Did you know what is the most important factor for a lie to be successful? It wasn't creating a logical and sensible excuse, nor was it the time and effort you put into fostering a feeling of trust with the other party.
It was your expression.
«E-this... This is all a misunderstanding!»
How could I believe a word he said when he looked at me like that?
«I just didn't realize it splashed blood on me, and...»
There were professional liars capable of controlling even the smallest muscle in the face. Fortunately for me, this guy wasn't one of them.
«I'm telling you... This is a misunderstanding...!»
«Then explain yourself. I'll listen to whatever you have to say».
There was no need to keep going around. I called Versyl to cast a verification spell on him.
«...This man is stronger than he looks.»
Unfortunately, the spell failed. Well, I was already expecting it. This type of magic did not work if someone's Mana Resistance or Spirit level exceeded a certain threshold, and this clan had more than twenty members. Even if he didn't recognize his name, it would be strange if his captain wasn't strong enough to withstand a spell like this.
«What should we do now?»
What should we do? Well, there really was no point in wasting time trying to get such an honest answer, not when there were several other witnesses present.
«Try it with that guy».
I pointed to an Archer who was emitting weak vibrations. Versyl approached him and cast the check spell again.
«Functionon».
Yeah, I figured it would work with him. «Very good, you over there».
«Yes, Your Honor...»
«Tell me. What happened here?»
The Archer paled. His eyes went back and forth between his captain and me, not knowing what to answer. «Uh... well, we were, uh...»
It was time to raise the whip. «Since you don't want to answer me», I said, with a tone cold as ice, «I guess I misunderstood you».
The captain looked at the Archer and nodded. «Jason, you can tell him».
«Okay... I'll explain it to you, then».
Once he had permission from his captain, the Archer finally began to speak. Listening to the story, it seemed like he had misunderstood a little what had happened here. In short, these guys hadn't lied when they said they had found this place first. However, shortly after, a group of six adventurers approached them and a fight broke out.
«Were they trying to steal your achievements?»
«It's not that, but...»
«Stop avoiding the topic and tell me».
«Well...»
It would have been better if those six adventurers hadn't seen them at all, but unfortunately, they soon realized that the clan had found something. Well, that's what the clan assumed, anyway. Fearful that the group would flee and leak information about their location to someone else, the clan subdued them.
«At that time there was an incident.»
«What type of incident?»
«While we were subduing them, they resisted violently and ended up killing one of our own first...»
As a result, an all-out battle broke out and the smaller group met their end here in the dark cave.
«What about their bodies?»
«...After removing the equipment, we melt them with acid.»
I see. No wonder there was a strange smell in the air.
«Everything I said is true. Please believe me. They attacked us first, so...»
What is this guy saying? «If you had managed to capture them, would you really have let them go without a fight?»
«But we...» Maybe the Archer knew he couldn't answer that question without lying, because he quickly fell silent.
Finally, the captain, who had remained silent all this time, spoke. «What did we do that was so wrong?».
"¿What?
«Do you think those six were better? If we had been the least, they would have killed us and also stolen our discovery».
So that's what I was so eager to say. Not that I was completely wrong, but...
«That's why no one can blame us for this. Not even you, Baron Yandel!», your captain shouted fearlessly, clearly convinced of his own argument.
«So what you're saying is that it's okay if I kill you all here, right? After all, by your logic, no one could blame us».
When I blamed him for his own logic, he opened his eyes in disbelief. «But if you did that, your reputation...!»
«That? Are you going around spreading rumors like a ghost?».
It was then that he finally seemed to realize that Baron Yandel was not as noble a man as the rumors said.
«Whatever you want», I said, ending the conversation now that I had heard everything they had to say. «It's enough».
Once this was done, I gathered my team for a meeting, with a single item on the agenda. «What do you think we should do with these guys? Don't let your thoughts show on your face, however. Just tell me what you think. »
«I am in favor of killing them».
Erwen was the first to give her opinion, without hesitation. Following their example, the other members began to express their opinions as well.
«Misha, ¿y pour?»
«I'm not sure. I guess killing them... would be better...»
«I agree with Mrs. Karlstein».
Missha and Versyl were also on the side of «killing them». Auyen and Ainar, for their part, wanted to let them live.
«I am also in favor of keeping them alive».
Unexpectedly, Amelia voted to let them live too.
I couldn't help but ask: «Why?».
«If we really want to hold them responsible for their actions, the right thing to do is to leave this matter in the hands of the union».
What's wrong with him...? I never expected to hear a response from her like that of the professor's pet.
I stared at her, completely dumbfounded, while Amelia looked away. «And... I think that would be better for you».
"...¿Which?"
«It's just my opinion, so take it with humor».
«No, it's not that. What I'm wondering is what you mean that's the best option for me». I asked sincerely.
Amelia thought for a moment before opening her mouth. «Yandel, don't be offended and listen to me. Right now you are very unstable».
«...Instable?»
«Have they hurt you? Have they tried to kill you? No, they haven't. And it's not like they're going to pose a threat to you in the future if we let them live. However, as we speak, you are still looking for a justification to kill them».
So that's what I felt. Still, it wasn't like he was some kind of blood-seeking savage or anything. «Emily, I think we're on different pages here. I don't...»
