Chapter 172

Simultaneous ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍with my question, Bruno’s thick hand grabbed my collar.

A ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pressure that felt as if he might choke me at any moment.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍let out a voice that had completely sunk low.

"An ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍autopsy? Are you in your right mind right now?"

"I ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍didn't know a mafia member who makes a living from people's lives would be so sensitive to ethical issues."

"If ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I had to use such a method, I would not have accepted your help."

"You have an unexpectedly frustrating side to you. Look, think about it carefully. Is there a more certain method than this?"

Bruno did not answer.

His lips moved for a moment, but it seemed he could not reach a proper conclusion.

Performing an autopsy to get closer to the truth.

Even if it were me, I probably would not have been able to make the decision easily.

However, I was not making an absurd claim.

That was because this corpse…….

It was not a human who had been alive.

I carefully continued my words.

"It's unfortunate, but even if that mafia member wakes up, it will be difficult to get the clue you want. There's no way they would send someone important for a mere task of stealing a corpse. Of course, something might come out if we torture him, but isn't time too pressing? Camellia might realize the problem with the attack squad and send a follow-up team."

"……."

Bruno’s hand, which was holding my collar, began to tremble.

Rage.

However, he was wandering because he could not find the target for it.

"I'm not just making a reckless claim in the first place."

"What?"

"That corpse over there smells fishy. Isn't your sense of smell superior? To be honest, I thought you would have guessed to some extent."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

I indirectly cast my gaze toward the corpse.

"Look closely. That is not a human."

"……!"

Bruno checked the corpse once more.

The skin, blood vessels, eyes, body hair…….

It looked so perfect that one could not say it was not a human.

"You said you smelled a mana scent different from what the boss usually gave off, didn't you? Like a scent meant to hide another scent. ……This is purely my guess, but your boss might not be dead. To be precise, one could say she wasn't a human from the very beginning."

"Not a human?"

Where should I start explaining?

I suppose it would be better to bring up the culprit of this incident first.

"Do you know about the secret group called Manyeong?"

"It is famous in this world."

"Then what about an alchemist who belongs to Manyeong?"

"……I have heard of someone with a somewhat special power. It is merely a rumor, though."

"In that case, you must have also heard of dolls that are alive yet do not exist."

"Dolls?"

"Yes, another existence that has the appearance of a human."

"Are you talking about Ghouls?"

"No. As I said, a doll is another existence. It's an alien existence that cannot be distinguished from a human with the naked eye. According to the information I know, it's said that those dolls were all created by an alchemist of Manyeong."

"An alchemist who makes dolls……."

His expression suggested he was hearing this for the first time.

Well, was that natural?

That alchemist was a character who was only mentioned in the middle of the novel.

As a side note, the Moon-Shadow Spirit Pill I had swallowed in the past was also an item made by that person.

"Does that mean the boss was a doll?"

"I know it's hard to believe. It's still just a guess, too. However, if it's not that, there's no way to explain this situation clearly."

"What is the evidence that Manyeong is getting involved in this matter?"

"That's because the leader of Manyeong has joined hands with Camellia."

"What? Is that true?"

"I'll explain that matter later. It's related to the reason I'm trying to go to Gangwon-do. Before that, isn't it the correct order to first check whether your boss is truly a doll or not? From what I know, dolls are very similar to humans, but there is one difference."

"What is it?"

"They do not possess a heart, which serves as the mana pathway for an awakened being."

"……!"

This was the reason I had suggested the autopsy.

No matter how much I looked with the Demonic Eye, the area around the heart was strange.

"This won't be distinguishable by smell. Usually, dolls have a mana power device installed within their range of activity, and they can move through that. If my guess is correct, your boss, who stopped breathing without any external trauma……."

"Are you saying she collapsed because she couldn't get mana from the power device?"

"With a high probability, yes."

"Then that means there is a device nearby. But I have never seen or smelled such a thing."

"There's no way they would put it in an easy place, right? If it's that alchemist from Manyeong, the effective range of the power device would be quite significant. Wouldn't it be effective even from at least 5 kilometers away?"

It is impossible to install a mana power device inside a doll.

Large amounts of mana stones must be consumed periodically, and basically, the volume is quite large.

"In the end, it means Camellia, who joined hands with Manyeong, used it as a pretext to start a territory war."

"Well, the key will be since when exactly your boss was a doll."

"……."

"Let's stop the useless guesswork. Wouldn't it be faster to check for yourself with your own eyes? When you cut open the chest of the corpse, if there's a mechanical device that reacts to the power device, it's a doll. If not……. then this case falls into a deeper labyrinth."

"Wait a moment. One more thing."

"Hm?"

"Since when was the boss a doll? No, was she even a human at all?"

It was obvious what intention he had in asking.

To think the boss he had faithfully followed was a doll…….

Clearly, he was hoping that the boss had not been a doll from the beginning.

It was a heart that wanted to protect the various memories he had built with the boss, at the very least.

However, I replied while putting on a natural expression.

