Blindfolded, Alger was led through the tunnels, twisting and turning left and right.
When the black cloth was untied, an immense cavern opened before him. At its very center, coiled atop a massive boulder, lay the red dragon. Its eyes were half-closed, seemingly resting.
The bugbear shoved Alger forward, forcing him to his knees, and spoke with obsequious deference. "Master, I have brought the human."
The red dragon before them lazily opened its eyes and answered offhandedly, "Well done. You may withdraw."
Alger could even feel the heat reeking of sulfur that huffed from the dragon's jaws.
"Yes, Master."
The bugbear bowed respectfully and took its leave.
Alger struggled to his feet from the ground. Gritting his teeth, he bit out word by word, "Vile beast, no matter what you plot, I will never let you succeed—even if it costs my life!"
With that, he closed his eyes and straightened his back, bracing for the red dragon's wrath.
Whether what awaited him was searing flame or razor-sharp talons, he felt no fear.
To his surprise, the red dragon's tone showed not the slightest trace of anger. It merely asked, "Why did Brad Lakeman send you here?"
Alger kept his eyes tightly shut, stubborn and silent as though he had heard nothing.
Seeing Alger's reaction, and considering the timing, Cassius could guess his mission. It was likely the notorious "Great Tiefling Camp Massacre" from his past life.
Hundreds of Eagle Guards had scoured the land for traces of tieflings. The moment they located any, they would launch an immediate slaughter, sparing neither the old, the weak, women, nor children. They left no survivors, torching the scene to the ground and eliminating every witness in the vicinity.
Originally, this operation should have gone smoothly.
Unfortunately for them, they had crossed paths with Cinder Nest.
With that thought, watching the tight-lipped Alger, Cassius asked in an amused tone, "Alger Yeoman, do you know how your parents died?"
At those words, Alger's face twisted in shock. The deepest, most guarded wound in his heart had been ruthlessly torn open. Unable to help himself, he opened his eyes and shouted:
"That's impossible!"
"How could you know about that!"
Seeing Alger open his eyes, the red dragon said in an unhurried voice, "You don't need to know how. You only need to answer truthfully according to what you know."
Cassius repeated:
"Now tell me, how did your parents die?"
"They were..."
Alger failed to notice a faint, barely perceptible red gleam rippling within the dragon's vertical slits—a light mirrored in his own eyes.
"They were... sacrificed to devils by those damned tiefling bastards!"
Agonizing memories flooded Alger's mind. His eyes went bloodshot, and he ground his teeth in fury.
Cassius asked casually, "And who was it that told you this?"
"It was... it was His Grace the Duke."
"Then why is what I know entirely different?"
"What do you know?"
"What I know is that your beloved Duke, in his pursuit of immortality—to become an undying vampire—traded the lives of thousands within the city. And among them—"
Cassius paused.
"—were your parents."
The red dragon before him seemed like a devil from the depths of Hell, cunningly nudging the human's thoughts forward step by step.
"No... impossible!"
"You're lying!"
Alger screamed, his voice trembling.
Yet under the red dragon's deliberate guidance, he could not help contemplating that terrifying possibility—that his benefactor, his godfather, the Duke to whom he had sworn lifelong fealty, was his true enemy.
Pressing his advantage, Cassius slowly unfurled his wings, casting Alger beneath a massive shadow as he loomed over him.
"Think carefully. Has your beloved Duke ever set foot outside his castle?"
"Has he ever bathed in the sunlight instead of cloaking himself in shadows? Even while delivering those grand, pompous speeches?"
"Your senses are sharp. Have you ever heard the wails of victims rising from Castle Lakeman's backyard, or caught the scent of blood mingling in the soil?"
"When you slaughtered innocent lives, did you ever realize they were to serve as sacrifices—wretched fuel for the Duke's immortality?"
As Cassius's words fell, the scene of raging flames rose once more before Alger's eyes. Amidst the fire were wailing children and mothers clutching their babes.
"No, no, I didn't..."
"I didn't."
Alger stumbled backward, shaking his head frantically.
A heavy dizziness overtook him, his head splitting with agony. Every detail in his memory grew razor-sharp, each seeming to corroborate the dragon's words.
"No..."
"You're lying! You're bewitching me!"
"I won't listen to your slander! His Grace clearly..."
Alger collapsed to the ground, muttering and shaking his head incessantly, a thick, persistent haze clouding his eyes.
Only after a long while did a flicker of clarity return to his gaze. His voice shook. "Vile beast!"
"What... what did you do to me?"
Cassius looked down at him with cold detachment. "Merely a little trick to help you accept the truth."
"Besides, after everything you've done, what right do you have to call me a 'vile beast'?"
"No, I don't believe it!"
"This has to be your scheme!"
"You're deceiving me, aren't you! You misled me with a spell! I... I won't listen to your wicked lies!"
"Your petty tricks mean nothing before a loyal Northwind Eagle Guard!"
Alger forced himself to his feet, trying desperately not to dwell on those terrifying words, but his protests sounded hollow and feeble.
"I have no need to deceive you."
"And... you will know the truth soon enough."
Cassius did not bother arguing with Alger. He merely lowered his massive body with composure, narrowed his eyes to resume resting, and summoned the bugbear by the entrance.
"Take him back to the dungeon and lock him up."
"Yes, Master."
Three bugbears that had been waiting outside stepped forward, forcefully dragging the struggling Alger away.
Even as he was hauled off, he remained agitated, shouting unceasingly.
"Vile beast, you can't fool me!"
"Don't you dare slander His Grace!"
"You're in league with those devils!"
Years of loyalty drilled into him by the house had long ingrained the principle of absolute obedience. He was merely a blade of the family, and a weapon possessed no concept of good or evil.
*Never ask why; simply execute.*
That was what the old drillmaster had always said.
Thus, as a dutiful Eagle Guard, Alger often emptied his mind, doing his best not to ponder right and wrong, habitually lying to himself—especially during the slaughters, when facing unarmed refugees.
Now, for the first time, Alger found himself questioning it all.
Getting him to this point had already cracked his mental defenses. All it would take was one more push to bring the entire structure crashing down.
Cassius had achieved his purpose.
Chapter 35