kscans

Chapter 257 - The Siege of Miglutt and a Reunion in a Cell

When we returned to the first floor, the door to the basement was already open. The nomads and Doris were there, and at their feet lay three unconscious soldiers. Blood pooled from their bodies, staining the floor.

"We heard the noise from upstairs, and they burst out from below," Doris said, her face tense and her brow furrowed.

"Were they trying to attack us from behind?"

"I think they were probably trying to escape while you all were on the upper floor," she said, glancing toward the stairs, her grip tightening on her staff. She might be used to fighting monsters, but she clearly wasn't accustomed to fighting people. I wished she'd shown that much hesitation when they were ordered to attack us, but I kept my mouth shut for now. She was only here out of a sense of camaraderie with Takamura, a member of Nekono Konekoneko. It would be better for her to stay in the rear and support the injured.

"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." Her cheeks relaxed in what looked like relief, and she nodded.

"Mash…" Myra began, but there was no time for small talk. I nodded to her and drew my katana just in case. We didn't have any rogue skills like Etwan, so we had to be prepared for a fight the moment we encountered someone. I set my jaw and stepped onto the wooden stairs leading down.

The basement was a simple room with only an old desk and a chair. This must have been where the soldiers were stationed. A lamp on the desk was still lit, its flame weakly illuminating the exposed earthen walls. There was a door at the back that seemed to lead to the dungeons. A foul stench, sharp enough to sting the nose, was already drifting from it. Was this the only way for air to escape to the surface? I wondered if we'd run out of oxygen. I had my concerns, but now was not the time to voice such questions.

"It's really just a prison. Is the guild a jail now?"

"There are plenty of rough types among adventurers," Myra replied as I reached for the door further in. Marmi readied her wand, prepared to cast a spell at a moment's notice.

"I'm opening it." As the door swung open, an even stronger stench washed over us. We couldn't help but grimace. Holding up the lantern in the darkness, a corridor with stone walls came into view. A series of heavy wooden doors, studded with metal rivets, lined the passage. There were ten cells in total. At the bottom of each door was a small opening, likely for passing food through, and at eye level, a window with iron bars.

"Mo, you wait in this room. If anything happens, I'll need your support."

"…Can I use wind magic to get rid of this smell?" I thought she was joking, but Marmi's tone was serious. Her brow was deeply furrowed, and she looked desperate to clear the air.

"It'll just spread the stench throughout the mansion. Besides, it'll just get smelly again."

"…What am I supposed to do?"

"I think we could manage if we neutralized the alkalinity. If we had some ozone or chlorine dioxide… Look, just bear with it and don't waste your magic power."

"…Okay. But I didn't really get what you were saying, so you'll have to explain it to me later." Marmi gave a small nod, her nose and brow still wrinkled in disgust. Had previous transmigrators not introduced the concept of chemical elements? As I pondered this, I led Myra down the hallway.

"By the way, didn't the guys who were forced to be guards have the key to this place?"

"They might not have been trusted," Myra answered. She didn't say by whom, but she was probably thinking about Clovis and his group, just like me. I was about to peer into the first cell when it happened.

"Mash…" A weak, powerless woman's voice called out from the farthest cell. Myra and I instinctively looked at each other.

"Are you trying to surprise me?"

"I'm not! It clearly came from the back, didn't it? Please take this seriously!" I sighed and stared at the door at the far end. It was hard to believe it was an enemy. It seemed unlikely someone would lie in wait in a place like this to ambush me specifically. They called my name, so it had to be an acquaintance. And they were locked up in this filthy place. Part of me wanted to rush over, and another part wanted to look away. As I hesitated, Myra grabbed the hem of my clothes.

"Mash, let's hurry." Spurred on by her words, I walked to the end of the hall and reached the last door. I peered inside. The room was shaped like a cube, surrounded by the same stone walls as the corridor. The lantern's light didn't reach the floor, which was shrouded in dim darkness, but I could make out the shape of a person lying collapsed on the ground. I hastily took the magic key Laciel had given me from my storage and opened the door. The sight of the girls, limp and unmoving in the lantern's glow, made me gasp.

"Rinko! Airi!" I rushed to them and gathered them in my arms. Their bodies were covered in bruises and cuts, clearly from a fight.

"Don't… touch me, old man… But you're okay… I'm glad," Rinko murmured, her eyes fluttering open as she managed a weak smile.

