Night had settled fully over the abandoned shrine, the faint glow of moonlight barely reaching through the fractured stone walls as darkness claimed the surrounding land. The air had grown cooler, carrying a quiet stillness that seemed to deepen the sense of isolation in the clearing. The ruined structure cast long, uneven shadows across the ground, their shifting shapes illuminated faintly by the soft crackling of a small campfire that flickered between Luca and Seraphina.

The flames moved lazily, their warm glow creating a sharp contrast against the cold silence of the shrine. Occasionally, sparks drifted upward before disappearing into the darkness, the quiet rhythm of burning wood becoming the only sound that broke the stillness of the night.

Luca sat beside the fire with calm composure, his posture relaxed as though he had no urgent concerns pressing upon his mind. The flickering light reflected faintly across his features, revealing an expression so steady that it almost appeared indifferent to the tension hidden beneath the surface.

Seraphina sat across from him, her movements equally composed, her attention seemingly focused upon adjusting a small twig within the fire as if this moment were no more significant than an ordinary evening rest during travel.

Between them lay the three restrained men.

Their bodies remained tightly bound with rope, secured firmly enough that movement would only tighten the restraints further. Their earlier arrogance had long since disappeared, replaced by the uneasy vulnerability of those slowly awakening into circumstances they did not understand.

Time passed quietly.

Gradually, one of the men stirred.

A faint groan escaped him as consciousness returned, his eyes blinking repeatedly as he attempted to regain awareness. His gaze shifted slowly before suddenly freezing as realization struck.

The firelight illuminated Luca and Seraphina clearly.

Calm.

Watching.

Waiting.

The other two men soon followed, their expressions shifting from confusion to alarm as they attempted instinctively to move, only to discover their bodies held firmly in place.

Fear surfaced quickly.

"W-who are you…?" one of them asked, his voice unsteady despite his attempt to appear defiant.

Luca did not answer immediately.

Instead, he picked up a small stick and gently adjusted the burning wood, allowing the flames to flare slightly brighter before he spoke in a calm, almost casual tone.

"That," he said evenly, "is precisely what we would like to ask you."

His eyes lifted slowly toward them, the quiet steadiness in his gaze carrying far greater weight than any raised voice could achieve.

Seraphina remained silent, her posture composed, her attention focused upon the restrained men as though studying specimens rather than adversaries.

The tension in the air thickened.

One of the men attempted to shift backward slightly, only to find his movements restricted further by the rope.

"We-we are just…" another muttered defensively. "We are just workers…"

Luca tilted his head slightly, a faint expression of mild curiosity crossing his features.

"Workers," he repeated softly.

His tone revealed nothing.

Which made it far more unsettling.

The silence stretched just long enough for unease to deepen.

Then—

Without warning, Luca moved.

His motion was swift yet controlled as he stepped forward, crouching near one of the restrained men.

The man barely had time to react before Luca's hand grasped his shoulder firmly, applying pressure with precise force that caused immediate discomfort.

The man winced, attempting to pull away, only to find the rope tightened further around his limbs.

"Let us try again," Luca said quietly.

His voice remained calm.

Measured.

Unhurried.

The man's breathing grew uneven.

"I do not enjoy repeating questions unnecessarily," Luca added, his tone unchanged.

Another subtle shift of pressure drew a sharp gasp from the restrained figure as pain traveled quickly through his arm, the calculated force carefully applied to ensure maximum compliance without permanent harm.

The other two men visibly flinched, their earlier confidence completely gone as the reality of their situation became impossible to ignore.

"I asked," Luca continued evenly, "who you are."

The restrained man gritted his teeth, attempting to endure the discomfort, yet the quiet precision of the pressure left little room for resistance.

Beside them, Seraphina reached calmly into her sleeve, retrieving the small communication device they had discovered earlier.

The faint glimmer of its engraved surface reflected briefly in the firelight as she held it up for the men to see.

Her voice remained soft.

Controlled.

"Where did you obtain this?" she asked calmly.

The moment the device became visible, the reaction was immediate.

All three men stiffened.

Their eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

Luca noticed.

Seraphina noticed.

And neither allowed the realization to show openly.

Instead, they remained composed.

Watching.

Waiting.

The fire crackled softly between them as the truth hovered just beneath the surface, waiting to be forced into the open.

The fire crackled steadily, its warm glow flickering across the worn stone floor of the abandoned shrine as tension settled heavily into the quiet night air. The three restrained men exchanged uneasy glances, their earlier bravado long since replaced by visible fear. The sight of the communication device in Seraphina's hand had clearly unsettled them far more than they wished to reveal.

