Chapter 26: The Unforgettable Interrogation and a Favor Owed

The ensuing period would prove eternally unforgettable for Bruno.

As for Ellis…

“Are you certain this is S&M, and not outright torture?”

Ellis disdainfully tossed aside the tool in her hand. Her sharp, black high heels pressed against Bruno’s head as she questioned Mitchell, who stood nearby.

Mitchell’s tools were never as simple as they appeared. That long whip, for instance, would sprout spikes of varying sizes depending on the force of the swing. Not only could they pierce skin, but they also secreted a pepper-spray-like liquid, doubling the agony.

And the candle? Its wax didn’t just cause momentary pain; it was designed for intermittent, sustained torment. Ellis didn’t even want to describe the rest. Was this some otherworldly version of the Ten Great Tortures?

“My esteemed Young Miss! That’s too vulgar, ‘torture’ is far too vulgar!”

Mitchell’s voice rose to a high pitch. “Every one of these, I assure you, I personally tested! I only added them to my treasure trove after experiencing their excellent effects myself! Alas, this young man is too green. Perhaps I was a little too eager; I should have started him with something gentler.”

Ellis replied, “…I truly thank you on his behalf. But everything that needed to be asked has been extracted. We can leave now.”

With that, Ellis considerately covered the unconscious Bruno with a blanket, leaving only his head—the sole part untouched by abuse—exposed.

As she draped the intentionally clean bath towel over herself and prepared to exit, something occurred to her. She turned back, pulling Bruno’s mouth into a wide, satisfied grin.

After a few facial adjustments, a content-looking Bruno was revealed. Only then did Ellis stride out with an air of nonchalance.

The captain of the guards glanced into the room after Ellis emerged. Seeing Bruno deeply asleep, a ‘happy’ expression plastered across his face, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he spoke coldly, “Where are you going?”

“Back home, of course.”

Ellis rolled her eyes at the guard captain. “The Prince said he’d send for me to enter the palace once he returns. From now on, I’ll be your master, so mind your tone.”

Having delivered her retort, Ellis swaggered away, leaving the guard captain fuming, nearly suffering internal injuries from suppressed anger.

Ellis sauntered back into Larry’s room, only to find him in the pose of ‘The Thinker,’ brows deeply furrowed, as if grappling with a difficult problem.

“What’s wrong? Something weighing on your mind?” Ellis asked casually.

Larry jolted awake. Seeing Ellis, he seemed momentarily flustered, quickly stammering, “Nothing, nothing at all.”

He certainly couldn’t blurt out, ‘I was contemplating the feasibility of marrying you.’

“How did things go on your end? Did you manage to extract any information about Daisy?”

“Who do you take me for?”

Ellis boasted, “I even interrogated him about how many times his father goes to the toilet in a day!”

“Hey, can I ask why you’re asking that?”

Larry subtly widened the distance between them, looking at Ellis with a mournful expression. “Have you become a pervert who’s fond of middle-aged men?”

Ellis nearly choked. She glared down at Larry, her eyes dangerously narrowed. “That’s what the kid babbled after I ‘trained’ him! And if I were a pervert, I guarantee I’d turn you into a dried husk by tomorrow, then chop off your ‘thing’ and sell it as medicinal herbs!”

“How terrifying. I’m trembling.”

Larry stopped his antics and inquired, “What about Daisy?”

“She hasn’t been found yet, but they’ve heard some rumors about her whereabouts in Mount Cego.”

“Are we heading to Mount Cego next?”

“Wrong, wrong, wrong! It’s *we* who are going. As for you, you’re going to…”

Ellis traced a line on the map from Mount Cego to the other end of the Kingdom of Danga with her finger. “You’re going to impersonate Daisy and stir up trouble in this area. Meixia and I will then report you, earning some bounty money while drawing their attention to you. As for what you’ll do, that’s up to you. What do you think? Isn’t this a brilliant strategy?”

Larry replied, “…I can’t help but feel that the only brilliant part of your strategy is selling me out.”

