With my body still trembling from the pain, I groped blindly until my fingers met the wall. I clung to it with all the strength I had left and, staggering, I managed to stand up again. With unsteady steps, I began to move.
All around me was still wrapped in darkness, but even so, I moved forward to get out of the basement. Even if I didn't know the house's layout by heart, moving wasn't too big of a problem… except for the moment when I bumped into a vase.
After what felt like an endless time, I reached the living room sofa. I let myself fall onto it with a heavy sigh and stayed there, motionless, staring into nothingness. Or at least, what was nothingness for me.
"At the end… curiosity killed the cat."
The words slipped out in an ironic whisper. Yet, despite my attempt to joke, I found no relief. The joy I had felt just a moment before, when I had seen my stats grow, had evaporated in an instant, erased by that absolute darkness.
The pain… that was something I had never experienced before. I had known suffering that could drive anyone else insane, but what I felt in that moment… was beyond imagination.
I even tried drinking a potion, but as I expected, nothing changed. For delicate internal damage, like eyesight, brain, or heart, not even high-grade potions were enough, only true elixirs.
But there was something that didn't convince me. My eyes didn't feel injured. They seemed… simply drained.
I closed my eyes and let mana flow through me. I had never been good at manipulating it outside, but inside was a different story. There, my mana moved gently, exactly the way I wanted.
And with it, I examined my body.
No part of me showed any real wounds, maybe just something superficial, confirming that what I had felt had affected my soul, not my body.
When I reached my eyes, I noticed no real damage, but if there was a problem, it was the weak vitality they had, like two dried-up wells.
I could sense they were slowly healing, but it was a slow process, like drops of water trying to moisten a desert.
My rough estimate? A month. And that was the last thing I needed right now.
Maybe I shouldn't complain so much. Things could have been worse…
If that monster had been even a little stronger, maybe the loss of vitality in my eyes would have been permanent, and who knows what else could have happened.
Anyway, if there was something I could do, it was to block the healing of one eye, so that the other could recover faster.
I resigned myself to the idea of spending the next days waiting to heal.
Of course, in my state, I couldn't do anything complicated. My other senses were good, yes, but not enough to let me move safely without my sight.
Click.
My ears perked up at the sound of a window opening, followed by the rustle of someone slipping through.
In an instant, I had already drawn my dagger, and with a quick motion, I hurled it in the direction of the sound. The metal whistled through the air, and then—
"Nyaaa!"
A sharp cry, mixed with a meow, broke the silence. Followed by a soft thud and an indignant voice.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! You almost pierced my head!"
"...Violet?"
"Who else, idiot?!" she shot back, her tone halfway between offended and annoyed.
I breathed slowly, trying to calm down. The truth was, she had no idea how close she had been to death. If I had calculated the height more precisely, she'd be dead now. Luckily, my lack of sight had changed the trajectory.
"Next time," I said dryly, "could you knock on the door like normal people do?"
"It's the middle of the night," she retorted with a huff. "If I had shown up at the door, it would've looked more suspicious than a thief climbing through a window."
I couldn't really argue with her. But her words made me realize something.
Middle of the night? Had I really been out of it for an entire day?
I heard her steps come closer, followed by a faint click as she lit one of the lamps. The light was useless to me, but I still felt the warmth of the flame. Soon after, the sofa sank beside me when Violet dropped onto it with her usual nonchalance.
"So," she began with a confused tone. "Why were you sitting there in the dark? I admit your attack almost froze my blood, but when I saw your motionless silhouette in the shadows… I swear, I almost had a heart attack."
I laughed bitterly. If she hadn't told me, I wouldn't even have known it was night outside, let alone that it was dark inside.
"Long story," I answered. Then, with a sigh, I changed the subject. "You're here for the information, right?"
"Exactly." I heard a rustle, and soon after, something heavy was placed into my hands. "Here's a detailed list of the people we tracked: their movements, places they go, habits, contacts… everything that might help you. It will make your job a lot easier."
From her tone, I could sense a certain excitement. Maybe even pride. I ran my fingers over the bundle of papers, feeling its thickness and weight.
"That's a lot," I commented.
"We worked hard," she replied with a hint of vanity.
I had no trouble believing her. Since they were now working with us, they no longer had to steal to survive, and their pay was far higher than any loot they had ever gained. Maybe, though, they had been too efficient. If they had taken a few more days, I would've had more time to recover.
I started to flip through the file, but after brushing my fingers over a couple of pages, I sighed and handed it back.
"Well?" she asked, a touch of impatience in her voice. "What do you think?"
"It's unreadable," I replied flatly. "You'll have to read it to me."
There was silence, followed by a sound like teeth grinding. Violet was clearly holding back from throwing the file in my face. But in the end, with an exasperated sigh, she started reading aloud.
As she read, she didn't miss the chance to throw in sharp remarks here and there on purpose. It was almost funny listening to her trying to stay professional while also venting her frustration.
"So, who do you think you'll start with?" she asked, curious.
"You do realize that person will die, right?"
"I hope you agree that everyone I've just described doesn't deserve to live," she said coldly.
I shrugged. How others lived their lives wasn't my problem, but if I had to kill someone, it might as well be some piece of trash.
"I'll start with Big Joe."
"Him? Isn't he the most complicated one?"
From the way Violet had described him, Big Joe was a member of the red-light faction and also a Rank 1. The real problem, though, was his terrible reputation. He was a rapist who loved to dominate young virgins and beat them half to death.
The number of deaths he caused was high, but since he was one of Jasmine's favorites, no one could touch him… at least until I decided he would be my first target.
"His death will draw a lot of attention, and that's exactly what I want."
"Good… and Adel."
"Yes?"
"Make him suffer. No, make all of them suffer." I could hear the venom in her voice. "For too long, they've ruined the lives of innocent people."
"I'll do my best."
I wasn't in the habit of torturing people outside of alien races, but I could make exceptions.
"Now, this might sound off-topic, but… do you have problems with your eyes?"
I stayed silent for a second, then laughed inwardly. Violet had always been the best at noticing details about others.
"What makes you say that?"
"When you talk to people, you always look them straight in the eyes, something you're not doing now. Also, they don't seem very responsive."
"Bingo. To be honest, I can't see a thing."
"Seriously? It's not some contagious disease, I hope—wait. If you can't see, then that excuse about the writing was—?!"
"Exactly, and no, it's not a disease. I just pushed myself too hard. It should heal in a few days."
Or so I hope.
"I'd really like to hit you, but this doesn't seem like the right time. Anyway, isn't this a problem?"
Even though she was irritated, I could hear the concern in her voice.
"Worried about me?" I teased.
"Go die," she said flatly.
"Wow, that's harsh."
"No, wait! It's just a way of saying—"
"I know, Violet, I was joking."
"You bastard!"
I felt a pillow smack me in the face, while she burst out laughing.
I tried to grab it too, but instead, I caught something else.
"NYAAA! THAT'S MY TAIL!"