Demon King of Tyranny Anos Voldigoad in The Eminence in Shadow

Chapter 14 - Iris Midgar

Claire Kageno sat in a chair, her hands tied behind her back as she was interrogated by Princess Iris Midgar in her office. The red-haired princess stood tall and imposing in front of her, her piercing gaze locked onto Claire.

"Why did you try to attack us, Claire?" Iris asked, her voice cold and commanding.

"Because you tortured my brother!" Claire spat back, her eyes flashing with anger.

"I did what was necessary to find my sister," Iris replied firmly. "Your brother was a suspect in her abduction, and we needed to know what he knew."

"He didn't know anything!" Claire protested. "He's just a kid who got caught up in all of this!"

Iris's expression softened slightly, realizing that Claire too also cared deeply for her younger sibling just like herself but her tone still remained firm. "I understand that Claire, but we had to investigate all possible leads. Your brother is safe now, and we will not harm him further."

Claire slumped back in her chair, her anger deflating slightly. "I just...I couldn't bear to see him hurt anymore," she said quietly.

"I understand," Iris said, her voice gentler now. "But attacking here was not the solution. We need to work together to find my sister and bring her home safely."

Claire nodded, her eyes downcast. "I know. I'm sorry for what I did. I just...I couldn't control myself."

"I forgive you, Claire," Iris said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But you need to learn to control your emotions, especially in times of crisis. We're all on the same side here, fighting for the safety of our kingdom and our loved ones."

Claire nodded again, her eyes meeting Iris's. "I understand, First Princess. I'll do better."

"Good," Iris said, smiling slightly, and walked back to her chair behind the desk.

As Claire was looking anxiously at Iris with her hands still tied behind her back. Iris leaned forward on her desk and put her hands under her chin. After silently looking at the setting sun through the window, her red eyes then focused back on Claire on the chair.

She said in a serious voice.

"Lastly, I heard you didn't attack alone. Is that true?"

Claire hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to reveal the identity of the man who had helped her rescue Cid. But she knew that keeping secrets would only make things worse, so she took a deep breath and answered truthfully.

"I... don't know."

Iris frowned, realizing that Claire was lying. "You don't know? Or you don't want to tell me?"

Claire shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling trapped. "I really don't know," she repeated.

Iris narrowed her eyes, studying Claire's face carefully. She knew that Claire was hiding something, but she also knew that pushing too hard could cause her to shut down completely. She decided to take a different approach.

"Look, Claire, I understand that you're trying to protect someone," Iris said, her voice softening. "But we need to work together to bring my sister back. I promise that whoever helped you won't be punished if they come forward and help us find her."

Claire bit her lip, her mind racing. She knew that she needed to tell Iris something, even though she knows nothing about the identity of the man.

Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke. "It was...a tall black-haired man. I don't know his name, but I think he's... a senior f-friend of Cid? He helped me rescue him from your guards. And then... Umm, he disappeared afterward."