The Forgotten Prisoner — Part 2
The prison alarms screamed throughout the Royal Capital. Guards flooded the corridors. Knights rushed toward the lower prison levels. Torches lit up one after another. The entire prison had been thrown into chaos.
Meanwhile—Varo carried Ruko over his shoulder while sprinting through the underground passageways. "Hiyah! Move those old legs!" Althea rolled her eyes. "You're literally carrying him while I'm disabling traps." "And you're still slower than me!"
"I'll poison your food." "Fair enough." Even in the middle of a prison break, the two somehow found time to argue. Kyouri almost exploded. "CAN YOU TWO STOP ARGUING FOR FIVE MINUTES?!" "Sorry." "Sorry."
The two immediately shut up. Ruko stared weakly at the ceiling. If he had any strength left, he would have laughed. Somehow these idiots were risking their lives for him. The thought felt strange. The group finally reached an exit tunnel.
Fresh air struck their faces. They had escaped. Unfortunately— "THERE!" A knight spotted them. "DAMN IT!" Within seconds dozens of guards began pouring toward them. Varo clicked his tongue.
"This is why I hate traveling through big cities." Althea immediately threw several smoke bombs. The entire area vanished beneath thick gray smoke. "What did you throw?!"."Something expensive to me making!"
"That doesn't answer the question!" "Exactly! So shut up and run!" The group disappeared into the smoke before the guards could react. By the time visibility returned— They were gone..Far gone.
Unfortunately for them... The kingdom discovered the escape almost immediately. Back at the prison— A guard opened Ruko's cell..Then froze. The prisoner was gone.
"..."
"..."
"...OH SHIT." The alarm level increased instantly. "RUKO SATOU HAS ESCAPED!" The news spread throughout the Royal Capital within minutes. Knights mobilized. Adventurers mobilized. Search teams mobilized. Everyone began searching.
Meanwhile—The actual target was already sitting inside a carriage several kilometers away. Or rather—Lying down. Ruko barely had enough strength to remain conscious. Althea immediately shoved a healing potion toward his mouth gentle.
"Drink." Ruko obeyed. Nothing happened. Althea blinked. "..." Kyouri blinked. "..." Varo blinked. "..." Althea grabbed another potion. "Drink this one."
Still almost nothing. "What?" Another potion.
Nothing. Another. Nothing. The group slowly looked at each other. "That's bad." Althea shaking in fear. "Very bad."
Kyouri immediately panicked. "What do you mean bad?!" "It means his body is so damaged that normal healing potions barely work." Kyouri's face went pale. "He'll die?" Althea quickly shook her head. "No."
Then paused. "...Probably." "ALTHEA!" "What?! I'm being honest! And ik scared too!" Ruko weakly raised his hand. "K-Kyouri..." She immediately grabbed it. "I'm here." "Stop shouting..."
"YOU'RE THE ONE DYING!" "...Fair to my point." Varo sighed. "We need somewhere hidden from all this ruckus. Hiyah!" Althea nodded. "And somewhere I can properly treat him."
Varo remained silent for several moments. Then finally spoke. "I know a place." Everyone looked at him. "What! Where?" "The Keele's Dungeon." Two days later... The group arrived.
The outskirts of Axel were covered in snow. Winter winds blew across the landscape. Most adventurers avoided Keele's Dungeon during this season. Which made it perfect. The carriage was hidden far away.
Varo carried Ruko inside. The dungeon itself was quiet. Almost too quiet. The deeper they traveled, the more uneasy the atmosphere became. Eventually Althea clutched her arms. "Are you sure this place exists?" "Yep."
"You don't sound confident." "Oh relax. I found it by accident." "THAT'S NOT HELPING." Varo ignored her. He continued walking. Then suddenly stopped. The others almost crashed into him.
"What now?" Varo smiled. "Found it." He pressed against a seemingly ordinary wall. Click. Rumble. The stone wall shifted. A hidden passage appeared. Kyouri's eyes widened. Althea nearly dropped her bag.
"No way." The group entered. What awaited them wasn't a cave. It was practically a hidden sanctuary. Bookshelves. Training equipment. Living quarters. Storage rooms. Workshops. Even a laboratory.
Kyouri stared. "This place is real?" Varo nodded. "Built by Keele–the–turn–lich himself." Althea immediately rushed toward the laboratory. "Gaahh~ this is my home now." "No." "My kingdom." "No." "My paradise." "...Actually yes."
Within minutes Althea had already started preparing medicines. Varo placed Ruko inside one of the bedrooms. Kyouri never left his side. Not once. Days passed. Then weeks. Then a month. Winter deepened. Snowstorms came and went.
Althea worked endlessly. Potion after potion. Medicine after medicine. Experiment after experiment. Slowly—Very slowly—Ruko began recovering. Color returned to his skin..His body regained strength. The wounds started healing.
Months passed. January became February. One morning—Ruko opened his eyes. Sunlight entered through a nearby window. For several moments he simply stared upward. Confused.
"..."
A roof. A bed. Warm blankets. Not prison. Not chains. Not stone walls. A room. A normal room. The realization slowly hit him. He was free. Ruko turned his head.nThen froze.
Kyouri was asleep beside the bed. Althea had fallen asleep on the opposite side. Several books covered her face. Varo sat in a rocking chair nearby. Snoring loud enough to shake the room. Ruko stared silently.
For the first time in months— His chest felt lighter. Then the bed creaked. Kyouri's eyes opened. She blinked. Once. Twice..Then her eyes widened.."R-Ruki?"
Althea immediately woke up. "What exploded?!" Varo nearly fell out of the chair. "Hiyah! Demon attack?!" Then they all noticed. Ruko was awake. Alive. Looking directly at them. For several seconds nobody spoke.
Then— "RUKO!" "RUKI!" The two girls immediately tackled him. Ruko almost got sent back to sleep permanently. "Can't... breathe..." Kyouri burst into tears.nAlthea was crying too despite trying to hide it. Varo smiled quietly.
"Hmph." The old man crossed his arms. "Welcome back, lad." Ruko looked around the room..Then at the people who had rescued him. The people who hadn't abandoned him. For the first time since the trial—He genuinely smiled. And somewhere deep inside... The shattered pieces of his heart slowly began putting themselves back together.