Q and A session with white Hansaki

Few minutes passed since Hyosung was taken away by White for interrogation, still hovering above the clouds beneath the shattering sky.

Hyosung sank deeper into his thoughts while White took occasional glances of his mood in curiosity, the refreshing breeze howling through their ears as their bodies split through it.

"We're here," White broke the cold silence between them, stretching an accomplished grin across her face.

She embraced Hyosung tighter as she dove down towards an apartment-like complex which stood firmly in the unaffected region of Hagi, near other beautiful structures and houses.

Reaching a few meters above the ground, White released her grip on Hyosung, dropping him on the tiled floor and steadying his wandering thoughts.

THUD

A slight pained groan escaped his lips after hitting the ground. Hyosung pushed himself back on his feet, dusting off the pain just for his eyes to behold the unexpected.

'This is where she lives?' his thoughts shrieked.

Though it wasn't his fault, the floors of the streets were made of prism-patterned white tiles reaching the furthest distance, street lamps placed elegantly at the front of each house accordingly, their black floral iron designs radiating with class.

He was at a loss for words, but what left him truly awestruck was the house designs, some a beautiful mix of wood and concrete with dynamic color choices, others made completely of glass having customized iron rods for pillars, each with dim bulbs enclosed in plastic cages.

It wasn't too different from the homes in his past life, even then the architectural workmanship and use of unique structures were praiseworthy. After all, before dropping college to become a full-time author, he had studied Engineering under his brother's request.

"Follow me," White flicked her finger towards her direction, expecting him to follow.

Hyosung took a quick gulp of spit before heeding, various possibilities buzzing in his mind, but none felt quite right. The uncertainty made his steps grow heavy, eyes skimming the area for escape routes, just in case.

"We're here," her calm tone simmered down his raging thoughts, stretching her hand towards a white-painted concrete house with a wooden palisade and pillars. "Welcome to mi casa. Please come in."

Her words bore no ulterior motives, nor could Hyosung feel any animosity from her, which left him in disarray, not like he could tell if she had bad intentions or not. He kept his eyes locked on her movements as he walked past her, but she remained composed with a welcoming smile and closed eyes.

Upon pushing the door open, Hyosung's eyes were greeted by an astonishing view. The decor was a blinding white, a golden chandelier hung at the parlor's middle with blue bulbs nailed to each wall.

White dragged him inside and sat him down on her white couch. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She asked politely, almost like a completely different person.

"Uhmmm... yeah, why not. I guess," He replied hesitantly.

Hyosung was at a loss, but he didn't let his guard down, keeping his piercing gaze on her every movement as she strolled towards the kitchen, her demeanor like a bliss of colorful flowers.

Once she entered the small white door at the edge of the parlor's end, most likely her kitchen, the room became engulfed by silence, the only thing Hyosung could hear was his roaring heartbeat, clenching his laps tightly to brace himself.

"I'm here!" She burst out, holding a serving platter with teacups, biscuits in a glass bowl, shortcakes on flat plates, all white with golden floral designs.

'That was way too quick. How'd she pull it off?' Hyosung wondered.

Placing the platter on the table, "If you're wondering how I got them made so quickly, it's pretty simple, actually." She paused briefly. "That's a secret," her voice sternened.

'Though not steaming, a weak heat is emitting from the cup. Heat so faint it couldn't be from something freshly made, but if it were made before we entered, then after the time that passed, it should've gone cold. The system won't save me where I am now. I'll have to be careful not to slip up.'

"Oh... That's interesting... but this doesn't really feel like an interrogation," Hyosung's lips shivered as he spoke.

"Interrogation? Why'd I do that? I'm not as cold-hearted as you think I am!" White shifted her head to the side, puffing her right cheek.

"So why am I here..."

"For another fun game of course," She shot her gaze back at his direction, a warm yet mysterious smile latched to her face.

'Oh shiiiiii'

"But first, have some refreshments, of course," She stretched a warm hand toward the table as her cheeks flushed into a bright red.

Of course, Hyosung was skeptical, but the food's aroma drew him closer like a loving hand, his senses lost as he leaned his head forward to get a better sniff. He hadn't seen nor smelt such nice food since he arrived in this new world, so a nibble or two couldn't possibly hurt, or so he thought. However, White's overly stretched grin reminded him to stay alert.

"I think I'll pass," He responded politely, though his shuddering face betrayed his act.

"More for me then," She grabbed the biscuits and shortcakes, stuffing her mouth with them, washing it down with her warm tea as the snacks practically disappeared from the table.

'She's such a glutton. She didn't even try to convince me.'

CLANK

The loud sound of glass colliding broke through his thoughts in an instant, sharpening his mind. The snacks were finished, both teacups emptied, and White...

"Now that all the pleasantries are concluded, shall we get to business?" She asked with her usual icy tone, her warm demeanor reverting back to its original menacing form.

Hyosung swallowed his emotions hard and agreed, leaning forward with a sharpened gaze to read her as much as possible, trying to deduce her next choice of words.

