Silva's expression remained composed, even upon hearing the grim revelation. There was no trace of anger in his voice.

  (What is going on...? Why isn't he angry? Why isn't he upset?)

  The fear within Gaius deepened.

  This man was unlike any of the otherworldly people Gaius had summoned before.

  Most of the summoned would panic and scream. They were quickly captured by soldiers, and Gaius would apply the seal of obedience.

  Some sensed the danger and attempted to fight Gaius and his men. But they were no match for the armed soldiers. They were subdued and ultimately forced to kneel before Gaius.

  But the young man standing before him was different.

  For someone from another world to kill four soldiers immediately after being summoned that was unheard of.

  "As far as I know... no nation possesses such technology..."

  With doubts swirling in his mind, Gaius answered.

  "So you can summon people but can't send them back. Why is that?"

  "Th-That is..."

  Gaius's pulse raced even faster.

  (This is bad... What do I say? How do I survive this?)

  Gaius couldn't find the words that might secure his survival.

  Silva's previous actions made it clear to Gaius that he was dealing with a ruthless, merciless individual who would not show any leniency to his enemies.

  And if he answered the current question truthfully, he knew this cold hearted man would not spare his life.

  Seeing Gaius hesitate, a smile crept across Silva's lips.

  "Hm. This must be a tough one to answer... Fine, I'll answer it for you."

  Hearing Silva's words, fear and shock washed over Gaius's face.

  His heart pounded as if it might explode.

  (Could he know...? No, there's no way he could. He's just arrived in this world...)

  But Gaius's hopes were dashed. The words that spilled from Silva's mouth sealed his fate.

  "The fact that there's no technology to send people back to their own worlds likely means you never intended to send them back alive from the start, right? Since there's no need to return a dead body, there was never any research into the technology to send people back. That's why no country knows how. Isn't that right? Or am I mistaken?"

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  "You...!"

  Upon hearing Silva's words, Gaius made a swift decision.

  He had hoped to remain silent, but Silva had already pieced everything together.

  (There's no point in hiding it anymore. If he's figured out this much, nothing I say now will save me.)

  Silva, who had only been summoned moments earlier, quickly assessed the situation and took the initiative, attacking without hesitation. His combat skills were formidable, he had taken down four soldiers with his bare hands, demonstrating not only his ruthlessness but also his readiness to use torture to extract information.

  Furthermore, he had the intelligence to deduce the truth from the unintended clues Gaius had let slip.

  (If only we could have controlled him... the Ortomea Empire might have stood a real chance at dominating the Western Continent...)

  Such thoughts flickered through Gaius's mind, but the man before him was now a full blown enemy of the Empire.

  He understood why the Empire had summoned Silva.

  And he knew how the Empire viewed people from other worlds.

  (Am I going to die here? No! I can't fall here. I cannot let the King's vision and my ambitions crumble in a place like this! Fortunately, I can heal my wounds with magic. I just need to bide my time and wait for an opening... It's my only chance for survival.)

  With no way back, Gaius was certain that Silva had no intention of letting him live. He knew this all too well.

  (He thinks I'm weakened by my injury... I'll bet everything on the moment he comes in for the kill!)

  Determined to seize any fleeting opportunity, Gaius sharpened his senses, focusing on Silva's every move, waiting for a lapse in his guard.

  "Right on target... This is a headache," Silva muttered, his eyes drifting up to the sky.

  The old man's expression was genuine he wasn't hiding anything.

  Silva had resorted to torture, which he despised, solely to ensure he was getting the truth. But the reality was even worse than he had anticipated.

  Still, it wasn't enough. If he couldn't return home immediately, he needed more information from this old man by any means necessary. For survival.

  "Why did you bring me here? If you had no intention of sending me back, were you planning to work me to death as a slave or something?"

  Gaius hesitated to answer Silva's blunt question.

  (He cuts straight to the heart of it.)

  Gaius looked up at Silva's face.

  (It's no use! He's already figured it all out. Whatever lies I try to spin, he'll see right through them... He's only asking to confirm what he already knows.)

  Seeing the unwavering determination in Silva's eyes, Gaius realized the futility of deception. He decided to speak plainly.

  "To use people from other worlds... to win wars."

  It was a vile and selfish reason.

  Humans summoned from Earth were relentlessly driven onto the battlefield.

  Yet even after hearing this, Silva's expression remained unchanged. He was merely verifying the facts, maintaining a composed demeanor.

  "Wars, huh… Elaborate. From what I know, in my world, no one fights with swords or spears like those armored soldiers over there. And no one shoots lightning from their hands like you do. Are there multiple worlds, each with their own abilities?"

  "No. There are other worlds, but your world is the only one with humans."

  "Hmm. Even if you summon people from my world, they're not fit for war. What's the real goal here?"

  Answering carried risk, but Gaius still clung to the hope of survival.

  After all, he was a key figure in the Empire.

  "It's because people from other worlds have the potential to become the greatest warriors in this world."

  Silva raised an eyebrow at this claim.

  "The greatest warriors? How can ordinary people become the greatest warriors?"

  Silva's skepticism was understandable. After all, there was no guarantee that the summoned would have any combat training.