As the fourth hour of the fire approached, I found myself bringing a cup of milk tea to the esteemed hero.
This was a special treatment that ordinary prisoners didn’t have, and it was delivered every three days.
It wasn’t always milk tea; sometimes there was cocoa or coffee.
The esteemed hero seemed to prefer a light milk tea.
Although not explicitly stated, it was evident from the expression on her face.
The atmosphere became warm and cozy, making me happy to be by her side.
Kimberly also tagged along as if it was the perfect opportunity.
“Since Fuyu must not feel lonely, I’ll go along too.”
Saying such a thing, it was probably Kimberly who was bored.
A captured hero and a fairy living in a prison… They seemed like a well-suited duo.
Since I had to collect the mug anyway, I decided to have a conversation until the hero finished drinking, so I explained the outline of the recent incident to her.
“So, how is the condition of the man named Poe?” She asked.
“According to the physician, it seems he has crossed the critical point. Although it’s a situation where one should not jump to conclusions, the physician himself was taken aback. Perhaps the healing magic had a strong effect on him.”
“Most likely. However, I wonder why that prisoner was targeted for assassination?”
I had no information regarding that matter. I tried asking Poe now that his condition had stabilized, but he claimed to have no inkling about any possible motives. It seemed unlikely that someone would become so enraged over a failed lottery ticket that they would contemplate poisoning the guy.
“The person who brought the brioches seems to be a mysterious individual. The name and address provided turned out to be fake, so tracking them down will be challenging.”
“I’m not well-versed in criminal matters, but I’ve heard that these situations often involve money or tangled affairs of the heart.”
As the esteemed hero pointed out, that’s usually the case. It usually falls into one of those two categories. However, this time it seems different.
“I also asked Poe about those possibilities, but there is no borrowing or lending of money involved, and as for a wife… well, she seems to be considerably older, not exactly a stunning beauty. Poe says there’s no chance of infidelity…”
To borrow Poe’s exact words, she could be described as “a woman with a wild boar’s head atop an orc’s body,” but such vulgar words were not suitable in the presence of the esteemed hero.
“Is this ‘Poe’ really just an ordinary person? If he’s involved in some shady business, it wouldn’t be surprising for someone to try to assassinate him.”
“I’m not so sure… He doesn’t seem like that type of person at all.”
Though I had only recently become a prison guard, I saw numerous prisoners every day. I started to understand the distinct aura that surrounded those involved in the underworld, such as criminals associated with the dark side of society, thugs, thieves, and pickpockets. However, even though Poe, the old man, didn’t appear particularly trustworthy, he had the air of an upright citizen. There was no trace of the dark aura that the said others seemed to exude.
“Hmm… If that’s the case, maybe Poe witnessed something,” Fuyu mused.
“Witnessed something?”
“For instance, a crime scene.”
“So, the culprit tried to silence Poe by attempting to kill him? But if that were true, Poe would remember it.”
“Indeed, that’s true. However, it’s possible that he himself hasn’t realized it yet.”
Could there be a situation where one fails to notice a crime scene?
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well, it’s difficult to explain specifically, but for Poe, it might be something unremarkable. However, for the person being observed, it could be troublesome. That’s the kind of feeling I have about it…”
We pondered this enigmatic proposition for a while, but ultimately, we couldn’t come up with anything certain.
Time passed mercilessly quickly, and the esteemed hero finished her lukewarm milk tea.
“Well then, I’ll see you at dinner.”
“yeah….”
Before leaving, I decided to ask the esteemed hero, as I always did.
“Do you need anything? If there’s something you need, I can buy it for you.”
“Well, actually, I have a favor to ask. I need a new comb…” She replied.
The comb the hero showed me had several missing teeth.
Prisoners were allowed to have a few personal belongings, and the comb and towel were the most common ones.
Most likely, the hero’s comb was issued four years ago, when she entered Alban Prison.
The sight of the old, well-worn comb seemed to tell the story of its time spent in this prison, and it pained my heart.
“What kind of comb would you prefer? If you want a comb provided by the prison for the prisoners, it’s 1000 gil, and I can get it for you right away. But if you prefer something more convenient to use, I can buy it outside,” I offered.
“I want something slightly larger than this… I’ll leave the details to Guard Wolf,” Fuyu said.
“Understood.”
I decided to go out to the town during tomorrow’s lunch break and search for it.
I felt a mix of nervousness and excitement, as if I had been entrusted with a significant mission, like a reconnaissance soldier.
“I’ll be here until dinnertime,” Kimberly said.
Kimberly seemed to like spending the afternoon talking with the esteemed hero.
I felt a slight hint of envy, but seeing the hero’s joyful expression, I left them alone and returned to work.
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