Chapter 317: Bread and Dagger (15)
Chapter 317: Bread and Dagger (15)
Even as Avian burst into tears, the man remained the picture of composure.
He simply stared at the sobbing elf girl with hollow eyes.
It was only after some time had passed that the man, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke.
"From now on, every time you resist, an interesting mark will be etched onto your body... Of course, I realize asking you to spill your kin's secrets right away might require some thought."
With that, the man glanced into the darkness of the secret room.
It seemed he could see quite well even in this pitch-black space. That brief glance alone spoke volumes of the staggering disparity in power between him and Avian.
After staring at a spot on the wall for a moment, he slowly stood up.
"I’m not telling you to betray your people. I just want to have a conversation about your body. I’ll be outside for a moment, so take your time and think it over."
That was all he said.
Without so much as a backward glance, the man left the dark room.
His attitude was one of absolute confidence.
His retreating figure seemed to scream that she was nothing to him, causing Avian to hold her breath.
The man clearly didn't feel the need to invest much time in her. If he did, he wouldn't have left her abandoned like this.
That was all Avian was worth.
An expendable elven spy who could be replaced at any time.
And if she proved to be useless?
Her end was obvious.
Had she not already experienced the man's cruel nature firsthand?
Trapped in the darkness, the girl was gnawed at by all sorts of ominous imaginings. Avian had never imagined that solitude and loneliness could become such terrifying enemies.
Of course, bewilderment played a part as well.
The situation had been unfolding for several hours, but the time Avian had actually been conscious was extremely brief.
It felt as if the world changed every time she blinked.
It was all too sudden and terrifying.
Merciless violence had crushed her burning hatred, leaving only an anxious heart in its place.
To make matters worse, a voice whispered in Avian's ear.
"……Hey, why don't you just spill it and get this over with?"
It was impossible to tell if the words were a taunt or an attempt at persuasion.
Avian recoiled in shock at the breath tickling her neck. Her hazy blue eyes darted to the side.
There, peeking out from behind Avian's back, was a woman whispering to her.
She had flawless, beautiful skin and a hairclip that added a charming touch to her bangs.
She looked cute and lovely, but her eyes and voice were dreadfully cynical.
Was it 'Neris'?
The man had certainly called her that.
"I was called in on my day off, you know. Do you have any idea how awful that is? So let's just finish this and go, okay? While I still have a shred of mercy left in my heart."
"……N-nonsense!"
Avian's shout was convulsive.
The last handful of resistance in her heart was burning fiercely. Whether human or elf, the struggle is always most intense just before one is completely broken.
Neris let out a curious "Hmm," and fell silent.
As if waiting for her to say more.
"I-I am a proud elf! There is no way I would hand over even a scrap of information to the likes of you humans...!"
"……Pfft."
However, Avian's final act of defiance was quickly stifled by Neris's laughter.
Neris stumbled backward, clearly trying to suppress her amusement. But even that had its limits, and before long, Neris burst into uproarious laughter.
"Pffft, aha... Ahahahaha! P-pride?!"
"……W-what?"
Avian looked even more flustered by that devastating mockery. Regardless, Neris just kept laughing, tapping the back of the chair.
"Do you know how many people have said those exact words? Pfft, ahahaha! Do you think I wasn't like that? Hmm?"
At that sincere counter-question, Avian's face grew even paler.
The scene she had witnessed moments ago replayed in her mind—the sight of Neris immediately following the man's instructions without a single word of protest.
Her actions had been devoid of even a hint of doubt.
To anyone watching, Neris was utterly submissive to the man.
And a woman like that had once acted like Avian?
Neris's erratic behavior didn't end there.
She pulled a dagger from her bosom and traced a black arc through the air.
Avian nearly screamed at the sharp sound of the blade cutting the wind.
But the result of that action was entirely unexpected.
Clatter. The cords binding Avian slid to the floor.
Suddenly finding herself free, Avian stared at Neris, stunned.
