The curtains flickered, the afternoon breeze flowing between the window sills like a river passing through the mountain path.
A lone light shone through the room, even if its origin was of the sun, it was incomparable to the heat produced at this moment.
A masked man stood still in a living room as before him a girl with raven hair and green eyes gave him a glare befitting her noble status.
Her face was carved from jade, beautiful and yet inexpressive and her eyes were like the ocean, deep and unfathomable.
A faint spark lit up within the still depths of her eyes at this moment as the heat increased exponentially, the air seemed to implode upon itself as the surrounding space twisted in motions reminiscent of those of a snake.
Grey eyes stared at the scene, and the body refused to move even as the mind and soul cowered before an inevitable demise.
Their collective tune was almost able to persuade movement of the mortal shell but the weight of reality and solemn oaths held little interest in the needs of man.
In the face of those higher in rank than him, he was just an ant. Pleasant to look at when one was in the right mood but could foster annoyance when one was not, causing a person to crush them.
The price of honor, duty, and loyalty was not ordinary and the norm could not hope to bear the load it bestowed. The man took a breath as he fixed his dog mask once more, he stood straight as his adam's apple moved in response to his current, turbulent, state of mind.
Right now he was given a choice and he aimed to take it up.
"Well? Are you ready to answer me? I should warn you right now, that if you even think that you possess even the slightest crumb of courage to lie to me, I will end your life right now," Emmy said as she shook her palm, small bits of flame came off and dissipated in mid-air, "Am I understood?"
"Yes!" He couldn't say no, could he? Although the young miss's physical strength was far from matching his, her control of the elements was more than enough to give him severe injuries.
Indeed, this is the reason why many desired a vision, for it allowed an ordinary human to match those of extraordinary martial prowess and unless one was a master or even a saint, they could not compare to a vision bearer through ordinary means.
Ordinary, physical means anyway.
"Firstly, I would like to know why you lied, and secondly," Emmy paused, her eyebrows crinkling for a second as if she heard something unpleasant before her expression returned, "What did grandma say if she said anything at all? Lying is an idiotic action, you only have one life."
"Also..." Emmy's gaze seemed to give way to a bit of mirth and a tinge of her mischievous nature shone through, "Shouldn't you be kneeling right now?"
"Yes, young miss," the man, shocked, immediately went to kneel even as the heat molested his skull and was on the cusp of making him the human equivalent of a sticky honey roast. Just...
...Without the honey.
"Hey... Why are you kneeling before a potential opponent, I was just joking," the young girl's eyes sparkled as she looked at the man, his knees halted, bent to near parallel to the wooden floor as he looked up in confusion.
A grin surfaced on the girl's face, her canines looked especially savage in the lighting as her voice pierced through the room, "I was just joking, did you have fun huh? I was funny right, ehehehe!"
Inu was speechless, was the situation at hand one suitable to be playing games with? Was it funny?
Maybe...
'Maybe in the young mistresses eyes... The lot of us are just a bunch of toys for her to play with,' Inu gulped, a faint chill assaulted the back of his neck as his gaze faced the floor, he didn't dare to eye at the girl for more than he had to, 'That human lives were nothing but livestock to crush and shift as she pleased?'
How frightening!
Could there be a human being so ruthless, callous, and apathetic to the well-being of their fellow brethren? To those of the same race to such a malicious extent.
"Hah~ You guys are no fun, let's get the show on the road then, tell me what you know. I would prefer the truth, however, if you do not cherish your life, as your young miss I am willing to be generous and burn you to death quickly."
"There are no rewards if you tell the truth, for that is your duty and there is death if you lie. Hilichurls could dance for 3 days on an empty stomach while blindfolded and still pick the best option, do not shame the human race with your idiocy."
"Now..." Emmy used her empty hand to gesture toward the man, her usual apathy on a full drive, "Decide your fate, for it is truly within your hands now."
The man didn't hesitate, he opened his mouth and started speaking the truth, "The lord was the one to tell me to lie to you young miss as you wouldn't agree to visit Inazuma otherwise."
"That's true," As far as Emmy knew her grandfather, Kujou Takayuki was a power-hungry fool and sought to use her mother for his goals, thus she ran away.
There were many other reasons but that one struck a cord in Emmy's mind.
Emmy came out of her thoughts and gestured for the guard to go on.
"The madam indeed said that the young miss come to Inazuma but the wording was changed due to the lord's orders. Originally the madam stated that she would like to see the young miss again this year to glance at the fireworks," He paused as if thinking of something before he continued, "But that was merely an afterthought when she discovered the duration of the eldest misses expedition and she called for you to return to Inazuma in concern for your safety."
