Chapter 207: Torture
"Stop, stop! Pfft—"
The scar-faced man was suddenly beaten for no reason, his face bruised and swollen as he wailed, "If you want to ask something, then just ask!"
"Heh. This is just a warm-up—letting you experience the lightest treatment first." Kai licked his lips in a twisted manner, then turned to the darkness behind him. "My lord, what should we ask? I guarantee I can pry their mouths open."
So you don’t even know what you’re asking?
The scar-faced man nearly choked on his own breath.
"Which organization are you from? Shadow World Sect?" Phield controlled the black crow, speaking in a hoarse voice. "What is your plan in Maple Leaf City? Speak, and you can be spared the pain."
"Heh. You might as well just kill me."
The scar-faced man sneered, closing his eyes as if he didn’t care about anything.
Phield appreciated loyalty. "Your mouth is indeed tight. Interrogate them separately—don’t kill them. Then cross-check their statements. Whoever says something different gets interrogated again... until they reach a consensus."
Very quickly, the scar-faced man and his companions were subjected to another round of brutal beatings and interrogation. Their screams rose and fell endlessly.
"My lord, two of them have talked. They’re from High Castle Province, part of the rebel forces trying to overthrow the empire, and they provide intelligence for the Night Owl organization. The other two are extremely stubborn—not a word out of them."
"Oh? It’s already spread to High Castle Province? That was fast."
Phield leaned back slightly, clearly surprised. "So it’s the infamous Night Owl. They hate nobles to the bone—no wonder they showed such deep hostility the moment they saw me. Fortunately, they didn’t act immediately."
"By the way, did they reveal anything about the Divine Chosen?"
"They did not."
Even those who spoke the truth had held something back. Phield found himself somewhat moved by their resolve.
"What else did you find out?"
Seeing Kai hesitate, Phield motioned for him to continue.
"Their plan... is to infiltrate your side, my lord. As for what they intend to do after that, it’s unknown," Kai replied. "My lord, we should kill them all. These pests dared to harbor killing intent toward you—they cannot be spared."
"No rush. Since they didn’t act immediately, they must have another purpose. That makes them useful. Killing them now would be a waste."
Phield remained completely calm. People with plans and concerns were the easiest to control.
"You’ve done well. Lock them up. Provide basic food and water. Make sure no one else discovers them—I have use for them."
With that, his attention withdrew from the black crow and returned to himself. Phield tapped his fingers lightly on the table, producing a crisp rhythm as countless thoughts ran through his mind.
The rebels... can they really overthrow the empire? Probably not. The empire’s foundation is too strong.
His gaze drifted unconsciously toward Miriam’s room.
Still... it’s always better to place bets on multiple sides if you want to survive.
The empire was too rotten—Phield knew that well. If he fought Night Owl to the death, the ones who would ultimately benefit would be scum like Adrian Ross and Simon.
Better to weigh the pros and cons and seize as many benefits as possible. Whether those benefits came from the rebels or the empire didn’t matter.
Before long, the two Divine Chosen of Night Owl approached Phield, their expressions complicated as they looked at him.
"Don’t look so miserable. Let me go over the requirements for being a maid. First—always keep a smile..."
Spending half an hour, Phield patiently instructed them in maid etiquette. Then, with a smile, he added, "Lastly—and most importantly—my orders must not be disobeyed."
"Now, come with me. I’d like to continue enjoying having both of you at my sides."
"Huh? Again...?"
The two of them were stunned, exchanging glances filled with shock and disbelief.
Baron Phield’s stamina... is ridiculous.
It was completely different from what they had known. Married Divine Chosen from Night Owl had once described it firsthand:
"Pulling a carrot—it’s like being pricked by a needle. A few seconds at most. Completely meaningless."
Yet yesterday, they had been worn down for an entire day—almost broken.
Soon, Phield’s "interrogation" began again.
At two in the morning, a gentle breeze swayed the window, producing a soft, rhythmic creak. Distant barking echoed faintly, and the air was filled with tranquility and calm.
Miriam quietly sat up and gently nudged Phield. Seeing his heavy breathing, she confirmed he was fast asleep. She then woke Brinda with a tap. Without needing words, Brinda immediately wrapped herself around Phield, using her body to block his line of sight.
"Let me see what secrets you’re hiding."
After confirming it was safe, Miriam moved silently to Phield’s temporary desk.
"This is... Wind Orchid Territory? Why is Phield looking at a map of Wind Orchid Territory? Isn’t his fief in the Nightfall Domain?"
Lifting the map, she found a stack of sketches beneath it.
They depicted clothing from Phield’s original world—black stockings, office attire, and the like.
"What even are these..." Miriam examined them more closely, her face flushing red as she spat lightly. "Shameless bastard. No wonder he’s the one who invented those ’pleasure pills.’ Absolutely unforgivable. Once I get the information about the ball, I’ll settle the score with you."
Then she noticed several sheets filled with strange symbols.
If she had asked Phield, he would have told her they were letters—records of his territory’s development plans.
"Demonic language! This isn’t scribbling, and it’s not from any known country. It must be something Phield learned from demons in the Northern Region."
Miriam scared herself, a chill creeping up her spine.
Not daring to look further, she put down the Nightfall Domain Phase Three Development Plan and continued flipping through the documents—only to find a defensive layout of Wind Orchid City.
"Wind Orchid City again... Is he planning to attack it? Impossible. Adrian is Phield’s brother. Strange... could he be acting as Adrian’s military advisor?"
The defensive map had been memorized by Phield when he returned to Wind Orchid City with his sister after suppressing the rebellion.
"Forget it. One step at a time. He definitely has a lot of secrets."
Nothing more happened that night.
The next day, Phield glanced at his desk, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.
The two Night Owl members had already prepared breakfast.
"Come with me. I have something important to take care of."
Phield picked up his tea and took a sip.
Seeing that he showed no suspicion toward the food they had brought, the two of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Looks like Baron Phield has low vigilance. We’ve completely gained his trust.
Using hunting and leisure as an excuse, Phield led his troops swiftly toward Wind Orchid City.