CHAPTER 6.5: LADY SYLVIA HENRISTONE, AND HER VIEWS ABOUT LOVE

***Some obscure building in the town of Arles***

It was late into the long sleep of everyone else when the ex-captain of the Paladin Corps, Sylvia Henristone, made her way towards the back of an old building that formerly served as her unit’s barracks. She had just returned from the Holy Palatial Gardens after packing her things and equipment, as she was already dismissed.

Naturally, she is irritated more than ever. What happened to her is totally wrong, and this would remain a stain in her name for years and seasons to come…

“…”

After making sure that no one was following her, she tapped on a few bricks off the wall. Waiting for several minutes, soon the false wall turned and slowly opened, revealing a dark passageway into the bowels of the castle.

The Duchess of Henristone soon stopped before a wooden door, guarded by a pair of paladins. Lighting a torch, she ordered it open and entered.

“…”

In the middle of the room was a figure of a man, with his head covered with sackcloth. His hands and legs were tied to the chair he was sitting upon. On the table beside him was a basket full of food, as well as a jar of water and an empty glass.

Lady Sylvia Henristone then removed the sackcloth from the head of her prisoner, grabbed a stool nearby, and sat before him.

“Well, as the ex-captain of the Paladin Corps, I really have to do this,” she explained to the prisoner, “Be thankful I wasn’t the old army minister to the king of Colveente; for sure, you’d get a different treatment if that is true.”

She ordered her paladins to remove the ropes from the man’s hands so that he could start eating. Once free, the prisoner never wasted his time and gulped down the food set for him.

“Hey, be careful not to choke yourself and die early! I still have a lot of questions for you, Osmond Hein Rilley.”

The captain of the Arles militia stopped eating and said to her, “I’m telling you, I know nothing about Sir Kuro’s disappearance! Why do you keep on insisting I’m involved with it?”

“Of course, the guilty party always says that they are innocent. But may I remind you it was your own tongue that betrayed you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Who’s the beautiful white-haired beastwoman you’re flirting with, several days ago before the incident?”

“Huh? What ‘beautiful white-haired beastwoman’? Who told you that?”

“Your girlfriend Misha,” the paladin captain had a sardonic smirk on her face, “Isn’t it the reason she’s pissed enough not to cook lunches for you, Mister Playboy?”

“There’s no ‘beautiful white-haired beastwoman’ I’m flirting with!”

“So do you mean to say that Misha’s a liar? Maybe I should ask her again—”

“Oh right! Haha! I remember now. There’s that beastwoman before…but I swear I didn’t get past the ‘hello’,” the Arles militiaman was laughing awkwardly, “Please don’t tell her what I’ve said in here…please?”

“Then answer my questions.”

“I’m trying my best!”

Lady Henristone then brought out a map of Arles and spread it out before Sir Rilley, “If you are indeed innocent as you claim to be, tell me why you took Sir Kuro towards this alley when the main road is a shorter route to take if you’re both heading to the market square?”

“…” Sir Rilley was awfully silent.

“Also, your men handle Arles’ security. Why did a suspicious carriage able to enter and exit the town without being questioned?”

“Suspicious carriage?”

“Your men, through my ladies’ investigation, revealed about a black, unmarked, and luxurious-looking carriage coming in and out of Arles the day Sir Kuro disappeared. That meant it was a noble who’s inside; tell me his name!”

“…” Once again, he was silent.

“Want another argument?”

“Yeah?”

“I…I got none,” Lady Henristone admitted.

“You’re accusing me of some wrongdoing based on that evidence?” Sir Rilley bellowed, “That’s preposterous!”

At that moment, the Duchess of Henristone slowly rose from her seat, unsheathed her sword, and threw it towards him, deliberately hitting the space between his legs, “Sir Rilley, I believe you’re misunderstanding something. While it’s true that my loyalty to our Saint implores me not to kill, it doesn’t mean that I’m not allowed to castrate you. So, you better choose: you’re going to see your children, or you’ll be living the rest of your life as a eunuch?”

“Err…Y-Your Excellency…” the militiaman was wavering, “I-I’m sure w-we could talk about t-this…”

“No worries. I’m also willing to negotiate,” the duchess chuckled, “Tell me what really happened, and who are your co-conspirators? Once done, you’ll walk free, and the only problem you’ll have is Misha.”

“Then, can you give me a pen and paper?”

A paladin then handed those things he requested.

“Haaa…” the militiaman sighed, “I’m already bust. See, like those nobles, I couldn’t help but envy Sir Kuro. You know, he always gets the glory, though he’s just a commoner. And he also gets the ladies…”

“Hah! Well, too bad for you, you guys can’t simply defeat a woman’s instincts, see?” Lady Henristone then illuminated the entire room. It revealed the multitudes of Kuro’s paintings, for Sir Rilley to see, much to his shock, “Especially if we are fighting for the person we love!”