Prison 2

It had been a long time since I was last imprisoned.

However, it didn’t feel right to call it a prison.

It was steeped in rumors. People whispered about a terrifying monster being sealed away inside, and about infamous criminals believed to have died in the labyrinth being interrogated there.

‘I think the warm water is coming out faster than at my house.’

The facilities were far too luxurious to be an underground prison. It’s more like staying in a suite at a five-star hotel. There are three rooms and the bed is so large that I could roll over twice and still have space left. The bathroom even features a massive tub…

“……Not bad.”

Of course, not all cells in the underground prison were like this.

My current location is a special confinement cell tucked away in a corner of the first underground floor. It’s a place for prisoners who still command the respect of the Royal Family.

Well, the purpose of locking someone up here wasn’t really to imprison them, but to make it look like they were.

Anyway,

“Baron Jandel, can we talk for a moment?”

Less than a few hours into my prison life, a visitor arrived. It was Knight Gramps, whom I had met just a few hours earlier.

He talked about how surprised he was by my patriotism, asked if I was finding prison life uncomfortable, and said that I could call him if I ever needed his help.

He then explained that the Noarkans were being held on the fifth underground floor, where Department of Intelligence agents were questioning them. Apparently, the vice-captain was able to survive my attack thanks to an essence.

After some friendly small talk, he left after saying something rather ominous.

“…I’ll be going now. Like I said earlier, rest for the next two days and don’t overthink things. The fact that the Marquis hasn’t taken any action against you might mean something else.”.”

“…Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“He may actually be hoping that you try to escape. Even if you’re only being held for two days, it doesn’t reduce the severity of a jailbreak.”

With those words, Knight Gramps left to attend to his duties, leaving me with a lot to think about.

‘It certainly makes sense.’

After all, the Marquis had treated me excessively well for someone locked in a cell. Knowing my personality, he could have imposed far more restrictions to ensure I couldn’t escape. Instead, he put me in a special cell without any restraints. Honestly, if I felt like it, I could rip the door off its hinges and walk out right now…

“…Are you there?”

For some reason, a second visitor arrived not long after Knight Gramps left. Was this place open to the public or something?

The thought almost made me laugh.

‘Well… not just anyone.’

It just so happened that many people around me held positions high enough to gain access to the royal underground prison.

Like this second visitor.

“Ragna…”

“It’s been a while. Are you feeling unwell anywhere? I heard this prison is… different from what one would expect, but I can’t see the inside of your room from here.”

“It’s probably just as you heard. Nothing uncomfortable. The meals seem decent enough too.”

“Ah… is that so? I’m relieved.”

“So, why are you here?”

When I asked the reason for her visit, Ragna hesitated before sliding a packaged box through the gap where meals were delivered.

‘What’s this? Some kind of secret letter meant to be delivered to me?”

With such thoughts, I quietly unwrapped it to see what was inside.

“…Cookies?”

The small box was filled with nothing but cookies. Ah, maybe she had hidden a note inside one of them? I quickly picked one up and took a bite.

“I heard that dessert wouldn’t be served with the meals……. I baked them myself, but… are they to your taste?”

“Oh… uh? Yeah, they’re delicious!”

“Hehe, you don’t have to shout for me to hear you.”

“…….”

I wondered if the Marquis had sent her, but it seemed she really just wanted to see my face and bring me something to eat. As we made small talk through the door, it occurred to me that I should ask her about it.

The painting of the woman I saw in the secret study—the one who is likely Ragna’s biological mother. Did she know of her existence?

I considered asking, but ultimately decided against it. If it were the Marquis, he would have hidden listening devices everywhere—

“No, wait a minute.”

Suddenly, it struck me like lightning.

“…What is it?” Ragna seemed confused at my reaction.

 

Come to think of it, had the Marquis mentioned it to me? Though it felt rude, I ignored Ragna’s question and replayed my conversation with the Marquis.

‘He didn’t.’

The more I replayed our conversation, the more certain I became.

[So… you discovered them while searching my manor?]

Despite surely having heard all the news about what happened within his estate.

[Two days. You shall be disciplined for exactly two days.]

The marquiss never mentioned the secret office I’d entered alone, nor did he try to question me about it. That was something that should have come up no matter what, even in passing.

‘……Was it not that important a secret?’

Maybe it wasn’t something worth hiding, even if someone discovered it. So, perhaps the Marquis didn’t react much because of that?

It’s not an unreasonable assumption, but my past experiences tell me otherwise.

‘No, that can’t be.’

It’s the opposite. The Marquis didn’t mention it at all because that ‘secret’ is far too important.

And if this assumption is correct…

‘…I might be the one in the most danger.’

Perhaps I shouldn’t be worrying about my comrades in District 7 right now.

“…Just what are you thinking?” Ragna asked cautiously

It wasn’t something I could just tell Ragna, the marquis’s daughter. Therefore…….

“…My stomach hurts!”

“……Pardon?”

“I have to go to the bathroom right now! Oh, and I’ll enjoy the cookies! Thanks!”

“What? Ah…. Yes……….”

I used my barbarian-style evasion tactic to bring my conversation with Ragna to an end. After she left, my stomach really did start acting up, so I went to sit down on the toilet.

