Higashino Makoto turned around and looked at the remaining people.
Hilma, Anpetif, Noah, and several Six Arms secondary members.
Hilma sat in the chair, her eyes, painted with purple eyeshadow, looking at Higashino Makoto, a complex light flickering in her pupils.
Her fingers tapped lightly on the table, the rhythm sometimes fast and sometimes slow.
She was thinking, not about how to rebel, but about how to survive.
"You."
Higashino Makoto walked up to her.
Can you write?
"... meeting."
"Write down all your crimes. Who participated, who protected, who took the money. The names of all the nobles, all the officials, the time, place, and amount of every transaction."
Higashino Makoto placed a piece of parchment and a quill pen in front of her.
"Once you've finished writing, I'll make sure you die a quick death."
Hilma's hands were trembling.
She picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and began to write.
Anpetif slumped to the ground, his face ashen.
The gold coin in Noah's hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
The other lower-ranking members stood there, their legs trembling, too weak to even run away.
Higashino Makoto turned around, walked to Zero's side, and squatted down.
"You are the leader of the Six Arms. You should know quite a lot."
Zero lay on the ground, his arms bent at an impossible angle, sweat pouring down his forehead like rain.
He looked at Higashino Makoto, his cold gaze carrying a hint of resentment, anger, and despair.
"Who... exactly are you?"
"Don't you already know?"
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
"Higashino Makoto. The Silver Paladin."
"A paladin... wouldn't do such a thing."
Zero's voice was hoarse.
Paladins don't break limbs, they don't torture people with healing magic, they don't—
"The paladin will not."
Higashino Makoto interrupted him.
"But I will."
He stood up.
"Write it down, write down everything you know. Once you've written it down, and this matter is resolved, I'll give you a quick death."
Zero remained silent for a long time. Then he nodded.
Higashino Makoto raised his hand, and a pale golden light fell on Zero.
Healing magic.
His arms were restored in the light, the bones reconnected, and the muscles regrowed.
Then, Higashino Makoto grabbed his right arm and twisted it. Snap.
Zero's teeth clenched so tightly they rattled, but he didn't make a sound.
"Continue. Don't try anything funny. I'll verify it with 'All-Race Charm' later. Anyone who tries anything funny will be dead."
Higashino Makoto released his hand and placed a piece of parchment and a quill pen in front of him.
With trembling hands, Zero picked up the quill pen with his right arm, which had just recovered but was broken again.
He began to write.
The handwriting was crooked and uneven, but every single character was clearly legible.
He knew that the so-called "not having to die" most likely meant eternal torment.
The lobby was quiet.
The only sounds were the scratching of a quill pen across parchment and the occasional, suppressed groan squeezed from deep within a throat.
Illya stood in the doorway, her long, silvery-white hair gleaming softly in the candlelight, her crimson eyes watching everything unfold.
Her expression was calm, calmer than that of an eighteen-year-old girl.
"Illya."
Higashino Makoto's voice came through.
"Exist."
"Go check outside and see if there's any movement from the Blue Rose side."
"Good."
Illya turned around and walked out the door. The night breeze stirred her long, silvery-white hair, and her purple dress shimmered faintly in the moonlight.
Outside the mansion, Lakyus stood in the shadows of the alley, six floating swords slowly rotating behind her.
The emerald green eyes gazed in the direction of the mansion, the candlelight shining through the window reflected in the pupils.
"Miss Lakyus."
Illya's voice came from behind.
Lakyus turned around and saw the little girl with long silver hair standing in the moonlight, her crimson eyes looking at her.
How is it inside?
"The older brother is having them write down the list."
Illya tilted her head.
"Break their limbs, heal them, then break them again. Repeat this several times, then make them write."
Lakyus's lips twitched slightly.
"... He's torturing them?"
"My older brother said this is karma."
Illya spoke calmly, stating something that seemed perfectly natural.
"This is divine punishment sent down by the gods. These people have committed evil for decades; it would be too lenient to simply control them with magic."
Lakyus fell silent.
She looked at the mansion, at the candlelight shining through the windows, and the face of Higashino Makoto appeared in her mind.
