Chapter 62

“They are currently under investigation. Would you like to interrogate Alres, who has been captured, first?”  

“…Give me some time.”  

“Of course. Before that, you could also interrogate Dr. Alres’ parents. There’s also Julia Perredit, who worked with Vivi Ferren.” 

Costance and James, riding the elevator together, remained silent.  

While James admired Costance’s towering figure and striking appearance, Costance’s mind was tangled with complex thoughts.  

“This way, Captain.”  

When the elevator doors opened, James stepped out first. On the floor, employees bustled around, busily moving and working. Passing through the crowd, Costance arrived at the special room, where he received Benny Galinne’s files along with plans for upcoming operations.  

The first document that caught Costance’s attention was about Benny Galinne’s father, Nergal Galinne, the starting point of it all.  

A man called a traitor who betrayed his country.  

NOK One is a weapon that threatens humanity. Nergal Galinne knows this better than anyone else. – From an interview transcript with Researcher A.  

Nergal Galinne was described as a man with a childlike purity. He was also said to have difficulty forming relationships due to his unique ability to read emotions as they appeared.  

He was someone whose distinction between good and evil was unclear. – From an interview transcript with Researcher D.  

For the first time, Nergal Galinne recognized the NOK One he invented as something evil. His colleagues, referencing this, claimed that Nergal Galinne was not a traitor.  

The documents also stated that Nergal had no contact whatsoever with the Rando Kingdom. Nergal Galinne had self-destructed along with the destructive weapon.  

The agency’s official documents also recorded that “Nergal Galinne self-destructed,” but the Toramde government, considering the current situation and public sentiment, deemed it more beneficial to keep this information classified.  

‘…….’  

Costance crumpled the document.  

〈If it weren’t for Nergal Galinne, the Rando Kingdom wouldn’t have dared to provoke us like this.〉  

Unaware of this, he had spoken such words in front of Vivi.  

Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of self-loathing, Costance grimaced in anguish but quickly regained his composure.  

Costance was a naval officer and knew well the power possessed by enemy nations. Setting aside Nergal, the Rando Kingdom, now in possession of a destructive weapon, could attack Toramde at any moment. To maintain the balance of power and peace, Toramde needed to possess destructive weapons, just like the Rando Kingdom.  

‘But Vivi opposes this.’  

That was the problem.  

Instead of feeling resentment or anger, Costance felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Perhaps it was because he now understood why Vivi had bid him farewell.  

“Alres has arrived!”  

At that moment, someone’s voice echoed. The employees in the office stopped what they were doing and approached the window.  

Beyond the window, a man with black hair was being dragged into the agency by agents.  

“Is that Alres? He looks so young.”  

“And he doesn’t look much like his photo.”  

“They said he was blond, but he dyed his hair black. Do you think Alres will give us any information related to Benny Galinne?”  

Costance also looked out the window at Alres. He was a tall, young man.  

‘That man was with Vivi….’  

Costance clenched his teeth and immediately headed downstairs. As he descended the stairs, his heart raced with urgency and anxiety. The captured man knew Vivi’s whereabouts.  

“…….”  

Alres, who had just entered the building, kept his head down, his body slumped. In contrast, his determined expression and tightly pressed lips showed his resolve not to reveal any information about Benny Galinne.  

“I’m Costance Dieter Orsi, assigned to the special team. Is this man Dr. Alres?”  

Costance approached the agents holding Alres. The agents, startled by Costance’s sudden appearance, nodded in recognition of his familiar name.  

Alres also quickly lifted his head and looked at Costance’s face. From the unease in Alres’ trembling eyes, Costance realized that the man knew about his relationship with Vivi.  

“May I interrogate this man first?”  

At Costance’s words, the agents’ expressions hardened.  

“We’re sorry, but we need to report first….”  

“Let him interrogate first.”  

A man in a suit, elderly yet dignified, appeared from inside. At his arrival, the agents immediately straightened up and stiffened their expressions. Costance recognized Ald Herbert, his father’s close friend and the Minister of Security.  

