The air stunk of human feces and other deplorable odors. Water dripped endlessly from somewhere unseen, each drop echoing like a heartbeat that refused to die. Rats darted across her boots, slick with filth, undeterred by her presence. No matter how many times the guards purged the cells, the vermin always returned — much like the human rot this place was built to contain.
Rina had once campaigned to abolish prisons altogether. She believed no man or woman was beyond redemption. "We are born with the capacity to sin," she used to say to the court, "so we must also be born with the capacity to change." It wasn't faith that guided her, but conviction — a conviction that mercy could reform what punishment could not.
Now, walking these halls and thinking back to that day, that conviction felt like a ghost whispering lies into her ear.
She remembered the night her nation was taken from them—the screams, the smoke, the sight of monsters being led by humans, who she saw as her own kind once—ripping people apart as they marched up to the palace in search of their objective. The same "redeemable souls" she once vowed to protect painted the streets with blood.
Her face used to turn bitter at hearing someone being called a criminal, or even a prisoner. She did not want extra labels that exist only to separate humans from each other, to exist. It was dehumanizing so she even joined activist groups to have it banned in their country.
But… what a foolish girl she was. Did hanging around the wrong type of people fill her head with such things?
Of course, she has a less "extreme" view of her beliefs still. Her ideals had not died—not yet—but they were trembling.
What would she say to her people now, if peace ever returned? Would they kneel before her as their princess, or spit at her feet for sheltering the very monsters who killed their kin?
"—This is her cell." The guardsman told Rina.
Upon putting down her luggage, she had inquired where they were keeping Hessinia, the Serz member who brought destruction to her home.
Turns out it wasn't in some high-level, inescapable technological marvel of a prison but rather a normal holding cell.
She wondered why that was but she found out the moment she stepped into the hall where Hessinia's cell was.
A deathly aura loomed and was accompanied by a powerful presence, or several presences, but it wasn't hostile to anything other than one source.
Standing in the hall, their weapons drawn and on high alert, were four tall knights in dark red armor, their faces dark but a red sparkle menacingly watching the door of their objective.
These must be the knights the servants seem to gloat about so much.
Arnold's Royal Guard.
All rumored to be level 70 and above.
If only the Republic had knights like these… Would things have gone differently that day?
It's unwise to think of an alternate reality. She would lose herself to such a dream-world.
A world where their country is protected by Arnold and not the Dragon Lords who think a ritual is more important than the humans they were told to protect.
Rina was there when Arnold defeated an Ancient Dragon, a powerful being that only Freya or Justice could defeat, and second only to the Dragon Lords in their species.
He not only holds incredible individual power, but he also has the support of hundreds, if not thousands, of Shadow Demons and Red Knights that can fell a country in a single night.
Is this why he felt so confident in threatening to kill the next Hero of Diacree? No, she thinks that even if he did not have such a powerful army, he would still go to war with every country if it means he gets his supposed "revenge" on that Arthur fellow.
Rina didn't know how to feel about him. On one hand, she's scared of him. On the other, he has shown nothing but support for her and even offered to protect her and save her nation.
He may have his own motives, which she won't judge him for, so that means he sees value in a relationship with their nation. This makes it easier to trust him and his people.
"Open the cell—I would like to speak with her." Rina told the guard.
"Alright. Just don't step through the blue barrier that Lady Siana created. It apparently freezes the abilities and magic of all who enter it. But that doesn't mean she can't harm a delicate lady like yourself. We kept her in chains to allow for movement around the space she's confined in but not enough to be close to the barrier." The guard warned as he went through all the locks with his keys.
"…I will keep that in mind." She said shortly before the cell door opened with a heavy whirr.
Rina took a deep breath before she stepped into the cell, her heart pounding in her chest.
Hessinia may not be the mastermind behind all this, but she is still one of the perpetrators that orchestrated the massacre in her nation.
The room was dimly lit, a single bulb shining overhead.
The glowing blue haze coming from the barrier bounced off the walls, making it seem like this was an aquarium.
Behind this transparent blue glass was a woman with dark purple hair, dressed in only a rag, her head lowered to the floor. She had such skinny arms but there were heavy cuffs around them, keeping her hands together.
The door closed with a heavy thud.
"…Kukuku," Hessinia cackled before lifting her head, "It seems you still haven't found your precious Papa yet so now you came to me for help~"
Without a change in her expression, Rina spoke, "The Empire has found out about what happened in my country. More nations will be informed and then they will march with their armies to the Republic to drive your people away."
"And?"
"…You will be executed under imperial law once they find the answers they seek." The empire will likely take the role of decision maker since the president is missing to decide the fate of the members of Serz, "But if you cooperate with me, I shall make sure you receive a lighter sentence."
"Hah? Princes, does it look like I'm desperate for your favors? I don't care about what happens to me! My soul will be taken to the Between Realms, where I will be reborn and live as what I was truly meant to be!"
