233: Calmly Angry
"D-Doesn't this mean you can get away with this... gah!?"
"Answer my question. I'm already holding back."
Before me, several men kneel on the road.
I've applied enough gravity to prevent movement, with some completely sprawled on the pavement.
But I have no intention of easing up.
"W-We're not your enemies..."
"Then who's supposed to decide that?"
Right now, I'm angry because my meal is being interrupted.
I won't go so far as to kill him or put him in a condition that requires treatment, so I gently knock him down and pin him to the road—but I'm definitely angry.
That's why I've already contacted Viridianiya, and a response has already come back from Memokshi.
The response was... that since they're sending someone to retrieve those connected to the Vanillagenroot noble family, I should just hand it over to them.
In addition, whether it was hacked or legitimate, data has also been sent showing who among the people present belongs to which family.
I see. These people are mere pawns, and about one in ten of the onlookers here are relatives of nobles.
I'll get the details from Memokshi later, but I think this time's purpose is mainly intimidation and gathering information.
"I-I am from the Norikimi Baron family..."
"Hmm. A servant working for the Lorailauso Baron family, specializing in delicate operations and investigations, I see."
"!?"
I spoke over the words of the person who had just spoken, relaying information from Memokshi.
Just that was enough to make someone serving the so-called Baroness Rolailaousa turn pale.
Yeah, really just a disposable pawn.
If I—or rather, Vilijaniira—have even minimal knowledge about the situation, then I should also know about Memokshi, the artificial intelligence.
It's a basic fact that every imperial citizen should understand: superficial deception won't work against artificial intelligences.
At this point, if they haven't been given that information, this man and the Roylairauso noble family are already expendable.
"You're from the Chatepoon noble house, and you— from the Dessokaha noble house..."
"«««!?!»»»"
Still, I have no intention of holding back, so I calmly announce their affiliations.
In addition, I deliberately make eye contact with a few onlookers, sending them a clear message: I know full well you're related to nobility.
Why go to such lengths?
If these people are just disposable pawns, then the real target comes next.
If the real players resort to violence, I won't mind—facing them myself—but I can't afford for Vilijanira or Dr. Mizeon to become their targets.
So I intimidate them.
I use these convenient individuals as kindling to draw attention, turning them into a warning for anyone else foolish enough to think of doing something similar.
...
Hmm, come to think of it, this whole thing feels a bit too much like self-directed theater.
Vilijanira herself probably wouldn't do it, but the Vanillagenroot Viscount's family and Memokshi could probably manage something like that.
Ah, no—there's no chance of it being self-directed theater anymore.
"Hey, what's with bringing a bomb to negotiations? And a shield-piercing mod at that—just having it on you gets you a black mark. This is too dangerous; I'll have to crush it myself."
"!?"
I found a suspicious individual acting oddly, so I searched their pocket and discovered a bomb equipped with a shield-piercing mod.
Moreover, it was designed to scatter countless shards of metal upon detonation.
This wasn't someone who'd smuggle it in on purpose—it was far too dangerous. I summoned my main body, wrapped it around the bomb, and crushed it.
It exploded with a small bang... yet my main body remained unscathed.
Well, I guess it was just an anti-personnel bomb after all.
"Please let me through! Police! Sorry for the delay. The dangerous individual is... the one lying down here."
At that moment, a relative from the Vanilla Genroot family, claiming to be police, arrived.
Calmly reassuring the onlookers who had nearly panicked from the explosion, they made their way over to us.
"Anyway, take me along too. I'm the one who immobilized him, and I know this kind of situation requires checking both sides."
"Thank you for your cooperation."
I systematically release each person from the gravity control mod restraint, starting from the one the police have secured.
There's no one trying to resist—quite expected, really.
"Ah, this one had a bomb equipped with a shield-piercing mod, so please handle it carefully and thoroughly. If needed, I can spray them with ink to disable the mod?"
"Please do. This man seems a bit different from the others."
In addition, the man carrying the bomb was taken away under strict sealing, unlike the other men.
Naturally.
"But nobles are frightening. We don't know their intentions, yet they interfere with someone's meal, approach them verbally, and bring something capable of causing a major disaster right from the first contact."
I agree about the fear factor. But I must say that nobles who bring bombs into first contact are truly an extreme exception. That’s going too far, even by any standard.
Bombs are truly an exception, huh.
Well, I suppose so.
That bomb, from the feel of its explosion, could injure or kill nearly everyone present—including onlookers. Just possessing it was already illegal.
People like those who use such things are the exception, of course.
"Interrogation. How long will this take...?"
"It will be over shortly, so please don't worry."
In fact, the interrogation ended smoothly, and I was sent back to the Vanillagenroot noble family.
By the way,
Suppressing through gravity control mods turned out to be quite a delicate combination of technical skills.
After briefly creating zero-gravity to lift them, the technique applies precise pressure to the toes and back of the head to rotate them, then carefully decelerates for a soft landing, positioning them face-down. Finally, it applies a moderate, evenly distributed gravity to immobilize them completely.
Moreover, since this technique is unleashed with the specifications of a space monster, ordinary humans' gravity-control mods cannot possibly counter it.