Chapter 904

The man was locked in solitary confinement, and he looked worn down.

His wrists and ankles were bound by ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ heavy knight-grade shackles, and three control devices—crafted by Alik specifically for Awakeners—were fastened around his neck. And yet, even in such a state, the man’s eyes hadn’t dulled. The moment he saw Yuder, he opened his mouth and said:

“Your face has taken quite a hit. To think that a monster like you could come back from the brink of death—what a shame I couldn’t witness it myself.”

No one would’ve told him what had happened outside. And yet, he spoke as if he knew something. It meant that even shackles and control devices couldn’t completely block off his senses.

“Well, it’s not impossible. Even I wasn’t totally unaware of what was going on outside when I was locked up like a half-dead corpse for who knows how long.”

If someone was sharp enough to pick up on clues and clever enough to process them, it wasn’t hard to piece things together. Even without knowing the full truth, acting like you did and dropping cryptic remarks was even easier. It was a tactic Yuder himself had often used to extract information when he was the one being interrogated.

He didn’t know just how much Aton had figured out about the outside world. The man had a talent for provoking reactions. But Yuder, a former prisoner himself, had no intention of falling for such tricks.

“You're not exactly in any condition to judge someone else’s face, you know.”

When Yuder responded coldly, Aton twitched an eyebrow and smirked faintly.

“I may be in here now, but I’ve never been told I was unsightly. Even Duke Ta-in admired my face and trusted me deeply for it.”

“I’ve never thought anyone besides the Commander was particularly handsome. But if you hold Duke Ta-in’s compliments so dearly in your heart, I’ll respect that.”

Aton let out a dry, incredulous laugh.

“...I see. Yes, Duke Pelleta, your Commander, really is a stunning man—more than the rumors said. Though his tongue is certainly that of a devil. Why didn’t he come himself? Is he in worse shape than you?”

Yuder had to wonder if all defeated people got together and agreed to vilify their opponents. Their words were always the same. Being from the Southern Nation apparently didn’t change that.

He stared at Aton, who clearly expected a reaction, with an utterly impassive expression.

“You don’t need to say so much just to admit you lost an argument to the Commander. I doubt anyone on this continent could win a verbal match against him.”

Yuder sat down leisurely across from Aton, resting his chin on his hand.

“Let’s skip the small talk. I’m already tired of hearing the sound of your scheming. We’re not close enough for pleasantries, so let’s get to the point.”

He placed his hand on the table between them. The fingers wrapped in black gloves tapped the surface in a steady rhythm, a sound that cut through the tension of the narrow room.

His hand wasn’t especially large or rough—but that made it all the more terrifying.

Aton knew very well what Yuder could do with that hand. It was the hand that had brought about his humiliating defeat.

“What is it you people want?”

His low, toneless voice echoed through the cell.

“Your operations so far—just the parts we’ve uncovered—already form quite a long list. Targeting the Red Stone, attempting assassinations, recruiting agents across the Empire, embedding spies like yourself throughout society... And now, you’re even trying to unbalance an entire region. Who knows how much we haven’t discovered yet.”

“...”

“You couldn’t have pulled this off in a short time. It must have taken at least years—maybe even decades of preparation. Isn’t that right?”

“...”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“At first, I thought you wanted war. But the things you’ve done in the South go far beyond what would make any tactical sense. With schemes this irrational... what do you gain from it? Do you want the total destruction of the Empire?”

Aton let out a brittle chuckle, his chapped lips curving faintly.

“You sound just like your Commander. Remarkable... and sharp. It’s a shame we discovered people like you too late.”

“...”

“But I have no reason to answer your questions.”

Of course. Yuder had expected as much. Unfazed, he continued the interrogation, changing his approach repeatedly and attempting to rattle Aton into revealing something. But the man remained unshaken.

Yuder prided himself on his persistence. But Aton was just as tenacious. In battle, Aton had been cocky—easy to provoke, easy to exploit. But now, in interrogation, he was a different man—cold, composed, showing no emotion or vulnerability.

Among all the prisoners Yuder had ever interrogated, few were as steeled and unyielding as Aton.

Even the Cavalry members standing outside grew weary as the hours dragged on. Despite the exhaustive effort, Yuder had learned little of value, and he eventually ended the session.

He was tired, but not especially disappointed.

“If it had been something I could uncover this easily, the Commander and Kanna would’ve already gotten it out of him.”

When Kanna had arrived to assist, Kishiar had provided Aton’s belongings and fragments of his clothing for her to examine. But she had found even less than what they already suspected.

“Aton feels like someone who trained specifically for this. He never shows what he’s thinking—there’s almost nothing to read.”

Kanna’s ability could sometimes feel like mind-reading, but it wasn’t. She read existing facts—from which she inferred thoughts and intentions.

Even dangerous people usually loosened up when alone or gave away small physical cues during questioning. Kanna’s power picked up on these subtle, unnoticeable traces and reconstructed the truth vividly in her mind.

But Aton revealed nothing. So even Kanna’s power had been nearly useless.

“Maybe they have someone with a similar power on their side.”

He hadn’t heard of such a person in his previous life, but it wasn’t impossible. After all, he hadn’t known about Kanna either until she officially joined.

Still, it didn’t mean Aton was impossible to break.

If they could just draw out Gloena’s ‘Truth’ card, it would be the perfect catalyst.

Seeing the certainty in Yuder’s expression, Gloena stared at him in silence. To her, Yuder must have seemed like an unknowable force—impossibly confident in things she couldn’t understand.

But her response came quickly. Slowly, she opened her mouth and nodded.

“...I still don’t know exactly what you’re planning... but if you’re that sure, I’ll try. I’ll do it.”

“Good. Even if it fails, that will be my fault—not yours. So don’t worry.”

“Then... when do we start? Is it happening right now?”

“Not yet. You’re probably tired. Rest for now—we’ll test your power tonight, then begin the real thing tomorrow evening.”

“Is it just you and me going?”

“No. One more person will be coming with us.”

Naturally, Gloena’s eyes drifted toward Kishiar, who sat at a distance. The man, who had likened himself to a vase, smiled radiantly and shook his head.

“Mmm, no. I’ll be watching from the outside.”

Gloena looked slightly puzzled about who would be joining them, but she didn’t press. She would find out soon enough—so letting it go for now was a wise choice.