Chapter 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 8

LUCA was startled by the room the soldiers lead him to. The room was in the dungeon for some reason, and filled with young girls.

“Welcome, Prince Lucat. How do you like this paradise of mine?” Isis boasted.

Girls clad in gorgeous gowns sat in the room like dolls on a collector’s shelf. Isis sat on a chair in the back of the room—the girl with black hair and green eyes from earlier sat on his lap.

“I heard you only just acquired this castle the other day, General Isis. Was I mistaken?”

Isis laughed as if what Luca said was amusing. Luca’s revulsion toward him grew at the sound of his despicable laughter.

“That’s just what we made known to the public. A month has passed since I first took this castle from its predecessors. In the meantime, I have received the castle town’s young girls, sold off the women, captured the men, and killed anyone who defied me. Please look,” Isis gestured toward the girls around him.

“Look at these darling girls and how their eyes just scream they’re on the verge of utter despair. Doesn’t it just give you a thrilling chill? Don’t you think so too, Prince Lucat?”

The girls kept their eyes downcast, sitting there like broken dolls.

“Now then, why don’t we continue our conversation here? You know the so-called negotiations you spoke of?” Luca frowned at Isis’ daring and uncanny smile.

“About the prisoners of war from your country—ah, for the time being I’ve avoided killing them and have fed them. Normally I should either send them to my country or use and abuse them as I please, but I had my reservations because you never know what people from Adolunde will do. So they’re a nuisance.”

“…What are your terms?”

Money, I’m sure. Luca thought, slightly despaired as he stared at Isis. He couldn’t understand what Isis found so funny to burst out cackling.

“You know how things go! How experienced you are at this! My, this truly is delightful. You sure know how futile it would be to waste time with some shrewd attempt at haggling over terms with me!”

Luca wanted to sigh.

Perhaps Isis grew sick of laughing, or just exhausted from it, because he took a deep breath and continued talking, “Phew. Well then, why don’t we have a fun chat?” He smiled suggestively, casting an amused look at Luca.

A worthless chat was one way to drag things out, giving Luca’s men more time to commence their plan.

“Oh? A chat about the time you betrayed Adolunde?” Luca baited him.

The man with foxlike eyes laughing in front of Luca was once one of Adolunde’s generals. He held a high position too. However, one day he slaughtered many of his own men like a madman and fled to Maruk with information on Adolunde.

Luca had sparred with him as a child. Even now, Isis called Luca ‘Prince Lucat’, as he had in the past.

“No, I won’t bore you with that topic. My betrayal was meant to be, and that is all there is to it. Let’s see, why don’t we talk about your new pastime?” Isis countered, not taking his bait. Luca’s face twitched. “I heard you picked up the adorable girl you have with you.”

“…Did you now?”

He’s got ears like a Red Fox, Luca thought bitterly.

“I also heard she is one of Rvydom’s Lost Children, but I wonder if that’s true.”

Luca doubted his ears—barely a week had passed since Yuki came to him. How did a commissioned officer of Adolunde’s enemy know so much about her?

“My, just thinking about it makes me tingle all over. I’ve heard Rvydom’s Children possess mysterious powers. Don’t you think it will be most wonderfully beneficial if I break her and make her mine?”

“…I wonder about that.”

Are they not ready yet? I’m sick of being in this room with this man. And I’m worried about the violet-eyed girl—Yuki. Why does Isis know about her? I should have never left her alone. I thought I was the one in danger, so I didn’t bring her. But Yuki is actually in the most danger. I have to get back to where she is, Luca thought impatiently, but he couldn’t let his enemy guess at his restlessness.

“What are you going to demand after bringing up that topic?”

“I see you are still a wise child, Prince Lucat. Won’t you give her to me? She is what I want in return for freeing the prisoners.”

Luca thought he would say that after he brought up Yuki. Sleazebag. He glared at Isis, unsure whether he wanted Yuki because he knew her importance or not. Isis aimlessly stroked the girl’s cheek.

“I will give you one of the girls here in return, although I know they are not quite the same. You can pick any one of them. I have confidence in how I broke them in. Or, Prince Lucat, would you like to go into the dungeon cell in the prisoners’ stead?”

“I decline both options.”

“Oh, but you don’t have the right to decline, Prince Lucat. I had her food laced with drugs. My soldiers have most likely captured her by now.”

