195 Episode
Thus, the First Hearing of the Fake Noblewoman commenced.
I cut straight to the chase without mincing words.
“First off. Why are you stopping me from killing Zadkiel? Hmm, probably not just me, judging by the long-standing rumors about deserting heroes. Why are you doing this, big sister?”
“…”
“Question number two. Why are you protecting Zadkiel? What relation do you have with Zadkiel, big sister?”
“…”
“Question number three. A little bird told me you were once very active in hunting Demon Kings with that cannon of yours. So why the sudden switch to supporting the Demon King?”
“…”
I repeated similar questions three times, but Altear remained silent, locking her lips as tightly as Agari and going into passive resistance. Not a single word escaped her.
I nodded and clapped.
“Okay. Accepted.”
And so, the First Hearing of the Fake Noblewoman came to an end.
Next, the First Torture Session of the Fake Noblewoman commenced.
I clenched my fist tightly toward Altear, activating the seal that controlled the chains. The shadow-chains binding her limbs tightened mercilessly, knowing no bounds.
“Guhhh…!”
Krraaaash! The chains dug into her white skin. Blood began to stain her all over.
Even her tightly sealed lips, which hadn’t moved, started to emit groans of pain.
‘Reacting well.’
Indeed. Whether it’s a person or a mad dog, when gentle words fail, the stick must be raised. They say children who grew up spoiled cause more criminal trouble than those who were disciplined early. Why would someone with black hair be treated like an animal? The old saying “beating is like medicine” is not wrong.
“Do I look like I’m messing around? All this joking around is just act—”
I leaned in closely to Altear’s face, keeping my tone flat and dry. One of the most terrifying things I ever heard from loan sharks in high school.
As the saying goes, learning from others’ mistakes is golden. It certainly came in handy somewhere.
“Answer me big sister. I don’t have all day, you know.”
Thus the First Torture Session of the Fake Noblewoman concluded.
The Second Hearing of the Fake Noblewoman commenced.
“Alright, I’ll give. If you’re not into being straightforward, let’s rewind a bit.”
At that point, I slightly loosened the constricting chains. A flicker of relief appeared on Altear’s pain-distorted face.
I shrugged, pretending to show some leniency, and asked the panting Altear.
“You’ve got some pretty good friends, right? Dyrus and Moskden? Met them on a pirate cruise or something, right?”
“… Haa… Haa.”
“Why did you end up working with them? Not like you were trying to shoot a crime-themed alley restaurant show or anything. Your work doesn’t look like a gang rehabilitation program either.”
“…”
“And why did you betray Unterland? If there’s some secret you know that no one else does, you should tell me now, big sister. I’ll let you go immediately…”
“…tch.”
Instead of an answer, Altear slightly opened her lips and spat blood-tinged saliva onto my face.
It trickled down my cheek, dripping onto the floor. Unable to react at first, I shivered all over, then started laughing uncontrollably like a madman.
“Seems you’ve crossed the ‘Read & Think’ level six threshold.”
The Second Hearing of the Fake Noblewoman concluded.
The Second Torture Session of the Fake Noblewoman commenced.
“Flames of Annihilation.”
I didn’t expect that trying to have a conversation would end with me expending even fiendish energy.
I summoned flames onto the blade of my Vestark sword. The black blade began to fiercely burn.
With a crunching sound, I plunged the sword into her tightly bound palm.
“Fire knows the answers. They say scorching pain is the greatest suffering humans can feel.”
I muttered this piece of trivia to Altear, something useful to keep in mind.
She ignored my words, writhing in agony. All she could do was scream hoarsely.
“Ahhhhaaa!”
The small cave rang with the sharp screams.
Altear’s hands were completely enveloped by flames and black smoke. The smell of sizzling flesh wafted about, reminding me of a certain pirate manga with a fire-fist character.
But she only screamed, never uttering a word despite her fingertips turning to ash.
“… Guess so. Those five hundred years of being a fake noblewoman weren’t for nothing, huh?”
Apparently, her artificial body minimized the pain.
Enough is enough. If she wasn’t going to talk, my crude techniques would be ineffective. With a sigh, I drew back the flames.
‘Wow.’
Once the flames were gone, Altear’s hand revealed its tragic state.
It was utterly charred, blackened like coal all the way up to her wrist. I shoved an ether flask into her mouth by force.
“A…ugh…”
From Altear’s mouth came groans of pain. Meanwhile, a bright blue energy coursed through her system. Ether energies gathered on her burnt hand and restored it in the blink of an eye.
Like molting, new white fingers emerged out from beneath the charred flesh.
“Can’t you speak even if I cut your throat? Shall I oblige you with that?”
I manipulated the Dark Sword Art, making my Vestark glide like a ghost and press against Altear’s throat.
Altear stared at it with weary eyes, and then a short, faint laugh escaped her gas mask.
“If I told the truth, you would kill me, wouldn’t you? So why should I bother enlightening you?”
