Chapter 144

「It seems that everything you are today is thanks to the various things that that guy taught you . Moreover, for him to help you escape . It’s the hypocrisy of prioritizing someone else even though his own life was being targeted . …it seems like something that guy would do . 」

Kurou said this and laughed scornfully .

Perhaps it was because dere Kurou had appeared a lot recently, I was somewhat deeply moved by his sharp tongue that I haven’t seen in a while .

「Incidentally, Akira, about that assasination squad, did you talk with them?」

I thought about it, and shook my head .

「No, or rather, I didn’t know who was part of the assassination squad . Certainly, I didn’t recognize any of the soldiers who surrounded me when I left that castle, but perhaps I just didn’t see them . 」

It would’ve been good if they wore clothes that revealed their identity as the “Night Raven” squad at a glance, but unfortunately, there was no such person .

It was an assassin’s job to inconspicuously mix in with the others, so if they were discovered so easily, then they would be unworthy of being the royal family’s private squad .

「Actually, when I was investigating Gram, I found something interesting . 」

Kurou, who was pondering about something, said this and looked up .

I tilted my head in confusion and looked at Kurou .

How unusual, his lips were curled into a smile .

「The drug that Gram is using to strengthen humans, let’s see, let’s just call it as it is, the ‘strengthening drug’ . There are two things that I found out about that ‘strengthening drug’ . Its performance and exportation route . 」

What did that have to do with the assassination squad .

「Firstly, the ‘strengthening drug’ will raise people’s fighting strength, regardless if they had a combative occupation or not, and in turn, they lose their human emotions and become killing machines that faithfully carry out orders . I have yet to find out if they become like that after one dose, or after long-term use . 」

Kurou saw that Amelia and I nodded and continued .

「At present, Gram’s ‘strengthening drug’ mercenaries consist of beastmen only, but the drug is effective on humans as well, and from my investigations, it seems that about a decade ago, it was exported only once to the human’s Retice Kingdom . The recipient was seemingly an ordinary doctor, but that guy now works at the castle as a close aide to the king of Retice . 」

In other words, the recipient of the drug was, in actuality, the king, huh .

「Saran was strong enough to be acknowledged by the demon king . There’s no way that guy would lose to an ordinary human . Not to mention, light magicians specialized in barriers and purification . It was impossible for a normal assassin to succeed, even if there was a miracle . …in order to carry it out successfully, they would have to be humans that were strengthened by the drug . 」

I bit my lip .

「…that is to say, the assassination squad ‘Night Raven’ is the same as Gram’s mercenaries? …however, even if that is the case, what’s the connection between the king of Retice who produced mindless puppets who killed Saran Misray and Gram?」

My eyes widened at the words that Amelia inadvertently muttered .

I immediately turned to look at Kurou, and he was looking at me with his lips drawn .

「You, you’ve been gathering information recently, was it for this?」

When I glared at Kurou, he shrugged his shoulders .

「I had gathered information on you, but I was genuinely surprised just now when I found out you knew Saran . How interesting that our talk led up to here . 」

What was so interesting .

I frowned .

It seems that Amelia was unable to read any deeper into our exchange, so she looked back and forth between Kurou and I .

「Did you think that I wouldn’t notice the light in your eyes that thirsted for revenge? Sorry, but I don’t have the time . To care about it . 」

It was completely different than when we were talking about Commander Saran, those eyes were dyed with coldheartedness .

「You’ve done your best to come thus far . I’ll have you fall . 」

Perhaps she noticed something from those words, as Amelia immediately look at me .

「Akira, it couldn’t be, the condition for having Kurou guide us into the demon territory… . 」

Without answering, I glared at Kurou .

Instead, Kurou smiled and answered Amelia’s question .

「Aah, the condition that I had put out was the assassination of Gram . He will avenge my younger sister in my stead as I can no longer fight . However, if Gram is the enemy of your teacher, Saran, then this conversation would be quick, wouldn’t it? Besides, Gram was the one who brought the demons to the Brute dungeon where that princess over there had been abducted to, you know?」

Kurou’s eyes met mine, who had kept silent .

If it were the protagonist of the story, he would’ve definitely denied Kurou’s words here .

Revenge would only be futile .

Reconsider it as the person who died would not wish for such a thing .

However, I could not do something like that .

I was not the protagonist of a novel .

I had traveled together with Kurou, from Mari to Uruk, and I know that Kurou was just someone who was kind, yet awkward when dealing with other people .

I knew that he was friends with Commander Saran .

I knew that he was regretful that his body was not well, even though he wanted to get revenge for his younger sister .

I, who knew this, could no longer avert my eyes, thinking that it had nothing to do with me .

In truth, the things called emotions were troublesome .

However, even so, the king of Retice’s assassination squad had become abnormal due to the “strengthening drug”, the one who created the drug was Gram or someone beside him, and the demons who injured Amelia was bought over by Gram .

That was all information from Kurou .

It was imperative that I collect evidence .