6
As manager of the immigration office in the bustling port of Etin, Bruno lived a life that the local lord himself might envy.
His position wielded enormous power; after all, no one boarded a ship without his permission.
Traders were desperate to get on his good side, and he had quickly amassed a fortune from the bribes discreetly slipped to him by merchant guilds.
Bruno was not stingy with his money.
He spent it freely on anyone useful, which was how he had grown close to the captain of the guard.
With their friendship secured, the captain always took Bruno’s side whenever trouble arose, leaving Bruno with nothing left to fear.
If he needed money, he took it.
If he wanted a woman, he took her.
Victims could complain all they wanted, but with the captain in his pocket, he was untouchable.
This city was his own personal kingdom.
‘Heh heh, and another money-making opportunity has just rolled in.’
Bruno hummed to himself as he finished his shower.
His companion for the night was a stunning beauty, so he had chosen an expensive perfume.
One never knew what good fortune might come of it.
Life in Etin was nearly perfect, aside from the distinct lack of beautiful women.
The cook at The Wave’s Song Inn was attractive, but she was married, and for some reason, facing her sent a chill down his spine.
He had been lamenting the lack of options lately when a breathtaking woman had appeared today—the one who had made the strange request to see the passenger lists.
He had been surprised by her audacity, but that only made it better.
‘Ignorant people with something to gain are so easy to handle.’ The image of her desperate eyes flashed in his mind, and his lips curved into a smile of anticipation.
‘Come to think of it, this is the second time I’ve seen such a beauty, isn’t it?’ The thought dredged up the memory of the first great beauty he had ever seen, and a shudder wracked his body.
‘Erase it!
Erase it!’
He shook his head violently, trying to banish the memory.
That woman had been a witch.
Getting tangled up with her had been a terrible ordeal, something best forgotten completely.
He was the most powerful man in Etin!
No one could harm him!
The beauty he was meeting tonight would be different.
Bolstered by that sliver of self-assurance, he managed to regain his composure.
“Oh!
I’m going to be late.”
One must not keep a beauty waiting.
With a light step, Bruno headed to the inn where the woman would be waiting.
“Has my companion arrived yet?” he asked the innkeeper.
“No, sir.
No one has come.”
He could not hide his disappointment.
“Ahem, I see.
I’ll be in that room.
Let me know when she arrives.”
This was the place Bruno used for his clandestine meetings.
He could not very well accept bribes out in the open, could he?
“Yes, sir.
Leave it to me,” the innkeeper replied with a sly grin.
Bruno always tipped him generously after using the room.
‘Knock, knock.’
A knock sounded at the door.
When he opened it, the woman from a few hours ago was standing there.
“Welcome.”
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said, her shy expression melting his irritation.
‘She really is pretty, seeing her again.’ “Come, come in.”
The woman hesitated, as if she had come all this way only to lose her nerve at the door.
“Why are we meeting in a place like this…?” she murmured.
“Are you aware that what you’ve requested is illegal?” Bruno asked, his voice low.
The woman lowered her head.
“This is a secret matter, so of course I chose a quiet place.
If you want to talk, come in.
If not, then leave.”
He knew that showing any eagerness now might scare her off, so he adopted a forceful tone.
The woman shuffled hesitantly into the room, and he locked the door behind her.
“So, you want to see the list?” he asked, his attitude shifting completely.
It was always best to establish who was in control from the start.
“Yes,” she replied obediently, her eyes downcast.
“Then, what will you give me in return?”
“It’s a small token, but I’ve prepared something.” She produced a clinking money pouch.
It looked heavy, and he felt a surge of greed.
But he knew he had to refuse the first offer.
“Ahem.
I am not a man in need of money.”
“Then, what is it you desire?” she asked, her eyes widening in confusion.
The sight made his mouth water.
“Hmph.
That’s for you to figure out.”
“I will try to get more money as soon as possible.
An amount equal to this one.”
“Double, you say?” he mused aloud.
“Well, I can’t very well ignore that.”
The price had doubled with a single refusal.
A sly smile spread across Bruno’s lips.
Just as he reached for the pouch, the woman shot to her feet.
“I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you are just as predictable as I imagined,” she said, her voice dripping with ice.
In the next instant, she grabbed him by the collar and threw him onto the bed.
“What the—!”
Bruno’s head spun.
The woman who had been smiling so sweetly was now glaring at him with cold fury.
A strange intuition made the hair on his neck stand on end.
She was a slender woman, half his size and seemingly no different from the others he had easily overpowered, but a dark premonition washed over him.
He had been in a similar situation once before, and a flash of what was to come filled his mind.
‘I have to get out of here!’
“I-I have to go now!” he stammered, scrambling to his feet.
But as he tried to escape, the woman reached out and yanked off his sock.
“Ugh!
What are you—!”
Before he could finish, the sock was stuffed into his mouth.
The woman, Elena, tied his wrists with a cord she had prepared.
“Let’s start with a beating,” she said calmly.
“Now,” Elena said, looking down at the bound man.
“Are you ready to talk?”
With his hands and feet tied, the manager nodded eagerly, tears streaming down his face.
‘I wasn’t even that rough with him…’
Elena knew some truly extreme torture techniques, but she could not bring herself to use them.
Still, she could not let a man like this go unpunished.
From what she had gathered, he was a villain who committed evil deeds without a second thought.
If she had been powerless, their positions would be reversed.
She would be plunged into misery while he savored his victory.