episode_0003

“Die! You fucking asshole!”

I don’t know how many minutes or perhaps hours I endured that state.

“Huh? You don’t remember? You don’t remember?!”

They beat me until they were satisfied, again and again…

“Haa, haa…”

After being beaten for so long that they grew tired of it, the restraints that held my body finally released me.

“… Hey, let’s stop beating him and get this over with.”

“Now?”

Instead, when the violent outburst ended, a change occurred in the enraged atmosphere. They glanced at each other and scanned my body.

“No, I mean, I’m not really that desperate for a man…”

As the nature of the humiliation shifted towards sexuality, some of them began to make excuses and leave the shower room, making faint noises.

They just wanted to beat the hero senseless. They didn’t want to take on any more risk.

“…”

But Acid and Black Owl didn’t stop.

They wanted to see me humiliated just a little bit more.

“But won’t we end up getting fucked by that girl if we keep this up?”

“I don’t know about that, but I’m going to make this guy pay today. No, and there’s no reason to be scared. We won’t have to see each other again after today.”

The two of them, despite appearing to fear someone, were like moths flying towards a flameless lantern, thoroughly excited.

Especially Black Owl, who took the initiative after being provoked by me, began to strip my clothes one by one.

“I’ll make sure you never forget me…”

“This guy’s still standing?”

I tried to raise my arms, which weren’t functioning properly due to the accumulated pain, to protect myself, but my body wouldn’t cooperate.

“Crow, are you that great? Do you think you’re a historical figure? That’s an illusion. You’re just a guy who got lucky and gained abilities. Don’t act like you’re superior.”

The baggy orange prison garb and cheap white t-shirt were easily torn off, and I found myself naked on the shower room tiles, feeling chills and moisture envelop my body.

“Didn’t I say there’s no compromising with villains? Well, let’s see if your body can handle that. Can you remain stoic while enjoying yourself with a criminal bitch? I don’t think so.”

The sexual desire that had been building up among the women, combined with their resentment and dominance over me.

All of these intertwined dark desires were pushed forward as the two also began to undress. Once the cumbersome prison clothes were removed, only three naked people remained in the shower room.

It didn’t matter who was the villain and who was the hero. There were only men and women here.

Black Owl seemed to want to convey that message. She wanted to point out that my determination didn’t match my physical structure, reactions, or desires.

By doing so,

she could prove her superiority.

She could pin me down and win the fight.

She wouldn’t be at a loss. Moments of orgasm and relief would be all that remained.

“Are those words you spoke still valid? That there’s no compromising with villains?”

I didn’t respond, just staring up at the ceiling of the shower room, where water droplets had formed and were falling in small amounts.

There was no sky there.

Despite feeling the sensation of being on a building’s rooftop on my back, I couldn’t see the vast expanse of the sky or the clouds in my field of vision.

“Are you listening? Answer me!”

Instead, I saw Black Owl’s furious face. She had finished preparing, and to clearly observe my reaction, she continued speaking.

“Alright then, let’s see how long you keep up that expression. Let’s see who wins.”

I wish she’d move her face away.

Instead, she moved closer, her teeth grinding together.

“You’re beneath me. Out there, you might have gotten lucky and beaten me. But here, you belong in this position.”

That’s why,

even with all my strength exhausted, I could still tell her.

Even when I whispered softly from close by, she would hear every word.

“…”

“What? What did you say?”

I leaned in, speaking directly into her ear.

“You’re ugly. Auntie.”

There’s no compromising.

Absolutely not.

I won’t yield until I’m beaten to death or unconscious.

I don’t remember much of what happened after that. Only a few scenes come to mind here and there.

A fist flying towards my face.

The back of my head hitting the shower tiles dozens of times more.

Spit flying in the face. Agitated voice.

Nausea. Blurry vision.

A scream. A dampness. A pleasure. A emptiness. A sense of liberation.

And then the lights went out.

——————————————————

Shoo-

The cold water from the showerhead, falling from a great height, soaks my hair. The chilly sensation washes away my dizziness, and in its place, a delayed ache rushes in.

