*Bzzt* *ARRGHH* Brigida immediately wakes up and cries in pain. In reaction to her pained body, she tried to move, but it only amplified her pain. Normally, she should be unable to feel all this pain with her terrible wound.
However, Angus didn't only give her first aid. He also restores all her damaged nerves and amplifies them a little bit. This gives her a tremendous amount of pain the moment she wakes up. Moreover, Angus also uses a spell to prevent her from falling unconscious.
It is one of the simple mind spells often used by researchers, scholars, or magicians to keep their minds awake while studying or doing research. Somehow Angus is capable of changing this simple harmless spell as a tool for torturing.
This is also one of the reasons why the Heart Kingdom's extermination squad can extract more accurate information since Angus' return.
Since they only have a small number of people capable of using mind-reading spells or skills, the extermination squad often uses old torturing sessions to extract information. Unfortunately, Angus himself also couldn't use mind reading skills/spells and didn't intend to learn it.
However, he is proficient at reading someone's gestures and body signs. He didn't need to enter someone's mind just to find information. He could ask questions or use some statements to find the truth through the person's body reactions.
In some ways, this technique is more complex than mind reading skills/spells since he needs to pay attention to heartbeat, body temperature, eye movement, and many other small gestures. Still, he could easily capture all of this with the help of [Analyze] and his sharp perception.
Despite the intense pain, Brigida didn't shed any tears and tried to withstand the pain. However, it was difficult since she couldn't use mana. Each breath she took was painful and made it like continuous torture.
It takes her half an hour before she calms down and gets used to the pain sensation in her body. She also notices Angus sitting beside her with expressionless eyes. While in a ragged breath, Brigida gives a genuine smile to Angus.
If it were not for her burned, disfigured face, she would definitely look charming and enchanting. Rather than disgusted at her disfigured face, Angus feels confused.
"Alright, let's start. You are Princess Brigida Nergal, right?" asked Angus.
Brigida tried to answer, but no voice came out as her throat was too dry from all the screams she had made. Rather than speaking, she feels intense pain in her body and throat.
"Hmm… That's interesting. It is either you are truly Princess Brigida or you truly believe that you are Princess Brigida because of indoctrination or powerful brainwashing." said Angus ignoring the pained Brigida.
In response to Angus' sentence, Brigida only looks at Angus as if she is trying to find out more about Angus.
"Well, let's confirm it first. You are born Princess Brigida who was born in 1186 in the second week of the fourth month. Wow… It seems you have your birthday this week, right?" asked Angus.
Brigida nodded while somehow looking sad at the mention of her birthday. Angus also notices this but decides to continue his question.
"You are hailed as the prodigy of Nergal that forms your first grade at twelve, breaking through to second grade at seventeen, and capable of reaching third grade three years later at twenty."
"Then, you reach fourth grade at twenty-four before somehow reaching fifth grade at twenty-five and become one of the youngest fifth-grade humans alive."
"If there is no trouble, you should be able to reach sixth grade during your thirties, surpassing my father's previous record." said Angus.
While stating Brigida's information, Angus kept observing all her small movements and reactions. He finds that all this information is true and accepted by her, besides the last one.
From his reading, he detects that Brigida shows a conflicted reaction to the information from her fifth grade. Angus speculates something is going on during her breakthrough since it is not normal to have a breakthrough with just one year's difference.
No matter how genius or talented she is, she should be unable to break through to fifth grade with only one year difference. Even Angus himself needed a few years to let his body adapt before he could break through again. A forceful breakthrough only will doom her future.
Noticing this, "Are you a bait?" asked Angus.
However, Brigida didn't reply and looked at the ceiling absent-mindedly.
"Are you just a decoy?" asked Angus again.
Brigida didn't reply and completely ignored Angus as if she didn't hear him. Angus didn't feel offended by this apathetic gesture.
On the contrary, Angus was frustrated since he didn't get a clear answer from his reading. Usually, if he didn't get a clear answer to the yes and no question, it means the answer contains both of them.
