Two figures sat silently in the office. One was a young woman whose face had hints tears on her face while the other was a young man who was f the girl beside him.

  It has been about half an hour sihe guildmaster left the office, and finally, Yuna has sobered up from all the g. Her face was as red as her eyes as she slowly took in the embarrassment like a little child.

  Grey had already told her everything he knew and Yuna had already fiven him. Even when she wao get mad at Grey, suger didn't st long. Rather, her anger was turned into a somewhat differeion.

  The current Yuna now acted like a spoiled little child, requesting Grey to stay close to her and pat her head. Grey didn't know why she requested those things, but thinking it might calm her down, he did so without much thinking.

  "Are you hungry?" ［Grey］

  Grey asked calmly as he gently stroked Yuna's head, and Yuna just quietly shook her head in response, her hair swaying from side to side along with her head.

  "You sure? Missing meals is bad for you healtー" ［Grey］

  "Grey, you're being overprotective again." ［Yuna］

  "Ah, sorry. I was just worried." ［Grey］

  It was already past lunch yet the two still stayed put in their seats in silenot being disturbed by hunger nor boredom.

  With their high bat power, they could just sate their hunger by using mana. Meals are only taken for physical fort and satisfying their appetites for food. After all, eating is something which makes people more human.

  'I know, dummy' ［Yuna］

  Yuna giggled without letting Grey notice. Even when she was a bit annoyed by Grey's overprote, she was happy that he worried for her.

  But right now, Yuna wao make Grey stop treating like a child. After all, she didn't want Grey to look at her as a little sister nor like a daughter. She wanted Grey to look at her as a woman.

  With it, she was now one small step closer into Grey's heart. Even if it might be a small step, a step is a step, heless. It does not remove the fact that she was making progress on their retionship.

  It might take years befrey notices her but she was willing to wait. After all, as long as she stay by his side, she is satisfied. There was o rush and risk their curreionship.

  "ht. The interrogation... I wonder how the Guildmaster is doing..." ［Grey］

  "Then, do you want to go to the barracks together?" ［Yuna］

  "Together"... Yuna greatly emphasized that word. She didn't want Grey to leave her alone in the dark again. Unless one is as dense as a sack of bricks, one would easily uand what Yuna was trying to vey.

  Of course, Grey totally got Yuna's hint, but what surprised him the most was that he never knew Yuna was such a suggestive girl. She had really grown up iime they spent in Galderia.

  Slowly but surely, Grey noticed that the two of them were ging by the moments. That's why... He wao treasure every single day they have together. After all, eae is a on a lifetime experience more precious than a sack of gold.

  "Alright, let's go together." ［Grey］

  "Un." ［Yuna］

  The two left the offid then headed to the barracks, but along the way, there was something Grey couldn't help but notice...

  'Isn't Yuna too close...?' ［Grey］

  ... Yuna was following him closer than usual like a little puppy. She was wearing a happy expression on her face, and acted like an attached child who was afraid to be separated from her parent even for a sed.

  Grey wao do something about it, but it wasn't like she was doing something wrong or it was unfortable for him. In the end, he just let her do what she wanted as long as she's happy with it.

  Grey didn't think much of Yuna's behavior and just dismissed it as something like a rea after hearing so many shog things simultaneously. Never in his wildest imagination did he think that Yuna was doing it to close the distaween them, both physically and romantically.

  Thankfully, to the eyes of the passersby, it was just a normal distance... for a couple, that is. Something that didn't cross Grey's mind.

  "Oh, Grey, Yuna! You're both here! The Guildmaster is waiting for you!" ［Dale］

  When they arrived at the barracks, the ohat greeted them was Dale as he stood by on duty along with the uards.

  With Dale guiding them, Grey and Yu ihe barracks and into the room where the interrogation was supposed to take pce. Their steps g oone brick floor as they traversed the corridors.

  Not only the Guildmaster, even Kris and Aria were there too when Grey and Yuna arrived at the interrogation room. All of them were wearing serious and dreadful expressions on their faces.

