My back slammed into the hard concrete floor. Or perhaps the concrete floor slammed into my back. There wasn't much difference, really. It hurt like hell either way.

BANG!

It sounded like a leather drum bursting. If anyone ever wondered, with the innocent curiosity of a child, what a drum made of human skin would sound like, they need only listen to the noise my back just made. My back was a human-skin drum.

I didn't scream because all the air had rushed out of my lungs at once, leaving me without the breath to make a sound. I lay still, silently managing the pain.

The Regressor who had thrown me looked down at her hand and thought,

'He jumped on his own to lessen the impact.'

You people call that lessening the impact? You're insane. If one of my crowd pulled off an attack like that, we'd give them a thumbs-up and say,

'Holy shit, that landed fucking perfectly! I think I've got a talent for judo!'

The impact was strong enough that, had I landed wrong, dying on the spot wouldn't have been surprising. Jumped on my own, my ass. The instant I sensed something coming, I jumped in sheer fright and got thrown just like that.

'My Heaven-Reversing Realm is a qi technique specialized for counterattacks. Once a movement is ingrained in my body, it activates before I even think, without a moment's delay. If he saw it and jumped along with it, his reflexes are good. But...'

A counterattack ingrained in her body? That's cheating. I'd approached from her blind spot, yet the instant I touched her, she executed a picture-perfect shoulder throw. It was such an ideal, textbook movement that, if anything, nothing had bent the wrong way. But the impact against my back was so powerful I could barely move. It felt as though thousands of tiny needles had pierced it.

'For someone with such good reflexes, he didn't feel... very impressive on impact.'

This is why you shouldn't associate with people who've spent their lives beating others up. How can you judge someone by how they feel on impact? What am I, a fish on the line? What a shitty feeling.

I grimaced and said,

"Get your foot off me. Wasn't throwing me over your shoulder enough? You have to step on me too?"

"Oh."

The Regressor removed the foot she'd planted on my collarbone. Still lying down, I brushed the footprint off my shirt.

"It's your fault. Why would you just touch me like that?"

"Good grief. What a precious body you have. How do you function in everyday life if you throw everyone who touches your shoulder?"

"If everyday life means living in a world where clueless people keep grabbing my shoulder, I don't need it."

"Are we strangers? That's hurtful."

"... Of course we are. What else would we be?"

"A trainee and an Instructor. They say you shouldn't even step on your teacher's shadow, but you throw me over your shoulder and step on my actual body. Wow. How am I supposed to live with this injustice?"

I still hadn't recovered enough from the impact to stand. I continued lamenting from the floor.

'I can't really blame him for approaching me with his guard down... This isn't a battlefield. I was definitely the one who attacked first.'

The Regressor felt sorry for me, if only a little. She answered quietly,

"Whatever you are, you should have been prepared for that much when you got in my way."

Is that what a person who's sorry says? Look at that complete disconnect between her thoughts and words. This is driving me crazy. If I weren't a mind reader, I'd burst with frustration.

Actually, even as a mind reader, I felt ready to burst.

"Is this what resentment feels like? Is this what it means to be wronged? You were smashing a wall with your sword and about to cut up a golem, yet it never occurred to you that someone might stop you?"

When dealing with the Regressor, the first thing you needed was sound reasoning. The second thing was more sound reasoning. She tended to be rather vulnerable to it. Morality aside, if what you said made sense, she generally accepted it.

'Come to think of it, this man is an Instructor too. He's practically the Military State's eyes. I was trying to dispose of the golem while leaving him alone...'

Good, she understood. Whew. At least she wasn't impossible to reason with.

'Should I just take this opportunity to dispose of him too? Somehow, I feel like I could kill him right now.'

I take that back. Apparently, being fellow humans doesn't necessarily mean you can communicate.

Time to change the subject. I addressed the small magic golem beside my head.

"Hey, Captain AB."

『This is Captain AB. I have assessed the situation. My thanks for your actions.』

"Never mind that. Shut up for now, unless you want to get smashed."

