Chapter 5: The Suffocating Standoff

At this very moment, Eleanor yearned with all her heart for the deranged leader to simply forget about her existence. Dying quietly in the cage seemed like a far more merciful end than having her neck brutally kicked off by him.

A werewolf wheeled the cage to the hall's center and roughly dragged Eleanor out. Kneeling on the cold, hard ground, she timidly lifted her head. There, she beheld Lord Vesper lounging casually sideways on the armchair, his eyes boring into her with a piercing intensity. Her heart lurched in her chest, and she hastily lowered her head once more, as if trying to disappear into the floor.

"Lift your head. It's not like I'm going to eat you," Vesper's deep voice resonated through the hall, carrying with it a wild, almost magnetic charm that was difficult to resist.

"Burp...burp..."

Soft laughter erupted all around, filling the air and making the already tense atmosphere even more unbearably awkward.

"Burp...burp..." Eleanor bit her lip hard, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. She thought, What's the point? I'm probably going to die anyway. Since you want to see my face so badly, have a good look! With a sudden burst of resolve, she lifted her head defiantly and met Vesper's sharp, probing gaze without flinching.

This was the first time Eleanor had truly taken a good look at the man. His face was stern, with eyebrows as sharp as knives. The short hair on his forehead was casually swept upwards, revealing a pair of eyes as sharp as an eagle's. His straight, heroic nose led down to a set of beautifully shaped lips that curled up ever so slightly, exuding an air of arrogance and absolute dominance.

After a brief moment of eye contact, Eleanor felt a strange flutter in her chest and awkwardly averted her gaze. Damn it, this werewolf is incredibly handsome! But this momentary distraction was short - lived. The memory of the earlier brutal scene flashed before her eyes, sending a chill of fear down her spine. She had no idea what kind of gruesome death awaited her next.

"Bold. A mere human dares to look at me like this," Vesper's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he regarded her with a newfound interest. "As you just heard, I never make a losing deal. Since you begged me not to kill you earlier, now you must give me some benefits..."

As he spoke, Vesper suddenly leaned forward, his firm pectoral muscles briefly visible through the slightly open collar of his shirt. "Now, you must answer my questions truthfully," he commanded, his voice dropping to a menacing growl.

"Okay, no problem," Eleanor nodded vigorously, adhering to the principle that cooperation was her only hope. She needed to placate this beast of a man and leave a favorable impression, at least for the time being.

"What is your relationship with the Scarlet Lady?" Vesper cut straight to the chase.

Although Eleanor was desperate to show her sincerity, this first question caught her completely off - guard. What was her relationship with the Scarlet Lady? Damn it, she didn't even know who the woman was! But in this precarious situation, if she immediately denied any connection, would the demon lord simply execute her on the spot as a useless burden? From their earlier conversation, she had gathered that this Scarlet Lady was some sort of traitor. If she claimed to have a special relationship with her, she would surely face excruciating torture. The label of a traitor's accomplice was a death sentence she couldn't afford.

Eleanor's mind raced at breakneck speed. Vesper, ever - perceptive, immediately noticed her hesitation. "What are you thinking? If you dare to utter a single lie, I'll twist your head off, tie it to my foot, and throw it into the river to feed the fish," he threatened, his voice dripping with venom.

Damn! He was truly a wolf in human form, with terrifyingly sharp instincts. Eleanor felt a moment of panic but quickly composed herself. If I'm going to die anyway, I might as well choose the easier path. "I don't know that Scarlet Lady at all," she replied, her voice surprisingly steady.

"Don't know?" Vesper frowned, his fingers drumming lightly against his lips. "If you don't know her, why were you there, and why did the Scarlet Lady just happen to disappear?"

"Well...I don't know," Eleanor forced a smile, her peach - blossom eyes blinking rapidly. Please, don't let him kick my neck off for this, she prayed silently.

"Don't know?" Vesper looked at her in disbelief. He had encountered those who remained stubbornly silent, and those who spun elaborate tales, but this was the first time he had heard such a blunt and unconvincing excuse.

"Are you looking down on me?" Vesper's face darkened, a cold glint flashing in his slightly narrowed eyes.

Eleanor's throat constricted, and she stammered, "I'm telling the truth. I don't know why I was there because I time - traveled. Don't believe me? Ask him!" She pointed frantically at the young man in white standing not far away.

Vesper turned his gaze in the direction she indicated and frowned. "Mark, what's going on?" he demanded.

Mark glanced at Eleanor and recounted the story she had told him earlier. After listening intently, Vesper's face remained inscrutable. He simply lowered his head and began to play with a black - gold ring on his hand. Everyone in the hall held their breath, waiting with bated breath for his reaction. After a long, tense moment, he murmured, "Interesting. So your knowledge of martial arts does make some sense. Here, humans are forbidden to learn martial arts; otherwise, their hands and feet will be cut off."

"What?" Eleanor's scalp tingled, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. "My skills aren't really martial arts, just self - defense...just self - defense..." she stammered, her voice rising in panic.

Vesper then asked, "Who taught you this self - defense?"

"It was taught by my sworn brother, Jack. This kid's boxing skills are famous in school. It's said that his family used to run a martial arts school, but it went bankrupt later," she explained, hoping the fabricated story would hold up.

"Martial arts school?" Vesper frowned, clearly skeptical. The idea that humans would run a martial arts school seemed almost unfathomable to him. Although he wasn't overly concerned about Eleanor's self - defense skills, her story had piqued his curiosity. He wanted to see just how capable this human woman was. He waved to Alexa nearby and said, "Alexa, be her opponent and fight for me to see."

"..." Eleanor's head spun. This demon had a sudden whim to make her fight a werewolf! With her limited skills, she'd be swatted like a fly in an instant!

Panicking, she tried to stop him. "Hey, why trouble this handsome guy? If the boss wants to see it, I can demonstrate it to you myself," she said, her voice shrill with desperation.

"Demonstrate by yourself?" Vesper looked at her, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Of...of course!" Eleanor felt her heart pounding in her chest. She quickly stood up, took a step forward, and struck a somewhat decent pose. Then, she took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

All the werewolves in the hall held their breath and widened their eyes, eagerly waiting to see what Eleanor would do next.

At this moment, Eleanor's mind was in overdrive. She knew all too well that in the eyes of these werewolves, a human knowing martial arts was a serious taboo. Vesper's request for her to fight a werewolf was clearly a test. If she showed any real skill, the werewolf might well kill her on the spot. So, she had to tread carefully, to put on a show and muddle through this dangerous situation.