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"Where is this..."

Abis slowly opened her eyes, feeling completely drained, unable to focus her mind.

But she quickly became alert, recalling her last memory—being tightly gripped by a terrible dragon, forcibly fainting from the pressure.

"Damn it!"

Instinctively, Abis reached for her waist, only to find that her familiar dagger was gone, along with the green cloak she had worn. She was left in nothing but her undergarments.

She sat on the floor, her eyes darting around warily. The surroundings were an unfamiliar palace, everything inside seemed to be oversized, and the emptiness of the place was unnerving.

Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed over her.

"Elf, you're awake."

She stiffly turned her head, seeing the hulking form of the red dragon, its monstrous head leering at her.

Terror gripped Abis immediately. The nightmare of the dragon about to devour her was still vivid. But she mustered her courage, clenching her sweaty fists, and stammered out:

"W-what do you want, vile beast?"

Cassius grinned slightly, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth.

"What do you think?"

Abis's slender body couldn't stop trembling. She suddenly recalled rumors gathered by the Harpist Alliance:

The northern nobles depicted this red dragon as not only brutal but also depraved. He would transform into a several-meter-tall humanoid form to violate beautiful maidens, only to shift back to his original shape to devour them afterward.

Abis was barely over thirty years old—a tender age for a long-lived elf.

Such humiliation was far worse than death!

She had dreamed of dying heroically, but she absolutely refused to become an outlet for the dragon's vile desires.

With this thought, Abis gritted her teeth, speaking each word resolutely:

"I... will never be at your mercy!"

Abis hurled herself towards the hard wall, intending to end her life.

This was her final act of defiance, her only escape.

However, in the face of overwhelming power, even death became an unattainable luxury.

The red dragon merely curled a claw, conjuring a shimmering magical force that formed a giant grip around the elf, holding her tightly like a caged bird.

She had no room to struggle.

"No..."

"You will face retribution, beast."

Abis's eyes filled with despair. She lowered her head, her amber eyes closing as crystalline tears slid down her cheeks.

The young elf could not imagine what was to come. She closed her eyes tightly, her shoulders trembling.

In the darkness, she felt the sulfurous breath approaching.

Was this... the end?

In her final moments, she thought of her ambitious dreams upon leaving the Elven Kingdom, of her solemn vows when joining the Harpist Alliance, of her serendipitous first meeting with Richard, their infiltration into the Red Robe mage tower, and even the serene beauty of watching the sunrise together in the Cadawen Forest...

"It's so unfair... I wanted to see more."

Abis thought to herself.

Yet, the anticipated pain never arrived.

"Elf, do you want to live?"

The dragon's deep voice came, accompanied by the searing heat of sulfur.

Abis did not let out a sigh of relief, for she knew the dragon surely had ulterior motives.

Perhaps he desired her body, or maybe he wanted information about the Alliance. The latter seemed more plausible; after all, her body was easily obtainable for the dragon, whereas gaining intelligence was far more valuable.

She remembered the vow she had made upon joining the Harpist Alliance:

"No reward sought, justice alone pursued."

The Harpist Alliance was loosely organized, but it still harbored crucial secrets.

She could not let the dragon learn anything about the Alliance, nor could she serve an evil force. This was her one and only conviction, something she would die for.

"I won't live like this, hiding in shame."

Abis clenched her teeth again, sealing herself off, resolutely shutting her eyes.

She decided not to say anything, even if it meant being eaten alive.

But what the dragon said next shattered her determination, her entire guard dissolving in an instant.

"Don't you want to know where Richard is?"

Abis's eyes flew open, her voice anxious: "What did you do to him?"

"He is perfectly fine, very well indeed."

Cassius gave a cold smile, conjuring a magical image before the elf—a vision of the half-elf ranger appeared.

"Thank goodness, he's alive..."

Seeing that familiar face, Abis breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a small measure of comfort.

But then the dragon's voice echoed from the image: "I want you to return to the Harpist Alliance and become a double agent for the Kingdom."

Abis's heart seized again. She prayed inwardly, "Richard, you can't agree."

But she also feared the following scene, where Richard, refusing the command, would be killed brutally by the dragon. Her emotions were conflicted and intense.

Not long after, Richard's familiar voice echoed.

"Yes, my lord."

"How could this be..."

Abis whispered, her delicate face filled with disbelief.

"Beast, did you manipulate him? Or is this all just a deceitful illusion!"

Abis glared at the red dragon, unwilling to accept it, attributing everything to the enemy's lies.

Richard—her close companion—couldn't have betrayed the Harpist Alliance without hesitation, turning into the very kind of person she despised the most, serving an evil dragon!

Cassius looked down at the elf, his face twisted in mockery, moving closer.

"Do you think I need to lie to you, little morsel?"

"I only want you to drop those meaningless fantasies, to wake up from those foolish fairy tales."

"This is the raw truth. Your so-called beliefs, the vows of your Harpist Alliance, are laughable. To survive, people will easily sacrifice anything. Even your radiant elven gods bear countless mortal sins on their hands."

"Tell me, has your righteous Harpist Alliance ever questioned these past deeds?"

"No, it's not like that."

Abis shook her head in panic, her voice hurried as she tried to defend herself.

But under the endless replay of the magical projection, and the dragon's grave voice, her defense seemed utterly feeble.

The red dragon's head drew closer, his scorching breath causing the elf to sweat profusely.

"So... tell me, elf."

"Do you want to live, or do you wish for death?"