After some time had passed.

Clatter.

Something shaped like a grenade rolled in through the meal slot, which could only be opened from the outside.

Flash-!

It exploded right there, emitting a bright light.

‘A flashbang…?’

At first, I thought that, but the light wasn’t blindingly intense, and I didn’t feel any damage on my skin where the light touched.

‘Who is it…?’

It didn’t seem like an attack. Still, just in case, I grabbed my hammer and approached the door when a voice came from the other side.

“Are you in there?”

The 1st Royal Knight Commander, Jerome Saintred.

No, to be precise, the Ancient Monster possessing his body.

“I came because I have something urgent to tell you.”

It was the Village Chief.

***

This wasn’t some public hangout, so why was everyone showing up to see me today? The third guest turned out to be the village chief.

“What the hell are you doing here? And what was that just now?”

“It’s a magical tool used by the Royal Intelligence Department. It temporarily emits a powerful magical wave that neutralises magical communication tools.”

So basically an EMP grenade?

“I did it in case there were ears listening, so I hope you can understand.”

I had already suspected there might be surveillance devices, so that was fine.

“Enough. What’s so urgent that you had to come yourself?”

The village chief immediately got to the point, as though time was short.

“It will begin soon.”

No… Wasn’t this too straight to the point?

“Begin? What do you mean by that?”

“The day when everything burns.”

“No, I mean, what does that—”

Just as I was trying to ignore my fluttering heart and calmly ask for clarification.

BOOOOOOOM—!!

A tremor surged down from the surface and tore through the ground for several seconds, shaking the entire prison. Cracks split the ceiling, and the supporting walls began to fail as chunks crashed to the floor.

Startled, I grabbed the iron door to ask the Village Head what was happening.

But the Village Head spoke first.

“Leave this place immediately. This place is no longer safe.”

“No, give me an explanation—!”

“This is all I can tell you for now. Survive. Once you do, I’ll have more to tell you.”

“When I do? I don’t care about that. At least explain the situation-.”

“It’s about time. The person after me will tell you the rest.”

And then…

Tap-tap-tap-tap-!

I heard urgent footsteps approaching my cell. It wasn’t the village chief or Knight Gramps. I could tell from the sound alone that it was an ordinary person with no martial training.

‘Ragna…?’

She was the first person that came to mind, but surprisingly, the visitor turned out to be my fourth unique guest of the day.

.Bang, bang, bang!

“Mr. Jandel!! Mr. Jandel!!”

“Raven…?”

“Oh, you’re here! Thank goodness! I’ll open the door for you right now—”

“No need.”

I ripped the door, which had been pointless from the start, off its hinges and stepped outside.

“Huh…?”

“Hurry up and get to the point. What is happening above me right now?”

“Ah, right…!”

Raven snapped back to her senses at the sound of my voice and hurriedly filled me in. “Thunder! Thunder struck the Palace of Glory!”

‘Thunder’

It was the official name of one of the palace’s three Magic Weapons.

I only learned about it from a message on the way here. The Palace of Glory has fallen, and we do not know if the Supreme Commander and Prime Minister are still alive. Everyone is panicking, and we are trying to evacuate.

I grabbed Raven by the shoulders and pressed down firmly. I did not know exactly what she had seen up there, but her body was shaking like a leaf.

“W we have to leave right now,” she rushed out. “If that falls on us again, even this place will not be safe.”

“Calm down, Raven.”

“But……!”

“I said calm down.”

“……”

When I spoke firmly, Raven bit her lip and went silent. Her trembling didn’t disappear, but she was much better than the panicked mess she was a moment ago.

“The 7th District… is there any news about how the 7th District is doing?”

Hmm… so that’s how it is.

Then I asked one final thing.

“Any more information about what happened to the prime minister?”

“Huh? No! I don’t know if he’s alive or dead! But, according to what I heard on the radio, he was definitely inside the Palace of Glory when Thunder fell!”

“I see.”

Somehow, I got the feeling that… No, actually, I was sure of it.

The Marquis is alive.

In fact, it might have been him who activated Thunder in the first place. After all, there were signs that he may have been conspiring with the Noarkians.

“Give me a moment.”

“…What? A moment? This isn’t the time for that, we need to get out of here right now—!”

“Just a moment. That’s all.”

No matter what Raven said after that, I closed my mouth and continued thinking.

A battlefield where every second mattered.

It didn’t take long to reach a conclusion.

‘No matter how I look at it.’

Running away right now would be the worst possible move.

With everything plunged into chaos, escaping to reunite with my allies in District Seven was possible and, logically, the safest option. However, every situation had a golden window. The initial response could drastically alter the final outcome.

Yes, so……

“You go first, Raven.”

“…What? What are you talking about? Are you crazy? Mr. Jandel, you just don’t understand what’s happening up there, hey, where are you going?!”

Seeing me start walking, Raven cried out in alarm.

Naturally so.

The hallway I was following led to the stairs going further underground.

And—

“The fifth underground floor” I called back to her.

“The 5th underground floor…? Why are you trying to go there!”

According to Knight Gramps, they are locked up there.

Demon Eye and the entire Noark special unit, all of whom had surrendered, bound and sealed off from their abilities.

 

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