I must have lost consciousness for a while. It’s not exactly good news. It means I hit my body’s limits and blacked out, essentially failing to endure the ordeal presented to me.

“… ”

Perhaps this is their way of marking their visit. My naked body is covered by a prisoner’s uniform, the top and bottom haphazardly thrown on. These poor clothes, having met their unfortunate fate, are soaked with water, turning a brown hue.

The water keeps flowing down my body and clothes. As it trickles down the slight incline, it forms a stream that eventually stops at the drain, swirling for quite some time.

However, the amount of water is strangely abundant. It’s not just coming from my direction but also from other sources.

Only then do I become aware of the presence of others. To the left of the wall, where the showerheads are lined up, there’s a woman using one of them.

“You’re awake.”

Among them, a woman using a shower speaks, but the sound of the falling water makes it hard to hear her clearly.

“It’s a mild concussion. Sit for a little longer before you leave.”

Her voice, somewhere between haughtiness and calm, reaches me faintly. It’s then that I recognize who she is.

…An unforgettable voice.

“Ten minutes.”

Acid, Black Owl,

And everyone else I’ve forgotten,

Impressive enough to eclipse them all,

A voice resembling a rose.

“I’ll be taking a shower for ten minutes.”

Code name: Skadi.

A villain we’ve been at odds with for quite some time.

After that, no further conversation ensues. I simply stand there, taking the falling water, while she washes off the foam that clings to her body.

Her smooth curves gradually emerge. A mist forms around her body as she applies warm water.

My eyes and thoughts seem drawn to her for some reason, lingering on her much longer than necessary. In the prolonged silence, I ponder the small act of kindness she’s shown me.

What could it mean?

Did she feel sorry for me? A woman I’ve never known to have an ounce of sympathy.

If it’s just a whim, it couldn’t be more miserable.

Should I thank her right now?

She, who wants to change me right now, are helping me.

“…”

My body is unsteady. My legs are not strong enough to keep my balance.

However, I gather up my soaking wet clothes and prepare to go out.

“How, How many minutes has it been?”

“About three minutes have passed since you spoke.”

The two of them have a short conversation while looking at me like that. In particular, Skadi’s gaze quietly looking at me through her wet hair catches my eye.

“There is still no compromise.”

With an ambiguous expression that is neither a smile nor a sneer, she takes the pouring water back into her face.

I walk behind Skadi.

“Let me give you some information before you leave.”

I listen quietly as she speaks.

“You’ve been unconscious for an hour. The people who touched you have been taken away by the guards. In another thirty minutes, they’ll come for you too.”

Should I express gratitude?

What attitude should I take toward a favor received from a villain?

“There are two things you need to do when you get there. First, make sure to quickly acknowledge that it wasn’t a one-sided assault but a common fight among inmates. The other is to report the rape.”

“When you act submissive and don’t complain or argue, your testimony gains credibility. Even the most deranged inmates here will at least pretend to listen if you present a normal facade. If you do that, the guards are more likely to properly report your testimony to their superiors.”

“After that, all you need to do is consistently claim that you were assaulted and then raped. Usually, inmates look out for each other, but this time will be different. They’ll be more inclined to betray each other for their own gain because they’re involved. If they sense the possibility of retaliation, most of them will turn on their allies.”

“When that happens, your testimony becomes more important than the conflicting statements of others. So be honest. If you follow my advice, at least two of the six people who attacked you will receive special surveillance dispositions and be transferred to Ward A or B. The choice is yours.”

I stand there speechless,

briefly hesitating

before leaving the shower room.

The water drips, staining the gray floor. A trail is left behind as I walk.

This time, most eyes seem to be averted from me.

It feels as if they’re intentionally not looking at me, instead focusing on card games or the TV.

In that comfortable solitude,

with my aching body and damp clothes,

I can’t bring myself to lie down on my bed. Instead, I sit uncomfortably on the floor beside it, staring blankly at the ceiling.

There’s no sky here, either.

But,

the ceiling is slightly higher than the shower room,

giving me a sense of freedom, however slight.