In a corner of the warehouse guarded by some guards, was a hidden drawer door, which opened to reveal a staircase leading to the underground.
The underground was cooler than the ground level, feeling chilly even when wearing a long-sleeved jacket.
Descending the stairs, a low-ceilinged underground passage extended about 20 meters into the back.
Shelves were installed on one side of the wall, with wine lined up tightly.
Apparently, this place was also the Warden’s wine cellar.
Just by taking a quick glance, I found several vintage wines.
As I used to work as a butler at a nobleman’s mansion, I had some knowledge in this area.
“You have some good wine here. Castle Rams is a rare gem that you hardly ever see.”
“Hmm, you seem to know a lot. But this is one of my few hobbies, so please don’t touch anything. I don’t want to throw you in the worst prison cell.”
“I swear I won’t steal anything.”
“Be careful.
I heard that there are also prisoners with same-sex preferences in this prison.
The most famous one was a big man named Jack Ketch, who was like a lump of muscle and fat, weighing around 220 Lombe (about 220 kilograms).
He seemed to enjoy strangling his fellow inmates while sexually assaulting them from behind.
His private parts were as thick as his belly, and those who were assaulted suffered from soreness in their buttocks for several days.
It’s a hair-raising story just to hear about it.
It might be better to hang oneself before being sent to a cell where such a man exists.
My new workplace seemed to be a place full of such stories—a depressing place.
“Number 0 is in the back. Be careful not to get too close to the iron bars. Three guards who angered her have died in the past.”
A female prisoner…
What kind of heinous criminal is she, having killed three guards?
It’s even stranger that she hasn’t been given the death penalty despite her murderous actions.
“Why did Number 0 kill the guards? If there was a reason, we could handle it, but if she’s just a lunatic, that makes it complicated,” I asked.
“She’s not a lunatic. She hasn’t spoken about the third guard, so we don’t know the reason for that one. But we do know the reasons for the first and second guards,” the Warden responded.
“What were they?”
“The first man was a foolish man who tried to sexualy assault Number 0 and paid the price for it with his life,”
It seems that the ra*e of prisoners by guards is a common occurrence in the prison, as even Event said something similar.
However, it was rare for the prisoners to fight back. After all, prisoners are supposed to be restrained to some extent.
“The second guard seemed to have given up on ra*e, but he attempted to humiliate her directly. This is according to his surviving assistant’s testimony,” the warden continued.
“Humiliate her?”
“He spent hours in front of her cell and tried to make her defecate in front of him…” the warden explained.
This was yet…. another maniacal act.
Since there are no toilets in the cells, a bucket is the only option. It seems he was trying to observe her in that humiliating situation.
“How was the guard killed?”
“He was killed by a spoon. Can you believe it? A wooden spoon was thrown and deeply pierced his forehead. The third guard was probably killed for similar reasons…”
All in all, the prisoner known as “Number 0” seems to be an extremely attractive woman.
And, frighteningly strong…
“What is the prisoner’s background?”
“That’s…”
The warden hesitated to speak.
At first, I thought I was brought here to care for a political prisoner who was an intellectual elite, given my ability to speak the celestial language.
However, the warden’s behavior was strange.
I’ve never heard of a woman who is both beautiful, terrifyingly strong and can speak the celestial language.
If she were indeed such a remarkable individual, she would undoubtedly have made a name for herself in society.
Moreover, as a butler for the Sullivan household, I would have undoubtedly heard of her name if she was that renowned.
The only person I can think of who fits that description is the previous hero…
“D-don’t tell me!”
The warden let out a deep sigh.
“I don’t think your guess is off. Yes, it’s the former hero,” he replied in a subdued voice.
“Is it really Lady Fuyu Sagara?” I asked in disbelief.
The warden nodded silently in response.
I was bewildered by the news that had just been delivered to me, struggling to comprehend it all.
Lady Fuyu Sagara was the strongest hero, having defeated the demon king four years ago. She was said to have returned to the heavenly realm, bidding farewell to the king and his high-ranking officials.
No one in the Kingdom of Britannia could doubt this fact.
But now, how could she possibly be imprisoned in a place like this? What on earth was going on?!
“It’s better for you not to ask why Number 0 is here. You understand the reason, don’t you?” The warden cautioned me.
He probably meant that meddling with the affairs of the nobility could lead to grave consequences.
I already knew that without being told.
I already felt that my life was in danger just by being given this mission.
“Understood,”
I proceeded down the dark underground passage, filled with the worst anxiety.
At the end of the corridor, a cell with iron bars appeared, illuminated by a lamp hanging overhead. We raised our lanterns high and peered into the cell.
A single lotus flower blooming in the mud—that was my first impression of the hero, Fuyu Sagara.
She sat on her bed with her knees folded and her back straight, in a sitting position known as “seiza” in the language of the heavens. Though I had heard of the term before, it was my first time seeing it in person.
Her demeanor was much more dignified and refined than I had anticipated. Her jet-black hair was tied up in the back, and her expression was blank. Her half-opened eyes seemed to gaze into the far distance.
Despite being restrained with the magic-seal shackles and wearing a filthy prisoner’s uniform, the hero possessed an air of noble beauty.
“Allow me to introduce him. He is the new guard who will be taking care of your daily needs from today onwards,”
Lady Fuyu Sagara remained motionless, staring straight ahead without any response to the warden’s words.
I thought I should introduce myself as well. Should I speak to her in the celestial language?
“Nice to meet you, my name is Barton Wolf,” I said.
Still no response. Could it be that she was suffering from a mental illness? It wouldn’t be surprising given the years she had spent confined in this sunless place.
“Barton, please take the empty plates away,” the warden instructed.
Upon the warden’s command, I approached the iron bars and lifted up the tray that seemed to contain breakfast.
I felt a slight fear of being suddenly killed, but Lady Fuyu Sagara remained motionless.
The warden meticulously inspected and double-checked the contents of the tray, but all there was were two wooden plates and a single spoon.
“Collect all the tableware,” he ordered.
Despite being deprived of her powers by the magic seal shackles, the hero is still a martial arts expert.
Even trivial objects could become deadly weapons in her hands, as evidenced by the deaths of three guards.
Taking a closer look I noted that this cell and the magic seal shackles restraining the hero seemed to be custom-made. They must have used some method to suppress her power, or else she would have easily destroyed this prison.
Her power, referred to as a “cheat” in the celestial language, was said to be close to the power of a half-god.
I was told that my basic job duties include conducting health checks, delivering and removing meals, providing water, cleaning, refilling the oil for the lantern hanging on the wall, and fulfilling any requests made by the hero.
For instance, shopping.
The hero receives a monthly allowance of 10,000 gil from the kingdom, and if she wants to buy something, she can use that money to do so.
However, it’s been years since the hero made any requests, and I’ve heard that she has accumulated as much as 380,000 gil.
It’s ridiculous to hear that the reward for defeating the Demon King is only 10,000 gil per month.
Even I, a mere prison guard, receive 21,000 gil per month.
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