Chapter 37

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 37

AIN arrived in Cele the evening before the day of the new moon. The sky was dyed indigo on one side and orange on the other, dyeing the gray city of Cele in a maddening red.

Where’s Yuki? Ain wondered, pulling his horse behind him as he walked through Cele. He walked unsteadily. It was hard to tell whether he was pulling the horse or the horse was pulling him.

Where is Yuki? He could think of nothing else. He assumed his blurry vision was from fatigue. He couldn’t even walk straight.

For now I need to get a room and a stable for my horse. Aaah, how should I find Yuki? Should I start by trying to figure out her whereabouts? I wonder whether the guards will tell me if I bribe them again. They told me last time, so it should go okay. But the real problem at hand is how to rescue her.

Ain’s mind teetered at the edge of exhaustion. Just as he thought of something, he forgot it.

It’s impossible for me to do anything for her if she’s locked in the underground dungeon. If that turns out to be the case, I’ll have to try and save her right before her execution.

“Ugh,” he resented himself. It was at times like this he wished he had more ability. Not only was the Revent Family a family line of elite Mages, but they were also elite strategists for Adolunde.

If my older brothers were here they could probably use clairvoyance…but I guess there’s no point in even thinking about what I can’t do.

Ain finally came across an inn with a vacancy; apparently, there was an influx of travelers arriving to watch the execution of the Legendary Witch. Ain rested until dawn. A good night’s rest cleared his mind and gave him a rush of motivation for the task ahead.

“Please wait for me, Yuki! I will not let them kill you!” he shouted to Yuki whose whereabouts were still unknown.

***

THE sound of stone being cut continued from somewhere even after dawn broke. Cele had no boisterous and showy places like restaurants, only whorehouses and taverns. Every corner of the city was in decline and desolate, wearing heavily on the hearts of anyone who dared visit.

Ain ran quietly toward the tower. All high-value criminals were held captive in the Prison Tower—that’s what Luca told him the last time they were in Cele. And they actually rescued the prisoners of war Galian and Dante from the tower’s dungeon. Ain believed that was certain proof Yuki must be somewhere in the tower as well.

I don’t have any real plan, but at the very least I’ll try bargaining with the guards. The prison’s security must have been tightened with the recent prison break, but I have to try. I won’t fail Yuki.

Ain ran for some distance until he came out at the base of the tower. He hid in the thicket and counted how many guards he could see out front.

I-It’s not like I have any intentions of forcing my way in though! Ain thought in a panic, making excuses for no one in particular.

“…At any rate…” he mumbled.

Is it just me, or does it seem like there are even more guards than there should be?

Guards were lined in perfectly spaced intervals around the entire tower.

From the look of things, it’s almost as if they are shouting Yuki is inside. The guards are probably here to hinder anyone from saving Yuki beforehand. I’m certain that’s it.

Ain knew that meant there was nothing he could do for her now. Bribing was out of the question with so many guards around.

Rather than staying where I might get caught, I’m better off returning to my room and coming up with a plan to save Yuki during her execution.

“I have options now that I know Yuki’s here,” Ain said, slipping away from the thicket. He turned around, stopping just as he was about to step forward—someone stood in his way. From his appearance, the person standing in front of Ain was a young man close to his age. His dark hair color blended with the colors of night.

Shoot.

“Has someone been captured?” he asked.

“What?” Ain retorted.

The taller young man flashed a friendly smile as he said, “People come here occasionally. You know, like the family members of the people locked up here—wondering whether their locked up loved one is okay. Aren’t you one of those people?”

What’s with this person?

Ain decided to force a smile for the moment.

“What does the person you’re looking for look like?”

“What?”

The young man smiled kindly. “I’ll go check on them for you. Aren’t you curious how they’re doing?”

Warning bells sounded in Ain’s head.

Something is off about him. He’s different from a soldier and different from a Knight. At the same time, he has a similar air to someone I know.

“I may not look like much, but I’ve got a lot of influence with the guards here.”

Ain was overwhelmed by the young man’s gentle yet slightly overbearing manner.

“No, thanks. It’s already so late today. They might be sleeping…. Is it okay for me to ask you to do it tomorrow?”

The young man appeared surprised. “No need to hold back. What’s the person you’re searching for like?”

Something is off. Why is he so fixated on me and who I’m looking for?

The grinning young man walked closer to Ain.

“Could they be a woman?”

“Huh? …Ah, yeah,” Ain answered with a flinch.

Uuuggggh, I want to hurry away from this place!

The young man continued without a change in his smile.

Oh no. Ain realized the source of what felt off. His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

Ain hated the way his eyes burrowed into him, so he averted his gaze.

“Could the person you’re looking for be a shitty brat with black hair and violet eyes?”

Yuki! Ain looked at the young man wide-eyed. The young man smirked.

“I’ve finally found you—o’ great knight of the little noble miss.”

Shoot! Ain turned on his heel to run away, but it was too late—the guards from the tower already surrounded him.

“…!” One of the guards kneed Ain in the stomach. Ain buckled over.

“Relax. Not like I’m gonna drag ya off somewhere to kill ya,” the young man said, grabbing Ain’s hair and lifting his head off the ground. “I’m just gonna have ya watch her execution from a very special seat.”

Prince Luca! Ain screamed his master’s name in his mind. Ain was strung up before they dragged him inside the tower. Feelings of regret, mortification, guilt, and his utter failure whirled within him.