  "Guildmaster, how's the iigation?" ［Grey］

  "Haah... See for yourself." ［Gaston］

  The Guildmaster heaved a lengthy sigh as he moved away from the door, revealing the man which Grey had just captured a few moments ago. The scumbag who is part of Jaco's party.

  The man's hands were handcuffed and his mana veins were sealed to prevent him fr to escape, but what caught Grey's attention the most was the man himself. He was no longer breathing.

  There was no sign of pulse and all his mana veins have raptured. Oside, it might look like he was hanging his head down and closing his eyes, but on closer iion, one would uand that he has already loed.

  "Suicide?" ［Grey］

  "Something like that. The bastard suddenly died a few moments after he regained sciousness. We didn't eveo ask him a single question." ［Gaston］

  "And we were so close, too! Damnit!" ［Kris］

  As Kris hit the walls with the side of his fists, the whole barracks shook slightly from the raw force of his strike. Thankfully, he did his full power and bst a hole in the wall.

  Indeed, it was a frustrating se. It was also the reason why the kingdom has yet to gather any information on the masterminds. They were like lizards who cut their tails just to save themselves.

  Grey sloroached the dead man as he scoured every inch of his body to search for fn substances which may have caused his death, but to no avail. The cause wasn't a physical substance, but a magical one.

  "tract magic?" ［Grey］

  "That's right. Every time we try to interrogate them, the tract activates and kills them instantly. Those calcutive bastards!" ［Kris］

  As Kris' words, everyone in the room fell dead silent. All of them were clearly frustrated but decided not to show it.

  tract magic. It is a magic which is borne from the bination of holy and curse magic. A magic that puhose who disobey them.

  Normally, it would only temporarily seal the magic veins of the tractee, but with a few modifications, it became a tract which takes away the life of the tractee whehey try to leak secrets regarding the tractor. A simple yet effective method.

  Whehe tract magic is established, there is no way to undo it forcefully without the agreement of the tractor or tractee... or that's how it was supposed to be.

  Unfortunately for the enemy, Grey was there. Even if the knowledge God provided was mostly about on sehat only applies to on knowledge. When it es to magic, arts, and other skills, God had granted Grey everything he o know, and by everything, God really meant everything.

  As tract magic is an agreement of souls, one only o partially destroy the soul to break the tract between both sides. But sihe soul is the core of the body, the moment it gets destroyed, the owner of the body will die too.

  And if one wants both sides to stay alive, one only o break one of their souls then repair it within a split sed. That way, the tract will be demolished and both the tractor and the tractee will be saved.

  The problem with the current situation is that the tractee is already dead and they don't know where the tractor is.

  'Ah!' ［Grey］

  It was then that Grey suddenly remembered an important aspect that he had pletely overlooked. An aspect which might lead them to success.

  "Guildmaster, I have a question." ［Grey］

  "What is it?" ［Gaston］

  "His party members... Those guys who were with this man a few weeks ago. Do you know them?" ［Grey］

  "You mean Jaco's group? Yeah, why?" ［Gaston］

  "Do you perhaps know where they be found?" ［Grey］

  A sinister smile loomed on Grey's face as he asked the Guildmaster with a dubious question. It was a smile which clearly wasn't one.

  Grey had remembered that it wasn't only the dead man who was emanating an evil aura. His party members were, too. They were all scumbags and lowlives who would serve the world better if they just died.

  And seeing how they are in the same party together, it wouldn't be strao think that all of them were involved in the beast is. Actually, they are the people Grey was most suspicious of.

  "Grey, I know what you're thinking. But if we move recklessly, they might just end up the same as this man here. It's too risky!" ［Gaston］

  "Guildmaster, trust me on this one. I have a way to make things work." ［Grey］

  Dubious and curious eyes looked at Grey as he said those words. There was only one person who had full trust in him, and that was Yuna.

  The Guildmaster wao doubt Grey but knowing all his aplishments and the nature of his ability, there wasn't mu for doubting, If anything, Grey might be the only ohey put their trust in to carry on the operation.

