"{While every fiber of my being is telling me to shred you apart for some reason, for the sake of my Lord and the task I was assigned to, I will swallow this disrespect and hear what you have to say.}"
{Moira} spoke as she adjusted her posture, her eyes glowing with a suppressed, lethal heat. For a moment, I felt the air grow heavy enough to crush bone; she had been on the verge of shedding that beautiful human skin to charge at me herself. It was the restraint expected of a High-Ranking being, but the killing intent was still thick enough to taste.
Initially, my plan had been simple: hunt down Marcus and every last member of the 'Reaper' Guild who had allowed themselves to be tainted by the {Demons}. However, the presence of someone as powerful as {Moira} forced me to recalibrate. While I possessed 'Chaos' and the Exclusive Skill skills to effectively damage beings from the Higher Floors, I wasn't an idiot. I lacked the raw energy reserves to survive a prolonged, head-on collision with a High-Ranking entity in a confined space. A tactical parley was the only way forward.
"Thank you for the opportunity, High-Ranking {Moira}. I understand—" I began, attempting to weave some formal, diplomatic jargon to ease the tension, but she didn't let me finish.
"{I don't need to hear your fake formalities, human. Let's just get to the point. It would be in your best interest not to anger me any more than I already am!}"
"Very well," I conceded, dropping the act. "The 'Contract' I am referring to is the well-known 'Three Question Exchange'. I am sure you are aware of the rules?"
I manifested the glowing parchment of the 'Contract' between us. {Moira} didn't offer a verbal reply; instead, she reached out and placed her hand exactly where mine rested on the shimmering surface. It was the final, necessary step to bind our souls to the agreement.
"[Notice: The 'Three Question Exchange' shall now begin!]"
"[Notice: High-Ranking {Moira} may ask the first question!]"
"[Notice: Please do answer honestly or be prepared to face the consequences!]"
"[Note: You may refuse to answer only one question.]"
"{Who are you and how did you know my name?}" {Moira} asked immediately, her voice sharp with demand.
"My name is Arthur Tempest, an S-Rank," I replied calmly.
"{Answer the full question, human!}" {Moira} hissed, her aura flickering with rage as she realized I had only addressed the first half of her inquiry.
"Is that your second question?" I countered with a thin smile.
That gave her pause. The logic of the 'Contract' was absolute, and she had to be careful not to waste her remaining slots.
"[Notice:The First Question for {Moira} has been answered! S-Rank Arthur Tempest, please ask your question!]"
This was going exactly as I'd hoped. I needed her to be swayed by her emotions, causing her to fumble her question slots. If she grew desperate enough to repeat her first question as her second, I would gain the upper hand. By the time we reached the final round, I could simply refuse to answer, leaving her with nothing while I still held a query of my own.
"Why are you demons cooperating with the 'Reaper' Guild outside the Tower?" I asked, my voice echoing in the small, isolated room.
"{... Us cooperating with the 'Reaper' Guild was just a coincidence. A convenience.}" {Moira} answered. Her response was clipped and minimal, a mirrors-edge attempt to give as little information as possible without triggering a penalty.
"[Notice: The First Question for Arthur Tempest has been answered! High-Ranking {Moira} please ask your next question!]"
She took a long, silent pause, her red hair appearing to shimmer like flowing blood. When she finally looked up, her eyes were cold and calculating. "{How much do you know about the 'Tower of Trials', human?}"
The question caught me completely off guard. She had managed to corner me. In front of a being like a {Demon}, showing even a flicker of weakness, fear, or hesitation is a death sentence. They prey on the cracks in a person's soul.
"[Notice: S-Rank Arthur Tempest has used his right to refuse!]"
{Moira}'s expression sharpened with a sly grin as i chosed to refuse to answer this question. It was unnerving but I couldn't show any obvious reactions.
"[Notice: S-Rank Arthur Tempest, please ask your next question!]"
"What are you guys planning to do in the outside world?"
It might have seemed like an obvious question. Most people would assume {Demons} simply wanted to destroy everything. But as someone who had cleared the top floors during the VR days, I knew there had to be something deeper than mindless destruction.
"[Notice: The High-Ranking {Moira} has used her rights to refuse!]"
"[Notice: High-Ranking {Moira}, please ask your next question!]"
I couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. If their goal was just simple carnage, she could have answered easily. The fact that she chose to burn her refusal meant their true objective was something far more complex, and far more dangerous. Now, only one question remained for each of us.