"Only after possessing a wand can one be considered our companion and gain access to the Club's resources. Of course, they also need to fulfill certain duties."
"And the way to notify Thunderbird is naturally through the mask... ugh!"
Aethonan's face changed drastically when he mentioned the mask, suddenly becoming unusually distorted. His reaction was even more violent than Torkil's had been when Alan interrogated him.
"No need to answer that!" Alan saw the reaction and immediately stopped him. Only after receiving Alan's permission did the other man's expression gradually return to normal.
It seemed this Club truly tampered with the memories of its members. The moment a secret was touched, an immediate stress response was triggered. Alan wondered if it was a variation of a mental protection charm; if it was, he might be able to break it.
However, it was better to ask as many questions as possible while the Veritaserum was still in effect. Using Legilimency was difficult because memories were complex, and searching through them was a labor-intensive process. Moreover, general memory protection was more sensitive to mental probes and could easily backfire.
"Tell me about the magic. What is the nature of the spell that allows you to burrow underground, and the highly corrosive curse?" Alan changed the subject, constantly monitoring the other man's mental state.
"Those are the Earth-Sinking Spell and the Corrosion Curse. These are secret techniques passed down within the Club. We advocate one-on-one duels and the collection of trophies; there are many unique spells and research materials available to us. Only by becoming a member and earning merits can one have the opportunity to learn them. The four of us were selected for the infiltration team because we mastered the Earth-Sinking Spell. The incantations are..."
At this point, Aethonan's expression became pained again, and Alan had to stop him once more.
It seemed that anything involving the Silver Spears' internal data or unique techniques touched a forbidden zone, while content regarding temporary actions was unprotected. Was this because their missions were too short-lived to encrypt?
There was no need to ask about the location of their headquarters or the identity of their leader; those would undoubtedly be confidential and impossible to answer. Alan looked at the man, troubled. The information provided so far wasn't particularly valuable. He was more interested in the Club's internal collection—those rare pieces of knowledge.
Given the situation, Alan could only ask about operational matters, such as the Silver Spears' previous activities in Britain. However, the gains were insignificant. There was no contact between the Short Spear members; they communicated only with their respective superiors in a single line. They lived by the book, and Aethonan didn't even know the Club had a history of operating in Britain. Their previous missions were mainly on the European continent, usually dispatched in small teams. They spent their time hiding underground to gather intelligence or stealing rare magical creatures, none of which helped Alan understand the bigger picture.
After several probing questions, Alan decided to try Legilimency. He hadn't practiced the art much, and it was currently only at an instinctive level, so he was uncertain about probing tampered memories. But he had to try. If he could break the memory lock, it would be a significant breakthrough.
Alan calmed his mind and met Aethonan's gaze, peering into his consciousness. He soon met with disaster. The memory lock set by the Silver Spears was incredibly crude but effective. Alan had only explored for a short while when it triggered a violent rejection. A powerful surge of mental energy erupted in Aethonan's mind, forcibly pushing Alan's consciousness out of the memory space. The man began to convulse uncontrollably.
Within moments, Aethonan had been tortured into an imbecile. Alan hadn't even been able to react in time. When he probed the man's mind again, almost all of the important memories had been destroyed.
"How is he, Master? Can he be saved?" Hog and Kiki had been watching, and the sudden turn of events left them at a loss.
"No," Alan shook his head helplessly. "The protective magic is overbearing. As soon as something goes wrong, it destroys the brain. He's an idiot now."
"Then what should we do? Why don't I just bite this smuggler to death?" Hog bared his sharp teeth, staring menacingly at the man's neck.
"Don't be silly." Alan slapped Hog lightly on the head. "His brain is useless, but his physical quality is excellent, and his magic power is over seven hundred points. He is still good material; killing him would be a waste."
"What? You mean we have to keep him?" Hog looked at Alan with a puzzled, hateful gaze.
"We'll use him for a while. I can use him to test memory magic and recovery techniques. Don't be impulsive. If we don't need him one day, I'll hand him over to you." Alan glared at Hog with a hint of seriousness.
"Fine. Just don't forget that," Hog shook his head unwillingly. "So, what about the Silver Spears?"
"Based on the structure of the organization, low-level members know very little. We need to find a high-ranking member. I suspect that the Thunderbird operating in Britain is likely a 'Spear.' First, let's try to find them. Aethonan mentioned that their communication key is on that mask. I think it might be a special alchemical item. I want to try to decipher it to see if I can find any clues."
"I'm becoming more and more interested in this organization—especially the special spells and research they possess. They've been around for hundreds of years; they must have some treasures." Alan's eyes showed a hint of fanaticism.
However, the next day, before Alan could even begin his formal research on the mask, he was visited by a group of Ministry employees.