Theo ignored the carriage waiting for him at the front of Maximilius's mansion, a dark carriage with embroiled gold. There were two men in long dark coats waiting for him. One of them bowed while opening the carriage door for him.
"You may go." Theo continued his walk on a cobbled path while wearing white gloves. "I prefer to go with my horse. Ashak rode with me."
"As you wish, my lord."
He jumped on a white horse prepared for him while Ashak used a brown one. Both of them look more princely than the actual prince on horseback.
Theo prefers riding a horse with his faithful attendant rather than convenience on the carriage. He loved to be outside and felt the warmth of Terra sun, felt a breeze on his skin.
As they crossed Moonway Bridge, Theo slowed his horse, allowing Ashak to sit beside him.
"How many do you have, Ashak?"
"Three, Sir. Chapel Maester Daemon refuses to give them in. We're lucky that we could snatch them from the prisoners."
"That's enough for us. Any information those foolish knights gain?"
"With their method of interrogation?" Ashak smiled. "Even in a century, they would gain little."
"They are servants of Andraste, not Alexios. That one made them weak. Let's hurry, Ashak. I can't wait to have some fun with those rumbles."
"As your wish, My Lord."
They raced toward a private dungeon outside Lidium forest, not far from Moon Lake. A white horse loosely leaves the brown one. They have fun, laughing together.
As they came to their destination, they camped their horse on a wooden post at the front of the woods. Two men helping them tied the horse while Theo and Ashak continued on foot, tracking a natural stone path sandwiched by lust-green forest.
Ten hectares of this forest belonged to the Maximiles family, thanks to their riches from long-standing trade relationships with four other nations around the Konstantin Kingdom.
They created a summer palace, a mansion clamored with flower gardens, on the tiny hill that was surrendered by nature for personal comfort.
Underneath their palace, they dug a wide tunnel called a dungeon which was a palace for accommodating their private usage. All their gold, price sculpture, rare paintings, and almost all their riches are stored there.
As he walked, Theo asked, "You prepared what I asked, Ashak?"
"Of course, My lord. I already notified them. May I have those girls from Hangas perform tonight?"
Theo peeked from behind his shoulder and kept his eyes on Ashak next to him. "You want to see them perform?"
Ashak smiled.
"Hah, then so be it. Tell Sir Turu they had my gratitude for sending those girls for a couple of days. I will make sure the official smoothly accepts the trade permit."
"As your wish, My Lord."
"And about our three guesses on the dungeon, are you prepared for everything?"
"Yes, they told me everything was set as your order. They are waiting for us there, My Lord."
Theo was in a good mood. His smile was everlasting, and he kept whistling, if not talking with his faithful Ashak. Rarely he got a chance to interrogate someone with his method. Those three Purelist gave him a reason to torture them after what they had done in Ormit Cave... by law.
They came to the hill door beneath a magnificent four-story stone mansion that was covered by grape vines and had a blue roof.
Two men welcome them. One of them opened the tunnel door. No sunlight could penetrate the mossy stone wall in the room smelled of concentrated humus. Only a pair of balms eliminated winding stone stairways.
They come on long stone corridors with many doors on the left and right. Every step created a voice that echoed on the tunnel as they strode toward one wooden door guarded by two men at the end of the tunnel.
"M'lord, we've been waiting for you." The bald man opened a door for his lord. "They were ready for it."
They enter a dim room with four shirtless men carrying whips and axes. Three-hole ventilation sprouted sunlight and hammered three men that tied up on chairs.
Catching a glimpse of Theo in an aristocratic coat, the first man spits on him. "Let me go, you bastard. We already confess everything about Purelist. Why are we being kept here? Let us go!" His chair trembled, making a noise.
"I don't care about Purelist." Theo opened his coat and placed it on the table. "What I want is how that bald man uses dark magic to summon hell creatures."
"How are we supposed to know if he is affiliated with dark magic? We have new recruitment."
"You must know, you must." Rolling up the sleeves of his long white tunic, Theo gave a nod and Theo ordered Ashak to bring one of them to the wall.
"What do you want, torture us?" Said the man on the chair. Even so, he has been roped on. His gaze was like a lion. He had no fear. "Let us go, you aristocrat bastard!"
There was a butcher knife and many other knives on the table that caught Theo's eyes. "I am not a man of talk, you know." He snatched the thing and started to torture the man on the wall.
He flayed a man alive with his own hands. When the cold knife landed on his prisoner's skin, he started trembling and begged for release. He tried to see what happened to his back, but only the pain he felt.
Loud, bitter pain echoed as the knife flamed his back. It is a pleasure for Theo's ears. He smiles for every inch, the knife removing the sweet skin of his prisoner's back.
The blood flooded the floor. Even when the prisoner surrendered, willing to tell everything he knew, Theo could stop himself.
Two prisoners were trembling as they begged Theo to kill their friend instead. The tiger becomes a kitten after seeing the horror that Theo could do to them.
"Why so soon? We just started." Theo laughed. "Look at that beautiful blood. It would be nice if you guys took a bath with that. It would make your skin healthy."
Ashak closed his eyes as he couldn't stand it anymore.
His sadistic lord saw this.
"Now, guards turned him away. I wanted to flay his nipple and neck. Ashak, you want to try?"
"N–no, my Lord."
As his guard turned the half-flayed man, Theo ordered, "You may leave, Ashak. Wait for me outside. After everything is done, I will meet you at the summer palace."
"A–as your wish, My lord." Ashak walks out and vomits in front of the door. Before the door was closed, Ashak noticed someone taking a peek from the ventilation hole.