historical

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Blackmoon City

Inside Istana Gleriath’s castle dungeon, Hawdyn and his group of wolf-men were tortured and interrogated by Ember Killian.

For more than a day, Ember Killian deployed various torture methods on Hawdyn and his wolf-men, including cutting into their flesh, whipping, burning, drowning, shocking, pulling out their nails, tongue, and eyes, and more.

Their blood scattered across the torture chamber in the dungeon before Istana Gleriath’s castle, and several buckets were filled with their nails, toenails, and even severed fingers and toes.

“Where has your organization taken Vaan Raphna’s body?” Ember Killian coldly interrogated with blinking an eye as she drilled molten-hot metal in Hawdyn’s thigh.

Hawdyn’s scream resounded throughout the torture chamber.

Even after enduring so many torture methods, Hawdyn still had some energy to spare, unlike the rest of his wolf-men, whose spirits were broken and bodies devoid of energy.

“I’ve told you many times before, and I’ll tell again and again, as much as you want to hear! My answer will still be the same! For the love of fucking gods and devils, I don’t know who the fuck Vaan Raphna is!” Hawdyn roared venomously with frustration and anger.

“Maybe someone else in the organization had taken his body anyway; I don’t know! Maybe it was an A-rank Hunter’s work, or maybe it was the work of another dark organization or even a witch, I don’t know!”

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know, and I definitely can’t give you what I don’t have! What I can give you is my life, so just end me already!” Hawdyn thundered.

The moment Hawdyn was caught, he already knew his life was over. Death was a release, and living was prolonging his suffering.

“No matter how many times I see it, this wolf-man’s regenerative ability is astounding. He can grow back missing limbs without the aid of magic,” Astoria Braveheart commented with a frown, feeling slightly disturbed.

Nevertheless, no matter how much or how cruelly Ember Killian tortured Hawdyn, his answer couldn’t satisfy Astoria Braveheart and her.

Only Istana Gleriath seemed happy with the results. But at the same time, her eyes glistened with coldness.

“Kekeke, don’t you think we have something more important to talk about?” Istana Gleriath mentioned with a sinister, near frenzied look.

“In the end, this branch doesn’t know anything about Vaan Raphna. Do you know what that means? It means that the person you believed to be dead is likely to still be alive! My instincts can’t be wrong.”

“I can feel it. It was as if I was there when my daughter was killed. Her shock, fear, and hate, I feel them. It has to be him! No, it is him! I’m sure of it!” Istana Gleriath muttered, almost like a crazy person who couldn’t think of anything but revenge.

“This feeling grows with each passing day! That bastard is definitely the murderer! If not for him, none of this would have happened! Wise Scholar Eniwse would still be around, and my daughter wouldn’t have been killed!”

“You dare bring up Wise Scholar Eniwse in front of me? Your daughter had no respect for her seniors and teachers. Not even a Wise Scholar like Eniwse was respected. She deserved to be killed!” Astoria Braveheart condemned her.

Istana Gleriath’s eyes flickered ruthlessly at Astoria Braveheart.

In the next moment, Istana Gleriath impulsively fired a lethal fire arrow at Astoria Braveheart—only for Astoria Braveheart to casually deflect to the side with her large greatsword.

Boom!

The fire arrow struck a corner of the torture chamber and exploded, collapsing the stone walls and ceiling in the area and reducing them into rubbles.

“You’ve gone mad, Lord Istana,” Astoria Braveheart coldly stated.

At the same time, Ember Killian glanced at Istana Gleriath with a frown when she noticed the red glint of madness in the person’s eyes.

Shortly after, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

With little time for Ember Killian to think further, Istana Gleriath suddenly attacked again—only for Astoria Braveheart to swing her large greatsword and slap her body with the flat side.

Peng!

Astoria Braveheart’s brute strength sent Istana Gleriath’s body flying, smashing through the stone ceiling and flying out of the castle.

Shortly after, Astoria Braveheart leaped through the hole in the ceiling and chased after Istana Gleriath.

“Watch them,” Ember Killian instructed the Senior Witches under here to guard Hawdyn and the wolf-men before following Astoria Braveheart shortly.

Meanwhile, Istana Gleriath drew an arc in the air before she landed on the ground outside the castle with a heavy thud.

She spat out a mouthful of blood while suffering from the pain of multiple broken bones and ruptured organs.

With a quick healing spell, Istana Gleriath’s body slowly recovered.

Istana Gleriath got up from the ground before wiping the traces of blood on her lips and staring at Astoria Braveheart with a sinister grin.

“You sure didn’t hold back your strength, Astoria. We should have done this from the start. You and every bitch that idolize that bastard as some savior should all go to hell!” Istana Gleriath spat venomously.

Nevertheless, Istana Gleriath struggled to keep herself standing as healing magic wasn’t her forte.

Ember Killian overheard everything as she arrived at their location and her eyes sharpened with more certainty of her suspicion.

“At first, I thought your behavior was just the grievance of a mother who lost her precious daughter. But no, it’s way past that now. You’ve completely lost your mind, Istana,” Ember Killian criticized sternly.

“No, should I say senile? Hmm, but that’s not right either. You’ve definitely gone senile, but there’s also a little something else,” Ember Killian added with narrowed eyes. “Ah, yes. I think I know what it is.”

“You must have tried to push yourself to the High Witch rank because you felt the end of your lifespan drawing closer. Did your Fire Magic backfire and fried your brain a little during your attempt or something?”

“I don’t care how you feel about Headmaster Astoria; you should know better than to attack someone above your rank. I’ve already ignored it the first time. But the second time can no longer be considered a coincidence,” Ember Killian stated.

“So what if you’re right!? So what if you’re wrong?!” Istana Gleriath retorted with a more hideous and sinister expression. “It doesn’t change the truth that..!”