117. Worry Consultation
After finishing his conversation with Abros and leaving the Armitas Duke Mansion, Eunhyeon headed straight for the Artia Knight Order's office. Seeing Riod still holed up in the command room, he spoke up.
"You haven't clocked out yet?"
"Didn't you already know that?"
"Well, yeah, I kinda figured."
There was no way anyone could afford a break amid all this chaos.
"Need a hand?"
"No need. I have no intention of borrowing your hands for the knight order's duties too. Don't you have plenty of personal matters to mull over yourself?"
"...Yeah, you're right."
Ever since the necromancer's existence had been confirmed, Eunhyeon's mood had been unusually somber.
Riod had picked up on it and was showing consideration, which made Eunhyeon chuckle softly.
"Still, don't bring up that topic. If possible, I really don't want to talk about it at all."
"I see."
Everyone had topics they wanted to avoid like the plague.
Riod nodded slightly and continued working through the paperwork.
Post-expedition supplies left over, new ones that needed restocking, reallocating missions among the knights, confirming payments to the Adventurer's Guild—there were mountains of agenda items to handle.
And in a few hours, they had to interrogate the captured bandits for info on the black mage and alchemist.
Going home was a pipe dream in this situation.
Eunhyeon flopped onto the sofa and buried his face in it.
"...If you have nothing to do, go home and get some rest, even if it's just a little."
"I'll be here for the prisoner interrogations later anyway, so it's more convenient to wait."
"If you're set on that, I won't stop you."
"...Riod."
"What?"
"I've got something I'm curious about."
"Shoot."
"......"
Even with permission granted, Eunhyeon stayed buried in the sofa cushions, saying nothing.
A brief silence followed, and then he spoke up again.
"This might really offend you, but you're the only one I can ask. Don't get the wrong idea."
"So what is it?"
Riod furrowed his brow slightly, urging him on, and Eunhyeon finally opened up.
"When you and the marchioness get intimate, who takes the lead?"
Crack.
The pen in Riod's hand snapped effortlessly, black ink spilling out and staining the documents.
Despite the pile of work, Riod couldn't continue—Eunhyeon's words kept echoing in his head.
"...What did you just say?"
It was the kind of line Riod could never imagine coming from the Eunhyeon he knew. He was in genuine shock.
Sighing under Riod's glare, Eunhyeon looked troubled.
"I said don't misunderstand. You haven't heard anything from the marchioness?"
"...Explain in detail."
Eunhyeon started from Illyana's confession during the expedition, revealing that she'd been egged on by none other than Terezia herself. He explained how the two had been meeting privately and discussing all sorts of things.
"It's true Illyana visited the mansion often to see Terezia. But since it was just girl talk, I didn't pry or interfere."
Riod nodded, as if he had his suspicions.
"That... Illyana picked up some weird stuff from the marchioness, and there was this moment that got... well, pretty dangerous. Asking the marchioness directly would be rude. It's rude to you too, but if it's rude to both sides, might as well ask you."
"I see..."
Eunhyeon had agonized long and hard over whether to even bring it up.
"It's... a really rude way to put it, but judging by the techniques she taught Illyana... she doesn't seem like your average noblewife..."
"I get what you mean. Enough, drop it."
Riod cut him off urgently, clear agitation in his movements.
"Hoo... So that's why Terezia held her breath and smiled when you brought up marriage. She's... a bit unique. She can be bold, but she's no fool."
"No, I know she's not like that."
It was exactly the kind of surprise that had left even Eunhyeon thinking he'd been "had."
"There's some complicated backstory."
"...We'll talk it over drinks sometime."
Reading Riod's expression, Eunhyeon nodded.
"Just checking, but..."
"Hm? What?"
This time, Riod eyed him suspiciously and asked first.
"The reason you're staying here instead of going home. Is it because of Illyana?"
Eunhyeon's shoulders twitched at the sharp insight from the married man.
"......"
Joining Artia's expedition had meant getting thoroughly wrung out by Illyana the night before departure—a memory that killed any desire to go home.
Eunhyeon averted his gaze without answering.
"Got it."
Riod nodded knowingly from the gesture.
"If it's already this bad, you're in trouble."
"Hey, you wouldn't get it since you haven't—"
"If Terezia taught her those techniques, I've suffered longer than you. You're about to get married, so take this advice to heart."
"Right, you're the senior in marriage... Damn it..."
