Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Recórdak (2)
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————Rrrrrumble.
The guttural roars scraping at throats echoed through the bathhouse, mingled with the prisoners' crude curses. They gripped the bars and rattled them violently.
Most of the still-young seniors looked overwhelmed, but I was used to it.
These deadweights are putting on a tough act—thinking of it that way made it easier. Like how Malteses or Chihuahuas love to yap.
"Just ignore those deadweights, sir."
The deputy warden said much the same.
"You'll be here for eight hours."
Eight hours.
That's a damn long time.
"Your activity area is limited to the first floor here in the living quarters. Don't worry—the really vicious ones aren't around. This is Recórdak I, after all."
Clap clap—Kigen clapped his hands.
"Alright, now let's get to your bonus assignment."
Assignment.
Elise's eyes sparkled. Gerkken lifted his gaze to the deputy warden too.
"It's a treasure hunt."
"……?"
A bit too childish for a prison, wasn't it?
The other seniors' eyes went wide too. At their dumbfounded reactions, Kigen smirked.
"There's treasure hidden in this prison. The prisoners know where it is. Interview them, gather intel, and find the treasure."
Everyone's faces soured at "interview the prisoners."
"Don't take their word at face value. Pure malice and petty jealousy fill them. Their daily routine is lying the moment they open their mouths to scam."
——Rrrrrumble.
Jeers erupted right on cue. Kigen raised both arms like a conductor in the middle of it all.
"Feel their malice. Sooner or later, worse villains than these will show up in your lives. When they do, remember today's lesson. It'll be a huge help."
……Well, as life lessons go, it might actually be somewhat useful.
"Interview at least three properly, and you're good—no need to worry. Find the treasure, and you'll get a Recórdak recommendation letter as a bonus."
The seniors tensed up at the mention of a recommendation letter.
Kigen's personal letter was worthless, of course, but one from the Recórdak institution was decent enough to list as "experience" on a resume.
"Shall we begin?"
Gerkken clamped his mouth shut. Elise tucked her hand behind her bangs and swept her platinum hair back over her shoulder. Whoosh—the strands fluttered needlessly.
Did she skip washing her hair today?
"Hey, guards!"
Kigen called out to the guards lined up along both sides of the corridor.
"Escort them!"
* * *
"……Favoritism from the jump, huh."
The special activity started off unfair right away.
The guards roughly led commoner stock like me to the corridor cells, shoving us toward the prisoners' bars. Meanwhile, nobles like Elise got ushered to quiet visitation rooms.
They'd probably get to interview prisoners one by one in comfort, with the guards bringing them over.
Eh, I saw it coming.
"Who to pick, huh."
I scanned the lineup in the corridor block.
Lots of prisoners glaring fiercely or flashing sleazy grins our way.
Couldn't be bothered to interview any. I figured I'd just kill time until I could meet the guy I owed a debt to—no, was about to owe, or whatever.
Problem was, he was still in solitary in the isolation ward.
The isolation ward was completely cut off from the living area. Step out of the first floor, cross the exercise yard, and you'd get there.
So I needed an excuse to head to the yard, plus snag a key from a guard...
"Ah."
Good idea.
I approached one cell. Inside sat a guy covered head to toe in scars. Pretty big build, sharp eyes.
Textbook thug.
Whatever, anyone would do.
"Hey there~"
"Y-you, what are you doing? That guy's face value is scary as hell?"
Someone tried to stop me. I glanced over. Three guys, two girls. Not Endex uniforms.
I ignored them and spoke to the prisoner.
"Hey. Can't you hear me?"
"……What?"
The prisoner, lounging on his bunk, furrowed his brow.
"Heeey—?"
I dragged out the end, standing tall.
I nodded.
"Guess you can hear me fine."
"Ha……."
He let out a hollow laugh and stomped right up to the bars, glaring down at me. I told him,
"Got some questions."
"……Questions, huh—?"
The prisoner's face twisted. He was straining to look as vicious and tough as possible—almost pitiful.
I asked calmly,
"Can I interview you?"
"This fucker's spouting bullshit——!"
Bam! He slammed his face into the bars while gripping them.
