Chapter 257 - The Siege of Migul and the Reunion in the Cell
When we returned to the first floor, the door to the basement was already open. The Wandering People and Doris were there, and at their feet lay three dead soldiers. The blood flowing from them stained the floor.
"They must have heard the noise from upstairs and rushed out from below."
Doris's brow twitched, her face tense.
"Were they trying to attack us from behind?"
"I think they were probably trying to escape while you were upstairs, Mash."
As she said this, her gaze drifted to the stairs, and her grip on her staff tightened. She might be used to fighting monsters, but she probably wasn't accustomed to fighting people. Even though she was under orders, I wished she had shown that much hesitation when she attacked us, but I decided to keep quiet for now. Since Takemura, a member of Nekonoko Koneko, was here, she was likely just tagging along out of a sense of camaraderie. It would be better for her to continue providing support for the injured in the rear.
"I'm going to the basement. Hyakka and the others are fighting upstairs. There might be casualties, so I need you to stay here and wait, Doris."
She seemed to visibly relax, her cheeks softening as she nodded.
"Mash…"
There was no time for idle chat. I nodded at Maira's voice and drew my sword as a precaution. We didn't have the skills of a thief like Etowan, so we had to be prepared for a fight the moment we encountered someone. My lips tightened as I stepped onto the wooden stairs leading down.
The lower level was a spartan room with only an old desk and chair. The soldiers from before must have been stationed here. The lamp on the desk was still lit, its flame weakly illuminating the exposed earthen walls. There was a door at the back, which seemed to lead to the dungeon. A foul stench already hung in the air. Was this the only way for air to escape to the surface? I wondered if there was a risk of oxygen deprivation. I had my concerns, but now was not the time to be asking such questions.
"This really is just a prison. Is the guild a jailhouse?"
"There are plenty of rough types among adventurers."
Listening to Maira's reply, I reached for the door further in. Marmie readied her wand, prepared to cast a spell at any moment.
"I'm opening it."
As the door opened, an even stronger stench washed over us. We couldn't help but grimace. Holding a lantern into the darkness, a passageway with stone walls came into view. A row of heavy wooden doors studded with metal rivets lined the hall; there were ten cells in total. At the bottom of each door was a small hatch, presumably for passing food, and at eye level was a window with iron bars.
"Mo, you wait in this room. If anything happens, I need you to provide support."
"…Can I use wind magic to get rid of this smell?"
I thought she was joking, but Marmie's tone was serious, her brow deeply furrowed as if she wanted to dispel the stench as soon as possible.
"You'll just spread the smell throughout the entire building. Besides, it'll just get stinky again."
"…What am I supposed to do?"
"I think if you can neutralize the alkalinity, it should work. If we had some ozone or chlorine dioxide… just, hold on and don't waste your mana."
"…Alright. But I didn't really understand what you were saying, so you'll have to explain it to me later."
Marmie wrinkled her nose and brow but gave a small nod. Had previous transferees not introduced the concept of chemical elements? As I pondered this, I led Maira down the corridor.
"By the way, did the guys who were playing guard duty not have the key to this place?"
"Perhaps they weren't trusted."
Maira answered. She didn't specify who, but I assumed she was thinking of Clovis and his group, just as I was. For the time being, I was about to peer into the nearest cell when it happened.
"Mash…"
A weak, powerless woman's voice came from the very last cell. I instinctively exchanged a look with Maira.
"Are you trying to surprise me?"
"I'm not! You clearly heard it from the back, didn't you? Please be serious!"
I sighed and stared at the door at the end of the hall. I couldn't imagine it was an enemy. It seemed unlikely they would lie in wait in a place like this to ambush me specifically. They probably called my name, which means it's an acquaintance. And they're locked up in this filthy place. I felt a mix of wanting to rush over and wanting to look away. As I was thinking this, Maira gripped the hem of my clothes.
"Mash, let's hurry."
Her words spurred me on, and I walked to the door at the end and peered inside. The room was shaped like a cube. Like the corridor, it was surrounded by stone walls. The lantern light didn't reach the floor, which was shrouded in dim darkness, but I could make out human figures lying collapsed on the ground. I hurriedly took out the magic key I got from Racshell from my storage and opened the door. As the lantern light illuminated the listless, unmoving forms of the girls, I caught my breath.
"Rinko! Airi!"
I rushed to the two and cradled them in my arms. Their bodies were covered in bruises and cuts, likely from a fight.
"D…don't touch me, old man… But, you're safe. …I'm glad."
Rinko's eyes fluttered open, and she gave a weak smile.
"Maira!"
