BXBX NOVEL Chapter 618 618 Restricted
Chapter 618 618 Restricted
"Are you about finished, Patriarch Noxus?" The Minister asked, with a hint of amusement.
"My apologies, I am listening." Wolfe replied, earning himself a poke in the side from Rail.
They all knew the question wasn\'t about the amount of attention he was paying to the conversation, it was about stopping the Magi from trying to decipher how they hid their power level. That would be an incredible boon to any Demon who wanted to sneak around.
Appearing to be Rank One, with no completed mana cores, would cause everyone you passed to underestimate you, and those species who navigated or searched for threats mostly through power level and magic to overlook them.
Unlike Wolfe, who came from a world with guns and nukes, where everyone could be a threat, a Rank One Demon couldn\'t do much of anything to physically harm someone as powerful as those in the room, unless the target was asleep or restrained.
Even then, some species would be difficult to injure.
"As I was saying, I believe that we still have a number of traitors, spies and other malcontents in the Palace who are intent on causing trouble and disorder. As Intelligence Minister, it is my duty to weed them out, and I need to know the limitations of your spell to do it."
Wolfe settled into one of the comfortable recliners next to Rail, and the Minister took a seat across from them while the guards gently, but forcibly, escorted the Steward to a seat beside Wolfe.
"What forms of corruption are you most concerned about? I can explain how they might be getting around the spell in more detail that way. Giving a comprehensive list of ways to evade the spell would just get confusing and repetitive." Wolfe suggested.
"Alright, I will start with the most obvious. Someone has been embezzling funds that were meant for staff uniforms and dorm supplies. That is why I was looking for the Steward. His books match what is actually being spent, but they don\'t match the money allocated.
So, we need to know at what stage in the process the money is being siphoned, and how they could get away with it without running afoul of your spells."
Wolfe nodded. "That one is fairly easy, actually. As long as they think that what they\'re doing is for the good of the Kingdom, or at least a certain group within it, and that it won\'t cause actual harm to anyone, the spell won\'t stop embezzlement."
The Intelligence Minister sighed. "That was what I was afraid that you would say."
"Is there a way to track money as it is being distributed? I know of an Unholy magic spell for the task, but we\'re all Demons. Anyone over Rank Two would find that instantly."
Wolfe smiled. "I actually have an idea for that, and it\'s not my own power. You see, there is a Demon on the Guard that is part witch. They can use Witch Magic, and if you have the box that the coins were distributed in, she should be able to cast a [Finding] and locate every single bit of the money.
If there is someone who shouldn\'t have those coins, or who has far more than they should, it will be a solid lead for your team."
The Steward looked positively ill at that news, and Wolfe was tempted to put up a preventative barrier so that the man didn\'t vomit on him.
"I know exactly who you mean. I will bring both her and her mother here to join us." The Minister agreed, then sent one of his men out of the room with a gesture.
"While we wait, I will start on some of the other issues we have been concerned about.
First off, we believe that someone has been passing off information to enemies of the Kingdom. It may be related to the financial corruption, but there are always spies in the Castle. How far can they go without triggering the spell?"
Wolfe considered it for a bit, and then thought of all the people who had been blocked from strange actions by the spell.
"They should be able to write private information down with the intent to distribute it once outside the castle. That probably wouldn\'t trigger the spell, but trying to come back in to gather more information for Enemies of the King and Kingdom would. They would also be blocked from entering some rooms if they had nefarious purposes.
For example, our Castle Steward has been somewhat frustrated since he found himself prohibited from the female staff shower rooms." Wolfe explained.
"It\'s not what you think. I was only entering for disciplinary reasons." He insisted.
Wolfe shrugged. "The spell doesn\'t record why, only what."
The Steward went even more pale, and the Intelligence Minister pulled his feet back a little, thinking the same thing that Wolfe was. This man was going to vomit from nerves very soon.
"And does someone have access to those logs?" The Minister asked.
"Minister William and the King both have access, plus myself as the caster. Though I believe His Highness prefers that the security minister report to him instead of accessing the spell himself under normal circumstances."
The Intelligence Minister nodded. "That makes sense. William has known him all his life. Can you tell me how many infractions have been recorded in total, and who has the most? It might be most efficient to go after those who are actively looking for ways around the restrictions and work from there. It\'s obviously suspicious behaviour."
The Steward finally couldn\'t take the stress anymore. He had tried hundreds of ways to get around the restriction to return to his preferred punishments, and explaining that to the Intelligence Minister could only end in suspicion and disaster.
"Pardon me for a moment, I am feeling unwell." He blurted out as he raced from the room, with one silent guard trailing behind him.