THE REAL PROTEGE

"I don't know them. I never saw them." Nina answered.

"I can assure you, I have no connection to them and I never saw any of them throughout," Nina added firmly, her voice steady and compelling. She locked eyes with Butler Oda, projecting an undeniable confidence that left no room for doubt in her assertion.

"Then, please share with me any memories that linger in your mind. Relate to me the time, the location you found yourself in, and the sights that you grasped." Butler Oda said.

"I don't recall a single thing," Nina murmured, her voice barely breaking the heavy silence. She fixed her gaze on the worn wooden floor, its surface marred by countless scuffs and scratches, as if the very ground beneath her was a canvas of forgotten memories.

"Nina, understand this," Butler Oda said, his voice cool and measured, yet laced with an unmistakable undercurrent of intimidation. "You have the option to respond to these straightforward questions and cooperate with us willingly, or we can make you comply. The decision rests in your hands."

Nina sat frozen, a chill coursing through her as icy tendrils of fear wrapped around her spine. She parted her lips, desperation flickering in her eyes, yet the words she so desperately wished to voice remained trapped in the depths of her throat, silenced by an overwhelming sense of dread.

"I... I vaguely remember waking up in that dim cabin," Nina whispered, her voice trembling. "It felt surreal, as if I were trapped in a dream. I couldn't shake the disbelief — how was I alive when I had been so sure I was dead?"

"A cabin? Did you manage to figure out where it was? What did you see inside the cabin, and who was with you when you woke up there? Can you tell me more about it?"

"The cabin felt tiny and cramped, and I couldn't tell where it was located. There was complete silence, and I was all alone. The only thing I remember was being connected to several medical machines that beeped and blinked around me," Nina recalled, her voice a bit shaky. "Then, one day, I opened my eyes again, and suddenly I found myself in a bright, sterile lab instead."

"What was inside the lab? Were there other people around? Did you hear them talking?"

"They spoke in rapid Chinese, their voices weaving through the air, while a few of them switched to English with a thick accent. I couldn't see their faces; they were obscured by dark hoods that cast shadows over their features. They shared their plan with me — a scheme to pretend to be my brother's ex-lover and destroy their wedding," Nina said, her voice trembling.

"I felt a surge of temptation to participate because I genuinely loathe my brother and his wife. But the searing pain that grips me twice a week for two unbearable hours is more than I can endure. I blamed them for pulling me back from the brink, and I screamed at them to just let me die. I refuse to be a pawn in their twisted game," Nina explained, tears glistening in her eyes as they fell onto her cheeks, reflecting her anguish.

"Butler Oda's brow furrowed with curiosity as he leaned forward, his voice steady yet probing. 'What made you change your mind?' he inquired, the dim light casting shadows across his thoughtful expression.

Nina's gaze flickered, a mixture of fear and resignation dancing in her eyes. "They told me I've been poisoned," she confessed softly, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. "The pain coursing through me was nothing short of unbearable. They offered me an antidote — promised to administer it weekly — but only under one condition: that I remain obedient to their demands. It's a chilling bargain, but the pain... It's a darkness I can't endure alone."

"Is there anything else you remember?" Butler Oda inquired, his voice steady and calm.

Nina slowly shook her head, the weight of her situation evident in her weary eyes.

"I understand," Butler Oda continued, his tone shifting to one of gravity.

"Let me explain something crucial, Nina. You are not suffering from poison. When they found you, your body was in ruins — worn and battered. They fought relentlessly to bring you back, using whatever means they had, even if it meant further damaging your already fragile body. The efforts to revive you came with a heavy price, and that is the source of the pain you're enduring.

Instead of an antidote for poison, they've been administering powerful opioids to help numb the pain. This is the only viable path, and it's what I, too, will be providing for you." Butler Oda's eyes held a mixture of compassion and determination as he spoke, wanting to ensure Nina understood the harsh reality that lay before her.

Nina blinked rapidly, her vision blurring as unshed tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. A heavy realization washed over her like a cold wave. 'So they deceived me until the bitter end, wielding me as a weapon to stab at my brother and his wife.' The thought cut deeply, igniting a simmering rage within her.

With a shaky breath, Nina turned her gaze to Butler Oda, the weight of her predicament settling heavily on her shoulders. "Do I even have a choice?" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She already knew the answer. 'None.'

"Honestly, none. I will arrange for your transfer," Butler Oda replied with a steely resolve, his expression unreadable as he turned on his heel and left the room, flanked by the five stoic Samurai, their armor glinting ominously in the dim light.

Hours later, Nina found herself being ushered into a secluded, high-security facility, its sterile walls looming like giants around her. The air was thick with tension as she was escorted to a solitary chamber, funded by the enigmatic Otako. The door sealed shut with a heavy thud, the sound echoing in the stark silence. Here, she would remain confined, a prisoner in a guarded room, the world outside a mere whisper, forever out of her reach.

Despite Nina's deep-seated reluctance, an overwhelming weariness washed over her, draining her will to fight. The heavy weight of exhaustion settled in her bones, leaving her with no strength to rebel against the tide of circumstances.