Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: The Ceiling Blew Away
Gokigenyou. I am Violia Nico Fortesia. I have just been thrown into a dungeon again. And I am very irritated.
But I have not lost my composure. No matter how angry I am, I must always be calm.
Unlike the underground dungeon in the Capital, the dungeon in Elsemarin is above ground. It seems easier to escape from than the Capital's dungeon, but I have just escaped once. They will likely be on guard.
...Now, the problem is what to do from here.
Immediately after being put in the cell, I looked around the interior.
There is one small window for light near the ceiling. It has iron bars fitted into it.
Then, the floor, walls, and ceiling are all made of stone. Well, that is to be expected.
And one of the walls is an iron grate, with a door there as well—a common jail cell.
While simple, it is sturdy. Because it is not overly complicated, it seems quite difficult to break or escape from. Well, I wasn't expecting much from the start!
While I was observing the cell, the soldier who had been doing something outside the cell returned to the front of my cell.
"...Still, to think you've been hiding for nearly two months."
Through the iron grate, the soldier looking down at me seems strangely joyful. Well, capturing me must be worth a reward.
"You've certainly made us look for you!"
"Oh. I never told you to look for me, did I? Is it not just that some incompetent soldiers captured me on their own, let me escape on their own, and looked for me on their own?"
When I gave a casual reply, the soldier seemed to get angry. Is his boiling point not a bit too low?
"You... you major criminal! How dare you talk back!"
"Well. Do I need to be considerate and chat with a mere low-ranking soldier? If you wish to have an elegant chat with me, bring a tea set. What an inconsiderate underling."
"Underling...!?"
...And while talking and observing the soldier, I realized something.
Somehow, I have seen this soldier before.
"Whose fault do you think it is that I've been dispatched to a place like this! It's mine! Because you escaped, I was held responsible! I was made to leave the Capital and look for you!"
...That's it! I remember now! I remember now!
This is the bastard who punched me in the throne room!
This is... a pinch, but also a chance!
The nobles and royals who framed me are one thing, but I also have a grudge against this soldier!
The fact that he punched me is one thing, but the insult is also unforgivable!
Finding him here is some kind of fate! Therefore, it is not a bad idea to get a head start on my revenge here!
"Listen well! Violia Nico Fortesia! You will now be escorted to the Capital and executed in the square in front of the castle... wh... what are you smirking at!"
"No? Nothing? I am not smirking at all?"
The person before my eyes is now nothing but prey to me. It cannot be helped that my expression softens.
"H-How creepy... l-listen well! I will escort you this evening! Until then, stay quiet! Do you hear me!"
In the end, that soldier left after saying those words. Good grief.
Now then.
I am getting a bit excited. Well, before the excitement comes the heart-pounding. After all, I am to be escorted in a few hours. Ohohohoho.
...Well, naturally, they won't be as foolish as last time, so it seems difficult to escape through the regular exit.
In that case, cutting the iron bars, or digging through the wall... Hmm, without tools, that would be difficult.
...But there is no problem.
After all, this time, they are going to take me outside themselves.
"It's time. Get out."
Around evening. I was taken out of the cell with my hands firmly cuffed.
Naturally, there were many soldiers around me. All of them had their weapons pointed at me. If I made even a slight move, they would kill me. That is what it means, I suppose. There seem to be no fools who would be easily defeated like last time.
Well, there is no need to panic yet. I just need to wait patiently for an opportunity.
"Very well."
I leave the cell and walk gallantly. It is fortunate that I am not shackled at the feet so that I can walk like this.
Leaving the cell, there was a line of soldiers.
...To form such a grand procession for the escort of just me, it is surprisingly good treatment. You could have made it a bit thinner.
"Get in."
"Yes, yes."
As instructed, I entered the carriage. It seems I am to be put in a carriage, surrounded by soldiers, and marched to the Capital just like that. It is like a royal funeral procession. Honestly, you could have made it a bit thinner!
When I entered the carriage, two other soldiers entered with me, the carriage door was closed, and it was locked from the outside.
And the soldier who was apparently riding in the same carriage as me put shackles on my feet.
...But there is no problem. I have already confirmed that this soldier also has the key to the shackles.
Once the soldier finished shackling my legs, the carriage departed. The carriage moved with a rattling sound, and it seems we have soon left the town of Elsemarin.
...In that case, it should be around here.
"Ah."
When I called out, aiming for a moment when the carriage swayed a bit more, the soldier reacted with a start while watching me. As expected of someone facing me, a 'major criminal,' he is being quite cautious. Shimeshime.
"W-What is it?"
"Um, it seems the shackles have come off..."
"Eh?"
"Look. See for yourself."
The soldier peered at the shackles as I prompted him... and there, I delivered a headbutt with all my might toward the soldier's jaw!
When a human's brain is shaken, it really does something to them. An attack to the jaw works well on the brain. Yes. If done well, a single headbutt is enough to knock out a soldier.
"Na..."
And to the other soldier who apparently couldn't make a sound because of the suddenness, I delivered a knee strike to the face.
However, this one didn't seem to go as well. Since he didn't go down with one strike, it couldn't be helped; another strike, this time an elbow to the medulla oblongata.
In a narrow carriage, one is often in a hunched position. Consequently, the head is naturally lower, which makes it easy to aim for the neck. It helps.
"Guh..."
...And so I knocked out the two soldiers who were in the carriage!
As I planned, since it is inside a noisy rattling carriage, even if the soldiers groaned a bit, it seems those outside have not noticed! I immediately began to rummage through the soldier's pockets. The handcuffs are unfortunately still on, but since my hands are not restrained behind my back, I can manage.
After a bit of rummaging, the key to the shackles immediately came out, so I removed them.
...However, unfortunately, these soldiers do not seem to have the key to my handcuffs.
Since it cannot be helped, I shall proceed with the handcuffs on. I gripped the short sword that came from the soldier's pocket, managed to tuck the knife into my clothes, and I am ready. I am anxious, but I want to believe I can do it.
I am at a disadvantage because of the handcuffs... but soon, the conditions will be perfect for me.
Yes. Thanks to the soldiers being in a hurry, we departed Elsemarin in the evening.
In other words... it will soon be sunset.
I am thinking like this.
First, once the sun sets, the carriage should stop and the door should open. Why? For the change of soldiers. The bastards outside don't know that the two soldiers inside the carriage are both taking a nap.
And the moment the door opens, I shall jump out. I will undoubtedly be chased and attacked, but I shall go with a forced breakthrough.
After all, after sunset in this area, it is so dark you can't see anything. If I can just get into the forest, there is a high possibility I can successfully lose them.
...And so, I was waiting in a ready position in front of the carriage door.
A short sword in my hand. Resolve in my heart! And a calculation in my head!
While I was waiting in that posture... unexpectedly, it became noisy outside the carriage.
"Here it comes."
Most likely, instructions are being called out for the change. In that case, the door should open soon...!
Or so I thought. It is natural to think so, is it not? What opens is the 'door.' There is no mistake. Anyone would think so. I thought so too.
But lo and behold!
It wasn't the door that opened, it was the ceiling.
Or rather, the ceiling blew away.
"Ha?"
No, really, it was beyond my expectations. What is this? Does a ceiling normally open?
And with a destruction sound, too. Like 'boom.'
...While having nothing but a bad feeling, I looked up...
"We meet again."
A grinning, ferocious wolf-like face.
"Ah... G-Gokigenyou? Doran Parc-san...?"
It's him.
The 'dangerous guy' I helped in the Capital's dungeon!