Chapter 55: Extra Charge?

"Fire poison and pollen... once nourished by holy power, they can endlessly proliferate, inflicting pain that cannot be dispelled."

The pain gradually faded, and Cletina’s words suddenly echoed in Mino’s mind.

Mino tilted his head back and let out a sudden "Ah."

Right, my holy power has been completely drained now...

Even a normal human like Mino naturally harbored some holy power within his body, but to combat the corrosive curse of the dragons, he had unknowingly expended it all to dull the pain.

The fire cups on his back—no, the roses in the bottles—felt like a stubborn old ox ready to reproduce, only to find the fields beneath utterly ruined.

Countless fire poisons and nerve pollen invaded his body, discovering that his remaining holy power was concentrated solely in his back, where it clashed bit by bit with energies of annihilation... instantly bringing about a sensation as if he were a beast of burden.

Two conflicting forces waged war within him, erasing the pain instantly at the surface.

Instead, an overwhelmingly intense heat surged freely inside him... This scorching sensation was even more intense than a sauna!

Exhilarating—!!!

Mino’s face flushed red and pale in waves from the heat, nearly forcing him to bite his tongue to suppress any embarrassing sounds.

Cletina, puzzled by Mino’s sudden silence after a single scream, lowered her gaze to study his expression and was slightly startled.

Judging by the half-red, half-pale complexion, he was clearly at the brink of agony... yet he refrained from uttering another cry?!

"Impossible..." Cletina murmured.

To ensure the efficacy of the blazing rose, she had secretly tested it within the territory of the Fire Dragon. Even an adult fire dragon, protected by thick scales, would wail in agony for three days and nights.

And now, this Mino at her bedside not only endured such torment but remained utterly silent... as if unwilling to be heard by her?

Cletina’s eyes widened as she saw Mino biting his tongue with all his might, his pores dilating fiercely—this pain should have made him scream uncontrollably, yet he chose to endure it lucidly!

What extraordinary willpower! What profound pride!

Cletina’s perception of Mino was utterly transformed. This was a true human hero... willing to endure such extremes to protect the saint?

She had underestimated him.

"You win, Mino," Cletina sighed, dispelling the restraining magic and reaching out to remove the glass bottles from his back.

"The interrogation can end now."

Since he had expressed his resolve through action, there was no need to further torment such a resilient hero.

Snap.

A strong hand firmly grasped her wrist. Mino's voice was resolute and unyielding: "Do not stop."

Cletina was stunned, hearing Mino state with certainty: "If you stop now... I will die."

As the roses burned out, the temperature on his back slowly dropped. Without nourishment, the heat could not persist. Mino’s eyebrows twitched violently—intense pain surged back.

It was hopeless... at this rate, he would die from the pain.

Mino’s gaze fixed on the roses Cletina had brought, eyes brightening: "You are not allowed to leave until the roses are all used up!!!"

Meeting Mino’s piercing eyes, Cletina gradually comprehended everything.

Because of the terrifying effects of the blazing rose, she absolutely forbade its use on others...

Willing to endure the rain herself just to shelter others—that was a true hero.

Cletina’s eyelashes trembled slightly, then her gaze softened with newfound respect: "Very well, as you wish."

She carefully withdrew each rose, placing them into the still-warm bottle openings. Mino’s face flushed red and pale once more, trembling painfully.

Unable to bear watching any longer, Cletina moved toward the window, gazing out at the rain that had been falling for some time, murmuring softly, "It’s almost over..."

After a long while, as the last rose burned out,

Mino collapsed onto the bed with a thud. Looking upward, his expression was one of excruciating pain.

"Hiss—so little time, and my holy power still hasn’t fully recovered... I’ll have to use it sparingly," he whispered.

Turning to Cletina, a faint smile appeared on his pale face: "Your roses... they were quite an experience."

His weak but resolute face, paired with an honest smile, was unmistakably the smile of a victor.

Cletina sighed, "It seems I truly cannot extract any information about Saint Lena from you this time."

"Of course not," Mino patted his chest, confidence swelling as he said with a grin:

"She’s my comrade who has shared hardships with me—the strongest partner in the human faction—"

[Notification—Interrogation task generated]

[Interrogation task: The torturous roses made you feel ecstatic; in return, you decide to share information about Saint Lena.]

[Reward: Contract Spell—Weather Manipulation (can be activated by spending gold coins)]

"If you want information... it's going to cost you extra."

"I knew it!" In the corner, Alto Tai suddenly executed a backflip, his face alight with triumphant anticipation.

"With the honor of our lord, how could he withstand such intense interrogation? Wait... money?"

The sword in his hand wavered as Alto Tai looked incredulous at Mino: "You’re okay with adding a meal fee, but charging more money now?"

"Hmph! Alto Tai, you’ve been locked up too long—you’ve lost even the most basic aspirations of a captive!" Mino declared with righteous indignation:

"Charging extra is just the first step! Next, I plan to fight for ‘interrogation insurance and benefits’ and the ‘985 interrogation work system,’ to secure better prison conditions as the prisoners’ representative! How’s that for stirring your blood?!"

"My heart just turned cold! Are you planning to dedicate your life to being a good prisoner?!"

Their heated exchange went unnoticed by Cletina, whose expression grew increasingly serious upon hearing the word "money."

How could this be... Could Mino have discovered the way to the Demon King's castle gate?

Only the nine great demon officials knew that the castle gate was not a fixed doorway but a dimensional portal summoned only through a contract spell. Otherwise, in such a vast Demon King’s castle, finding the gate by luck would be almost impossible.

Contract spells operate beyond ordinary magic, widely used in regions of the continent where magical energy is scarce. Among human territories, the largest Rot Trade Guild of the kingdom possesses the most advanced contract spell technology.

One notable feature of contract spells is their minimal reliance on magic stones or similar energy sources; instead, they require offerings of gold coins.

A sense of urgency welled up in Cletina’s heart.

There are two conditions for leaving the Demon King’s castle.

One is, naturally, to possess the keys to the castle gates—held only by the nine great demon officials. Cletina herself carried a ring of these keys...

The other is to use gold coins as a cost to activate a contract spell that summons the castle gate.

And now, Mino was on the verge of fulfilling one of these conditions.