LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 219: Confrontation
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Lorraine didn't waste time after arresting the old lady from Riham's inn, and quickly deployed the cruelest 'interrogation technique' of the royal family on the woman.
Simulating the effect of thousands of bugs biting into the flesh and painfully eating a person from inside out, it inflicted an intense agony that few could imagine, and fewer could go through without special means.
After all, even if one were to encounter thousands of flesh-eating bugs, the pain would cease once the nerves stopped functioning, and the loss of flesh and life could also be considered a relieving 'upper limit' of their misfortune.
With this technique, however, the body of the subject remained completely 'unharmed', making it impossible for the torture to ever end. Moreover, not only would the pain not be reduced due to desensitization, the intensity of it would only continue to increase.
Even the most heinous of traitors and criminals were said to be unable to resist it for more than a few minutes. The few that did last longer than that ended up completely losing their minds, becoming a crazed, paranoid shadow of their former selves.
Naturally, someone like the old innkeeper had no means to face this type of technique with any form of composure.
From cooperating with the 'mysterious client from the temple', to discovering how the 'goods' they delivered were routed back to the city lord's mansion, she confessed all the relevant details within a minute. All in the vain hope that the princess would cease her torment and just end her life.
Princess Lorraine sneered as she waved her guards over. "Get this woman moved to Moreen. No need to make the journey comfortable, but don't let her die, or you will take her place."
The people in front of her didn't even dare to squeak, but those who were out of her sight couldn't help but shiver. Having heard the miserable screams of the old innkeeper, how could they not feel terror in their hearts?
The old lady might deserve to be punished for her crimes, but not like this. The empire's laws would only have her imprisoned, and even if she were to be given the death penalty, it wouldn't be so inhumane.
In the hands of this princess, there was no doubt that she was bound to have a miserable fate where she would be begging for death day after day.
It was only now that everyone realized how lucky they were to not be able to witness the sight of the purple-haired princess dealing with the two little girls from before, or their hearts might just wither from pity.
No wonder this princess had such a reputation for cruelty!
"Heh, doing this kind of thing under the royal family's eyes, and thinking that this princess wouldn't be able to discover it… does that bastard think I'm a fool?!"
Of course, the old lady didn't dare to lie, and had only told her that the real identity of the client was just her guess, and she couldn't be sure.
But just from looking at her furious expression, anyone could tell that this small town's leader's fate was going to be far from pleasant, regardless of whether he was involved in the incident or not.
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Evelyn was already watching over the situation closely when Lorraine stormed the city lord's mansion. Of course, not to mention that she had the royal guards by her side, no one would dare to stop the third princess based on her identity alone.
It wasn't long before she kicked in the door of the deacon's room, and also found the sweaty 'leader' shivering behind him in terror, with only a few soldiers by his side.
The red-robed man, however, was surprisingly calm. "Third Princess of Lavinia, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Further back in the room, twelve young men stood in a neat row with their heads down, hands clasped, and eyes closed. The royal guards increased their vigilance, and formed a loose circle around their princess.
Lorraine sneered. "Cut the bullshit. Just tell me whether you confess to having people abducted from Lavinian territory, or should I get it out of you by force?"
The deacon didn't seem to care for her identity at all, and he didn't give any weight to the glare from the royal guards either as he continued to sip his tea. "Oh dear, oh dear. What an accusation to make… does the princess have any proof?"
Just as she opened her mouth, however, the red-robed man clicked his tongue with a smile. "If you believe you do… feel free to submit it to either a cardinal or a judge… if you can. The temple takes our image very seriously, and they will surely preside over this case to either punish me or clear my name."
Of course, going by his tone, he didn't seem to believe she even had the ability to go meet his superiors, to say nothing about them favoring her over him. If she really dared to try doing so anyway… who knows what her fate would be?
Lorraine wasn't stupid enough to not realize he was making a threat, and she couldn't help but laugh angrily. "Since when did this princess need to submit proof to others to judge someone within my own empire? Here, this princess is the judge, and unless it goes against the emperor's will, my word is the law!"
The town soldiers who had been by their leader's side all this time unexpectedly moved at this time, and quickly rushed forward in an attempt to grab the red-robed man.
Clearly, they didn't intend to side with their 'leader' at all, and were quite eager to 'prove their innocence' in front of the third princess. Now that she had discovered such a thing, their leader was as good as dead, and they had no desire to follow the same fate.
Before they could really touch the man's robes, though, the previously docile 'initiates' burst forward at once, their bodies glowing with a yellow light, and their punches and kicks sending the soldiers flying and smashing into the walls as if they weighed nothing.
Within moments, all the soldiers by the dumfounded leader's side lay there with their fates unknown, and the initiates returned to their previous state, as if they didn't take anything that was happening in front of them seriously at all.
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