Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Somewhere in the Genen Autonomous Region. I stood in the back alley of a building designated as a hideout for revolutionary ideology.

“Enter.”

At that moment, Schatz and the investigators entered. It was not like before, with rumbling and loud crashing. Based on the structure identified in advance, they moved meticulously from all directions, leaving no room for escape.

Soon, with the dull sound of clubs striking, screams burst out.

After some time, the subversives were dragged out of the building.

“Transport them.”

I led them not to the Knight Order, but to the “Branch Office”.

The collected evidence included multiple banned books, letters exchanged with the Revolutionary forces, protest plans written in code, and so on.

There were a total of 13 people detained, but not a single one of them was from the Ezenheim race. This meant interrogation was necessary.

“They are probably guys who desperately want to be used by the Revolutionary forces. We call them youth members.”

I nodded at Investigator Zendo’s words.

“In situations like this, what do you usually do?”

I asked while fiddling with my leather gloves.

“…….”

“…….”

They only looked at me without saying anything.

“Tell me honestly.”

“Well…… interrogation…….”

Zendo opened his mouth while studying my expression.

“Interrogation?”

“To link them further, we…… torture them. No matter how much we threaten them with words, they never speak. They are stubborn bastards.”

I fell into thought for a moment.

“If torture is necessary, then it must be done.”

Torture itself is actually an inefficient interrogation method. This was proven to some extent in the post-Empire-collapse book “The Art of Interrogation”.

However, “technical interrogation” requires time, so if torture is necessary, then torture is done.

These fervent youths might know about the Ezenheim race.

“But.”

However, I cannot trust the investigators’ methods.

The 13 people caught today were all in their late teens to early twenties. Their discussions of revolution were limited to protest plans.

Literally “youth tainted by revolutionary ideology” meaning they did not hold key positions.

“A new manual for interrogation is needed.”

“A manual…… sir?”

“Yes. Your methods are too extreme.”

Their lives must not be put at risk, yet the method should still have effect.

Suddenly, a suitable person came to mind. A vicious criminal who had loved torture. Someone who was pardoned later solely for his torture skills, joined the military, and was eventually assassinated by the Revolutionary forces. A madman.

I left the Branch Office and got into the car.

“Run an identity check on ‘Yamilia Cohen’ and go there. He is probably imprisoned.”

“Yes.”

The administrative officer checked the identity through the knight vehicle’s terminal and set the destination.

“We will head to Taran Prison.”

Never in my life did I imagine I would have to create a torture manual, but it could not be helped.

These youth members could not even imagine what kind of existence the “Ezenheim” they are desperately trying to protect actually is.

…….

Yamilia Cohen.

I met him. Long curly hair. Eyes as large as his face. From appearance alone, something about him felt eerie as he stared blankly at me.

“Sir Knight, what brings you to me…….”

I asked him about torture, and his eyes sparkled like stars.

“There is one condition. Absolutely no threat to life.”

“Of course, sir Knight. That is precisely my area of expertise.”

“And. No severe aftereffects are allowed.”

His expression darkened slightly.

“There is no such thing as torture that considers the victim…….”

“I am talking about efficiency, not consideration.”

“Well anyway, if it is not torture simply for inflicting pain but for extracting information.”

He pulled his chair closer and sat right up against the table.

“First, the torturer must never hold personal feelings. If resentment mixes in, the strength cannot be controlled properly, and it could end up threatening the subject’s life. Also, depending on the person, the torture method must be chosen completely differently.”

He licked his lips and continued.

“Weak friends who cannot endure pain will confess on their own once touched. Many amateurs are truly stupid, performing things like water torture or blindly shocking the subject with electricity. That is a bizarre and ignorant act done by those who know nothing about human psychology!”

His large eyelids glistened with madness.

“Torture that pushes the subject to the extreme is extremely inefficient. Their mind becomes hazy, their consciousness becomes cloudy, and they cannot even understand what kind of torture they are undergoing. Information extracted by force is inaccurate. If it allows them to escape this reality even for a moment, they will lie or say anything. Their mind can break and they may die.”

“……So. The conclusion?”

“If you want to extract information most efficiently without threatening their life. You only need these two things.”

Cohen leaned forward and whispered like a snake.

