The Seeker Of The Flames

"Oh, so you've talked to my husband?" Winter exclaimed, her interested eyes widening in excitement.

"Husband?" Phoenix looked confused, realizing she's talking about Arian. "And no, I'm the one asking questions here! Understood? So I'm not going to answer your questions. I may have talked, and I may have not!"

She took a concerned gesture, showing her worries for Arian. "So... it means you have talked with him? How was he? I'm worried about him!"

"Stop!" Phoenix shouted, reminding her, "I told you I'm the one asking questions here!"

Winter's puffed out her cheeks, furrowing her brows in anger and dissatisfaction.

"Hmph..."

"Anyways, answer my questions honestly!"

"Hmph..." she humphed, keeping her frown.

"Why have you come to Seora?"

"Hmph..."

"Where have you come from..."

"Hmph..."

Phoenix's voice began getting more irritated and frustrated, his face turning annoyed and infuriated and his hands clenched firmly. It was all Winter's fault, who kept answering all of the questions with a sulky humph.

"... W-What's your name?"

"Hmph..."

"Who... Who... Who're you..."

"Hmph..."

Fisting his hands, he turned his frown much more severe than before. Meanwhile, Phoenix's tone was becoming louder and more frustrated.

"Why did you steal from that man?"

"Hmph..."

Realizing she's not going to answer his questions properly, Phoenix had no choice but to say something like... :

"Ca... C-Can you confirm Arian's claims?"

"Ahh..." Winter suddenly changed her countenance to the same excited look, giving attention to Phoenix. "Is it something about my husband?"

"Yes, it is! ... Weren't you listening to me?"

"Honestly... No!"

"I will repeat it then." he sighed, calming himself down, regaining his usual serious, impenetrable expressions. "Arian claims that he was wearing the clothes that you had stolen and given him, and he absolutely has nothing to do with it."

"Yes, that's right!"

"I see, what were your motives? Why did you rob that bowman?"

"Well, my husband needed something to wear since he'd become n.a.k.e.d. We also needed a mount to get to Seora."

"But why go for stealing those stuff?"

"A voice inside me told me to do that."

"What?! A voice?"

"Yes, it always tells me what to do."

Appearing puzzled and curious, Phoenix asked: "What does that voice tell you to do now?"

"Hmm..." Winter went deep in thought, keeping her eyes half-open. "It says I should run away from here."

"You're not going to do that, are you?"

"The last time I listened to this voice, my husband went into a lot of trouble. So... no! I'm not going to listen to it again!"

"There's no problem then..." Phoenix sighed, feeling relieved. "But since you didn't answer my questions, I'm going to ask again!"

"OK..."

"Where have you come from?"

"I don't know!"

"Hm? What? Where's your homeland, I said!"

"I don't know, I said!"

Looking confused, and a little bit suspicious, Phoneix stared at her with widened eyes. "How can you not know that?"

"Well, I just don't know!"

"Are you an orphan? But even if so, you should still have come from somewhere to Seora!"

"Hmm... I think I met my husband at Thunder Plateau?"

"Thunder Plateau, you said?"

"Yes!"

Phoenix rubbed his tired eyes, trying to focus his attention. "Wait, wait, wait! You're from Thunder Plateau?"

"I don't know, it's just the first place I can remember."

It was really suspicious. How could someone not know their own name? How could someone not remember her own home? Of course, there was the possibility that this girl is simply insane. Giving attention to how she called Arian her husband, maybe she had forgotten her memory? Maybe she's just a crazy little girl who desperately wants to marry someone?

These thoughts and questions occurred to Phoenix, but as a detective, he had to consider all of the possibilities and choose the most probable one.

The best decision he could make was to go for another question. It would give him more information.

"Why have you come to Seora?"

"Hmm... My husband wanted to get here, and so I followed him!"

"What's your name? Who are you?"

"I'm Wennnnnn—inter!"

"Huh? What? Wen-inter?"

"Winter! I'm Winter! Arian's wife!"

"All right, are you an adventurer?"

"An adventurer? Nope!"

"Are you a member of Arian's party?"

"Of course! Since I'm his wife!"

"Why are you wearing bride clothes?"

"Because I'm Arian's bride!"

"But... I mean, why are you wearing it now?"

"Because I want to live as his bride forever! So I have to keep it on all the time!"

Phoenix facepalmed, thinking, "I see, so this girl is actually crazy. There shouldn't be a secret or anything important behind her life."

Pulling the chair back, he stood up from his seat and moved to leave the room.

"Hey! When can I get out of here and see my husband? I've answered all of your questions!" Winter complained.

"I don't have to answer that, but..." Phoenix replied, turning back, "there are two other interrogators who're going to ask you about some other things. So... cooperate with them!"

He then left the white room, heading to the next room to interrogate another member of Arian's group.

"Seriously, it's obvious that Divya's wrong. These people cannot have anything to do with our current problems. A stupid man? A crazy bride? What's gonna be next? A perverted m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t? Huh... It's a waste of time. Let's just end it quickly."