Looking at Matapju with that question in her eyes, he seemed to catch those glances and narrowed his eyes as if he noticed.

“Yeah. Fine. I’ve become a good person.”

“What?”
“If it were in the past, I would have just said, ‘Huh!? Forget it. Well then, let me be exceptionally kind today and explain it to you. Gelrox, about 20 years ago, you used magic on a child.”

“Yes…?”

“And today is the time for atonement for the mistake you made in the past. If you tell the story with your own mouth, the sin will be significantly lightened. However, in case you refuse to speak with your own mouth… you’ll experience something truly dreadful.”

“I… I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Hah, that’s why these days are annoying. Haven’t you heard rumors about me, the owner of Matap? I’m quite a dreadful person. And it’s not common for me to give such a big opportunity.”

Matapju shook her head slowly, as if finding it pathetic.

“An opportunity…?”

“Yeah. An opportunity. A very precious one. You’ve received a great favor. However, I don’t have much patience. If, by any chance, you speak again with pain, I’ll simply send you to hell without caring about the sin. So, speak.”

“I… I really don’t know what’s going on.”

“Hah. Trying to live kindly, but you’re really annoying. Sessenia, wait for a moment.”

Matapju, who suddenly stood up from her chair, approached Gelrox without hesitation.

Although he wasn’t exceptionally large, it wasn’t threatening, but for Gelrox, who was tied up and sitting, the situation was very intimidating.

“W-What are you doing right now?”

“I’m trying to sober you up.”

Matapju placed her hand on Gelrox’s head. Then, with her other hand, she made a snapping sound.

In an instant, Gelrox disappeared and then reappeared immediately.

“Well, that should do it.”

Sessenia wanted to ask what had happened or if something had actually happened, but Gelrox, who appeared to be in a serious condition, caught her eye.

In that brief moment, with foam around his mouth… He didn’t seem normal, no matter how you looked at it.

“Now, do you have the will to speak?”

“Ugh… uh…”

“Anyway, if nowadays people can’t sober up with this much, I might need to try again…”

“I-I remember.”

Gelrox, who was making sounds with foam around his mouth, quickly opened his mouth.

“Making weird noises while being able to speak. Well, I don’t like it anyway.”

Suddenly, he returned to the chair he had been sitting on, trembling, and looked at Matapju.

Seeing him like a gangster or a thug, Sessenia tightly held Teddy’s hand.

You have to protect me from anywhere. I seem to have made a wrong move. She conveyed the feeling.

“If you mix lies, you’ll experience even more severe pain than before. See? Those people in the River of Hell. Those who extended their skeletal hands to catch and devour you. If you don’t want to get involved in that, you should think carefully. I’m feeling very good lately, so I’m being merciful.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll talk. Matapju! Twenty years ago, I received money and did something I shouldn’t have.”

It was quite a straightforward confession. Despite the possibility of turning the conversation here or hesitating, he didn’t show any hesitation at all.

As if the previous incident, the act committed by Matapju, was truly horrific.

“What specifically is the thing you shouldn’t have done?”

“The Empire strictly prohibits changing the hair color of imperial citizens. It’s because of those who fake the hair color of the royal family. And I committed that strictly prohibited act. I did something illegal.”

His confession was excessively straightforward.

Rather, he spoke so indifferently that one might wonder if he had no sense of guilt at all. It even gave the impression that he might have some mental issues.

“Well, if he went through something weird and came back, his mind might have gone strange… But still…”

“So whose hair color did you change?”

Matapju spoke instead of the hesitating Sessenia.

“That is…”

“Why do you want to experience this again? Are you someone who enjoys getting punished? If you like that, this time, I might just strip you naked like a live chicken…”