RYUU KUSARI NO ORI -KOKORO NO UCHI NO 'KOKORO'-

Volume 4 Chapter 6.1

Into the Depths of the Pit Part 1

Translator : PolterGlast

The Guard's headquarters is a four-story building that exists in the center of the administrative district.

It is the stronghold of the guards who are responsible for the defense and maintaining the public order in Arcazam. Nozomu was being held in a jail on the third underground level of the building.

This jail is used to detain major criminals. The cell is surrounded on all sides by thick masonry walls, and on one wall there is a thick metal door with small iron bars.

The space between the cells is wide, and each cell is further encased in a barrier that increases the strength of the stone walls and doors and prevents any sound from leaking out.

The only light provided was a magic lamp on the ceiling, which dimly illuminated the inside of the cell.

(They acted faster than expected. Moreover, the arrangements for arresting me were also very precise. This means that Ken has a powerful backer, stronger than I expected.)

Alone in his prison cell, Nozomu rested his back against the cold wall, contemplating the situation.

He had expected this to some extent since the Cracked-Crown Giant Centipede was controlled by the lesser spirit known as Mefi, but this time, Nozomu became convinced.

Someone is cooperating with Ken. And among them are those who are quite familiar with the inner workings of the academy. They even use people from intelligence organizations such as the Starlight as puppets. Considering that the guards came at the perfect time, it is reasonable to assume that Ken or his collaborators were pulling the strings behind the scenes.

(I can't solve this on my own. I need to ask for help from Anri-sensei and Jihad-sensei.)

How many pawns did Ken make? As long as he doesn't know the total number of his opponents, it's not a good idea to continue to be detained like this.

(I wonder if Camilla is alright......)

Camilla, who was seriously injured, was given first aid and then taken away. He didn't know where she was taken. All Nozomu could do now was pray for her safety.

(The fact that Ken discarded her in such a manner means that he is no longer interested in her. But our current situation is still not hopeless either...... There should be something I can do.)

Ken easily discarded Camilla, who had been cooperating with him for several years. Even though he had originally threatened her to cooperate with him by using her past to blackmail her, he must be truly backed into a corner since he acted in a way that would kill her.

(Anyway, I have to think of a way to get out of here.)

Nozomu slowly tapped the wall on which he was leaning against with the back of his fist. With a hard thump, a slight ripple of magic light spread across the wall of the cell. It was designed to prevent destruction caused by magic or Qi-jutsu, and no sound could be heard from the outside. The barrier completely blocked out sound.

(I don't have lock-picking skills. So the only way to get out would be by force.)

If he were to do that, he would become a real criminal. And everything would be exactly as Ken wanted it to be.

How can I get out of this prison? As Nozomu was lost in thought, he felt a tingling sensation throughout his body.

He stared at the cell wall facing the corridor.

Something was approaching from the end of the corridor. It was something with hostile intent. His sixth sense, trained in the Spasim forest where demonic beasts roam, detected an approaching presence even though he did not hear a sound.

Nozomu then dropped himself flat to the floor. Amidst the discouraging atmosphere of being motionless, the visitor, clearly clad in an unusual atmosphere, stopped in front of the cell.

"............."

A silent gaze peered inside through the small iron-barred window in the entrance door. Then, after looking straight down and checking out Nozomu's motionless figure, he reached out his left hand through the gap of the bars.

The palm of his outstretched hand glowed with magic light.

"~!?"

Then, just before the magic was activated, Nozomu instantly strengthened his whole body and jumped at the inserted hand.

While the intruder was startled, Nozomu pulled the hand of the person he had grabbed, masterfully striking the intruder's elbow and wrist and forcing the magic-imbued palm out of the prison cell. He proceeded to push the palm toward the intruder's face.

"―――! ~!"

Along with the bursting magic light, a dark green smoke covered the intruder's face. The other party's body suddenly lost its strength.

Apparently, it was a paralyzing smoke spell.

Nozomu pulled his arm again, making the intruder lean his body against the door. Then, he reached his arm through the bars and rummaged around in his pocket. Upon feeling a solid touch, a key came out.

He then inserted the key into the keyhole of the door through the window and twisted it. With a clang, the lock of the cell opened.

