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While you had won this handily, and with only a sore spot on your back in exchange, you definitely couldn’t follow up on it long term. There wasn’t anybody to help drag away a prisoner, and help would be on the way for this woman soon enough. So you had to get what you wanted fast- and then get away.
Some coercion would help negotiations, you thought as you slipped a hand into your waistband, and beyond, to find your Lucky Razor tucked into your underclothing.
It was honestly an ironic name. If you actually needed it, then you hadn’t been lucky at all, but it was even sharper than the knife you had on you, and didn’t need much effort to make a mess. There was a precision to it you wanted to exploit.
“Is now the time for that?” the dark-haired woman asked with a sneer, sweat beading on her head. Trying to put on a strong face.
“Shaddup,” you said as you pulled the razor out and unfolded it. “Listen. We both know that you’re not the IO. If I took you or a piece a’ you to ‘em, though, I know they like surprise presents. No matter what, I win. Just a matter of how much <span class="mu-i">you</span> lose.” You gave the razor a light tough to her cheek, and a line of blood ran down near instantly. The drop shed was licked off your razor- the familiar taste of iron spread over your tongue. “What piece of you d’you should I take as a trophy, huh? Do I do that, or do y’ tell me what I want to hear?” You pushed the razor down again. “Answer <span class="mu-i">now</span>.”
“What do you want,” the woman said a bit too fast, though her voice kept cool. Not trying to deny her position anymore at least.
“Tell me who you are,” you said, “Why you’re here. Just that, and I’ll let you go. I’ll only be this nice <span class="mu-i">once</span>.”
A second of contemplation. “You seem to already have a good guess at who I’m with. Who <span class="mu-i">I</span> am isn’t of any value to you.” A few passersby had noticed what was going on and were watching warily. Better everything kept quiet.
“You’re right. Your name is Pepper Cunt for all I care. Talk. You here to kill me? Or Edelschwert? The other bitch?”
“No.” Pepper Cunt said flatly, “We were offered an opportunity to return to our home country. A safe place to be, sheltered from the spite of the new authorities, perhaps until they collapse like they’ve done before.”
Time to interject before the manifesto. “Spare me the political opinions. I don’t give a shit. Who gave you that offer?”
“I don’t know who offered it. Our leader was very confident of it working out. We would be able to return home, or at least, close enough to it. All we had to do was one thing.”
Was this a lie? Mathilda had implied vengeance might be more the motivation, but her warning could have been based off of assumptions. The most dangerous possibility being the most reasonable to prepare for in the absence of information. “What’s that one thing then?”
“Take you or Edelschwert out of the picture.”
