Otaku Translation: I! Anomaly Cleansing Agent! C97

Please support the translation by reading the translation and commenting on otakutl official site.

Thank you.

Everyone from Otaku Translation

Chapter 97: The Target

“…”

So… what I did at that restaurant back then—had you already uncovered it?

Leon’s expression turned sharp, and the female officer couldn’t help but blink in exasperation.

I thought you were acting so confident because you had something up your sleeve. Turns out, you really believed you hadn’t been exposed?

“Do you even read newspapers?” She threw the question out casually, then sighed as Leon gave her a puzzled look. “To be fair, you weren’t half bad at covering your tracks. You kept your face covered the entire time, and after the incident, you immediately went to a crowded shopping mall. All you had to do was duck into a restroom, change clothes, and we’d have lost you for good.”

“But your luck? It was downright terrible.” She shook her head with a mix of disbelief and amusement. “You got clobbered by a collapsing coin box and ended up in the hospital. And wouldn’t you know it—a reporter from The Sun snapped a picture of you lying there like some absurd human headline. That photo made it onto the front page of the society section.”

“The editor-in-chief of The Daily Digest didn’t even need three seconds to recognize you. After that, all we had to do was check hospital records, and voilà—your identity was locked down.”

Oh boy…

While getting smashed into the hospital by the Sacred Spirit wasn’t exactly his fault, Leon couldn’t help but feel a little sheepish. He’d just criticized someone else for being reckless, only to trip over himself in the same way.

“So…” he began hesitantly.

“So yes, you’ve been exposed this whole time,” she cut him off sharply. “We just didn’t arrest you because you’re with the Cleansing Bureau. Honestly, I may be impulsive, but I’m still a secret police officer. Do you really think I’m as clueless as you assumed?”

Having finally gained the upper hand against Leon, the female officer straightened slightly, lifting her chin with a smug humph.

“Now do you understand? There’s a reason I’ve been keeping an eye on you. When I found out rebels had infiltrated the Police Department, how could I possibly ignore it? Of course, I took every precaution.”

Leon fell silent for a moment before countering dryly, “Does ‘every precaution’ include sneaking up behind me and hitting my butts during target practice?”

“…”

Her face instantly crumpled at his words.

“That was… a momentary lapse in judgment!” She groaned. “Damn rebel. Weren’t we supposed to agree never to bring that up again?”

“Fine, I won’t mention it,” Leon replied smoothly. “But in exchange, you’d better forget about my business too.”

After exchanging a few more barbs, the misunderstanding between them dissolved, and their opinions of each other improved significantly. From “psychotic nutcase” and “reckless rebel,” they upgraded each other to “hotheaded brawler” and “more radical than most rebels”—respectively.

Reflecting on Leon’s political leanings, the female officer concluded that he clearly wasn’t aligned with the Lion family. With newfound peace of mind, she tucked away the list Leon had given her and asked, “Alright, we’ve uncovered what we needed. What’s next? What are we doing now?”

“Next…”

Leon glanced outside at the darkening sky, then turned his attention to the woman tied up like a mummy on the couch. After a brief pause, he spoke. “My part is done. But since you’ve helped me out quite a bit, I can assist you in investigating whatever it is you’re looking into.”

What I’m looking into… the auditor from six years ago?

Realizing what Leon meant, the female officer’s expression hardened. She stood, walked over to the sofa, and addressed the gagged prisoner earnestly.

“You must realize there’s no escape for you. Once we get back to the Secret Investigation Bureau, you’ll face 24/7 interrogation until you spill everything.”

“Mmmph! Mmph!”

“Don’t worry—I’m not here to ask about the rebels right now.”

Taking a deep breath, the officer leaned closer, her tone sincere. “I know you don’t trust me. Your priority isn’t clearing your husband’s name; it’s avenging him against the Lion family. But I’m asking you to cooperate with my investigation. Assassinating royalty is too big a crime to overlook. Back at headquarters, all interrogations will focus solely on the rebels. No one will care about your husband’s case. This isn’t just my last chance—it’s yours too.”

After speaking, she waited patiently, watching the bound woman stop struggling. Then, cautiously, she added, “If you’re willing to cooperate, blink once.”

The prisoner hesitated, then slowly turned her head toward Leon, glaring daggers at him from across the room.

“Relax,” Leon said, catching her suspicion. “I’ve already asked everything I needed to earlier.”

“And if you think about it,” he continued, raising an eyebrow, “does it really matter whether you talk or stay silent? Either way, I’ll get what I need.”

“…”

At that, the prisoner deflated, blinking reluctantly.

He was right. His bizarre method of interrogation seemed to work regardless of whether she cooperated or clammed up. Even silence wouldn’t save her secrets.

“…”

When the handkerchief was finally removed from her mouth, the prisoner shot Leon a venomous glare before turning her icy gaze to the female officer.

“What do you want to know about my husband?”

“Let’s start with confirming identities.”

The officer grabbed a pen and paper, frowning slightly. “Among those capable of harming your husband, the former Defense Minister has already been executed by order of the princess. That leaves your husband’s superior and whoever was running Lion Arms at the time…”

“My husband’s superior doesn’t need investigating,” the prisoner interrupted coldly, a hint of satisfaction creeping into her voice. “He worked for your Secret Investigation Bureau. About four years ago, he disappeared after work and was later found decomposed. Just look into who was in charge of Lion Arms at the time.”

Four years ago…

The officer’s eyes widened in shock. “The previous head of the Torture Division?” she asked quickly.

“I wouldn’t know about that,” the prisoner replied, shaking her head with a bitter laugh. “All I know is, he didn’t even remember my husband until I reminded him repeatedly. Apparently, my husband was just another idiot subordinate to him. Funny, isn’t it?”

“…”

“But he wasn’t entirely useless,” the prisoner added, glancing at the uncomfortable officer. With a self-deprecating chuckle, she continued, “In fact, I should thank him. Before he died, begging for mercy, he admitted he was just following orders. Someone else was truly behind my husband’s downfall. Without him, I wouldn’t even know who to hate.”

“…”

So… it really was the Lion family who pulled the strings?

The officer pursed her lips, crossing out “superior” and writing “Lion Arms” instead. Turning to Leon, she asked, “Who was in charge of Lion Arms six years ago?”

“Bobby Lion.”

Leon answered without hesitation, recalling the relevant records. Leaning back thoughtfully, he added, “He’s second on the list I gave you. He’s the younger brother of the current head of the Lion family, nearly twenty years younger… Oh, and his older brother has no heirs. So unless something unexpected happens, Bobby will likely inherit the title and become the next Duke of Lionheart.”

Please vote for this novel at

https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-anomaly-cleansing-agent/

If you would like to support this translation, you may choose any one of the options below.

Tier 1: 6 Advance chapters

Access fee $3.00 Monthly