episode_0105

It has been 3 days since I was confined in this empty prison.

Living in this horrible place was somewhat bearable.

It’s not too cold, and thinking of the environment as an extreme winter training made me feel a bit more at ease, since it’s at least something a human can endure.

Nevertheless, there were things that were hard to bear during the 3 days: boredom and meals.

I was somewhat prepared for boredom, but the unexpected meals were too fatal.

Are the meals not being served?

I wish that were the case.

Is it not tasty?

I can endure that.

Then, are inedible foods being served?

This is half right.

It’s not like spoiled food is being served, but things that humans simply cannot eat are being served.

“……”

I picked up the bread that had been soaked in a soup that had a fleeting hint of meat.

It has been soaked in the water-like soup for 1 hour.

Finally, it feels like water-soaked bread.

I wonder if I should even call it bread, since it only becomes edible after being soaked in water for an hour.

When I think about how I tried to break the bread with my fingernail on the first day and broke my thumbnail, I wonder if I should be amazed that it has become soft after only an hour of soaking.

“Damn it…”

I grumbled, broke the bread, and shoved a roughly torn chunk into my mouth.

“Ugh…”

Even though it was soaked in water for a long time, the bread is still dry, tough, and tasteless.

Tears welled up in my eyes at the rare experience of choking while eating water-soaked bread.

I can endure the physical hardship, but being tormented like this with food is truly heartbreaking…

What’s even scarier is that at least my bread doesn’t have bugs in it.

I heard that other prisoners receive bread with bugs or mold welcoming them, and I would have fainted if I had received that.

“Gulp… Huff… Haa…”

I barely swallowed the bread, but I’m out of breath.

I’m supposed to have a palate like a mutt, so eating wasn’t painful even in the military.

This is the first time I’ve experienced painful meals in prison.

“Haa…”

I let out a breath that I don’t know if it’s a sigh or just catching my breath, and shoved the bread I had picked up back into the soup.

It seemed like I needed to soak it for another 30 minutes to suit my weak throat.

“Ugh…”

I groped my neck, let out a groan, and then slid the bowl aside and lay back down.

Now, if I watch the mold that’s barely visible on the ceiling and how much the sunlight coming through the small window moves, about 30 minutes will pass.

“Sir William, how are you doing?”

“Huh?”

Just as I was slowly blinking my eyes and inevitably falling asleep, I was startled by the voice suddenly calling for me and I sat up.

“Uh… Centurion?”

Standing in front of the iron bars with my gaze fixed on him was the Centurion, looking more relaxed than usual as he looked down at me.

It’s not just a knight or a soldier, but why is the Centurion suddenly visiting?

“Heh…”

As I sat there blankly staring at the Centurion, he narrowed his eyes, chuckled, crossed his arms, and leaned his back against the wall.

“Judging by how comfortably you’re sprawled out, I’m glad to see you’ve adapted better than I thought. As expected of the scion of the Hume County, you’re more resilient than you look.”

“……”

It’s a bit annoying that he’s calling me adapting well when I’m just frustrated with eating and sprawled out.

I spend most of the day eating because of this rock-like bread, what nonsense is this…

I wanted to throw the rock bread that’s currently marinating in the soup and tell him to try eating it, but I suppressed my resentment, remembering that the Centurion is a knight.

“… What brings you here, Centurion?”

“The higher-ups have issued an order to check on your condition.”

“Did His Majesty the Emperor order that?”

“No, this time Her Imperial Highness the Princess has issued the order.”

“Elizabeth?”

“No, someone greater.”

“… Are you talking about Her Imperial Highness Princess Alexandrine?”

“That’s right.”

“…?”

I was taken aback because the name of the person I have the least contact with came up.

Why?

She’s not exactly someone who would be interested in my news…

“What on earth is going on outside?”

“Well… it’s hard to explain because there’s more than one problem.”

“What do you mean…”

My head, already stiff from fatigue, became even more complicated.

What’s going on that the First Imperial Princess is suddenly concerned about my well-being…

If I didn’t know anything, I would have understood that the Emperor ordered it, but now that I know a little, I feel like I’m going crazy with curiosity.

“Um… I know it’s a difficult request, but is there any way you could tell me?”

My curiosity having surpassed its limit, I asked the Centurion in front of me as politely and carefully as possible.

I don’t think that stern and old-fashioned person will do it, but everyone has a glimmer of possibility.

“Hmm…”

The Centurion’s brow furrowed upon hearing my words.

And after letting out a faint groan and showing signs of pondering, the Centurion held up one finger and said to me.

“Then how about this? I’ll arrange a place where you can talk under the guise of a special interrogation, then you’ll have about an hour or two to talk.”

“Uh… are you serious?”

I was dumbfounded even after I spoke, because the Centurion came up with an alternative so readily.

Did I get some kind of hypnosis app without me knowing?

