Chapter 69
“…’s order.”
Virelda deliberately slurred the name, making it nearly impossible to catch.
The guard frowned and leaned forward. “
By whose order?”
“…’s.”
“Whose?”
Seeing she couldn’t stall much longer, Virelda let out a long sigh.
“By Lord Andreas’s command.”
This time she pronounced each syllable clearly.
“Andreas?”
The guard tilted his head as if he’d never heard the name before.
“You heard me. Now move.”
Apparently deciding to push through by force, Virelda reached for the key hanging at the guard’s waist.
But the man was quicker than expected. He sidestepped and grabbed her wrist before she could take it.
“You said Andreas?”
Suddenly, the guard burst into laughter.
They’ve been found out. They’re done for.
Realizing the situation, Zynie prepared to summon the staff she had hidden out of sight. They would have to deal with him before he called the others.
But Virelda grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
Why are you stopping me? Zynie demanded silently with her eyes as the guard stepped closer.
“I get why you hesitated. Even as an inquisitor, working under that guy… that’s rough. Almost feel sorry for you!”
Not that I’m one to talk, stuck doing guard duty like this. He muttered as if lamenting his own position, and all his suspicion vanished. Instead, he looked at them with pity and even offered encouragement.
“I’ll open the door.”
He took out the key without resistance, unlocked the cell, and even held the door open for them.
“How did you know there really was an Andreas? Do you know him?”
Zynie whispered once they were inside. Virelda’s answer was absurd.
“No. Never heard of him.”
You just made up a random name? And gambled on it?
Zynie was stunned. The way Virelda always acted, she’d assumed she knew the names of every high-ranking official in the temple or golden army.
No, thinking about it, there were famous names everyone knew!
Even Zynie and most witches knew the High Priest’s name or the head of corrections. She’d just blanked earlier in her panic. Using one of those names would’ve been far safer.
And yet Virelda left it to chance.
Was she only pretending to be calm? Was her mind just as blank with nerves?
For the first time, the Virelda she’d found intimidating and annoyingly perfect felt… human.
Virelda stepped into the cell and approached the woman curled up inside.
“Witch. What’s your name?”
No answer. The woman had shrunk into herself, like a pill bug trying to disappear into the earth.
“I asked your name!”
Fully immersed in her inquisitor role, Virelda snapped her whip against the floor. The curled figure flinched but stubbornly showed only the back of her pink head.
“I am Vireldarius. This is Zynieus.”
At those vaguely familiar names, the pink head finally reacted. It tilted slightly, eyes shifting in cautious recognition.
Virelda pulled the slack whip taut and spoke again.
“I’ll ask one more time. Lift your head and state your name. Your place of origin and your name.”
“…Aldehallow. Fay.”
You came for me. Fay lifted her head with a bright smile. But her voice trembled uncontrollably, a mix of relief and emotion.
Before the wave of gratitude could settle, she froze under a glare sharp enough to kill. Even beneath the gleaming golden armor, Virelda’s dark anger wasn’t fully concealed.
“Did they confiscate her staff?”
Virelda asked the guard without taking her eyes off Fay.
“It’s over there.”
“Zynieus.”
With a tilt of her chin, Virelda ordered Zynie to check.
Zynie didn’t particularly want to obey, but this wasn’t the time to argue. She stepped outside the cell to inspect the confiscated staff.
“It’s a bit dusty, but it’s fine! She can still use it!”
“And what would she use it for? We should display it in the chamber of heretics—proof of their downfall.”
Soon it would be piled up with spoils taken from witches, he added with a snicker.
Then the guard suddenly tilted his head.
“Wait. Your voice—it’s strangely high. Almost like a woman’s.”
Apparently her altered voice hadn’t come out quite low enough. Zynie hesitated, then muttered.
“Late bloomer. My voice is still changing.”
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