He pushed the door open. While turning the hinge in a half-turn, he pushed the intruder against the wall using the door itself as a fulcrum, and restrained him. Then, upon confirming the other party's face, Nozomu involuntarily widened his eyes.

"...... Caskell-sensei?"

Caskell Matthiart. He was the homeroom teacher for Nozomu and his classmates in the 10th class until the second grade.

Although sandwiched between the wall and the door, his gaze was firmly fixed on Nozomu. Apparently, he is conscious.

However, there is neither emotion nor regret on his face. This is an impossible reaction for a man who originally came from an aristocratic background and must be very prideful. Seeing this, Nozomu was convinced of Mefi's intervention.

"He has no self-awareness. Just like Lisa and those men that Mefi was manipulating......~!"

"Oi, what are you doing there!"

At that moment, a patrolling guard heard the noise and came at the wrong time.

"Oh, crap......!"

"An escapee! There's an escapee!"

Seeing the open cell door and Nozomu out in the corridor, the guard shouted loudly, and one by one, the stationed guards rushed in.

He could not undo Caskell's restraints now. With his mind being manipulated, he will probably try to kill Nozomu, no matter who is around. That is exactly what he will do, without thinking about the damage to the surroundings.

(What do I do, what do I do?......)

In the worst-case scenario, the damage would be spread to the guards.

Even as Nozomu hesitated, the guards were rushing toward him......

"Wait."

A heavy, commanding voice stopped them.

The guards all turned around to see a figure with short dark brown hair and a trimmed beard.

It was the Chief of the Arcazam Guards. The one who was in charge of the command.

"He has been cleared of all charges. He's free to go."

"Cleared?"

"Yes, that's right. And take that man into custody. He's a witness in this case."

The guards, under the Chief's order, restrained the manipulated Caskell with a rope and threw him directly into the cell in which Nozomu had just been detained. Apparently, the rope itself is special, because while being restrained, Caskell tried several times to use magic, but each time the rope glowed and his magic power was dispersed.

"Nozomu Bountis. You come this way. There's someone waiting for you."

"Someone waiting?"

Following the Chief's directions, Nozomu was escorted to the entrance lobby of the Guard's headquarters. There, Nozomu's homeroom teacher was waiting for him, looking worried. Next to her was Norn, the school infirmary doctor.

"Nozomu-ku~~n!"

"Thank goodness. Looks like you're all right."

Anri pounced on Nozomu's figure as he was led into the room, screaming loudly.

"Mmpph~~!"

Tears streaming down her face and her eyes swollen red, she hugged Nozomu as hard as she could. Her soft womanly symbols were pressed against his face. A flicker of Qi rose from her body, perhaps because she was too emotional.

As Nozomu let out a wail out of the softness, embarrassment, and even more suffocation, the Chief, who had been watching from a short distance away, opened his mouth.

"They're the ones who brought the evidence that you're not the culprit."

"Come on Anri, don't trouble him too much."

Norn gently and with a deft motion, pulled Anri away from Nozomu.

"Muu~~~!"

"Puha! Haa, haa, haa...... Thank you, Norn-sensei."

Once Nozomu's breathing had finally calmed down after being released, the Chief of Police began to explain the situation again.

First, the murder charge against Nozomu had been cleared. The reason was that the wound in Camilla's abdomen was different from the shape of Nozomu's katana, and the amount of blood on it was much less than speculated.

"The Guard is currently working with the academy to track down Ken Notice. This is because of the information provided by the academy and the testimony we were able to obtain from Camilla Vecnose."

"Is Camilla safe?"

"Yes, fortunately, she survived. She is now in a hospital affiliated with the Gloaurum Institute."

"That's a relief......."

Nozomu was relieved to hear that she was safe. Seeing this, the Chief let out a wry smile.

"You are glad that the person who caused you to fall into a trap is safe, despite the circumstances, huh? You're quite a good-natured fellow, aren't you?"

"That's what's good about this boy~~!"

Embarrassed by the lukewarm glances from the two, Nozomu reflexively averted his gaze and scratched his cheek.

The Chief also knew that Nozomu had a nail-biting battle against Jihad. His smile deepened upon seeing the boy's appearance, so different from that time, and so much more appropriate for his age.

"L-Let's get back to the main topic! So, where is Ken right now......?"

"We need to talk about that, too. Follow me."

?

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