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"Emir, I think this is too big for us. We should take these guys to the Knights and let them deal with this matter..." says Irina tensely, after learning that the Solus Temple has us in their sights as a target to be eliminated.
"... I know it doesn't seem like the best idea, but we really don't have many other options. I have some contacts in the knights' order and—"
"No. Don't worry, Irina. I already have a plan to solve this problem..." I say as I open an illusory door to the clinic so that the young woman can reunite with her friends and my girlfriends.
I'm completely furious, but I still have to hold back my anger for a few more minutes.
When I get to one of the Solus Temple locations, I'll be able to unleash my fury without any problem.
But first, I need Irina to go back to the clinic.
"... You've already helped me enough. Now I want you to go to the clinic to meet with the others and get some rest."
"Hmm, okay, I guess... Emir... I know I have no right to ask this of you, but... don't do anything crazy..." she says, looking at me with concern.
"... Remember that there are people at home who care about you... Erm... Alessia and Delia would be sorrowful if something bad happened to you."
"Yes. I'm very aware of that. And the feeling is mutual..." I say as Irina looks away to gaze at the horizon.
"... That's why I have to make sure I fix this. We can't live like this."
"I-I see... Well... I wish you luck with your plan," Irina says and hurries through the illusory door.
"Good. Now that we're alone, I'm going to take you directly to that place you've apparently made so many plans for," I say and open an illusory door to my house in the capital.
Then I tie the four bound bodies of the criminals into a single bundle, which I proceed to drag toward the illusory door.
"Haa... Do whatever you want. We can't contradict you, even if we wanted to," says the leader of the four men irritably as he is dragged through the door.
"Exactly..." I say, in the hall of my house, as I begin to inspect the map on my interface in search of the nearest temple.
'Haa...
There's one closer than I thought...
I don't like that.'
"... Now you are going to accompany me on a little walk."
"Are you taking us to the Knights' order?" Mauricio asks incredulously.
"No. We're going somewhere else," I say and begin to pull on the rope that binds them to force them to walk toward the temple.
...
"Boy, my men and I have quite a bit of money in our possession... This doesn't have to end badly... Couldn't we solve our problem like civilized people?" Ivan says suddenly, moments after breaking through the walls surrounding the large rural residential area where my house is located.
"Unfortunately for you, my civilized side has taken a forced vacation. I don't think there's any way this will end well for you today," I say tensely.
'Just a little longer... Just a few more minutes and I'll be able to get even with these bastards.'
"Haa... I figured as much, but I had to try... I didn't think I'd end up becoming a slave," says the leader of the criminal gang with a mixture of irritation and resignation.
'Slave?... Bah... I'm going to let him think what he wants; he'll soon realize his mistake.'
'What are you going to do to them, kiddo? If you want, I can give you some ideas.'
'Don't worry. I know what I have to do with them.'
'Okay... I'm curious to see what you'll do... I can feel your anger, and I find it very strange that you're trying so hard to keep it at bay... It's more fun to let those kinds of emotions out.'
'Be quiet... I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now.'
'Yeah, I can tell that too. But don't worry, you don't really have to tell me anything. I'll find out anyway.'
As we walk, people on the streets look with a mixture of curiosity and fear at the four handcuffed men, who are being dragged along like cattle.
But after looking me in the face, everyone looks away and gets out of our way.
After several minutes of walking, we arrive in front of the temple I have chosen as the target for my demonstration, right at its entrance.
"A temple? W-What are you trying to do by bringing us here?" Ivan asks, looking at me with concern.
"I want you to confess in front of multiple witnesses what you told me in the meadow," I say in a falsely calm voice.
"Are you crazy, boy? If we do that, we'll be signing our death warrant even more than we already have," Mauricio says incredulously.
"Oh, don't worry about that. Your fates were sealed the moment you decided to make me and my girls your targets..." I say quietly, as a growing crowd begins to watch the four bound men with curiosity.
"...You will die today. If you do as I ask, I guarantee you a quick and painless death. If you refuse... Well, I think you can imagine what awaits you."
"Why should we obey you if we're going to die anyway? If we confess in front of the temple, we'll be ruining the lives of many people," Zack asks, looking at me with the same disbelief as his companion.
"I think you're wrong about that. You see... This is another benefit for you in what I'm asking. We're here, so it's obvious you've confessed..." I say with a sinister smile as I see some of the curious onlookers begin to call to the people inside the temple to come and investigate the reason why, in front of their temple, there is a man leading four other men who are bound.
'Just a little more'
The crowd of onlookers is growing.
But this is precisely what I imagined would happen.
After all, both the criminals and I have numerous fresh bloodstains on our skin and clothes due to our little torture session.
"... But if you do as I ask, the Solus Temple will no longer have any reason to go after your family and friends, because it makes no sense for them to punish your acquaintances if you are already dead, right? How would the temple benefit from that?"
'Ha!...
The truth is, I don't give a damn what happens to the families of these bastards, but I need them to publicly confess what they told me so I can expose how rotten the Solus Temple is...
If they don't confess...
Well, I'll have to resort to more complicated methods to expose the true nature of the temple to the public...
Or I can just use the method that made them talk the first time.'
'I'm ready to help you when you ask, kiddo. These kinds of situations are where I feel like a fish in water.'
'Okay... But for now, I don't think I'll need your help. I'm convinced that at least one of the four will accept my offer.'
My words have the expected effect on the four men, as it would not be easy for anyone to accept that they are going to die that same day.
But each man's reaction is entirely unique.
Mauricio, one of the two youngest men in the group, seems completely shocked by the immediacy of the end of his life.
On the other hand, Zack is completely desperate. "This is idiotic. Your plan, this situation... Shit... I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die."
"I refuse to help you, you bastard..." says Ivan, looking at me with resentment.
"... If I'm going to die anyway, I'm going to do it fighting. And if the only way I can fight is by contradicting you, then so be it."
"All right, I'll do it," says Horatio, the oldest of the four, speaking decisively for the first time since we captured him.
"Horatio! Have you lost your mind? Don't give this crazy man the satisfaction. His offer makes no sense," says Ivan irritably.
"I know, boss... But I'm still going to try. What else can I do? I don't blame you for talking in the meadow, because I was about to do the same thing myself..." says the gray-haired man sadly.
"... However, my daughters are not to blame for the way I earn my living. If confessing offers even the slightest chance of saving their lives, then I will do everything in my power to achieve it."
"Haa... I think you're clinging to a vain hope, but do what you want... It's your right..." says Ivan, looking at his companion with bitterness and sorrow.
"... You're the only one of the four of us who has a family... I knew you'd regret it at some point. People like us... are better off alone."
"I don't regret it. However, I hate the idea that my daughters will have to suffer because of me..." says Horatio, looking at him with a sad smile, after which he turns to look at me.
"... So you win, kid. I'll do what you ask."
"Good. I'm glad that at least one of the four of you has decided to accept my proposal..." I say with feigned joy in a low voice so that no one in the crowd that has gathered around us can hear us.
"... And it was just in time, because it looks like we've finally gotten some of those self-righteous people to come out and see what we're doing here."