"The kidnapping incident further pushed the madam's decision and the lord could only order a shift in wording to increase the chance of success. There is also the fact that another person has joined the family in recent months."
"Ah, so that's how it is..." In truth, Emmy expected this type of result, although her time in Inazuma was always short, she had already grasped the personalities of most if not all the family members there.
But one thing was still on her mind...
"What did you mean by the length of mom and dad's expedition? How long is it?" At her question, the man didn't speak.
Emmy didn't look frustrated at all when he kept his mouth shut for the next five minutes, she just gradually increased the heat of the ball in the palm of her hand as she approached him. She gave him a choice.
In the end, the heat became too much for the man and she spoke bitterly, as if on the verge of tears, "The expedition is expected to last 3 years and 5 by the latest."
What!?
Emmy felt as if she was struck by lightning and her footsteps became unsteady. The ball in her hand warped and dispersed as she stood stock still and she hurriedly dashed toward the guard, she held his color and brought him to her level.
"Y-Young miss!? Wha-."
"Tell me! Tell me where they went! You have to know right? You... have... too," Emmy shouted her eyes turning a dark silver as tears slowly formed in her eyes and she shook the man for an answer.
"I am not privy to this information young miss."
"You're lying! You're... lying... ugh!" The tears fell and the girl bit her lip as she slid down to the ground, her hand on the man's robes grew weak but she still shook them as if that would get him to fork out the information.
Unfortunately, that was something he did not have, but the tears of the young girl seemed to stab his heart, and her silent wails prompted him to pat her head gently.
The girl did not refuse his care and that pained him even more. For pain to make one indifferent to the touch of others and become so obedient, was not something a child could bear.
*****
YiHuiliang
Late chapter but one of significance. The place her parents and all those high-ranking adventurers went will be revealed, though you could try to guess it.
Hint: One of the most dangerous places in Teyvat and no, not the Abyss.
Was reading Reverend Insanity and liked the author's style of writing and decided to try it. However, I think my knowledge and use of idioms as well as my vocabulary are quite lacking in comparison.
Thank the lord for Grammarly man, otherwise, my writing would be trash. Can't spell to save my life.
The curtains flickered, the afternoon breeze flowing between the window sills like a river passing through the mountain path.
A lone light shone through the room, even if its origin was of the sun, it was incomparable to the heat produced at this moment.
A masked man stood still in a living room as before him a girl with raven hair and green eyes gave him a glare befitting her noble status.
Her face was carved from jade, beautiful and yet inexpressive and her eyes were like the ocean, deep and unfathomable.
A faint spark lit up within the still depths of her eyes at this moment as the heat increased exponentially, the air seemed to implode upon itself as the surrounding space twisted in motions reminiscent of those of a snake.
Grey eyes stared at the scene, and the body refused to move even as the mind and soul cowered before an inevitable demise.
Their collective tune was almost able to persuade movement of the mortal shell but the weight of reality and solemn oaths held little interest in the needs of man.
In the face of those higher in rank than him, he was just an ant. Pleasant to look at when one was in the right mood but could foster annoyance when one was not, causing a person to crush them.
The price of honor, duty, and loyalty was not ordinary and the norm could not hope to bear the load it bestowed. The man took a breath as he fixed his dog mask once more, he stood straight as his adam's apple moved in response to his current, turbulent, state of mind.
Right now he was given a choice and he aimed to take it up.
"Well? Are you ready to answer me? I should warn you right now, that if you even think that you possess even the slightest crumb of courage to lie to me, I will end your life right now," Emmy said as she shook her palm, small bits of flame came off and dissipated in mid-air, "Am I understood?"
"Yes!" He couldn't say no, could he? Although the young miss's physical strength was far from matching his, her control of the elements was more than enough to give him severe injuries.
Indeed, this is the reason why many desired a vision, for it allowed an ordinary human to match those of extraordinary martial prowess and unless one was a master or even a saint, they could not compare to a vision bearer through ordinary means.
Ordinary, physical means anyway.
"Firstly, I would like to know why you lied, and secondly," Emmy paused, her eyebrows crinkling for a second as if she heard something unpleasant before her expression returned, "What did grandma say if she said anything at all? Lying is an idiotic action, you only have one life."
"Also..." Emmy's gaze seemed to give way to a bit of mirth and a tinge of her mischievous nature shone through, "Shouldn't you be kneeling right now?"
