The next day, the horse beastkin shows up at my room in the tower.
“Have you tried torturing her yet?”
“Uwoh.”
“So? How’d it go?”
“Uwohhh.”
The beastkin seems to understand when he sees my slouched shoulders.
“Don’t let it get to you. Nobody’s been able to make her suffer.”
After he leaves my room, I make my way to the top of the tower and head into Queen Carmilla’s cell. But when I offer her an apple, she quizzically tilts her head.
“…You’re not going to torture me today, either?”
“Uwoh!”
I put on a cheerful smile…or at least I try to. I have no idea if it actually looks like a smile, since I’m a fish-person.
“What could this fish possibly be scheming…?”
And yet, she bites into the apple before even checking for poison. She seems a lot more relaxed around me now compared to yesterday. As much as it aggravates me, I’m going to do as I was told and “stay put.” It would probably be in my best interest to just pretend I’m torturing the queen here until Seiya finishes the Hexagram Ritual of Retribution and defeats Grandleon.
“So, um…is there more?”
“Uwoh?”
“You know…more fruit?”
Hearing her bashfully ask makes me so happy, I pull out an orange and another apple from the shape-shifting fish’s mouth. But when I try to hand her the fruit…
“Uwoh?!”
I stumble over the chair leg and fall. To add insult to injury, I even hit my head on the table when I try to get back up.
“What are you doing? You’re quite the clumsy fish.”
The queen picks up the rolling fruit, roaring with laughter for the first time.
“Ha-ha-ha! You remind me of my daughter!”