Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 183: Arc 4, Act I, - 28: Interrogations

"Archduke Guuraj, good morning," Feyan turned as the archduke entered the foyer, escorted by Royal Guard. "I assume you told of yesterday’s events to home?"

"My wife is well aware and has tightened the security around our estate.

I did not mention it to my son or daughter, they are both too young to be involved in politics like this, but they could sense some trouble within myself and I assured that all was well," he chuckled. "Ah, morning, morning."

Jotou and Hotaru entered the scene, freshly woken up not but an hour ago; both wore their adventuring attire. "Morning," Jotou greeted.

"Good morning. Where’s Daiyu?" Hotaru scanned the area. The doors were wide open, Royal Guards marched in and out—the palace in a complete hubbub.

"Safely kept in her room, though she protests. It is simply better for now that an eye is kept on her," Feyan sighed, holding his clipboard with scribbled plans.

Feyan turned to Archduke Guuraj, "And, it is good to hear that all is well at home. However, the information should be parted that your wine was not poisoned; and yes, it was indeed poisoned, albeit delicately."

The archduke laughed into a smile, "That is good to hear then."

"Define delicately," Jotou squinted.

"It was a poison, hard to detect through enchantment magic, illusory magic, healing magic or otherwise.

While it had the advantage of never being able to be detected, it appeared to change the colour of the wine to more of a purplish hue. The permanent illusion left on it was indeed the countess’s."

Hotaru glanced over Feyan’s body; his arm was functional again, but there were dark circles, red rested within the whites of his eyes and he swayed from the light tap of wind, "Did you get any sleep?"

"Uh..." he blinked, somewhat lengthily, "About two hours or so till my arm healed, but there was much to manage..."

"You should get more help then, you can’t run this entire circus alone," Jotou crossed her arms.

"I am, made aware of this... I will, div-divide my work, eq-equally among the staff... For now, there are other matters to attend to other than me appointing new people in charge."

"Right, those in custody."

"Yes Ms Kinoshita. I do not suppose we could have Detective Namora to help with the interrogation? Both the admiral and the princess are, well, out of commission."

"I can get her, but I really think Daiyu should be here; and I think you know why, from a rational standpoint," Jotou glared.

Feyan pursed his lips and clenched his left fist... "You are, correct... The admiral will be by her side; I suppose it will be alright."

Hotaru’s ears pricked as her eyes softened, "I know you want to protect her, but you need to believe she can handle herself; you can only guide, not control," the corner of her eye took a quick glimpse at the blonde.

"Besides, this is Daiyu; she can definitely handle herself if someone tries to fight her. I’d actually feel sorry for whoever’s her opponent," Jotou’s eyes glazed over.

Feyan let go of his clenched fist, letting breath escape his lips, "I, know. I know," he nodded.

All their eyes turned towards the entrance, at a newly parked carriage where two men in grey uniforms and batons to their sides escorted an old man dressed in simple white prison garments.

They approached into the palace and gave nods to the Royal Guard. The prisoner had both his arms hooked by a warden each, handcuffed at the wrists. "This is the professor?" the archduke scanned.

"Yes my lord, we have orders to escort him to the dungeons."

"The Royal Guard will escort you," Feyan issued. Jotou and Hotaru stared at the old man—bits of grey hair, wrinkles and liver spots as he slouched along to the wardens’ tug.

As he went past, the professor’s head turned to the two and the muscles of his cheeks rose every second into a grin, exposing his lost teeth; one eye cloudy and the other fine... Bits of bruises across the skin they could see.

The two felt a shiver down their spines until he was out of view. "Shouldn’t he be in the main prison?" Hotaru looked back at Feyan with a whip of her tail.

"He was brought here to be interrogated by the Royal Guard further about Trailon, and to be convinced to work under surveillance for Cravolta to create devices to be used in the war.

He refused to do both and swore his loyalty to Trailon. After that, even after various, torture methods, he refused to speak."

"Hoping to gain something from a madman is it?" Jotou exhaled.

"It could be advantageous. Moving on, we can have breakfast, then head down to the countess..."

_

After an uneventful breakfast, with non-poisoned drinks, Jotou, Fumeko, Hotaru and Asobi were led down to the dungeons alongside Feyan, Arabella and Daiyu.

The stairs spiralled down dark bricks. The underground was dank and yet not a single bit of moss grew on the walls nor did dust or cobwebs dared to call it home.

"The countess and count have not been spoken to since their arrest," Feyan walked through the large doors opened by the Royal Guard.

Through the doors were rows of cells, divided by thick brick walls. Much of the Royal Guard and staff were in them, at most four in each; a toilet, flat beds with thin mattresses and a single table with a chair was present in every cell.

As they entered, the prisoners looked away in various states of disarray and anguish. Some slammed against the bars as they heard footsteps and observed those who entered.

Their shouts that spattered spit were halted by a guard standing outside said cell, "QUIET DOWN!"

Arabella kept Daiyu’s attention forward, not allowing her to turn her head. Feyan’s heartbeat rose with fear for himself, or rather the princess?

Fumeko glared around, seeing blood and bruise marks on many—a few fingernails missing from where they should be. Asobi hid behind Hotaru the entire way while Jotou seemed unfazed.

Daiyu scoffed and adjusted her tiara, "Just think happy thoughts Asobi."

"Hm... okay!"

"Hey, HEY!" one of the patrolling guards yelled into a cell at the end of the hallway. He quickly jangled all the keys on his belt.

"What’s going on!?" Daiyu rushed ahead, followed by the others.