Early the next morning, two knights stormed out of the interrogation room, fuming.
"Damn it! Why the hell won't they crack?!"
The bandits captured during the expedition were clamming up like they'd rehearsed it.
Even interrogating them one by one in isolation, they either stayed tight-lipped or begged to be killed.
Torture made them writhe and scream, thrashing wildly—but not one spilled on the necromancer or alchemist who'd fled.
"Shit, if we don't get intel and just waste time..."
"Ah, fuck... This situation is total bullshit..."
The necromancer would keep raiding villages, collecting corpses without interference.
With her alchemist partner's spatial magic, she'd pop up anywhere, anytime, massacring freely. The thought ground their teeth.
Ongoing casualties they couldn't stop would give critics ammo to blame Artia, letting nobles sink their teeth in.
"What do we do...?"
Torture failed, and these rootless bandits were immune to threats or bribes.
Their faces showed fear yet desperate eagerness for execution—Artia's knights couldn't fathom it.
"I don't get these guys. They're terrified but screaming for quick deaths."
"The necromancer and alchemist ditched them and ran, right? So why protect them like fanatics? Loyalty?"
It wasn't some noble loyalty.
These bandits lived for lust and gluttony—slaughtering men and boys, raping women, looting crops. Loyalty? No chance.
So why refuse to betray the mages who'd abandoned them?
"How's it going?"
"Ah, C-Captain..."
Riod appeared with Eunhyeon beside him. The knights sweated, glancing over.
The other, wearing a troubled look under Riod's gaze, spoke up.
"No dice. They won't talk at all."
"Like their mouths are locked shut. Torture, persuasion—nothing works. They just beg to die."
"...Just as you predicted."
"Yeah."
"Huh?"
The interrogators blinked at Eunhyeon's calm murmur, echoing Riod.
His unflappable demeanor, like he'd foreseen it all, left them dumbfounded.
"Mind if I handle the interrogation?"
"Pardon? Oh, uh..."
The knight glanced at Riod, who stood arms crossed, uninterested in intervening. He nodded, yielding to Eunhyeon.
Honestly, they doubted Eunhyeon could do better, and didn't think their efforts would suddenly work anyway.
"Please bring all the other bandits and put them in the interrogation room."
"...?"
The knights exchanged confused looks at the odd request, but Eunhyeon offered no explanation.
He brushed past them, grabbed the door handle, then turned back.
"Thanks."
"Uh, got it."
Not grasping his intent but seeing Riod's non-interference, they headed to the cells.
"Should I come in too?"
"Nah, I'll go alone."
"Alright."
Eunhyeon turned the handle and entered.
"Who the hell are you?"
The bandit scowled as Eunhyeon stepped in.
"Hi there. I'm the new interrogator."
"...You don't look like a knight."
"Well, yeah."
The bandit sneered at Eunhyeon's un-noble, shabby attire.
"Ha, resorting to trash like you now? This kingdom's done for. Hell, I could be king."
"Harsh. I keep pretty clean, you know."
Eunhyeon wore no noble luxuries, but his clothes were decent quality for a commoner—fine fabric and design.
"Interrogation's pointless. I got nothing to tell you. Just execute me already."
"Yeah... We're in a real bind because of that."
"......"
The bandit's eyes narrowed at Eunhyeon's oddly relaxed admission of trouble.
"That scary, huh? The necromancer?"
"...!"
The bandit flinched, showing real agitation for the first time.
Artia's interrogators had overlooked the bandits' predicament.
Why supply corpses to the two mages?
Why protect traitors who'd ditched them?
Why beg for death without spilling?
Realizing the one lording over them like dogs wasn't a mere bandit boss, but a necromancer, unraveled it easily.
All Eunhyeon had to do was poke that wound.
"You're terrified, right? Even in death, no rest—just twisted into a beast worse than any monster, suffering eternally."
"Guh... Urgh..."
"Spill, get executed—still ends up her plaything via necromancy."
Hit dead center, the bandit looked away, speechless.
"How about a deal?"
"...A deal?"
"Yes! A deal. I want info on those two traitors. In return, I'll ensure you get true peace—no necromancer meddling."
No time to question Eunhyeon's authority—the offer smelled like sweet nectar, irresistible fruit.
The bandit, tongue-tied by the silver serpent's lure, swallowed hard, staring at the temptation.
"What do you say? Doesn't it look delicious?"