In the dim dungeon corridor, the flickering torchlight wavered on both sides.
Eula walked gracefully along the passage, slowly making her way to a sealed interrogation room with an iron door.
Through the small window on the door, she peered inside.
A square table stood there, along with a long bench propped up by two cruciform supports. Two members of the Treasure Hoarders were tied tightly to the bench, completely bound.
On the table lay two plates of rice, now cold, each with a couple of pieces of fatty meat.
The sound of whipping echoed simultaneously with agonized cries, causing the flames to flicker.
Inside, Sister Rosaria's cold voice rang out, "What's your name?"
"I'm called Old Seven."
*Whack* A whip cracked again. "Why not call yourself Old Six? Show some respect."
"I'm Old Six," the other man said.
Eula saw that the two were already beaten black and blue, their faces swollen like pigs, yet the interrogation had made no progress at all.
She inwardly sighed at how unreliable this nun was.
She handed a box-like device to the knight on guard and instructed him to wait in the adjacent room.
Then she pushed open the door. Rosaria shot Eula a cold glance, put away her whip, and stepped aside.
Seeing the Spindrift Knight herself intervene, Rosaria held her tongue. She would let Eula handle things.
Eula pulled over a chair, sat down in front of the table, and pushed the two bowls of rice toward the two prisoners. "Hungry? Want to eat something?"
The two nodded but quickly glanced at Rosaria standing nearby. Her cold gaze made them shiver, as though they had seen the Grim Reaper.
"I'll handle things here. You can return to the church," Eula said indifferently.
Rosaria threw her whip into a corner, clapped her hands, and walked out of the interrogation room without saying a word. As she left, she muttered to herself in the hallway, "Back to the church? I'd rather go for a glass of dandelion wine."
After Rosaria left, Eula folded her hands, resting her snow-white chin on them as she leaned on the table. "I've already gathered evidence of your crimes. You still have two accomplices on Dragonspine—Old Eight and Old Nine, correct?"
The two men exchanged glances.
"You don't need to answer," Eula continued calmly. "I've already brought them in. They're in the interrogation room next door."
"If you already know, why bother asking us?" Old Seven asked.
Old Six remained silent, observing the situation. These Knights of Favonius were all cunning; many of his comrades had already fallen into their hands.
Eula tapped her fingers on the table. "I'm giving you an opportunity. Among you four, whichever one of you speaks first and tells the truth will be shown leniency by the Knights of Favonius."
Old Six sneered, "Save it. No matter how that nun tried to whip us into submission, we kept our mouths shut. Do you think a few sweet words will make us talk?"
Eula gently brushed aside her light blue hair, elegantly replying, "Listen, I'm not saying empty words. This is an opportunity. If you don't take it, there's nothing I can do. After all, I already know some details, like how you're supposed to meet your leader tomorrow evening at Wolvendom."
Upon hearing this, the two men visibly flinched, drawing in a sharp breath. The icy aura of Eula's Vision made the air even colder.
Old Seven began to waver, "Old Six, she knows about it. What do we do?"
"Old Seven, stay strong. Even if she knows, what can she do? Wolvendom is vast. Can she really find us?"
Eula's gaze turned icy. "Seems like you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin."
Old Six scoffed, "Kill me if you must, but I won't speak."
Old Seven nodded firmly, "Old Six, you're truly a man of honor. I respect you as my brother."
Eula saw that Old Six was the clever one, while Old Seven seemed more fickle and easily swayed. Without another word, she picked up her greatsword and swung it, knocking Old Six unconscious to the floor.
Old Seven's eyes bulged in shock, and he shouted, "Old Six! Old Six!"
"Stop shouting. He's gone," Eula coldly interrupted.
Old Seven clenched his teeth in anger, "Listen to me, whether in life or death, through heaven or earth, through the end of time, Old Six will always be my brother! That will never change!"
Eula clapped her hands, and from the adjacent interrogation room came the sound of painful screams.
"Ah! Stop! Stop! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
The familiar voice—wasn't it his good brother, Old Nine?
Old Seven instantly lost his composure.
"So, what's it going to be? Talk, or not? If you confess now, I'll consider you and Old Nine confessing together and let you both go. If you insist on being stubborn, I'll send you down to reunite with Old Six."
Faced with both threat and promise, Old Seven swallowed hard and quickly changed his tune, "Actually, Old Six and I just swore brotherhood casually. We're not as close as you think. I'll talk. I'll talk."
Eula looked at Old Seven with disdain. In this line of work, loyalty was rare indeed.
The device she bought from Fontaine could mimic Old Nine's voice perfectly, and just playing it was enough to make this coward's guts turn to water.
—--
In Mondstadt, at the Pokémon shop.
Takashi had been waiting in the Pokémon Center for over an hour when the red light above the treatment room finally turned off. Nurse Joy and Chansey pushed out a small cart with a lively Chikorita.
"Chiko..."
As soon as Chikorita saw Takashi, it rushed forward like a charging pig and leaped into Takashi's arms, its leafy head affectionately nuzzling his chin, making him feel ticklish.
"Alright, alright, Chikorita, hahaha..." Takashi picked it up and lifted it high. "Hey, you're okay now."
"Chiko..."
Chikorita nodded excitedly.
Xerneas was by their side, relieved that it didn't have to translate anymore.
Leaving the Pokémon Center, Takashi lay sprawled on the couch, with Chikorita snuggling closely beside him.
Takashi couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions, knowing that Chikorita would be going with Eula tonight.
After all, the bond formed with a Pokémon felt like a wonderful and inexplicable kind of fate. Perhaps he didn't feel this strongly about the others, but Chikorita was different—it was so clingy, almost like a lively and affectionate young girl, clinging to her father, and now it was about to leave home. It was both a happy and bittersweet moment.
While Takashi was lost in thought, a customer arrived at the door.
Amber stood there, hands on her hips, flashing her bright smile.
Next to her stood someone with a black eyepatch over his right eye—like he was sealing away some evil dragon power—wait, is that Takanashi... Kaeya?
With his tanned skin and deep blue-gray eyes shaped like four-pointed stars, Kaeya looked particularly mysterious. His blue-and-white cape, black pants, and boots, along with the fingerless gloves, gave him a clean and efficient look.
But that eyepatch was so conspicuous it was hard not to think of Takanashi Rikka.
"Hey, shopkeeper, you have a customer," Amber said boldly.
"Welcome, Amber, Captain Kaeya," Takashi greeted politely, addressing Kaeya by his rank. In the Knights of Favonius, Kaeya was the captain of the cavalry—the one in charge of the horses.
Upon seeing Kaeya, Chikorita jumped off Takashi and ran to his feet.
Takashi was stunned: "??? Did I just get dumped?"