■ The Messenger Only Eats Apples □
After meeting the Hero, I retraced my steps.
Unlike the Hero who was confined at the very end of the third floor, the other three were imprisoned in rooms spaced out in a zigzag pattern. This allowed them to check on each other’s wellbeing through the bars.
The Sage was still drawing something on the floor, and the Cleric continued praying towards the wall. Thus, I reached the Warrior’s cell undisturbed.
Due to being locked up without proper food or hygiene, the Warrior, with her originally brilliant golden hair now disheveled, aggressively questioned me.
“Caldlasth! What have you done to the Hero inside? Answer me!”
Unlike the Hero, who had no knowledge of the others’ conditions, she seemed aware that the Hero was also imprisoned here.
“Well, then the story becomes easier.”
If conversation fails, mentioning the Hero usually does the trick.
I told the frenzied Warrior,
“I didn’t do much. We just exchanged some old tales for a while. Nothing like what you’re thinking happened, so relax.”
In response, the Warrior gritted her teeth and warned me,
“If you so much as touch a single hair on the Hero, I will never forgive you.”
She still hasn’t grasped the situation.
“Whoa, calm down. Getting worked up won’t solve anything.”
But outwardly, I pretended to be scared and took a step back.
We needed to have a solid conversation, and starting off by raising swords would only harm us.
Tapping lightly on the bars, I said,
“I came here today to make you an offer.”
“Hmph! You’re probably planning something despicable again.”
“You’re right. This is our secret deal.”
While saying this, I glanced at Camilla beside me.
Though she tried to stay put, after my subtle dismissal, she reluctantly left with a discontented expression.
However, given the quiet corridor and its echoing structure, anyone within the same level could hear our conversation, regardless of distance.
Anticipating this, I pulled out something I’d prepared earlier from my robes.
It was a small cylinder containing a piece of paper about a foot long.
Hiding it from Camilla and Barnett, I threw it into the Warrior’s cell and loudly spoke,
“Rachel, weren’t you the eldest daughter of the Lord of Hamburg, responsible for the eastern front?”
As I said this, I motioned for her to read the contents.
Rachel alternated between looking at me and the cylinder, seemingly understanding the situation before starting her act.
“How dare you speak the name of someone so sacred with your filthy mouth!”
While shouting this, she unfolded the slip of paper inside the tube.
On it were words I had written beforehand:
「Rachel, I feigned betraying the party to find a way to assault the invincible Demon King’s Castle. Now, I’ve discovered a secret passage leading to it. It’s time to inform the Kingdom by writing to your father. If you write a letter requesting help from the Lord of Hamburg, I’ll deliver it.」
Maintaining a poker face, I intimidated her from outside the bars.
“Hamburg has been unbeaten since the Human-Demon War, never once falling to the Demon Tribe. But as the daughter of the Lord, surely you know a back route or two into the stronghold. Tell me, and I’ll spare your life.”
“Outrageous! Would you sell out the lives of soldiers and citizens just to save your own worthless skin?”
Rachel responded convincingly, quickly scribbling sentences with the pen and paper inside the tube.
Our time wasn’t unlimited.
If Barnett or Camilla noticed anything suspicious in our conversation, they might come to inspect the cell. Rachel hastily wrote the letter.
“Even animals know the value of their own lives. Or are you planning to spend the rest of your days in this dungeon?”
Despite the urgency, her handwriting remained neat, likely due to training in rapid writing from her lineage.
Once finished, Rachel placed the paper and pen back into the cylinder and closed the lid.
“I am a Warrior first, and a noble second! I will not betray my principles!”
“You’re impossible to reason with. They say a dull mind leads to suffering.”
Now, all I had to do was retrieve the cylinder. However, Rachel, bound by shackles, couldn’t approach the bars, and if I bent down to pick it up, it might raise suspicion.
So, I lightly manipulated my internal magic.
The cylinder on the prison floor floated gently into the air.
Stretching my hand through the bars, I swiftly caught it and exchanged meaningful glances with Rachel.
“If you really dislike it, there’s nothing I can do. But you’ll regret this choice later.”
“For life, I’ll never regret it! Get lost, servant of the Demon King!”
With a final nod of gratitude to Rachel for her excellent performance, I returned to where Barnett and Camilla waited near the entrance.
Barnett, sitting lazily with her arms crossed, asked,
“So, how did it go?”
Shaking my head with a wry smile, I replied,
“No results.”
Barnett nodded sympathetically,
“I thought so. That Hero isn’t ordinary. Even when the torturer cut the tendons in his limbs with a saw, he didn’t utter a single groan.”
While talking with Barnett, I noticed Camilla still watching me suspiciously.
“Why so gloomy?”
Camilla slightly lowered her gaze and honestly answered,
“I’ve been considering Mr. Caldlasth’s actions that seem suspicious. Perhaps this is some high-level psychological warfare.”
I couldn’t help but laugh upon hearing this.
“In these times, who would openly betray like this?”
Camilla admitted frankly,
“You’re right. I guess I’ve been overly sensitive.”
After telling Camilla it was understandable and not to blame herself too much, I looked at Barnett, who had patiently waited for our conversation to end.
“Let’s head back upstairs.”
Barnett nodded in agreement and started ascending the spiral staircase.
Following her halfway up, I glanced back down.
“……”
I couldn’t guarantee when—or if—I’d return here.
But if I ever see their faces again, much of the world will likely have changed.
I had a vague premonition.
After leaving the underground prison and parting ways with Barnett, who resumed her patrol, we decided to head down to the lower town as agreed with Violet earlier to participate in a small village gathering.
Since we spent quite some time in the dungeon, by the time we arrived in the village, it would probably be completely dark.
Holding the reins of my horse with one hand, I retrieved the cylinder’s contents from my robe.
It was the handwritten letter Rachel had composed.
Unfolding the small sheet of paper, I began reading the text:
「To Father, residing in our hometown.
It’s hard to recall when I last met you, Father.
I am completely isolated in a distant foreign land.
While brainstorming ways to survive with my companions, we accidentally discovered a secret passage leading to the Demon King’s Castle.
To report this, I’ve written this letter, but lacking a proper means of delivery, our party Mage has kindly volunteered to deliver it.
He is trustworthy, so please believe the contents of this letter.
If Father raises an army to conquer the Demon King’s Castle, we may finally bring this long war to an end.
Every night, I pray for Father’s victory.
Your loving daughter, Rachel von Hamburg.」
“…”
Having finished reading Rachel’s letter, I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
At first glance, it seemed she had written exactly what I wanted, but the key lies in the excessively sloppy handwriting.
Connecting the unnatural letters together…
「To Father, residing in our hometown.
It’s hard to recall when I last met you, Father.
I am completely isolated in a distant foreign land.
While brainstorming ways to survive with my companions, we accidentally discovered a secret passage leading to the Demon King’s Castle.
To report this, I’ve written this letter, but lacking a proper means of delivery, our party Mage has kindly volunteered to deliver it.
He is trustworthy, so please believe the contents of this letter.
If Father raises an army to conquer the Demon King’s Castle, we may finally bring this long war to an end.
Every night, I pray for Father’s victory.
Your loving daughter, Rachel von Hamburg.」
…reveals the phrase “Mage is a traitor.”
For a Warrior, she certainly pulled off a clever trick.
Frustrated, I crumpled the letter in my hand.
