Totally not Sarcasm

"What's the rush?" Riva asked the man that didn't even bat an eye when he deceived the adventurers.

The way he was systematically luring them into his trap could mean only one thing, he had been planning for it from the start.

Riva had changed back into her default human form and observing his reaction of total and utter shock, she was certain, taking him by surprise was so damn worth it!

"You!" He was observing her through the water surface, so Riva couldn't see his face but she could imagine from his voice, that his eyes had to have grown the size of watermelons.

"You, you're Riva Walker!!!"

"And you're a backstabbing traitor."

"No! I didn't harm them. They're just sleeping. I assure you!"

"You're talking about those adventurers back there. I already knew you've only incapacitated them, but that wasn't what I was talking about and you know it!"

Riva was pointing Slashy at Victor's back "Okay, first you drop that scroll, lift your hands above your head, and turn around, nice and slow. If you try anything stupid, you're dead!"

Victor did as he was told with measured movements.

Riva took the opportunity to carefully examine his face but to her disappointment, she didn't regain any of her past memories. If anything he felt a little familiar but that was all. He also inspected her appearance and then waited for her to finish without a word, but the disbelief written all over his face said it all. He looked like he had seen a ghost, which, to be fair, wasn't that far from the truth.

"Good. I'll be asking some questions. And you keep in mind that your answers decide if you live or die. Are we clear?" She gave him a fierce glare.

"Yes." Victor's answer was calm. It was impressive how he didn't let his emotions control his voice or actions.

"So you've remembered me?"

"Yes, you should have died three years ago in that dungeon."

"Good, let's start by telling me, what's your reason for incapacitating those adventurers, and not outright killing them, what's your aim in this dungeon?"

"I made them sleep, so they wouldn't get in the way."

"In the way of what?"

"... I can't tell you."

"Even if it costs you your life?" Riva prodded him with Slashy for good measure.

"I really can't tell you!"

Riva narrowed her eyes in suspicion and increased the pressure of the sword against Victor's chest.

"Look, I want to tell you but I really can't!"

The look in his eyes convinced Riva to verify her hunch. She used 'Advanced Identification' to check for spells or other magical restrictions that were affecting Victor at this moment. She got two hits!

The first was the domain barrier. Back when Victor faked losing control over the spell he had just been acting and used the opportunity to reshape the barrier so it only surrounded him. He had been maintaining it all this time.

The second hit was what Riva had been looking for, a magic-enforced contract.

Riva had been apprehensive of the power of magic contracts ever since she experienced one firsthand and Victor's words made it very likely that he was bound by some form of magic restriction, keeping him from talking openly.

Well, he could be faking it and the contract wasn't related to his capability to speak but an excuse to refrain from spilling the beans. This was tricky because Riva didn't know the exact details of the restriction and forcing it might just result in his death.

She needed to come up with a way to verify this matter. It was a good thing that she had experience in dealing with rigid rules. It was best to test him a bit more and see if she could find a way to circumvent the contract.

"Even if you can't tell me, I'll find a way to get the truth. You better do your best to give me the answers I need! You know what happens when I find out you've been uncooperative. Now, let's continue by telling me who you're working for."

"I can't."

"Are you working for yourself?" She reverse-checked.

"No."

Since Victor didn't answer the first question but had no trouble with the second one, he basically confirmed that he was really working for someone. But couldn't openly admit to it.

This also meant that while he couldn't freely talk about the matter, he could make indirect statements.

"Do you want to answer?"

"Yes."

"But you can't because you're restricted by a contract?"

"I can't answer."

For now, it seemed like he wasn't intentionally making the interrogation difficult.

The contract he was subjected to couldn't be the same type that Riva had made with the scorpion dungeon because he still had the freedom to hint at the problem and give indirect answers as long as he didn't directly confirm the matter… Riva had a sudden flash of inspiration.

"Okay, I've thought of a new approach. I'll start by telling you something. You better pay attention because you'll follow my example."

She waited for his nod and began, "First off, I can assure you I'm not Riva and didn't disguise as Oliver to follow you into the dungeon. I was totally affected by the poison back there and thus there's no way I could be threatening you to tell me the truth at this very moment." Riva smilingly poked Victor with her sword, to support her statement.

Victor frowned when he heard Riva's odd monologue.

"I hope you didn't intend to talk now because I'm not finished just yet!" Riva added.

Victor mustered Riva and her confident smirk and sighed.

"So, it isn't my turn and this isn't the way to do it?"

Riva nodded encouragingly. That guy really caught on quickly. Was he always this intelligent and quick-witted? It was a shame that Riva couldn't remember.

"I won't be talking about today. I'm not working for someone and got into the party by coincidence."

Victor thought for a moment between each sentence as he continued.

"There was no plan when I entered this totally unexpected new dungeon."

"I always wanted to harm the others so I took no care whatsoever when knocking them out."

"I had to let them find out about the fact that I couldn't possibly have a secret mission."

"And I totally have no clue what's inside the pond because it's of no consequence to me."

This was working better than expected. To be safe, Riva hadn't openly revealed her idea of talking about the truth by denying the obvious. Since it worked so well, it was high time to milk the guy for answers, even if the whole inverse thing was a little bothersome.

"Okay, I'm Riva and going back to my normal approach and you will be answering as you've been doing just now." She started with an obvious truth to show that she was back to her normal speech.

"First off, were you working for the same person three years ago?"

"How could I be working for the same person all this time?"

"Who is it?"

"If I knew a name I could tell it. What I can't talk about is the fact that I've never known the nobles that support the guild." It appeared that Victor couldn't directly speak the name of his superior.

"I always meant to hurt somebody back then and now, and have always acted of my own will, so I don't regret the many casualties over the years." He tried to defend himself although the inverse sounded more like a confession to being a psychopath.

"I'm more interested in your objective." Riva didn't care about his intent, she needed to know the aim of the person behind him.

Victor thought for a moment then said, "Many know about the relics. They're well known... and understood and easy to find. It's not even a legend that… damn this is hard!" He was struggling.

"No one hopes to… If I was working for someone, which I am not, they would not know… dammit, give me some help here!"

Really now, wasn't this guy acting a bit too familiar and friendly given his situation? No matter.

"Okay, I'll ask concrete questions to make it easier. Is it true that you were hunting for relics all these years, including that time three years ago and this time?"

"No way!" Victor confirmed.

"And these relics are something known only from legend and said to contain unknown power?"

"Nope, totally wrong."

This had to be the most untruthful interrogation in history.

"And the one you're working for makes you hunt for them and somehow knows where to look for these things?"

"If he knew it wouldn't be a vague prediction."

"Basically you're saying that you think there's a relic in that pond over there, and you were aiming for one back then."

"Absolutely not."

Riva rummaged through her brain but came up empty on the topic. She knew relics in the common sense but these seemed to be something more than mere remains from the past.

"I need to know the details. What exactly…"

Both froze. The pod's surface had suddenly become turbulent. The ground was trembling.

"Dammit, what now?" Riva cursed.

"Crap!" Victor scowled, "I was counting on the dungeon being too young."

Riva focused on her mana sense and carefully examined the surroundings. She didn't like what she found. "We never faced it, did we?"

"It's the dungeon boss!"