Chapter 40 - Episode 11: I Decided It's Fine Even If I Can't Escape
Greetings! I am Violia Nico Fortesia!
I do not know why, but my execution is sooner than expected! This is bad! It is truly difficult to escape between today and tomorrow!
This is... a major crisis!
"Eh? Tomorrow morning?"
"That's right."
"Isn't that a bit too soon?"
"Your crimes have already exceeded the realm of the death penalty. There is no need to hesitate!"
I checked just in case, but it really is tomorrow, isn't it? Since it's this idiot King, I thought maybe he got something wrong, but it really is tomorrow, isn't it?
This is truly unexpected. Even for a public execution, shouldn't there be a bit more preparation? This is truly too much!
"It's too late to beg for mercy now, Violia Nico Fortesia! Your crimes are heavy!"
"I shall return those words to you exactly as they are. Do not think that you will be forgiven either!"
I really won't forgive him! What am I going to do if Doran-san and the others don't make it in time?! The plan was supposed to be 'to stall as much as possible since there's also the matter of the Guild's treatment'! I even intended to move after the announcement of the public execution and still make it in time!
"Best you wait for tomorrow morning while trembling!"
...The King said that and left.
Really! Seriously! I won't forgive him!
At times like this, I must remain calm. It is fine. I am an intelligent and calm lady. I am not panicking at all-all-all-all.
...Yes. Let's take a deep breath and think once more. About the way to escape from here.
First, breaking the cell by myself seems a bit difficult. If I had a long time and tools, I could probably break the floor or wall and get out, but to do something about it by tomorrow morning is truly impossible.
In that case, leaving through the legitimate entrance... the cell door, would be best, but I cannot imagine the opponent won't be on guard.
After all, the last time I was thrown into this slammer, I escaped by stealing the key from the soldier who came to bring me food. Therefore, this time, the soldiers might not bring the key when they come on patrol, or they might not even come close in the first place.
That being the case, I cannot expect a key to open the door, so I have no choice but to pry it open. However, from what I saw briefly when I was put in the cell, it did not look like a flimsy lock. Yes, they also said it was a precise and complex lock.
Besides, the front of this cell is iron bars! I am being watched constantly! If I can move by catching them off guard in such a situation, it would only be for a few seconds! Prying open a lock in that time is impossible!
...I am stuck, aren't I?
...I want to know the situation of Doran-san and the others. Or, I want to convey our situation.
If, by some chance, they don't make it... I will truly die, won't I?
Ah.
I-I hadn't thought about it, but... if, if Doran-san and the others have betrayed me, I will seriously die, won't I?!
Aaaaaah! This is a bad one! This is a bad one!
If they kill me, they won't be able to get the raw materials for the drugs, but conversely, that's all it is, isn't it?! I hadn't considered the possibility of being betrayed at all! Isn't this a tremendously dangerous bridge to cross?!
...No. That's no good. Let's be calm.
First, the possibility of being betrayed... I shall, after all, discard it completely. Yes.
That is not for some naive reason like 'because I trust them.' It is simply because 'if I don't think that way, I am completely stuck.' The only path left for me to survive is one that assumes I haven't been betrayed by Doran-san and the others. Therefore, thinking about the case where I am betrayed is a waste of time.
...Well, separately from that, I want to believe that I haven't been betrayed.
Now. Then what is it that I can do?
Waiting for Doran-san to come would be the only solution, but... at this rate, the time limit is half a day.
The earliest Doran-san and the others can move is in the middle of the night, and... but in the middle of the night, the soldiers' vigilance will be even stricter...
...Ah.
I have figured it out.
What I should do is stall for time. And, to cause an 'unexpected event' for the soldiers and confuse them. To hope that Doran-san and the others will pry open the crack that arises there.
...In other words!
A technique that makes it possible to stall for time almost permanently depending on how it's done! An action that the soldiers here would never expect! This is it!
It is to lock myself in!
The chance is only once. And, it is something that only holds together if luck is on my side. ...I wait cautiously for that moment.
And... it has come!
"It's food. Your last supper."
A soldier, while being extremely wary, handed in the food through the gap in the iron bars.
I immediately check the contents of the meal.
Water, vegetable and bean soup, and... bread!
It's here! I can win with this! It's the best!
I waited until the soldier left while being tremendously wary, then approached the meal and began to eat.
I tore the bread, dipped the wheat-colored baked crust into the soup and ate it... and then I tore the white, soft part of the bread into small pieces, dipped them in the soup and ate them...
...And then, I tore the bread once more, this time into a large piece... yes! Now!
Applying fire magic and illusion magic... I extinguished the light of the lamps held by the soldiers.
While the soldiers were panicking and trying to relight the lamps, or really extinguishing the fire because of it without realizing it was illusion magic, or panicking without realizing this was illusion magic in the first place, I moved.
And I successfully managed to perform the trick.
"W-What did you do, Violia Nico Fortesia!"
"What? I was merely having my meal, you know?"
Eventually, when the soldiers finally managed to relight the lamps, I was already back to eating gracefully.
"...However, I have placed a slight curse on you all."
"Eh."
While happily watching the soldiers turn pale and start checking each other, I simply continued my meal gracefully.
...And so, my trick went unnoticed and overlooked in this place.
I thought Doran-san and the others might move during the night, but it seems it was difficult after all.
Morning came normally.
...But, it is fine. The setup to pull the rug out from under them is already complete.
"It's finally time."
One of the soldiers smirked and came before me.
"The execution of Violia Nico Fortesia shall now begin. ...Now, come out."
"Yes, very well."
The soldier told another soldier something and had him bring the key. Then, while the soldiers with spears surrounded the cell, the cell's lock was opened... or not!
"A-Are?"
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"T-The key. The key won't go in..."
"What do you mean?!"
While watching the buzzing soldiers leisurely with a smile of victory, I watched the situation... and then, a soldier raised his voice.
"There's something in the keyhole... Ah! Bread! Bread is stuffed in there!"
Yes. I did it.
The keyhole of the cell door is filled with bread.
With this, even if they have the key, this door will not open!
Yes! Think in reverse! If I cannot get out of the cell! Conversely! I decided it's fine even if I don't get out! O-hohohohohoho!
"Now, now, now! Weren't you going to publicly execute me?! Go ahead and do the public execution or whatever you want! Of course! That is after you get me out of here! O-hohohohohohoho!"
"D-Damn it! Fix the keyhole immediately!"
"U-Understood! Hey! Something thin! We're getting the stuffed bread out!"
While the soldiers were scurrying around due to the idiotic circumstances, I decided to wait boldly in the back of the cell.
...I wonder if Doran-san and the others will hurry up and get here...