=== POV Eris ===

 

"Do you know this woman?"

Ishina showed our prisoner the picture that the Ent created. We saw an immediate reaction the woman's face palled.

“This is Nalaniel! But... but... She's not a necromancer. So she can't have anything to do with it."

Ishina and I looked at each other. It was like an exchange of thoughts, and as if we could communicate with our gazes. Where is this, Nalaniel? Don't know, but the woman seems to know her. If she has nothing to do with necromancy, why did the Ent describe her? Maybe she does. The whole thing went something like that, but we just nodded to each other in the end.

"If you are so sure, it shouldn't be a problem to visit her and ask her some questions."

Ishina grabbed Micca's chin and forced her to look into her face.

“Nalaniel works as a delivery woman! She brings packages from person A to person B, but packages are not normal in the Blackhole, so the work is much more difficult and dangerous than you might think."

Ishina loosened her grip.

"Where do we find her shop?"

"Her business is on the western main street, on the corner of the Elven quarter."

Ishina looked at me, and her look already told me what she wanted to say.

"I'll go."

I made my way to a small room on the corner. Ishina prepared everything in advance for me. There was a small box with the vials in the corner, and several sets of clothes were lined up on a table.

Well then, I hope it won't be too painful!

I grabbed a vial and opened it with some effort. I bit into the bottleneck and drank the contents. A brief shock ran through my body, but there was no pain. It was more of a warm feeling, but at the same time, my entire body felt kinda numb.

It took a while before my body returned to its normal state again. I looked down at my body. I wasn't very tall, maybe just over one meter. I wasn't more than a year old either, so I was lucky not to be transformed into an infant. Black long hair hung over my shoulders, with red ends, which probably alluded to the red spot on my forehead.

I started looking through the clothes to find a fitting outfit. It ended with dark brown jute trousers and a brown shirt made of higher-quality material. A black hooded coat hung on the wall, matching my height, so I put it on and left the room.

"I'm done."

Suddenly gaining a human body felt like the most natural thing in the world, or at least it should, but it felt just uncomfortable and unnatural. Maybe this discomfort came from the potion or just because my body is reluctant to take this form... who knows...

"Oh! Wow!"

Ishina came over to me and pinched my cheek.

“Your horn is gone, too! That's good. You should cover the eye-catching red rabbit ears with the hood because an animal-human is almost as rare in this part of the continent as a rabbit with wings."

I pulled over my hoot only to notice that I had rabbit ears. I didn't even notice it when I got dressed.

"Good idea."

I immediately pulled the hood over my head and hid them.

"I'll hurry, and if necessary, I'll have a second vial with me."

Ishina nodded and said goodbye. Micca watched our conversation in silence, and I had the feeling that she was confused and irritated by what was happening in front of her eyes. However, this still had no value because time was running out, so I hurried to the shop.

...

The shop was a bit bigger than the others, so I could see it with ease. The Boxes were stacked decoratively on the windows, which prevented anyone from looking into the shop from the outside.

"Hello?"

I carefully opened the door and looked inside. The reception room was empty, but sounds came from the back room. I rang the bell that was attached to the counter.

"Welcome. How can I help?"

A female elf came out of the backroom to the counter. She looked like a human woman in her thirties.

"I'm looking for someone, a woman named Nalaniel."

I already knew that the woman across from me was Nalaniel because she looked exactly like the picture.

"That's me, how may i- Eee!"

When she was about to answer me, I summoned three spears using Darkness and let their tips stop just a few centimeters from Nalaniel's neck away.

“Good that I have all of your attention now. You have information for me."

I sat down on the counter, and with a wave of the hand, I put a black veil over the door, which prevented outsiders from opening the door.

“I'm looking for someone, a necromancer or someone who handles slaves. He's an elf or works for elves. We have information that you worked for him. Sounds it familiar?"

She was scared and looked back and forth with her eyes without moving her head.

“I-I don't know! I deliver so many packages, boxes, and cages, so I don't have an overview over every single box I transport."

With another wave of my hand, I moved one of the spears even closer to her neck. I could literally see the tip of the spear touching her throat.

"Maybe you can think of something now?"

I leaned over the counter and met her eyes blankly.

"I don't know!"

"Hmm... that's not good."

I reached out my hand and placed it on Nalaniel's temple.

"Unfortunately, that will hurt now."

I heated the tips of my fingers and literally made them glow. At first, she clenched her teeth tightly, but the pain got unbearable, and she gave in.

"AH! Stop! Ah!"

"Tell me what I want to know!?"

“I had a strange customer! His orders match your description, but I've never met him. He had middlemen, but... stop! I know his name! His name is Rouvethin."

I took my hand from her temple.

"Anything else?"

“His address, well, the delivery address! Here, I have them under the counter in the address books."

I removed the spears and let her find the address but watched every single step she did. Then, a moment later, she handed me the index card of one of the customer files.

"Here! Please let me go."

Her pleading was unnecessary. I already had what I wanted, and killing defenseless people was not part of my agenda.