"Princess! I-I apologize, please, stand back!" the guard panicked, sticking every key into the keyhole in a frenzy.

"Stand back from what?" Fumeko furrowed her brows as Jotou held the hilt of her blade. Arabella went forward, unsheathing her blade...

The Ashen Whisper’s eyes widened before she removed the eyeshadow from one eye and pushed the guard back. "SHING! SHING! SHING!" The ash cut through the reinforced lock with a few slashes.

Arabella grabbed the cell door and flung it open to run in, the guard rushing in behind. The others stepped ahead and glanced into the cell.

"The professor guy!?" Asobi’s eyes widened as she hid behind Daiyu with her wand gripped in both hands.

With both eyes open and unblinking, the cloudy eye showed only white while the pupil was fading in the other. The handcuffs were pressed around his neck, the chain marking an imprint across it.

His tongue was bitten through as blood dripped from his open mouth and the last expression on his dead face being one of shock. All his nails were missing—his body battered and bruised.

There were marks of friction on his forehead and cheeks and he was losing warmth by the minute. "How... how did this happen!?" Daiyu shouted out.

"I-I was stationed here since before dawn, I swear! He didn’t make a peep!" the guard put his hands up in surrender.

Feyan rushed forward dropping his clipboard and crouched down as Arabella examined his eyes and wrists. The same friction marks were present on his palms.

Hotaru followed behind, water pooling in her hands. Feyan checked with a scrunched face by opening his jaw, "He... he," Feyan squeaked causing Hotaru to come to a halt.

Shadows were around Feyan’s hands, but it was no use; after all, you cannot heal a corpse. "Don’t tell me this dipshit died!" Fumeko blinked next to.

Asobi hid behind Daiyu and Jotou still. The blonde glared, "What happened?"

"He bit off his own tongue, there’s blood in his throat, strangle marks... It does not appear that he drowned, though he choked on his own blood no doubt whilst strangling himself; and soundlessly?" Feyan glanced to the guard.

"I-I swear! I would have reported it immediately if I’d seen or heard it lord!"

Daiyu held the bridge of her nose, "He’s not lying."

"Did you maybe laze around instead of patrolling every single cell?" Jotou queried.

"I-I wasn’t lazing, but with all the noise and people coming in and out for questioning I was preoccupied!"

Daiyu nodded silently, affirming it to be true. She leaned closer to Jotou’s ear, "Who’s this guy again?"

Jotou’s eyes glazed over, "Professor Alano, the insane guy who made the time loop device thingy."

"Gotcha..."

"The burns on his skin," Fumeko looked to the rough bricks on the wall and barely noticeable smears of blood, "He rubbed his head and hands furiously against the walls; cause he had no nails I guess."

"It seems he lost a lot of blood," Hotaru eyed.

"He must have either died of exsanguination, asphyxiation, shock or... all three," Feyan diagnosed standing up, "There is not much to do for him now..."

Arabella pointed to the guard and signed. "Right away admiral! I once again, apologize," he bowed deeply before rushing out the cell to get more guards, some already approaching the scene.

"He was already crazy, I guess there was a final straw," Jotou pouted. Her skin went a little paler and her toes curled... ’That would’ve been me...’ If it were not for the friends around her. And with that thought her heart eased, knowing he died alone.

"Right," Feyan stood up and walked over to pick up his clipboard, using a handkerchief to wipe the blood off. "Uh, the admiral has ordered the guards to remove the body from the cell.

A mortician will look it over and we will, have to tell the council at least in a report. Is that all okay my lady?"

"Do whatever’s necessary, it’s really not my call. Was there anything important he would’ve given us?" Daiyu queried.

Feyan flipped the pages of his clipboard, "I suppose... not. He has already given us the information about the rogue battalion. There was no more information that we truly required."

"Looks like he stuck to his word this time; he never talked even after being tortured," Jotou replied.

"Dammit, I wanted to ask him about the dagger," Fumeko huffed.

"Uh, give me a second," Feyan flipped through the pages quicker, "I believe he gave explanations to how some of his devices functioned just not how they were made."

"Oh, perfect."

Arabella walked out and took a breath before signing to Daiyu—more so playing charades.

"You need to run to the bathroom?" Daiyu responded.

"She’s gonna follow the guards out," Jotou rolled her eyes.

"Oh," Daiyu realized, "Yeah, sure go ahead."

"Admiral, hold on," Feyan glanced up, "The princess requires to be-"

Arabella halted him with tightened lips and a hand. She signed her words before pointing to Jotou.

"I... cannot disagree. Jotou, if you would take the admiral’s duty for now?"

"Sure."

"I’m right here ya know," Daiyu half-closed her right eye.

"Uh, apologies my lady, it is just procedure."

"Uh huh."

"Yeah my lady, it’s just procedure," Jotou smirked.

"Don’t you dare."

Arabella walked out after the guards to make sure things went smoothly while the rest glanced to the other set of stairs going further down.

"Let me just find any information about this- wait, that dagger was made by him? Why have you not shown that to any of the authorities...?" Feyan knitted his brows.

"Uhm... Let’s not talk about that shall we? Hehe..." Fumeko shied away behind Jotou.

"Well... I do not think there is anything about a dagger..."

"Thanks for getting my hopes up," the brunette leered.

"Asobi, are you okay?" Hotaru laid a hand on her back.

"Mhm," she nodded holding her wand, "He was a bad guy that gave us a lot of problems and pain... I don’t mind too much." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Alright then, let’s go see the countess before she meets the same fate?" Jotou cocked a brow before they descended down the lit stairway, leaving the body of the professor to be cleaned up.