Amu held his knees on the hard floor of the dungeon.

　How long had it been since he had been put in here?
　The sun hadn't come out, and even the sense of time was blurred in the extreme silence of the underground.

　On the night of the entrance ceremony, I was put on a horse soon afterwards and rode all night on the city streets.
　Changing horses along the way, we hardly had any rest, and we reached the Imperial City the next evening.

　Why he was in such a hurry, I do not know.
　Nor about my own, unaccountable sins.

　As soon as I passed through the gates, I was put in a carriage and brought to the Imperial City.
　Then, with little or no explanation, he was placed in this dungeon.

　Amu could imagine that this was not a prison for ordinary criminals.
　After all, this was the basement of the Imperial City. Perhaps it was originally a place to hold political prisoners and the like.

　However, no matter how much I think about it, I don't know why I, a child of an adventurer and a mere commoner, would be trapped in a place like this.

　Amu held his knees tightly and rolled his back.
　It was cold. Outside, it must be midnight already. Even though it was spring, it was still cold. The cold stone floor is taking more and more of my body heat away from the cold stone floor.
　It was hard for Amu, who was brought in with his clothes on. He had his staff sword in his hand, but it was taken away before he could be mounted on his horse, so he couldn't use his magic to keep himself warm.

　What would happen now?

　My body shivered as I thought about it.
　It was never just the cold.

　I didn't know why this was happening.
　Just a few days ago, I was supposed to be thinking about my last year at the school and my life as an adventurer starting next year.

　What had happened to the entrance ceremony since then?
　I wonder if Eifa and Mabel are worried about it.
　Seika's greeting as valedictorian was...

''Huh........''

　I rub the tears that have been seeping in with my arms, scrubbing them away.
　The promise I made to Seika that we would go on another adventure together might not be able to be fulfilled.

　Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from behind the bars.

''Huh?''

　I brace myself.

　A figure with a light in his hand gradually approaches.

　Acknowledging the figure----Amu opened his eyes.

''Eh.........oh, you.......''