The gladiator woman squinted her eyes, glaring at me. "What do you want?"
"I came here because I'm looking for you," I explained, still aiming the tip of the white blade on the three of them. "Don't worry, I'm not here to ask for trouble."
"Then state your name and your purpose," Said the serious-face man suspiciously, staring at me with narrowed eyes. "Why did you attack the general?"
I frowned at him as I replied, "I didn't attack her."
The crank guy stepped forward, yelling at me. "If you didn't attack then why did you launch an assault on our general?! Do you think we're stupid, huh?!"
"I said step back," I warned, directing the white blade at the cranky guy's throat.
The cranky guy scowled, stepping back. "Tch."
I gaze at the gladiator woman who is observing me with her glaring eyes. "I came here to negotiate with you," I started.
"However, when I came here, I couldn't open the door. I kicked and punched that wooden door but it wouldn't break open, so I came with another idea, and that's when you found me running to the entrance," I explained with narrowed eyes; not giving a chance to lower my vigilance nor my right arm.
The three remained silent as they stared at me with doubt in their eyes. The serious-face man peered his eyes dubiously at me, the gladiator woman was squinting her eyes with caution, and the cranky guy had wrinkled brows glaring at me.
I remain serene on the surface, but deep inside, my heart is vrooming in trepidation.
I'm just pretending. Or perhaps, acting is the nice term for it. Regardless.
The truth is I forgot that the people in this world can use magic, and it can be used in fighting. This is probably why most soldiers in this mansion aren't carrying any physical weapon with them.
When that serious-face guy suddenly yelled, binding my legs with stones; it was then that I realised that I'm doomed.
However, I didn't let my guard down as I remained calm on the surface. For the sake of Pula, I must act strong even if I'm weak and just a little stupid.
Still, my intestines are riding in a roller coaster ride inside my stomach. I feel terrified that I won't be able to control this situation.
Especially with my legs being shackled with stones. What's more, discovering that these people can attack me with magic alone, I suddenly felt apprehensive if I could succeed in this negotiation.
With my heart causing chaos in my chest, I stared quietly at the three in front of me; not daring to lower the white blade; nor let an opening for these bunch to advance and attack.
"Then why do you have a weapon with you?" The man with the serious face asked, still suspicious.
The cranky guy nodded his head as if agreeing with the question, looking at me with dubious eyes.
"As you can see, it's rooted and attached to my body," I said, averting my eyes, then I stared at the gladiator woman again then said, "anyway, I'm not here to fight but to negotiate."
The gladiator woman only glared at me as a response.
"Who are you to negotiate with our general?!" The cranky guy said, sneering at me with contempt. "And how did you even get inside here? Who let you in?!"
I turned to the gladiator woman, hearing what the cranky guy said. "Do you plan to keep my identity a secret?"
The gladiator woman didn't answer, but her face crumpled upon hearing my question.
Seeing her reaction, it then confirmed my assumption. This gladiator woman really did not tell anyone about my identity. This is why Saint Agatha and Joan Truman had to ask me my name, and it seems that this person doesn't plan to tell anyone about my identity as a noble.
My mouth twitched as I glared disdainfully at the gladiator woman. I know the reason why this gladiator woman kept my identity a secret.
I rolled my eyes, sighing as I turned to look at the cranky guy and at the serious-face man. They both glared at me when my eyes met theirs.
"Hey, didn't you guys just ask me who I am? Then I'll tell you now…" I paused as I glanced at the crumpled face of the gladiator woman.
My lips raised to a mischievous smile, squinting my eyes at her. "My name is Nasrin Ur—"
"Enough!" The gladiator woman interrupted, gritting her teeth as she stared at me threateningly.
I only smiled in return. "Why? Are you afraid?"
The gladiator woman's face became distorted.
"You dare mock our general?!" The cranky guy scorn, stepping forward again.
"Talon!" The gladiator woman warningly called.
The cranky guy immediately stopped as he turned to look at the gladiator woman with visible puzzlement on his face. "General?"
The gladiator woman ignored the cranky guy. Her eyes were only narrowed on me, staring at me with squinting glare. I stared back with a blank face.
