Gathering Wives with a System Chapter 438: What Do You Mean I’m Getting Influenced By Celia?

Before their arrival, Avery had bestowed upon Alice a tremendously potent artifact. This treasure was able to evade most lie detection spells and shield her mind from memory probes.

Isaac possessed similar artifacts, gifts from Avery, yet they weren't potent enough to assure safety against the formidable lie detection techniques soon to be employed on them.

His sole powerful artifact hid recent memories.

That was it. Nevertheless, after Avery revealed the nature of the impending questions, Isaac felt assured about the lie detection trial.

Avery had repeatedly inquired why he brimmed with such confidence. Isaac never offered a complete answer.

Even Alice remained in the dark. Each time she probed, Isaac deftly shifted the subject.

Right as she prepared to press him once more, a knock echoed on the tent's wooden door.

"Time," a soldier announced from beyond.

Isaac rose to his feet.

"Let’s go."

Guards escorted them to the camp's central command zone. Upon reaching it, the guards parted them.

Alice was guided to one tent.

Isaac to a different one.

Within Isaac’s tent, two figures awaited.

Gael occupied one side of the table.

Opposite him sat a peculiar man with pink skin and three curving horns protruding from his forehead.

Gael motioned toward the stranger.

"This is Bjorn. He journeyed from the capital at our summons. Among our finest mentalists, he will perform the lie detection test alongside me."

Isaac nodded with composure.

Then his gaze flicked momentarily to the tent's side wall.

To others, it appeared as mere fabric.

Isaac knew otherwise.

Concealed behind that flimsy partition, out of sight, another observer monitored every word exchanged.

The Sword Empress in person.

…

Sword Maiden’s POV

Silence filled the room, broken only by the soft whisper of fabric.

At its heart stood a woman whose mere aura sharpened the very air.

Her long blue hair was bound in a tidy ponytail cascading to mid-back. Fierce brows arched over icy eyes, with a petite straight nose below. Slender yet honed, her frame boasted a slim waist, taut abdomen, and the poised stance of a lifelong warrior.

Simple black tactical garb clung lightly to her form. To the untrained eye, it seemed to offer scant defense, but enchantments and exotic fibers fortified the material. A sword hung silently at her hip.

Her allure was undeniable, yet utterly overshadowed in this moment.

She frowned deeply.

Arms crossed, the Sword Maiden observed the questioning via a vast viewing formation on the wall. It displayed two tents split by a heavy drape.

Alice occupied one space.

Isaac the other.

"...They claim origin from the future?"

Her tone stayed even, though doubt laced it sharply.

A young human woman stood at her side—Sword Maiden’s second disciple, one of the few Gael had briefed on Isaac and Alice.

"Yes, Master. They insist they are your future disciples," the disciple answered.

Sword Maiden held her silence for a beat.

Her eyes stayed locked on the unfolding scene.

In Isaac’s tent, Bjorn had launched the interrogation.

The pink-skinned mentalist lifted his hand gradually, sending a subtle energy wave across the space. His spell induced a gentle hypnosis, coaxing truthful responses over evasive half-lies.

Isaac’s gaze grew faintly glazed.

Bjorn observed him briefly before questioning.

"What is your name?"

"Isaac Hargraves."

Bjorn dipped his head faintly and pressed on. "What is your affiliation and your current age?"

"I’m the Lord of Imperium Alterum. I’m nineteen right now." Isaac replied swiftly.

Bjorn hesitated.

A subtle furrow etched his brow as he looked to Gael.

Then came a slight nod.

Truth.

Gael’s eyes tightened as he scrutinized Isaac.

The name rang no bells.

Yet the rank screamed power. Imperium Alterum was unknown to Gael, but Isaac evidently ruled it supreme as its "Lord."

He eased back and signaled Bjorn onward.

Bjorn posed a query tough to invent under trance.

"What year were you born?"

"23 August, 3036 PAE."

Bjorn blinked. "PAE?"

"Post Apocalypse Era."

For the first time, tension gripped the interrogation chamber.

Bjorn’s ease vanished.

Gael sat up straight.

Even in the viewing area, Sword Maiden’s brows knit tighter.

Her disciple advanced.

"Master—"

Sword Maiden lifted a hand.

The subtle motion hushed her instantly.

Within the tent, Bjorn drew a measured breath before proceeding.

"Post Apocalypse Era. Can you explain about it?"

"It is the era after our world was destroyed by the Apocalypse. Most of civilization collapsed. Only certain cities remain where organized life still exists. Those cities are the last remnants of human civilization," Isaac intoned steadily, eyes hazy from the hypnosis.

Bjorn fixed him with a stare.

"And Imperium Alterum is one of those cities?"

"Yes," Isaac confirmed.

In the observation chamber, Sword Maiden’s disciple scowled.

"Master, this sounds absurd," she murmured. "We should check him more carefully. It is possible he has some artifact that interferes with lie detection or—"

"He is telling the truth."

"...What?" The disciple stiffened.

Sword Maiden’s focus clung to the formation.

Calmly, she declared,

"There have been reports before."

Both disciple and Gael—who overheard via the formation link—snapped their gazes to her.

"During long-distance travel, some people occasionally become lost and end up in empty cities that do not appear on any known maps. A few among those travelers claim they met someone there, someone who calls himself the [Architect]. He supposedly claims to be building cities that will serve as the final bastions of civilization after the world ends."

A chill raced down Gael’s back.

Sword Maiden’s disciple mirrored the shock.

"...Is that the truth?"

"We can’t be certain yet. Maybe it’s a monster’s using mental attacks but the story matches with Isaac’s," Sword Maiden responded.

In the tent, Bjorn caught the exchange through the formation.

His throat bobbed as he gulped.

Then he resumed.

"What is your relationship with the Sword Maiden?"

"I’m her master."

"Oh, so you are her—" Bjorn halted. "You are her what?"

"I’m her Master. She is my maid."