  "Haah... Then, what are you standing there five a paper and a pen. I'll write down their locations." ［Gaston］

  Desperatio in his voice, the Guildmaster wrote down all the pces he knew of that Jad his group frequently visited.

  As the Adventurer's Guild Guildmaster, Gaston handled every informatioed to the adventurers. From the pces they stay at to their records, he knew everything whieeded to be known.

  Especially when the adventurers' iion roblematie. The Guild would spare no effort into monit them. After all, they will be the ones responsible if one of their adventurers caused trouble.

  And it seemed like Jad his group was oop of the list of the troublemaking adventures as the Guildmaster easily wrote down information about them. They have caused enough trouble that the Guildmaster has memorized their locations.

  If only they had gathered substantial evidend there were victims who testified, they would have long arrested Jad pany. That's how severe their case was.

  ...

  Far away from the barracks, in the nook and ies hidden away by the alleyways, there was a door leading to a basement. A basement which was u and filled with cracks on the floor.

  It was a dark and gloomy ply lit up by a siern hung on the ceiling. Rats were crawling everywhere and the smell of alcohol and smoke filled the air. A polluted enviro tained in a small space.

  "Puhaaa... That hit the spot!" ［Jaco］

  Sitting along a wooden table was Jad his underlings. Their faces and clothes in simir unruly dition as the basement and their mouths reeking the smell of alcohol.

  On the floor y cups and bottles whice tained alcohol but are now fully empty. It was as if the group had been relying on alcohol for their sustenance. A lifestyle whily lowlives endure.

  "F*ck it! Because of those brats, we 't show our faces in the guild anymore!"

  "If only we weren't drunk back then, we could have easily beaten them!"

  "That's right! I don't believe those brats have defeated an Org! Someone must have helped them!"

  Cries of anger and hatred reverberated ihe basement as the group of drunkards tio run their mouths, clearly bming Grey and Yuna for their humiliation.

  But rather than aowledge their own weakhey still insist that it was only because they were drunk that they faihey were arrogant and miserable, which be sidered as cer in society.

  "Oi, is Kroll here yet?" ［Jaco］

  "No, boss. It seems that he's running te."

  "That f*cker, he's probably harassing women in the alleyways again."

  "Haah... F*g hell. Why did I entrust that bastard with the orb!" ［Jaco］

  As they tio drink, the drunkards' topic shifted to one of their rades and about a mysterious orb.

  What they were talking about was clearly the "E rey had gotten his hands on a few ho, and it seems that "Kroll" was the name of the man who just got killed by tract magic.

  Unbeknownst to them, Grey and Yuna had already arrived outside and overheard their whole versation. Just the mention of the orb alone was enough frey to firm that they were indeed aplices.

  "Huh...? What's this... feeling..."

  Thud

  Out of nowhere, one of the drunkards' lost sciousness and his head hit the table, produg a loud thud. His body wobbled at first as if he had been pletely intoxicated by the alcohol, lulling him to sleep.

  "Yaawwnnn... So sleepy..."

  "Hey!... What are... you guys... do..."

  "F*g hell..."

  Thud Thud Thud

  Soon after, the other members of the group of drunkards followed suit and also fell asleep, produg a loud thudding sound each time. One of them eveowards the floor rather thaable.

  But it wasn't because of the alcohol that they suddenly drifted to sleep...

  "Looks like it worked." ［Grey］

  "Amazing as usual." ［Yuna］

  ... it was because Grey casted a curse magic called "Sleep" on them. It was a simple spell which pyed with the sciousness of people, making them feel tired and fall asleep in a short moment.

  The effectiveness of the spell depended on the gap of bat power, and Grey being an S-ranker, it was insanely effective to a bunch of D-rankers who were already uhe influence of alcohol.

  Slowly, Grey approached one of the sleeping men and ched his fist. He then slowly drew back his fist and exhaled a lengthy breath.

  Yuna oher hand was fag the man, with her hand reag out to him. She reparing a holy-attribute spell which Grey instructed her to use a split sed after he strikes the man.