“You—”

“Will you give your precious Master to me? Or will you sell yourself to an enemy kingdom to protect your Master? Please think long and hard about your choice.” Isis lowered the girl from his lap and stood. “I want you to think things over here for a while, Prince Lucat. Why don’t I bring the Lost Child here for you when I’m done?”

Isis left the room cackling, taking the black-haired girl with him. Several brawny soldiers stood watch outside the door—a preventive measure to keep Luca from escaping.

“…Damn it!”

Not much longer and our plan will come to fruition! I’m certain the prisoners have already been taken care of. But will Yuki be okay? I can’t help worrying about her. I pray all goes well…

***

YUKI passed a soldier immediately after she sneaked out of the girly pedophile-trap room. The soldier came with a lamp from the other end of the hall. Yuki quickly pulled her mantle close to her and clung to the wall. Fortunately for her, the hallway was wide and dark—the soldier didn’t notice her when he walked by and stood in front of her room.

So there was a soldier put on guard after all. Must have been a change in the guard or…a lucky bathroom break? Grateful for how lucky she was, Yuki proceeded down the hallway, putting distance between her and the room.

Prisoners of war have to be imprisoned somewhere, right? I guess a castle would have the prison in the dungeon.

At the end of the hallway were a set of stairs that went down and a set going up. After a moment’s hesitation, Yuki took the stairs going down. She descended many sets of spiral staircases before coming out at a chilly room. The corridor forked left and right. She could hear water somewhere in the distance.

Water? Now that I think about it, I remember hearing somewhere that someone staved off starvation with the water passing through the jail walls. It happened in Japan though. She quipped at herself; she knew she wasn’t in Japan. Yuki took a deep breath and shut her eyes. She strained her ears to hear which direction the sound came from.

“…This way.” Yuki dashed down the left corridor, careful not to make a sound.

***

AIN glared at the sun. The sun had mostly set on the other side of the horizon—the remaining sunlight was a deep red. His tied back indigo hair was dyed by the violet color of dusk, taking on the same color as the eastern sky.

“We have waited long enough, right?” his muttered words rode on the wind into the distance without being heard.

“Sir Ain… Prince Luca will be fine if we’re somewhat earlier than planned. Let’s hurry inside,” said one of the soldiers waiting with him.

“Yeah…you’re right, but Yuki is there, so we have to proceed carefully.”

Ain was waiting under Fol Castle’s bridge with several elite soldiers. They were standing in front of a back entrance to the castle, keeping watch on the door after they took out the nearby guards.

“We can’t put Prince Luca in danger for the safety of one little girl!”

“…You’re contradicting what you just said about Luca being able to handle himself.” Ain sighed when the soldier shut up.

Aaah, if only Nasette was here, things would go much smoother.

“At any rate, please wait awhile longer. I was entrusted with giving the orders for this mission.”

Luca was very vague when he entrusted Ain with the mission, so Ain was anxious about all of the small details, but he purposely acted confident to hide his worry. The sole thing Luca did teach Ain was to never show weakness when commanding others.

Please be safe…Prince Luca.

***

THE door burst open while Luca sat zoned out in the underground room surrounded by doll-like girls. Isis barged into the room, his face red with rage.

“Where did you put her!”

“Huh?” Luca raised a skeptical eyebrow.

Isis questioned the guards whether the door ever opened. After he asked them about ten times, he turned vehemently on Luca. “I went to her room thinking the drugs in her food would start taking effect, to find the room empty! Prince Lucat, what evil lies did you fill her sweet head with!”

“She…wasn’t there?”

Luca told Yuki to stay there—and didn’t he see her nod?

“…Quit your jests. Are you trying to confuse me with this farce?” Luca laughed scornfully at Isis.

“Where did she go!” Isis shouted, enraged. He panted heavily, as if he were having a panic attack. The soldiers soothed him into taking deep breaths. “Well, if that is how you want it that is how you will have it. I will have you join the prisoners in their accommodations, Prince Lucat.”

“What! That’s not what you said before.”

“How is it any different? The other prisoners don’t matter in the least if you become my prisoner. Come now,” Isis said.

The soldiers guarding the door restrained Luca. He contemplated resisting, but his plan depended on keeping their focus on him. He was dragged out of the room by two soldiers restraining his arms behind his back.

What is Ain doing! Has he already secured Yuki? Luca walked through the bloodied stone halls clinging to that small hope.