The voices in Xue's mind started acting up again, and his eyebrows twitched.
Alric: "I-I knew it! The story was real after all!"
Kai: "How can they murder a child?"
Hana gasped at the revelation and Cecil was surprised. The author vaguely described the monarchy here, where the queen was the one at the highest position, and there was also a treasured male concubine. However, there was no mention of a prince, and it was mentioned that Zasiok was the personal bodyguard of the male concubine.
In the novel, Zasiok was one of the fragments of Xue, and the author simply stated that Zasiok was in jail for murder. Xue simply headed down to the prison, murdered those who stood in his way, absorbed Zasiok and fled the city.
Thus, he was labelled as an outlaw after that and Xue did not even bother. The outlaw status only affected Hana, who found it difficult to roam the towns with Xue, and it added a slight strain to their relationship.
Zasiok did not just commit a simple murder, it was the murder of a prince. Moreover, there was no mention of a prince in this Han continent arc, the prince's existence was kept a secret!
[ Congratulations, this is the fifth plothole of the story and you have discovered it! ]
[ Optional mission #7 : The Hidden Victim
Objective completed!
Reward : 100 points
Remaining points : 6230 points ]
[ If you are curious, the objective was to figure out the identity of the victim. It was ridiculous for the protagonist "Xue" to be an outlaw when he killed a murderer. ]
Cecil nodded inwardly, if she were the benevolent queen, she would have stated that Xue was a violent vigilante, since he killed a few guards in the prison to get to the murderer, in the novel.
"Our son would never do anything like that!" The elderly woman said, and her husband join in.
"I know my son, he is a righteous and serious man. He takes his job as a bodyguard with pride. He would never do anything horrendous like murder!"
"That's right, our poor son, he has been wrongly accused."
The elderly woman then looked at Xue. "You...look so similar to our son, now that I have a better look at you. Tell me, would you ever do something like murder?"
Cecil coughed and Hana glanced innocently at Xue.
"No." Xue bluffed, his voice cold. With Hana looking at him like that, he could only lie.
The elderly woman nodded, sniffling as she sobbed. "Yes, that's exactly it...our son, my poor son. He has been wronged, this city has wronged him."
"You are guests invited by Her Majesty, yes? Surely, you can help us put in some words about this matter!"
"I do not want to see my son executed for a crime he has never committed!"
Xue didn't seem to care, he only wanted to get his soul fragment. Whether he was framed or maintaining a deceit, it didn't matter.
Hana sympathised with the elderly couple, glancing at the unconcerned Xue and the haughty Cecil.
Cecil tapped her fingers on her chin, she knew Zasiok was the other fragment, but she knew Xue wouldn't bother with clearing the guilty or saving the innocent. Once again, the decision lied with him. Moreover, Gom wouldn't appreciate them getting involved with the matters of the kingdom.
They were only academy students, nothing less and nothing more.
It seems like I can only give vague warning to Xue once again. Whatever he decides...and I...
Cecil furrowed her eyebrows, an innocent person framed for murder and allowing the murderer to escape, it was wrong. However, this world, Hantulsennem, that the author created was filled with many crimes. Though Cecil wants to do good, she can't possibly help every single soul and besides...
This is what led to the tragedy of Xue's first life...he stepped in to help every single soul that he stumbled across.
Then...he was pushed to the brink...and the kindness in him shattered. The saddest thing was, he had never asked for anything in return for his kind actions, but the people around him did worse.
...how depressing...
Cecil slowly noticed, the author has designed this world to be a place where truly, the kind were taken advantage of.
"We just want Her Majesty to catch the real murderer!"
"We also want to see our son! We haven't had the chance to see him ever since he was thrown into prison...at least...we want to make sure he is eating well..."
"Please, would do us this favour? We would be grateful the rest of our lives, and promise to repay the favour someday!" The wife showed them the lunch boxes she wanted to deliver to her son, on the kitchen counter.
It was three lunchboxes stacked together, and each was small enough to hide in one's clothes if the clothes were thick enough.
[ Optional mission #6 : Stay Awhile and Listen
Objective completed!