"…Miss Hessinia, you are still a young woman… Do you not want to experience the joys of life? Is being a criminal all you want out of this life where everything you do can decide your fate because you constantly walk on thin ice. You may only serve 20 or maybe 15 years if you just help me."
"My life isn't my own, Princess. I live and breathe for the Leader. The only thing I regret is not being given the chance to see who he really is once he retires." Hessinia said with her face averted and a dismissive tone.
That's right. Every leader of Serz only revealed their identity upon retiring. It's a mystery why it works like that.
Think about it—be a powerful tycoon mob boss of the most powerful criminal organization that makes even nations bow, never revealing your identity, and then removing your mask only after retiring. A ghost shaping history from the shadows.
"How can you follow someone with such devotion when they would kill you if it was a benefit to them…?"
Rina had never met a person like Hessinia before. She would take a dagger to the heart if it means her leader will be pleased.
"What if what he feeds you are falsehoods to satisfy his own twisted desires? Would you not be ashamed or angry for following someone so blindly!?" she said a little louder, unable to hide her anger that a human being could be such a mindless puppet that follows some god-like entity's will blindly.
Is Serz… just a cult worshipping a God among Man?
Hessinia's smirk vanished, "Sometimes we do things for people without question because they gave us purpose or kindness—why don't you just pretend I'm one of those people, stop trying to convince me to join your side, and fuck off? Can you do that, little princess? Or do you need your beloved father to spell things out for you? I don't fear execution—no, I don't fear whatever my fate will be. I have failed my mission and even if I escape from this place, I will accept my punishment willingly. You need to understand that not everyone is the same as that perfect picture you have in that head of yours. I don't kill innocents because it's just my mission, I enjoy it. There might be a sword hanging over my head every day but I do what I do willingly. If your intention of coming here was to convince me to help, too bad! I would rather rot here for 100 years than help you ruin our plans. All I'll give you is advice—if you don't want to receive your daddy's head in a pink box with a red ribbon and the fingers of slaughtered children from your nation, walk back to your nation and accept your fate is to walk beside us—be a tool for our Leader. Oh? What's that face for? Did you think I would pity you? My species can't feel emotion. I may look human, but I am not one of you. Maybe that's why I felt nothing when I slit a little brat's throat and had an orgasm to his gurgles as blood filled his mouth."
In a single breath, she said those horrible, horrible things as if spitting venom in her enemy's face. The devilish smirk on her face was enough to tell you that she enjoyed doing all those crimes—she enjoyed being a terrorist.
Rina had met many "criminals" in the past, so that she can understand their psychology better. She knew she did not have the capabilities to rehabilitate them but she wanted some answers for why they did what they did.
There's no doubt many gave her sob stories, thinking she would try her best to free them.
She's ashamed to admit it worked a few times.
Few were actual good people, but fewer never went on to commit another crime even when being given handouts.
Among the criminals she interviewed, there were some that were irredeemable monsters. You could tell from the way they talked, their eyes, and body language—that they were merciless scum of the earth.
One time, Rina even feared getting raped despite being behind an enchanted wall that separated the two. The man's sickening desires were so thick and vile that it almost felt real to her and the fear made her imagine the deed as his eyes undressed her against her will.
Despite meeting with these kinds of people, she never gave up her quest to search for ways to rehabilitate people.
Hessinia would be on the top of the list of psychos that made her skin crawl and feel unsafe, even with the best protection in the world. Maybe this is the psychology of true criminals she's been searching for, so that she can see if her moral compass changes.
Her fingers trembled.
Was this what she had been chasing all these years?
The truth behind "evil", the mind of a criminal stripped bare?
If so, then standing in front of Hessinia felt like staring directly into a void that stared back hungry.
A woman—no, a being—who spoke of murder, torture, and obedience with the same casual cadence others used to discuss the weather. Someone whose pulse didn't quicken, whose eyes didn't flicker, whose breath didn't shake as she recalled slitting a child's throat. Someone who didn't even seem to comprehend guilt.
They do not even grasp at the promise of salvation.
"You're shaking," Hessinia said, leaning forward with an eager grin, as if savoring Rina's unraveling. "Fear looks so cute on you. Makes you seem… less delusional."
The door suddenly swung open, hitting the wall with a loud thud that made Rina almost jump.
Looking back, a man with deep blue eyes and a towering frame stepped inside slowly.
Despite her earlier bravado, Hessinia's smirk vanished and she looked away upon seeing Arnold enter the room.
"I should've made myself clear that you aren't allowed to see this woman without me." His very presence broke the tension.
"…I'm sorry… I just... I could not sit around and do nothing…"
Now that he's here, her trembling stopped, as if she wanted to leave everything to him.
