Chapter 32: Bruno’s Interrogation and the Underground Rendezvous

Upon returning to their room, Ellis presented the contents of the suitcase to Meixia and Daisy.

“This is Bruno?!”

Daisy instantly recognized him, while Meixia, intrigued, turned her gaze towards Daisy.

Daisy explained, “He’s Prince Garp’s second son, a complete good-for-nothing. What in the world is he doing here?”

“Why don’t we just ask him?”

Ellis promptly removed the gag from his mouth, then nudged him with a kick. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

Bruno, however, ignored Ellis entirely, spewing insults at Daisy instead. “Daisy, you patricidal and matricidal murderer, how dare you hide here!”

Daisy’s face turned ashen. Yet, this reckless fool then aimed his verbal assault at Ellis.

“Initially, I held quite a favorable impression of you. Who would have thought you were such a filthy woman, colluding with a heinous criminal like Daisy? However, this prince is magnanimous. As long as you mend your ways and serve this prince well—”

“Mitchell, tell me how to shut him up.”

Ellis, naturally, had no patience for him. She immediately summoned Mitchell.

Mitchell leaped out and delivered a swift blow to Bruno’s head, then launched into a scathing critique of his behavior. “How dare you speak so disrespectfully to my beloved Young Miss! Is this the language a mere s*ave dares to utter?! Young Miss, this is my treasured, pain-amplifying long whip; please use it to your heart’s content! Make this scum from the lowest rung of society understand their place!”

“That looks rather promising.”

Ellis tested the feel of the long whip, adorned with thorn-like barbs, in her hand, quite pleased. She skillfully set up a silencing barrier, then gently addressed Daisy and Meixia.

“What happens next might not be suitable for younger audiences. You might want to close your eyes and ears voluntarily.”

Meixia and Daisy, however, did not heed her words. They witnessed everything that transpired thereafter.

The two women were profoundly shaken, huddling in a corner, trembling uncontrollably.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen Ellis look so terrifying. And that staff seemed to talk, didn’t it?”

“Perhaps it’s a special kind of staff. I never would have imagined it; she’s usually such a gentle person.”

“Could Larry also be…”

“Uh, no, right? Probably not, right?”

They recalled the cheerful, sunny young man from before and found it impossible to reconcile him with the current state of Bruno.

Nevertheless, the seed of doubt had already been sown in their hearts.

“Speak, or not? Speak, or not? Speak, or not!”

Ellis, too, seemed to be getting a little carried away.

“I’ll speak, I’ll speak, I’ll speak! Please, Queen, stop hitting me! But what exactly do you want me to say?!”

“What?! You don’t even remember what I was coercing you for? I only asked you one question after I came in. Can’t remember? Then I’ll help you remember!”

With that, Ellis struck Bruno a few more times with the whip.

“Precisely! That’s how an efficient Young Miss should treat such a forgetful s*ave—whip him mercilessly. But my adorable Young Miss, could you perhaps bestow a few lashes upon me afterwards? I find it incredibly exciting.”

“Get out of the way for now. I’ll whip you later.”

“Oh-oh-oh!”

Mitchell dutifully stood aside, queuing up.

“I remember now! I remember! Please stop, I beg you, stop!”

Bruno seemed to finally churn his rusty brain cells, recalling the question Ellis had asked earlier.

It was hardly surprising; from the moment he first saw Daisy upon entering, he hadn’t truly registered anyone else’s words, completely disregarding Ellis’s question.

“I was on a diplomatic mission to Garp and have just returned.”

Ellis pressed on, “What did you discuss?”

However, this clearly involved classified information, and Bruno’s expression grew hesitant. He began to stammer, unwilling to speak.

“You lowly s*ave, how dare you conceal things from me? Let you hide, let you hide!”

Ellis’s words were vicious as she lashed out with several more strikes.

“Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh! It was a negotiation to cede the Carols region to Garp in exchange for ten years of peace for Danga!”

“How could Prince Garp do such a thing?!”

Daisy was visibly agitated by this act of national humiliation and territorial concession.

Bruno meekly replied, “I don’t know what Father intends. I merely followed orders.”

“So, was the treaty signed?”

“It was signed. I have it with me.”

Ellis directly searched him and retrieved the treaty. Indeed, it bore the seals of both kingdoms’ monarchs.

