Oh my, is it because you're holding your head that way? Your jaw might get stuck like that."
"Hey, if you can hear me, at least answer."
"You've got nothing to say to a penitent who bows before a Dark Mage, huh?"
Judging by the way she speaks, she might indeed be a cleric...
In any case, her mental strength was truly remarkable. An ordinary person would have been bedridden for a week after a torture spell, plagued by a lifelong trauma. Yet here she was, cursing with vigor.
Although her tone appeared nonchalant, her potential might be significant. Perseverance and patience were talents in their own right.
"...Think as you wish, just don't plan on dying."
"Who said I'm planning on dying? I'm perfectly fine."
"No, you'll last maybe three days? You haven't eaten properly, have you? You look like a pitiful mess, enduring a torture spell in that state. That's quite impressive."
"Hmph."
Just as I was about to continue, I heard footsteps.
The atmosphere immediately quieted, as if a mouse had just died.
Gaudium descended the stairs.
"Have something to eat."
He tossed a white bread at me. If you listen well, you get rewarded, I suppose.
It was freshly baked and exuded a warm, inviting scent.
Not that it would spark my appetite.
"You won't be having a meal."
And still, there was no food for the defiant girl.
If she held enough value to be kept alive for experiments, so be it. But judging by Gaudium's demeanor, she didn't hold much worth.
Especially if she was a former cleric. There was a department dedicated to supplying experiments regularly. They wouldn't bother much for a mere slave, even if she was a priest.
As Gaudium turned away, the tense atmosphere dissipated. Without trying to continue my words, I tossed the bread I was holding to the other side.
"Eat."
"I don't need pity from a penitent."
"If you continue like this, you'll end up dead. You know your own condition, don't you?"
"..."
A hand reached out for the white bread fallen in front of the iron bars.
The hand looked pitifully frail to me.
Crunch, crunch.
She devoured the white bread in an instant. She seemed to hesitate a few times, but ultimately, she ate in silence.
In a voice just loud enough for me to hear, she said:
"...Thank you."
There was no need to be grateful for such a thing.
Whether she chews on a piece of white bread or swallows a grain of sand, it made no difference to me.
Maintaining at least a semblance of appearance required eating something, but the worth of what we ate was vastly different between the girl, who could potentially die if she ate too little, and myself.
Let's establish some basic rapport. I've decided to acquire a cleric, so I should at least know her name.
"I'm Argal. What's your name?"
"Vesia."
"As long as you don't plan on dying, you should at least listen to the Dark Mage's words to some extent. You have to live a little longer."
"I don't understand those creatures. We're all going to endure anyway... either die, or suffer worse than death. It's one or the other, so I'd rather just die."
I calculated the time in my head.
Judging by the way she's so weakened, I'm sure she won't last more than three days. If Gaudium employs any torture magic during that time, it will shorten even further.
She's in such a fragile state that she could collapse at any moment. Even if she didn't, it wouldn't be surprising if she died instantly.
While lost in such thoughts, Vesia unexpectedly spoke up.
"...Um, is there perhaps a noble...?"
Even if it was a misunderstanding stemming from thinking I might be a noble rather than a priest, facing a noble from a viscount's lineage would still require considerable courage.
It was a reasonable mistake, but it was an unnecessary misunderstanding. I promptly corrected her.
"Just a viscount's family from Hanmihan."
"Aish, I misunderstood. But if it's a viscount's family from Hanmihan, a good necromancer might come, right?"
"There's another way, so don't worry and just focus on staying alive."
"I had hoped for too much."
Even Vesia, who had such strong mental fortitude, seemed to have given up on escaping herself.
It was to be expected.
As long as Gaudium, the Dark Mage, was here, and with hundreds of Dark Mages gathered, even if weak slaves revolted, their future would only lead to death.
Yet, did she find hope in this situation?
Some time passed.
Only the faint sounds of each other's breaths were audible.
As this underground prison had no natural light, there was no sense of time. However, it was a reasonable estimate that about a day had passed.
In the midst of the oppressive silence, Gaudium arrived.
"Hehe, did you sleep well?"
He appeared before me with a smirk.
I nodded without a word, and he chuckled as he moved to the other side.
Then, he directed the same question to Vesia as he had the day before.
"Do you intend to challenge me?"
Just bow your head once.
If you do, I'll save you.
Gaudium waited for an answer, and I, too, awaited Vesia's response.
I had made myself clear yesterday, but could my words really get through?
"...Yes, I will."
As soon as her head lowered, the dam that had been holding back her emotions burst.
A torrent of emotions engulfed her, even with her formidable mental strength.
No matter how she wrapped herself in a shell of toughness.
Others had already experienced the pain they were enduring. She had wanted to say this one thing.
Yet, rather than bringing hope to overturn despair, it seemed more like the last straw before giving up.
"...Hahaha!"
Gaudium burst into manic laughter.
He was delighted to see a priest, who had always held herself high before him, bowing down.
"Uhuhu... That's right, both of you will come out. I have something to show you."
The iron bars of the prison cell were opened, and Vesia and I walked out.
Vesia seemed too weak to even stand properly, but somehow managed to follow.
As Gaudium left, the atmosphere grew heavier.
Vesia seemed on the verge of collapse, even with her strength bolstered by an overwhelming mental fortitude.
It seemed she had all but given up on escaping.
And yet, she had gained hope.
Some time had passed.
We exchanged only the smallest of breaths.
Though this underground cell had no light, it felt like a reasonable amount of time had passed.
As the oppressive silence weighed on me, Gaudium returned.
"Hehe, did you rest well?"
He appeared before me, chuckling softly.
Without a word, I nodded, and he smirked before walking to the other side.
Then, he turned to Vesia, standing in the same spot as the day before, and asked the same question.
"You, do you plan to challenge me?"
Just bow your head once.
If you do, I'll save you.
Gaudium waited, and I waited alongside him, hoping Vesia's response would be different this time.
"...Yes, I will."
As soon as her head lowered, Vesia seemed to break.
Despite her strong mental fortitude, a tidal wave of emotions crashed through her.
No matter how tough she tried to appear, it seemed that, like the rest of us, she had a breaking point.
It was less a beacon of hope than a last resort before surrender.
"...Hahaha!"
Gaudium's laughter filled the air, a manic sound.
He was reveling in the sight of a priest, who had once held herself so high, now bowing before him.
"Uhuhu... That's right, both of you come out. I have something to show you."
The iron bars swung open, allowing Vesia and me to step out.
Vesia, barely able to stand, followed us with shaky steps.
As Gaudium led the way, the atmosphere grew even more foreboding.