"Myra!" Myra, who had been staring down in a daze, snapped out of it at my call and hurried over. She was about to cast a healing spell on Rinko when her hands froze. I had tried to give Airi a healing potion, but I realized my storage wouldn't open.

"Damn it, the magic…"

"Mash, let's carry them out to Mo." I nodded to Myra and was about to lift Airi when Rinko grabbed my arm.

"Don't… her arm…"

"Her arm?" Looking closer, I noticed a tattoo-like pattern inscribed on Airi's arm.

"A Slave Mark…"

"Mash, Rinko has one too," Myra said. I looked at Rinko's arm and saw the same mark had been carved into her skin.

"We've… been ordered by Yuuki to kill you, Mash. The magic in this cell is sealed, so the Slave Mark isn't active, but if we leave, we'll have to obey his command…" I exchanged a look with Myra at Rinko's words.

"I have the rope Aira gave me in my storage. Can't we just tie them up?"

"You'd definitely tie them up in some perverted way, wouldn't you? For now, just go out into the hallway and get a health potion!" At Myra's insistence, I quickly rushed out into the corridor.

I managed to give Rinko the health potion. She wasn't fully recovered, but she could now sit up and move on her own. The problem was Airi. She was barely responsive, no matter how much I called out to her.

"We have to take her out of the cell and use healing magic." Rinko shook her head at my words.

"She has a special skill, you know? The moment she recovers, she'll unleash it at point-blank range. There's no way you could dodge that." With that, Rinko pushed a health potion into my hand.

"You do it, Mash."

"Do what?"

"Give it to her. Mouth-to-mouth." Rinko's cheeks flushed as she averted her gaze.

"Why does Mash have to do it? If that's what's needed, I'll do it," Myra said, taking the potion from me.

"Hey, is Airi in your strike zone too?"

"No! Besides, Airi is a girl! What I'm saying is there's no need for Mash to do it. And anyway, even if you give it to her mouth-to-mouth, will she even drink it properly? There's a chance she could choke, you know?"

"I can drink just fine even when I'm unconscious!" I've experienced it many times, so I can say for sure there's no problem.

"That's not how it normally works!" Myra puffed out her cheeks. Though I was a little disappointed, I was also secretly relieved she had stopped me. Airi is a current idol and a beautiful girl. Of course, I'd do it if I could. But right now, her face was swollen and painful to look at. I felt like groping her breasts might be forgivable, but kissing her felt like taking advantage. Then again, the old me would have done it without a moment's hesitation. I guess I've grown since coming to this world. As I was lost in thought, Rinko snatched the potion from Myra and pushed it back into my hands.

"Mash, Airi's probably never experienced anything like this, so you should do it."

"Huh? What kind of logic is that? Just because she's inexperienced, it has to be me?"

"It might be her first kiss, you know? In that case, a guy would be better, right?"

"Yeah, but hasn't she already been… you know, by Clovis or Yuuki?"

"Nothing like that has happened yet!"

"Really? Isn't that the first thing you do when you get a female slave?"

"Those guys are way better looking than you, Mash. They don't need to do stuff like that!" Rinko struck right at my biggest insecurity. It hurt deeply, but I silently vowed to make her body pay for that one day.

"So, you said Airi is inexperienced, but what about you…?"

"My business has nothing to do with this! Just do it already!" At Rinko's words, Myra and I locked eyes. She pressed her lips into a line, closed her eyes, and her eyebrows twitched, but in the end, she didn't stop me. I took a mouthful of the recovery potion and pulled Airi close. I supported the back of her head with one hand and wrapped my other arm around her back. My fingertips brushed against her breast, sending a firm, soft sensation through them.

"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 soft, cherry-pink swell. Parted slightly, 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. Steeling my resolve, I slowly leaned in and pressed my lips against hers. They were a little cold and dry, but they had more resilience and softness than I had imagined. Wanting to savor the sensation, I sucked on her lips more firmly. Then, through the slight opening, I began to slowly pour in the recovery potion.

