Torture Practice (1)
The next day, as I sipped coffee and conducted entry inspections, a document arrived.
LEVEL 2 CONFIDENTIAL
SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR UNAUTHORIZED OPENING
I broke the imperial seal and turned the page.
Information Gathered on the Rebel Organization “Undergrounders”
The Empire was an enormous superpower. In sheer size alone it was dozens of times larger than South Korea. Its population was staggering, and it boasted over five hundred official noble domains. Naturally, plenty of unsavory elements gathered in the shadows.
One of my primary duties at the Intelligence Bureau was to locate and monitor these rebel groups. Bandit gangs, black mages, cults, plague doctors, berserker tribes, mafia syndicates, resistance cells—every imaginable organization was still working tirelessly underground to topple the Empire. None had ever succeeded, of course. No matter how strong the foe, the imperial family always possessed overwhelming superiority. It was also why I could reliably collect my paycheck.
That said, ever since the civil war in the western continent intensified ten years ago, more and more filth had begun flowing in from outside. Some had even infiltrated high-ranking officials.
Undergrounders. The organization suspected of causing the collapse and division of the Allied Kingdoms.
The Allied Kingdoms had been a coalition of dozens of monarchies—the exact opposite of the Empire’s centralized rule. History even recorded eras when the kingdoms held more power than the Empire. Of course, the endless waves of refugees made it obvious those days were long gone.
The Allied Kingdoms had split long ago into the Northern Union Army and the Southern Alliance Army, and their civil war had been raging ever since. Nations vanished, new ones rose, criminal organizations flourished. It was an absolute mess.
Because they had been rivals for hundreds of years, the Empire had always kept spies embedded to watch every development. Eventually the possibility arose that the division had not been natural political conflict but something artificially engineered. The organization believed to stand behind it was none other than the Undergrounders.
So the imperial family has concluded that the organization used secret letters to manipulate the Perlos princess.
Logically the odds were low—maybe five percent. But if the Undergrounders had already sunk their claws into the Empire and were operating in the shadows, then the Emperor’s excessive reaction made perfect sense.
It was the group that had torn a mighty kingdom apart from within. They clearly intended to uproot even the tiniest possible threat before it could grow.
Which means they plan to extract clear evidence from the Perlos princess.
The torture observation was for exactly that purpose. They wanted to uncover exactly how the First Princess Sedna had ended up here.
The problem was—
“What do you mean, torture?”
The fact that I had to perform it. Ugh, how awful.
The iron cell door rattled shut with a heavy clang.
“Stay outside until I signal you.”
“Yes, sir!”
I sent the guard away. Inside the solitary cell, only Sedna and I remained. She had been sitting on the bed; now she glared at me with open displeasure.
“Why are you only showing up now, Interrogator? You’re late.”
“I’ve already been pulling three straight days of overtime because of you.”
“Isn’t that your job?”
“Most prisoners are released the same day under international law. Persistent overtime isn’t exactly common.”
“So it’s my fault?”
“Obviously. If you hadn’t been caught so stupidly, I’d be enjoying my free time right about now.”
“Wow, the one who farted is getting angry. Who told you to lock me up?”
“Who told you to get caught so clumsily? At least forge a decent passport.”
“Tsk, so annoying.”
Sedna grumbled. Her disheveled silver hair swayed with the motion.
“I’m so bored during the day. Can’t you at least give me something to play with?”
“Did you think this was a vacation?”
“I gave you information and agreed to cooperate. Where else will you find such a model prisoner? At least bring me a doll.”
“That’s quite the refined hobby. Aren’t you an adult?”
“It’s prejudice to say only children play with dolls.”
“That is prejudice, but the way you’re whining is unmistakably childish.”
“Ugh, seriously. You never let anything slide. Do you always talk like that? Were you born this unpleasant?”
“It improves with practice.”
“So annoying.”
Sedna pouted, lips pushed out in a sulk.
“Just give me food. Talking to you is exhausting.”
“I did bring something, but you probably shouldn’t eat it.”
“Because of that practice? It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m really good at acting.”
“Keep your voice down. If it leaks outside, you’re dead.”
“Oh! A sandwich!”
Sedna snatched the sandwich from my hand, ripped off the wrapping, and stuffed it into her mouth.
“The taste is a little strange. The meat’s tough.”
“You chewed the wrapping paper along with it.”
“Ew. But spitting it out would be a waste… I’ll just eat it.”
“Such grace, truly befitting royalty.”
“Why? Paper is made from trees. Trees are plants, and plants are edible, right?”
Her thought process was truly unique. Was calling her a princess actually a lie?
“Then I’ll explain in detail. Listen while you eat.”
“The Emperor is going to observe my interrogation, right? This is about matching our story beforehand.”
“Her Majesty is highly suspicious. If I confess too easily she won’t believe it, and if the interrogation fails she’ll punish me anyway.”
“But why should I cooperate with you?”
“If the interrogation fails, the Emperor will simply summon a different interrogator and have them torture you for real. Then you’ll face truly horrific pain. You might even die.”
