"I... I see," I muttered, looking down, keeping my weak smile intact.
"I'll be... Executed tomorrow."
'Like Makoto…'
Hicks squinted as he looked away, closing his eyes. I could tell his lips arching downwards, even beneath his neat mustache.
"... I insisted that you'd hear it from me," Hicks sighed gently.
'He really is a nice man,' I thought, exhaling through my nose.
"Sato." He called again.
I lifted my head.
"Was it still… Worth it?" He asked.
'... But as expected, he still thinks I did it. Of course he did. This is reality. And he's a man faced with hard facts.'
'Fact that I attacked Kazuya. And that everyone's testimonies must say I killed Shin.'
"...." I closed my eyes. Taking a deep breath.
'Whatever. I'm already going to die regardless of what I say. And if I don't… I don't have any arms. Or parents to save me.'
'Well. The latter was never around even in our original world. Except for when they told me to study.'
"Yeah," I said, smiling. "Killing that fucker Shin was worth every second of—"
"You didn't kill anyone, Sato." Hicks cut me off. "I know you didn't."
I blinked as he looked down, fiddling with his fingers. 'Does he have proof I'm innocent or something?'
"I've been in the royal guard my whole life. I've seen many people throughout." He started, momentarily flicking up his eyebrow as he spoke, as if reading me a tale from a book.
"I also have a daughter. And a son in law. The one you pretended to be a while back." He said with a smile.
A pause. I wasn't sure what expression to make. I just stared.
"Knowing when a child lies to my face has become second nature to me, Sato."
I blinked.
'... He called me a child.'
"You are innocent of that crime."
I gulped, clearing my throat.
'I'm not a child anymore, though. I'm going to die.'
"What are you asking, then?" I asked, my voice was more cracked than I expected.
He straightened his posture.
"Was it worth attacking the hero?"
I tilted my head.
"Kazuya?"
Hicks nodded. "The very same."
"...." I leaned back, looking at the ceiling. My mouth slightly hanging open.
"M… My whole life," I started, "I tried bowing down, apologizing, and making way for people. Be it… My parents, so-called friends and people like Kazuya. Thinking that somehow, I'll make it through." I let out as I focused on a loose stone up in the cell's ceiling.
"... Thinking 'things will get better once I get past this particular obstacle,' every single time. And yet, every single time, I was still Sato, the coward—" I said before getting interrupted.
"HEY! HURRY IT UP!" A loud yell was heard, "YOU WASTE Sir Hicks' time—"
Hicks raised his palm.
"Shut your mouth." Hicks said calmly as he turned to the guard, glaring at him. The guard froze in his steps, blinking.
"S… S-sir I was just trying to—"
"I'm aware of what you were trying to do." He said, "Shut your damn mouth. And leave us."
I blinked, my eyes widening.
I never heard this man swear in my life. It doesn't fit him at all. Like placing a long nose on a demi-god's statue.
It was unsettling. Like in the carriage. He didn't even have to shout for it to feel like a scream echoing around us all.
"Y-... Yes, sir. I apologize." The guard bowed before leaving the cell, standing outside.
Hicks then turned to me. I expected to see residue of his anger, but his face looked relaxed as he smiled.
"Please, continue if you may, Sato." He said, his tone gentle on my ears.
I blinked.
"R-... Right, where was I… Ah, haha." I tried scratching my hair with my phantom arms. Clearing my throat as I realized they weren't there anymore.
"Er... it kinda broke the rhythm. When he interrupted." I joked.
"Didn't it?" Hicks nodded along with a smile.
I looked down, searching for words on the cell's floor.
"I-I guess my point is that I… I always felt stressed and scared. And weighted by something. My chest hurt every time I bent over to Kazuya or really anyone." I cleared my throat again.
"I was only useful to my parents when I studied. I only ever mattered to people like Kazuya, or really people in general when I was a bullying target… But I survived, so it's okay, isn't it?" I said as I blinked.
"The first time I stood up for anything, I'm getting executed for it. So, the cons totally outweigh the benefits. I…"
I gulped.
