17. Necromancer
"Ugh... ughhh..."
When I came to after blacking out for a moment, my body was completely bound. They had blindfolded me, gagged my mouth, and plugged my ears too. All I could manage on my own was think and breathe.
"...Mm."
Fuck, what the hell is going on all of a sudden?
My head was fine, so I remembered everything that had happened right before. Even though I'd passed out, my memory was mostly intact. The situation was clear: I'd been kidnapped by Regina.
Why the hell would she grab me? What value did I have to her...? Nah, that wasn't it. It was more like... ah!
These bastards figured out I'm a weak point for Bella, Cheong-ah, and Dina!
Damn it, how did they find out? Did someone in the Adventurer's Guild have connections? Or maybe some know-it-all with access to info? Or those Thieves' Guild guys? It reminded me of the mess Dina had caused with them. They might've held a grudge, gathered intel on us, and handed it over to the count.
I was worried about Dina. Bella and Cheong-ah too, sure, but really worried about Dina. By now, she definitely knew 100% that I'd been snatched. I could picture her blaming herself, sinking into depression. And then Cheong-ah and Bella maybe snapping at her or chewing her out... God, I hoped not.
"...Grrrm."
How long had I been tied up like this? My back was starting to ache. My arms and legs were numb from the tight bindings—blood wasn't circulating properly. If this kept up...
...Rider? What the fuck? No, bullshit. Tied up and helpless, all sorts of weird nonsense was flooding my brain.
What did they plan to do with me? Probably not kill me. No point dragging someone here just to off them. Torture, then? ...I hated pain. Sure, I was used to it, but that didn't mean I enjoyed it. Unless you're some pervert, who the hell likes pain? You never really get used to it. Pain's always fresh, tormenting, electric. Like banging a hot face, I guess. Not that I, with my average mug, would know. Probably similar, though—always new and thrilling.
...But seriously, what if they did torture me? The stuff binding my hands felt like rope... Could I maybe work it loose?
"...Hnnngh."
I wriggled my fingers around, but damn, they'd tied it tight. Couldn't even twist my wrists much. Fuck, no giving up, though.
How long did I struggle alone like that? Then I felt someone untying the cloth over my eyes.
Innate deep brown skin. Jet-black hair, jet-black eyes. All black, yet it suited her perfectly—a striking beauty. Regina was holding the cloth that had blinded me, shoving her face right up to mine.
Confirming I was awake, she quickly pulled back.
"...Ugh."
"Huh?"
What? I couldn't move or speak, so I tilted my head sideways in confusion. Regina started frantically gesturing in front of me. Sign language, probably—but sadly, I never learned it.
I shook my head to say I didn't get it, and her shoulders slumped in disappointment. Wait, she kidnaps me and then gets bummed because I can't understand her?
Meanwhile, with my vision free, I scanned the room. Not flashy, but pretty upscale. Not an inn or hotel—probably the lord's manor. I'd figured it'd be a dungeon cell.
Then—thwack!—something slammed into me like a kick.
"Guh...?!"
Not super painful, but the sudden jolt made me flinch. What the—?!
Did Regina kick me? Nope. She looked shocked herself, eyes wide, staring behind me. Seemed like she was talking to someone... but with earplugs jammed in, I couldn't hear shit.
Then, briefly, she met my eyes apologetically and raised her hand.
"Ugh."
"...?"
That instant, another shock to my neck—like when I'd been grabbed—and I blacked out again.
While Ian was out cold in Regina's hands, Soboro Baekjak snarled and yelled at her.
Yes—that kick to the bound Ian had come right after he'd woken up, courtesy of Soboro Baekjak bursting into Regina's room.
"I told you to throw this moron in the dungeon, so why'd you drag him to your room? You stupid beast bitch—can't even tell a cell from a bedroom?!"
"Grr... aaahhh..."
Regina had kidnapped Ian on the count's orders. But she'd never liked the idea. Assassination would've been cleaner—not kidnapping. Especially not some weakling way below her level, with no mana to speak of. It bruised her pride as the continent's top assassin.
But with the life of the beastkin girl she protected in the count's hands, she had no choice.
"Forgot that little brat's life is in my hands, huh?"
"...Auu."
"Then why pull this stupid stubborn shit?!"
Regina had nabbed Ian, but in petty rebellion against her disgust, she'd stashed him not in the dungeon but in a comfy reception room. Blindfolded, deafened, gagged, bound tight—only breathing allowed.
The count found out, rushed over. Just as Regina was trying to chat with Ian—who couldn't sign anyway.
"Ua."
"Goddamn it, you deaf beast bitch... Can't even talk to you properly!"
Regina shook her head firmly and mumbled. The count yelled in frustration. A mute bitch who wouldn't listen—what a pain. If she was protecting her kidnap target like this, torturing the bastard wouldn't be easy. She'd fight it, obviously.
Threaten with the beastkin girl's life again? As he irritably moved to do just that—
"Milord!"
A retainer burst in through the open door, gasping as he blurted it out.
"Lady Behena's side demands negotiations!"
"...What?"
Since Behena rebelled to reclaim her territory and battles broke out, Soboro's forces had been relentlessly pushed back. Bella and Cheong-ah shredded them effortlessly. He'd proposed a truce to buy time, but they'd shot it down with cries of "War! Punishment! Judgment!"
Now they wanted talks? What was Behena plotting? As he opened his mouth to ask—
"They propose negotiations in exchange for guaranteeing the safety of that man you kidnapped—Ian."
"...His safety?"
The count glanced distastefully at the unconscious Ian. He knew who the guy was: party leader of those two flying bitches from the battles. That night they'd tried to assassinate him, the black-haired one seemed close to this guy. And word was the Red Evil Mercenaries' "fallen princess" doted on him too.
He'd planned to use the man as leverage to draw them in... but he still seethed over past humiliations and figured he'd rough him up a bit first.
But Behena halting fights for talks?
"Looks like he's more important than I thought."
The count smirked oddly and told Regina:
"Keep him locked in here. But don't let him escape or leave this room. Or that beastkin bitch gets hell. Got it?"
"...Au."
With that, the count turned and left with his retainer.