Ch'en had never found a good opportunity to ask about the terrifying ability Jeanne had displayed. Now that Hoshiguma had taken the prisoner back to the cells and no one else was around to overhear, she finally chose to inquire.
Despite having logical reasons to justify her curiosity, Ch'en felt a bit embarrassed about prying into someone's secrets. She maintained her usual "poker face" as she spoke.
"My ability? It seems to only be effective against Vouivres and Dracos; other races don't seem affected by it. However, regarding the Dragons of your Great Yen... I'm not sure."
Jeanne didn't hide anything. Since she had already revealed the power, she saw no point in being secretive; it was better to be clear. She didn't believe Ch'en and the others would turn hostile just because her power was dangerous.
Then again, could she actually control a Dragon from Yan? In the past, Jeanne had only used this power on great dragons similar to Dracos; she truly hadn't tested it on races akin to the Lung Dragons. Logically, since someone like Kiyohime was classified under the concept of a "Dragon species," they should be influenced by Jeanne's power. But without a trial, she couldn't be certain.
Hearing this, Ch'en didn't quite grasp the exact biological link between Vouivres and Dracos, nor why Jeanne's power was limited to those two. But recalling how her own movements had momentarily frozen when Jeanne spoke earlier, Ch'en felt that Jeanne might truly be able to control a Lung like herself.
Ch'en decided to test the effect of the ability personally. She turned to Jeanne and said:
"Earlier, it felt like I really was influenced by your power. Why don't you try it again here to see if it works?"
This was Ch'en's way of showing she harbored no ill will; otherwise, she wouldn't dare let someone use her as a test subject. If it truly succeeded, she would be at the other's mercy.
"Alright, I'll try..."
Seeing Ch'en's proactive suggestion, Jeanne was interested in experimenting. She wanted to see if her authority could indeed reach her.
"Left hand draw an octagon, right hand draw a circle, left foot draw a square, right foot draw a triangle, and your tail draw a square! All movements performed simultaneously!"
Jeanne gave Ch'en a task that was physically impossible. Doing five different actions with four limbs and a tail at once wasn't something you could do without years of specific training.
Ch'en believed she could draw a circle with her left hand and a square with her right, but all five at once? She couldn't do that even if she ate Chi Xiao. Yet, under Jeanne's gaze, Ch'en felt her limbs move outside her command, flawlessly and fluidly executing Jeanne's requirements.
"Eh?"
Ch'en wasn't that panicked to find her body moving on its own; instead, she tried her best to resist, testing if her willpower could withstand the command. Unfortunately, her willpower was like sand against Jeanne's control. She couldn't mount any resistance to the strange command; instead, her nerves told her that this was the "correct" way to move.
Jeanne watched as Ch'en performed these high-difficulty movements with a fluidity that suggested years of practice. But... if limbs could be forced into action, could speech be controlled too?
"Hmm... how about you try reciting a guankou (traditional rhythmic monologue)[1] and see if it works?"
Jeanne spoke tentatively, channeling the power of the Dragon Witch. She wanted to see if this citizen of Lungmen could deliver an authentic Capital-style monologue.
"Steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail; steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail..."
A series of perfectly accented phrases poured from Ch'en's mouth. Jeanne was stunned that a person from Lungmen could deliver such an authentic performance without a hint of a local accent. Ch'en had only heard this specific monologue on the radio occasionally and hadn't listened closely; she only remembered the first three lines, which caused her to repeat them over and over like a scratched record.
By now, perhaps only Ch'en's eyes truly belonged to her. Her limbs and tongue were busy doing their own jobs under Jeanne's orders, completely ignoring her brain. Ch'en felt like a marionette in Jeanne's hands. She had her own thoughts, but they were useless; her actions refused to follow her mind.
Her soul kept telling her body: Stop, this is wrong! I shouldn't be doing this!
But it was futile. Her body seemed to have severed its link with her soul; she was merely a spectator within her own skin.
"Alright, release!"
The demonstration didn't last long. Having confirmed her power could manipulate the "Lung" race, Jeanne deactivated her control. Instantly, Ch'en felt the "strings" cut and regained control of her body.
"Ha... ha... ha..."
After such intense, involuntary movement, Ch'en felt as if she had just finished a full-speed 400-meter dash. Exhaustion flooded her. She panted heavily, as if she had been holding her breath for a long time. She hadn't expected such a short duration to drain her stamina so significantly.
"You... you should use this ability as sparingly as possible in Lungmen. Especially the part about controlling Lungs—it's best if no one else finds out! I'll keep this a secret for you."
Ch'en spoke with a lingering sense of dread. She couldn't imagine the reaction if people knew an ability existed that could control the Lung race. She could already see the conspiracies that would surround Jeanne.
While not all officials and nobles in Yan were Lungs, the race held an extremely special and influential status in the Empire. If others knew Jeanne could control these figures with a mere word, her situation would be more complicated than Talulah returning to Victoria! Furthermore, Ch'en knew that the "great figures" of the court might choose a "permanent solution" to deal with such a threat to national stability.
" I know. I doubt I'll need to use it. Between me and Yan, there shouldn't be any entanglements besides this place."
Jeanne understood the implications. However, she didn't plan on heading into the heart of Yan, so she didn't expect to encounter many Lungs who needed controlling.
"Then I'm relieved. Lungs are a sensitive topic for Yan—much more so than Dracos are to Victoria."
Ch'en caught her breath, a weight lifted from her heart. She stood up to leave the room with Jeanne. However, Ch'en couldn't help but feel that while she was under control, her physical attributes actually seemed slightly stronger than usual.
"You two finally came out! I was starting to wonder what you were dawdling in there for!"
As soon as they stepped out, they were met by Swire, who was waiting with some documents. She seemed impatient, likely because their "experiment" had taken some time. Her large tail was standing upright like a wooden pole—a clear sign of her foul mood.
"We were just chatting for a bit. What's the rush? Or did you run into something else you can't solve without me?"
Ch'en looked at Swire's stiff tail, wondering why she was so agitated. Hadn't the interrogation gone well?
"I don't have time for your nonsense!"
Swire rolled her eyes at the Pink Sausage Dragon. But then she noticed Ch'en was breathing heavily. What were these two doing in there?
Swire scanned them with a suspicious, interrogating gaze. Something was definitely fishy!
[1] A traditional Chinese rapid-fire, high-speed recitation technique.