The moment the Vouivre brute saw Jeanne, he felt something in his blood begin to boil, yet a mounting sense of panic gripped his heart.
Those eyes seemed to possess a strange magic. While dark gold eyes were rare, none he had ever encountered felt like this. He didn't know what was happening to him—was it a curse? Why did his body feel so alien the moment she looked at him? Why did everything feel so wrong?
That strange sensation seemed to flow from the deepest depths of his blood—something passed down from a distant past, a tremor originating from the very nature of a Vouivre. The power of the Sub-Dragon race, once known as Wyverns, began to awaken in the depths of his soul, granting him a massive surge in physical strength.
"What did you do? Why did I feel wrong the moment I saw you? Is this some strange Originium Art?"
He didn't feel happy about this sudden surge of power. Instead, he suspected this unknown strength was a "poisoned candy" given to him by his opponent. But shouldn't her Art be the iron thorns that had trapped him? How could something this eerie happen? Had he completely misjudged her?
The Vouivre became restless and irritable. He wanted to reach out and crush the girl's head into a pulp. He figured that no matter what weird ability she had, the power would vanish once she was dead.
As he thought this, he realized Jeanne was looking at him with eyes as cold as a knife, tinged with a faint, simmering rage.
Despite Jeanne telling everyone she was fine and hadn't taken the assassination attempt to heart, how could she truly ignore it? It would be one thing if she were alone, but she had two others in the car with her at the time! Though Shirayuki and Little Angel were there under orders to protect her and handle trouble, Jeanne was the one who had brought them into such danger.
If anything had happened to them, how could she possibly face them?
"What do you know? If you speak now, perhaps the LGD will consider a lighter sentence?"
At this moment, Jeanne had not yet issued a direct command, nor had she used her inherent skill, "Dragon Witch." Naturally, her words lacked any supernatural weight. The man's face twisted into a sneer, a silent mockery of what he perceived as powerless babbling.
"That's it? That's all? No wonder you're a coward who only dares meet me under the protection of these two."
The Vouivre watched Jeanne's expression closely, looking for any sign of weakness.
"Even your threats are so weak. Are you some family's mascot? You're even more useless than the one before you!"
To his disappointment, Jeanne didn't seem to hear him. She continued to stare with those dark gold eyes, making every pore on his skin crawl with discomfort. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. Why was he acting so out of character? Was he actually afraid of a little girl?
He looked at her; her calves weren't even as thick as his arms, and her limbs were like thin bamboo poles. Snapping them would be as easy as breaking chopsticks. He kept reassuring himself, but his confidence was dwindling. His constant mocking was less about making her angry enough to charge him and more about bolstering his own courage.
She's just a girl. There's nothing to fear. You're a brave Vouivre mob star, and this frail brat is just a vase...
"Fine. Since you want the truth so badly, prove to me you're a warrior capable of defeating me! At the very least, you need enough courage, right?"
The Vouivre warrior's tone shifted, wearing an expression that said, I have no other choice, so I'll agree—but I won't tell a weakling.
Jeanne could clearly read the intent behind his expression. She wondered if she really looked like a mother hen wandering into a weasel's den, or if she just looked like an easily fooled "sweet and naive" girl in his eyes.
"There are things I only want to tell the one who defeated me. If you truly have the courage, why don't you step a little closer? I'll tell you everything I know."
He assumed she wouldn't leave the safety of the two "blues," but this was his only chance to complete his mission. For this nearly impossible task, he was willing to try this meaningless ploy. His strength had increased significantly since her arrival; he could snap the handcuffs at any moment, provided she left that troublesome circle of protection.
To his absolute shock, the girl actually believed him. She intended to step out from behind the two officers and approach him to hear his "secrets."
"Jeanne... be careful."
Ch'en started to stop her, but Jeanne turned and gave her a look that signaled "trust me." Ch'en and Hoshiguma saw her slight nod. They knew Jeanne wasn't reckless or brainless; she must have a reason.
Ch'en turned away and signaled toward the surveillance camera in the corner. She did this right in front of the Vouivre, making no attempt to hide her actions. Outside, Swire saw the signal and personally took control of the corner-mounted sniper crossbow, aiming it directly at the Vouivre's head, ready to fire. Even if Jeanne got close, the room was designed so that every angle of the interrogation chair was covered.
" I am close enough now. So, what do you want to say? Where are these secrets of yours?"
Jeanne looked at the brute with a gaze that mixed scrutiny with amusement. If she guessed correctly, the man's heart was currently full of hope, like a rising sun.
Just as she thought, the Vouivre was struggling to suppress a laugh, looking at Jeanne as if she were the world's biggest fool.
"Of course, you brave little girl. I really didn't expect you to have such courage—to face a dangerous man like me alone just for some information. I'm truly moved..."
He acted the part of a criminal moved by her bravery, ready to turn over a new leaf and tell her everything. He was fully invested in the performance. Jeanne, watching him, felt a wave of "disgusting" chills.
"I'll tell you. I definitely will. It's just... I didn't agree on where to tell you, did I? Let's catch up in Hell!"
With a roar, the brute snapped his handcuffs and swung his massive hands toward Jeanne's head. He anticipated the beautiful scene of her skull shattering.
"Stop."
Just as Ch'en was about to draw Chi Xiao, two words from Jeanne made her pause. The brute froze mid-lunge, standing there motionless. Even Hoshiguma, who had rushed forward to protect Jeanne, couldn't understand what had happened. Why wasn't he moving?
The Vouivre's entire body was trembling slightly, but he was pinned in place like a cockroach trapped in a massive block of amber, unable to move a single inch.