The air inside the tent was cloyingly sweet, enough to make one's head spin. Tarnished looked at Leda, who was tied to a wooden frame, and then at the two smiling women beside her, feeling like his brain was running a bit short on capacity.
"You..." He pointed at Leda. "What did you do to her?"
Tanith poured herself a cup of tea. She took a sip before speaking in a leisurely tone. "Nothing much, just gave the noble female knight a taste of commoner life."
Tarnished's eye twitched. "Does commoner life include being tied up like this?"
"Hunger, thirst, bondage, and being forced to stay awake when physical strength is completely exhausted." Tanith ticked the items off on her fingers, her tone as casual as if she were discussing the weather. "Oh, and regular feedings of a special nutrient solution. It ensures she doesn't starve or dehydrate, while also making her increasingly 'thirsty'."
She lifted her eyes to look at Tarnished, her pretty eyes carrying a mocking smile. "These are mandatory courses for a lowly dancer. I studied them for a full three years back then. Who would have thought that a glamorous knight lady wouldn't even last a month-it seems nobility and commoners are no different after all."
Tarnished was left speechless. He looked at Leda. The female knight kept her head lowered, her body trembling slightly at Tanith's words, whether from anger or shame.
"Hunger and thirst aside," Tarnished rubbed his temples, "what's the deal with that special nutrient solution?" He paused, lowering his voice. "It wouldn't happen to be something starting with the word 'season', would it? Does the Lands Between have such a goo... evil item?"
Tanith seemed to see right through what Tarnished was thinking, smiling with full of irony. "Leyndell has a massive