Reward : 500 points
Remaining points : 6730 points ]
Cecil looked away from the message, and began to wonder how many times Xue had heard these phrases in his previous life, sneaking a glance at him.
Sure enough, the expression on Xue grew colder as he heard those phrases.
"The both of you should decide, I'll follow." Cecil glanced at Hana and Xue.
Hana pursed her lips, her eyes widening in determination as she nodded. "I want to help them!"
Xue looked down, hesitating after hearing Hana's words. Cecil shuffled closer to Xue, wondering how she should vaguely warn him that wouldn't make her lose any impression points again.
"Xue, you should probably know where your soul is now?" Cecil asked.
"Probably a prisoner, or dead. I'm guessing the former." Xue answered and Cecil shook her head.
"Definitely not dead."
"Another vision?"
"Yes."
"Will you go?"
Xue nodded, that was the only reason he was still standing there. "For my soul, yes--"
"Then let's deliver the lunchbox too!" Hana jumped in, staring at Xue. "Since we are already going there, hmm, Xue?"
Xue couldn't say no, and he simply took the lunchboxes, heading for the door.
"We cannot guarantee that we will speak to Her Majesty, but we will deliver the lunchboxes." Cecil stated, giving them a small, polite smile and trailing behind Xue.
"Of course, of course! Thank you, thank you so much!"
"You're welcome!" Hana beamed, waving them goodbye, skipping her way to the other two.
***
"Halt!"
The guards stopped the three of them, their face stern. "The dungeons isn't for anyone to visit, state your purpose."
"We are the guests from the Eagle Academy. We have received Her Majesty's permission to talk to one of the prisoners." Xue lied to the guards, his face indifferent.
The two guards looked at one another, they heard news of the guests from the academy. They were also told to treat them with respect, since they were the heroes of Indigo. Moreover, they didn't know how these three would react if they were to be rejected.
The guards definitely did not want to get tattled on.
"Alright, but don't take too long and remove your weapons."
The guards wanted to search their bodies too, but Xue scared them off with a withering look.
The three of them headed in after removing their weapons, the doors revealing a stairway down into the dungeons.
The two women grimaced, their faces wrinkling as they descended down. There was a musty smell lingering in the air, along with the scent of blood and feces. Xue was unfazed by the smell assaulting his senses.
The dungeons were lit by lanterns mounted on the wall, and there was hardly any ventilation. The lanterns weren't designed like the normal lanterns, they were circular in shape and its intricate design reminded Cecil of those dreamcatchers she used to see on street stalls in her old world.
Cecil remembered that the author stated that these unique lanterns impeded the elemental energy in one's body.
Once again, the author never explained why these lanterns worked...
The further down they went, the clearer the sounds of groans, moans and muttering, along with the sounds of chains jingling ominously. Two more guards stood at the entrance to the jail cells, and they allowed them through without a word.
"Which one's Zasiok?"
"Turn left at the first corner, he'll be the third cell."
Upon reaching the cell, they could see a figure secured on the wall with silver chains, and the two women gasped in horror at the sight of the debilitated figure. Hana opened her mouth to scream on instinct, and Cecil hastily covered her mouth.
Xue was apathetic, unlike the two of them, his hands in his pockets.
"..."
The figure moved its head up, the light showing the rough texture of his mulberry hair.
"Who are you...?" he rasped out in a baritone voice.
The prisoner's violet eyes glanced over the three of them, his gaze drawn to Hana and Xue.
***
Pt. 1
《 start 》
"We will be sure to return this favour."
"I will never forget what you've done for my entire lifetime."
"I promise to repay this favour someday."
These were the empty words I have heard a million times. Just hearing those words makes me sick, sick enough to kill.
With Hana and that woman here, at least...those nauseating words are tolerable.
With them here, everything is tolerable.
If they were to disappear and betray me like the others one day, I will...
I do not know what I will do.
《 stop 》
***
Pt. 2
《 start 》
They torture me to speak.
They starve me to speak.
They want me to admit my guilt.
...but why should I...when they are the guilty ones?
And I am not one of them.
《 stop 》