**THE SECRET PEOPLE WANT TO HIDE MOST**

I channeled Magic Power into Experimental Subject Doem’s brain, performing Lobotomy Surgery guided by nothing but sense and feeling.

I hope he tells me lots of secrets.

I sent a burst of magic—bzzzzt—while offering up that silent prayer. The result?

"Sp-sp-sp-spanking! D-D-D-Doem wants a spanking—!"

I’d just given birth to an old man who demanded a spanking with glazed-over eyes.

Maybe that was a bit too much stimulation?

Let's try sending some Magic Power toward the frontal lobe instead.

"Bzzzzt."

"M-m-m-m-my buuuuuuuuutt—!! I-it’s... it’s... h-hnnng..."

"Ah... too strong."

With that, my momentous Experimental Subject No. 1 went silent.

He had departed for heaven.

How should I interpret this outcome?

Was the experiment a failure? Hardly.

"It wasn't the information I was after, but I did learn the secret he wanted to hide most. Honestly, you could call this a success."

After all, I’d wished for him to tell me a lot of secrets.

And he’d just confessed his greatest one.

"The experiment was a success. To suggest otherwise would be an insult to the man."

This experiment taught me a valuable lesson.

The secrets people want to hide most aren't necessarily about their organizations or their work—they're their own personal ones...

"I promise to take your secret to the grave."

I offered a silent prayer to the foaming, blissfully-happy-looking Mr. Doem, then erased the remains with a Short Range Atomic.

"I got one interesting lead out of it, so all's well that ends well."

Aside from the spanking thing, Mr. Doem had shared one actually interesting piece of news.

Oh, right. I should tell Violet-san, too.

"Wakey-wakey."

I pulled Violet-san out of my pocket. She curled her finger sleepily.

It’s honestly impressive that even a finger needs sleep.

"I found some interesting info. You know that guy I caught? Well, turns out he’s really into spankings—"

Smack.

"—Ah, my mistake. I actually succeeded in obtaining some top-secret information through an underground route."

Pat-pat.

"According to my dangerous underground sources, inside the Oriana Kingdom’s Royal Castle..."

I flashed a meaningful smile and shared the juicy details with Violet-san.