"What? No complaints?"

"I will not waste time on unnecessary conversation."

Clara answered coldly.

"Of course not."

Lucian laughed.

Sarah blinked at the conversation, then she turned towards Lucian.

"Who sent it?"

"My dear teacher.

The kindest woman I know."

"Your teacher...? Lady Vivienne?"

Sarah frowned as her mind remembered a certain woman she was informed about years ago. Honestly, she had never personally seen Vivienne, she did not know what Vivienne did, she had never heard of her name in the Enclave Hierarchy, what she did know however... was that the hunters who did know her, they never talked about her.

They only said one thing.

’Be very respectful if you are unfortunate enough to meet her. Absolutely do not annoy her.’

Heck, even the higher-ups were no different and Sarah had met quite a few people from above, and every single one of them flinched at that name.

And this man...

He was calling her... the kindest woman he knew...?

"Do not open that here if it contains anything unstable."

Clara spoke before she turned to leave.

"I am hurt that you think my teacher would send me unstable things.

This is just a training kit."

She only looked at him when he said those words. However, when it looked like Lucian was about to open the case, Clara quickly left.

Sarah noticed that and seeing Clara, she wanted to leave as well, but then her eyes fell on Lucian, her head recalled that sliver of seriousness she saw on his face when he talked about Evelyn and...

That made her stay.

And she was also curious about what this Lady Vivienne had sent her student, so she leaned forward, still maintaining a safe distance, Lucian looked at her and chuckled.

Then, he opened the lock.

Sarah looked at the case with curious eyes, but the moment her eyes fell on what was inside—

She froze as her eyes widened in horror.

Inside the case, five items rested separately on a dark velvet cloth. It was all carefully arranged, clean, almost beautiful honestly.

That was until one realised what these items were.

And Sarah did.

Why?

Because a year ago, she was assigned to the Interrogation Wing, where the Enclave ’interrogated’ people they captured.

Yes.

These were torture tools.

And not normal torture tools either, these were tools used on supernatural beings, tools that made even the supernatural confess. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Good. Everything is here."

Lucian smiled.

"Are those... Marrow Nails...?"

Sarah blinked.

She recognised them because she would never forget those terrifying things, but just in case, she gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Maybe they only looked similar.

"Oh? You know them?"

Lucian’s eyes shone as he picked up silver-white needles with specific markings near the head.

And Sarah was even more horrified.

They really were Marrow Nails...

Lucian on the other hand, just shrugged.

"These are used for Movement Training."

"Movement training...?"

Sarah blinked.

"That thing is used to stop movement, Lucian.

Not train it."

"That is why it is useful."

Lucian nodded as he turned one nail under the light.

"They interfere with nerve and muscle response. If inserted properly, even small movements become difficult. If I can move while they are active, my control improves."

And the moment Sarah heard him—

She was even more horrified.

"No, no, no!

You do not understand!

These things were used on prisoners! And not normal prisoners either! They were used on Vampires, Werewolves, Demonic Hosts, anything! Supernatural beings!"

"...doesn’t that only prove their effectiveness?"

Lucian tilted his head and Sarah...

She was horrified.

Lucian shrugged, his hand moved to the second item, a heavy black circular artefact.

"Coffin Dial."

He smiled.

"This is for strength training."

"Strength training?"

Sarah let out a breathless laugh.

Lucian nodded.

"It creates pressure around the body, each turn increases the force, it’s good to track progress too."

Sarah looked at him like he had gone insane.

"That thing was installed in sealed prisoner coffins."

"Yes, the name made that obvious."

Lucian nodded with a flat look on his face and that look only made Sarah’s mouth twitch even more.

"This thing was used to crush prisoners who were too strong for normal chains. It makes the body too heavy to move. It can crack bones, collapse muscles, stop breathing—"

"Exactly."

Lucian interrupted as his eyes brightened.

"If I can stand, breathe, and strike while this is active, my body becomes stronger under pressure."

"Normal people use weights, Lucian."

"Well... those don’t help me anymore."

Lucian shrugged.

"Just how strong are you?"

"You’ll see."

Lucian smiled as he placed the Coffin Dial back inside the case and picked up the third tool.

It looked like a surgical relic, pale handle, thin dark blade, a small hooked end and a faint red line running through the metal.

"Butcher’s Mercy.

Endurance training."

He smiled and once again, Sarah shook her head.

"That thing was NOT made for endurance training."

"But it keeps the body from shutting down too quickly."

Lucian frowned.

"That is exactly why it was used in torture rooms. That thing doesn’t heal or reduce pain, it only stops the body from collapsing from shock, blood loss, or injury. Interrogators use it to make sure they can keep cutting without worrying about accidentally killing the subject."

Lucian looked at the artifact in his hand and...

"That sounds like endurance training."

"You are impossible..."

"It is very useful, it keeps me conscious when pain would normally end the session."

"That is not a session."

Sarah shook her head and Lucian just smiled.

"You have no idea who Vivienne is, do you?"

Sarah turned silent.

That answer was worse than a joke.

Lucian, on the other hand, placed Butcher’s Mercy back carefully. Then he pointed at the black seal inside the glass.

"False Death Seal. Regeneration control."

Sarah didn’t even say anything this time.

Lucian opened the glass cover and looked at the seal.

"It suppresses natural recovery, slows vital reactions, weakens breathing, and pushes the body close to death."

Sarah’s voice was low.

"It was used to transport dangerous prisoners, especially Vampires and Werewolves, it makes their bodies stop responding properly."

"See? Useful."

"People died because that thing was used."

"Well, I just don’t have to die then."

Lucian shrugged and Sarah...

She was regretting the moment she thought waiting to see what Lucian’s teacher sent him would be a good idea.