Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam-Chapter 29: Smells Bad, Tastes Delicious

In theory, Mr. Marshall's symptoms are not tricky. Just drinking a bottle of inhibitor could cure him immediately, but upon seeing the bubbling, ominous liquid with a pungent smell inside the bottle, he became extremely uncooperative.

"You all... hahaha, think of another, ha, solution..."

Even while laughing uncontrollably, Marshall still extended a hand of refusal towards Ethan.

Ethan could only consult his superiors, but when he turned around, he found that Ave had already exited the bedroom, and Miss Keroy had joined her at the doorway.

Miss Keroy paced anxiously at the doorway, trying several times to enter, but was held back by the pungent smell.

She could only try to convey a message to Ethan with her eyes.

—That's shit, don't pick it up!

Ave was curiously scrutinizing the bewildered Ethan in front of her, wondering what action this usually eloquent subordinate would take. If it were her, she would most likely knock Marshall out and forcefully pour the inhibitor into his mouth.

Marshall, the branch manager transferred to Ximu Town from the Imperial Capital United Reserve Bank, had an uncle who was a noble in Gear City. This five-year tenure as branch manager was meant to enrich his career history, following which he would be transferred to headquarters in the capital city.

For someone accustomed to fine cuisine from a young age, getting him to drink the inhibitor was nearly impossible.

Ave had heard about many frontline investigators who, to adapt to the smell of inhibitors and exorcism agents, would long-term take odor and taste reducing drugs. This made them less sensitive to smell, with the downside that the damage these drugs did to their senses was irreversible, making it difficult for them to enjoy food after retirement.

However...

How many frontline investigators actually live to retirement?

"Mr. Marshall, do you realize that human senses can deceive you?"

"Don't you come any closer—!"

Amidst his hysterical laughter, Marshall extended his hands and retreated to the corner of the room. He pulled a gun from the drawer and aimed it at Ethan, ready to die together if Ethan took another step closer.

"Mr. Marshall, I heard you come from a noble family, and your ancestor was a high-ranking officer in the Kingdom Army who participated in the brutal anti-heretic war."

Upon hearing of his ancestor's glorious deeds, Marshall steadied himself slightly, trembling as he shifted the gun barrel elsewhere.

"So, have you heard the story of stinky tofu?"

Ethan spoke in a gentle tone, stopping in place. His words had an effect, even halting Marshall's laughter. Standing just a few paces away, Marshall confusedly shook his head.

Ave's antennae stood upright, listening intently.

This indicated that Ethan had come prepared, having read up on Marshall's identity and background.

Could it be that this guy intended to leverage family honor to bind Marshall?

It wasn't a bad strategy.

"It was the early days of the anti-heretic war when the first King, during a campaign, was ambushed by the Evil God's Followers. They fought in a tug-of-war in the forest for three days. When they finally defeated the followers, the soldiers of the Kingdom Army found only an uninhabited village outside the forest. Starving and parched, they searched the entire village and found only a local specialty called tofu, most of which had spoiled due to long storage."

As Ethan narrated, the bedroom quieted down, leaving only the sound of even breathing besides his words.

The crowd gradually got used to the inhibitor's pungent smell.

Ethan continued, "The spoiled tofu was inedible, but if they didn't eat, they might not last till the return to the town. Thus, the first King made a decision, having a large pot of oil heated in the village to fry the spoiled tofu. Almost immediately, a pungent smell emanated from the pot, prompting many soldiers to question whether this food was truly edible. Amidst the doubts, the first King set an example, first tasting the fried spoiled tofu and discovering, to his surprise, that it tasted quite good."

"Years later, when the anti-heretic war was over, the first King revisited the site, recalling the village ordeal, realizing it was that spoiled tofu that helped the Kingdom Army through a crisis. He thus had the locals replicate their cooking method into a snack. Due to its characteristic strong smell and delicious taste, the first King named it 'stinky tofu.' Today, stinky tofu enthusiasts prefer the pungent odor, for only through the stark contrast can they taste the snack's true charm."

Ave's expression grew increasingly somber, almost resembling Marshall's towards the end.

She could hardly believe the Empire's first King had such a story!

Ethan noticed Marshall was wavering, indicating certain success in his approach. He had read the Reception Bureau's assessment of Marshall, which noted his traits reminiscent of old-school nobility, especially valuing family reputation and honor.

"The full name of the inhibitor is 'Relaxation Spirit Inhibitor 2.0.' From its name, you can discern that it underwent multiple updates and iterations since its inception to become the version you see today."

Ethan declared, "Developed by the Reception Bureau's R&D department, it gathers the Empire's top scientific minds— a product of their wisdom and effort. Did you ever think these smartest people in the world never received feedback, or were unaware that the inhibitor's smell was daunting?"

While these words were aimed at Marshall, they also made Ave ponder deeply.

She had never thought about the issue from this angle before.

In her eyes, Ethan's image suddenly grew larger, each word he spoke leaving a heavy impact on her, prompting new thoughts, much like the mentors of the Enlightenment Society, all foremost scholars of the Empire.

Compared to them, Ethan was indeed too young, and she found it hard to imagine a peer possessing a similar temperament to the mentors.

"Of course, the research department knows, and they know countless ways to eliminate odors. Yet, they didn't do that. They could accept investigators' feedback and change the solution's taste, but its smell and appearance had to remain."

Ethan allowed Marshall time to digest and reflect. Seeing Marshall seemingly comprehending, he continued, "When stinky tofu enthusiasts encounter the pungent smell, they think of the first King's illustrious days during the anti-heretic war. Similarly, the research department wants to impart to new inhibitor-wielding investigators that this occupation is no invitation to a feast. Only those with a willpower beyond ordinary folks could survive in this field."

Ethan approached Marshall step by step, yet this time, Marshall didn't speak. He stared intently at the glass held by Ethan.

Numerous thoughts occupied his mind.

He thought of his ancestors, of the first King, and of the grand anti-heretic war.

Then, the glass bottle was handed to his hand.

Ethan's low voice was like the whisper of a devil, "The only question is, whether you are as determined as your ancestors?"

Marshall's mind worked quickly, extracting key information from the complex data.

Indeed.

Retaining the pungent odor serves to remind investigators of their work.

But in reality, the taste issue had long been resolved. Like stinky tofu, it evolved with time, becoming a local snack accepted by most people.

With this in mind, Marshall tipped back his head and downed the inhibitor in one gulp.

Then, all thoughts ceased.

His vision blurred, his body swayed, and he looked at Ethan with only one thought left in his mind.

Damn it!

Damn liar! freёnovelkiss.com

"That story just now..."

Ave entered the room, patting Ethan on the shoulder from behind. She felt there was something eerie about the scene before her, disrupting the weight brought by the story.

She looked at Ethan, Ethan looked at Marshall...

Marshall rolled his eyes, sticking out his tongue dyed black, leaving only hollow eyes.

This tongue can't be kept anymore.

From Marshall's demeanor, she gleaned this subtle message.

"I made it all up."

Ethan glanced at the empty glass bottle on the ground, commenting, "Even a dog wouldn't drink this stuff."