SSMDTSKKYIKSSKS – Chapter 1. [Interlude 6]

Chapter 1. [Interlude 6]
“Rapid Change”

 

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Ludio and Liz continued their questioning in front of Lattice, who was imprisoned in a jail cell in the basement of the military.

[-Second Lieutenant Miriam Stasis, is it? I didn’t get the impression from what I saw that she was any different.]

[I’ve talked to her a few times, but she seems like a bright, funny older lady.]

[However, while she was at the military academy, other students reported that Miriam was strangely mumbling to herself. In the end, it was never called into question as it would not interfere with her schoolwork or military service, but it did seem to be documented.]

[What about Second Lieutenant Lattice?]

[She was an ordinary noble lady, wasn’t she? She was a noble from Tsefte Aria, but she didn’t do anything remarkable. I don’t think there is any record of it.]

Ludio is not interested in anyone who doesn’t stand out from the crowd.

It seems that this is no different for these girls and their alumni.

[You know, Ryu-kun, Ensign Miriam is 18 years old, right? She just graduated this year and is a colleague of Ensign Lattice.]

[Yeah. Is that it?]

Liz said what she had been thinking that day in the library just before Lattice attacked her.

[Ensign Miriam is not originally from Mildiana, she came here three years ago to enroll in military school. But that’s when the disappearances of elves started happening in Mildiana.]

[…… Indeed, the main disappearances that have been uncovered in the area began three years ago. They were not publicly discovered until much later.]

[I wonder if it’s possible that Ensign Miriam did this. Or maybe she and Ensign Lattice did it together.]

[It is true that Ensign Maildia was wounded in the attack on Ensign Stasis. It may be unreasonable to consider her an accomplice.]

[So what if it was an act of Ensign Lattice’s own making to keep herself out of suspicion?]

[Considering what she said and did when you were attacked, I can’t say that there isn’t ……]

[Hmmm! Something’s bugging me.]

As Liz began to think with her head in her hands, the imprisoned elf jerked away.

[…… is this ……?]

[Oh, Ensign Lattice!]

[Liz, you’re ……? Ugggghh…… wasta…… oh, hey, why me, why like this?]

Lattice’s pain from the full-body blow does not seem to have receded.

But perhaps even more astonishing is the fact that she is bound by a rope with a sealing technique applied to her as she is seated in a chair.

[You’re awake, Ensign Maildia.]

[Lieutenant General Lambert, sir! Oh, um, how did I get into this!]

[Do you remember anything?]

[I don’t remember anything like this being done to me.]

[When is the last thing you remember?]

Lattice says, horrified, as Ludio gives her a sharp look.

[Uh,……n…… Miriam……, uh, no, Ensign Stasis and I were having a drink at a bar… …that ……?]

Seeing Lattice tilting her head, Liz says,

[It was that long ago? Last night was a little scary!]

[What are you talking about? What in the world are you talking about?]

[Ryu-kun, maybe this girl has some talent as an actor or something. If she’s saying this, she’s in trouble.]

[Ya, an actor?! Talent?! I have no idea what you are talking about.]

[No, I’m afraid not.]

Ludio cowered his shoulders.

Lattice’s reaction is no longer anything like her usual.

Moreover, she was interrogated once by Ludio, but she doesn’t seem to remember that either.

Then, that day. What was that thing in front of him?

What was that thing with the empty eyes that couldn’t even give him a good answer?

At that time, he performed a simple technique of destruction to make sure that she had not been brainwashed. Even so, she showed no reaction.

This means that she was moving of her own volition at that time.

This fact and the image of a girl of her age floundering in front of him were too far apart.

If Lattice was the mastermind, why did she tell that she had been attacked by Miriam? If she was, she should have just kidnapped Miriam or something without saying anything.

There is no need to do anything that would even injure oneself.

It’s as if – this is like giving the military information about the mastermind.

And Miriam’s behavior and words seem to indicate some kind of mental abnormality that is said to have persisted since her childhood.

Usually, she does not show any such behavior, but one day, without warning, she mutters unintelligible words.

In contrast, Lattice showed no such signs. At least until recently.

If they’ll take them into account and consider the situation up to now, they can draw this conclusion. Miriam and Lattice’s contents have been switched.

[Ensign Maildia. You are the most important person of interest in the disappearance of the elves.]

[What, why ……?]

[If you have no memory, stay there until you remember. I’ll leave the rest to the others. Let’s go, Liz.]

[Oh, hey, hey! You’re just going to cut the conversation here?]

[Sir, Lieutenant General! Oh, wait, I, what in the world is ……? Where is Ensign Stasis?]

Lattice’s words, echoing from the rear, no longer rang in his ears, and he left the dungeon with Liz.

He then tells Liz, who complains a lot, not to leave the school dormitory, and arrives at the Supreme Commander’s office.

Soon after, an elf messenger appeared in the room.

[I see. Her Majesty the Queen does things in a hurry, doesn’t she?]

[I am not in the position to say this. But please understand Her Majesty’s feelings.]

[I understand. Just let her know that there is a chance that she will lose her bloodlust and be shamed alive on the spot, which is unbecoming of a queen. This is my last warning to her.]

[What do you say, ……?]

Ludio let out a sigh and then muttered.

[After 500 years, they will descend again–the white-winged monsters.]

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