In the region of Oquilonia, within the palace of Bethulia, the King sat upon his throne, flanked by two of his guards.
 
"Summon Herman Silentblade to the palace. I wish to speak with him at once," commanded the King.
 
"Yes, Your Majesty," one of the guards bowed and promptly made his way to Herman's office.
 
Shortly after, he arrived at Herman's office. "Good day, General. The King desires to speak with you," the guard bowed before Herman.
 
"Yes, I shall go to him," Herman organized his papers and placed his quill in an inkwell.
 
The guard departed, returning to the palace, while Herman made his way there.
 
Herman continued his stride until he reached the palace where the King awaited.
 
Upon standing before the King, Herman knelt and greeted him, "Good day, Your Majesty. You wished to see me? How may I serve you?"
 
"I merely wish to inquire about the condition of the prisoner, Kill. How fares he? Has he joined our cause yet?"
 
"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but he remains defiant to this day."
 
"I've heard that Minoru Sato has visited him as well."
 
"Yes, he visited him yesterday. Do not worry, Your Majesty, we shall make him submit eventually."
 
"But...if he refuses, proceed with the plan. Three months from now, execute him if it comes to that."
 
"Yes, Your Majesty."
 
"Also, the other generals shall not visit Kill. I have sent them on missions. I believe you are the only one who can convince him."
 
"Yes, Your High–" I could not finish my words as a woman interrupted.
 
"As expected, that boy will indeed remain defiant," the woman suddenly knelt before the King. "Good day, Your Majesty. General Hydra Frostburg of the 7th District, at your service. Allow me to visit him later, Your Majesty. Grant me permission."
 
"That cannot be," Herman abruptly responded.
 
"Why is that, Herman? I've noticed, it seems you harbor resentment towards me," Hydra prodded Herman's body as if pleading.
 
"It cannot be allowed. You might kill the prisoner again," Herman answered.
 
"I promise, I shall exercise restraint this time, and the prisoner shall not perish," Hydra replied.
 
"In that case, I grant you permission, Hydra, to convince Kill to join our cause," the King ordered.
 
Hydra smiled and knelt again, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
 
As she stood and turned her back, her expression transformed into a demonic visage.
 
"I promise, Herman... he shall not die," she whispered in a chilling, demonic voice.
 
Herman's eyes widened as he looked at Hydra, then back at the King.
 
"Are you certain of this, Your Majesty?" Herman asked, laced with disapproval of the King's decision.
 
"Trust me, for Hydra is renowned as a skilled interrogator of prisoners. Have faith," the King responded.
 
"Yes, if that is the case, I shall take my leave, Your Majesty," Herman said, standing and returning to his office.
 
Moments later, Hydra visited Kill's cell. She opened the door, locked it, and smiled like an angel with malicious intent.
 
Kill was still asleep, his blood nearly depleted. Hydra noticed Kill sleeping and her expression changed. She grabbed a spear and stabbed Kill in the stomach. Kill screamed again in excruciating pain.
 
"AAAARRRRRGGGGGG!!!" Kill gasped for air.
 
"What right do you have to sleep here in the territory of Oquilonia? You're from Celestria and have no right to slumber here."
 
Kill still struggled to breathe as Hydra's face turned cold once more.
 
"Will you join Oquilonia or shall I kill you here?" Hydra asked, but Kill could not answer due to his difficulty breathing from the pain and blood loss.
 
Hydra's face froze again as she grabbed another spear and stabbed Kill once more.
 
"AAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!" Kill screamed in agony, now with two spears piercing his stomach and protruding from his back.
 
"Well? Kill Ravenshroud? Will you join us? Or shall I kill you now?" Hydra questioned, but Kill could not respond, still screaming in pain.
 
"Ah, you refuse?" Hydra said, reaching for another spear. As she prepared to stab him again, Herman intervened.
 
"Stop this, Hydra," Herman approached and seized the spear meant for Kill. "Do you truly intend to kill him? He has many more days to suffer if he refuses to join us. Return tomorrow if you wish to torment him further."
 
"Tsk!" Hydra left without a word.
 
Herman approached the gasping Kill, who seemed on the brink of death. "So, Kill, do you understand now? If you continue to resist, this won't be the end of your suffering," Herman said.
 
Kill continued to scream in pain, although his cries were weaker than before, and tears began to stream down his cheeks.
 
Herman noticed this and laughed at the sight. "Huh?! Hey, hey, an assassin crying? HAHAHAHA!!! You truly disappoint us, Oquilonia."
 
"Why... why don't you just kill me?" Kill asked, forcing himself to speak while coughing up blood.
 
Herman turned his back and put his hands in his trouser pockets. "Why? Why indeed?" He turned back to face Kill, leaned in, and brought his face close to Kill's. "Because we want you to suffer in exchange for your stay in Oquilonia," Herman grinned like a madman.
 
He turned his back again. "Join Oquilonia, boy, or you'll face something worse from Hydra."
 
Herman left, and after that, Kill lost consciousness. He slept for ten hours, and the area beneath where he was standing and bound was covered in his blood. His mouth, from which he had been vomiting blood, was also swollen with dried blood.
 
Suddenly, he was jolted awake by a punch. The punch was so strong that it caused Kill to wake up. A right straight punch made his nose and mouth bleed again.
 
Kill woke up, but he was still dizzy from the powerful punch. "Wake up, Kill," he heard a woman's cold voice.
 
And then Kill was punched again, a left hook to the face. Kill's face was now swollen.
 
"Hey, Kill, entertain me a little," Hydra said.
She kept punching Kill relentlessly, and Kill lost consciousness, appearing lifeless, but still breathing faintly.
 
Hydra noticed that Kill wasn't responding, "Huh? Hey, hey, don't you dare sleep on me. Don't tell me you're already dead? Huh?" She scrutinized Kill closely, checking his body, and grew even angrier.
 