  "Haah... I hope this works... ??Soul Caliber??!" ［Grey］

  Swift as lightning, Grey's punch struck the man's back. While the man's physical body was unharmed, the same couldn't be said to his spiritual body. All of the man's mana veins and soul have been ruptured in a quistant.

  ??Perfect Heal?? ［Yuna］

  But ihan a fra of a sed, Yuna quickly casted her spell, rest the man's mana veins, but not the soul. The spell only temporarily halted the shattering of the soul but didn't repair it.

  ??Holy Bell?? ［Grey］

  But that small time window was all Grey needed. In that short moment, Grey casted the stro holy-attribute spell he was capable of.

  The man's soul which was almost shattered into smithereens was now pletely restored as if time was reversed and nothing ever happened. But eve was restored, the force it produced became weaker.

  By Grey's calcutions, the man's mana capacity, along with his bat power, has decreased quite a bit. He was now at the bottom of D-rank. Not that Grey cared about them anyway.

  "Did it work?" ［Yuna］

  "Yeah, thank you." ［Grey］

  "Un. Sure." ［Yuna］

  Yuna smiled as she replied to Grey's expression of gratitude. She was happy that she was able to help out in the case. Especially si involved the destru of her home vilge.

  Grey and Yuna tihe process for the three other men as well, and like the first one, all of their bat powers drastically decreased. But with it, the tract was also broken.

  With their tasks pleted, Grey and Yuna delivered the four men to the Guild without aig. They had used Yuna's "Nihility" to ceal the unsen from the eyes of the public.

  The moment they arrived, the face of the Guildmaster ectacle to be seen. He was so surprised that his eyes were about to pop out of his skull and that he couldn't even mutter any words for a few moments.

  The removal of the tract magic was a great success too. The moment the men woke up, none of them suddenly died like the first oheir faces were screaming of fusion as they didn't uand what was happening.

  And as Grey and Yuna already did their part, the interrogation was left to Kris, Aria, and the Guidlmaster. The two would just be updated of the results afterwards.

  Meanwhile, Grey went home to have a meal. A meal ating for both lund dinner. After all, they haveen since m from all the events which had taken pce. Yuna in particur was looking forward to whatever Grey was going to cook.

  ...

  It was deep in the night and the st bell had already rang a couple of ho. It wouldn't even be an uatement to say that it was already midnight.

  But in the serenity of the night, there were two figures heading ihe Adventurer's Guild. One of the figures was a muscur aged man, while the other was a somewhat skin simirly aged man.

  "Sorry for the sudden request." ［Gaston］

  "Just know that this won't be for free. I'll have you owe me wheime es." ［???］

  "Haah... You really are shrewd, Marcel." ［Gaston］

  "Well, I'm a mert after all." ［Marcel］

  The old man with the Guildmaster was also a Guildmaster, but not of the Adventurer's Guild but of the Mert's Guild. He was one of the most iial people in Galderia along with Gaston, the head of the knights, and the lord.

  The reason why Gaston invited him was because of his ability, "fession". It was an ability which forces the target to ahe user's question truthfully.

  There was only one fw, and that was the targets o be under pressure. Otherwise, the ability wouldn't work on them. It was an ability useful to normal people but not to high-rankers.

  "Lord Kris, Lady Aria, fancy meeting you here." ［Marcel］

  "It's also our pleasure." ［Aria］

  "Yup, same." ［Kris］

  But that fw was already covered. With Kris and Aria present, pressuring those who are many ranks lower than them iece of cake. It was like taking dy from a baby.

  "Now that everyone's here, let's start the interrogation." ［Gaston］

  Prompted by Gaston, everyoered the interrogation room. There, Jad his three underlings were seated with their movements sealed by cuffs and a couple of magic items.

  The moment Marcel sat down on the opposite side of the table, Kris and Aria immediately released their aura's and trated them on the group of four before them.

  The men whose faces were once filled with fidence were now sweating bullets in the face of the bined pressure produced by Kris and Aria. It took them all just to keep themselves scious.

  "Now, be some good boys and answer all my questions, alright?" ［Marcel］

  CHAPTER 26 END