"You said that you came here to negotiate, right?" The gladiator woman said probingly.
"Yes, to negotiate," I replied simply. "Peacefully, of course," I added.
The gladiator woman clenched and unclenched her fist, then afterwards, she turned at the person beside her. "Paxton, remove the shackles on her legs."
Paxton nodded respectfully, then he aimed his hand on my legs. "Dispel."
The stones restraining my legs turn mud again, then slowly, the mud retreated back to the surface, and afterwards, the mud transformed to a stone becoming one with the stone floor.
"Generel, it's done," the serious-face man named Paxton said.
The gladiator woman nodded. "Alright, now go and wait outside with Talon."
"Aye general," Paxton said, pulling the cranky guy named Talon out of the room, closing it as they left me and the gladiator woman alone inside.
After the two left, the gladiator woman stared at me, crossing her arms in her chest. "Now, what's your purpose for coming here alone?"
My eyes narrowed as I kept the white blade still directed at her. "Do you remember my companion, Pula? She is being treated by Professor AC on the underground floor of this mansion," I stated calmly.
The gladiator woman frowned then smirked. "Did you just come here to make me feel guilty?"
I blink my eyes, tilting my head to the side. "Heh, do you even have a heart to feel guilty?" I retorted.
The smirk on her face disappeared, and now, it's my turn to smirk. My lips twisted into a mischievous smile, squinting my eyes at her.
The gladiator woman bit her lower lip, glaring at me like a gangster. "State your goal before I run out of patience, so I'll ask you again, what's your purpose for coming here?"
I snorted, chuckling at her.
"What's so funny?" The gladiator woman asked, displeased.
I shook my head, smirking at her. "Oh, it's nothing, anyway, my purpose here is to find another way to save Pula."
The gladiator woman's eyebrows furrowed. "Didn't the saints told you that—"
"They told me," I interrupted, then my brows creased as I continued. "But, I refuse to believe that there is no other way."
"Then why did you come to me? I'm not a healer," the gladiator woman stated, indifferent.
I rolled my eyes and said, "I didn't ask you to heal Pula, I'm here to ask for intel and man-power. Tell me, do you know anyone who could heal Pula?"
The gladiator woman let out a sigh. "Sorry to disappoint you, but if the two most powerful saints in the Nilad City can't do anything for your familiar, then no one can."
My eyes narrowed dangerously, hearing what she said.
"If that's the reason why you came here, then sorry but I can't help you," the gladiator woman said, turning around.
I exploded as I rushed forward, grabbing her neck. "I don't need your opinion," I said in a tranquil tone, positioning the edge of the blade near her throat. "I only need your cooperation."
"Listen…Nasrin, right? Saint Agatha and Saint-Warrior Joan are both skilled and professional, so if they can't help your pet, then there's no one who could help," the gladiator woman stated calmly, staring at me with cross up brows of sympathy.
My jaw clenched, hearing what the bloody woman said, and without warning, I closed my left palm to a fist, blowing up her sympathetic face. The gladiator woman grimaces, receiving the hit on the side of her mouth.
I reach my left hand to her neck again, choking the bloody woman. "If you refuse to negotiate with me, just sait it bluntly, but I'm warning you, I'll use every means possible to destroy your life," I said, shoving her as I grabbed the handle of the door.
The gladiator woman stared at me in fright as she grabbed my legs in heedless urgency.
"I'm sorry about your familiar, Pul—"
I balled my left palm once more, giving her a straight in the eye. "You're not allowed to call her name with your filthy mouth," I spat in anger; vein tingling in my temples.
The gladiator woman didn't fight back nor struggle as she stared at me with pity again. "I'm really sorry, but I hope you can reconsider this negotiation, I can give you fame, power, and money. I'll even offer Bakunawa, but can you just keep that incident in the Dregs Arena a secret? Furthermore, I really have no idea about—"
"Stop with the hypocrisy," I punched her in the face again.
Her head snapped sideways, then the gladiator woman looked at me again with that face.
My heart surges in rage as I felt provoked to madness, however, this time it was not because of fear or nervousness. My heart is rampaging in fury.
'To dare stare at me with pity.'
The white blade on my right trembled, then afterwards, everything went black.