5. A Bond in Prison

Kung... kung....

It feels like the entire Black Prison shakes every time the Rune Bear takes a step.

Massive size. The mana I can feel.

'They want me to catch that?'

No matter how I look at it, fighting that is impossible. Look at those massive front paws. Just getting grazed by one of those feels like it would scatter my body parts in every direction.

"Get back to your cell, quickly!"

At the sudden shout, I turned my head toward the sound. There, an old man with white hair was shouting while trapped behind iron bars.

"Don't look, hurry!"

At his words, I threw myself toward where I first entered. The Rune Bear seemed to have spotted me, raising the volume of its kung-kung footsteps as it headed my way.

"Argh, why won't I fit in!"

I struggled, whining as I shoved my body into the dog hole I'd dug.

"Almost there!"

The old man shouted. At the same time, the vibrations coming through the ground grew even stronger.

'Hurry... hurry...!'

My heart is racing, and sweat is pouring down. After struggling and wriggling into the dog hole.

"Huff!"

My body barely made it back inside the iron bars. At the same time, a massive front paw is coming toward the bars.

The Rune Bear's attack, which would easily crush the iron bars, is aimed at me with only one set of bars in between.

'Uh... can this block it?'

My doubt lasted only a moment; a blue light erupted from the iron bars, and the Rune Bear ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was sent flying back.

"Keu-eong!"

The Rune Bear roared as if in anger. But it didn't approach again, perhaps because getting bounced back hurt. Looking closely, the Rune Bear's blue patterns had disappeared, so it seems there's some kind of magic cast on the bars.

The Rune Bear glared at me for a while before eventually slinking back to where it originally was.

'Phew....'

I caught my breath while watching the scene.

"Heh heh heh... almost died the moment you got in, eh? How did you end up in here?"

I hesitated for a moment at his words, but decided to just tell the truth.

"I got on the bad side of the crazy Princess and ended up here."

"Kwahaha! You've got ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guts. What did you say to that crazy bitch to end up here?"

"Well, you're here too, aren't you, old man."

The old man just chuckled to himself as if he hadn't heard me.

I looked at him with a straight face and said.

"I told you mine, so I think it's your turn."

At that, the old man looked at me for a moment before plopping down on the spot.

"Isn't it obvious if you're in the Black Prison? Either a heinous criminal or part of the Revolutionary Group."

My eyes widened at that. The Revolutionary Group?

The Revolutionary Group is hard to come by. They are difficult to track, and they are wary of anyone approaching, so they're hard to meet.

If I hadn't played the game, I wouldn't have even thought about meeting the Revolutionary Group.

'Because if you're not careful, you could get caught by soldiers in disguise.'

Along with the Demon God Cult, the Revolutionary Group is a target for extermination by the Empire. If you mess up, your head flies off in an instant.

'But they wouldn't lock someone in the Black Prison just for being in the Revolutionary Group.'

It sounds strange, but not just anyone can come to the Black Prison. It means they don't put you in the Black Prison unless you're a big shot. If you're here, you're either a heinous criminal or a huge big shot, one of the two.

I looked at the old man. Since I can confidently say I'm a veteran of the game, I know all the faces of the NPCs in the game.

'Hmm....'

But no matter how much I look at this old man, nothing comes to mind. There was no such old man among the faces of the heinous criminals. And there's no such old man among the NPCs who could be called big shots either.

'Well, it doesn't matter.'

Since he's locked in prison and tried to help me in his own way, it seemed very unlikely that the old man would try to harm me.

'The most likely possibility is the Revolutionary Group, though....'

Since he's locked in this Black Prison, he must be quite a big shot, and if I rescue a person like this, the Revolutionary Group will be grateful. Naturally, my start gets better.

Cooperating with that old man is also a pretty decent option.

Of course, for that to happen, one premise is needed. Escape from here.

"Old man, what would you do if you could get out of here?"

The old man snorted at my words.

"You brat, how long has it been since you got here, and you're talking about escaping? It's not called the Empire's worst prison for nothing. Besides, what are you going to do about that Rune Bear right now? If it weren't for these bars, you'd be in that beast's belly."

The old man said, tapping the iron bars that had just blocked the Rune Bear. I looked at the bars the old man was tapping. These bars—I didn't know because I was frantic earlier, but thinking about it a bit, I think I know what they are.

"Then, if I can catch that Rune Bear, is there a way?"

"Hah, catch?"

The old man looked at me for a moment. A gaze as if he were assessing my worth.

"Forget it. What are you going to catch with that body?"

The old man's blatant dismissal.

I didn't care about that and said.

"Well, seeing as you're locked in here too, I guess you're no better. Whatever. Fine. Let's just stay locked up here."

"Hah, look at this cheeky brat...."

The old man looked dumbfounded at my words, but at the same time, he seemed quite intrigued.

"Fine, if you catch that bear, I'll let you get a handle on the start of an escape."

I stood up at those words.

"You can't take that back, okay?"

I walked slowly toward the iron bars while standing up. Then, I hit the iron bars with a wooden board and shouted loudly.

Soon, the cave echoed, and the sound of the iron bars being hit by the wooden board rang throughout the entire Black Prison.

