Chapter 20

Ariana dragged me across the empty hallway.

At first, I thought she was going to push me into a corner of the stairs, but the journey took longer than expected.

What is she planning to do this time?

Gasping for breath, I cautiously asked, “…Class is about to start, is this okay?”

“Magic class, right?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

And then, silence again.

Is it okay if it’s magic class? Did she bribe the professor or something?

Thinking about it, whenever Ariana has properly tortured me, magic class was often involved. Maybe she had something set up to make that possible.

Not that it’s surprising. Classes being pushed aside is more common than you’d think in the Academy.

What’s important to the Emperor isn’t the process of proper education, but the Academy as a showcase to elevate his status. That’s why the classes are like a mediocre chicken—easy to remove and not particularly outstanding.

Sure, they hire competent professors to maintain the prestige of being a royal institution, but that’s about it.

Where would they find the time to care more? They have to go all-in on security to completely isolate us from the outside world for three years.

That’s why the system is rotting, and people like me emerge. In such an isolated environment, it’s easy to cover up even if someone dies. What a laughable space the Emperor has created.

A bitter laugh escaped through my gasping breaths.

Really, there’s no answer. Let’s not dig deeper.

I stopped my unnecessary thoughts and chose to quietly let myself be dragged along.

“Here we are.”

After walking a few more minutes, we stopped as the bell signaling the start of class rang.

It was in front of one of the rooms in the dormitory building. She opened the door and shoved me in forcefully.

“Wait, ouch…”

Unable to withstand the impact, I fell and rolled a few times inside.

The sensation of my barely healed bones creaking and twisting was vivid. I didn’t expect gentle treatment, but this is too rough.

The room was very familiar, both the path we took and its interior. After all, it’s located in the same building where I stay every day.

Dormitory, Building B. Ariana Wharton’s room.

I was thrown into her personal space, unable to resist. What was going to happen next was all too obvious.

As I steadied my trembling body and looked around, the dimly lit room came into view. The modern interior, unusual for this world, was interspersed with torture devices. Add some bloodstains, and it would look like a horror movie set.

In a way, it fits Ariana’s image perfectly. She seems ordinary on the surface, but there are hidden thorns if you look closer.

“It’s been a few days since I last greeted you, Princess. I apologize for not being able to properly control those riff-raff.”

As I managed to sit up against the table, Ariana’s voice reached me, and I turned my head.

While I was rolling on the floor, she had already locked the door and sat on the bed. Her poised posture, with her legs crossed, was very much like her.

But it also seemed like a performance to appear as her usual self, despite clearly being in an abnormal state.

There were too many things that didn’t sit right with me.

The people unnaturally hovering around me. The characters who, as if assigned roles, didn’t interfere in each other’s domains. The chain of events and healings. The tortures that never crossed the line of actually killing me. The kind people I only met when I thought I might finally die.

If there weren’t artificial elements mixed in, these would be the kind of things you’d find strange. No matter how slow I am, it’s hard to dismiss all this as mere coincidence.

Was it a mistake to think I had escaped the organization’s grasp from the beginning?

How much of this is an act, and how much is real? If not you, then Sena, or that Maid Ai.

Hans.

I quickly spat out the tangled questions swirling in my head.

“…Who is behind you? There’s someone who told you to approach me, right? I did think something was off, but for it to be you of all people──”

“Enough.”

Ariana, looking annoyed, pinched the bridge of her nose and cut me off. Unlike her usual lively self, she looked weary and exhausted, making the contrast even more stark.

“…Ah, I must have said something unnecessary. This is why it’s bad to get swept up in emotions. Holding back just makes it worse.”

Her voice had noticeably dulled, making her seem like a completely different person.

The girlishness she showed when dealing with me was all a mask. That previous image was gone, and only a decadent woman remained.

Is this her true self?

Everyone puts on some kind of act while living. Especially those who deal with people, the gap between their true selves and their work personas can be vast. Even though torture is a bit extreme, it’s similar.