“…Hmph. I’m not scared at all, even if you try to intimidate me.”
It was pure bravado. Sedna fell silent. The fingers holding the sandwich trembled faintly.
“We have to make them feel you only broke after the most brutal torture imaginable. It can’t be too fast, and you must confess right at your limit. You absolutely cannot faint.”
If the prisoner fainted during questioning, that woman would brand me incompetent and replace me on the spot.
“I get what you’re saying, but what exactly am I supposed to confess?”
“Have you ever heard the name Undergrounders?”
“Undergrounders? Like… moles?”
Useless.
“I’ve prepared the exact lines. Memorize them word for word.”
I showed her the script I had written earlier. Sedna chewed her sandwich and recited after the text.
“If it goes well, the Emperor may reduce your sentence. You might even be released.”
“…Really?”
Sedna’s eyes sparkled with hope. Then she immediately shot me a suspicious glare.
“Why are you helping me? A mere dog of the Empire like you.”
“Hmm.”
In truth I had no intention of helping Sedna. I wasn’t sentimental enough to feel sympathy for an illegal immigrant. However—
If she dies during the interrogation, it’ll leave a bad taste in my mouth.
In my previous life my maternal grandmother had been a shaman. She always stressed karma and warned against harming others. She said if someone who held a grudge against you died, they would become an evil spirit and follow you for the rest of your life.
I hadn’t believed her. Where would ghosts exist in this world?
Still.
It’s scary, though.
Belief and fear were two different things. If I woke up in the middle of the night to find Sedna’s vengeful ghost floating beside my bed, I was certain I’d die of a heart attack. Best not to accumulate bad karma when possible.
Besides, if the interrogation really failed, the Emperor might execute me as well. Losing my position would be the lucky outcome—if unlucky, I could lose my head. Countless rebels had already vanished as dew on the execution grounds. I had never observed it myself because it was too frightening.
“Then let’s begin practice.”
Thud. I brought over the bucket of water I had prepared.
“What’s that?”
“It’s called water torture.”
“So… exactly what it sounds like?”
“On the actual day I’ll have to continue until the Emperor is satisfied. Let’s practice holding your breath as long as possible.”
“Ugh, I really hate this… It’s barbaric.”
Sedna recoiled. I agreed with her. Nevertheless, she steeled herself and knelt in front of the bucket.
“I only swam when I was little…”
“If you feel like you’ve reached your limit, hit my leg.”
“Okay. I’ll try.”
“Here we go.”
Splash!
Sedna’s head plunged into the water. I gently pressed the back of her head and began counting the seconds on my watch.
Ten seconds. Bubbles rose steadily.
Twenty seconds. Her shoulders began to tremble.
At twenty-five seconds—tap, tap—she struck my leg. I counted three more seconds, then yanked her out.
“Puhek! Heek… Haah, haaah.”
A mixture of water and what might have been tears streamed from the corners of Sedna’s eyes. Her cheeks were flushed bright red. She glared at me while gasping desperately for air.
“Haah… haah. Why didn’t you pull me out immediately?”
“It has to hurt if you want to improve.”
“I thought I was going to die… I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“If you don’t practice, you really will die.”
“Tsk.”
“Rest a little, then we’ll go again.”
Sedna leaned against the bed, catching her breath. Thirty seconds was still too short. She needed to last at least a full minute.
“Huu… huu…”
Her wet hair clung messily to her face.
“What are you doing?”
“Tying your hair back. We can’t let it block your airway.”
“Don’t touch me without permission… Haa.”
She was so exhausted her attempt to push me away was pathetically weak. I neatly gathered her hair and tied it. As expected of royalty, even her hair was silky and beautiful.
“Ready to continue?”
“Huu… I’m ready.”
We spent the next several hours training to increase Sedna’s lung capacity. As expected, humans really are creatures of adaptation. The time she could hold her breath gradually lengthened. On the eleventh attempt she nearly passed fifty seconds.
“Ubup, ububup!”
“Just a little longer.”
“Uuuup!”
Thump, thump—she struck my thigh with all her strength. Ow. That was definitely going to bruise.
“Fifty-eight, fifty-nine—one minute!”
Splash!
“Puhaaa! Haak, haa… Huup!”
Sedna stuck her tongue out and drew in a huge breath.
“Congratulations. You passed one minute.”
“R-really? A whole minute?”
“Yes. Well done.”
“Heek, hek. I told you I could do it… Huut!”
She shivered, shoulders trembling.
“Are you all right?”
If she went into shock from oxygen deprivation it would be a disaster. If the prisoner the Emperor had ordered me to interrogate died beforehand, it would unquestionably be considered treason.
I reached out to check on her—
“D-don’t touch me…!”
She slapped my hand away and continued shivering.
Was she really okay?
Affinity has risen.
Sedna de Perlos / 21-year-old Female / Human
Affinity ■■□□□
She feels like she’s flying.
What the hell is this?
“Ugh… huu.”
Her gaze turned toward me. Her long eyelashes drooped weakly.