"I was about to tour my city for a while, but that can wait for a bit." Arnold stepped through the barrier, his hands casually in his pocket as if he didn't fear Hessinia.
In fact, with his superior physical strength, she wouldn't be able to take him down even if he stood an inch away.
"You're here to learn where your father is, aren't you?" before she could even say anything, he continued, "Finding out where he is isn't a problem for me. But there are other things that bother me."
He said it so casually as if discussing the weather. Why did he not tell her before that he can find her father!?
Rina clenched her fists but then remembered that Arnold is the type of man who thinks ahead and values preparations unless he's confident he can do something on his own. Be realistic, how can a single man, regardless of his individual power, fight an entire criminal organization that every nation fears? He'll need to investigate and assess, then prepare and finally strike.
She blushed silently at getting upset without even understanding the situation.
He grabbed Hessinia's chin, said woman glaring up at him, "To be specific, I need to know your end goal for using the Dark Scroll. There are a million possibilities as to what you can do with a divine scripture that can tell you the future or recite the entire past, word for word. Power like that shouldn't be used by mere mortals."
"…You speak as if you aren't one of them." Hessinia said through gritted teeth.
Arnold suddenly chuckled with his eyes closed.
But when they shot open, his pupils were a deep red abyss that seemed as if they were bleeding from within.
Seeing those eyes, Hessinia tried to look away but he forced her to face him.
"Isn't it funny how I, a dragon lord's successor, am now devising a way to stop your organization from obtaining that power? It's like fate for dragons to protect the little humans."
"…Why would you want to protect them? What benefits do these humans offer you?" she asked as a cold sweat leaked down her cheek.
"It's not that I want to protect them—that's just an inevitability since I don't want this economy to be destroyed because of your foolish goals."
That's right… He's no hero. In fact, Wistorina has a feeling he doesn't like being called that. Everything he does is for his benefit alone.
"Do not call our Leader's goal foolish!"
"Hmph."
The patterns in his eyes began to rotate and his pupils glowed brighter, "Tell me the detailed plan for your leader's goal."
Strangely, Hessinia's eyes remained normal and she did not follow the command.
"Huh, that's odd. No magic should be able to resist my ocular power."
"Kukuku, you aren't getting shit out of me, boy. Our leader has met with every important member of Serz at least once and implanted countermeasures to mind control and other mental attacks, before erasing our interaction. Nothing can make me spill."
She seemed very confident that nothing can be leaked. Though she failed her mission, this must be the last thing she's proud of having because in a way she's still serving the leader.
"There's always a backdoor to powerful mind blocks. Sometimes you need an even more powerful spell but other times you need an unconventional method. As such… it looks like I'll need to take more extreme methods—which will result in your death, unfortunately. It may even destroy your soul."
"…Huh?"
The smirk vanished from Hessinia's face when Arnold placed his hand on her forehead.
"Do you know what happens when blood floods the chamber where your brain is located? I hear it's one of the most painful ways to die. A splitting headache will be the least of your worries."
"I-Isn't that basically a torture method!?"
Arnold ignored Rina's shout.
Hessinia gulped and spoke through a shaky voice.
"N-Nothing can bypass our leader's powerful mental blocks… No one is stronger in that kind of magic…"
He spoke as though explaining a natural phenomenon:
"I wouldn't call it magic, but rather just a natural thing that's possible for me due to my subclass and pure martial art. It forces the blood in your body to surge upward, enough to destroy everything on the inside. First your senses collapse. Then your thoughts fragment. Then…" His finger poked her left breast, slowly pulling down her loose collar, exposing her cleavage. "Your heart forgets its job. All in a single second. Then the mindless screaming will fill this chamber while I suck up every square inch of blood inside you that carries all the information stored in your head, even the kind you don't have access to due to the mental blocks."
Her face paled and her breath quickened.
"Since you can't tell me what I need to know, I will have to take measures into my own hands."
Hessinia, for the first time, did not smile.
Her jaw tightened.
"Y… You'd kill me just to reach our leader?"
"Your leader is not that important but the information locked inside your head, is." His fingers cupped her chin, "And unlike you, I don't enjoy cruelty. I'll offer one chance: tell Wistorina what she wants to know, and you walk out alive. I don't need to find out everything about Serz, just a base location where all your preparations and meetings take place. But she wants something as well so I suggest you help us both out by being cooperative. Keep playing loyal dog, and your death will be slow, excruciating, and utterly pointless."
This is beyond torture he speaks of. He's shaking her life like a set of keys in front of her eyes.
"Kukuku…" Hessinia's laugh was sharp, but mildly shaky. "You think pain scares me?"
"Last chance, Hessinia. Talk." He ignored her as if her fake bravado was just a display of frustration at being helpless.
Arnold's eyes narrowed, "Fine."
Hessinia's eyes shut tightly and she gritted her teeth.
