"Groan... Where am I?"
Jeanne Alter slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a dark, damp, and musty dungeon. The familiar scent instantly brought back memories of a certain time in her life.
"Damn it! I've been captured?! That bastard!" she hissed, but the golden chains binding her held fast. "He didn't kill me? What does he want? Don't tell me..."
She calmed herself down and started to think. As the enemy general, killing her would have been the easiest way to solve everything. So why was she still alive?
"Is he... going to humiliate me?!" she thought, the memories of her final moments at the stake flashing before her eyes. The same feeling of powerlessness and despair washed over her.
"Damn it, I'm out of mana, and I'm chained up. I wonder how Gilles is doing," she muttered, her head hanging in defeat.
Just then, the cell door creaked open.
"So you're awake," a voice said.
"It's you! My white self, and you... you bastard!" she snarled, looking up at Mo Wang and the real Jeanne.
"My, my, calling me a bastard right off the bat?" Mo Wang said, spreading his hands. "I've let you go twice already, you know."
"Grrrrrr!"
"Whoa, what a scary sound. Like a little puppy," Mo Wang said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Say, Jeanne, do you make that sound when you're angry? Can you show me?"
"Ahaha, Master, please don't say such embarrassing things," Jeanne said with a sigh. Though, to be honest, the other me does look a little like a puppy right now.
"Hmph! What are you two doing here? To laugh at me in my current state?" Jalter sneered, looking at them as if they were a pair of shameless lovers.
"Oh? You're a sharp one, aren't you?" Mo Wang said, his grin widening. "How did you know we came to laugh at you? The great Dragon Witch, tied up in a dungeon, hissing like a little kitten. Isn't it amusing? By the way, have you ever thought of changing your name? How about 'Hissing Jeanne'? I think it suits you."
"Grrrrrr!" Jalter's hissing grew louder.
"If you're just here to gloat, then you've had your fun. So get out! Do whatever you want with me. I will never surrender!"
"Don't be so sure. You might have to eat your words later," Mo Wang said with a mocking laugh.
"Bring it on! I will not yield!" Jalter declared, like a noble knight facing an interrogator.
"Say, don't you think it's a little damp in here?" Mo Wang suddenly asked Jeanne.
"Huh? Well, it is a prison," she replied, a little flustered. She had no idea what he was up to.
"Hmm, I'm a little hungry. Let's have some barbecue!" he said, and to their astonishment, he started a fire in the middle of the cell.
"Master?! What are you doing?!"
"Barbecue, of course. Come on, sit down. We'll eat and talk," he said, pulling out a spread of meat, bread, fruit, and wine.
"You bastard! What are you planning?!" Jalter asked, her eyes wary.
"Just eating. What else?" he replied, skillfully skewering the meat and placing it over the fire.
The sound of sizzling fat and the aroma of roasted meat soon filled the cell. Jeanne sat awkwardly by the fire, watching Mo Wang sprinkle spices on the meat.
"Master... is this really appropriate?" she whispered, glancing at the chained Jalter.
"What's not appropriate? Even prisoners have human rights," he said, turning the skewers. "Besides, she's so stubborn. Maybe she'll talk after she's had a good meal."
"Nonsense! Who would eat your food!" Jalter snapped, turning her head away. But then her stomach let out a loud "grumble."
Mo Wang and Jeanne both turned to look at her. Her ears turned a bright red. "W-what are you looking at?! I'm not hungry!"
"Oh~" Mo Wang cooed, waving a perfectly cooked skewer in front of her. "So that cute sound is the Dragon Witch's mana? Want a taste? It's fresh off the grill."
"You—!" Jalter started, but another growl from her stomach stopped her. The constant fighting and mana depletion had left her famished. And to make matters worse, that bastard was grilling her favorite kind of meat!
Jeanne suddenly stood up, took two skewers, and walked over to Jalter. "Other me," she said softly, "you should at least get your strength back."
Jalter stared at the food, the heat making her eyes water. It reminded her of that day at the stake, when someone had offered her water...
"Who needs your pity!" she snapped, and then viciously bit into the meat. "I'll burn you both to a crisp as soon as I'm free!" she mumbled, her mouth full.
Mo Wang chuckled and handed her a cup of mead. "Alright, alright, we'll be waiting. But before that—" he said, and then magically produced a napkin and tied it around her neck. "—don't get any sauce on your clothes. It's a new skin, isn't it?"
"Mmph! (I'll kill you!)"
Jeanne watched the scene, and for some reason, the Master's words "a feral cat with its fur standing on end" came to mind. A small smile played on her lips.
Jalter swallowed a mouthful of meat, the rich flavor filling her mouth. "By the way, what kind of meat is this? It's delicious," she asked, a little confused. She had never tasted anything like it.
"Oh, you don't know?" Mo Wang's face lit up with a mischievous glee.
"Wh-what?!" Jalter's heart sank.
"That's right. This is the leftover meat from the dragon-slaying festival. I saved some for you."
"You... you mean... this is Fafnir's meat?!" Jalter stared at him as if he were a demon. "You... you bastard! How could you!" She felt a sudden urge to vomit.
"Why would you vomit? Is it not delicious? I still have more," he said, waving two more skewers in front of her. The tantalizing aroma filled her nostrils.
"Gulp." She swallowed hard. It was Fafnir's meat, but it was so good! She couldn't resist! She could almost see the deceased Fafnir giving her a thumbs-up.
"Want another bite, Miss Jalter?" Mo Wang taunted.
"Groan! Just kill me now!" she cried out in anguish.
"Oh, the classic female knight line?" Mo Wang said with a satisfied grin. "Making a fallen saint say a classic female knight line. I'm a genius!"
"Enough! How long are you going to torture me?! Just do whatever you want!"
"Oh? You said it yourself," he said, and then pulled out a collection of strange little toys. "I didn't think I'd get to use these things I saw in Jarilo-VI again. Kekeke, let the interrogation begin."
"Stay away from me! You pervert! Get away!" Jalter shrieked, watching him approach with a fluffy pink feather.
"Let's start with the basics," he said with a harmless smile, and then gently tickled the bottom of her foot.
"Aaaah! Stop! Hahahaha... you bastard!" Her angry curses turned into uncontrollable laughter.
Next, he used a quill to draw a small turtle on her collarbone. "You...!" she gasped, her voice trembling. "I'll... burn you... to a crisp..."
"So talkative. I guess I'll have to shut you up," he said, and then stuffed a red apple in her mouth. He then proceeded to draw a tortoise on her left cheek, whiskers on her right, and the words "Idiot Witch" on her forehead. He even unbuttoned her collar and drew a small, roaring dragon on her chest.
"Mmph!" She shook her head frantically, apple juice dripping down her chin. She saw Jeanne turn away, her shoulders shaking suspiciously. She was definitely laughing!
When he finally took the apple out, Jalter was panting, her face a colorful mess. "I will... absolutely..."
"Hmm? You will what?" he asked, leaning in close.
Jeanne finally couldn't take it anymore. "Master... isn't this a little too much?"
"Is it?" he asked, holding up a mirror. "I think it's cute. See for yourself."
Jalter stared at her reflection in horror and then let out a bloodcurdling scream. "I! WILL! KILL! YOU!!!"
"See? She's much more energetic now," Mo Wang said, hiding behind Jeanne.
Jeanne looked at her other self, who was now throwing a tantrum, and thought that maybe... this wasn't such a bad ending after all.
"Oh, by the way, I took a picture," Mo Wang said, holding up his phone. It was a picture of Jalter, her face flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "I think I'll send this to the Marshal. I hope he doesn't have a heart attack."