No Sunlight in the Grim Iron Bars
In the gloomy iron-barred cell where not a single ray of sunlight penetrated.
"……."
"……."
Siron and Kernax, still bearing dark bruises around their eyes, leaned against opposite walls, staring down at the floor.
Locked up in the prison beneath Molingta's east gate, the two had been conscious for a week now. Aside from mealtimes, they hadn't made a sound—not even a breath. The other criminals, tossed in for theft or assault, were cowed into silence by their aura, living like mice. Even the guards tasked with watching the cells hesitated to enter, the atmosphere inside so utterly dismal.
The only brief respite for everyone was around lunchtime, when Smith—famous enough that everyone in the city knew his name—came for a visit. It was the one time Siron and Kernax both stepped away from their spots.
But today, oddly enough, lunchtime had come and gone without the jailer announcing a visitor. The cell's mood was spiraling toward its worst in the entire week.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud...
Siron started banging her head against the wall she was leaning on, the dull thumps echoing ominously through the prison.
"Noisy."
"……."
Kernax muttered her annoyance under her breath, but Siron ignored her, keep smacking her head against the stone.
The other inmates, against their will, were getting a front-row seat to the women's simmering rage. Their backs and palms slicked with cold sweat in real time. Everyone knew that if Siron and Kernax—who weren't even properly restrained—threw another fit, the prison wouldn't just be a joke; it'd collapse in the blink of an eye.
But fortunately, the feared blowup didn't happen. Siron soon stopped, and Kernax didn't say another word.
Silence returned to the cell.
For a few minutes, anyway.
"Anyone out there?"
Kernax broke the quiet with a voice that wasn't loud, but it carried through the whole prison and reached the ears of the guard at the entrance.
Moments later, a soldier with a stiff face came rushing to the cell holding Siron and Kernax.
"Wh-what is it?"
Even jailed for an unprecedented incident, Kernax still held her position as guard captain.
"……Nothing happening outside?"
"What... Oh, j-just a moment, please!!"
The soldier wasn't completely clueless; he picked up on what Kernax really meant and hurried back to his post, whispering to another guard.
'Go up and check if anything's up with Smith.'
'Yes, sir.'
The junior guard bolted upstairs at his senior's order.
He returned about an hour later.
'What took so damn long?'
'Well...'
The junior explained everything in detail to his senior: While they'd been on shift since early morning, Ardella and her attendants had visited the guards' barracks over Siron and Kernax's mess, and Ardella had a private meeting with Smith.
'Why Smith?'
'No idea...'
Both soldiers puzzled over why Ardella was meeting Smith about it. Her showing up personally made sense—the guard captain had caused the incident—but linking it to Smith was a mystery.
The senior wanted more details but held back; the visitor was heir to the Filoria countess title. He dashed back to Kernax with what he had.
As soon as he arrived, Siron and Kernax's eyes locked onto him. They waited silently for him to speak.
"C-Captain..."
Pressing close to the bars, the senior whispered just loud enough for the two women to hear, relaying every word from the junior without a hitch.
Siron suddenly shot to her feet. The senior gulped and backed away; Kernax scowled.
"Sit down. Stir up more trouble here, and it's really over."
"……Fuck."
Siron clicked her tongue and plopped back down. The senior sighed in relief, gave Kernax a quick bow, and retreated to his post.
Grind...
Grind...
Grind.
Siron's sharp fangs—unlike anyone else's—ground together, the eerie sound reverberating through the prison.
"Getting feisty."
"……."
For a split second, Siron's red eyes met Kernax's blue ones. They glared, eyes of clashing colors locked in a stare-down.
After a long, wordless standoff.
"Hey."
"What."
Neither hid their mutual loathing, letting it bleed into every word.
"What d'you think that bitch wants with Smith?"
"……."
Kernax shot Siron's leg a glare at the question. Through the torn leather pants peeked thin black fabric. She recognized it instantly: Smith's gift, the Night Fairy.
Not surprising— it was why their fight hadn't ended decisively. Both blocked lethal blows with their legs, naturally. And receiving the same gift from him? That had pushed them over the edge.
Kernax shook off the thought and answered.
"Probably 'cause of these things we're wearing."
She didn't know how the countess and her daughter saw it, but Ardella—filing reports and taking direct orders—knew how sensitive they were to Filoria house profits.
"Forget the damn things. Why's she meeting Smith over our fuckup?"