That face, always calm and devoid of any emotion.
"What kind of person is he exactly?"
She asked in a low voice.
Illya tilted her head, a glint of light flashing in her crimson eyes.
"Big brother is big brother."
Lakyus looked at her for two seconds, then chuckled softly.
"You're right. He is him."
She turned around and continued to monitor.
Inside the mansion, Hilma put down her quill. The parchment was covered with names.
Nobles, officials, merchants, mercenaries, and--
Barbro Andreen Yerud Riel Vansef.
That is the name of the first prince of the Re-Estize Kingdom of Ri Yesteje.
The moment he saw that name, Higashino Makoto's lips curled into a slight smile.
Things seem to be getting interesting.
Could that "benevolent" but incompetent king really bring himself to kill his own eldest son?
If you can't bear it, then...
Interesting!
Indeed, punishing the wicked and upholding justice makes people feel better.
The paper was covered with dense, dense markings, like ants crawling on it.
"Finished writing?"
Higashino Makoto picked up the parchment, glanced at it, and lingered a few more times on the name Barbro Andreen Yerud Lyle Vansef.
"Good."
He folded the parchment and put it into his pocket.
Are there any other people?
"... there is none left."
Hilma's voice was hoarse.
"I've written down everything I know."
Higashino Makoto nodded. Then he grabbed her right arm and twisted it.
Hilma's lips parted, and she let out a sharp scream.
But her screams were quickly muffled by something; Higashino Makoto's hand was gripping her throat.
"I told you, once I finished writing it, I'd let you die a quick death."
He let go.
"But not now, we need to wait until the list is verified."
Hilma lay on the ground, her arms bent at an impossible angle, her face streaked with tears.
Her body was trembling, not from pain, but from fear.
Higashino Makoto turned around and looked at the others.
"You'll be the same. Once the list is verified, you'll die. Until then—"
He paused.
"Stay alive, I don't want to waste Resurrection Magic on you."
He strode toward the door. Illya walked in from outside and followed behind him.
"Big brother, have you finished writing?"
"Um."
"So where do we go next?"
"The royal palace. Give the list to the king."
The two walked out of the mansion, the night wind ruffling their hair and the hems of their clothes.
The moonlight shone on them, casting long, long shadows on the stone path.
Lakyus emerged from the shadows of the alley and watched their retreating figures.
"Mr. Higashino."
Higashino Makoto stopped walking, but didn't turn around.
"Is the area cleared up?"
"It's clean. No one escaped."
"Very good."
Higashino Makoto continued walking forward.
"The people inside are yours to handle. Don't let them die; I still have a use for them."
"... yes."
Lakyus watched his retreating figure, her emerald green eyes swirling with complex emotions.
Then she turned around and walked into the mansion.
Six floating swords spun behind her, gleaming coldly in the moonlight.
The night wind blew through the streets of the Royal Capital, swirling up a few withered yellow leaves.
In the distance, the palace towers gleamed silvery-white in the moonlight.
Higashino Makoto walked down the street, with Illya beside him. Her long, silvery-white hair fluttered in the night breeze, and her purple dress shimmered faintly in the moonlight.
"Big brother."
"Um."
"What do you think the king will do when he sees that list?"
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"Have no idea."
"What if he doesn't dare to make a move?"
"Then let's find someone who's willing to take action."
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
"With so many people in this country, someone is bound to dare to make a move."
Illya tilted her head, a glint of light flashing in her crimson eyes.
"Big brother, are you really angry?"
"No."
"That's a lie."
Higashino Makoto reached out and gently rubbed Illya's face, her soft cheeks taking on various shapes in his hands before finally letting go.
"... Let's go, there's still a lot to do."
"Big brother is bullying me."
Illya covered her face and followed behind Higashino Makoto.
The two figures disappeared at the end of the street.
The moonlight spilled onto the empty streets, turning everything into a silvery white.
In the distance, suppressed groans and intermittent sobs could be heard coming from inside the mansion.
That was the sound of "Eight Fingers".
They once inspired countless people to voice this opinion.
Now, it's their turn.