"I'll make it simple. We'll play a game or rather a Q&A session with each other," her tone lax yet bore a deadly amount of intent. "We'll both ask each other 3 questions each. Whoever lies first loses and..."

Bang!

The thunderous sound of her stabbing her sheathed blade through the floor echoed throughout the walls and doors, shaking the very foundation of her home, breaking the glass utensils she kept on the table.

"Gets beheaded," a twisted smile grew on her face as she leaned towards Hyosung, whispering the last sentence in his ear.

He didn't even see her move nor flinch, all he could do was sit there with a surprised expression, feeling her warm breaths seep into his ears, her warm neck a few inches from his, yet he felt as if he were still trapped within the burning rubble.

Clapping her hands together, "Alright then, who's going first?" Her cheeks flushed a bright red as she gave off rosy, warm vibes. She had already regained the gap between them without him even noticing.

"What's the point of all this?" Hyosung asked, his emotions in knots.

"You'll know once we begin," her demeanor now pure, as if angel-like. "Now answer, who goes first!"

'She's crazy!'

"Ummm... why don't you go first, ask me anything..."

"Alrighty then, I'll start," She paused, crossing her arms and legs, then shutting her eyes. "WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?!"

'Huh?!'

"I don't have a specific color to call a favorite. I find all colors are attractive and shine when applied well to anything," He replied with broadened shoulders, masking his anxiety.

"Oh wow, that was quick! I didn't think you'd get a hang of it at first," She paused. "Now, what's your favorite food?"

'Another odd question?'

"Just like the last question, I'm not picky. All foods can be tasty and disgusting depending on how it's made. Even then, there are some specific dishes I'd like to keep as far away from me as possible."

'Like macaroni and cheese, for instance. I would wretch at the sight of it.'

She clapped with enthusiasm, bursting out in joy, "Another honest answer, well done, Hyosung!"

"Last question..." She paused dramatically. "If you were to choose whether to be reincarnated as a stone or dove, which would you pick?"

"Interesting question," He straightened his chest, still keeping a focused gaze on her. "But I'd pick neither. Whether it be a stagnant rock or a free dove, I enjoy the human life I live, and if possible, I'd like to remain human in every of my lives." He crossed his legs, redirecting his gaze towards the ceiling. "But it doesn't matter what I want because, in the end, the decision's not up to me."

White exhaled deeply, stretching her arms while resting her fingers, "Booooooring answer, but I dig it," She concluded, her tone lighter than it was previously.

Hyosung straightened his posture, as if about to say something infuriating, "It's my turn, so you best answer honestly," his tone shook, though determination still shone brightly in his eyes.

"Of course, I don't like to cheat," She replied smoothly.

"First question," He paused, inhaling as much air as his lungs could hold. "When Sylzao was getting arrested, you didn't seem bothered or worried, despite the fact he's raised you the majority of your life. May I ask why?" He rested his chin on his enclosed palms, trying to ease his tensing nerves.

"The answer is simple," She waved her hand with a warm smile, "Because I had planned to get him exposed before you were even discovered."

"Huh?"

She chuckled lightly, "I'm sure you had many questions before, but now they've doubled, am I right?" She let out a brief sigh before continuing. "But you only have 2 more questions, so use them wisely," she taunted.

At that point, it was obvious she was playing mind games with Hyosung, leaving him at steep ends as floods of questions swept through his thoughts. Why would she? Who is she? What does she stand to gain? Is there a reason she's telling me so bluntly? And so on played like a broken record in his head.

"You look quite puzzled, Hyosung. Is something the matter?" She stretched a taunting grin, her eyes glistening with disdain. "Though I get how you feel. I also had some questions, like how you made it here despite this place being a separate dimension, how you exposed Sylzao like it was nothing, what your real powers blah blah blah, but instead, I narrowed it down to the 3 more important questions I had."

Her intimidating words shot through his composure, making him flinch where he sat, shivering, but not because of the AC he sat under. He racked his thoughts together, trying to pick the best questions, the mere tension squeezing the sanity from his brain.

Hyosung exhaled briefly, trying to calm his jumping nerves, "My next question is rather simple..." He narrowed his eyes, masking his anxiety once more. "How are you and Sylzao connected... is he your uncle or?..." The words deceptively smooth as they escaped his lips.

"Have you heard of the Hansaki flower?" She asked.

"I have, actually, though I've never seen it before," Hyosung replied with a calm expression, but his tapping feet gave him away.

'That's mainly because I'm the one who created it and the lore around it, even though I've never seen it eye to eye, I know every detail about them.'

She straightened her relaxed posture, "I'm also sure you know what they represent, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," He replied, raising his eyebrow in confusion.

'The Hansaki was an astonishing flower with white petals which only grew in places where mass unburied corpses gathered. Or at least that's how I described it in my novel, though I don't understand how it's related to my question.'

"Someone happened to find me in an isolated forest... I barely remember anything about my life before that moment, other than vague flashes," She paused, letting her heavy words lighten on her lips.

