Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 813: A Failed Practice In Trust

”What the hell is this about?” Getting out of his chair with his hammer in hand, Ironheart stood before Amedith and Raven–his fingers twitching to swing his weapon. ”Who said we’re gonna let you do anything? And who the hell are you to ask us questions?!”

Stomping on the floor, he made the whole room rattle under his weight. But before things could heat up even more, Eren walked out of his chair and moved beside the raging beastman. Placing his hand on the man’s side, he told him.

”Let’s hear them out, Ironheart. I may not be able to tell you who the murderer is anymore, but that doesn’t mean we have to reject every offer for everyone else to know who that is.”Still being able to keep his deal with his goddess and also reveal the true murderer was the perfect scheme to create even more chaos, and chaos was what Eren lived for, and this moment was too good not to take advantage of.

Taking the sword in his hand, Amedith stepped forward–visibly determined. Looking up at the colossal beastman, he offered him as the first by pointing the blade towards him.

”I ask a question, and if you lie, a small cut from this blade will be more than enough to kill you.” Taking a moment’s pause as the elect’s eyes widened with surprise, he took a deep breath and continued. ”But before I can use it, I need you to agree to the test. In return, you can also ask me a question, and if I lie, I will be dead.”

”Wh-what?!” For once, the minotaur stumbled with his words, and so did his feet as he took a hesitant step backwards. ”T-that’s a lie! There’s no way a sword can do something like that!”

”You saw the goddesses cave to our demands,” interrupting their conversation, Erika too decided to walk up into the middle of the action. And as all eyes turned to her, she smiled ever so briefly and added. ”Do you really think we have to lie to you to get what we want? At least this way, you get to know the killer as well as a few opportunities to ask us some questions. You won’t find a better deal today.”

Her eyes, in the end, lingered on Eren–very much aware that the last say lay on him. Recognizing that she recognized that fact, the bard looked around at everyone and gave them a nod. And while Ditsy and Garcia had no reason to trust his judgment, going against the crowd in such a delicate situation was bound to draw too much unwanted attention to them.

”So,” planting the sword into the ground, the magus closed his eyes with his hands resting over the hilt of the sword. A golden pair of scales of pure light appeared right above him, and the next time he opened his eyes, the weights shifted in preparation for what was to come. ”Are you the one who harmed the judges or framed their murders on Garcia?”

”How dare you even ask me that question...” As agitated as he was, for once, Ironheart was willing to look past his own beastly nature. And so with a grimace, he answered. ”NO! I did not kill them or plan any sort of murder! I did not frame that woman either!”

Ignoring his tone, Amedith lifted the sword and gently ran it across Ironheart’s iron gloves. Not a scratch was left on it despite running the sharp side of the golden blade against it, and as he pulled the sword away, a sudden loud din rang from the scale hovering above.

”Your turn to ask.” The magus awaited his question.

The sudden shift from being interrogated to being the interrogator confused the big man for a moment; however, with a rough shake of his head, he gritted his teeth and asked with a yell.

”WHY ARE YOU HELPING THAT WOMAN?! WHAT HAS SHE PAID YOU FOR ALL THESE LIES!”

”Nothing, she has paid us nothing, and we’re helping her to get permission to pass the invisibility barrier. That is all.” In contrast to Ironheart’s tone, Amedith remained quiet and ran the blade across his arm. The weapon didn’t even whiten his skin over the affected spot. He remained unharmed, thus signifying that he was telling the truth.

”Lies!” And yet the minotaur complained.

However, once again, ignoring him, the magus turned to Garcia and asked.

”Did you murder or plan to get the judges murdered?”

”Of course not! You know it, your leader saw through my memories already!”

Wasting no time, the magus ran his blade across her skin, and once again, nothing happened. Nodding at the elf, Amedith gave her a chance to ask him a question.

”I...I don’t really have anything to ask.”

”If you don’t, then I can’t use this blade on the next person until I answer one of your questions truthfully.”

”O-oh...” Upon learning how the blade worked, Garcia quickly searched the mind and asked a question that everyone had been wondering about. ”Are the rumors about you guys true? That you killed a demi-god, a primordial devil, and a demon general?”

Uninterested in drawing things too long, Amedith nodded and ran the blade across his arm once more.

”Yes, we did.” Unharmed by the blade, he turned towards Eren. ”Did you plan the murder or kill the judges yourself?”

”No,” he responded, his voice cold as ever.

”Let’s see then,” running the blade across his arm, Amedith was quite surprised that nothing happened yet again. ”Hmm, I really thought you knew something. I guess not, anyway, it’s your turn to ask.”

Taking a long and deep breath, Eren placed his hand under his chin and smiled at the magus. He was quite amused by his abilities, and even a little drawn to his feminine charm. Yet being as much of a man of character as of taste, he decided not to pursue that venture and instead asked the question that would put an end to this interrogation.

”Won’t you tell a lie?”

Squinting at the strange question, Amedith was ready to speak up and conclude Eren’s interrogation, but then it hit him–the true reason behind that strange question.

”Tck...” Holding his tongue for such a vague question, and the terms of the blade’s ability clashed quite a bit. If he were to say that he would not tell a lie, then that in itself could be considered a lie. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but the day that he lies to someone–anyone, the blade would end him all by itself.

’Even if I tell him a lie about myself, if he meant it in that way, that would mean that I’m lying even though the question demands it. But I’m not sure if the blade will understand something like that; still a great risk to my life. Damn it!’

Sheathing his blade out of pure frustration, the magus stepped away from the man while everyone watched with a pure look of confusion on their face. Only a handful understood what had happened; amongst them were Garcia, Raven, Asmodia and Ditsy.

”HEY! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? ANSWER HIM!” And still Ironheart demanded an answer; alas, all he got was a shortened list by the leader.

”It’s the vampire or the other human. The others are clear, so feel free to investigate them as you please.” Turning his head towards Garcia, he added. ”The elf, however, is also clear, so someone is definitely framing her. Now it’s up to you to figure that out.”

”THAT’S SOME BULLSHIT!” The minotaur screamed some more, and the tension in the room only got worse. Being the only one with certainty, Eren was the first to leave, fully expecting the murderer to visit him that night. And since more chaos had been sown amongst his own people, he walked all the way to his room with a big, charming smile.

As for the heroes, a day’s rest and it would be time to hit the road. What could happen in one night’s time anyway? Who knows?