I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 4 Chapter 4.6

“Understood.”

He saluted and proceeded to explain the situation verbally.

It appeared that the remaining faction was contained within this area, with the others either eliminated or captured. The interrogation of the captives was currently underway.

Furthermore, while the facility’s underground space was expansive, its layout was relatively straightforward. There were only three areas: the warehouse where the slaves were held, a cell, and a room for documents.

“We’re currently examining the document room. As for the slaves—”

“No need to elaborate. I understand without you saying. They’re all dead, right?”

Interrupting my hesitant subordinate, I conveyed my understanding.

Even without being explicitly told, my detection abilities allowed me to comprehend the situation. The slaves here had all perished. There was absolutely no magical presence to be detected.

“I’ll leave the document room to you. I’ll check on the slaves.”

Presumably, they had been killed to prevent any information leaks, but there might still be some clues left behind. While the dead might not talk, sometimes corpses can reveal valuable information.

After exchanging a bit more information, my subordinates returned to their tasks.

By the time we had received the situation report, the cleanup of the remnants seemed to be finished, leaving the warehouse in an eerie silence.

I looked at the headmaster. She was also gazing straight at me.

“Would you like to accompany me, Headmaster?”
“It’s a foolish question. Leaving without confirming is out of the question.”

The kidnappers and the slave buyers were connected. This meant that there was a possibility that one of the kidnapped students was among the deceased slaves.

If that turned out to be the case, it would be a painful sight for the headmaster. But she didn’t have the option to retreat now.

If she was prepared for this, there was no need for further discussion. Although she might look young, the headmaster was a capable adult.

The door leading to the cell was a sturdy iron door, giving off an aura of determination to keep whatever was inside from getting out.

In front of the door, three of my knights were waiting.

“There’s only one entrance and exit to the cell. Staying inside for too long might jeopardize your health, so please be cautious.”

“Understood.”

I sighed inwardly at my subordinates’ warning. Although I had a rough idea of what we would find inside, it seemed that the situation was worse than I had anticipated. I needed to mentally prepare myself before entering.

With determination, both I and headmaster opened the heavy iron door.

“…”

Almost simultaneously, our brows furrowed. While we had expected this, the sight inside was even worse than we had imagined.

The first thing that hit us was the stench. It seemed like they hadn’t managed waste at all. On top of that, mixed with the stench of excrement was the sickening smell of blood, creating a nauseating combination of odors.

What followed was the sight of red, a sea of blood and entrails. The entire room was drenched in red. We had heard that it was exactly as it was during the raid, but seeing it firsthand was a whole different experience. Dismembered corpses were strewn everywhere. Even the bodies that were still somewhat intact within our sight had lost any semblance of their original form.

Indeed, the warning about potential health hazards was accurate. Staying in this environment for an extended period of time would surely take a toll on one’s sanity.
“And…”

“It’s filled with curses.”

“Indeed.”

Both I and the headmaster had sensed it keenly – the pervasive curses that infested this cell. A dense aura of resentment and hatred hung in the air, making it a harsh environment for those without means to counter curses.

Since the curses could potentially affect the waiting knights by the door, I cast a barrier to seal the entrance. Furthermore, I enveloped both of us in a protective barrier as well. Exploring in our normal state would be quite challenging under these circumstances.

“A barrier that can even block curses. You really are exceptional as always.”

“I had plenty of time for research, after all.”

“Normally, someone who isn’t even a witch shouldn’t be able to deal with curses.”

Despite our casual dialogue, characteristic of two seasoned individuals, we continued to scan the room vigilantly.

To be honest, the dismembered corpses were making me feel queasy, but there was no room for weakness or complaints now.
Confirming the presence of curses suggests that the mastermind themselves may have taken care of the aftermath. In such a valuable crime scene, there should be solid evidence that can be found. We should work quickly to resolve the situation. If it becomes too difficult, I can always use ?Calm Composure? to steady things.

After a thorough examination, I discovered an intriguing detail.

The method of killing the slaves involved slashing with a sword. The weapon used falls under the category of a greatsword, indicating that the wielder was likely highly skilled. The cuts are far too clean.

I remember encountering a kidnapper before who used a bastard sword. This strongly implies that the mastermind themselves might have been present.

The headmaster, who was examining the cuts, remarked, “These appear to be techniques from the Holy Kingdom’s swordsmanship. Although it’s hard to be certain due to the dismemberment, the angle of the slashes seems familiar.”

“You can tell that much?”

“Back when I was a bit of a troublemaker, I had my fair share of clashes with the Holy Kingdom’s knights. I’ve been cut by their blades many times myself.”

“Ah, so it’s from personal experience.”
In terms of experience, I believe there’s no one surpassing this loli granny. After all, she’s earned the title of the “Witch of Life” for overcoming her lifespan and being able to recover from any injury. Longevity is not just a mere label.

“The culprits in this series of incidents are skilled practitioners of Holy Kingdom swordsmanship and possess considerable wealth,” I mused.

Dark guilds, slave trading, and such tactics. The method involving multiple organizations wouldn’t be feasible without substantial funds.

In essence,

“It’s highly likely that they’re a high-ranking noble and a leader-level warrior,” the headmaster’s words summed it up.

Her statement hit the nail on the head. Finding someone who fits these criteria is quite rare. It was a moment of significant progress in identifying the culprit.

However, there’s still a question remaining.

“Why would the mastermind bother with cleaning up the scene themselves?”

Based on their actions so far, I had recognized the culprit as a cautious individual. It would have been safer to leave the disposal of the slaves to others, so why take the risk and handle it personally?

“They must have a strong hatred for beastfolk,” answered the headmaster, addressing my suspicion.

“Come to think of it, they seemed to have personally conducted the kidnappings as well. I believe the mastermind harbors a deep animosity toward beastfolk,” she elaborated.
“I see,” I replied.

Risking so much just to eradicate beastfolk. While I couldn’t really understand that sentiment, I came to accept that there was such intense obsession behind it.

In any case, the situation had progressed. The enemy that had been hiding in the shadows was gradually being brought to light. The resolution of this series of incidents might be closer than we thought.