«A traitor...?»
«What do you mean by that?»
The team leaders frowned at my abruptness, but seemed to understand what I meant despite the lack of context.
James Calla parted his lips carefully. «...Is this about lost supplies?».
I didn't bother to beat around the bush and confirmed it. «Yes that's right».
«But that incident was...»
«A coincidence? Judging by your reaction as soon as I mentioned the word «traitor», it seems that you also suspected that there was something strange in all of this.»
«That's it...» Shut up, shut up. Apparently, he had nothing to say to that.
As if to defend him, Akurava jumped up, not hiding how upset she was. «Thinking about it for yourself and saying it out loud are two different things. Betray? It is a very risky and dangerous accusation based on a hunch».
Everything he said was correct. However, the most important thing was still missing. «So what's your point?»
«Suspect whoever you suspect, you must have physical evidence capable of convincing us all».
Ugh, it hits me where it hurts the most. Do you think I suspect her? Well, managing supplies was his job. That may be why he is now on the defensive.
Before this misunderstanding could drag on any longer, I interrupt her. «Don't worry. I don't suspect you».
«Sorry? But first you said...»
«If I doubted you, I wouldn't have called you to talk about it».
To be honest, at first he had considered them all suspicious, but that was no longer the case. I found the culprit and luckily he wasn't one of our prized team leaders.
«So... who do you suspect is the traitor?»
«Pyke Neldine.»
As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone's eyes wandered towards Calla.
«...He's your team's warrior, right?» Akurava asked.
«And also the guy who goes around gossiping about the commander every chance he gets», Kaislan said.
«Hmm... then your goal might be to sabotage the commander», Jun said.
Entertaining the idea that he was telling the truth, the other three seemed to connect the dots in their heads.
Silent, however, he rushed to defend his team. «There must be a misunderstanding. Neldine may be rude, but...».
«Interesting. I wonder how far you must know him to be confident enough to say that. I'm done researching it. The Adventurer's Guild recommended you join this operation, right? And you also met him for the first time then».
«Yes, but...»
When Calla's tongue stuck, Akurava stepped forward to help him. «Schuitz, I think we first need to know why you think he's a traitor. It would be better if you had proof».
Ugh, that damn evidence. I was getting sick of hearing about it, but I laid out in detail the list of reasons I had compiled to explain why Pyke Neldine was a traitor. When I finished, all the leaders accepted my suspicions as reasonable.
«That is undoubtedly...»
«I see you don't work with just a hunch.»
«Although it's still just a theory, they are definitely suspicious circumstances.»
Ah, except for that guy Calla, of course. «But you don't have the most important thing: physical evidence. You won't be able to convince anyone with a list of what could be matches! Some might even think you're retaliating against someone who criticized you!». It was the first time this guy had raised his voice at me, but it didn't particularly offend me. It was natural for the leader of a party to protect his comrades.
«Calm down. I know, that's why I'm having an honest conversation with you». I turned to Calla. «Answer this. Do you still think my doubts are unreasonable?».
«I... no».
«Alright, that's all, then». Before I could say anything else, I clapped my hands loudly to lift my spirits. «Listen carefully. From now on, I'm going to need everyone's help».
«For help...»
«I'll explain it to you». I shared the plan I had made with the team leaders and got everyone to agree. «The sun should have set by now.»
It was night. Well, inside this cave, it was just as dark day as it was night.
«Well, that's all, then. You go for Pyke Neldine».
Now that it was night, we should start the trial soon.
***
The ceiling and walls around us were frozen. A huge sinkhole was in the center of the large cavity we were in, and the thirty members of our squadron were gathered in the camp built next to it.
«...God, I'm tired. What's happening? Does anyone know?»
«Apparently there is a traitor in the squad».
«...Traitor?»
«Yeah, apparently they made us lose all the food».
It seemed that the team leaders had spread some of the information he had told them. Shock appeared on the faces of the assembled crew members. However, he soon became curious.
«So who is the traitor?».
«I guess we'll find out soon».
«True. If they called everyone here at a time when we should be sleeping, it must be because they noticed».
The murmurs calmed down and gazes began to fall on me. I completely ignored them all and kept my attention on one person in particular.
«Neldine, what's going on?». Pyke Neldine, the warrior on Calla's team was the one who had been constantly talking behind my back.
What a chicken.
When she sat down for the first time, she shuddered and looked away, but now she insisted on keeping her fixed on me without looking away. It was a common habit of liars. They were always worried that their opponent would assume they were hiding something if they looked away.
«Now, now, silence everyone!» When I looked at him, Kaislan stepped forward to catch the platoon's attention and soon there was a cold silence. It was the perfect setting for a one-sided monologue.
«Pyke Neldine, come closer». As soon as he spoke, everyone's eyes flew to the back of the group.
«...What? Was it that bastard?»
«Don't call him a bastard. We still don't know anything for sure».
Murmurs could be heard around.
«Aren't you coming here?» I asked, and those around Neldine separated to clear the way.
Step step.
The guy stopped in front of me, head held high and frowning. «...I'm here».
«You are very sure of yourself».