If the golem started talking, it might expose my identity. I deliberately cut it off with a somewhat intimidating tone. Fortunately, Captain AB caught on quickly. Apparently, the captain had realized that I was the only person in this bottomless pit who would help.

Still lying down, I lifted the golem. Its metal body was about the size of a small doll, but it was far heavier than a doll ought to be. Its slender metal arms and legs dangled in the air.

"Trainee Shei."

I lowered my voice. Just as the Regressor began to notice the change, I quietly closed my eyes and spoke.

"You cut open the wall, damaged the golem, and used violence against me, didn't you? All without a second thought."

"So?"

"Fine. Well, the wall is already ruined, and the golem is mostly broken. As for my body, it's meant to be put through its paces, so let's leave it at that. I'll let this pass without any questions. So put aside your feelings toward the golem for now."

"Well..."

'With the Instructor here, it won't make much difference whether there's a golem or not. They're both dogs of the Military State anyway. And... leaving it intact might be better.'

Having reached a decision in that brief time, the Regressor put away her sword.

"As long as it doesn't spy on me."

"It wouldn't even if you asked. You saw it hiding in the dining hall. If it intended to spy on you, it wouldn't have hidden here. A bourgeois who eats private meals while everyone else makes do with inadequate supplies never shows up in the dining hall."

"Hmm."

"If you understand, off you go."

"What are you going to do here?"

"Now that I know there's still a golem around, I should request supplies. Someone's been stealing food at night, so we were starting to run low on canned rations."

"Right..."

'The moment I decided not to fight him, some information leakage became inevitable. I'll wait and see for now. This might actually be a chance to dig up information about him instead.'

The Regressor nodded, gave the golem one sharp look, and turned away.

"Ask if they can supply blood. Maybe it's because Tyrkanzyaka moved around for the first time in ages, but she seems to be running a little short."

"I'll look into it and get back to you."

Who the hell supplies something like that?

"I'm going back to my room."

"Take care."

The Regressor strode out, as though making a point of showing me she was leaving. Now only the golem and I remained in the dark dining hall...

Wait.

"Trainee Shei. Didn't you say you were going back?"

I sensed a startled flinch from beyond the wall. The Regressor answered as if making excuses.

"I-I was just about to. I had something to do for a moment."

Don't even think about eavesdropping. I stared hard at the doorway. The Regressor moved off with loud footsteps. I let out a long groan and lifted the golem again.

"Captain AB. Long time no see."

『I confirm your survival. You have done well to remain ali—』

"Hold on."

Covering the golem's mouth, I planted a hand on the floor and pushed myself up. Ow, my neck. Why was my neck stiff when it was my back that hit the floor? I rolled my neck as though stretching, then glared at a particular patch of empty air.

"Did you come back because there's something worth getting here? If you said you were going to your room, then go."

A faint ripple disturbed the pitch-black darkness, where nothing was visible. The Regressor, concealed by her stealth technique, apparently panicked. She held her breath and stared at me with wavering eyes.

'He... noticed me? He saw through the Veil of Darkness, which doesn't show so much as a ripple in the dark? N-no. Surely not. He didn't notice last time.'

"Stop playing games. You're being far too obvious. Who walks that loudly down a hallway? It's like you're announcing that you're leaving."

'Ugh. Was I too obvious? But he can't have any proof. He's just fishing. For now, I'll pretend I don't know...'

"Oh, just leave already!"

I snatched the pot from the table and hurled it. The Regressor hastily ducked just before it struck her. The pot missed and clattered across the dining hall floor. The sudden movement briefly broke her concealment, and our eyes met.

Caught off guard, the Regressor flushed red with embarrassment.

"U-ugh."

"Trainee Shei. Weren't you just criticizing the magic golem for spying on you? This is exactly the same thing. Using stealth techniques to eavesdrop on other people's conversations is a nasty habit."

"I-I know. I just..."

"It's fine. These things happen. Anyone can make a mistake or get curious. I won't say another word, so just go back to your room."