"Blood rushing to your head make you stupid? I'm locked up with you—how the hell should I know?"
"You fucking bitch."
"Hmph. Without Smith's gift, you'd have lost both legs to my sword strikes ages ago."
"Bullshit. You'd be crawling on shattered knees for life if we'd started right."
Siron and Kernax glared murderously again. The prisoners across from them could only squeeze their eyes shut, sincerely repenting their crimes, praying to the gods for a straight life if they got out. Anything to survive the powder keg.
But mercifully, no fight broke out. As if by pact, they dropped the stares and sighed deeply.
"Hey."
"What."
"I'm first, you're second. Don't you fucking forget it."
"……Hah."
"What, you bitch? More complaints?"
Siron glared at Kernax sighing over her "tough call." Kernax eyed her pitifully.
"You don't get it? That's not what's important right now."
"Fuck. What could be bigger than this?"
"Forgot why we're in here?"
"That's... shit."
Siron smacked her forehead hard enough to crack!
"……You goddamn bitch. This is all your fault."
"Don't make me laugh. If you hadn't humiliated me in front of Smith, this wouldn't have happened."
"……."
"……."
They glared some more.
"You got any money?"
"Did. 'Til some bitch blew up my house."
"……Crazy bitch. Why'd you take her there, dumbass."
"Didn't know she'd go full horny she-orc."
"Hey, you weren't innocent. Acting all high-class now? You cursed up a storm like a maniac."
"Wh-when did I...?"
"Look at this bitch? Ha~ fuck. Smith that idiot should've seen it."
"Lies...!! Don't... lie."
Kernax flinched, startled by her own raised voice. Siron gawked in disbelief.
"Ha... fuck. Anyway, now you get it."
"……Selling my sword collection gets me about 20 gold."
"……."
"……."
Siron gave Kernax a pitiful look; Kernax averted her eyes.
"Still... since Ardella met Smith over our mess, at least no slavery."
"That's the problem, you bitch. That crazy bitch... fuck it."
Siron hadn't forgotten the temple. A battle men couldn't grasp—women's mind games. Even with her by Smith's side, that damn woman ignored her completely, flirting naturally. How could she forget?
"Shit, she better not be demanding his body or something."
"Smith's worth it enough... no... other nobles maybe, but not Lady Ardella. She wouldn't indulge like that."
"Agh, frustrating as hell!! That's 'cause you don't know that bitch!"
"Nonsense. I know her better. If—if—your nightmare happens, I'll bow to you clean."
"Crazy bitch. By then, you won't have a choice!!"
"I know. That's why I'm saying it'll be fine. Definitely... end well."
—Just as she said.
A clear woman's voice echoed down the wide prison corridor. Siron and Kernax clamped their mouths shut at the sound.
Only steady footsteps followed in the quiet hall. From the darkness emerged Ardella, glowing silver alone.
"Heard Amelia chewed you out big time, but you're still yapping. Guess it didn't stick."
"……."
"……."
"Hm, not funny either, huh. Jokes aren't my thing, apparently."
Ardella gazed down at the stone-faced duo with flat eyes, then flashed the faint smile she saved for Smith.
"Congrats. Blowing up a quarter of the city and walking free? You're the first—and last."
"How...?"
"Free... you say?"
Even faced with their insolent stares, Ardella kept her faint smile.
"Oh, yes, free. 350 gold in damages, settled with unpaid labor 'til repairs are done. You've used up a lifetime's luck."
"……."
"……."
Hearing the monetary toll of their deed, Siron and Kernax fell silent at the staggering sum.
"You're out tomorrow, so behave 'til then. Oh, Kernax."
"……Yes."
"Repairs are repairs—don't forget guard captain duties too."
"……Understood. But, Lady Ardella."
About to leave, Ardella paused at Kernax's call.
"Something to say?"
"……Heard you met Smith."
"Ah, yes. About your mess. Haha."
Ardella's amused chuckle hardened their faces fast. Undaunted by the status gap or their rudeness, she just chuckled softly.
"Having a capable lover's a blessing. So... I'm borrowing Smith for the day."
"Wh-what...?"
"Literal meaning. Kernax."
Ardella vanished into the darkness with her faint smile intact.
Her clear voice lingered, mismatched to the shadowed hall.
—Don't worry. I'll return him proper tomorrow.
Siron snarled at Kernax, frozen with mouth agape at Ardella's loaded parting words.
"Call her 'big sis' from now on, you bitch."