Satous' here. Interrogation changes with time. Interrogation which involved physical pain in the past has seemingly now become something that uses truth serum nowadays. Those are all something I learned from manga and movies though.
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"Now then, shall I have you answer my questions?"
After a slightly awkward breakfast, I began the weaselkin's officers interrogation.
The officer looks up at me who's wearing lizardkin suit with scornful eyes.
"Hmph, you think a soldier would easily leak information? This is why dumb lizards annoy me."
"As expected of the empire's soldier, truly excellent. Those magic beasts and tanks are also great."
The harsh words of the weaselkin gets converted in my brain as I talk to him with the [Weasel Language] that I just got.
It's hard to use the language with human's mouth so I use the usual [Ventriloquism] skill to help.
"That's exactly right! Bestowed by His Majesty the emperor, the invincible magic beast army trampled the knights, and the special vehicle corps crushed countless golems! Our Empire is truly unrivaled!"
"The speed of which you invaded Makiwa Kingdom cannot be compared to anything in the past."
"Of course! I cannot stand that bald tactician but that person is the only one that can materialize His Majesty's plan..."
I interrupt the officer, who's blabbering indiscreetly, at the right time to get the information I want.
I didn't use truth serum, it was the support from mind magic's [Honesty], [Speaker], [Foolish Field].
With the synergy of the skill [Interrogation] at max level and these magic, it's easy to make him talk about their secret.
"Hoo, what kind of plan is that? It must certainly be amazing isn't it?"
"Of course! The iron smoke car which connect cities will be used to transport goods and the soldiers to the front lines! With excellent logistics and magic beast corps as the key, and combined with the Magic Eater of the special vehicle unit, even Shiga Kingdom and Saga Empire are nothing to us!"
The special vehicle should be about the tank.
The Magic Eater is probably the magic device which generate magic nullifying field that my companions reported.
We couldn't secure it in one piece, but I can understand its structure to a degree from the wreckage.
I must quickly make something to oppose it.
Still... The smoke car must be a steam locomotive right~.
According to Corpse of the labyrinth lower layer, advancing the civilization means violating the god's taboo, so why is the Weasel Empire fine?
I remember Corpse saying, "Radio tower and railroad network had brought upon the god's wrath."
I should ask his opinion abouot it once I'm done with the interrogation.
"By the way, are you aware of the god's taboo?"
"You really are a lizard. Repeating the same ignorant things as the priests said."
The officer grimaced unpleasantly like he was a child who had got enough of sermon.
"There is no taboo."
"--Really?"
To the officer who answered full of confidence, I make a face like I can't believe him to make him talk about the reason.
"It's been 10 years since the science began. God's wrath or whatever never befall us."
--It's already been such a long time?
He's saying that there is no divine punishment since it's not a taboo, however--.
"Did the empire advance science on the premise that the divine punishment wouldn't happen?"
"There is no way the great emperor would endanger his subject right? In order to see if it violated the taboo, we manipulated the rebels to create a puppet state, and then once we confirmed that it didn't violate the taboo, we brought it back to the empire."
I see, so they prepared a test site beforehand.
By the way, about that puppet state--Gufut Commonwealth isn't on the map of Shiga Kingdom's tourism book, not even the country's name remains in the related documents.
According to the officer, that puppet state was disposed of five years ago since it bared its fangs to the empire.
"By the way, why did such a grand empire's army invaded mid countries like Makiwa Kingdom?"
"Hmph, you lizards are clueless."
After having an expression like "You don't even understand that?", the officer lost to the allure of talking and continues to talk.
"Of course it's for the Four Treasured Wands needed for His Majesty's plan and to field test the Magic Eater and the special vehicle."
Fumu, so Makiwa Kingdom's side guessed it right.
It seems three of the treasured wands were taken by the empire, but fortunately, we were able to secure one.