Karl.." hearing her tone of voice so small. I realized that there was great worry in her mind.
At a glance... I saw a sheet of photos showing the condition of the Flora Kingdom. Far above the sky, several sources of fire and black smoke devoured the residents' houses. Besides that, a circle of dark magic rituals was spread across several points in the Flora Kingdom.
Seeing Mercedes' frightened reaction, my instincts became more certain to use the military attack scenario that had been prepared.
"Master Karl, I'm sorry if my big sister is too troublesome."
"It's okay, sometimes.. we need hard challenges to grow. Aren't you the same, Mercedes?"
"Um!" Mercedes nodded her head.
"Your big sister seems very dedicated. Isn't this going to be a big undead operation?"
"Enough, Master Karl. I'm a little embarrassed seeing my big sister's behavior," Mercedes replied while covering her face.
"So.. Um.. at least.. can I talk and provoke my big sister before we doing that?" Mercedes continued to ask.
"Of course, after all.. that weapon was designed for the undead. It would be embarrassing if the target was a human."
"Thank you, Master Karl."
[...]