My… name? Right, right, I still haven’t chosen it. I need to do this fast. Um… Let’s see. Um… Alright, I’ll choose this one. Thank you for the suggestions system, but seems I have my own ideas.

“My name is Ardven.”

That’s my new name. Ardven.

“Ardven, huh? What a nice name.” She says smilingly.

A nice name? I chose it at random because I liked it the most, and it’s a ‘nice name?’

...How unexpected of her. Well, I need to ask a few questions myself.

“How about you? What’s your name?” I ask.

She seems surprised. Why would she look surprised? Isn’t it normal to exchange names?

“My name is Rucia, it’s nice to meet you.” She says happily. What a change.

“Ah, nice to meet you too.” I nod.

Alright, introductions are out of the way, lets get down to business. I need information.

“What am I doing here? Did you kidnap me to sell me?” I ask quickly.

First Tactic in ‘Getting To Know Your Mysterious Captor, Book 1 By Ardven,’ start with an unlikely assumption and keep a straight face. Observe their reaction. Make conclusions and choose next Tactic.

“N-no! O-of course not! I had no such intention!” She says, flustered.

Alright, noted. Rucia is flustered, a good status effect for me. Second part of the First Tactic. Continue pushing with more unlikely assumptions. Observe their reaction. Make conclusions and choose next Tactic.

“Then, to rape me?” I follow up.

That one is not my favorite question.

“R-r-rape?!” She stutters, embarrassed. “N-no! Not th-that either! I-I just wanted t-to help you out! You seemed like you were in a bad situation, so I decided to take you home… and… and...”

Oh! Ardven used ‘Unlikely Assumption’! It was super effective! Push! PUSH! DO IT ARDVEN! JUST DO IIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT! KEEP THAT STRAIGHT FACE!

“And what?” I ask as calmly as possible.

“And… And… And...” Rucia’s voice gets quieter and she lowers her head.

No! STOP IT! DON’T YOU DARE! YOU’LL RUIN IT! STOOOOOOOOOP!

“Pwahahahaha! Sorry, just, hahahaha!” I burst out laughing.

I’m sorry, I just never thought that I’d see someone react that violently to the word ‘rape.’ It’s hilarious. Rucia raises her head, embarrassment replaced with confusion at my laughter. It seems to dawn on her that I was teasing her and the confusion turns to anger. She stands up and raises her hand. Oh shit.

“Don’t do thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttt!” She screams.

“Bwaaaahhhh!” She slapped me.

I’m sent into the wall to my right. Although it doesn’t break, I hear something crack. Hopefully not my bones. But hell, that hurt! She must’ve started cultivating. Probably only at Beyond Mortal Realm, otherwise I would’ve been turned into a bloody paste. I groan as I try to stand up, my legs still unsteady from that strong slap. She realizes what she did and runs over to my side and helps me stay up.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry!” She frantically apologizes. “I didn’t think about the amount of force I put in. I’m so sorry!”

“I’m fine, I don’t think anything is broken.” I lie.

Of course I’m not fine! You bitch slapped me into a fucking WALL! If this was old me, I would’ve jumped on you the moment you started apologizing, but this is a new me. I need to keep my calm. I can use this chance. She sets be back down on the bed, where she once again starts apologizing. This is where I use the Third Tactic of the ‘Mysterious Captor’ book! Exploiting their mistakes.

“Well, you can do something to make up for that, if you want.” I employ the first phase.

“Really? Thank you!”

Heh, all going according to plan. Now, moving onto phase 2!

“Just answer some of my questions and that’ll be all.” I say, trying to sound forgiving.

“That’s all?” She realizes her mistake and quickly switches. “I mean, of course, anything!”

Good. Phase 3, its your time to shine!

“Why did you touch my body like that?” Misleading sentence, I choose you!

She blushes, but manages to get out her answer. “You seemed unconscious and I thought you had hit your head exploring, so I brought you here to make sure you would be okay.”

Alright, it fits with her personality that I’ve seen. Okay, phase 3! Once again!

“How did you find me?” I ask, getting closer to her face.

“Um…” Rucia shys away. “I come to that cave to get the red liquid that improves your body. You know, the one that drips down the stalagmites.”

{Stalactites.}

Grammar Nazi.

“Elementary Refinement Liquid.”

She looks up in surprise, but seeing my stern gaze, she once again looks down. I move my head back to give her some space.

“Is that what it was called? I didn’t know.” Rucia says.

Obviously.

“Did you do anything to me while I was asleep?” 3 of 4 questions done, now answer me!

She blushes once more. “No, I just carried you here.”

Good. Final question.

“Alright, now this is the most important question.” I say, leaning in closer.

Rucia looks up and is forced to stare at me as I get close. I intentionally let out a heavy breath along her neck, making her tense up. Good, just the reaction I wanted. Now, play your cards carefully Ardven! Ask her the question, be serious as possible and make sure she answers! Now go!

“… What have you done to my glasses?”

“Eh?”

“What have you done to my glasses, they’re gone.”

“Y-your glasses?”

“Yes, what have you done to them? I need them.”

“A-ah, r-right, they’re here.”

Rucia takes my glasses from the table behind her and hands them to me. They’re broken.

“...”

“T-these are yours, right?”

“… Broken...”

“Sorry? I didn’t catch that.”

“WHY ARE THEY BROKEN?!?!” I yell in anger.

My glasses! NOOOOOOOO! They’re broken! What have you done she-demon? You can’t get another pair of these glasses, they’re one of a kind! I made them myself, perfect creations! PERFECT! And you ruined it! How am I to fix these?!

{If you insert qi into your glasses, they will naturally repair themselves.}

I know that system. I’m having my fun with her. Have you ever teased somebody before?

{No.}

Exactly.

“S-sorry! I-I-I, I didn’t mean to break them, they, they just-” Rucia tries to explain herself.

“Put it in.” I say.

“H-huh?”

“I said, put it in.”

“P-put what in?”

“Qi.”

“Qi? What’s qi?”

Huh? Is this girl an idiot? How can she be cultivating without knowing what qi is? She is a cultivator, right?

{That assumption is correct.}

Yeah, what have you done girl? Just what have you done?

{She has cultivated using the Elementary Refinement Liquid without proper instruction. The qi has been absorbed into her body without it being used in the usual way to cultivate.}

Hahhhhh… What am I going to do with you Rucia?

{Teach her about qi?}

HOW THE FUCK DID YOU KNOW?!

{Not telling.}

Dick...