"Mmm… mmph… ng…" She let out a small groan, almost a moan, and her throat moved as she swallowed. As I poured more of the liquid in, she began to drink it down eagerly, as if she'd been thirsty. Once the potion was gone, I pulled my lips away for a moment. As I was about to take another mouthful, my eyes met Rinko's. Her eyes were wide, her face bright red as she stared at me. Then, she swallowed hard. I looked away from her and kissed Airi again. She met my kiss, her lips pushing forward slightly as if asking for more. The gesture turned my mind blank. Before I knew it, I was slipping my tongue in along with the potion. She responded, her tongue tangling with mine as if to suck it in. I became lost in the moment, and even after the potion was gone, I continued to entwine my tongue with hers, seeking her sweet saliva and melting softness. Eventually, Airi's eyes slowly fluttered open. For a moment, her gaze wandered, hazy and melted, before it focused on me, my lips covering hers. Her expression shifted to one of shock.

"Mmph!" I pulled my tongue back at the same instant she snapped her mouth shut as if to bite it off. Our lips parted, but for a moment, a thin thread of saliva connected us.

"Wh-wh-wh-wha… Why?!" Airi struggled in my arms, trying to get away, but her strength hadn't returned yet, and she was powerless. Then, as if remembering the pain, her face contorted, and her body writhed.

"You're badly injured. Drink this and calm down." I brought the recovery potion to her lips, and she drank it greedily. Then, she looked around to assess the situation, her gaze stopping on Rinko.

"Wh-why were you and Mash…"

"Well, you were totally out of it and in pretty bad shape, so I asked Mash to give you the potion mouth-to-mouth," Rinko said, scratching her head sheepishly.

"But why him?! You could have done it, Rinko!"

"Huh? No way I'm having my first kiss be with you, Airi. Besides, you'd rather have a guy, right? So be grateful."

"Grrrr…" Airi clenched her fists and trembled for a moment after hearing Rinko's words. Finally, she let out a long sigh and turned her gaze back to me.

"I appreciate you saving me. However, for both our sakes, let's just consider this a wash. Also, I'm fine now, so could you please let me go?" Airi spoke in an extremely mechanical, businesslike tone. The bruises on her body had faded considerably, but she wasn't completely healed. When I let her go, she sat up on her own. After looking around once more, she sighed deeply.

"So we lost and were captured, huh?"

"Yep, and they put this on us." After glancing at the Slave Mark on Rinko's arm, she frowned upon seeing the same one carved into her own.

"Let me confirm. You two fought Clovis and Yuuki at Crystal Garden after we parted this morning?" Rinko thought for a moment, then nodded.

"We made a detour on the way back from your house, Mash. We were just doing some shopping at the stalls before heading back to our friends' inn. We were probably ambushed."

"What about your friends?" Rinko shook her head.

"I don't know. While we were fighting, a ton of soldiers poured into Crystal Garden, and the whole city got this strange atmosphere." After she spoke, she bit her lip as if to suppress her frustration. It seemed they had no idea what was happening in Miglutt. Most of the residents were probably in the same boat. I quickly explained to Rinko and Airi the events that had unfolded in the city since morning.

"So, do you know where Clovis and the others are?" Rinko shook her head again.

"I don't know. But after we were thrown in here, Yuuki came to this cell a few times. That's when we got the Slave Marks. So I think he's somewhere around here." Hearing her words, I turned to Myra.

"I want to get these Slave Marks off them. Is there any way?"

"Only those with the 'Slaver' profession can inscribe or remove Slave Marks. Anyone who takes that profession has to report it 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. Myra was talking about the former. For me, 'Adventurer' is my skill-based profession, bestowed upon me by Laciel. Normally, you'd have to go to a church and offer a prayer to receive one. So, it's not something you can acquire in secret. We could take them to a slaver to have the marks removed, but since they're under orders to kill me, we can't travel together. The best option would be to bring a slaver here, but that's difficult in the current circumstances. In that case, it's better for them to stay in this cell, where magic is nullified, until the fighting is over. I gave Myra a knowing look and stood up.

"We're going to find Clovis and his group."

"Are you going to kill them?" Rinko asked quietly.

"It might come to that."

"I see… We'll wait here. Be careful, Mash. Don't you lose." It seemed like she was searching for more words, but she shook them off, forced a smile, and waved. Seeing her, Myra and I left the cell.

"Mash, wouldn't it be safe for Doris to stay with them?"

"I wonder… More importantly, there are manacles and bracelets that can seal magic. Irisarie had a bracelet. That might be able to block the effects of the Slave Mark." I decided not to mention that I'd been forced to wear one myself, as that would just complicate things.

"Mash…" Myra called out to me hesitantly.

"I wonder if Rinko and the others… have been ordered by Clovis's group to die with them if they are killed." Her words echoed through the dim hallway.