Chapter 102

Chapter 102: Chapter 102

Ingrid’s eyes narrowed. "You’re threatening to kill them?"

Berthanon shrugged, showing little concern for the seriousness of his words.

"If that’s what it takes to obtain the information I need, then I have no reason to hesitate. Those foxes aren’t particularly valuable to the Guild, and I have already wasted enough time trying to get answers from you. I can make whatever decision I consider necessary, Ingrid, you should understand that I won’t allow a few insignificant creatures to stand in the way of my objectives. Their lives are not more important than the security of this Guild."

Ingrid stared at him. He was willing to kill them over a few stalks of plants. The foxes had already suffered enough, yet Berthanon spoke about their lives with the same indifference someone might show when deciding whether to throw away damaged equipment. She felt anger rising in her chest, but she forced herself to remain calm. If she allowed him to see how much his threat affected her, he would know exactly how to use the foxes against her.

After a moment, she scoffed. "Then suit yourself. If you want to kill them, go ahead. It’s none of my business, I don’t see why you expect me to beg you to spare them. You seem to have already made up your mind, so why are you waiting for my permission? Do whatever you want with them. Stop pretending that their lives are something I have the power to decide."

Berthanon stared at her, the surprise on his face was difficult to conceal. "You don’t care what happens to them?"

Ingrid shrugged. "Why should I? You just told me that you’re going to kill them if I refuse to cooperate, so what exactly do you expect me to say? Should I cry, fall to my knees, and beg you to spare them? I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone else to entertain you with that kind of performance. If you want them dead, then that’s your decision, not mine."

Berthanon’s expression grew more suspicious. "You’re telling me that you’re willing to let the people you came here with die just to prove a point? You were the one who brought them here, and you were the one who insisted on protecting them. Are you really going to stand there and tell me that their lives mean nothing to you?"

Ingrid looked at him with a faint smile. "You’re putting words in my mouth. I never said their lives meant nothing to me, and I certainly didn’t say I wanted them dead. However, I was the one who saved them, I’m also the one who gave them a chance to live when they were in danger. Their lives belong to me, but you know... I don’t appreciate someone using them to threaten me. But if you want to take them away, then go ahead. I don’t care anymore."

Berthanon continued staring at her. He seemed to be searching for some indication that she was pretending, but Ingrid maintained her expression without giving him anything to work with. She knew very well that she couldn’t allow him to understand how important the foxes were to her. If he discovered that she was desperate to protect them, he would never stop using them as leverage.

She turned towards the door. "I believe we’re done here. You wanted to know whether I would give you the information, and I’ve already answered you. There’s nothing else for us to discuss, so I’ll be leaving now. If you decide to carry out your threat, that’s entirely your choice. I won’t waste my time listening to you threaten me again."

Ingrid took a few steps towards the entrance before stopping. She turned her head and looked at Berthanon once more, her expression becoming noticeably colder.

"Actually... There’s one more thing I’d like you to remember." Her voice turned more colder, "You can go ahead and kill them if that’s what you want, but don’t forget that I’m the one who tried so hard to save their lives. If you decide to take those lives away from me, then I’ll make sure you pay for every single one of them. I’ll kill ten times the number of Hunters in this Guild to avenge them, I won’t care who gets caught in the middle."

Berthanon’s eyes narrowed. "Are you threatening me, Ingrid?"

Ingrid smiled. "Call it whatever you like. I’m only making sure you understand the consequences of your decision. You seem to believe that because you have authority inside these walls, you can do whatever you want without anyone daring to fight back. But you should remember that the people you threaten aren’t the only ones who can lose something. If you hurt them, I’ll make sure you lose far more than you ever expected. I’m not a saint, but I’m a very vengeful person and I hold grudges a lot. I won’t let you off."

She held his gaze for another moment before turning away. "Have a pleasant day, Berthanon."

With that, Ingrid opened the door and stepped outside. The two guards immediately straightened when they saw her, while Lysander, who had been waiting nearby, turned towards her the moment he heard the door open. His eyes moved over her face, searching for any sign that something had happened inside. Ingrid gave him a small smile, silently assuring him that she was alright, before walking towards him.

Behind her, Berthanon remained standing in the middle of his office. The pleasant expression he had worn at the beginning of their conversation was completely gone, and his eyes followed Ingrid until the door closed again. He had expected her to become desperate when he threatened the foxes, but instead, she had turned his threat into a warning of her own.

"That woman might be considerably more dangerous than we thought she’d be." A voice interrupted his thoughts, making him looking towards the other door that was connected to a hidden room.