«I'm wrong?»
But I'm not really trying to kill them just because.
However, when I met Amelia's eyes to tell her that, I realized I couldn't get a single word. The look at them was not one of discussion or criticism. The only thing I found there was sincere concern.
«...I suppose that, in the end, there are three of us who are in favor of killing them and three of us who are in favor of keeping them alive», he summarized. «So, Yandel. The choice is yours».
What was I supposed to do?
Kill them or keep them alive... I never thought I would have to agonize over a problem like that for so long.
But in the end...
It was probably because of what Amelia said. After listening to her, I also began to feel a pang of worry for Hansu Lee, the normal guy who had been trapped in the body of a warrior and forced to fight, to kill, for years to survive.
«You, the Archer».
«...?»
I asked him one last thing. «Does anyone in your clan, including you, have experience looting?».
«...No, we don't have it. We are not that type of clan. This time it's just that... We were all blinded by greed. We weren't in our right mind for a moment.»
«He's telling the truth.»
So that was it.
«Versyl, get their testimonials once again and be sure to use a recording crystal when you do. Emily searches her belongings for the victims' identification cards. And be sure to grab anything that needs to be presented to the guild as evidence.»
«That means...»
«We will let the guild judge whether or not they are considered looters.»
This was an annoying and problematic way to handle things. Although that was my immediate thought, after making my decision and getting to work, everything went smoothly.
«Don't get into any more trouble until the maze closes. The guild will take charge and investigate your actions during this expedition».
«Of course!»
Alright, so that was the end of it. «So what did you find inside?»
«There is a stone inside.»
«A stone?»
It would be faster to see it myself. While Amelia and Versyl were in charge of gathering testimonies and evidence, I approached the wall. The crack in it was so small that I had no hope of crawling through it.
Why do they seem to discriminate against barbarians?
With that thought in mind, I hit the wall with my hammer.
¡Bum! ¡Crash!
Pieces of rock fell to the ground in a pile as he made another hole in it. After a few more hits, it completely collapsed, revealing a hidden path.
«Oh! It looks like the portal stone!»
«How interesting.
«Then it will also open a portal if we touch it?»
At the end of the road there was a large stone about ten meters away. I immediately approached and reached out to touch her, but no portal opened.
Yes, I had a feeling we had found it too easy. So does that mean there are special activation conditions?
Still, this at least seemed like the right place. After all, there was originally no secret area like this in the Crystal Cave. Not only that, but the broken walls were not renovated either.
Precisely for this reason, the most fundamental strategy to search for a hidden element was to destroy everything. If you broke something and it didn't restore, then there was a high chance that you would find an Easter egg.
«Have you found anything?»
«Not yet...»
«Ya veo.»
Once Amelia and Versyl finished gathering evidence and testimony, they joined the rest of us inside to search around. Apparently, the clan had fled as soon as they finished.
«Is it really okay to let them go?»
«Yeah. I told them not to cause any more problems».
«But do you really agree with that?» Versyl asked cautiously. «They could spread information».
That was true. Actually, I had also thought that it would be cleaner to just kill them on the spot, but... «It doesn't matter if they do».
«No does it matter?»
«Any clan was able to find this place before the third day. That means it wasn't such an impressive discovery in the first place. They were wrong to think that it was such valuable information. It's only a matter of time before everyone else finds this place too.»
«That... makes sense.»
«So stop worrying about it. And Versyl, come here. I want to see if you can spot some magic around here. Something could be hidden».
«Of course.»
We quickly finished a superficial magical quest, but unfortunately ended up empty-handed.
«Mr. Yandel, I think we better get going. I don't think there's anything to find...»
«Bjorn!» Ainar shouted, interrupting Versyl. «Here's something written!»
Suddenly, a clue was discovered in a completely unexpected place. Ainar, who was digging in the ground around the stone, had revealed some words hidden at its base.
«Good find».
«Hahaha! The intuition of a trained warrior is no different from magic. That is one of the many reasons why barbarians are the superior race!».
I squatted down to read the text, ignoring Ainar's nonsense.
«It's in the old language...».
«Okay», I said, distracted. «I can read it».
«W-Can you read it...?»
Oh, hadn't I told him? I guess it would be quicker to show him.
I quickly read aloud the ancient language that was written on the ground around the stone. «A star, a sun, a moon. All creatures that exist on this earth are equal when you look at them from above. And I will look at you from above».
As soon as I finished reading it, two twin expressions of unease appeared on Erwen and Versyl's faces.
«Sr. Candle, esto...»
«It's the same inscription from then, right?».
«Sí.»
It was the same text that we had seen written on the Witch's Altar.
Unfortunately, Ainar didn't seem to remember it. «...What? Where have you heard that before? What are you talking about?»
«Olvídalo».
We continued digging around the stone to see if there was anything else, but there was nothing. Deciding that we had found everything there was to find in there, we quickly covered the text with dirt again and walked out the broken wall.
«This is not right. I can't believe we haven't found a single clue after all this».
Amelia seemed disheartened, but I didn't feel that way at all. What did he mean we hadn't found a single clue?
«A star, a sun, a moon».
He was practically giving us the answer.
«We have to go to the second floor.»
If we hurried, perhaps we could enter the hidden area before the maze closed.