Hess raised himself from the bed where he had lain for a while.
'There will not be many nights when I can sleep while I'm teaching Lloyd swordsmanship.'
During the day, he could look after Lloyd as Henrik. At night, if he occasionally returned to the hideout to carry out Hess's work, there would be no problem maintaining his double life.
Fortunately, through long years of training, Hess had discovered a method that let him remain clearheaded without sleep, using his formidable mana.
He had even gained a body that could use mana to relieve physical fatigue.
'Thanks to that, Hess had been able to keep going day and night without rest. That was the secret to becoming the Dark Order's second-in-command at such a young age.'
But even Hess rested or slept occasionally. Even without feeling tired, the act of resting itself offered a sense of satisfaction.
'Sleeping was like a hobby for Hess. It'll be hard to enjoy that hobby for a while. Well, I have one other hobby.'
First, let's go see crybaby Da Vinci. Is he teaching magic lock dismantling properly?
When he left the room, he immediately knew where Da Vinci was. The fellow's booming voice was echoing out.
Standing before three subordinates, Da Vinci was giving a theoretical explanation before demonstrating the dismantling technique.
“You cannot open a lock that exceeds the limits of your mana. Put another way, if it falls within your limits, you must be able to open it!”
He was throwing his weight around before subordinates who looked much older than himself.
'That crybaby looks entirely different in front of his subordinates.'
Da Vinci appeared to be in his late teens at most, certainly younger than Lloyd.
With his slight build and a voice that made one wonder whether he had even hit puberty, he might be mistaken for a girl at a glance, but the bastard was definitely male.
“All right, from now on… Huh.”
Da Vinci flinched after spotting Hess watching him from afar.
Of course, Hess showed no reaction.
Da Vinci quickly regained his composure and continued the lesson.
“Ahem. Then watch closely. Spread both hands like this, and focus your mind on your fingertips….”
Hess put his hands behind his back and secretly copied Da Vinci's movements.
“…As you work this point, you can feel the pins inside. Now, use Mana Thread to wrap them one by one and lift them upward. At this moment….”
Hess did not have an actual magic lock before him, but it did not matter.
'I can feel it. The things my body remembers are coming back to life.'
As he moved his hands according to Da Vinci's explanation, he felt the exact sensation from that time long ago, when he had actually dismantled a magic lock.
CLICK! TAP.
“Ooh.”
“As expected of you, Lord Da Vinci! It is my first time seeing a Grade 3 Magic Lock dismantled!”
Da Vinci forcibly held down the corners of his mouth as they rose.
“Hehe… Ahem! You need to be at least this good to be in charge of security at the hideout where Lord Hess resides.”
Hess gave a quiet chuckle at the sight.
'That bastard. He's not telling them that he can open it only because I supply him with mana, right to the end. Well, does it matter?'
He was a fellow starved for approval. Carrots worked better for this type than sticks.
'If I praise him gently and train him, he'll be useful.'
At any rate, Hess now seemed able to use Magic Lock Dismantling Technique.
If he restored every ability Hess had possessed one by one like this, it would be enough.
“Lord Da Vinci, then what is the lock beside it?”
One of the subordinates attending the lesson asked Da Vinci a question.
“This cannot be opened with the Magic Lock Dismantling Technique. I am showing you one so that, if you find a lock like this, you will know to give up instead of wasting time.”
Holding up the bluish-glowing lock, Da Vinci continued.
“This is a Grade 1 Magic Lock. There is only one such item even in our hideout. It is made from a very rare mineral, a material that Mana Thread cannot penetrate. If you find one, do not wear yourself out with dismantling techniques.”
At that moment, something flashed through Hess's mind.
'No, it's possible.'
It was as though a forgotten memory had come back to life.
“Da Vinci, there is an error in what you just explained.”
“Yes…? I-Is there?”
Hess slowly began to approach the lock.
Watching him, Da Vinci and the subordinates all swallowed hard.
“Not all of the explanations are wrong. When you find a Grade 1 Magic Lock, it is best not to waste time trying to dismantle it for no reason. But….”
Hess carefully spread both hands.
“…It is not entirely impossible.”
As Hess concentrated, his left hand began to glow red and his right hand blue.
'The metal used to make Grade 1 Magic Locks stops Mana Thread from penetrating. You cannot open it with them.'
But this rare metal had a distinctive property: it absorbed magic combined in a particular ratio.
Very few people knew this, because the fact itself was not widely known.
But even if they did know, combining magic in that particular ratio was work that required extremely delicate control.
'…This Is Definitely It.'
The light from Hess's hands mingled and enveloped the magic lock.
Soon, it began to be absorbed as though it were being sucked into the lock.
“H-how did you do that?”
Once all the light had been absorbed, a clicking sound began to leak out from inside the lock.
CLICK… CLACK!
The lock sprang open with a crisp sound.
“Huh? No, it could be opened…….”
Da Vinci could not grasp what had just happened before his eyes.
That was because no book Da Vinci had seen had ever mentioned such a thing.
“Normally, Da Vinci is right. You do not need to struggle to force open locks like that. But there is nothing in the world that is absolutely impossible. So….”
Hess swept his gaze across the faces of the entire Security Team.
“…Do not let down your guard, and always give security your utmost attention.”
The entire Security Team tensed stiffly and bowed their heads.
But by then, Hess had already turned away the moment he finished saying what he had to say.
“Sob… Lord Hess…! I will bear it in mind! Sniff….”
Da Vinci, bent at the waist at a ninety-degree angle, began crying again.
'Whew… I stepped in because I thought it would work, but it really opened.'
I would have been embarrassed if I had stepped forward only for it not to open. What a relief.
So long as I keep learning the basics and am given clues, I will be able to apply them or use advanced techniques immediately.