Not long after, the sound of the ground shaking kung-kung was heard, and soon the Rune Bear revealed itself.

It seemed to have recovered in the meantime, as the Rune Bear's signature blue patterns were activated again.

"It'll be different this time, you bear."

The Rune Bear rushed toward me.

Princess Bella closed her eyes.

When she closes her eyes, strange memories pop up on their own.

No, are these memories even mine?

This has been repeating for the past few days. Suddenly, a strange feeling comes over her at all times. A feeling like she's lost someone very precious. Longing, affection. Such awkward emotions keep playing in her head.

It's another problem to just brush it off as being because she's had a lot of work lately.

When she closes her eyes like this, she ends up dreaming. A very strange dream at that.

In the dream, she looked happy. Unlike herself, who is worn ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out by all sorts of work, the Princess Bella in that place looks like a girl in love.

She feels emotions she's never felt before.

The garden she walks in every day feels beautiful. The annoying sunlight is lighting that shines on them, and the unpleasant wind is magic that gently blows and brings them closer together.

She was enjoying the current happiness while lying on someone's lap. Neither the status of a princess, nor heavy politics, nor the annoying Revolutionary Group and Demon God Cult could disturb them at this moment.

Then a question arose. Who is the owner of this lap she is lying on? Who is this man that she—no, the Princess Bella in the dream—calls "us" and gets close to?

Every time she dreamed, she tried to check, but she always woke up before she could.

Thinking she would wake up like that this time too, she tried to open her eyes.

Then, she was dazzled by the beating sunlight.

"Hm? Trying to wake up?"

As she closed her eyes because of the dazzling sunlight, she heard a man's voice.

What is this? It's continuing? This has never happened before.

Princess Bella felt doubt and curiosity. A relationship close enough to call themselves "us." Just who could have such a relationship with her? She wanted to confirm it.

'The voice sounds somewhat familiar....'

The man's hand came down and naturally brushed her hair behind her ear. As if he had done it many times, as if it were familiar.

Princess Bella got goosebumps at that touch. She had never allowed anyone to do this. This body is one that even servants cannot touch carelessly, let alone a man touching it?

She is the Princess of the Empire. No one can treat her like this.

No man can touch her body. She tried to move her body to reject him immediately, but perhaps because it was a dream, she couldn't budge.

Perhaps unaware of her feelings, the heart of the Princess Bella in the dream began to beat rapidly. Her ears turned red when his hand touched her. She could feel her heart pounding at that small touch.

Princess Bella felt deep anger at that fact. That she, the Princess of the Empire, would be like this over a mere man. It's a nightmare. This is definitely a terrible nightmare.

Princess Bella tried to open her eyes despite the beating sunlight. It was dazzling, but she wanted to open them somehow.

'I have to see your face to know who you are...!'

Just who is it that has me like this? No, she had to confirm if she was having such a ridiculous dream.

Princess Bella's eyes open little by little, squinting. Just a little more, just a little more and she'll be able to see his face.

At that moment, the surroundings darkened, and a small breeze brushed past Bella's eyes.

"Why, what are you trying to open your eyes to see?"

Thanks to the surroundings darkening, Princess Bella was able to open her eyes. And she wanted to close them again at the sight that appeared before her. No, she wanted to escape from this place.

In front of Princess Bella was Haeil Cartis. And it was Haeil Cartis looking at her with loving eyes.

Only then did she realize. The darkness was Haeil's shadow, and the small breeze was Haeil's breath. The owner of the lap she was lying on was Haeil.

"That can't be!!"

Princess Bella's eyes snap open. When she sits up, there is no garden, nor Haeil Cartis.

'This is my bedroom...?'

Her heart is pounding, and she is short of breath. Her body was already covered in sweat.

"Princess!"

"What's the matter!"

At the loud sound, guards and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠servants rush in.

The Princess could not believe what she had just seen.

That she would do such a thing with a man, and not just any man, but Haeil Cartis, the man she sent to the Black Prison, the worst prison.

It makes no sense. That can't be.

Yes, it's a nightmare. She's having this nightmare because she's had a lot of work lately. It seems she's stressed because she's had a lot of work lately. Seeing as she's having such a terrible dream.

'I have to see it with my own eyes.'

Even before, when she faced Haeil Cartis, she felt something strange. She definitely intended to execute him. But when she faced Haeil Cartis, she couldn't do it at all. Looking back now, she shouldn't have done that.

'This time, I must end it properly.'

He went into the Black Prison, so he must be in a mess by now. Far from love, it's clear she won't even want to look at his terrible appearance.

"Where is Haeil Cartis?"

"He is in the Black Prison."

"I will visit the Black Prison, so prepare it."

"Y-yes? Ah, understood. I will prepare it immediately."

At Princess Bella's sudden visit, all the servants and knights moved busily.

Princess Bella stood up. At the same time, she put her hand on her chest. Her heartbeat was too loud. Her heart is pounding like crazy.

'No.'

This pounding right now is just because she had a nightmare. Yes, that's it.

Princess Bella thought of Haeil Cartis.

A piece of trash who used to commit all sorts of atrocities and debauchery.

There is no way she would ever fall in love with such trash.

Never.