This really confuses him. From his reading, he finds that the woman in front of her is the real Princess Brigida. But, he is confused why she answers both yes and no when asked if she is a decoy.
Using his [Great Mana Echolocation], Angus knows that the Nergal's group is already leaving the town before their group returns to their hotel. After that, Angus kept asking a few questions and said some statements to get more answers from her.
While being questioned, Brigida still stays silent and looks at the ceiling. Despite this, Angus knows she actually hears all his questions. He also suspects that she knows his method of reading her body and lets him read her body language without faking it.
In the end, Angus concludes that Brigida is a decoy for the Nergal's party to leave. However, the Nergal's group in this plaza today is also a decoy. So, it is a kind of double decoy.
The thing Angus doesn't understand is her reason to act as a decoy while everyone else is escaping. It is beyond stupid move for her to stay behind alone and become a decoy. Moreover, if she is as genius as the rumor, Nergal will definitely not sacrifice her as a decoy.
After thinking for a while, "Did you try to escape from Nergal?" asked Angus.
Hearing this, Brigida immediately shows a reaction in her eyes and once again tries to look at Angus. Seeing her reaction, Angus only sighs and takes out a potion in his hand. Then, he helps Brigida drink the potion.
Noticing Brigida didn't fight and drank the unknown potion, even with all the pain in her body, Angus once again released a sigh.
"Rest for now. [3rd Circle - Deep Sleep]." said Angus as he once again put Brigida to sleep.
Then, Angus leaves the room with a complicated feeling before going toward Aunt Extalia. After a lengthy interrogation, Angus finds that Brigida is trying to run away from Nergal. However, this decision has only come recently as he still finds her love for the Nergal kingdom.
Whenever Angus mentions some of her acts for the Nergal Kingdom, she shows signs of conflicted feelings. Moreover, she surrenders like a lamb going to be slaughtered. This sign only gives Angus a conflicted feeling.
Angus may be a cold-hearted person. But, he didn't enjoy torturing a person that not wrong him, especially such an expert like Brigida. Although in the fight, Angus completely overwhelms Brigida, it doesn't mean Angus has an easy fight.
While fighting, Angus uses [Analyze] at full power to predict all her movements. At the same time, Brigida keeps throwing feign by using small movements and makes his prediction off.
If he didn't use [Analyze] and only relied on his sharp perception, he is the one that will suffer from Brigida.
Furthermore, Brigida keeps changing her movement pattern, making it hard to predict. If she didn't use her Halberd as a throwing weapon, their battle might last longer than before. She may also force him to move from his spot or use his martial arts skills.
For this kind of expert, he could only give them quick painless death as a sign of respect. She may be her enemy, but she is also one of the talented experts that Angus recognizes.
Then, Angus begins to tell Aunt Extalia about Brigida. Apparently, Aunt Extalia also just received that the Nergal's group in the plaza is a decoy who uses special magic tools to mimic the Nergal's party.
"It seems they try to hide their mana signature from my perception." said Angus.
"Yes. Then, it is clear. Roy is betraying us. The only people that know about your large range perception are only a few people, along with Roy. Tch… I should just slice that traitor to pieces." said Aunt Extalia coldly.
"Yup, I guess they are already getting out of Twilbo Forest and on the way to the Nergal border. I don't think we could ambush them anymore." said Angus.
"True. Moreover, Jade and Leon are also planning to launch an attack on Nergal. They can't spare too many knights for this." replied Aunt Extalia.
"Then, what will we do to this escaped or abandoned Princess?" asked Angus.
"About that… Are you sure she tried to run away from Nergal?" asked Aunt Extalia.
"Yup. 100% sure. I already reconfirmed with different questions and statements many times." said Angus.
"Did you know why she did it?" asked Aunt Extalia.
"Nope." replied Angus shortly.
"Can't you find out?" asked Aunt Extalia.
"I could. But… you don't need me to find it out." said Angus.
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