130: Cross-examination Guidance

July 10, 2022 – 3 minutes read – 536 words

My butler turns his head as he sticks a needle under the spy’s fingernail.

“Hey! Don’t turn your eyes away! You can’t know if you’re hitting the right places if you don’t watch! Eyes on the prize! Make sure to wiggle the needle after it goes in! Then the pain stays sharp instead of fading! No, that’s not the right way!” Pat

I try to demonstrate the technique for a second time.

“Remember this! When you go to peel the fingernail, you start from here…

It’s time to move onto breaking the finger bones, you’ll want this tool and you’ll hit here…

You’ve got to check the victim’s face, he’s saying that you haven’t done enough there!

Priority one is to monitor the bleeding so they can’t bleed out.
If they lose too much, a potion isn’t going to do shit…” Pat

I continue with my explanation while encouraging my butler to follow along.
We are forced to listen to the screams of the three spies as they continue to keep their secrets.

I don’t really care about the screams, but my butler seems increasingly spooked.

“So this guy has gone for two rounds without breaking, very admirable, but annoying.
We’ll need to add in something new, unfortunately it’s a bit risky.

I’m going to take this needle here and stab it right into his vein.
Now, we’ll let it drain into this container, it’s gotta be a glass container.
See this mark, that’s when he’s a goner.
Lose that much blood and there’s nothing that can bring you back.

As the jar slowly fills up, it’s a countdown of his remaining life! When pain doesn’t work, this always works! Nobody has been able to withstand this!” Pat

After my lecture, my thankless butler collapsed on a couch.
A few minutes later, the gatekeeper came in to give a message.

“Master, a messenger from Count Abbott is here to see you.” Gatekeeper

When I hear the knock, I respond with “Come in.”

I check the messenger from Count Abbott, he’s a sharp-eyed man of around 50 years old, a little shorter than me.
He’s got short brown hair with brown eyes.

“Oh, it’s Conan? Long time no see.” Pat

“It has been a long time.
I hoped that I would never need to see you again, but the Count ordered me to be his emissary.” Conan

Conan is a servant of Count Abbott, who was previously caught by me while he was trying to spy in my territory.

“Well, don’t be so downbeat.
You made it longer than the rest of the spies from that incident, I admire your gumption.
What are you here for?” Pat

“The Count has an urgent matter he needs to deliver face-to-face.
He can visit here or you can visit his mansion.” Conan

“I’m in the middle of an interrogation session, so I would kindly ask him to visit here.” Pat

Conan turns a bit green at my response, but collects himself to give an answer.

“I hear your answer, sir.
I will let my master know you wish for him to visit.
Excuse me.” Conan

Conan turned and hurried as fast as etiquette would allow him out of my mansion.