episode_0018

“Make yourself comfortable.”

It’s been a long time since I’ve spent time in the common area. Compared to the cramped and stuffy two-person cell, the high ceiling and the bustling conversations in the common space make one feel much more at ease.

Of course, these two factors alone don’t alleviate my claustrophobia.

Sitting across from me at the table is Skadi, who brought me here,

and it gives me a strange sense of satisfaction to think that she will finally become a weapon against Creep.

“…Yeah.”

Although it bothers me that even this brief change of scenery is thanks to Skadi, for now, it’s certain that Skadi is a safer person than Creep.

This isn’t about making a deal with a villain. It’s just about analyzing and using them to survive in this place…

“I heard you met with the correctional officer.”

“Yes.”

Still, I don’t know much about Skadi. Whenever I try to gather information and analyze her, I’m caught by Creep, leaving me no time to organize my thoughts.

The information I have about Skadi is frozen in time, two years ago.

Back then, she was even more intimidating, expanding her influence.

No, it might be more accurate to say that even then, there was no organization in the underworld that could match hers, and she was planning a crime that had to be stopped at all costs.

“You must have had a hard time.”

Even then, Skadi was relatively gentlemanly. She wasn’t like the crazy murderers who killed indiscriminately or the arsonists who wanted to blow up an entire city.

She was a woman who would mercilessly eliminate anyone who stood in her way and sacrifice anything for her greater ambitions,

but Skadi also had a gentle side.

This wasn’t just true for me.

Skadi was a woman who offered unwavering trust and clear rewards to those who stayed by her side.

“Why don’t you eat?”

However, she was by no means a woman who acted without expecting something in return.

The well-cooked ramen in front of me,

the smoked chicken legs and tuna,

were all too generous and overwhelming to be considered simple acts of kindness.

“…I’m, I’m fine.”

“You don’t get to eat these things when you’re with Creep. Go ahead and eat.”

“I said I’m fine.”

It’s just food.

People can survive for several more weeks without eating.

No matter how hungry I am or how weak my body becomes, I’m not stupid enough to accept the kindness of a villain without hesitation.

“…You still won’t compromise, huh? I know, but this isn’t a compromise.”

Skadi leans forward, resting her elbows on the table, and her haughty eyes and surreal beauty come into sharper focus.

“If you keep living like this, you won’t last long. Your weakened healing ability has its limits.”

She’s right.

I already sense the limitations of my body.

“But if I help you, the situation will change, won’t it?”

However, I can’t just accept her dubious offer.

“…Skadi, we weren’t close enough to be helping each other.”

We’re enemies.

We were enemies before,

and we’re enemies now.

“What do you want? Don’t beat around the bush, just say it.”

“I’ve already said it. I don’t want you to die, and I want to help you. That’s all.”

Despite this, Skadi maintains her calm, unperturbed expression as she offers her kindness.

“So, eat. This isn’t from a villain, it’s from your friend.”

“I’ve never made friends with villains.”

No matter how much I provoke her,

she doesn’t falter.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend, so we’re friends, right?”

“…”

She delivers her points precisely,

stating only the facts I can’t refute.

“…Okay, if you’re against it, Crow, there’s nothing I can do. But, I wonder if Creep in that room thinks the same way?”

She sets a trap I can’t escape,

“When our meeting is over and you go back into the room, what do you think Creep will do to you? You know better than I do.”

She shoves the kindness into my small mouth.

“Even if you don’t accept this gift and go back, do you think Creep will treat you more gently? No. Our meeting is the worst stress for Creep, and that anger is directed at both of us. It’s already irreversible.”

Kwaak-

As soon as Skadi finishes speaking,

I pick up a smoked chicken leg and shove it into my mouth.

“Yeah, that’s the right choice. It’s not a compromise. You have to eat to survive.”

The savory skin and fat wrapping the outside,

and the moist, tender meat beneath it.

From the moment I take a big bite, I feel a sense of catharsis throughout my body. As my body receives the new energy source, the nutrients that were naturally depleted when healing my wounds begin to work again, shedding tears of joy.

“D, don’t… get me wrong… oops…”

My head rings. As I start consuming high-quality calories, all my nerves focus on the food.