“The first is drugs. I have a formula that only I know for now. It is a drug that amplifies the sensory organs themselves dozens of times, and keeps the mind clear and awake. The dosage must be controlled with extreme precision. A perfect golden ratio is required. After administering it, you remove the fingernails and toenails. Just removing one will bring immediate effect. There is no need to remove more than two. Because…….”

He briefly showed an ecstatic expression.

“Ah…….”

“Just speak.”

“I am sorry. The…… fingernails or toenails, after being pulled out, hurt far more afterward. Sprinkle salt on the wound. Then the expression will be…… you will feel the pain vividly. Due to the drug’s awakening effect, the mind will not become cloudy, and shock will not set in. If the subject is a tough one who can endure pain well, then you must begin testing their patience. Do not let them sleep for days-”

“That is enough.”

I handed him an empty notebook and a pen.

“Write all of it here.”

“Write what?”

“The knowledge of torture. Including the ingredients and formula of the drug you just mentioned.”

Cohen suddenly asked back with a blunt expression.

“……Is there perhaps any compensation?”

My brow furrowed.

“You want to negotiate now?”

“No, no. It is not that…… but still, this is my intellectual property…….”

“I will put a generous amount into your prison allowance.”

“…….”

He did not look very interested. I frowned, and Cohen twitched.

It was very bothersome, but even this negotiation required a method suited to the person.

“When the time comes to carry out the sentence of a death-row prisoner, I will let you pull the lever once with your own hands. Is that enough?”

“!”

Cohen’s eyes, nose, and mouth widened. His curly hair puffed up as if struck by static.

Then he quickly grabbed the notebook and pen.

“You must keep your promise, absolutely!”

Laughing like a madman, he began writing down his knowledge.

***

The Branch Office in Genen.

Zendo received the manual. Holding a book crafted as neatly as a proper textbook under his arm, he returned to the interrogation room.

“…….”

A youth member was tied to the chair.

If possible, he wanted to smash the boy’s skull, but such crude venting was no longer permitted.

Zendo first picked up the drug placed on the tray.

Exactly 2.39 mg of transparent liquid in a syringe. To prevent using too much or too little, it had been prepared in a fixed specification from the start.

Zendo removed the mask from the revolutionary member. A terrified young man flinched and opened his eyes.

“In accordance with Article 3, Clause 13 of the Special Measures Act for Imperial Security, the investigative agency may use limited physical force for the purpose of acquiring information when evidence has been obtained from a subversive individual. In other words, all force used on you from this moment on is legal.”

This declaration of Imperial law was written in the very first section of the manual, “Procedures That Must Be Followed.”

“You now have to speak just two names. Without lies. Then this legal interrogation will end.”

“……Do you think I will?”

Youth members were always like this. Young and full of hot blood, sometimes making him want to beat them to death, but now that was no longer allowed.

The most important thing is procedure. All personal emotions must be excluded. Because now the entire investigative agency is under Ebenholtz’s control.

“You pig bastard. Do you like being raised like livestock?”

“Tsk.”

Zendo first blindfolded him.

After injecting the prepared drug, he pulled out one of his fingernails with pliers.

“……Ugh!”

The guy tied to the chair suddenly arched his back and convulsed. He twisted his whole body without even being able to scream.

Zendo flipped to the next page of the manual.

After removing the fingernail, leave the subject alone for a moment. Wait until the pain settles.

“…….”

If he seems somewhat calmed, slap his cheek to bring him back to his senses.

“Hey. You only need to give two names. No lies.”

“Grrrhhh…….”

If he cannot even hold himself upright, then he is still caught in the pain. In that case, give it a bit more time.

Zendo checked the time on the terminal.

There are no clocks in the Branch Office, and investigators are absolutely prohibited from wearing wristwatches. A command that borders on Maximilian’s eccentricity.

“Gggrrrhhh…….”

Just then, the youth member let out a rough breath. Zendo asked him,

“Are you back with us? I’ll repeat. Just two names.”

“──Fuck off!”

“…….”

Zendo’s eyebrow twitched.

No matter how crazily this bastard acts, he must stick to the prescribed procedure. No action that exceeds the process can be committed.

The next step in the manual: fine salt.

Half-doubting, Zendo picked up the jar of salt and poured it almost entirely onto the bloody finger from which the nail had been removed.

“Aaaagh, AAAAAAAAAHH────!”