“Costance Orsi.”  

“It’s been a while, Minister.”  

“I received word from your father. The Cardinal himself will come here to meet me, so until then, interrogate Dr. Alres thoroughly, Costance.”  

Ald spoke to Costance as if granting him a favor.  

“Thank you.”  

“Like your father, I have high expectations for you.”  

“I will do my best.”  

“Effort alone isn’t enough. Produce results.”  

That was the end of the conversation between Ald and Costance.  

Having been granted the authority to interrogate, Costance stared at the man glaring at him. Both Alres and Costance seemed to have much they wanted to say to each other.  

* * *  

“I need to use the restroom.”  

When they reached the basement where the interrogation rooms were located, Alres spoke in a cracked voice. The agents ignored him and roughly dragged him by the arms.  

“It’s urgent. I said it’s urgent. I may be captured, but I’m not a criminal! At least let me use the restroom.”  

Alres struggled, insisting on going to the restroom.  

As his resistance grew stronger, the agents exchanged glances and quietly discussed among themselves. Perhaps they reached a consensus, as the agent dragging Alres turned toward the restroom.  

The men’s restroom was empty.  

One of the agents tried to follow Alres into the restroom, but Costance appeared suddenly and stopped him with a hand on his arm.  

“I’ll watch over Dr. Alres myself.”  

“Are you sure?”  

“It’s easier to have a conversation one-on-one.”  

Costance whispered softly to the agent, who nodded in understanding and told him to call if anything happened. The agent then stood guard outside the restroom.  

Costance closed the restroom door.  

“Cost—!”  

“Shh.”  

Costance covered Alres’ mouth, silencing him, and scanned the surroundings. There were no cameras or listening devices. He turned on the ventilation fan next to the sink and looked at Alres, who stood frozen in the middle of the restroom.  

“It’s fine now.”  

As soon as Costance spoke, Alres lunged at him, grabbing him by the collar.  

“What did you do to Benny?”  

“…….”  

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You approached her intentionally, knowing everything from the start.”  

Costance closed his eyes, suppressing the fear boiling within him.  

“Where is Vivi now?”  

“Do you think I’d tell you? You bastard!”  

“…Is Vivi alone?”  

“Yes, thanks to your report, she’s probably struggling on her own right now.”  

“Struggling….”  

“Yes, you bastard!”  

“I’m sorry….”  

“What?”  

Alres loosened his grip. He stared at Costance’s face with a confused expression.  

“I didn’t know. I didn’t realize.”  

“…….”  

“I said such terrible things to Vivi without knowing.”  

Costance spoke endlessly.  

“I didn’t know. It’s my fault. I….”  

Costance broke down in front of Alres.  

A man who wouldn’t flinch even if he lost someone he loved was now shaken by the thought of Vivi being alone. Alres couldn’t hide his bewilderment.  

But the moment passed, and Alres assumed Costance was acting to manipulate him.  

“I want to meet Vivi. Please tell me where she is.”  

Alres let out a bitter laugh.  

“Stop with the disgusting act.”  

“I just want to talk to her. Even one word….”  

“And then drag her to the agency to make her build destructive weapons with her own hands?”  

“I’ll keep it a secret from the agency. Please, I beg you.”  

Eventually, Costance knelt before Alres. He said that all he wanted was to have a short conversation with Vivi, not destructive weapons or blueprints.  

Costance was sincere.  

The moment he heard about Vivi from Alres, he forgot about destructive weapons, the Rando Kingdom, and even the government. All he could think about was Vivi Ferren.  

The woman who had embraced him with love.  

From the beginning, it was a nation that maintained peace through power. The government twisted facts and lies as it pleased. Even the Marquis Orsi had used his influence to place his corrupt son in a high-ranking agency position.  

Could this truly be called peace?  

Costance wanted to ease the burden of the woman trapped in misfortune.  

Destructive weapons were meaningless.