Chapter 48 : Rescue Operation

A prison is a place where people who have committed crimes are detained, corrected, and reformed.

There are many reasons why someone might end up in prison—murder, theft, fraud, and so on.

Each prisoner has their own story and a unique crime. 

Thus, a prison holds people who have committed a variety of offenses.

Prisoners generally fall into three categories: those who genuinely repent their sins, those who stubbornly deny their crimes, and those who acknowledge their wrongdoing and even take pride in it.

A place filled with such individuals is rarely a normal one.

Some express remorse, others proclaim their innocence, and some raise their voices, seeking recognition for their crimes.

These overlapping voices create a discordant cacophony, leaving the prison shrouded in a gloomy and unsettling atmosphere.

A place meant to reform wrongdoers, isolated from society, where only a melancholic and disquieting air lingers—we stood before the entrance of such a prison.

This was the prison beneath the castle of Viln.

After the commotion in the great hall yesterday, Artorius had been apprehended by the guards and confined to Viln’s underground prison.

The reason for his imprisonment was the accusation of assaulting an innocent citizen.

Though we wanted to help him during his arrest, the sheer number of guards made it impossible, and we had no choice but to watch as he was taken away.

Fortunately, we managed to slip away from the scene unnoticed afterward.

The next day, we arrived here, determined to free him from the prison.

Descending to the entrance of the underground prison, we decided to first locate the person in charge and explain our desire to have Artorius released.

At the time, we thought the matter would be resolved easily. 

After all, Bliss was a high priestess of the Origin Church, and Artorius was a paladin of the same order.

However, to our surprise, we were told it was impossible to have him released.

“Why exactly is it impossible?”

Bliss’s voice was filled with confusion, her face tinged with disbelief.

“Because he is a criminal accused of assaulting an innocent citizen,” the jailer replied in a calm tone.

“He is an Inquisitor! There must be a reason for his actions…”

“Does being an Inquisitor give him the right to assault innocent citizens?”

“He is a paladin of the Origin Church!”

“And before that, he is also a criminal who has committed a crime.”

The jailer’s response made Bliss frown slightly.

She remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought about how to proceed.

Soon, Bliss spoke again.

“Then at least let us meet with him. Open the door.”

“I’m sorry. That is not allowed.”

“What? Why not?”

“No prisoner may meet anyone until they face judgment.”

“Why is that?”

“Because it is the rule of Viln.”

The jailer maintained his expressionless demeanor as he replied.

The mention of Viln’s rules suggested that this place had strict regulations.

It seemed that the jailer standing in our way was simply following those rules to the letter.

It seemed the jailer was simply fulfilling his duty.

The problem was that his sense of duty worked against us.

What was clear, however, was that the jailer was blocking us in order to carry out his assigned role.

Perhaps for that reason, Bliss didn’t seem particularly upset about his interference, which was unusual for her.

Instead, she appeared to decide on taking matters into her own hands.

“Then I’ll just open the door myself,” she said, stepping toward the door.

Technically, if we were the ones to open it and not the jailer, he wouldn’t have a reason to stop us.

Even if his superiors later questioned him, he could simply say we forced our way in.

However, the jailer quickly blocked her path.

“You cannot pass through here.”

“And why not? Is it because of those rules again?”

“That is correct.”

“I will take full responsibility. Just step aside.”

“I’m sorry, but I cannot do that.”

Bliss glared at the jailer with all her might, but his expression didn’t waver in the slightest.

Seeing his unchanging demeanor, Bliss let out a deep sigh and offered him a soft smile.

“Jailer, currently, Artorius Ludbekia, an Inquisitor and Paladin of the Origin Church, is imprisoned here.

I, as a high priestess of the Origin Church, need to meet with him.

Even if he is accused of a crime, I have business with him as per my duties within the church.

So, I ask that you step aside.

Just as you follow the rules of Viln, I must adhere to the rules of the church.”

“Even so, it is not possible. I’m sorry.”

His answer was the same as before, and Bliss’s expression twisted in frustration.

Her voice turned icy as she spoke again.

“I will ask you once more. Step aside.”

“I’m sorry. That is not possible.”

Despite the chill in her tone, the jailer remained calm and unyielding.

Frustrated by the jailer’s consistent refusal, Bliss decided to play her trump card.