Zendo was startled. The guy thrashed like a freshly caught fish.

“Uwaaaah, AAAAAHHH───! AAH! AAAAAAAAAH!”

“……What the hell is this.”

He was dumbfounded.

All he did was pull out a single fingernail and sprinkle salt on it. Compared to the tortures he had done up until now, this was, how should he put it, the most “gentle” method.

“Gah, ah, AAAAAAAAAAH… AAAAAAH──!”

It was more dramatic and effective than any torture he had used before.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH───!”

“……So this is why people say learning matters.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH───!”

He’s going to lose his voice.

“Haa, haa, haa…… grrrhhh!”

Listening to the youth member’s groans, Zendo opened the report form.

According to the manual, every step of the process must be recorded without a single lie. Violating this would mean reporting false information to Maximilian himself…

“Purge.”

There’s no need to think deeply about what “purge” means to Ebenholtz. He would likely be hunted down no matter where on the continent he tried to run.

Zendo reviewed what he had just done and filled out the report with maximum accuracy.

***

The effect was undeniable. For the younger ones, there was no need to go as far as pulling multiple fingernails. Most of them gave up two names within one or two extractions, and thanks to the Knight Order’s identity verification function, the truthfulness of the confessions could be quickly confirmed.

“……Are you sure about this, Sir Knight?”

In the corridor of the Branch Office, Schatz asked me.

“What about?”

“About letting them go just for giving two names.”

The question itself felt slightly loaded. I might just be reading into it, but it also felt like he was testing my intentions.

Before the regression, Schatz had been with the Revolutionary forces.

“Not everyone in the Revolutionary forces deserves death. Frankly, they can barely be called members. They were just infatuated with the ideology. The younger they are, the more they think they’re special, which makes them easy to brainwash by those who exploit such emotions.”

Daniel had been an extremely radical terrorist, and the other two were from the Ezenheim race. Compared to them, these youth members were in entirely different positions.

“More importantly, they are not subspecies.”

The people of Genen are treated as racially close to Imperial citizens. Of course, that’s a political and social distinction, but I have no desire to discriminate against them.

My enemy is only the Ezenheim.

“What if they’re released and rejoin the Revolutionary forces?”

“Then they’ll be caught again. Their identities are already confirmed. Besides, within the Revolutionary forces, they’ve likely lost trust and will be discarded anyway.”

The ideology of revolution had spread like a spider’s web throughout the Empire, but much of it amounted to no more than “student activism”. Those who could truly be called Revolutionary forces never revealed themselves easily.

“The Revolutionary forces are deeply entrenched. Torture is merely a means to uncover the core, not a punishment.”

Outside the window, I looked at the young men being transported from the Branch Office.

“They too, after being caught and released over and over, will eventually come to understand, what this revolution is really for.”

Of course, they wouldn’t be released right away. I intended to give them at least three months in detention to reflect.

That was the extent of the ‘manual’ I had in mind.

“However, this sort of leniency applies only to those kinds of individuals.”

Though the true core of the Revolutionary forces likely wouldn’t be operating from somewhere like Genen, it was certainly one of their key bases.

“Among the more radical Independence faction members, there are likely Subspecies mixed in. Once they’re captured, I fully intend to kill them.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

I looked at Schatz.

Jet-black hair and eyes even darker and deeper. Her expression betrayed no emotion. She seemed completely unshaken. It was probably thanks to the training she received from the main house of Ebenholtz.

But I still couldn’t be certain of Schatz’s loyalty. All I had done was drag her out of prison, and her status still remained that of a “conditionally pardoned individual”.

She had become mine without any say in the matter.

Precisely because of that, I needed to make an effort.

This woman whose inner thoughts were unreadable, the monster who would one day grow powerful enough to confront Sebestian, somehow, I had to win her over. Make her loyal to me alone, without being swayed by things like revolution…

“Schatz.”

“Yes, Sir Knight.”

“Is there anything you’ve been wanting lately?”

“……?”

Schatz tilted her head blankly.

“You’ve been working hard, so I thought of giving you a bonus…….”

“What?”

“……Never mind. It’s nothing.”

“Ah. Yes.”

“……Like a bag, or something.”

“Huh?”

“Hmm…… no. I just meant you’ve done well.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

……It seemed, after all, this was going to be a lot harder than I thought.