"In that forest, I sat there, confused, with no idea who I was or what I was doing there... all I knew was I had my body covered in blood from my hair to my feet." The air around her thickened as her demeanor dimmed, as if another presence had possessed her body. "The only thing beside me was a sheathed sword resting by my side... The very sword you see beside me now."

Hyosung felt it too, the sudden shift in atmosphere, but he remained composed, though his pounding chest spoke otherwise. For the first time, he caught a glimpse of something more human from her, the mix of anger and sadness she expressed resonating with him deeply, but lending her a comforting shoulder was the farthest thing from his mind.

"That's when an old woman came from nowhere, rescuing me. I was scared, but she gave me comfort... she was a nice lady. Before she took me out of the forest, I pulled out a Hansaki flower from the ground... And stretched it towards her. Strangely, I was unbothered by the toxins nor sharp roots, naturally the old lady was a bit stunned as well." White shot up from her seat in one swift motion. "I still don't remember anything before that, but to cut a long story short, when the woman died, she handed me over to Sylzao, and me and him didn't exactly share a connection."

Hyosung squeezed his face until it wrinkled, trying to stop the outpour of tears welling in his eyes.

Her response was vague, clearly leaving out important minor details from her answers, yet they were answers nonetheless. Hyosung didn't have time to pity, many questions still rallied in his head.

"I don't understand... what's your overall objective? What do you stand to gain from all this?"

"Another simple question. I'm sure you're aware of the events that'll occur 2 hours from now. Once the sky cracks completely, the spell will break, and Hadon will return back to Earth. Till then, neither you, Black, Sylzao, the nobles, or even I can stop it, and the person who cast the spell won't be found anytime soon, so it's only just a matter of time."

"Where's Urane!" Hyosung burst out, his body nearly tumbling down.

Yet all White did was stroll further to the corners of the parlor, staring at the wall for a few seconds before turning her head towards Hyosung.

"I'm sorry to say this, but..." She paused, basking in Hyosung's desperation with a sinister smile. "You've exhausted all 3 questions. I'm not obliged to answer you any longer."

Hyosung staggered, trying to process the information he just received, unable to decipher the truth from a lie, not even his author system providing him this much detail, yet she didn't stutter once, exposing herself to him with ease.

Could it be she didn't consider him a threat? No, it could be because she had plans to dispose of him straight after, but if so, why hadn't she done anything, unless she was lying to get him to react in some way she could use against him. His thoughts raced till his head started to throb.

White stared at him without a single utterance, yet Hyosung could hear her mocking chuckles echoing in his head, the feeling of sympathy he had for her severed like a loose thread.

No! He couldn't accept defeat so easily. His curiosities may burn through his mind, but he wouldn't give her the pleasure of watching him fall apart...

'I see now... that's why she asked me all those stupid questions first. She set me up from the start so that she could learn about me gradually... but how much does she already know?!' His mind simmered down to a single thought.

Thus, he slowed his racing thoughts, counting 50 - 0 in his head to gather his concentration, wiping his arm on his face to clean the mess that had built up. "Haaaaaa... aaahh," he let out, gripping the table tightly as he straightened his posture.

"So why'd you tell me all this if it was true? Don't you know you're putting your plans at risk?" Hyosung took a few steps backward, putting up a cocky facade.

"That's another question, so I won't answer," She replied, staring at the wall. "I don't consider you a threat, because I have a fail-safe," Turning her body towards Hyosung, White pointed at her blade, half-buried beneath the tiled floor.

Hyosung stared, but he didn't understand. Did it mean she would strike him down if he slipped up? That was the only logical conclusion anyone would come to, just for it to be an understatement.

White's katana had an enchantment embedded in the iron, only she knew about it.

Its mechanism was rather simplistic... Anything she cuts becomes an extension of her self, meaning she has complete control over their body's functions ONLY. Its drawback was also rather simple... she'd have to gain a better understanding of that thing to have greater control over it.

She plastered a straight, readable expression. "I'll strike you down with my blade if you ever get too cocky," her words a deceptive truth.

Whilst the screen hovered steadily before him...

[Character info.]

[White Hansaki]

[Level insufficient.]

Hyosung had no choice but to trust her words, after all, not even the system would give up info on White, not to mention the scene he went through wasn't present in the chapters for reasons unknown to him.

Even then, a pulsing sensation at the back of his neck didn't let her words sit well, his palpating heart only making things worse, but he folded his palms into fists and swallowed his thoughts.

"Don't worry, though. I have my own reasons for keeping you safe. Just keep acting like a good boy, and we won't have any problems," She spoke, her words either a warning or a threat.

Hyosung couldn't protest nor reject. He was trapped as her pawn, and worst of all, she admitted it to his face. He couldn't read her personality, but her sinister intent was plainly written on her face.

'Just what is she!'

Even in his days as an author, he'd never written a character this conniving, a character so devious she'd even outsmart the author... even the system itself took her as someone for

midable.

A few minutes remained until the foundation of Hadon came crashing down, and all she left for Hyosung were vague answers and even more baffling questions.

White Hansaki... The demon in angel garments.