"Hey, kid. You know who I am?"
"……."
I just stared. He bared his teeth and ranted.
"What're you staring at? I'll gouge those fucking eyes out…… No, wait, kid. Listen up. Endex kid, right? Go learn how to deposit commissary from the warden over there and put some in for 'Jerome.' Or you got smokes on you right now?"
"……Sigh."
Honestly, pathetic. Shakedown tactics haven't changed a bit, huh.
Oh right—this is the past. Since I regressed.
The prisoner narrowed his eyes sharply.
"Hey. Answer me."
I didn't. Just met his gaze. His expression chilled over.
He glared. I didn't look away.
"……Look at this punk. Ha."
He smirked. I twisted my lips in kind.
"You really wanna di—"
"What a small-time crook."
I tossed it out casually, like it was nothing.
His face went wax-pale in an instant. The other cells suddenly fell silent.
"……What?"
Grit—he ground his molars. His eyes blazed with murder.
Prisoners' thought circuits are straight-up broken like that. The insult they hate most is downplaying their own crimes.
"……What'd you just say?"
He demanded, brows and eyes twitching.
I stepped right up to the bars.
"Your eyes are too small. Not killer eyes."
I gladly elaborated. Even smiled nicely.
"Petty theft at worst? Or got nabbed running a scam."
"H-hey, you little…… fucking……."
He hung his head low. Mumbled wordlessly. I watched leisurely.
Then,
"Ptoo—!"
He suddenly hawked a loogie. Thick, filthy phlegm splattered between my nose and eye.
……That was unexpected.
I slowly closed my eyes. A sigh escaped naturally. I wiped the yellow glob before it reached my lips.
Almost indirect-kissed this psycho.
"Haa…… you fucking dogshit."
"Dogshit? Hey, kid. I memorized your face. When I get out—"
"You fucking piece of shit——!"
Bam! I kicked his bars hard. The metal rattled loudly.
"Wh-what the fu—"
He flinched back a couple steps.
I didn't let him.
"You dog-fucking piece of shit. Hey, you goddamn, fucking, hey————!"
I shoved my hand through the bars, grabbed his hair, yanked him viciously into the bars.
Bam——!
His swinging head clanged against the metal.
"Ack! What, let go!"
"You fucking dogshit piece of shit——fuck!"
Bam——! I smashed his skull into the bars. Eyes, nose, mouth, ears—all fair game.
"Eek! Let go, you crazy—urk!"
Bam——!
Like pounding a xylophone, rhythmic.
"Fuck, hang you upside down and chop your fucking head off first to use as a washboard, you fucking dogshit fuck……"
Bam——! Bam——!
"Aaaagh! Ack! Guard, guards!"
He flailed, calling for guards. Blood sprayed from his forehead; I'd already ripped out chunks of hair long ago.
"Help, somebody! Ack! Guards!"
Bam——!
The rowdy prisoners quieted the more I pummeled him. Instead, the guards who'd been watching silently rushed over yelling.
"Student, student, what are you doing! Student!"
Bam——! Kept pounding.
"Student! Stop that! Let go!"
"Guards! Help! This kid's a psycho, ack! My hair's ripping out aaaagh—!"
"No, hey! Everyone come stop him! What are you doing! Get over here and stop him!"
Three or four guards piled on me. I roared and shook them off.
"Let—fuck—go—!"
"Ughhh!"
"Eek, ugh!"
They all flew off for real. I was a bit surprised. Should've held back on the strength.
"Uh……. You dog——shit!"
Grabbed his hair again.
"I'll kill you—!"
"Stop! We get it, just stop!"
"Student, I understand, but you can't do this!"
A bunch of guards clung to me, and finally a Mana Body-trained warden showed up. Only then did I slump away from the bars like I was exhausted, rummaging through the warden's key pouch.
No need to steal the real thing.
Just grip the keyrings and "memorize" them...
[101 / 103 (-1)]
■ Diary
■ Memory
……
└ Untitled
■ Notes
Done.
A new file had been added.
I pointed calmly at the prisoner's mug.
"I memorized your face. I'll kill you when you get out. Stay put in there as long as you can."
For the record, I mean it.