Maira, who had been staring down in a daze, snapped out of it at my words and rushed over. She was about to cast healing magic on Rinko when her hands froze. I, too, tried to give Airi a recovery potion, but I realized I couldn't open my storage.
"Kuh, my magic…"
"Mash, let's carry them to where Mo is."
I nodded to Maira and was about to lift Airi when Rinko grabbed my arm.
"No… her arm…"
"Her arm?"
As she said that, I noticed a tattoo-like crest engraved on Airi's arm.
"A slave crest…"
"Mash, Rinko has one too."
At Maira's words, I looked at Rinko's arm and saw the same crest engraved there.
"We've… been ordered by Yuuki to kill you, Mash. The magic is sealed in the cell, so the slave crest's effect won't activate, but if we leave, we'll have to obey that command…"
I exchanged a look with Maira at Rinko's words.
"The rope Aira gave me is in my storage. Couldn't we just tie them up?"
"You're definitely not going to tie them up in a normal way, are you? For now, please go out into the corridor and take out the stamina potion!"
At Maira's urging, I quickly dashed out into the hallway.
For the time being, I had finished giving Rinko the stamina potion. She wasn't fully recovered, but she was able to get up and move on her own. The problem was Airi. She was barely responding, even when I called her name.
"We really should take her out of the cell and use healing magic."
At my words, Rinko shook her head.
"She has a special skill, you know? If she uses it at close range the moment she recovers, there's no way to dodge it."
Saying that, Rinko pushed a stamina potion at me.
"You do it, Mash."
"Do what?"
"Give it to her mouth-to-mouth."
Rinko's cheeks flushed, and she averted her gaze.
"Why does Mash have to do it? If that's the case, I'll do it."
Maira snatched the stamina potion.
"Hey, is Airi in your strike zone too?"
"No! And besides, Airi is a girl! What I'm trying to say is that there's no need for Mash to do it. And anyway, if you give it to her mouth-to-mouth, will she even drink it properly? There's a chance she could aspirate, right?"
"I can drink just fine even when I'm unconscious!"
I've experienced it many times, so I can say it's not a problem.
"That's not normal!"
Maira puffed out her cheeks. Although I was a little disappointed, I was also inwardly relieved that she had stopped me. Airi is an active idol and a beautiful girl. Of course, I'd do it if I could. But right now, her face is swollen and painful to look at. I felt like groping her chest might be forgivable, but kissing her on top of that, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Then again, the old me would have done it without a shred of hesitation. I suppose I've grown since coming to this world. As I was lost in my own thoughts, Rinko took the stamina potion from Maira and pushed it back into my hands.
"Mash, Airi probably hasn't had that kind of experience, so you do it."
"Huh? What kind of logic is that? If she's inexperienced, that means I should do it?"
"It might be her first kiss, you know? If that's the case, it should be with a guy, right?"
"Even so, didn't Clovis and Yuuki already get to her?"
"They haven't done anything like that yet!"
"Is that so? Isn't that usually the first thing you do when you enslave a woman?"
"Those guys are better looking than you, Mash, so they don't need to do that!"
Rinko struck me right where it hurts most, my biggest complex. It wounded me deeply, but I vowed to make her body pay for it someday.
"So, you said Airi has no experience, but what about you…?"
"That's not important right now! Just hurry up and do it!"
At Rinko's words, Maira and I looked at each other. She pressed her lips into a thin line, closed her eyes, and her eyebrows twitched, but in the end, she didn't stop me. I took the recovery potion into my mouth and pulled Airi closer. One hand supported the back of her head, while the other wrapped around her back. My fingertips brushed against her breast, and I felt its resilient, soft texture.
"Pervert!"
Rinko's voice echoed. You're the one who told me to kiss her, I thought, shifting my focus from her chest to her lips. They were a cherry pink, a soft-looking swell. They were slightly parted, and her shallow breaths reached my cheek. I wish I could have done this when she was conscious, not when her face was covered in bruises. I steeled myself, slowly leaned my face toward hers, and pressed my lips against hers. They were a little cold and dry, but they had more resilience and a softer feel than I had imagined. Wanting to savor that sensation more, I pressed my lips more firmly against hers. Then, through the slight opening, I began to slowly pour in the stamina potion.