For a brief moment, silence lingered.

Then Luca moved.

With a calm motion that contrasted sharply against the growing panic in the men's expressions, twin sabers once again materialized within his grasp. Their polished edges reflected the firelight faintly, casting thin glimmers of cold light across the darkened shrine walls.

The restrained men stiffened immediately.

One of them shook his head rapidly.

"We told you, we don't know anything!" he insisted, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him.

Luca said nothing.

His movements remained controlled as he applied calculated pressure using the blunt edges of the sabers, striking precisely where pain would be immediate yet non-lethal. Each strike was measured, designed not to injure permanently but to dismantle resistance swiftly.

A sharp cry echoed through the ruined shrine as one of the men flinched violently, the rope preventing any meaningful movement.

Seraphina's voice remained calm throughout.

"Where did you obtain this device?" she asked once more, holding the small communication seal where the firelight illuminated its engraved surface clearly.

"I told you, I don't know!" the second man insisted desperately.

Luca's expression did not change as he adjusted the angle of the saber slightly, applying firm but controlled force that caused another cry to escape unwillingly.

The third man squeezed his eyes shut tightly, attempting to avoid watching, yet the sounds alone were enough to unravel his composure.

"I don't know! I don't know!" the restrained men repeated, panic growing evident as their voices began to overlap.

Seraphina observed quietly, her gaze sharp as she analyzed every reaction, every hesitation, every flicker of expression that might indicate deception.

Luca eventually paused, his eyes shifting toward Seraphina as he spoke calmly.

"There is no trace of corrupted mana within their bodies," he said quietly. "Nor the scent associated with cultist influence."

Seraphina's eyes narrowed slightly as she considered the observation.

"It is possible the Second Demon General has altered their forms," she replied thoughtfully. "Morphing ordinary individuals into unwitting carriers of information would not be impossible."

Luca gave a small nod.

"Then we continue."

The sabers moved once more, not recklessly, but with deliberate precision designed to weaken resistance without crossing the boundary of unnecessary cruelty.

Moments passed.

The pressure grew unbearable.

Finally, Luca shifted his attention toward the third man, crouching before him as the firelight reflected faintly within his calm eyes.

"And you?" he asked quietly.

The man trembled visibly, his composure shattered completely.

"I will speak! I will speak!" he blurted hurriedly, desperation overtaking fear.

Luca stilled.

The shrine fell silent once more except for the faint crackling of the fire.

"We are thieves," the man said quickly, his voice shaking. "Just thieves… nothing more."

He swallowed nervously before continuing.

"We watch travelers… follow them when they leave the main roads…"

His breathing grew uneven as he struggled to speak quickly enough.

"We saw someone injured near the hills a few days ago… we thought he was just another traveler… he had strange items on him…"

His eyes darted nervously between Luca and Seraphina.

"We took what we could… we didn't know what that device was…"

His voice trembled further.

"We swear we know nothing about cultists… demons… nothing like that…"

Seraphina remained silent for several moments, her gaze unwavering as she observed the man's expression closely.

Fear.

Confusion.

No signs of concealment.

No hesitation consistent with deception.

Finally, she spoke calmly.

"He is telling the truth."

Her tone carried quiet certainty.

"There is no indication of fabricated response."

Luca allowed the sabers to dissipate slowly as the tension eased slightly.

Seraphina rose smoothly to her feet before retrieving a small vial from her storage ring. A faint dust-like powder shimmered briefly between her fingers as she scattered it lightly across the restrained men.

Within moments, their already weakened consciousness gave way entirely, their bodies relaxing as deep sleep overtook them once more.

"This will keep them unconscious for several days," she said calmly. "Long enough to ensure they will not interfere further."

Luca nodded before carefully moving the unconscious bodies toward a concealed portion of the ruined shrine, arranging debris and loose stone in a manner that would obscure them from casual discovery.

"At least we gained something," he said thoughtfully as he finished concealing the final figure.

His gaze shifted briefly toward Seraphina.

"There is definitely something here."

The presence of the communication device confirmed it.

An academy operative had reached this area.

Which meant the intelligence had not been fabricated entirely.

Seraphina gave a small nod of agreement.

"The question now is what they discovered before being intercepted."

Luca brushed faint dust from his hands before straightening.

"For now," he said calmly, "we return to the inn."

His eyes met hers briefly.

"We must proceed carefully from here."

Seraphina turned toward the path leading back toward the village.

The night remained quiet.

But the silence no longer felt empty.

Something hidden had begun to surface.

And they were now closer to it than before.