"A-Arnold, you don't have to do this…! I don't want information in exchange for someone's life!"
That is beyond cruel. As human beings, all of them must compromise and reach understandings in order for change to happen and everyone's happiness to be secured.
Rina wants to bargain even to the most violent criminals, as long as they can help each other out.
Her plea filled the tense room, perhaps echoing outside.
Arnold's hand stilled mid-motion, his gaze cutting briefly toward Rina's pale, trembling face—then going unreadable again.
…
After a moment of silence, nothing happened…?
Hessinia looked up in confusion. Rina shared the same reaction.
"I just remembered a lesson my master taught me: taking the easy way out isn't always the best solution," he lifted his hand, "I'll leave your interrogation to the Republic. We can find the president on our own."
He didn't go through with it…? Was he just bluffing…? Or maybe it was a test to see if Hessinia is more devoted to this mysterious leader than she cares about her own life?
"Y-You! Do you enjoy playing with people's lives!?" Hessinia hissed back.
Then again, Arnold's expression remained unchanged.
"H-Hehe, you'll regret not taking the easy way out, boy. Who knows, my blade might find your neck someday once I escape."
Arnold turned, as if he lost interest in her.
"Are you just gonna leave!? W-What was the point of coming here, fucker!?" Hessinia stomped the floor and stood up, menacingly glaring at him, her earlier bravado returning.
Rina noticed that her sheets had a little wet stain but she chose to ignore it.
"You could have hurt Rina, but wanted to enjoy looking at her pitiful face a little longer. I couldn't ignore the bloodthirst in the air."
"?" Rina shifted her gaze to Hessinia.
The whole time she'd been here, she hadn't sensed any killing intent. She thought Hessinia had given up and wanted to offer her a deal. Of course, for this deal to succeed, she convinced herself that she had to show the "criminal" that she trusted them.
This comes with its fair share of dangers, which she intentionally ignored because she believed there was no danger.
Maybe living in a castle all her life and never going as far as the city walls has been a bit damaging to her survival senses…
It's amazing how Arnold was able to sense her killing intent. Maybe it's because all warriors can naturally sense this. Then again, maybe he's very, very sensitive to that kind of thing given how talented he is.
Question now is, what was Hessinia planning on doing? She needs Rina alive so she wouldn't kill her, so probably use her as a meatshield and escape the city?
Arnold faced Rina, "Don't come here alone again."
"Y-Yes…" she nodded several times.
"Let's go. I'll be coming back soon, Hessinia. I have some questions for you."
**
Arnold and Rina walked down the dungeon halls alone. Her heels and his shoes tapped rhythmically on the cold floor.
If one listened closely, you would be able to hear faint groans and voices coming from within the cells lining up each side of the hall.
Rina did not dare look into any of them, letting the smells and sounds alone tell her how dangerous they were.
"Why… Why did you let her live?" They reached the stairwell before she found the courage to speak.
He came to a stop, the tap of his heel echoing down the prison halls. He turned his head and body slightly to face her.
She nervously awaited a response, still a bit shaky from the earlier tension.
"Finding your father is more important than finding out why Serz needs your ancestral powers, no?"
Somehow, that sounds like another excuse. First he uses his relationship with the Republic, now it's her father.
"Was that answer not satisfactory, Princess? You're a strange woman. You throw mercy at the one who orchestrated your nation's destruction and killed hundreds just to lure you out. Now you cry over someone else doing the execution. What is it? Do you want to kill her yourself? Or are you just the kind of gullible idiot who thinks the irredeemable can be saved?"
"…I just want answers. If getting those answers means making a deal with the devil, I want to make that deal no matter what…"
"I want those answers too. But I will never value the life of a terrorist like you do, Princess. Change before it's too late."
He was able to ascertain Rina's personality without even knowing her for that long. Was it because she wanted to lessen Hessinia's sentence? Does that determine one's opinion of criminals?
"For now, we can still use Hessinia to prepare for a raid to rescue your father. If we didn't have that card..." he didn't even have to finish.
"...I know..."
Regardless, she was naïve to believe she could talk this out.
It's better to leave it up to capable people, like Arnold.
She needs to rely on him instead of doing things by herself.
Of course, she will reward him once everything goes back to normal.
…
Rina hates herself for this but… she's happy Hessinia didn't have to die.
Maybe her morality needs to change before it breaks her…
**
As Arnold walked, the sound of chatter died down around him and the world became silent.
He thought back to Rina's fearful expression. It was a face he never saw her direct at him before.
Why didn't he kill Hessinia? The information in her head could've proved vital.
Is this a sign of him becoming a good person and not seeing even the life of someone, as a form of transaction?
He couldn't find the answer as to why he showed such mercy to the scum of the earth.
But whenever he tries to think of one, he remembers Rina's innocent face twisting in fear.
...