On July 7, First Prince Zifola Movie de Norha was hurriedly preparing to depart from the Norha Principality.
His destination was Lake Yato. He aimed to investigate the unlawful conduct of the fishermen that the Duke of the Mimaka Principality had brought up the other day, and to crack down on any offenses if the claims proved true.
The distance was roughly 130 kilometers—a journey that would take two to three days on horseback.
"Well then, Father, I shall be on my way."
"Mm. I delegate full authority to you. Make sure to fulfill your duty thoroughly. Raksef, I entrust my son to you."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Accompanying him was Gene Fullsort Raksef, Commander of the 2nd Frontier Corps, along with three of his trusted subordinates. A total of five men would be heading toward Lake Yato.
Surveying the conditions along the road was another key objective of the investigation.
Letting his horse maintain a steady trot, Prince Zifola recalled the words Deus Ex Machina had spoken to him the previous day.
"Perhaps those fishermen have also been brainwashed."
Indeed, considering that Madaim Luha had fallen under brainwashing without anyone noticing, the prince thought it was entirely within the realm of possibility.
(In that case, the surrounding residents might be brainwashed as well.)
Three Weckener units entrusted to him by Deus Ex Machina were stowed in their baggage, and they planned to deploy them in the settlements, villages, and towns along their path.
The catch with using the device, however, was that those freed from brainwashing or Seduce would retain no memory of when the manipulation had taken place.
(That cannot be helped....Leaving brainwashing unchecked poses a far greater danger.)
Furthermore, First Prince Zifola Movie de Norha, Commander Gene Fullsort Raksef of the 2nd Frontier Corps, and his three trusted subordinates were all wearing anti-brainwashing hats provided by Jin.
While mass-produced versions from Avalon were slated to arrive eventually, these early units had been distributed in advance to protect royalty and key government officials from psychological tampering.
Because the Norha Principality largely spanned the region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, the summer sun beat down almost directly overhead, making the heat intense.
Even so, having lived in this climate since birth, none of the men fell ill—provided they stayed hydrated.
And they had brought plenty of water for the journey.
However, that water had been contaminated.
When they popped open a water barrel to prepare for lunch, they found a foul sludge that looked like ditch runoff.
It was murky brown and reeked horribly.
"...What is the meaning of this?"
"I cannot say, Your Highness. Perhaps it was tainted from the start."
One of the subordinates ventured a guess, but Commander Gene Fullsort Raksef of the 2nd Frontier Corps shook his head.
"No, that is impossible. When I inspected it prior to our departure, the water was perfectly clean."
"Then why on earth...?"
First Prince Zifola Movie de Norha's brow furrowed grimly.
Each man carried a small 500-milliliter canteen, and more than half of their personal reserves remained.
Furthermore, Lake Kotsushi lay just an hour's ride ahead, so securing fresh water would not be an issue. Rather, the real problem was the alarming fact that clean supplies had been sabotaged.
"...Is there a traitor among us? No... could someone in the Royal Palace still be brainwashed?"
The first prince spoke, looking as though he had swallowed a bitter bug.
"Calm yourself, Your Highness....Driving us into paranoia is undoubtedly their primary goal."
Commander Gene offered gentle reassurance.
"...Mm. You make a fair point."
Sow discord and drive a wedge between allies. The prince realized that this was precisely what the Jagus Principality was trying to achieve.
"If so, they are truly vile."
"Indeed....Let us dispose of this barrel."
"That is our only choice....How are the horses holding up?"
While the men could manage for another hour on their personal canteens, the strain on the horses was a growing concern.
Half the water in the barrels had been reserved for the mounts.
"Let us ask them to push through for one more hour."
"We have no other option."
Deciding to postpone lunch until they reached the next town, Bikes, the party resumed their journey south.
At that very hour, Hurricane and Jin were arriving in Resonare, the royal capital of the Norha Principality. Or more precisely, Jin's Doppel, Jin D, had arrived.
He had wasted no time putting his Free Pass to good use.
Naturally, the visit was intended to provide support to the Norha Principality.
"Oh? Has His Highness already departed?"
In truth, Jin already knew the prince had left via the Peeper, but he judged it wiser to feign ignorance.
"Indeed he has. He insisted on verifying the situation with his own eyes as soon as possible."
Chancellor Premus Hai Yasuna was the one attending to him.
"I see. So inspecting the conditions along the route is part of his mission as well."
"Precisely."
Just then, Jin D caught sight of an unfamiliar face at the edge of his vision.
It was a man in his twenties with a distinctly suspicious air about him.
The real Jin might have overlooked him, but Jin D possessed extraordinary visual acuity paired with Laojun's vast memory banks.
This particular individual had not appeared anywhere when they thoroughly scanned the Norha Royal Palace with the Peeper the other day.
"...Who might that man be?"
Jin asked the Chancellor casually.
"Ah, he is a merchant with access to the castle grounds."
"Oh?"
"I tasked him with procuring the fodder, water, and rations needed for His Highness's expedition."
Though the man ostensibly held a legitimate role, Jin D decided to err on the side of caution.
"...I see....Reiko."
"Right away."
Following Jin D's instructions, Reiko activated a Weckener and directed its beam toward the merchant.
"...?"
The merchant's expression went blank for a moment before the blood completely drained from his face.
"W-Why... why would I do such a thing...?"
"Such a thing? What are you talking about?"
Minister of Military Affairs Zonata Nictes Vecchio, who was present, stepped forward to interrogate him.
"Ah... Y-Yes... Um, I took mud from the bottom of a swamp, froze it into ice, and slipped it into the water barrels... Ah, why did I do that...?!"
"...Because it was frozen in ice, no one would notice it right away, huh? And once the ice melted, the mud dissolved into the water, making it undrinkable."
Jin analyzed the tactic.
"He was undoubtedly under the influence of brainwashing or Seduce."
"N-No..."
The Chancellor's face darkened.
At this rate, the leadership of the nation would succumb to rampant paranoia.
"..."
Jin D fully understood the gravity of that concern.
In fact, resolving that very problem was the main reason for his visit.
"Chancellor, I have brought relief supplies to address that exact issue."
Though the specifics had yet to be explained, the Chancellor's pale face brightened slightly.
"Jin-dono, what might that be...?"
"See for yourself....Hope!"
"Yes, Master."
At Jin D's call, Hope disembarked from Hurricane carrying a single magi-device.
"This is a continuously operating 'Large Weckener.' It has an effective radius of approximately ten kilometers centered on this unit."
"Incredible...!"
While the model carried by the prince was meant for individuals, this one covered an entire area.
The difference in output was vast.
"If you install this in the royal capital, you will no longer have to worry about brainwashing or Seduce within city limits."
"You have our deepest gratitude!"
Hourai Island had officially begun tackling the anti-brainwashing campaign in earnest.