“Are you scared now that I said I’ll do it?”

“It’s just a little unexpected.”

“Because I look like a rigid person?”

“Well…”

I couldn’t manage my expression properly because I was instantly hit in the bullseye, so I gently avoided the Centurion’s gaze and moved my lips.

“Hahaha!”

At that sight, the Centurion burst into hearty laughter, then looked down at me with amusement and opened his mouth.

“I act like that usually, but I can’t always be like that. In order to survive in public office for a long time, you need a little flexibility to avoid making enemies, don’t you think?”

“That’s true.”

It’s a natural thing to say, so there’s nothing strange about it, but I was a little disappointed.

I thought the Centurion was a romantic person who pushes through with integrity, but I took the red pill…

“Hehe, are you disappointed?”

“A little, isn’t it kind of romantic for an upright person to rise to a high position?”

“Unfortunately, the Imperial Knights are not a place where you can get ahead with romance, so I’m sorry.”

“That’s true.”

If you look for romance even in a place like that, you’ll easily get taken advantage of.

It’s not like my family is clean either, so I can’t say anything.

“But, can you just do that special interrogation? Doesn’t it require several conditions in many ways?”

“That’s right, interrogation requires several conditions, and you are a prisoner imprisoned by His Majesty the Emperor. It would be better for my reputation to ignore such a request, but it’s not like there’s no way.”

The Centurion stops talking and looks around.

And after confirming that there was no one there, she beckoned me to come closer and she also came closer to the iron bars.

“Sir, if you ever get out of prison, can you do me a favor?”

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing much, just a request to make me an outfit.”

“An outfit? What kind of outfit are you talking about?”

“Isn’t there a masquerade ball at the end of October?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

The masquerade ball at the end of October.

It’s an event that’s similar to Halloween in my past life, but it has nothing to do with it at all, it’s just a normal masquerade ball that happens to be at a similar time.

Then why is it called a masquerade ball?

The name changed due to questions raised by 100% pure Ts who wondered, ‘Isn’t a human wearing a cat mask considered a mimicry of the Miaoin race?’

“I’m looking for a mask to wear with my husband, and I thought you would be able to make one that properly meets our needs.”

“I can certainly grant that request, but can’t you just come to our atelier as a customer?”

“I was originally planning to do that.”

“Then why?”

“Aren’t you here now? Who am I supposed to entrust it to?”

“Ah…”

I had temporarily forgotten that I’m the boss because our employees are free-spirited and often have eyes like rebels.

There’s no way a shop where the boss has been arrested without a word would be running smoothly.

“Is the outfit you want complex or difficult? Time is short, so there may be many restrictions.”

“It’s not that, but it might be a little unique.”

“Unique?”

Even if it’s unique, can it be more unique than the outfits I’ve made so far?

Or is it risqué?

Then that might be the case.

“If so, I’ll make it for you as long as it’s not legally problematic.”

Risqué is my specialty, so I accepted the Centurion’s proposal.

Even if it’s not risqué, it’s still an outfit.

There’s no burden on me to grant it.

“Thank you, I believed you would readily accept.”

The Centurion nodded and took a step back.

“Do you know how a special interrogation is conducted?”

And she smiled softly and asked me a question.

“How is it conducted?”

“First, knock over that soup bowl.”

“Yes…”

I don’t know what this means, but I knocked over the soup bowl on the floor as the Centurion ordered.

The bland soup, like bread and water, spilled out and dirtied the floor.

“And shout ‘I’m so冤枉!’ loud enough for the prison to hear.”

“I’m so冤枉! This is an unjust imprisonment! I’m so冤枉!”

And I squeezed out my strength and shouted as loud as I could.

Then I could hear my voice echoing faintly as it reverberated in the cave-like prison.

“Hmm~ Good voice, you did well even though it wasn’t in the script, it made it more realistic.”

“Thank you, but what does this mean?”

“Of course, it has a very deep meaning.”

The Centurion answered my question and inserted a key into the lock of the iron bars.

“Interrogation is done for people who need investigation. If there’s a prisoner like you who claims to be wronged, shouldn’t we check it out?”

“But, there’s no reason you have to listen, right? I’m even a prisoner that His Majesty the Emperor personally put in.”

“It wouldn’t have worked at all if you were an ordinary prisoner, but you’re a noble, so we have to pretend to respect you so that there’s less backlash. If it becomes known that nobles are treated like dogs, who would willingly get caught?”

“Aha.”

At the same time as I realized the Centurion’s words, the lock on the iron bars was released and the firmly closed door opened.

“This is a method that can only be used once or twice, so how about we quickly go to the investigation room together?”

“Ah, I understand.”

I followed the Centurion’s gesture, which seemed to be urging me to come out quickly, and quickly came out of the prison.

And I roughly closed the iron bars and followed behind the Centurion, who was walking ahead, towards the investigation room.