«Why wouldn't it be? Whatever, let's listen to it. Why have you chosen me?» He looked at me with obvious belligerence in his eyes.
I expected it. I didn't think for a second that preparing the ground for him and scaring him would make him collapse and confess. «Pyke Neldine.»
«I hear you. Speak.»
«You are being accused of committing high treason.»
«...Betrayal?»
«Since you have caused serious damage to an expedition team established under the king's orders, it would be safe to consider this crime treason.»
«I don't understand at all what's going on here. What are you saying I did? If this is because I criticized you behind your back-»
«Pyke Neldine!» I wasn't going to let him waste his time, so I cut him off and raised my voice. «You have destroyed the ice beneath us twice during this expedition, causing the loss of vital supplies! How do you declare yourself?»
«Innocent, obviously. Because it's not true».
«Are you going to continue denying it until the end?»
«Why are they all standing there?! Is it reasonable for a man considered the leader of this operation to pursue his crew like this without any evidence?». Neldine shouted to his squadmates, gradually influencing public opinion.
«It's... like it's unreasonable».
«Dragging someone to the stand like that...»
«Come to think of it, he's the same guy who's always cursing the commander, right?».
«Even if you call him a traitor out of nowhere, unless there is clear evidence...»
«Wasn't it just a coincidence that the ice broke anyway?»
It was clear what this guy wanted: to make people believe that he was acting out of personal resentment.
«Schuitz, you just made a serious mistake». Neldine looked at me confidently in the eyes. «If you want to frame me and persecute me, shouldn't you at least have evidence that everyone present can accept?».
«Tests, huh?»
To be honest, this had been the biggest thorn in my side since I discovered it. I couldn't get a confession out of him using torture, for obvious reasons. It wasn't like he had Mistaken Trust on him either. Magic to detect lies? Most adventurers operating above the fifth floor were immune to verification spells, so how many of these people would that magic work with? I thought about it in my mind over and over again.
There was no solution.
I finally came to a conclusion. Unless he somehow tricked him into confessing using trick questions, there was only one other way.
«It looks like you don't even have one...»
[You have launched gigantization.]
My body grew instantly.
Grab.
In an instant, I threw a hand and grabbed the guy's neck. The entire squad seemed surprised by this, but no one immediately went to move. It was a custom of adventurers. Unless they already had a full understanding of the situation, most people took a wait-and-see approach.
«Keugh, what are you...!»
«It seems like you like making friends. But none of them come out of nowhere to help you when you're in trouble, huh?».
«Stop...!»
I haven't even started yet.
Squeeze.
I grabbed his neck tighter and blocked his airway.
Hit! Hit!
He hit my arm as hard as he could. In my opinion, it was the most useless escape attempt in the world.
Slide.
Ignoring his agitation, I bent my elbow and pulled him towards me.
«Neldine, did you know that?».
«...M-Mm!»
«I don't need any proof. The commander has the authority to summarily execute any squad member in an emergency.»
«KK-Keugh!»
«I think this is an emergency.»
When I relaxed my hand, even a little, he didn't miss the opportunity to let out a desperate scream. «You think the outside world will believe...!»
«I'm sure you won't believe it».
The nobles were not stupid, and there were many witnesses here. The moment I executed this guy, all of Tercerion's rivals would hold me accountable and force me to resign from my position.
«But that's none of my business. I don't care about those things». With the sincere intention of killing him, I applied force to his windpipe.
Soon, Neldine's veins began to protrude and her entire head turned bright red as it filled with blood. He no longer looked at me as he did his best not to lose consciousness. Instead, he looked around for salvation.
«Um... Is it okay to let this continue?»
«This is definitely a problem...»
«Mr. Kaislan! Shouldn't we stop it now?»
The crew expressed concern, but all the crew chiefs kept their mouths shut and watched the situation unfold. That was the promise they made to me, after all. And was it because the team leaders stood by and silently showed their support for my decision? Soon, the worries and insistence on stopping me disappeared.
«Ah... no...» The person most affected by this observation was none other than the boy in front of him.
What do you mean «no»?
«Just die». I let the killing intent out from deep in my chest and poured all my strength into the hand around his neck.
Crack!
His neck gave way. His eyes rolled back and his eyeballs swelled.
«Damn!»
One spectator cursed, and another shouted. And then...
[Pyke Neldine has released Overload.]
Unable to bear his exponentially skyrocketing weight, my arm began to bend.
So, he finally used it.
Kwaaang!
Changing the angle, Neldine's feet touched the ground.
Gasping...!
When I released his neck from my grip, he collapsed and took a deep, agonizing breath. «Piece of shit!», he shouted as soon as he had enough air in his lungs. «What are you doing?! We have... to stop... this savage».
The crew began to stir at the screams of a man who had returned from the dead, wondering if they should intervene now.
«Why are you all standing there?!» neldine shouted, looking at the team leaders for help. But their faces were as cold as the ice around us.
«I hoped it wasn't true».
«It really has Overload. Something a warrior should not possess».
«Let's tie it first. If he commits suicide, we won't be able to hear the backstory».
Today's lesson: If you had a hunch, you could fabricate the tests you were missing.