Upon seeing its contents, Daisy’s entire body went limp. She then seemed intent on tearing the treaty to shreds in a fit of uncontrollable rage.

But Ellis stopped her.

“You are quite useless now. With both kings having agreed, this is merely a piece of paper. Even if you tear this one, they can sign another. However, this serves as rather useful evidence. We’ll discuss with Larry later how best to utilize it.”

“Mm.”

Noticing Daisy’s despondency, Ellis subtly gestured for Meixia, who had a closer relationship with Daisy, to comfort her.

After Daisy and Meixia moved aside, Ellis’s gaze, full of ill intent, shifted to Bruno.

Kneeling on the ground, Bruno trembled as he asked, “I’ve said everything I can. Queen, can you please let me go?”

Ellis smiled gently. “Heh heh, let you go? Don’t be so hasty. I have a delightful reward for you: sharing a room with two… no, three beautiful women.”

“Then could you undo these?”

Seeing Ellis seemingly in a good mood, Bruno even dared to ask her to untie the ropes binding his hands and feet.

“I think you’ve misunderstood something. While you will be sharing a room with us, you’ll be doing so from inside the box.”

Ellis approached the box and slowly began to close the lid.

The creeping darkness filled Bruno with particular dread. Ellis, meanwhile, savored the expression on his face. “Don’t worry,” she said, “I’ll let you out for some fresh air during our journey. Of course, you can try to escape, but if I catch you, heh heh.”

Without giving Bruno a chance to reply, Ellis used a nearby strip of cloth to re-gag him, then slammed the box shut.

She had a premonition that bringing this person back would prove immensely useful.

Ellis and her group did not linger long at the shady inn. After a brief rest, they departed in haste.

Bruno’s abduction was only discovered several hours after their departure.

After the guard was revived, he nearly took his own life. Had it not been for the necessity of reporting the incident to King Garp, he surely would have.

He had considered searching, but Ellis and her group were already far away. They had no idea of Ellis’s whereabouts, nor did they realize she was with Daisy.

He could only scurry back to the royal capital, accelerating his journey to report the matter.

Meanwhile, Ellis’s side witnessed Bruno predictably failing to behave during their journey.

Each time Ellis let him out to stretch, look around, or eat, he would attempt to escape. Without exception, Ellis caught him and subjected him to ‘simple’ training. Ellis even felt as if Bruno was becoming her personal dog.

If she said East, Bruno would absolutely not dare to go West.

However, Ellis had no interest in acquiring him as a pet. Had she not believed he still possessed some utility, she would have abandoned him midway.

They traveled for about half a month, finally reaching their agreed-upon region: the West Asia Hills. This was where Larry had been actively operating, drawing the enemy’s attention.

After renting an underground inn, the group gathered to discuss how to rendezvous with Larry.

Ellis, naturally, had made preparations. “There’s no need to worry about that at all,” she stated. “Larry will post a ‘missing person’ quest at the Adventurers’ Guild, and the person he’s looking for is me. I’ll simply go to the Guild, accept the quest, and then I’ll find Larry’s contact.”

After having Meixia and Daisy hide, Ellis went to the Adventurers’ Guild alone. Sure enough, she found the ‘missing person’ quest posted by Larry.

She accepted the quest and then located its poster: a burly, one-eyed man. He scrutinized Ellis before cautiously uttering a phrase: “Heavenly King covers Earth Tiger.”

Ellis suppressed a laugh that threatened to burst forth, managing to respond with difficulty, “Pagoda suppresses River Demon.”

“Follow me.”

Once the secret phrase was confirmed, the large man led Ellis away.

After a series of twists and turns, they arrived before a dilapidated shack.

The man cautiously approached the door, tapping on it rhythmically with his fingers.

“Come in.”

The door opened to reveal a ragged beggar lying inside. He eyed the large man and Ellis warily. “Is she the person His Highness wants brought here?”

“Should be. The secret phrase was correct.”

The man closed the door, and the room instantly grew dim, with only a few slivers of sunlight piercing through.

“Then come in.”

The beggar stood up, lifted the straw mat he had been lying on, and pressed a floor tile beneath it. A hidden tunnel slowly opened.

Ellis followed the large man down. After an unknown period, a vast underground space appeared within Ellis’s vision.

Everyone was bustling about, engaged in various tasks. Led by the large man, Ellis finally saw Larry in the innermost office.

No, to be precise, it was Larry disguised as Daisy.