"O-okay..."

'Damn it, damn it, damn it! I shouldn't have been so obvious in the first place. I underestimated him because of how weak he felt when I threw him!'

The Regressor hung her head and rushed out. I'd worried she might get angry and try to kill me instead, but perhaps because she was a perfectionist, she was rather hard on herself over her own mistakes. She raced down the hallway, mentally berating herself.

The golem, which had watched quietly, spoke.

『So you do have some ability.』

"You have a rough idea how I made my living, don't you? Psychological warfare, that's all."

『I am glad to see that you appear to be surviving reasonably well.』

"What? Glad?"

『I had planned to add a laborer to the next supply list, but I now judge that unnecessary. We need not waste human resources.』

"Oh. You mean in terms of cost."

The Regressor was bad enough, but the Military State really had gathered a collection of unlovable bastards. They'd sent me down here half convinced I was going to die.

"You've been here, so you have a rough idea of everything that's happened, right? Then I won't need to explain."

『Negative. I kept this unit concealed to avoid Trainee 'Shei.' I was unable to observe anything outside the dining hall.』

"Aha. Really?"

Good to know. That meant I had information only I knew. I could use it to squeeze more out of them.

『If you report any noteworthy developments, I promise you my full support.』

Quick on the uptake, too. Having recognized both the situation and my intentions, the captain offered terms without being asked. I liked that efficiency.

『Do you have anything noteworthy to report, or any requests?』

"There's one thing. I..."

'But I still have another option.'

Oh, hold on. I'm hearing strange thoughts again.

Surely not. Fall for the same trick twice and you're a fool; fall for it three times and you're history. Was the Regressor determined to leave her name in the history books?

The Regressor lived in a first-floor cell she'd remodeled however she pleased. If she'd gone back to her room and stopped paying attention to us, I shouldn't have been able to read her thoughts.

The reason I could hear them now was...

'Was it in my seventh run? I learned a long-distance listening technique from some beastkin with sharp hearing. Back then, all the surrounding noise drowned everything out, so I dismissed it as useless and discarded it. But it should work in a situation like this. It's quiet everywhere, so there won't be any background noise. Now, let's see...'

"One moment."

I walked over to the pot I'd thrown earlier. Then I rummaged through the cupboard and took out another. Good, no cracks, and the material was solid. These would do nicely.

I twirled the two pots around, waiting for the right moment.

'I don't have beastkin ears, but if I press my ear to the ceiling from the floor directly below... I should be able to make it ou—'

The instant I heard that thought, I slammed the pots together with all my strength.

CLANG!

'!!!!!!!'

A rounded steel structure makes an excellent resonating chamber all on its own. These pots were even made from alchemical iron, carefully forged and coated so not a single drop of water could leak out. When I smashed them together with all my strength, a deafening crash rang out loudly enough to reach every corner of Tantalus.

The sound raced down the hallways and shook the building. Its majestic resonance rivaled the tolling of a bell. Echoes lingered in the bottomless pit. I waited until the faint reverberations died away.

'Ah, aagh. Ah.'

A soundless cry reached me from the floor below. I crouched and spoke to the concrete.

"Trainee Shei."

'Oh, no. Surely not.'

"You haven't even come to ask what that noise was. You're not eavesdropping, are you? I'll trust that you aren't."

'...'

Was she crying? No, surely not. That couldn't be. Wanting to cry and actually crying were different things. Even people who shed no tears sometimes sobbed inside. It wasn't unusual to feel such intense sadness and embarrassment that you wanted to cry.

What a shame. If I'd actually seen her crying, I could have teased her about it until the world really ended.

Anyway.

"Now that there are no more interruptions..."

『Was that trainee eavesdropping?』

"Probably."

『How did you determine that?』

"I told you, psychological warfare. People like that tend to pursue every last advantage and have a strong urge to make up for their losses. Even after getting caught once, they keep coming back, telling themselves this time will be different. They're not satisfied until they get something out of it."