"Tsk, didn't you hear what I said earlier? I told you to entertain me, you idiot. Who gave you the right to sleep on me?!" She punched Kill with her right hand.
 
Kill remained motionless, as if Hydra's punch had no effect. "Tsk, fine, I'll leave. I might end up killing you, and I'll be in even more trouble with the king." Hydra left the room where Kill was imprisoned.
 
After Hydra left, five hours passed, and Luna visited Kill once again. She took the key from the two guards who were watching over the room where Kill was locked up.
 
Kill's room was surrounded by walls, devoid of light, and filled with darkness. The only illumination came from candles on the floor, three candles placed in front of Kill on the left.
 
Luna entered the room and locked the door behind her. She placed her belongings on the table and opened it.
 
She looked at Kill and noticed that he was still unconscious. Luna took a seat on the chair for the time being.
 
Five hours went by, but Kill still didn't wake up. Luna also saw his battered face.
 
Disgusted, Luna approached Kill and pointed her index finger at his mouth, and suddenly, he illuminated. Slowly, Kill's mouth opened, allowing the food to enter. Luna temporarily ceased the flow of blood from Kill's mouth to allow the food to be consumed.
 
Luna also opened Kill's throat to allow the food to go straight into his stomach. She spoon-fed Kill the porridge until it was finished.
 
After that, Luna tidied up her belongings and prepared to leave when suddenly Kill spoke, "W-Why... did you... do this... to me... with... the... food...? Just... let... me... die... please... I... don't... want... to... suffer... anymore," he stammered, struggling to speak with a weak and feeble voice.
 
Luna sighed and looked ahead, her back turned to Kill, "Why? You need to stay alive until you join Oquilonia. So if you don't want to suffer anymore, join us." Luna opened the door and left.
 
However, before Kill could hear everything Luna was saying, he lost consciousness again, and the bleeding from his mouth continued. It was only the fifth day, and it seemed he wouldn't survive another week in his current state.
 
On the sixth day of Kill's imprisonment in Oquilonia, he was extremely weak, barely waking up once a day.
 
Luna came again to feed Kill, who remained unconscious. His body was almost devoid of blood due to the arrows that pierced him.
 
Luna approached Kill and opened his mouth and throat to feed him, even though he was unaware of it.
 
After Kill finished eating the food Luna brought, he suddenly woke up again. "L-Luna, please... talk to me," Kill struggled to breathe. "Finish me off," he pleaded with Luna.
 
Luna sat down. "That's not possible. I already told you, right? The King's orders are for you to suffer here for three months. We'll only kill you once the three months are over if you still don't align with Oquilonia."
 
Luna's expression changed, and she felt a hint of pity for Kill, accompanied by a blush on her cheeks.
 
"Why... are you looking at me like that?" Kill asked.
 
"W-why shouldn't I look at you? Remember, you're our captive now," Luna clenched her fist against her chest and looked away.
 
"It's... in... your... face... but... I... know... you're... kind," Kill struggled to speak.
 
Luna blushed again and lowered her head. "W-what are you talking about? It doesn't matter, and besides, I'm not really kind. I'm just feeding you because I feel sorry for you," she covered her mouth and continued, "because that's what the king ordered."
 
Kill chuckled weakly. "O-okay... then..."
 
Luna approached Kill. "Since you already know that I'm the one who feeds you, starting tomorrow, no one else will feed you. Our general assigned us on a mission, so if possible, could you be on our side when I return? Hm?" Luna smiled, hinting at her femininity and gentleness.
 
After that, Luna took her belongings and left the room where Kill was imprisoned.
 
Meanwhile, on the palace of Bethulia in Oquilonia region, General Hydra and the king of Oquilonia are having a conversation.
"How fares the captive, Hydra?"
"Fairly well, my dear king. I still restrain myself; if I were to end that child's life, I fear your wrath, my dear king."
"Have you not visited him today?"
"Not yet, my liege. I deem it wise to lay low for now, lest my presence provoke further trouble."
"Very well, it seems he remains defiant... Hydra, I grant you permission to intensify the torment of the captive."
"It shall be done, my king," Hydra replied, a demonic grin spreading across her face as she vowed her obedience before departing the palace and heading home.
The next morning, she rose early to visit where Kill was imprisoned.
"Open the door," she said with a wicked smile.
"As you wish, general," a guard replied, handing her the key and unlocking the door.
Hydra entered the cell and closed the door behind her. "How's your rest, Kill?" she taunted, pressing her index and middle fingers against her lips, her tongue darting out as if teasing.
But Kill remained unconscious, and upon seeing his still form, Hydra seethed with anger. She walked over to a spear, took it, and approached Kill again.
Hydra raised her hand, driving the spear into Kill's abdomen, piercing through to his back. Four spears now impaled Kill's torso.
Suddenly, Kill awoke, screaming silently, his mouth agape, his eyes staring blankly, unable to produce sound, his eyeballs rolling back in agony.
Hydra seethed with fury, grabbing two more spears and driving them into Kill's right chest and throat, penetrating his back. But even as Hydra inflicted further wounds, Kill lay motionless, as if lifeless.
Hydra widened her eyes, momentarily frozen. "You can't be dead already, can you, Kill? Wake up!" she shook every part of Kill's body. "Oh no, I'll be in trouble with the King for this."
Approaching Kill, she leaned close to listen for his heartbeat.
Kill's heart still beat, and Hydra smiled. "Thank goodness your heart still beats. I suppose that's enough for today; you might just recover."
Hydra turned away, about to leave, when she suddenly felt a dark pressure in the cell. She glanced back at Kill and saw a black aura emanating from him.
Hydra's eyes widened. "What manner of being are you?" she exclaimed.