Close the Door, Release Esdeath!

"But... are we really... going to betray them?" One of the survivors asked quietly, sitting on the dirt-covered ground.

"..." The other survivor fell silent upon hearing this.

...

Over a month ago, despite suffering significant losses at Selene's hands, the Revolutionary Army found themselves even more determined to resist as Selene intensified her efforts to hunt them down.

With Selene and her southern expedition army now back in the capital, they believed their opportunity had finally arrived.

"We are the Revolutionary Army, fighting to overthrow the Empire's brutal rule! How can we be scared off by Selene, a mere lapdog of the Empire!?"

These were the words of some of the Revolutionary Army leaders as they sent these men on their mission. The words filled them with determination, and they resolved to see their mission through.

By chance, they discovered that posing as members of a merchant guild under Selene's command allowed them easy access to military bases in the southern provinces of the Empire.

With orders from the Revolutionary Army headquarters, their intelligence agents disguised themselves as members of Selene's merchant guild, easily obtaining military secrets from the southern provinces.

It was as if they had found a goldmine, and they couldn't stop themselves. Their operations spread across various military bases in the southern provinces. Thanks to Selene's reputation, even the usual corrupt officials didn't dare to demand bribes from them.

But as the saying goes, even the cleverest horse may stumble. Their repeated actions eventually drew the attention of Sebas, who noticed unusual activities within the southern merchant guilds and reported it to Selene.

Faced with the Revolutionary Army's move, Selene, of course, had to respond. Although she was busy with other matters and couldn't personally deal with it, she had another option—send in Esdeath!

And so, the Revolutionary Army intelligence agents began to endure a hellish ordeal...

A week ago, during another attempt to gather imperial intelligence, they encountered Selene's adjutant—Esdeath, the woman with icy blue hair!

As a battle-hungry warrior with a deep thirst for combat, Esdeath had been frustrated by her recent assignment as a prison warden at the prisoner camp. However, when she learned that Selene had dispatched her to the southern provinces to deal with rebel spies, Esdeath was overjoyed and eagerly set out on her mission.

Using a tamed flying danger beast, she flew directly from the capital to her destination.

It was in one of the Empire's military bases that Esdeath encountered these unlucky souls.

Being an expert in interrogation, Esdeath could spot anomalies with just a glance. Without hesitation, she captured them on the spot.

At first, these Revolutionary Army agents remained defiant, convinced that they were sacrificing themselves for the noble cause of "overthrowing the Empire's brutal rule." They believed that nothing could break their resolve, ideals, or faith.

However, their self-assurance didn't last long.

Esdeath was a woman who had earned the admiration of even the most seasoned imperial executioners and torturers.

She employed unique methods of torture, including piercing, burial, knee-stone crushing, burning, boiling, poisoning, hot wax, and psychological torment.

No one knew what these agents had endured during those few days—what they had thought, what unimaginable pain they had suffered. But in the end, only two of them survived, while the others were tortured to death by the demon that was Esdeath.

These two survivors had shamefully betrayed their comrades.

It took less than half a day of Esdeath's torment before they revealed their identities, their affiliations, and the reasons for their mission.

They had expected to spend the rest of their lives in a dark, miserable prison, but to their surprise, Esdeath released them, letting them return to the Revolutionary Army as double agents.

"Huff... Why worry so much? Let's just take things one step at a time... I don't want to live in constant fear anymore..."

"After we report the intel we've gathered, I'm going to retire."

One of the black-clad men said this, pulling his companion to his feet. Although their bodies were still shaky, they were in better shape than before.

"Let's retire together. Let's leave the Empire for good. Call us deserters or cowards—I don't care. I just want to live out the rest of my life in peace... Even if it means death."

"However... I don't think Esdeath will let us go that easily... She might have done something to our bodies. Otherwise, why would she release us so easily without any restraints..."

Deciding to abandon all hope, the other man resigned himself to his fate. "We've already escaped. Let's do as you say. Even if she's poisoned us, it doesn't matter... I don't want to betray my comrades again... Could she really prevent us from killing ourselves?"

...

Meanwhile, on a nearby mountain peak.

"Beep beep..." The red transparent screen of a detector emitted a faint sound.

Looking at the thermal imaging detector provided by Selene and confirming that there were fewer than twenty living beings in the small valley, Esdeath sighed in disappointment. "Just a small rebel base... Boring."

"Don't you think so?"

"Mmm! Mmm!" came the muffled response from a Revolutionary Army spy, his limbs broken and his mouth sealed, kneeling at Esdeath's feet. His eyes were filled with hatred.

"It's been days, and all we've captured are a few bought-off fools and some small fry. Not a single one of you knows where your rebel base is. You rats sure know how to hide." Esdeath remarked with a hint of boredom.

"I want to go down there and slaughter them all... But patience, patience brings better prey. Only such prey can provide enough fun. You weaklings aren't worth it."

Having been in the southern provinces for nearly a week, Esdeath found herself bored after the initial days of interrogation. The rest of her time felt like being back in the North, hunting in her childhood.

Esdeath licked her lips, her bloodlust evident, her interest piqued.

"I don't like your eyes," she said, walking over to the captured spy. A flash of her blade, and it was over. "And besides, you're useless now."

Wiping the blood off her blade on the corpse, Esdeath muttered, "I wonder when the General will arrive..."

"I'm already here..."