Transmigrated Into The True Heiress-Chapter 29: Demon

Jania’s voice cut through the silence. "You know, Master Lyle wasn’t always the tech mogul everyone knows him to be today."

Eira shot her a curious glance. She had her suspicions, of course—no one amassed that much power without a few skeletons in their closet. Still, she hadn’t expected Jania to confirm it so readily.

"In fact," Jania continued, "before Aelion Tech even existed, Lyle was feared in the underworld. He had a reputation even back when he was just a boy, not much older than eleven. People called him a demon."

"A demon?" Eira raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Jania nodded. "He was recruited by a crime boss—someone who saw potential in him. By the time he was fifteen, Lyle had already risen through the ranks, becoming the boss’s right-hand man, and eventually, his heir. But Lyle was... different. He didn’t care for power or wealth the way others did. On his fifteenth birthday, he killed the leader and wiped out his entire inner circle. Cold, methodical, with no emotion."

Eira remained silent, her mind piecing together this new information. The man she was about to marry was far more dangerous than she’d thought.

"He disappeared after that," Jania went on. "Vanished from the underworld, only to resurface a year later when he assassinated a high-ranking underboss in the Japanese Mafia. It was then that people truly began to fear him—he became an enigma. Every time they thought they had him, he’d disappear, only to return and kill again. And while everyone was trying to stop him, people unknowingly started to follow him."

Eira glanced sideways at Jania. "Followers? Are they still around?"

Jania smirked. "Yes. They started as vigilantes, killing anyone who tried to harm him. But when Master Lyle finally took notice, he brought the most intelligent and skilled into his inner circle, officially forming the organization that still protects him today. They run operations, control assets, and this dungeon—" she gestured around them as they walked deeper into the underground space—"was one of their ideas. A place to deal with those who cross Lyle Aelion."

Eira took in this revelation with a steady expression, her mind processing every detail. Jania observed her for a moment, likely expecting fear or at least some apprehension. Instead, Eira’s face remained calm, though there was a flicker of surprise in her eyes.

"You don’t seem disturbed," Jania noted.

Eira smiled faintly. "Why would I be? I’m not exactly a stranger to these things myself."

Jania raised an eyebrow, wondering how she wasn’t a stranger to these things, but said nothing more as they arrived at a large metal door. Two guards stood outside, their faces stern and emotionless. They saluted Jania as she approached, unlocking the door without a word.

The moment the door swung open, the stench of blood and sweat hit Eira’s nostrils. She wrinkled her nose but remained unfazed, stepping inside behind Jania.

In the center of the dimly lit room was a man, chained and bruised, lying on the cold stone floor. His breaths were shallow, labored, his body trembling from pain.

Eira’s eyes narrowed as she studied him. "Is that him?" she asked, her voice steady.

Jania nodded. "Yes, that’s Rico. He’s the one who came after you, on your stepmother’s orders."

Eira’s eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, the cold, damp air pressing against her skin, but she remained unfazed. She crouched down in front of him, her face calm but her eyes glinting with malice. "Hey," she called out softly.

There was no response. His eyes were half-closed, barely conscious.

Eira clicked her tongue, standing up and turning to Jania. "Get me some cold water."

Jania signaled to one of the guards, who quickly left and returned with a bucket of ice-cold water. Eira took it without hesitation and stepped back toward Rico. With a small, almost playful whistle, she tossed the water onto Rico’s battered body.

Rico jolted awake with a scream, his body convulsing from the shock. The cold water stung against his wounds, and his breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to focus on his surroundings. His gaze finally landed on Eira, who crouched in front of him, her eyes dark with amusement.

"Remember me?" she asked, her voice deceptively sweet. "I’m the girl you were sent to kill."

His bloodshot eyes focused on her for a moment, and then recognition dawned. His expression shifted from shock to disbelief. "You... you’re still alive?"

"Lucky, I guess," Eira said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rico let out a bitter laugh, his teeth gritted in pain. "Lucky? You? You were the legitimate daughter—turned into a bastard, mistreated your whole life, and now your stepmother wants you dead. Some luck you’ve got."

Eira’s smile didn’t falter, but her eyes hardened as he hurled insult after insult, his voice hoarse and dripping with hatred. "You’ll pay for this, you know," he spat. "For what you did to me."

Eira remained silent, watching him rant until he was out of breath. When he finally stopped, she smiled again and asked, "Are you done? Because now it’s my turn."

Before he could answer, Eira grabbed his hand, holding it tightly as she examined his fingers with casual interest. Then, with a swift motion, she bent one finger back, breaking it with a sharp snap.

Rico’s scream echoed through the cell, the sound bouncing off the stone walls. Eira chuckled as she moved on to the next finger, breaking it.

She leaned in close, her voice low and dangerous. "I’m going to break every bone in your body, and then I’m going to leave you to rot in the wilderness. No one will find you. No one will care."

Terror flashed in his eyes, but he still tried to scream at her. "You think this will scare me?! You’re nothing but a—"

Eira didn’t let him finish. She continued breaking his fingers, then moved on to his other hand, his ribs, and his legs. Each snap was followed by a scream, but Eira’s expression never wavered.

Jania watched from the doorway, her arms crossed. She hadn’t expected Eira to take this so calmly, so ruthlessly. A part of her wondered if this girl was hiding more than she let on.

After what felt like an eternity of screams, Eira finally stood up, wiping her hands with a handkerchief. Rico was a sobbing, broken mess on the floor, too weak to even lift his head.

"Next time, don’t waste your breath on threats you can’t back up," Eira said softly, a smile playing on her lips as she turned to leave the cell. Jania followed, glancing back at the defeated man before closing the door behind them.

Eira walked in front of Jania, humming softly to herself. The guards and other men in the dungeon stared at her, eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear. She stopped and crossed her arms, tilting her head at Jania. "Is there something you want to say?"

Jania gave her a long, measured look before replying, "Not really. Just confirming... you’re not even eighteen yet, are you?"

Eira smirked. "I’ll be eighteen in a month and a half. Why?"

Jania nodded slowly. "You can’t get married until then."

"I know," Eira said, her tone casual. "I still have to break up with my current fiancé anyway. But don’t worry—Lyle will get what he needs. My scent is all that matters, right? No marriage certificate required."

Jania stared at her in silence for a moment before sighing. "You’re something else, Ephyra. You’re not even flustered by any of this."

Eira’s smile returned, tight and controlled. "I’ve learned not to."