Inside Bedroom 201 on the second floor of Lichtenstein Castle, an entirely different conversation was underway—one devoid of terror and torture, consisting only of focused, courteous dialogue.
With all the lamps lit, this bedroom was far brighter and cozier than the one next door.
Through the expansive windows, generous moonlight poured in to interlace with the lamplight, illuminating the decorative murals adorning the walls.
"Well then, we can begin on our end as well."
Lanqi leaned back against his chair, holding a teacup and blowing gently across the rising steam from time to time.
A neat square table stood before them. Lanqi and Hyperion sat on one side.
Hyperion held a pen, ready to take notes.
"Please cooperate with us as best you can."
By now, Hyperion had grown thoroughly accustomed to adopting a polite, strictly professional tone.
Seated across the table was the young noblewoman from the empire, bound in handcuffs and leg shackles.
Even muffled by the wall, the faint shrieks from the adjoining room never ceased, echoing continuously in the background.
By comparison, it was clear that Lanqi and Hyperion were treating this noble maiden with immense courtesy.
After all, her standing within the Creti Empire was likely far from ordinary.
"Your name."
"...Alexia."
"Age, status, and address."
"..."
Alexia remained silent.
With death looming over her head, she had no patience for such pointless questions.
"Rest assured, we have already deactivated the [Shadow World Recording Program]," Lanqi remarked calmly. "No one can hear our conversation now, and the noise from next door won't disturb any viewers in the real world either."
Beside him, Hyperion quickly shot him a glance. She couldn't tell whether Lanqi was speaking plainly or employing veiled threats.
His words seemed to hint to the girl named Alexia that if she refused to cooperate, sending her next door was always an option!
"I am the Third Imperial Princess of the Creti Empire, Alexia Gemidia Julius," Alexia said with a faint frown, her tone tinged with impatience.
She took no liking to people like Lanqi, who displayed such inexplicable confidence.
He was clearly struggling for survival, yet insisted on acting as though he held every thread of fate in his hands.
During the day, one could write off his perpetual composure as psychological warfare.
But now, with a Blood Clan Count on the verge of arrival, remaining this relaxed merely came across as foolish.
He had no idea how terrifying the Blood Clan truly was.
"...?"
Hyperion gasped, a cold sweat breaking out across her forehead.
They were holding an imperial princess of the Creti Empire in chains and interrogating her! If Lanqi hadn't possessed the foresight to turn off the [Shadow World Recording Program], this would have caused a catastrophic broadcast scandal!
The Creti Empire far outstripped any kingdom on the Southern Continent. If the empire were provoked, even the Hutton Kingdom would find itself plunged into a waking nightmare!
Yet Lanqi merely nodded, entirely indifferent to her station.
As far as he was concerned, all living beings were equal before him.
"Your Highness Alexia, were you aware that both of your companions were Resurrection Church cultists?"
The only difference in Lanqi's approach was the addition of an honorific in his subsequent words.
"I was not. They were my classmates and companions at the Creti Royal Academy."
Princess Alexia's answer was clipped and brief.
She had zero interest in lying.
With that gray-haired, red-dressed demon lingering nearby, Alexia knew her emotions would be amplified; any lie she attempted would be effortlessly unmasked.
Under normal circumstances, binding and interrogating an imperial princess like this constituted a severe crime.
Even against foreign nationals, the Creti Empire could demand extradition.
Yet she possessed neither the will nor the need to pursue the matter anymore.
"I also believe the Resurrection Church has not infiltrated so far as the imperial family of the Creti Empire."
Lanqi smiled and signaled to Hyperion that she could remove Princess Alexia's handcuffs and shackles.
Having already confiscated all of her magic cards of purple rarity and below, even if Alexia wished to cast a spell, Lanqi could counter it with a Mute spell.
Hyperion nodded.
She swiftly unlocked the restraints.
With a sharp clatter, the metal hit the floor.
"Phew..."
Seeing Princess Alexia no longer bound like a criminal, Hyperion finally let out a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease.
Yet Alexia merely slumped lifelessly against the chair, motionless as a doll.
It was virtually no different from when she had been restrained.
"Young people really ought to show a bit more vitality..."
Lanqi sighed in exasperation as he looked at the princess.
Continuing the conversation like this might extract many truths, but none of them held any critical significance.
There was only one thing Lanqi truly wished to verify.
Earlier, when Princess Alexia had exhibited such visceral terror toward the Blood Clan under the influence of the Poet of Great Love, exactly how much of the truth did she secretly know?
After all, details regarding the main storyline of the game set a year and a half later—such as "the Creti Empire would gradually be hollowed out and seized by the reviving Blood Clan," "the southern Creti Empire was in fact the Blood Clan's ancestral nest," and "the disappearance of Duke Mikhail was connected to both the Creti Empire and the Blood Clan"—were facts only Lanqi knew.
Based on Lanqi's understanding of the current geopolitical landscape, the Creti Empire remained a glamorous, imposing titan with zero overt signs of high-ranking Blood Clan activity.
As an imperial princess protected by numerous eighth-tier or even ninth-tier national guardians, Alexia should have had no reason to dread mere low-tier Blood Clan roaming the borders.
Unless she had already caught wind of subtle anomalies and ominous portents festering within the empire itself.
"For the Creti Empire to be infiltrated to such an extent, your empire is truly quite incompetent."
Lanqi took a sip of tea, remarking with an air of casual abandonment, as though he had given up on the interrogation entirely.
"Our Creti Empire hasn't been infiltrated at all!"
Alexia managed a rare flare of temper, lifting her eyelids to glare at Lanqi as if struck where it hurt most.
"I was referring to the Resurrection Church."
Lanqi smiled, looking at her with a hint of surprise and puzzlement.
He seemed genuinely perplexed as to why she had grown so agitated.
"..."
Watching Lanqi treat her like a child, Alexia couldn't tell whether she had simply been too sensitive or whether the fellow before her was playing a cruel trick on purpose.
Still... the latter was impossible.
How could a mere youth from the Hutton Kingdom possibly know of the mortal predicament buried deep beneath the surface of the Creti Empire?
Moments later, Alexia reverted to her despondent, lifeless state.
She lacked even the energy to snap back at Lanqi.
How could she not know the empire was being infiltrated...? It was simply a truth she could confide to no one.
Even if she voiced the secret—that she had noticed the towering titan of the Creti Empire was already being quietly corroded by the dreadful Blood Clan—everyone would merely assume the princess had lost her mind.
No one would believe her.
And the Blood Clan would immediately eliminate her at all costs.
Chapter 146