As soon as I stepped out of the pantry, the smell of iron and mold mixed together hit me right in the nose. It's an unpleasant scent that makes you want to twist your corner of your eye just to touch your nose. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's something I've smelled before.

　I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's a good thing. Over and over again, as if repeating.

　Truly, what a gloomy, awful place. It's nothing short of disgusting.

　It may be like any other prison you've been to. But just standing here, depressing emotions are rising up from the bottom of my stomach. I don't think I want to stay here very long. In fact, I would refuse to even approach it.

　This is a place where the grudges of the heraldry people have built up and where the curse of the past is enforced. I let out a heavy breath from my lungs and tapped my foot on the corridor.

Vestalinu. Once again, you might want to wait. It's really not a good feeling.

　I muttered, naturally. No matter how much I exhaled, the weight in my lungs was not going to go away.

　Vestalinu says, wearing a guard uniform that he ripped off from a soldier, just like me.

　It's not a very comfortable outfit, even if it's just to avoid being discovered too soon. I'm not sure if it's Vestalynne's vibe that makes her look so strangely comfortable in these clothes.

"I'm surprised. I'm surprised that you would act like such a gentleman.

　I'm surprised you're acting like such a gentleman," she said sarcastically, her clear voice carried on the wind. It only slightly stopped the moaning in my ears.

"Well, you know. People can be gentlemen and villains at the same time.

　Vestalinu shrugs his shoulders and replies. Vestalinu didn't move his face, so I couldn't tell what he was feeling, but his voice sounded strangely firm.

I appreciate your concern, but... I am still the leader of hundreds of mercenaries, Lord Lugis. Forcing me to step aside would be a stain on the faces of those mercenaries.

　Then I can't do that. With that, Vestalinu placed his battle axe on his thin shoulder.

　He's sincere, he's serious like a farmer. It was the kind of thing that made me realize how different he was from me. That's wonderful.

　That's why I shouldn't be anywhere near this prison. This place is so far from Vestalinu's nature.

　Vestalinu kept his voice low, but continued to speak.

　After all, he said, what do you plan to do next? Are we going to release the many prisoners, or are we going to work quickly to bring in the Belfain mercenaries waiting outside? Or...

　There was a great deal of eagerness in those words. Vestalinu may seem calm, but he may also be a bit impatient and agitated. After all, it was just the two of them wandering around in the middle of enemy territory.

　As if to restrain his momentum, he forced Vestalines mouth to close with his hand as he continued to speak.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm going to be able to do it. So let's just grab him by the throat first.

　Yeah, that's right. Whether we're releasing prisoners or bringing in mercenaries, there are things that need to be done first. There is nothing more foolish than bringing in actors when the stage is not ready.

　One way or the other, we should create a stage that is ready for violence. There are a few things we need to do.

　Besides, it's not a good idea to let the prisoners go free now. The prisoners probably won't take us seriously. In fact, if we were not careful, they might even follow the guards.

　Prisoners are supposed to follow the guards. That's what this place is.

　Biting his dry lips lightly, he looked at the top floor of the north tower. I'm pretty sure that's where the warden's office is. First, let's go and grab him by the scruff of the neck.

　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.


　My fingers exploded in front of me.


　Fingers exploded in front of his eyes. At least that's what it looked like to the nines.

　Amusingly, he didn't feel any pain for a while because he was momentarily blinded by the sight.

　Blood splattered and stained even his cheeks. Unlike the noble prisoner's room, blood was strangely appropriate in the dimly lit interrogation room.

　--and so it came, a moment later.

　A desperate pain, as if the nerves in my fingers were forcibly dragged out and carefully scraped up with a rasp.

　It attacked my fingertips again and again, without pause.

　The guard strikes the torture device that tightens the fingers of the hand with a mallet. Another finger explodes. Blood gushes out, shattered bones gouge the flesh from the inside.

　An inarticulate voice rang out, accompanied by the shock of Nines' throat being ripped open. It was repeated several times.

"Prisoner 2066. The sooner you confess, the sooner you'll feel better. Come on, man. There's no point in being so stubborn.



　The guard's strangely sticky voice hit my ears. Nines, his purplish hair sticking to his cheeks, his eyes of the same color sharp and pointed, spat out the words.

...... I'm sorry, but can you speak in human? I don't have the freakish taste to talk to a violent beast.

　Nines said as he shook his chained limbs. At the same time, a violent and intense pain tore through his fingers again.

　All the fingers on his right hand were now useless. There was a slight sense of touch, but it didn't feel like it belonged. Nines felt as if the bones of his right hand had been shattered.

　The man on guard duty shook his hammer in annoyance and said.

Do you know what you're doing? Your buddy just confessed to me that you're old school. I've already decided on the method of execution ......, but I'm only human, if you flatter me a little, I'll be kind to you until the end of time.

　I'm not sure what to say. It was so obvious that Nines almost laughed.

　The other guards put torture devices on his left hand, which was still bound. His right hand, now useless, was thrown up into the air, spitting out blood.

　Nines opens his purple eyes wide. Then he looked at the guard in front of him. He could see the man's shoulders shake.

"Really, you guys are so obvious, so blind and stupid. I know exactly why you're trying to bring me down so quickly.

　I know exactly why you're trying to trap me," said Nines, swaying his braided purple hair and laughing.

I know why they are trying to bring us down. And now it's getting hard for the people to look away. So let's make up a villain as best we can!　I can easily imagine who would have thought of that...!

　Before he could continue, his cheek was smashed hard. The guard's fist creaked against Nines' cheekbone, making him spit out blood.

　Perhaps the guard had never heard such words from a prisoner before. After all, the prisoners here are all very obedient.

　Like a performer fulfilling his role, he carried out his role as a prisoner with his eyes clouded. It was as if she was being manipulated by something.

　I had never seen a woman like her before. The guard grabbed Nines by the chin, forced her to face him, and looked into his purple eyes.

"Look, I hated that look in your eyes, man. If you're a prisoner, why don't you look like a dead man? I'll crush you good and hard, yeah!

　The guard spat out in a voice that sounded more like a growl than something he wanted his opponent to hear.

　Nines opened his mouth, his teeth chattering with the pain that shot through his body.

I told you, speak in human language.

　That's all he said, and let out a breath.