“Then I command you, as a member of House Lily. Step aside immediately.”

She invoked her noble lineage, using her family’s status to resolve the situation.

Her face showed confidence, as if certain this would work.

Hearing her words, I thought this would finally allow us access to the underground prison.

Even though she wasn’t the head of her house, as a member of a count’s family, her words carried significant weight.

Such is the nature of noble privilege. When it works in your favor, it’s not so bad.

However—

“I’m sorry, but it is still not possible.”

“What… what did you just say? Are you refusing a noble’s command?”

“I apologize.”

Bliss looked visibly stunned, as if she couldn’t believe her command had been denied.

It was clear from her reaction that this was likely the first time she’d ever faced such a rejection.

Her shock didn’t last long, though. 

Her expression soon hardened into one of anger.

Pointing her finger at the jailer, she said:

“Are you defying a noble? Do you not understand that, under imperial law, no one may disobey a noble’s orders?”

“I understand well. But under imperial law, a knight must prioritize the orders of their liege.
I am a knight of this place, and I am obligated to follow my master’s commands first and foremost.”

The jailer’s counter left Bliss momentarily speechless. 

She had tried to use imperial law to end this, only for the jailer to use the same law to justify his actions.

Wait… this jailer is a knight?

I glanced at him with surprise, realizing there was more to him than met the eye.

“And whose orders are you following? Who gave you this directive?” Bliss demanded.

“My lord.”

“Are you not afraid of retribution? My family’s influence could—”

“Bliss.”

The jailer interrupted her, meeting her gaze firmly.

“This is not Phalon, the domain of House Lily.”

Bliss’s expression darkened at his words. 

Her lips twitched, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.

A moment later, she spoke again.

“You said this order came from your lord, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then if I obtain his permission to enter, will you step aside?”

“Yes.”

The jailer nodded. 

It seemed gaining his lord’s approval would allow us to bypass the rules and enter the prison.

Bliss glared at the jailer for a moment longer before speaking softly.

“I will return later.”

With that, she turned and headed back toward the stairs.

“Farewell. I wish you a pleasant day,” the jailer said, bowing slightly as he watched her leave.

Bliss didn’t look back, but her steps grew faster.

Worried the jailer might feel slighted, I quickly bowed my head to him before hurrying to follow her.

As I ascended the stairs, a thought lingered in my mind.

This “lord” again.

Before, I had heard from Wolf that the person funding the Origin Church was also referred to as “lord.”

And now, I was hearing that title here too.

It felt like every obstacle we encountered was tied to someone called “lord.”

Was it just a coincidence?

I pondered for a moment before shaking my head. It must be my imagination.

Since he was said to oversee this place, it was only natural.

Dismissing my thoughts, I continued up the stairs.

And so, with nothing gained, we were forced to ascend back to the surface.

Our first attempt to rescue Artorius had ended in complete failure.

Back upstairs, we decided to return to our room to discuss what to do next.

Our plan had been thwarted in the most unexpected way.

“Ugh…! Why on earth is this so impossible?!” Bliss muttered, frustration evident in her voice.

Her hands trembled slightly, still angry over what had just transpired.

I couldn’t help but give a bitter smile at her reaction.

“Maybe… there’s some reason they can’t say outright?” I suggested.

“Even so, refusing a noble’s order is incomprehensible. I’ve never encountered such defiance before. For someone to disobey a direct command, they must be prepared to risk their life for it. But why would they go to such lengths just to prevent someone from seeing a prisoner? I just don’t get it.”

To be honest, I didn’t understand it either. 

It wasn’t like we were trying to break Artorius out; we only wanted to meet with him. Why block that so vehemently?

“These days, it feels like nothing is going right,” Bliss sighed deeply, pressing her hand to her forehead.

Considering what she’d been through since arriving here, I could understand why she felt that way.

From the dried-up farmlands to the sudden appearance of a massive monster, to the frustratingly slow investigation into the Cult of the End, things had gone from bad to worse.

Just when we thought we’d found a crucial lead, Artorius ended up arrested and thrown into prison.

And when we tried to free him, even invoking noble privilege, we were met with flat refusal by the jailer.

Bliss groaned in irritation. “It seems we’ll need to meet with this ‘lord’ first.”

“Are you planning to go now?” I asked.

She nodded firmly, her face still tight with anger. 