“Of course! This is about maximizing our advantage! I’m actually quite looking forward to the kingdom’s soldiers, who will undoubtedly flock to you, thinking you’re soft and easy to push over, only to discover you’re a terrifying Amazonian King Kong! Their reactions will be hilarious, ha ha ha!”

Ellis laughed unrestrainedly. “Anyway, you alone are enough to take down an army, so I’m leaving it to you. Don’t look so glum. You’re taking a loss this time, so how about I owe you a favor? My favors are worth a lot, you know.”

“A favor?!”

Larry’s eyes lit up, a smile playing on his lips. He nodded readily. “Alright, alright.”

Larry’s unexpected compliance, instead of his usual retorts, made Ellis feel a flicker of unease.

“First, let me ask, what do you want me to do?”

“I haven’t thought of it yet. I’ll tell you when I do.”

Ellis’s suspicions surged. She quickly warned him, “I’m warning you, don’t get any bad ideas. Otherwise, my forty-meter long blade will be falling on your head at any moment.”

“Alright, alright. Let’s go quickly. We can’t stay in this inn, can we?”

Larry took Ellis’s hand and started walking out.

Ellis recalled what she had done in Bruno’s room, remarking strangely, “Indeed, we can’t stay if that guy wakes up. But he won’t wake up easily, after being ‘handled’ like that…”

Larry’s heart subtly trembled. He stopped in his tracks and asked, “Can you tell me more about it?”

So Ellis recounted everything that had happened to Bruno, in vivid detail, to Larry.

Larry released Ellis’s hand, staring into her eyes, retreating step by step. He muttered, “I never would have thought! You’ve hidden your perverted nature for so many years! Tell me, did you have some ulterior motive when you first approached me?”

Ellis: (≖_≖ )

“That’s right! I saw your delicate features and gentle disposition, so I planned to drug you, send you to some kingdom, turn you into a woman, and then keep you in a basement, feeding you milk every day! Why that look?! It was Mitchell! He taught me! I only reluctantly used that method because I felt it could get a lot of good information out!”

Larry’s eyes shifted to the floor as he asked, “Those tools?”

Seeing his reaction, Ellis was furious. “Those are all from Mitchell’s private collection! They have nothing to do with me! You know I’m an idiot when it comes to magic, except for enhancement, auxiliary, and defensive spells. Spatial storage magic requires extremely high magical attainment to use! So I am innocent!”

Larry let out a heavy sigh of relief. “Is that so? Well, that’s good.”

Ellis sensed that something was off with Larry. It seemed he wasn’t merely joking and teasing her earlier; he appeared to be confirming something.

“Did something happen while I was out?” Ellis asked suspiciously.

Larry shook his head. “No, nothing. I just chatted with Meixia for a bit.”

Ellis pressed on, closing the distance. “What did you talk about?”

“Are you my mother? Wait, why are you asking everything? Wait, don’t pull out the whip! Actually, it was nothing much. Meixia just had a realization. She said our relationship was so good that she knew she had no chance, and then…”

Ellis’s curiosity was piqued. “And then what?”

Larry paused. “Then she confessed to me.”

Ellis was a bit confused. “What do you mean? Knew she had no chance, so she just confessed?”

“Yes, she wanted to put an end to this feeling that was doomed from the start. That was her way: gather courage, confess, and then be clearly rejected by me.”

“And your response?”

“As she wished, I rejected her very clearly.”

Ellis leaned against the wall, rubbing her forehead. “Are you made of steel? What was Meixia’s reaction after you rejected her?”

“Uh, perhaps I rejected her too decisively. I think she looked like she wanted to cry, but before that, she kicked me out.”

Larry reconsidered his actions afterward, feeling they might have been a bit inappropriate. But he said, frustrated, “I couldn’t help it! My previous hesitation, overthinking, and consideration for their feelings only led them to pursue me relentlessly. It took a lot of courage for me to say such cruel words to a girl! You know me, I’ve always been polite, gentle, and kind to girls, unless they’re utterly unreasonable…”

“Alright, alright, you stay here. I’ll go take a look. Don’t worry, it’ll be quick, and it won’t delay anything.”

Ellis left her unyielding friend in the room and rushed to her own room to check on the situation.