That was a lie. I'd read her thoughts. But even a reason tacked on after the fact becomes a valid explanation if it gives the right answer.

"Besides, what does she lose if she fails? The risk approaches zero, and there's plenty to gain."

『Understood. What is the likelihood of further eavesdropping?』

"Honestly? At this point, eavesdropping would only hurt her. You have to know when to give up. How much more pathetic can you get?"

'...'

The Regressor's thoughts cut off. Uh, was she all right? That was almost like she'd passed out.

I wondered if I'd gone too far, but compared with the pain still radiating through my back, this was nothing. Mental anguish was nothing next to physical pain anyway.

Having successfully shaken off the Regressor, I decided to finish my business.

"This golem is modeled after a human. It's the sensory-sharing type, right? You control it by synchronizing it with your body."

『Affirmative.』

"In that case..."

I tapped the golem's body. When it reacted, I straightened my finger and wrote on its broad torso. My finger swept across its belly and chest in swift, fluid strokes.

-I'll write the important things, so follow along. Just nod to answer.

The golem's body flinched for a moment, then its head bobbed in a small nod.

Even with the ability to read minds, it never hurt to be careful.

You might ask why I'd bothered banging the pots together, then. But I'd gotten to see the Regressor suffer, so I was satisfied.

"You said you've been in the dining hall this whole time, right?"

Pretending to continue an ordinary conversation, I wrote on the golem's body.

-I'm pretending to be an Instructor here. I lied to survive.

The golem gave a small nod. At the same time, it answered through the microphone attached to its mouth.

『Affirmative.』

"Then you must have seen all the meals Azi and I shared."

-So treat me as though I'm an Instructor too.

This time, the golem shook its head. When I glared, it spoke in a clear, measured voice.

『I did not witness all of them. As previously stated, this unit faced an extreme threat and therefore intermittently suspended operation during the active daytime hours—warning: impersonation and false reporting are serious crimes.』

So it was answering by tacking its response onto the end of its statement.

Well, impersonating an Instructor was certainly a crime the Military State would never permit. Still so rigid, even in this situation. A Military State communications officer to the core.

"Then you must have been operating all night."

-If you don't, I'll have no reason to protect you. No authority to, either. If you won't help me, I can't keep you with me.

The golem briefly stopped moving. Presumably, its mission to monitor this place conflicted with the need to cooperate in the crime of impersonating an Instructor.

But its deliberation didn't last long. It nodded and spoke in an even more mechanical voice.

『I will answer in the affirmative.』

Good. That settled things for now. All I had to do was serve as the channel between Tantalus and the Military State authorities and reap the benefits.

Getting thrown over her shoulder had been worth it. It hurt like hell, but at least I'd gained something.

I grinned.

『And...』

After a little deliberation, the golem spoke somewhat hesitantly.

『As this unit shares sensations with me, I request that you exercise caution when touching it.』

What did that mean? Since I couldn't read its thoughts, I couldn't tell what it was getting at. Was it something important? Its tone seemed to have wavered a little.

I lifted the golem again, held my finger straight, and wrote across its belly and chest.

-Got it. I should only write when it's really important, right?

『Ngh. You have not understood at a—』

Huh. What a strange reaction. The golem trembled oddly, as though malfunctioning, and spoke on its own even though I hadn't asked it anything.

Then it pushed my hand away. Doll-sized or not, it was still a Military State magic golem. Its steel limbs were quite capable of pushing aside a hand like mine.

『... Never mind.』

What? What was that reaction? I couldn't figure it out.

I hadn't realized how frustrating it would be not to read the golem's thoughts. With a person, I could read everything and gain the upper hand. But since this was a remotely controlled golem, I had no way of finding anything out. It didn't even have facial expressions, leaving me to guess from its tone alone.

Did ordinary people live like this all the time? It was more inconvenient than I'd thought. It was like living with a limb missing.

... Oh, hold on.

It said it had been operating all night, didn't it?

Then it must know who'd been sneaking in and stealing the food.

Got you.