She knew who I was.
"Member of the Fiolera family. Hmm… So tell me, why is someone like you working as a mere bodyguard for the Minami family?"
Her tone was laced with curiosity, but I could tell—she already had her own suspicions.
I stayed silent.
"Well, doesn’t matter."
She stepped closer. I could feel her presence looming over me.
"Let’s get to the real question."
I swallowed hard.
"Why did you attack an ordinary civilian—Miyazaki Aria—with your Esper power?"
"I just—"
"Don’t make excuses."
I clenched my fists.
I knew there was no getting out of this. I had no defence.
"...I was blinded by rage and didn’t think about the consequences."
Silence.
Then—
"Rage, huh…?"
CRASH.
The chair toppled over.
I hit the ground, hard, my head spinning as I struggled against my restraints.
I coughed, gasping for air.
Footsteps circled me.
"Who sent you here?" she asked. "Was it the Minami family? Or the Fiolera family?"
I froze.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, genuinely confused.
Her voice turned sharper.
"Don't play dumb."
I frowned.
"I was clearly sent here by the Minami family to safeguard Kotori."
Silence.
Then a quiet chuckle.
A sharp, amused chuckle.
Her voice took on a dangerous edge.
"Seems like you don’t want to open your mouth."
The footsteps stopped.
A pause.
Then—
"Do you want to play a game with me?"
Her words sent a chill down my spine.
I couldn't see her expression, but I could feel her amusement.
Like a predator toying with its prey.
A sharp click.
Then—pain.
A jolt of electricity surged through my body, radiating from the metal cuffs still around my wrists. My muscles locked up, my vision blurred, and my breath hitched as I gritted my teeth to suppress a scream.
The woman chuckled, her voice dripping with amusement. "Oh? You can endure that? Good, good... I was hoping you'd last a little longer."
The electricity stopped. My body sagged in the chair, gasping for breath.
I wanted to shout at her, demand what the hell she was doing—but before I could recover, she spoke again.
"Let me explain the rules of our little game."
The single lamp above flickered.
"Every time I think you’re lying, I shock you."
She leaned in closer, her breath warm against my ear.
"Every time you refuse to answer, I shock you."
A soft chuckle.
"And if I get bored?"
Another sharp click.
A low, menacing hum filled the room.
"I shock you anyway."
My heart pounded. I had faced countless battles and endured gruelling training.
This, however, was a different kind of hell.