Episode 58: Because It’s Painful
Ferda asked Chancellor Bernard a question. He had brought him a whole bottle of alcohol.
“What is this?”
“I thought you might need it.”
“The whole bottle…?”
“It’s a hard day, isn’t it?”
It really was a hard day. His heart, which had never pounded wildly except after drinking too much coffee, now slammed against his ribs. He couldn’t calm down.
Bernard grabbed the bottle with shaking hands and drank deeply. Gulp, gulp, gulp. The whiskey was over 60% alcohol. It burned his throat, but he only stopped drinking after finishing half the bottle.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“No need to thank me.”
“Can I ask you something? I just can’t… I can’t get it out of my head.”
“Go ahead.”
“How… How did you know I was in danger?”
‘How did he know? It was because of a technique that the now-dead Thessalos Walcher had once praised so highly. But when that technique was suddenly declared a mistake, Bernard was furious. His anger made everything clearer. That’s when he realized— ‘Bernard was not the same Bernard anymore.’ But by then, it was too late. He couldn’t prove it. The technique was gone. And Bernard died as the worst chancellor in history.’
Ferda remembered that moment and thought about when Bernard would be in the most danger. It was when he returned to the city.
‘I was lucky.’ The surveillance, which could have lasted longer, had been solved quickly.
Ferda answered Bernard’s question.
“I have ears to hear things.”
Bernard let out a hollow laugh.
“Damn it… Everyone hears things, but why am I the only one who doesn’t?”
“It’s not just that. A chancellor of a city like yours came here without any soldiers. You were bound to be exposed to danger.”
“Because it’s inefficient to bring soldiers.”
“To nobles, efficiency is foolishness.”
“You’re right. I feel that deeply today. Those who think attacking Escolaya’s chancellor is good news… They’ll suffer from now on.”
Bernard’s face turned red. His anger and the alcohol were making him lose control.
“Who would’ve thought the demons were after me? The ones who get mocked as delusional for talking about demons. But today… one appeared right in front of me…” His eyes filled with tears.
“Don’t cry.”
“Sniff… S-Sorry.”
Ferda frowned as he watched Bernard wipe his tears.
“Anyway, now you must understand. The demons are always looking for a chance to destroy this continent.”
“…Yes.”
“This continent must remain ours. Even if it doesn’t belong to us, it must not fall into the hands of demons.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
“So, I have a proposal.” Ferda reached out his hand to the drunken and emotional Bernard.
“Lend me the technology for predicting demon appearances.”
Bernard’s mind, clouded by alcohol, suddenly became clear.
“…Lend it to you?”
“Yes. The blueprint and mechanism for the monster appearance prediction device.”
The request was polite, but it was the same as demanding everything. Bernard immediately understood.
“So… That’s what this is about?”
“What do you mean?”
“You had me watch, waited until I was in danger, and then…” He tapped the half-empty bottle with his finger. “…You gave me this strong alcohol to make me emotional. All of this… was to take my technology?”
A trick to shake his emotions and make him vulnerable. Ferda would deny it. Like all nobles, he would pretend he had no such intention and argue against it. Bernard was ready for that response. But—
“Yes.”
Ferda admitted it without hesitation.
Bernard jumped up from his seat, furious.
“You manipulated someone in pain just to get what you want…! You should be ashamed of yourself, Regent Valdrova!”
Unlike Bernard, who was shouting in anger, Ferda remained calm.
“Why should I be ashamed?”
“What? How can you even ask that?! You used someone’s life just to gain favor!”
“If I wanted your favor, I would’ve sweet-talked you. I would’ve told you lies to make you trust me. But I don’t care about your favor.” Ferda pointed at Bernard’s head.
“I wanted you alive because you have that technology.”
“…So I was useful, and that’s why I survived?”
“That technology almost got you killed. But because of that same technology, you were saved. Isn’t that natural?”
Bernard had no argument. He was nearly killed because he was useful. And he was saved because he was useful. But aside from that, Ferda was saying he meant nothing. Bernard couldn’t stand being treated like that.
“You…! You’re not even human!” Drunk and unsteady, he pointed a trembling finger at Ferda and moved toward the door.
“If you leave, you will die.”
Bernard froze. The eerie words felt like a noose tightening around him.
“…Are you threatening me?”
“No. I’m just stating a fact. If you walk around this late at night, you’ll be eaten by monsters before demons can get to you.”
“I’d rather be eaten than stay here!”
Ferda put down his teacup and stood up.
“If you die, everything you’ve built will be destroyed.”
Bernard flinched. Ferda’s words weren’t just his own thoughts. They were Bernard’s own fears.
“The one who attacked you took your form, didn’t he? What do you think he would do?”
“…”
“He would destroy everything you worked for, without anyone noticing. Your blueprints and records would turn to ashes, scattered in the wind… As if they never existed.”
“…”
“And then what? What do you think an imposter in your position would do? He’d sit at your desk, sleep in your bed. He’d write orders and stamp approvals. He’d waste money and bring ruin to your city.”
“Ugh…”
Bernard collapsed to the floor. To him, Escolaya and his research were like his wife and child. The thought of them being destroyed without his knowledge was unbearable.
“…Sob… Sob…” He finally broke down, curling into himself and shaking. He was alone.
“I declared that I would conquer the land of demons. The demons are my enemies—filthy cockroaches that must be wiped out.”
Ferda extended his hand.
“To achieve that dream, I need your technology.”
