Interrogation

"Hmmm… Does the culprit want to confess or should I find out the truth myself?"

Both the parties gulped nervously after hearing Mikel's stern voice.

They hastily retorted back to him, almost at the same time, even their answers matching each other's intensities.

"I didn't do it!"

"I didn't do it!"

Mikel hummed silently and ignored the small kid as his eyes gazed at the beautiful liar.

"Theo. Why don't you stand outside for a minute?" He spoke without taking his eyes off of the woman. "Oh, and take Cas with you."

Theodore nodded and took the small kid with him, who was now drenched fully in sweat, and darting his eyes here and there like the little mischief-maker that he was.

His big round eyes blinked and looked at Sylvia, feeling extremely bad about his earlier actions.

He watched her as Theodore closed the carriage door tightly shut behind them.

Sylvia couldn't help but slightly shudder.

She wiped her palm on her dress, feeling the overwhelming pressure of being alone with the devil.

"I can get through this. I can get through this." She muttered under her breath.

Mikel gazed at her, his eyes visibly enjoying her plight.

He took his sweet time before raising his hand and snapping at her to get her attention.

"Come here." He said, patting the seat next to him, where previously Cassius had been sitting.

Sylvia gulped and looked at him. What is he up to now? Is he going to punish me? Her heart fluttered.

This was all that damned kid's fault!

She knew that she couldn't refuse him, so she reluctantly stood and sat by his side, albeit at the edge of the seat.

She hoped that the devil would be satisfied with just this, unfortunately, he was not.

"Is that where I asked you to sit? Do I have to repeat myself again for such a simple thing?" The man mumbled in annoyance, running his fingers through his golden locks.

Sylvia shook her head and immediately stood up to sit a bit more closely, however, it was still nowhere close to where he had pointed.

Without giving her another chance to correct her mistake, the devil sighed in exasperation, his hand shooting forward.

Mikel pulled the reluctant girl closer, his hand grabbing her waist, only letting her go when she was sitting right next to him, glued to his side.

Ah~ Sylvia gasped lightly as she was caught off guard.

"Now tell me." The man's long eyelashes moved up and down as he searched the woman's gaze for answers. "Did you eat his candy?"

Feeling the man's intent gaze, sitting so close to him, Sylvia felt like a trapped animal that had nowhere to run.

She cursed the damned devil in her heart. Wasn't it just a stupid candy? Couldn't he let it go already?

What was this third-degree interrogation as if she had committed a murder?

"I didn't. I didn't." Sylvia mumbled, her eyes circling the carriage floor and her words barely audible.

She was determined to lie through her teeth and deny this crazy accusation!

"Hmmm… So my slave is now lying to me. I wonder what punishment should I give?"

"After all, lying is something that I can't easily condone."

This despicable man! Sylvia snapped her eyes to look at him in disbelief.

He won't punish me for almost killing him with a poisoned arrow, but he will punish me for lying about a candy??!!!

This was completely insane!

This man was a lunatic!

Maybe because she was angry at this unfairness, she stuck to her lie and stubbornly stood her ground.

"I didn't eat any candy, Master." She gripped her skirt tightly and answered him.

"Still lying to me?" Mikel's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

He leaned closer to her as if he was going to lick her ears and whispered. "What if I prove it to you?"

Proof? What proof could he even provide for something stupid like this?

Sylvia shuddered, a slight doubt arising in her heart.

Did I just make a mistake by prolonging this stupidity? Should I have simply accepted all the blame?

She honestly couldn't guess which outcome would have been worse.

"What proof, Ma… Master?" She asked in nervousness, immediately regretting her question, as soon as it slipped out of her mouth.

"Heh." To Sylvia's dismay, the devil's lips curved further up as he brought his face, closer to her, his hand grabbing her jaw.

"Stick out your tongue." He said.

Sylvia immediately panicked. The devil had hit the nail on the hammer spot on.

Some candies indeed left a shade on the tongue, blue or purple or orange or whatever the corresponding color.

How could I have forgotten something so simple?!! Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

Sylvia was not really that stupid but this entire unexpected predicament had whacked her out of balance and consequentially, she didn't think of something as simple as that.

Already knowing the verdict, she closed her eyes and slowly stuck her tongue out, awaiting her punishment.