"Wouldn't it be strange if I even knew that? Even if I am from the Special Affairs Division."

"Is that so……."

"Checking first is the priority. Why don't you do it yourself? She, no, your boss would want that too."

"……."

Bruno’s hesitation was brief.

He soon took a small dagger from his pocket and poured a healing potion over the blade.

Then, he lifted the boss's outer clothing and pressed the blade against the area I had pointed to…….

SLICE.

He accurately slit open the skin.

"……T-This!"

"Well, it looks like the answer has come out."

In the position where the heart should have been, a Metalgrid was situated.

A bizarre item that resembled the shape of a heart.

Perhaps because its resonance with the power device had already been severed, it was not emitting any light at all.

"You said you smelled an alien scent from the boss, didn't you? It's probably the scent of this Metalgrid. The scent of a doll that was usually hidden by the mana of the power device."

"It wasn't hidden; it was being revealed……!"

Bruno returned the boss's clothing to its original state.

Then, he approached the unconscious mafia member, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him high.

"What are you trying to do?"

"I am merely trying to uncover the truth."

"As I said, you won't get any high-quality information."

"Then are you telling me to just sit still?"

"I'm saying let's think realistically. As you said, you're not going to charge into Camellia all by yourself, are you? Besides, it's not like there are no clues at all."

"Clues?"

I approached the mafia member and searched through his clothes.

I did not know how much information this man knew, but he must have at least the minimum amount of information in order to steal the corpse.

For instance, a place to transport the corpse.

Sure enough, a GPS terminal was found in his pocket.

A machine that could receive location values, rather than just unilaterally transmitting a location.

"Maybe they realized the situation of the attack squad and have already sent more troops?"

"Considering the importance of the doll, of course they would have."

Even so, there was no need to be impatient.

Now that we had discovered the value of the corpse, the initiative was ours.

"So, what is that clue?"

"Can you wait for a moment?"

I connected my smartphone to the GPS terminal and transmitted the data to Park Chaeshin.

After waiting for about two minutes, the phone rang immediately.

"Yes, Senior."

The location tracking is finished. But exactly how did you get this data?

"Is there a problem?"

There are many problems. It's because this place is near Gangwon-do.

"……!"

The exact location is Hongcheon County. They haven't crossed the barrier yet, but it's a route used for transporting supplies to the outposts. Since there wouldn't be any business in such an ambiguous location, I suspect they are heading to Gangwon-do."

"Heading to Gangwon-do, huh……. That's enough. Please just send me the location information."

As soon as I hung up, Bruno asked.

"Do those words mean the alchemist is in Gangwon-do?"

"Yeah, they'll hand the corpse over to another workforce there. The destination is, naturally, the alchemist of Manyeong. There is no room for doubt unless there's someone else trying to recover the doll."

"I see……."

"Furthermore, although Hyeonseong is constructing a base, the Bureau is stationed there using the murals as a pretext."

"Hm? The Bureau?"

Oops.

Bruno did not know about the relationship between Manyeong and the Bureau.

"I'll talk about the details later. For now, I want to hear your answer first. Whether or not you'll accompany me to Gangwon-do, depending on the conditions. You were going to go find that alchemist anyway, weren't you?"

"……."

Thanks to the alchemist of Manyeong and the doll, the situation was flowing advantageously.

If we accompanied each other to Gangwon-do with the same goal, more active tracking would be possible.

Of course, it would take more time to resolve Bruno’s business.

Before long, Bruno nodded.

"I need some time. I must move my subordinates to safety."

"About two days?"

"No, half a day is enough. I can find a suitable hideout in that time. And……."

"……?"

Bruno continued speaking while looking down at the doll.

"I am taking this too. I am not asking you to take care of it. I will carry it on my own back and go find the alchemist."

"Of course."

Bringing the doll directly to that alchemist felt a bit unsettling, but it would be easier to meet him if we had the doll.

"More importantly, we should look for the nearby power device first……."

At that moment, the unconscious mafia member woke up.

As Bruno said, it seemed he had some skill.

However, perhaps because he was still being held by the collar by Bruno, he screamed with a terrified face.

"S-Save me! I only did what I was told! They said they would give me a huge reward if I brought back the boss of Catalina!"

By the looks of it, he truly seemed to know nothing.

Bruno also put on a menacing face and squeezed the man's neck tight.

"I will ask only one thing. Which one of you killed the boss?"

"C-Catalina’s boss? Damn it, how would I know that!"

"I see."

It was an unsatisfactory answer.

Without giving the mafia member a chance to resist, Bruno pulled the trigger toward his forehead.

Not with an ordinary bullet, but with a magic bullet.

"……I am once again reminded that you are a mafia member."

"It is more human than a Special Affairs Division investigator who talks about dissecting the boss of a mafia."

"Whatever the case, I will relay the future schedule through the Mammoth Market messenger. Be fully prepared by then."

"Hmph, you had better not be a hindrance yourself."

"Of course."