CHAPTER 27: INTERROGATION

Ash woke up to the knock on his door.

"Who is it?" Ash asked, expecting service from the inn.

"Cleaning service."

"Sorry, I don’t need it. You can come later," Ash muttered, wanting to sleep a little more.

"It’s from the Oblivion guild. I suggest you come out," a hoarse voice followed—completely different from the staff’s tone.

Ash’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. He had expected something like this.

His face remained calm as he slowly opened the door, revealing a middle-aged man with a beard. A sword hung at the man’s waist. Jessie stood beside him, already summoned out.

"May I know why I’ve been given the opportunity to meet you?" Ash asked with a curious gaze.

"You really don’t know?" the man asked.

"What don’t I know?" Ash looked directly into his eyes.

The man shook his head. "A member of the Wilbert family died during the test you were taking. We have a prime suspect, but to be sure, we need to interrogate everyone who participated."

"You said he was killed. What if he died from a beast attack?" Ash asked, feigning confusion.

"As I said, you need to come with us regardless of what happened," the man replied, looking almost too casual for both his age and the weight of the matter.

"As you say." Ash followed the man out of the inn. Jessie gave him an assuring look that implied she was ready. She was his best and worst card. He had studied her personality well and was sure she wouldn’t spill the truth.

He had already discussed many things before she went to her room. He had planned a common story for both of them to say.

They were escorted to the center of the city, where a massive building reflected the sunlight, its shadow stretching over long distances.

It was far larger than the Ranker Association and carried a modern aesthetic.

Ash and Jessie followed the man inside. There was an underlying tension in the air—everyone inside seemed to be in a rush.

Past the common lounge were several connected rooms, and stairs climbing higher. The theme of gold and silver gave the entire place a royal atmosphere.

They climbed to the second floor, then the third, then the fourth. At the fifth floor, the man finally halted.

Rankers stood guard in golden-embroidered uniforms—the same design as the boy Ash had killed.

Ash felt his senses tingle. Is this luck? His Luck stat seemed to be warning him.

Then his gaze swept across the floor. Thirty kids were lined up, bound by something resembling a restraint spell.

His instincts screamed at him to move his hands, but Ash forced himself to remain calm. A teasing pain prickled across his wrists as one of the men in golden stripes placed a binding spell on him.

Ash acted panicked. Jessie did the same. He struggled with all his might against the restraint but failed. After a while, he pretended to give up.

He could feel all eyes on him, analyzing his every move.

Thirty kids knelt in a line before a broad-shouldered man seated at the center. His face was blurred—not hidden, not masked, but indistinct, as if it had no features at all.

Another middle-aged man sat nearby, his eyes blood-red, his face twisted in shock and grief.

"All the participants are here. You can start your interrogation," the bearded man who had escorted Ash and Jessie said before bowing slightly and leaving the room.

The faceless man sat at a luxury table, staring at all of them—or at least, it felt like he was.

"Gabriel." The monotonous, robotic voice echoed from his mouth.

Three men sat beside him, each dressed differently. Ash instantly recognized them as the leaders of the three major guilds.

"Can we know what is happening?" Ash asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

The three guild leaders looked at him with surprise. "Don’t you know?"

Ash shook his head, feigning ignorance.

In truth, it was two kills with one bullet. He was influencing their minds, guiding them not to suspect him. His early exit from the dungeon reinforced the illusion that he couldn’t possibly know about the noble’s death.

"Young master died in the test you participated in," one of the leaders said, wearing a black robe marked with a swirling wormhole on his chest.

"Gabriel will interrogate you to find the culprit."

Ash looked at them as if they were joking. Wasn’t it your guild members who claimed killing and stealing were allowed during the test?

He didn’t say it aloud, but his expression conveyed enough. The guild leaders shifted uncomfortably, wanting to speak yet unable to.

Ash chose not to stand out, keeping his silence.

"Did any of you meet this person in the dungeon?" Gabriel asked, his short stature almost jarring against his heavy presence. Behind him, a screen lit up with the picture of the deceased noble.

Ash kept a calm face. He glanced sideways, then raised his hand.

Seeing him, several others raised their hands too—including Jessie.

Tension rose sharply. Around ten hands were now in the air.

Gabriel’s gaze lingered on each face before he called out, instructing those who had raised their hands to follow him into a private room.

Ash’s heart rose and fell, but his face remained calm. It was a common tactics to distinguish between liars and genuine.

If a squad was together and he asks them questions one by one and all of their story matches then it must be truth. But if their answers differs then there must be some problem.

Ash knew it very well that’s why he had planned a common story that both Jessie and he will tell.

One by one everyone was asked to go in a perticular room where Gabriel asked questions. All this time the 5 figure infront of them were staring at the lined up kids.

"Jacob, we needs to hurry. We are already playing it against the rules, if someone in the government higherups got news of it that we aren’t following the procedure legally then it would be problem" one of the guild leaders said hesitantly.

The faceless man turned towards him and nodded. His reaction was indifferent as if saying in this city I am the government which was truth unless someone powerful from higher city or an A-rank comes.

But he didn’t stop anything and kids kept going in and coming out. Which pissed the guild leaders to certain extent.

Ash went last that meant Jessie had already been interrogated.

"Welcome, sit comfortably" Gabriel offered the seat.