Chapter 148: Lance Really Knows Something

In Bedroom 201, a conversation of a completely different nature was taking place. There was no terror or torture here, only a focused, polite exchange.

With all the lights on, the room was brighter and cozier than the one across the hall. Ample moonlight streamed through the large windows and mingled with the artificial light to illuminate the murals adorning the walls.

Lance leaned back in his chair, holding a cup of tea as he occasionally blew away the steam. "We can get started on our end, then."

A square table stood before them, with Lance and Hyperion seated on one side. Hyperion held a pen, ready to take notes.

"Please do your best to cooperate with us." Hyperion had grown quite accustomed to using a polite, professional tone.

Seated on the opposite side of the table was the young noblewoman of the Krati Empire, clad in handcuffs and shackles. Even muffled by the walls, the screams from the other room remained audible. It was a constant, unsettling sound.

By comparison, it was evident that Lance and his companion were treating this noblewoman with considerable courtesy. After all, she likely held a significant rank within the Krati Empire.

"Your name."

"...Alexia."

"Age, status, and address?"

Alexia remained silent. Facing imminent death, she had no interest in answering such trivial questions.

Lance calmly said, "Rest assured, we've turned off our Shadow Realm Recording Programs. No one can hear our conversation now, and the noise from next door won't disturb the audience in the real world."

Hyperion glanced at him quickly. She couldn't tell if he was speaking plainly or using coded language. To her, his words sounded mildly threatening. It was as if he was implying that if Alexia didn't cooperate, they could simply send her to the room next door instead!

Sounding somewhat impatient, Alexia said with a slight frown, "I am the Third Imperial Princess of the Krati Empire, Alexia Gemidia Julius."

She did not care for people like Lance, who exuded such inexplicable confidence. He was clearly struggling, yet he insisted on acting as if he had everything under control. His behavior earlier that day could be understood as a form of psychological warfare.

But now, with a vampire count closing in, maintaining such composure simply made him look foolish. He had no idea just how terrifying the vampires truly were.

Hyperion was instantly startled by that admission, and a light sheen of sweat began to form on her forehead. They were interrogating an imperial princess of the Krati Empire, and they had shackled her. Had they not had the foresight to disable their Shadow Realm Recording Programs, it would have been a disastrous live-stream incident!

The Krati Empire was far more powerful than any kingdom on the Southern Continent. Angering the empire would leave even the Kingdom of Hutton in dire straits. Yet, Lance merely nodded, completely unconcerned with her imperial status. To him, it was as if all beings were truly equal.

The only concession Lance made was to address her with the proper forms of address in the question that followed. "Your Imperial Highness Alexia, were you aware that your two companions were members of the Church of Resurrection?"

Princess Alexia's reply was curt. "I was not. They were my classmates and companions at the Krati Imperial Academy."

She had absolutely no interest in lying. Alexia knew that with that grey-haired, red-gowned succubus nearby, her emotions would be amplified. Any attempt to lie would be easily detected.

Under normal circumstances, the very act of binding and interrogating an imperial princess would constitute a grave crime. Even if the perpetrators were foreigners, the Krati Empire could demand their extradition to be prosecuted. But she had neither the inclination nor the desire to pursue the matter.

Lance smiled and signaled Hyperion to remove the handcuffs and shackles from Princess Alexia. "I, too, believe the Church of Resurrection wouldn't go so far as to infiltrate the Kratian Imperial Family."

All of her enchanted cards, ranging from White to Purple, had already been confiscated. If she attempted to use magic, a Silence spell was ready to counter it.

Hyperion nodded and quickly unlocked the restraints. The sound of metal hitting the floor echoed through the room.

Seeing that Princess Alexia no longer looked like a prisoner, Hyperion finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, Alexia remained slumped listlessly in her chair, as motionless as a doll. She looked no different than she had when she was bound.

Lance sighed helplessly as he looked at the princess. "Young people ought to show a bit of spirit..."

If the conversation continued like this, he might well uncover a great deal of the truth, yet it wouldn't be of any major significance. There was, in fact, only one thing Lance truly wanted to verify.

Just how much of the actual truth lay buried deep within Princess Alexia's heart, given the fear of the vampires she had previously displayed while under the influence of the Poet of Boundless Love?

After all, only Lance knew the intelligence regarding the timeline of the game's main story, which was set a year and a half in the future. In that timeline, the Krati Empire would be gradually devoured and controlled by a resurgent vampire race. In fact, the southern Krati Empire was actually the vampires' lair, and the disappearance of Duke Michael was linked to both the empire and the vampires.

Based on Lance's understanding of the current international landscape, the Krati Empire was a dazzling, colossal power, and it showed absolutely no signs of activity from powerful vampires.

As a dignified imperial princess protected by numerous Rank 7 or even Rank 8 national heroes, Alexia shouldn't have any reason to fear low-ranked vampires wandering within the borders. Unless, of course, she had already perceived the subtle irregularities and ominous signs lurking within the empire.

Lance took a sip of tea and remarked casually, abandoning any semblance of an interrogation, "To think the Krati Empire has been infiltrated to this extent... you guys are really incompetent."

For once, a flash of anger sparked in Alexia. She raised her eyes and glared at Lance, as if a sore spot had been touched. "The Krati Empire hasn't been infiltrated at all!"

"I was referring to the Church of Resurrection." Lance smiled, looking at her with a hint of surprise and confusion. It was as if he didn't understand why she was getting so worked up.

Watching Lance's playful, teasing demeanor, like someone toying with a child, Alexia couldn't tell if she was being overly sensitive or if the guy in front of her was deliberately acting up. Then again... the latter seemed unlikely. How could a young man from the Kingdom of Hutton possibly know about the deadly crisis lurking beneath the surface of the Krati Empire?

Just like that, her expression reverted to one of utter listlessness. She no longer had the energy to even snap back at Lance. It wasn't as if she didn't realize the empire was being eroded from within. Unfortunately, there was simply no one that she could confide in.

After all, if she were to reveal the secret, that she had sensed the colossal Krati Empire being unknowingly corroded by terrifying vampires, people would simply think that she had lost her mind. Even as an imperial princess, no one would believe her.

The vampires, too, would immediately move to eliminate her at any cost.