"Ngh… nnnh, nguh…"
She let out a small, moaning gasp, and I heard a gulping sound from her throat. As I poured more liquid in, she began to drink it down, gulp after gulp, as if she had been thirsty. Once I had emptied the contents of my mouth, I broke the kiss. I was about to take another mouthful of stamina potion when I met Rinko's gaze. Her eyes were wide, her face bright red as she stared at me. Then, she gulped audibly. I looked away from her and kissed Airi again. She puckered her lips slightly, as if asking for more. The gesture made my mind go blank. Before I knew it, I was slipping my tongue in along with the recovery potion. She responded by wrapping her tongue around mine as if sucking on it. I became engrossed, and even after the recovery potion was gone, I continued to entwine our tongues, seeking her sweet saliva and the melting softness of her tongue. Eventually, Airi slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, her gaze wandered as if in a daze, but then she suddenly focused on me, my lips covering hers, and her expression changed to one of shock.
"Nguh!"
I pulled my tongue out at the same time she moved her mouth as if to bite down. Our lips separated, but for a moment, a thread of our saliva connected us.
"Wha-wha-wha-wha… why!"
Airi thrashed in my arms, trying to get away, but her strength hadn't returned yet, and she was completely powerless. Then, as if remembering the pain, her face contorted, and she writhed in agony.
"You're badly injured. Drink this and calm down."
I brought the stamina potion to her lips, and she drank it greedily. Then she looked around, trying to assess the situation, and her gaze stopped on Rinko.
"Wh-why were you and Mash…"
"Oh, uh, you were totally out of it and in a bad way, so I asked Mash to give you the potion mouth-to-mouth."
Rinko scratched her head.
"But why?! You could have done it, Rinko!"
"Huh? No way am I having my first kiss with you, Airi. And you'd prefer a guy anyway, right? So, you should be grateful."
"Gnnn…"
Airi listened to Rinko's words, her fists clenched and trembling for a moment. Then she let out a long sigh and turned her gaze back to me.
"I am grateful that you saved me. However, for both our sakes, let's just consider this a no-count. Also, I'm fine now, so could you please let me go?"
Airi spoke in an extremely mechanical and business-like tone. The bruises on her body had faded considerably, but she wasn't completely healed. When I let go, she managed to sit up on her own. Then, after looking around once more, she sighed deeply.
"So we lost and were captured, huh?"
"Yeah, and they put this on us."
Airi glanced at the slave crest on Rinko's arm, then frowned as she saw the same one etched on her own arm.
"Let me confirm, you two fought Clovis and Yuuki at the Crystal Garden after we parted ways this morning, right?"
Rinko thought for a moment before nodding.
"We made a detour on the way back from your house, Mash. We were just doing some random shopping at the stalls before heading back to our friends' inn. We were probably ambushed."
"What about your friends?"
At that, Rinko shook her head.
"I don't know. While we were fighting, a lot of soldiers poured into the Crystal Garden, and the whole city got this strange atmosphere."
After she said that, she bit her lip as if to show her frustration. It seemed they had no idea what was happening in Migul. Most of the residents were probably in the same boat. I briefly explained the events of the day, from morning until now, to Rinko and the others.
"So, do you know where Clovis and the others are?"
Rinko shook her head again.
"I don't know. But after we were locked up, Yuuki came to this cell a few times. The slave crest was put on during one of those visits. So, I think he's around here somewhere."
Hearing her words, I turned to Maira.
"I want to remove their slave crests. Is there a way?"
"Only those with the 'Slaver' profession can engrave or remove slave crests. Anyone who takes this profession is required to report to the city's lord, so it's strictly managed. If the city weren't in this situation…"
In this world, there are professions as skills and professions as livelihoods. Maira was talking about the former. For me, 'Adventurer,' bestowed by Racshell, is a skill-based profession. Normally, it's something you receive by going to a church and offering a prayer. So, you can't just acquire it in secret. We could take them to a slaver to have the crests removed, but since they're under orders to kill me, we can't travel together. The best option would be to summon a slaver here, but that's difficult in the current situation. In that case, it's better for them to stay in this cell, which nullifies the magic's effect, until the battle is over. I made eye contact with Maira and stood up.
"We're going to find Clovis and the others."
"Are you going to kill them?"
Rinko asked quietly.
"If it comes to that, yes."
"I see… We'll wait here. Be careful, Mash. Don't you lose."
It seemed like she was searching for more words to say, but she tilted her head as if to brush them aside, then put on a smile and waved. Seeing that, Maira and I left the cell.
"Mash, wouldn't it be safe for Doris to stay with them?"
"I wonder… More importantly, there are magic-sealing handcuffs and bracelets. Elisyarie had a bracelet. That might be able to nullify the slave crest's effect."
Things were getting complicated enough, so I kept quiet about the fact that I had worn one myself.
"Mash…"
Maira called out to me hesitantly.
"Do you think Rinko and the others… have been ordered by Clovis's group to commit suicide if they die?"
Her words echoed in the dim corridor.