“Why so negative? You telling me could save your life. Been fooled all this time?”
“Yes… Exactly. Being fooled all this time… I never want to be deceived again.”
“I see. True. You’re right. If you’d told me, I would have killed you anyway.”
Altear looked at me bewilderedly.
“X damn, as if a punch would split my face open.”
This is the decisive difference between Spicy Park Jeong-yong and Mild Park Jeong-yong.
In any case, my past self always prioritized respect for life, but now, if someone gets in my way, I kill mercilessly.
I smirked cruelly and countered her, “Try to put yourself in my shoes. Would you have spared me?”
“That’s…”
“Knowing that your opponent wants to stop me, even at the cost of their own life?”
“…!!”
Altear’s eyes widened suddenly.
It was a rare outburst of intense emotion. Apparently, I hit a nerve, revealing something she had hidden so far.
Unintentionally blurting that out, I narrowed my eyes.
‘Look at that.’
Maybe… Her actions from my previous life, or words she spoke thoughtlessly, could hold the key to this dialogue. A plausible idea. Let me dig into that.
Recalling my past life’s memories desperately, I remembered Altear’s last statement.
“Ah, repentance. You said something about repentance for restoring the world, didn’t you?”
I dropped these cryptic words. That was the correct guess.
She gasped, clearly startled, inhaling sharply.
“…How could you… Know that!?”
“I don’t care how. Now, enlighten me. What’s so sinful about bravely saving the world, big sister?”
“Grrr!”
When I mocked her, Altear clenched her lips as if she never wanted to reveal her darkest secrets to anyone.
A growl-like voice escaped from her mouth.
“Who… What exactly are you?”
“What? You say crows this and that. You know me better than I know myself now. I don’t even know who I am lately.”
“Are you proposing this wordplay with me?”
“Do I need to repeat this? All this joking is just for show, you know. Almond Seedbomb.”
Alright. Now I’m also tired.
Talking just gives me jaw pain, and thinking gives me a headache. I don’t think she’ll say anything no matter what I do.
And according to the Spicy Park Jeong-yong Doctrine, if killing doesn’t work, the only option left is to kill.
“Just die already, sis.”
I grabbed the floating hilt of Vestark. Slowly, I dragged the blade pressing against her throat, leaving a vivid scar.
Red streams of blood oozed from the wound.
“Right here, sis. I’ll pile your body over and get some fugitive warriors from alternative paths. Perhaps your friends at Sandodcheon Ferry Terminal could welcome us.”
“…!!”
“Just Moskden next. Dyrus last, I reckon. Ruins and old city blocks, it’ll go in that sequence.”
These words weren’t meant to intimidate.
They were pure sincerity. Since I’d given up on making Altear speak, the only path left was total annihilation.
“Hold on! Just a moment!!”
Perhaps my sincerity resonated. Drenched in cold sweat, Altear grunted then, looking resigned, bowed her head.
“Just one thing… Can you promise me?”
“Hm? What’s that?”
“I’ll tell you everything I know. But please… leave those two alone.”
“… Oh?”
“I beg you. They don’t know anything. They’re simply acting under my manipulation. I’m the only sinner. Please, torture me alone if you must. If you intend to kill, only kill me.”
Altear closed her eyes tightly, earnestly pleading.
She seemed to harbor a certain sense of guilt toward those two. The way she changed her mind so quickly upon hearing about their executions pointed toward significant guilt.
‘Looks like taking a step back turned up a rat.’
What great fortune.
Old sayings are never wrong. This is why people should live honestly.
I gazed silently at Altear’s desperate eyes, then nodded.
“But sis, if they were just following orders, wouldn’t that make their killings excusable? It sounds like there wouldn’t be any bad guys left in this world according to that logic.”
“Th-The thing is… What do you mean by—?!”
“Feels like sis is about to fib a bit, doesn’t it? The judge in my mind could issue a death sentence for those friends of yours if I suspect you’re lying.”
This means no half-truths or games.
If you don’t comply, those friends of yours get immediate “Judge’s Wrath.”
It seems Altear understood immediately. She nodded gently.
“Understood. I won’t lie at all. At this point… I don’t even want to.”
Altear smiled bitterly as she said this.
Don’t give me that look. Who put you in this situation? I smiled wryly as I flicked my hand. The chains that tightly bound her dissolved into formless darkness and disappeared.
Since the other side has acquiesced to my crude negotiating tactics, I’ll reciprocate appropriately.
“So, let’s ask again. What do you know about Zadkiel, sis?”
I finally came back to the main point, all traces of a smile vanished from my face without even realizing it.
“Didn’t I say it during the day? What you’re trying to accomplish… It has no meaning.”
Altear stared straight at me with crimson eyes. This time, a significant grin appeared at the corner of her eyes.
Her muffled voice came through her gas mask.
“Zadkiel… was killed by the heroes of Unterland a long time ago.”
That revelation was like a sudden blow to the back of my head, shocking and unyielding.