The thicker the mask, the more striking the difference. The fact that the mask has cracked is proof that what I said was close to the truth. And because of that, any hope of getting a proper answer is pretty much gone.

Why would she answer something that hits her where it hurts? Talking to me is just a pastime for her.

Really, my situation is like being treated as a pet.

“First, one thing is certain…”

Shall we go?

“I have no intention of answering anything, Princess.”

“…I see.”

“So, let’s talk about something else! We’ve been resting for the past few days, haven’t we? Without touching each other.”

No matter what I said, Ariana held the reins of the conversation. She blatantly changed the topic, and there was no way to resist. If I pushed further, I’d just end up getting hurt more later.

In the end, my questions had to remain in my heart.

“Still, I worked hard. I spent each day thinking about how to give you satisfying pain without creating dangerous situations.”

Ariana changed the topic and her demeanor became lively again, as if the previous somberness had never existed.

It was a clear signal that she had fully returned to her ‘work’ mode. A warning not to even dream of trying to climb back up.

I quietly watched her open a wooden chest on the bed, not daring to make a sound.

I guess I’m good at following orders. Even as everything I barely believed in shattered, I didn’t panic or even think to ask questions. Just because she told me to stay still, haha.

“But in the end, the answer was this. Thanks to this, I spent days trying to find something with low mortality, high addiction, and strong withdrawal symptoms. Choosing was such a trap. Now I understand why my father was wary of drugs. So annoying.”

What she pulled out of the chest was a syringe, slightly different from the one I saw last time. The liquid inside looked like water—colorless.

Compared to the blue hallucinogen from last time, it seemed much less dangerous. But those are usually the ones that are more poisonous.

After taking out the syringe, her hands didn’t stop. A bag of white powder, oval-shaped blue pills, square solids like sugar cubes, a flask of shimmering crimson liquid—drugs of all kinds kept pouring out of the chest, as if she were preparing to sell them.

Ariana proudly laid them all out on the bed and smiled.

“Since you had the hallucinogen last time, today you should try the stimulants and suppressants! I’ll mix and adjust them well so you can have a good experience. Let’s just relax and enjoy today, okay?”

“…….”

“Come on, answer?”

“…Yes, I’ll look forward to it.”

“Good.”

Her voice sank again. Ariana picked up the syringe she had taken out first.

She got off the bed and sat on the floor, pressing her body against mine. The distance between us was close enough to feel each other’s breath. Her knees pressed against mine, pinning me down.

It was the usual restraint, but sensing my tension, she whispered in my ear.

“No one will disturb us. Relax your body and breathe slowly.”

At the same time, her hand gently stroked the back of my neck. Regardless of her nature, her ability to calm people was exceptional. The tension that had gripped my entire body melted away.

It just shows how well-trained I’ve become.

Does it even matter? The Princess doesn’t seem to resist much anymore.

I used to think she was just a parasite stepping on her past hosts, but after seeing her bare face earlier, that thought disappeared. The emotions Ariana showed me were dry, almost suppressed, except for a bit of jealousy and expectation.

The Princess’s suffering isn’t out of sympathy or concern from a saint, but from a hired torturer who treats her job professionally. After all, there’s someone behind you too, right?

“…Pfft.”

I laughed quietly and closed my eyes.

What pointless thoughts am I having now? Nothing will change anyway.

Ariana, who had been quietly stroking my neck, slowly opened her mouth as I closed my eyes.

“…If you’re relaxed, I’ll start.”

I wasn’t really relaxed, but it’s fine whenever. I expressed that with my body, completely letting go.

Her hand rolled up my sleeve and brushed over my pale skin. The process was noticeably faster, probably because she had done it before.

The needle of the syringe approached the vein on my exposed arm. A sharp pain pricked my elbow. The needle pierced my skin and injected a lukewarm liquid into my body.

Starting from where the syringe was inserted, an indescribable sensation began to rise through my body.

Ah, it’s starting.

That’s exactly what I thought.