Neris twisted the corners of her mouth into a sadistic smile.
"Fine, if you're so confident, then go... But if you get caught, you'll experience things beyond your imagination."
Placing both hands gently on Avian's shoulders, she continued to whisper.
"It'll be a unique sensation. Like being born again... being sliced thin, piece by piece, starting from your fingertips. No, maybe you'll be burned. That's what happened to me. And as it happens, I know how to handle poison..."
Neris spun the dagger in the air with a flick of her wrist. Then, with exquisite dexterity, she snatched it back.
Since her hand had been on Avian's shoulder just a moment before, the entire display happened right next to Avian's face.
Leaving a faint scratch on her cheek.
A dull, stinging sensation spread around the mark. It wasn't just simple pain.
It was poison.
A chill ran down Avian's spine.
"It'll hurt you several times more. Why don't you try resisting to your heart's content? Against our Lord Ian..."
At that, a bolt of lightning struck Avian's mind.
The mockery and threats were terrifying, but more than anything, that name was the greatest shock.
"……L-Lord Ian?"
"Yes, Lord Ian... Oh my, you didn't know. You poor thing."
With a beaming smile, Neris delivered the final blow.
"The one who brought you here is Lord Ian Percus. You've heard the name, haven't you?"
Had she heard the name?
There was no way she hadn't.
Even if her primary goal was raising funds, Avian was a spy. By nature, she was sensitive to the rumors and news the public whispered.
Among them, the rumors regarding 'Ian Percus' were at an absolute fever pitch.
He had defeated the successor of the Yurdina family to win the Hunting Festival.
During the event, he had captured a demonic beast worthy of receiving a name, and later, news arrived that he had subjugated fiends and monsters out of myth.
At the Homecoming Festival, he had stood against a dark priest.
And recently, hadn't he faced off against a subordinate of the Evil God?
The stories were nothing short of unbelievable.
He was of a different caliber than Avian.
He was the rising divinity of humanity, a true hero who contended with mythical monsters.
There was no way she, who hid among humans like a stray cat, could be his opponent.
To a human like Ian Percus, Avian was literally nothing more than a stray cat.
Something he could torment at will, and whose escape would be nothing more than a minor annoyance.
Avian stammered, muttering blankly.
"H-how...?"
She had only pulled a scam once.
In her long life of a hundred years, that was the first time Avian had ever deceived someone. But of all people, one of those involved was the supernova of humanity. What were the odds of her identity being discovered by him?
And what were the odds of being dragged to an unknown place and tortured?
The sheer weight of this ill-fated bond made Avian's skin crawl. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Giggling laughter tickled Avian's ear.
As if tempting her, Neris egged her on.
"Go on, hurry up and leave. I told you, I won't stop you... I still have a shred of mercy left. Oh, or is it because I've run out that I'm doing this?"
Avian's body trembled pitifully.
It was time to make a decision.
When I re-entered the interrogation room, I was met with an unexpected sight.
"M-my feeble body... hic, i-if it can be of any help, please... J-just, please don't ask me to betray my kin...!"
There was an elf girl on her knees, bowing her head and pleading.
And there was Senior Neris, standing with her hands politely folded, looking perfectly innocent.
I couldn't help but ask in bewilderment.
"……What's wrong with her?"
"I'm not quite sure."
Neris then added another comment.
"Perhaps she was moved by Lord Ian's great reputation."
I let out a thoughtful hum.
I had my doubts. It was such a sudden change in attitude.
But since it made the interrogation easier, I figured it was fine.
I took my seat and spoke.
"First of all, I have no interest in your body, so get up."
My interest in Avian's body was purely academic.
I wasn't so starved for women that I'd be swayed by a brat talking about her "feeble body."
If someone wanted to seduce me with their body, they'd have to be at least on the level of the Saintess.
Or perhaps Ria?
I let out a half-finished chuckle at the idle thought.
It was time for the interrogation to begin in earnest.