“Yes. Honestly, Artorius is such a headache. How could he not control himself and act so recklessly?”

Says the pot calling the kettle black.

She must have conveniently forgotten her own outburst back then.

“How am I supposed to explain all this to the Pope if we don’t resolve it soon?
If I report that a paladin has been imprisoned for committing a crime, we’ll be the laughingstock of the entire church!”

Bliss ruffled her hair in frustration, clearly exasperated with the situation.

“Let’s head back to the room first and figure out our next steps together,” I suggested, trying to calm her down.

Her explosive energy reminded me of a ticking time bomb, so I did my best to keep her temper in check during the walk back.

Seriously, what did I do to deserve this? 

Having to soothe even full-grown adults now?

A wave of existential exhaustion hit me.

When we finally reached our room, we were met by an unexpected visitor—a dignified man with slicked-back white hair and an impeccably groomed beard.

The head butler.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Miss Ruina,” he said with a polite bow.

“Me?” I pointed to myself, confused.

“Yes, my lady. My master has requested to meet with you,” he replied with a warm smile.

Wait, what?

“He said he would like to have a conversation with the saintess of the Origin Church.”

Ah, that made sense. 

Since he was also a believer, it wasn’t too surprising.

“Should I head there now?” I asked.

“Yes, if you could come right away, I’d be most grateful. My master hasn’t been keeping regular hours lately, so the timing is important,” the butler explained.

“Understood. I’ll go immediately,” I agreed.

There was no reason to refuse. 

This was a chance to gain information I might not have had otherwise and potentially get his approval to access the underground prison.

Just as I reached for Reina’s hand and prepared to follow the butler, he suddenly added, “Ah, come to think of it, my master specifically requested to meet with you alone, Miss Ruina.”

I stopped in my tracks.

“Does that mean Reina has to stay behind?”

“Yes, that is correct,” the butler confirmed.

The new condition left me conflicted. 

Should I leave Reina behind and go alone, or decline the invitation altogether?

If I chose the former, I wouldn’t be able to respond if something happened to Reina while I was away. 

And knowing Reina, she wouldn’t want to be separated from me.

But on the other hand, passing up the opportunity to speak with the lord was too big a loss. I had a lot of questions I wanted to ask him.

After much deliberation, I came to a decision.

“Bliss, could you stay with Reina in my room for a while?”

I entrusted Reina to Bliss. She wouldn’t harm Reina, and if something did happen, she was capable enough to handle it until I returned.

Besides, I wasn’t planning on being gone for long.

The real issue was whether Bliss would agree to this.

“That’s fine with me,” Bliss said, surprisingly agreeable.

“Thank you,” I replied with relief.

Now all that remained was convincing Reina.

I looked down nervously to find the sight I had expected—Reina looking up at me, her eyes welling with tears.

“You’re leaving me alone?” she asked in a trembling voice, clearly on the verge of crying.

Her pitiful expression made me feel helpless. I had no immediate solution.

“Reina,” I said softly.

“What?”

“I need to go somewhere for a little while. Can you play with Bliss until I get back?”

“No! You’re just saying that, but you won’t come back!”

“I’ll be back soon. Really.”

“That’s a lie!”

Reina clapped her hands over her ears and turned away from me, refusing to listen any further.

Oh, for heaven’s sake. What do I do now?

Then, an idea struck me.

“Reina, if you stay with Bliss and behave until I get back, I’ll buy you some candy,” I said, appealing to her love of sweets.

During our time together, I had learned one crucial fact—Reina adored candy more than anything else.

Her reaction was immediate.

“Really?” Reina asked, peeking at me over her shoulder. The tears in her eyes were already gone.

“Really.”

“You’re not lying?”

“Why would I lie about something like this?”

“Promise!” she said, her expression dead serious.

“I promise,” I said, hooking my pinky finger with hers.

Reina finally smiled, then ran over to Bliss.

So, this is the power of candy, I thought with amazement, straightening my back as the situation resolved itself.

“Take care of her,” I said to Bliss.

“Leave it to me!” she replied enthusiastically.

Her energy reassured me that things would be fine while I was away.

Turning to the butler, I said, “Please, lead the way.”

“Right this way,” he replied, taking the lead.

I glanced back one last time, watching Bliss and Reina enter the room, then followed after him.