“Lord Hess, have you been resting comfortably?”
Having changed into light cloth garments, Saya spotted Hess, approached him, and greeted him.
'No, I haven't been resting comfortably.'
“The hideout is cozy. Though there were a few things I did not like.”
“Um, today…”
“Saya, have there been any lately who have sullied the Dark Order's name?”
“…Sullied the name, you say. There have been. They are being held in a nearby hideout, awaiting disposal.”
Hess's eyes narrowed and grew sharp. At the same time, he slightly lifted one corner of his mouth as he continued.
“Bring them.”
Saya quietly bowed her head and immediately left the hideout.
'What defines Hess is mercilessly dealing with half-witted bastards. I should properly show my usual self so that Saya won't suspect anything.'
There was no time to rest even until Saya returned.
Once the sun rises tomorrow, I have to return to Lloyd. Before then, let's do as much as I can here.
'I'm going to establish firm discipline in the new hideout overnight before I leave.'
Hess returned to his room and prepared to meet Aike.
*― “Still, I learned that the rule is to state the passphrase before coming in.” ―*
Even as a newcomer, he could not have failed to know about Hess.
I already know he is going to amount to something, but he was not ordinary even as a newcomer.
Let's see whether he is worth taking in and using right away.
“This is Aike. I will come in.”
Aike was a young man who looked to be in his mid-twenties, slightly older than Saya.
“Right. When they heard I was looking for you, didn't they say anything?”
Aike hesitated for a moment, then parted his parched lips.
“…They said you called for me to kill me, or to cut something off me.”
Pfft. They all knew me well.
“What do you think?”
“Pardon?”
“Why do you think I called you?”
“…Honestly, I do not know.”
He must have some idea. Is he too frightened to say it aloud?
“You may speak honestly. I will ask one last time. Why do you think I called you?”
“……”
Was he more of a coward than I had thought? What a disappointment.
As Hess moved to turn his head, Aike finally made up his mind.
“…It seems you called me because you intend to toy with me until I am at death's door, then bury me.”
He should have said that from the beginning.
“You know me well. And yet you dared challenge me?”
“The passphrase is a rule… after all.”
Hess snickered.
“Here, I am above the rules.”
“……”
Leaving Aike speechless, Hess wore an evil smile and delivered an ultimatum.
“Do you not regret daring to challenge me?”
“……”
'He still does not say he was wrong. He is saying he said what had to be said.'
Hess recalled once more what Aike's end had been like in the novel.
Displeased by this attitude of Aike's, Saya had drawn her sword and held it to the bastard's throat.
Even then, when he did not give the response she wanted, she had simply cut off his head.
“You are saying you said what had to be said.”
Aike slightly bowed his head and timidly signaled assent.
“Hmm, good. From now on, whenever you have something you need to say, can you say it just the same?”
“…Pardon?”
“If I give you a chance, I am asking whether you can say what must be said in the future even with a blade at your throat.”
He looked briefly taken aback, but soon regained his composure.
“Yes.”
He answered in a short, forceful voice.
'I know better than anyone that Aike is exceptional.'
Men this clever shared a characteristic. They themselves knew very well that they were capable.
He'll be confident.
“Then if you ever disappoint me, I can do as I please with you then?”
“Yes.”
Hess smiled lightly and closed his eyes.
This was enough. This was ample motivation for him. His rate of growth would take wing.
'Good, I'll take him in.'
“Gather your belongings and go to the third room on the second floor. You will live there from now on.”
“That is…”
It was where Saya's direct subordinates lived.
“I'll tell them.”
“Understood. Thank you!”
“Oh, and….”
“Yes, please speak.”
Hess lifted one corner of his mouth and spoke.
“If you get too cocky, Saya will give you a severe beating in my place, so mind yourself.”
“…Yes!”
When Hess flicked his hand through the air to signal him to leave, Aike bowed deeply, offered his greeting, and withdrew.
Aike's back was soaked in sweat.
'Saya won't ever try to do anything that might displease Hess.'
Of course, that was a good thing, but not speaking frankly could sometimes become a drawback.
I have to be away frequently to train Lloyd. I need someone who can make coolheaded judgments too.
He was going to become Saya's subordinate later anyway, but I'll take him in and train him a little earlier.
'…But will he get along with Saya this time? Should I tell Saya not to kill Aike even if he defies her?'
Hess began opening the boxes, which had been stacked like moving boxes, one by one.
Though he did not know what they were used for, refined items poured forth without end.
But he had no leisure to marvel at such things.
'Something Lloyd can use… Something Lloyd can use….'
It was not that there were no results.
There were a few pieces of equipment that looked useful. But,
'The current Lloyd looks like a single sheet of skin draped over his bones. If I dress him in things like this, he'll stagger.'
I should start with physical training. Then I will teach him swordsmanship slowly.
I was able to find the swordsmanship manual, the item I needed most. However, since it was a Dark Order manual, it differed from the swordsmanship the master had taught in the original story.
'Well, swordsmanship is still swordsmanship. It will not be a serious problem.'
I could buy a standard swordsmanship manual from the village shop, but that would not be the swordsmanship my body remembered.
To teach him myself, I had no choice but to use a Dark Order manual.
'What is this? A map?'
He found a map depicting the area near the hideout.
It bore markings that seemed to have been made by Hess himself, probably marking the locations of treasures or the hideouts of forces that could prove a threat.
After several dozen minutes of this excavation,
KNOCK, KNOCK.
“This is Saya. I have brought those who tarnished the organization's name.”
Behind Saya was a group of bastards with their heads deeply bowed, trembling.
“Move them to the torture room.”
'Good. While I am at it, I might as well indulge in a hobby and show them that Hess is still Hess.'