The Administrative Officer quickly detected the veiled threat in Kino's words, and his expression darkened. "What is it that you want?"
Kino spoke with calm assurance: "As you know, twenty-six years ago, the beast plague broke out, and the security situation remains dire. Shirin Town's border defenses are under immense pressure. My soldiers require superior weaponry to confront this, and this necessitates sufficient funding."
The Administrative Officer, stubborn as ever, attempted to argue: "I gave you the same amount the higher-ups allocated to me. The royal treasury has limited funds, and if there's not enough, it's your problem to solve."
Kino spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "The border is a matter of national importance. Surely, the Administrative Officer can assist? I've heard you have connections with many of Twilight City's nobility and merchants. If each of you contributes ten Silver Moons to Shirin Town, I can ensure the border remains secure for the next six months."
The officer sneered, his voice dripping with disdain: "What if I refuse?"
Kino, unflustered, drew from his cloak a carefully sealed document and tossed it onto the desk. "In that case, these figures may be seen by others."
The officer, suspecting a trap, cautiously opened the file and, after a brief examination, fell into stunned silence.
The document Kino had handed over was not just any file; it contained the financial statements of Twilight City for the year, along with the Moon Coin transaction records of the city's merchant guilds—each altered and doctored.
Previously, the officer had bribed the city's financial official and manipulated the records, concealing his embezzlement of Moon Coins by falsifying accounts.
But those familiar with finance knew well that no matter how much one tinkered with such documents, flaws would always remain. The size of those flaws depended solely on whether those in power chose to scrutinize them, which meant they had to be meticulously guarded.
This document should have been securely kept by the financial official, so how had it come into Kino's possession?
"Do not entertain the thought of destroying it," Kino's voice interrupted as the officer considered ripping up the document. "It is merely a copy."
Kino then pointed toward the girl, a faint smile playing on his lips. "And I believe that should word of your involvement with this young girl reach the public, it would not bode well for you."
The officer's eyes burned with murderous intent. "Is that so? Unfortunately for you, that will never happen. You'll die here!"
He immediately reached for the guards to have Kino killed and his body disposed of by the hounds, but just as he was about to shout, his throat tightened.
"Gasp—gasp—" He clutched his throat in panic, his breathing growing more erratic. A high-pitched, sharp sound filled the air as he struggled for breath, the sensation making the officer's scalp prickle.
Kino's voice, calm and detached, drifted toward him. "I placed something in that wine. Within half a minute, you'll suffocate and die."
The officer's face turned ashen, resembling that of a dying animal. He writhed on the bed, his obese body causing the frame to creak under the strain.
Outside the door, a guard at the end of the corridor, hearing the muffled vibrations, mused, *Is Succubus-tail liquid really that effective? Maybe I should get some next time.*
The girl, terrified and on the verge of screaming, was gently approached by Kino, who, like a specter, placed a finger on her lips and gestured for silence.
Kino's smile exuded warmth and reassurance, and his scent, calming and pleasant, quickly soothed the girl. She froze, wide-eyed, and nodded in quiet understanding.
Kino withdrew his hand and turned his gaze toward the officer, now pale and nearly lifeless. He handed the girl a small vial of clear liquid and said, "Please, administer this into his mouth. Thank you."
The girl, albeit hesitantly, obeyed. Although her hands were wet with saliva as she pried open his mouth, she managed to pour the contents of the vial inside.
"Whew! Whew! Whew!" After swallowing the antidote, the officer felt a cold rush down his throat, swiftly relieving his suffocating breath.
Now completely terrified, he curled up into a corner of the bed, trembling like a mass of formless flesh.
[From Hack Lorison's Fear: 64]
Kino smiled faintly. "The reason you're still alive is because I gave you the antidote. However, this poison cannot be fully neutralized. It will remain in your system, and you'll need to take the antidote monthly to delay its effects. And I advise you not to harbor any hope of finding an alternative. This antidote is unique to me, and even if you take it to an alchemist, they won't be able to replicate it."
Kino's words were not mere threats, for both the poison and antidote had been procured through the use of respect points, making them products of modern alchemy.
This world was not the ancient one of Kino's previous life, and whether alchemists possessed the ability to reproduce such potions remained an open question.
Even if it were possible, it mattered not—after all, this was a psychological battle, and the mere act of frightening the opponent was sufficient.
At present, it was abundantly clear that Hack had been thoroughly terrified. Gasping for air, he anxiously stammered, "What is it that you truly want from me?!"
Kino responded calmly, "I merely wish to reclaim what rightfully belongs to me."
"The Moon Coins... by the time they reached my hands, there were scarcely any left. The majority of it has already been divided among those above..." Hack trailed off.
"Think of a solution. You have so many allies in Twilight City."
Hack clenched his lips tightly, still attempting to bargain: "I can regurgitate the portion I've swallowed."
Kino shook his head, his voice unyielding. "Everything. Two thousand Silver Moons, one hundred and eighty thousand Copper Moons, and two hundred thousand Iron Moons. You will return it all. In return, you shall receive the antidote from me every month, and we shall pretend nothing ever transpired."
A flicker of hesitation crossed Hack's gaze. "How do I know you won't deceive me?"
Kino's voice was unwavering. "I am a man of great integrity. If I say I will provide you with the antidote each month, you may be certain I will do so."
For a moment, Hack's eyes remained torn, but ultimately, he relented. Slumped against the bedpost, he murmured, "Before dusk, you shall have what you seek."
"Pleasure doing business with you." Kino turned to leave, only to pause and glance back. "Ah, I almost forgot something."
With a swift motion, a crossbow bolt shot from his sleeve, slicing through the air. It struck the little girl in her right eye, severing the optic nerve and destroying the brainstem in an instant.
Such a death brought no pain—like a person who has been sleep-deprived for days finally finding solace in the comfort of a pillow, slipping into eternal slumber. It was the gentlest of endings.
The girl's lifeless body crumpled to the side. Hack's heart nearly stopped from sheer terror as he clutched his mouth, desperate to suppress any sound of horror.
Kino's voice was as soothing as that of a caring friend. "You wouldn't want our dealings to be exposed to others, would you?"
Hack panted heavily, slowly releasing his grip, then kicking the girl's body off the bed. His expression twisted into a cruel grimace. "Heh… of course not. Even if you hadn't done it, I would have had her silenced. It's fortunate for her that she died so swiftly. Had I been the one to deal with it, her screams would have echoed in the dungeon for days!"
Kino's lips curled into an amused smile, and he extended his hand, mimicking the shape of a gun, pointing it toward the center of Hack's forehead. "Bang~"
As the sound of the shot echoed, a fierce wind suddenly rushed in. The gusts stirred the sand, causing Hack's eyes to sting. Reflexively, he closed them, rubbing them in discomfort.
When he opened his eyes once more, the sunlight flickered in the sway of the curtains. As they lifted and fell with the breeze, Kino's figure had vanished, as though he had never been there at all.