“S, Skadi. You’re, just like Creep…”

“Eat slowly. Don’t choke.”

But my mind, which has started working again, correctly infers Skadi’s intentions.

She’s trying to use me to bring down Creep.

If she keeps calling me out like this to provoke Creep, she will surely cause trouble.

However, Creep has already caused incidents in Blocks A, B, and the Special Management Block.

Therefore,

her future disposition is uncertain.

The prison authorities might not keep her alive any longer.

“Yeah. Eat and listen. You may already know this, but executions are rarely carried out inside this prison. Even for the most vicious villains, it’s best to subdue them by weakening their abilities. But there’s one exception.”

I know what Skadi is getting at.

It’s immediate action.

The correctional officer’s immediate action authority…

“The correctional officer can decide to execute a prisoner if they repeatedly engage in uncontrolled behavior or put the entire prison at risk. And the correctional officer is already keeping an eye on Creep. They won’t want to keep a villain who has killed even a prison guard alive.”

She’s already laid out the plan. As expected, Skadi is a dangerous woman. But the ramen is so delicious. The broth is so rich and flavorful that I can’t help but praise the advancements of modern technology as I eat.

The perfectly chewy noodles and spicy soup create a devastatingly pleasurable combination. After being deprived of food for a while, my body is treated to a truly heavenly meal.

“And you have a personal connection with the correctional officer, don’t you?”

…Wait.

My body momentarily freezes.

“Ugh, ah… Cough!”

There’s no reason to stop eating, but Skadi’s words restrict my actions.

“How do you know that?”

I hastily break the noodles and ask Skadi, who then adjusts her posture and replies.

“That’s not important. I’ll just say I have many informants. The important thing in this conversation is that your very existence maximizes the conflict between the correctional officer and Creep.”

There are certainly suspicious aspects, but Skadi’s plan has a very high chance of success. The plan itself is sound; it’s just the planner that’s questionable.

If only my broken relationship with Orca didn’t exist…

“…I did have a connectional with the correction officer, but not anymore. I’m treated as a villain, so the correctional officer doesn’t pay any attention to me.”

“What?”

Even after providing this information,

Skadi doesn’t change her expression, merely tilting her head.

“I didn’t know that. Hmm, that makes sense.”

I don’t know what else she knows,

or how far her plans go,

“I’ll need to modify the plan.”

but Skadi never stops thinking.

————————-

It’s been so long since I felt this full. To be honest, I could’ve eaten five times as much, but even this generous amount of instant food was enough to make me feel content.

“Haa…”

I focused on relaxation, feeling the warm food filling my stomach. At that moment, no one could disturb me. With Skadi by my side, not even Creep’s gang dared to approach.

They were just huddled near Creep’s room, sweating profusely, trying to appease her.

I didn’t care about their efforts. My body, once too weak to even sit up, had regained some strength. As long as I didn’t die, as long as I could endure, I could withstand even Creep’s tantrums.

“…”

But something was off.

Creep’s gang was acting strangely.

“C-Crpw! Please, stop it…”

“Sir, I’m so sorry, but if this continues, something terrible might happen…”

Some of them rushed to our table, interrupting our conversation. With Skadi here, they wouldn’t dare touch me, but they seemed…

As if they were running from something.

“Hurry up and come here!”

“Sis, just wait a sec, okay?”

They grabbed my arm and started dragging me away, a surprise to both me and Skadi.

Lynn and her friends, who had been watching, approached our table to help Skadi. The place turned into chaos, on the verge of an explosion.

“What are you doing? We’re not done talking. Let go of his arm.”

“Shit! What do you want us to do?!”

Seeing Creep’s subordinate’s panic,

Skadi and I sensed that something was terribly wrong.

Thud, thud…

Heavy footsteps echoed in response.

Creep herself walked out of the room and headed towards our table.

“Heh, heh…”

Even her own gang stepped aside, terrified.

Only Skadi’s group and I remained at the table.

Contrary to my expectations, Creep approached quietly, showing a completely different appearance from the state of creep I had expected.

“I’m taking him.”

Her eyes pitch-black, despite the short time that had passed.

“Your date is over.”

In that state,

Creep gripped my wrist with bone-crushing force.