Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Three chances
Warning: This chapter contains explicit depictions of violence and brutality.

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Neonidas, with the help of two child girls, managed to identify the maid who was still lingering in the mansion. Afterward, he told the girls to return to their play and leave the matter to him. The maid, who had been spying, was currently alone in a room, ostensibly cleaning but clearly searching for any useful information she could find.

When Neonidas entered the room, the maid immediately straightened up, masking her expression with professional grace and bowing her head respectfully. However, Neonidas could sense she was on edge, prepared for any sudden attack. Considering she was likely sent by a duchy or at least someone of considerable power, it was safe to assume her skills were advanced. While she might not be able to defeat him in a fight, she could definitely escape if given the chance.

“So, here you are…” Neonidas said, his face adorned with the expression of a lecherous man.

“Does His Excellency require my service?” the maid asked politely.

She was an utterly average-looking woman with no striking feminine features. Her ordinary appearance was an advantage, allowing her to avoid drawing attention.

“Yes… I’ve been watching you and must say, you’re truly beautiful. Would you become my concubine?” Neonidas asked, his voice laced with false desire.

The maid’s eyes widened in shock as she watched Neonidas approach her with apparent lust. Yet, within moments, she realized this could be an excellent opportunity. After all, it wasn’t surprising for a foolish duke to be so easily captivated by women, and she knew from experience just how loose-lipped such men could be in bed.

Straightening up with a broad smile, she eagerly opened her mouth to accept his offer, but before she could utter a word, Neonidas’s fist slammed into her stomach. The force sent her sprawling to the ground. She immediately realized something was wrong and reached for the blade hidden in her stocking. However, Neonidas struck her back with a powerful knee, using all his strength.

Though the maid was a professional spy with impressive agility, she had been caught off guard and injured, leaving her at a severe disadvantage. Neonidas’s relentless strikes continued. Within a few punches, he had managed to knock her unconscious, likely breaking a few of her bones in the process.

Her lack of endurance, likely because of her expertise in speed and stealth, made her vulnerable. Grabbing her by the hair, Neonidas began to drag her slowly. Considering there might be other spies in the mansion, he carefully lifted her into his arms, pretending to carry her tenderly as though taking her to the infirmary or perhaps his bed. Fortunately, he encountered only a few servants in the hallways who merely glanced curiously before continuing with their tasks.

He brought the unconscious maid to his bedroom, which was safeguarded by magical soundproofing. After tying her securely with sturdy ropes, Neonidas called for a few trusted guards.

The guards arrived promptly, standing at the door as Neonidas cracked it open to gesture for them to enter. Upon seeing the bound woman lying on the floor, their surprise was evident, but they said nothing under the weight of Neonidas’s stern gaze.

“This woman is a spy. I want to know who sent her,” he said coldly. “However, take her to another room discreetly. I don’t want this place sullied.”

Even the guards shuddered slightly at his tone.

Neonidas chose not to summon Soren and Solara, thinking they still had much to discuss. Instead, he relied on these highly capable guards, who swiftly removed the other servants from the vicinity under a pretense and carried the maid away to the mansion’s dungeons.

The dungeons, hidden beneath the mansion, were some of the darkest and most isolated areas of the estate. While primarily used for storage, Neonidas had secretly repurposed a few rooms for situations just like this. When the maid was brought to one of these chambers, she was still unconscious. The guards tied her firmly to a chair in a room lit only by dim magical lamps mounted on the walls.

A few minutes later, Neonidas descended into the dungeon. The guards stepped aside respectfully as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. His gaze immediately locked onto the unconscious maid.

“Leave us,” he commanded. The guards bowed and exited without hesitation. Once the door closed, silence enveloped the room.

Neonidas pulled out a small vial of water and splashed it on the maid’s face. She jolted awake, her eyes darting around as she became acutely aware of her dire situation. She tugged at the ropes binding her arms, but they didn’t budge. Neonidas, noticing the growing fear in her eyes, sat confidently in the chair across from her.

