Volume 6 Chapter 19-2 Friends Aren't Just Luke
Abel shook his head silently at the gaze directed toward Randy.
Of course, Randy didn't think they had said anything either.
Even if their plans were exposed, they were underground people nonetheless.
They were well aware that they wouldn't easily divulge any information.
Yet, there was no sign of disappointment or irritation on Abel's face.
(I see. So they have a grasp on things to some extent.)
When Randy glanced at Keith, he locked eyes with Keith, who nodded knowingly.
Abel was not talkative, but he was skilled at detecting lies from subtle changes in expressions and breaths.
Additionally, Keith was also well-versed in such matters.
(It's not about confirming their *disposal*... that could be communicated verbally.)
As Randy had suspected, the reason Keith had called him here was not to seek permission for disposing of the assassins.
It was also to hear Randy's opinion.
Among them, Randy was the only one who had fought directly against the executives of [Pilgrim of Truth].
Randy might think differently from them.
That was the agenda behind Keith calling Randy to this place.
"This feels like a test and I don't like it..."
With a sigh, Randy stepped forward, and Abel muttered, "Young Master, should we just kill them?"
"Hold on. Before that, let's just..."
Randy, smiling wryly, bent down to meet the gaze of the man closest to him.
The man glaring at Randy simply repeated, "Kill me" without showing any signs of further conversation.
After exchanging gazes in silence, the man murmured again, "Kill me."
From their perspective, there had, so far, been no serious interrogation, and even with Randy's arrival, there were no signs of any questioning or torture.
Suddenly, Randy, who had been exchanging glances, opened his mouth.
"Abel──"
"...What?"
Randy, having crouched down, sighed as he stood up.
"Let's sink all the *bad guys* into the river."
At Randy's words, the captured individuals stirred slightly.
Without any torture or interrogation, he simply said "sink them" after merely staring at them for a while.
Moreover...
"Okay."
Abel, who was told to do so, cut off the head of the nearest man without any hesitation.
The blood that gushed out with a sound, splattered onto another man's face, dyeing it bright red.
However, the man who was splattered with blood, surprisingly, regained his composure.
"Were you trying to intimidate us with your ruthlessness and visual effects? Unfortunately──"
The head of the man he had just discarded was vigorously spouting blood.
"Abel, didn't he say something?"
"Huh, just joking around."
Abel, with a calm demeanor, cut off the head of another man.
He was not trying to instill fear in them with his ruthlessness and the visual effect of blood, but rather, he simply had no interest in questioning them, so he decided to dispose of them.
Randy, who was watching Abel calmly cut the arteries of the men, couldn't help but let out a wry smile, saying "This is not something we can show Liz."
"...Young master, what do you think?"
Keith, who had called out from behind, had Randy turn around and open his mouth to speak.
"It's clear that they're professionals."
Randy's words, which could be considered a *statement of fact*, had Keith nodding in agreement, still gazing at the ongoing execution with a calm expression.
"They're professionals among professionals... but compared to the other [Pilgrim of Truth] that appeared, they seem somewhat... off."
"What do you mean by 'off'?"
As Keith tilted his head, another man's head was blown off, with blood gushing out.
"Waldner, Braubelg, and Hartfield... they all focused on brainwashing ordinary people, but..."
"Victor, on the other hand, sent professionals directly."
Keith's words had Randy nodding in agreement.
"Since it's a rural area, it's easy to notice if someone strange appears... so it's not surprising that they wouldn't use brainwashing, but rather send professionals."
Randy, who had seen the rolling corpses, added "The town is also actively recruiting new residents, after all."
It was to be expected that the opponent would send people to Victor, after all.
Even if they send brainwashed civilians into the new town, it's very difficult to deliver a fatal blow to Randy and the others like Waldner.
After all, they have no information about the town's structure, the magistrate, or the defenses.
Therefore, it's understandable for Randy to think that sending professionals is about gathering information on that front.
"Isn't that just the normal thing to do?"
Randy frowned at Keith, who feigned ignorance.
Keith has always been like this.
He pretended not to know what was clear, provoking Randy and Abel to think for themselves.
Moreover, this suggests that there is likely little difference between what Randy is thinking and what Keith is considering.
In other words, no further confirmation of answers is necessary...
"Observing the young master's growth is part of my job."
Smiling, Keith said so. And Randy tilted his head, starting to talk about what he knew.
"If you think about it normally, it's strange. They sent people knowing *we're on guard*, right? Even if they're professionals, we're fully prepared. And that's not all."
With a deep sigh, Randy picked up the poison that Abel had placed on the floor.
"For professionals, their actions are all over the place. It's almost as if they left evidence on purpose──"
"You are correct. But what about the enemy's intentions...?"
"It seems like they want to make us wary of [Pilgrim of Truth]..."
Keith nodded in agreement with Randy's words.
They send people knowing they are waiting, while maintaining a façade of being organized.
However, they also manage to leave behind clear evidence that seems disconnected.
It's likely viewed as a show of strength by the enemy.
"What could their appeal towards us be?"
"I don't know. There's too little information to piece together from there. Besides, that appeal is merely a hypothesis."
Randy shook his head and glanced back at Abel.
Abel shrugged at several soldiers, saying, "I don't know much more than that."
"Indeed, young master, it is difficult to see the enemy's objective."
Randy widened his eyes at Keith, who was stroking his chin, and asked, "Even you?"
"There are still not enough pieces. However, it seems the lord has a rough idea."
"Oh, really? What does the old man say?"
"'Since it's a rare opportunity, let's go along with their tactics,' he says."
"Then, was this a *mistake*?"
Randy, wearing a wry smile, turned to the spot where Keith was with the assassin at the same time.
Before them, 2 men who had escaped Abel's blade were looking at Randy with expressions of confusion.
"What do you think? It was *blatant brainwashing*, so this may be part of their strategy."
Randy, amused, nodded at the smiling Keith and turned to the remaining 2 men.
"Well then, I guess I'll give them a show for now."
With a sly grin, Randy's consciousness sank into darkness for the moment.
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