Bernard stared at his hand. Ferda Valdrova was known as a 3-circle mage. But his hand was not soft like the hands of noble families. It was rough with calluses. This was the hand of a knight. Bernard, once someone who dreamed of being a knight, saw honor and trust in that hand.
“…I will share the blueprints and mechanisms of my research. But…” Bernard poked his chest with an unsteady finger.
“This knowledge is mine. Make sure that’s clear.”
He was demanding credit for his work. A scholar’s pride and everything he stood for. Ferda didn’t mind.
“Your name will go down in history.”
Ferda and Bernard headed to Consilus territory. Before Bernard returned to Escolaya, Arwen had prepared to receive him and planned to escort him.
“What do you think of the chancellor?” Ferda asked Count Consilus.
“The priests say he’s in shock. He needs at least a day to recover. He was nearly killed for the first time. Usually, people like him die of heart attacks, not by another’s hands.”
“Is that so?”
“More than that, he drank too much suddenly, which damaged his body. It’s like he drank to excess somewhere…”
“I gave it to him. The whiskey you gifted me.”
“You gave him the whole bottle?”
“He drank half of it right there.”
“Why would you do something so reckless?” Ferda sipped his tea.
“Because he’s in pain.”
“…It’s a miracle he’s still alive.”
“He must be alive. I need something from him.”
“I’ll tell Arwen to prepare.”
Count Consilus was still in shock. He recalled what he had seen when Ferda’s carriage arrived at his castle just a few hours ago.
“I have seen thousands of monsters in my life, but a demon… this is my first time seeing one.”
“No need to be surprised. I have never seen one before either.”
“More than that, this is the first time I’ve seen a demon imitating a human.”
There are three clear traits of demons: sharp teeth, red eyes, and black skin.
“I think they mistook it for a doppelganger.”
“A doppelganger?”
“If it has no true form and can copy both appearance and voice, it must be a doppelganger. Chancellor Bernard must have been confused and in a hurry.”
“So, you’re saying he made a mistake?”
“Yes.” It made sense. Ferda thought about it carefully.
“Do you know the difference between a doppelganger and the real human it copies?”
“A doppelganger can copy the outer appearance, but not what’s inside the clothes. That’s why people remove the clothes to check.”
“That’s right. But this one copied everything inside as well. Even the private parts.”
“Wait… they checked that too?”
“If you’re not look at everything carefully, you’ll pay the price.”
“That’s true. But if it copied even that, it’s not just imitation. It’s a perfect clone.”
“That’s not all. That thing had the exact same mana as Bernard. It didn’t just copy Bernard. It became him.”
“It became him… then it must have been really hard to tell the difference. Sir Jed must have a sharp eye.”
“I was lucky.” He was thankful that he was bald. Even more thankful that he always kept his bald head shiny.
“So, how is that doppelganger demon now?”
“It’s locked up tightly. I also ordered the executioner to torture it.”
“Still torturing it?”
“Yes.”
“How many hours has it been?”
“He started as soon as we arrived, so about four hours.”
Ferda rested his chin on his finger.
“How long do you think it will take to get information out of it?”
“The executioner is skilled. If you give him two days—”
“Two days is too long for me.”
“I’ll tell him to do his best.”
“No need.” Ferda stood up.
“I’m impatient, but there’s no need to cause a mess when I already have a solution.”
“Are you saying… you’ll torture it yourself?”
“I have some skill in that area too.”
A noble who was skilled in torture. But it wasn’t surprising. Ferda was the same person who had killed Thessalos Walcher without blinking an eye.
“Can I use the alchemy workshop?”
“Yes, but we don’t have many poisonous ingredients. Will that be okay?”
“It’s fine. I’m not making poison anyway.”
“Oh, then you can use it.”
Ferda walked toward the workshop. Consilus watched his back.
‘If it’s not poison… then what kind of medicine is he making?’
A question filled his mind. He watched Ferda’s back moving away. Then, something moving on Ferda’s black robe.
“I must be seeing things because I’m old.” Consilous rubbed his eyes and stood up.
Deep underground in Count Consilus’s castle, inside the dungeon, the executioner, wearing a black hood, was doing his job. A man who looked exactly like Chancellor Bernard was tied up in a terrible state. His tendons were cut while he was tied to an iron torture rack. Even with a knight’s strength, he couldn’t escape.
This place was like hell itself, where no one came except for the executioner and the prisoner. But today, an unexpected guest arrived.
“Greetings, Regent Valdrova.”
“May I watch your work?”
“Yes, of course.” The executioner stepped back.
Ferda walked forward. The man’s body was in terrible condition. His face was swollen. His body was covered in bruises.
“Impressive.” Ferda muttered. “You know how to make someone suffer without killing them.”
“…You praise me too much.” The executioner was confused. He had never been complimented like this before.
This dungeon was a terrible, unpleasant place, close to hell itself. Yet, Ferda walked in without hesitation and said, “Impressive.”
“Your job is done now.”
“But we haven’t gotten any information yet.”
“I’ll handle the rest. Take this for your work.” Ferda handed him three gold coins.
The executioner was stunned by the sudden payment. But he knew what he had to do. He left.
Ferda dragged a chair and sat in front of the tied-up man. The man had his eyes closed and his head down.
“I know you’re still conscious. Now that you’re a demon, stop pretending to be a weak human.”
At those words, the man slowly lifted his head. His face was swollen, but his eyes still burned with life. Ferda’s eyes gleamed with interest.