“You have three chances.”

The maid froze, staring at him in confusion and terror.

“Are you wondering what these chances are? I doubt you’ll want to find out,” he said with a sinister smirk. “But every chance you lose will subject you to a harsher punishment. Now, answer my questions properly, and let the game begin!”

As Neonidas’s sociopathic grin spread across his face, the maid’s entire body tensed. She had undertaken countless missions and succeeded in all of them, but individuals like Neonidas always terrified her the most. Even the smartest men could be deceived, or at least bargained with, but unpredictable figures like Neonidas were the most dangerous of all.

“Who do you work for?” Neonidas asked. Neonidas untied the rope from the servant’s mouth, but not a word came out.

“And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, our contestant has had his first chance!” Neonidas announced with a laugh as he grabbed a pair of long-bladed gardening shears from a nearby table.

Without hesitation, he removed the maid’s shoes. Ensuring her mouth was securely gagged, he brought the shears to her toenail, applying steady pressure.

“Now, don’t move, Miss Spy. Pedicures are a delicate business. One wrong move, and my hand might slip.”

The maid’s entire body began trembling in fear as the metallic gleam of the shears caught her eye. A sheen of sweat covered her face, and her panicked gaze darted around the room, desperately searching for a way out. But the tight bindings and Neonidas’s calm, collected demeanor left no doubt that escape was impossible.

She clenched her teeth. Years of training had taught her to withstand all manner of torture, but she had never faced someone like Neonidas before. His near-madness, combined with his unexpected mix of humor and cruelty, was starting to unravel her professional resolve.

Neonidas began trimming her nails with exaggerated precision. Then, as if by mistake, he snipped through an entire toe.

“Oh, no… I’ve ruined your nail! But don’t worry—I’ll fix it right away!” he said cheerfully, cutting even deeper into the flesh of her toe.

“MHHHNMMMMMMMMHNGG!”

The maid groaned in pain, clenching her teeth to avoid screaming. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought to keep them from spilling over. Neonidas noted her resilience and nodded with satisfaction.

“My, you’re tough… But did you know? This is only the beginning of the game. Tell me, who sent you? If you speak now, I might even show you some mercy,” he said, setting the shears down and waiting patiently.

The maid hesitated, contemplating her options. Could obedience save her? But no matter what, she had seen the madness in Neonidas’s eyes. A man like him wouldn’t leave things to chance, even if she spoke. Taking a deep breath, she remained silent.

“And there we have it, folks! Our brave contestant has just forfeited her second chance!” Neonidas declared with mock enthusiasm.

He retrieved an iron rod and placed it near a magical torch to heat. Then, stepping back, he loosened the gag in her mouth but didn’t remove it entirely. Instead, he adjusted it so that it held her jaw wide open, preventing her from closing her mouth. No matter how hard she tried, the sturdy rope forced her jaw to remain painfully agape.

As the iron rod heated to a glowing red, the maid’s eyes widened in sheer terror. The realization of what Neonidas intended made her entire body tremble. Tears streamed down her face as her legs quivered uncontrollably. Shaking her head violently, she tried to signal that she would talk, but her garbled attempts to speak were incomprehensible because of her forced-open mouth.

“Aea-Euea!Naa!”

Ignoring her muffled pleas, Neonidas reached into her mouth, gripping her tongue and pulling it completely out. No matter how hard she resisted, she couldn’t retract it.

With her tongue stretched out, Neonidas raised the glowing rod and pressed it down onto the tender flesh.

“AEAHHHHHHH!”

The maid’s scream was so loud that even Neonidas’s ears rang from the intensity. After a few moments, he removed the rod and inspected her now-burnt tongue. But the pain had proven too much. Despite years of training to endure torture, the maid’s professional composure shattered, and she passed out from sheer agony.

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Wishing you a happy, healthy, and successful New Year!