Chapter 515: Population and Food Situation (1/2)
Jin was surprised to hear that Netros wanted to have his memory erased as well.
“Yours too?”
“That’s right. I… I have a vague idea of ??what Lady Istalis was forced to endure. If Istalis won’t have that memory anymore, I shouldn’t have it either.”
“Oh, so that’s why. …But a memory is an experience. You’re Istalis’ personal guardian, right? Wouldn’t forgetting about this lesson be a bad thing?”
“You’re right, but…”
Erasing the memory of this incident meant that he could end up being deceived in the same way in the future.
“Still…”
After thinking for a while, Netros started talking again.
“I was the one they tortured first. Since I didn’t say a word about what they wanted to know, they ended up torturing Istalis as well. So I was hoping to erase only the memory of the suffering Istalis was put through.”
“Hmm…”
Then Jin presented various arguments against the idea, but Netros wouldn’t budge.
Though Jin couldn’t totally agree with Netros, he could understand how Netros felt about his mistress, Istalis.
“Let me ask you about this one last time. Are you completely sure?”
“Yes. I’m sure.”
“Okay. If it’s what you wish.”
“I appreciate it.”
So, Jin instructed Reiko to paralyze Netros and put him on the stretcher to be carried out of the room by Nurses Alpha and Beta. Then, Jin took him to Hourai Island.
“That’s why I’ll need your help once again, Laojun.”
“Understood, My Lord.”
Laojun welcomed this procedure because it would allow him to get even more data about the demons’ magic frequency.
He measured the magic frequency, verified the memory to be erased, then erased said memory, and made sure it had worked. Since it was his second time doing this, it was done much more efficiently than before.
“I’ve finished. I’ve left the memories up until the morning of August 5th untouched, and erased everything from that point on.”
“Well done. …But I don’t want to do this too often. Laojun, even if I instruct you to do this again, don’t comply at once. Be sure to ask for the reason, make your own judgment, and let me know if you think that something is out of place.”
Jin instinctively hated the idea of erasing someone’s memories.
“Memories are proof of a person’s life and experiences. They’re not something that others should be playing with…”
Laojun made sure to remember Jin’s words and fully grasp their meaning.
Incidentally, when Laojun checked Istalis and Netros’ memories, he caught a brief glimpse of what they had been put through and what they had talked about.
(It’s a relief that Istalis’ torture didn’t include anything that would trample over a woman’s dignity… For both sides.)
Laojun was of course relieved that nothing like that happened for Istalis’ sake, but if it had actually happened and Jin learned about it, he would definitely consider retaliating against the Frantz Kingdom for it.
＊ ＊ ＊
After taking Netros back to Nidou Castle, they waited for them to wake up.
Shion frowned anxiously as she kept on staring at both of them.
Then…
Thirty minutes later, Istalis’ eyelids trembled, and finally opened up.
“Sister?”
“Shion…? Is that you?”
“Yes, sister, it’s me! Are you okay?”
While still lying on the bed, Istalis blinked her eyes repeatedly.
“Yes, though I remember eating something, and then I passed out… I don’t remember anything else after that.”
“Sister, you’ve been tricked into eating poisoned food. Both you and Netros were captured… But you’re okay now.”
Jin watched over Istalis by his side. So far, there were no signs of panic. The procedure seemed to have worked. Jin let out a sigh of relief.
“So you rescued us?”
“Yes, though I should say the rescue itself was made by him.”
Shion then introduced Jin.
“This is Lord Jin Nidou. He is the Magi Craft Meister, and also the one to help me when I fell unconscious myself. Then we learned about your situation, and I asked him to help me rescue you as well.”
“I’m the 2nd Magi Craft Meister, Jin Nidou.”
Jin bows lightly and introduces himself as well.
“Oh, so there is still a Magi Craft Meister around?”
Upon hearing that Jin was the Magi Craft Meister, Istalis looked at him with respect.
This reignited Jin’s curiosity about what kind of relationship his predecessor had with the demons, but he still refrained from asking anything about it at this time.
Besides, Istalis herself didn’t seem to have recovered her strength yet.
“My sister, don’t overexert yourself. Please rest for a bit longer.”
“…Yes, you’re right.”
Heeding her sister’s words, Istalis smiled briefly and then closed her eyes again.
Ultimately, by that same evening she had recovered enough to have a conversation with Jin.
Netros had also woken up, and after making sure that both of them were well enough to get up from their futon beds, Jin decided it was time to talk with them.