"Yes, young miss," the man, shocked, immediately went to kneel even as the heat molested his skull and was on the cusp of making him the human equivalent of a sticky honey roast. Just...
...Without the honey.
"Hey... Why are you kneeling before a potential opponent, I was just joking," the young girl's eyes sparkled as she looked at the man, his knees halted, bent to near parallel to the wooden floor as he looked up in confusion.
A grin surfaced on the girl's face, her canines looked especially savage in the lighting as her voice pierced through the room, "I was just joking, did you have fun huh? I was funny right, ehehehe!"
Inu was speechless, was the situation at hand one suitable to be playing games with? Was it funny?
Maybe...
'Maybe in the young mistresses eyes... The lot of us are just a bunch of toys for her to play with,' Inu gulped, a faint chill assaulted the back of his neck as his gaze faced the floor, he didn't dare to eye at the girl for more than he had to, 'That human lives were nothing but livestock to crush and shift as she pleased?'
How frightening!
Could there be a human being so ruthless, callous, and apathetic to the well-being of their fellow brethren? To those of the same race to such a malicious extent.
"Hah~ You guys are no fun, let's get the show on the road then, tell me what you know. I would prefer the truth, however, if you do not cherish your life, as your young miss I am willing to be generous and burn you to death quickly."
"There are no rewards if you tell the truth, for that is your duty and there is death if you lie. Hilichurls could dance for 3 days on an empty stomach while blindfolded and still pick the best option, do not shame the human race with your idiocy."
"Now..." Emmy used her empty hand to gesture toward the man, her usual apathy on a full drive, "Decide your fate, for it is truly within your hands now."
The man didn't hesitate, he opened his mouth and started speaking the truth, "The lord was the one to tell me to lie to you young miss as you wouldn't agree to visit Inazuma otherwise."
"That's true," As far as Emmy knew her grandfather, Kujou Takayuki was a power-hungry fool and sought to use her mother for his goals, thus she ran away.
There were many other reasons but that one struck a cord in Emmy's mind.
Emmy came out of her thoughts and gestured for the guard to go on.
"The madam indeed said that the young miss come to Inazuma but the wording was changed due to the lord's orders. Originally the madam stated that she would like to see the young miss again this year to glance at the fireworks," He paused as if thinking of something before he continued, "But that was merely an afterthought when she discovered the duration of the eldest misses expedition and she called for you to return to Inazuma in concern for your safety."
"The kidnapping incident further pushed the madam's decision and the lord could only order a shift in wording to increase the chance of success. There is also the fact that another person has joined the family in recent months."
"Ah, so that's how it is..." In truth, Emmy expected this type of result, although her time in Inazuma was always short, she had already grasped the personalities of most if not all the family members there.
But one thing was still on her mind...
"What did you mean by the length of mom and dad's expedition? How long is it?" At her question, the man didn't speak.
Emmy didn't look frustrated at all when he kept his mouth shut for the next five minutes, she just gradually increased the heat of the ball in the palm of her hand as she approached him. She gave him a choice.
In the end, the heat became too much for the man and she spoke bitterly, as if on the verge of tears, "The expedition is expected to last 3 years and 5 by the latest."
What!?
Emmy felt as if she was struck by lightning and her footsteps became unsteady. The ball in her hand warped and dispersed as she stood stock still and she hurriedly dashed toward the guard, she held his color and brought him to her level.
"Y-Young miss!? Wha-."
"Tell me! Tell me where they went! You have to know right? You... have... too," Emmy shouted her eyes turning a dark silver as tears slowly formed in her eyes and she shook the man for an answer.
"I am not privy to this information young miss."
"You're lying! You're... lying... ugh!" The tears fell and the girl bit her lip as she slid down to the ground, her hand on the man's robes grew weak but she still shook them as if that would get him to fork out the information.
Unfortunately, that was something he did not have, but the tears of the young girl seemed to stab his heart, and her silent wails prompted him to pat her head gently.
The girl did not refuse his care and that pained him even more. For pain to make one indifferent to the touch of others and become so obedient, was not something a child could bear.
*****
YiHuiliang
Late chapter but one of significance. The place her parents and all those high-ranking adventurers went will be revealed, though you could try to guess it.
Hint: One of the most dangerous places in Teyvat and no, not the Abyss.
Was reading Reverend Insanity and liked the author's style of writing and decided to try it. However, I think my knowledge and use of idioms as well as my vocabulary are quite lacking in comparison.
Thank the lord for Grammarly man, otherwise, my writing would be trash. Can't spell to save my life.