"I'm gonna die, after all, right? So it shouldn't have been worth it."
A pause.
"But, sir. I just can't believe that it wasn't worth it, because," I raised my head.
I wonder what expression I had. Since Hicks seemed to be surprised by it.
"My chest doesn't hurt anymore."
Hicks' mouth hung slightly open. The edge of his lips could be seen just below his mustache.
"I… I really AM going to be executed, right? But I feel so… Light. Like this prison cell is bigger than the whole two worlds of ours. O-or maybe it's just because I lost my arms, haha."
Hicks frowned slightly, a smile bubbling beneath his mustache as he looked down. His eyes seemed strained as I heard a weak sniffle coming from him.
"Haaah…" He exhaled slowly.
Then he nodded.
"Being a coward. I… I'm not that coward anymore—"
"So what if you were a coward?" Hicks said quietly.
Stopping me.
"E-eh?"
He took a shaky breath.
"You're just a child...!" He let out as he clenched his fist.
"...!" My throat clamped.
"A child is meant to be a coward!" He said.
"A-...Ah..." My voice wouldn't come out.
I could feel my lips bending downwards in unnatural intensity. As if they're about to rip downwards.
"A child is MEANT to be weak. For as long as they can...!" Sir Hicks growled as he raised his head, glaring at me.
My lips shivered.
"You've been robbed of that privilege by the world. Never apologize for that." He didn't yell.
But once more, my ears rung as they always do when he speaks like that.
'What is this?'
I could feel snot gushing out of my nose as I looked down, tears dripping freely on my legs.
My phantom arms unable to hold my mouth as it made ugly movements.
Before long, we both ran out of words to say. Hicks then stood up and left.
Before long, night came. I was fast asleep.
Unknowingly to me at that time, I had a visitor.
"Open this gate, Alfus," Hicks said as he turned to face the guard.
"...." The guard did not move, his eyes narrowing as they settled on Hicks. "Sir. He is required for tomorrow's execution. Freeing him would make you a traitor—"
"Need I repeat myself?" Sir Hicks replied calmly, meeting the man's gaze head-on, his posture straight and unyielding.
"...." Without another word, the guard produced his keys and unlocked the gate, watching Hicks closely as he stepped aside.
Hicks returned the silence. He entered the cell, knelt before my cage, and gently ran a gauntleted hand through my hair as I was asleep.
"Poor boy," Sir Hicks said aloud, making certain Alfus heard every word.
Then, hidden from the guard's view, Hicks retrieved a small stone and placed it between my teeth. He pushed my jaw upward. The stone shattered.
And then it dissipated.
[You have gained a new Skill!] appeared before my unconscious self.
Hicks cleared his throat as he stood, turning away and walking out of the cell.
Alfus closed the gate behind him, the lock clicking shut.
On the same night, Hicks used his authority to fire the guard who interrupted Sato.
----- The next day ----
Nickelson sighed deeply, his hand brushing against his long golden hair and his shaved, chiseled chin as he looked at his desk, leaning lazily against his chair.
"I hate to deal with things like this, Hicks. You know that." Nickelson said, looking at Hicks as he stood in front of him in his grand office.
"I'm aware, sir." Hicks replied, not flinching.
"... We need the manpower," Nickelson continued, "And finding another prison guard is going to take schedule rearrangements until we find a replacement, recruiting, training someone for a more permanent solution... Just more headaches on my plate. You realize that, right?"
"I do, sir." Hicks stated plainly.
"...."
"... And it all falls on me." Nickelson sighed a second time, looking more directly at Hicks.
"I know that, sir."
"... And you still did what you did. Knowing all this."
"Correct, sir." Hicks let out, unhurried.
Nickelson shifted in his chair, rubbing his forehead and leaning on his elbow.
"I'm suspending you for a week, no pay." Nickelson said.
"I understand."
"Two weeks."
"Very well, sir."
"FOUR."
"If you must."
"DAMN IT ALL, HICKS!"
Nickelson slammed his palm against the desk, the sharp crack echoing through the room as he turned away, rubbing his face in silence.
"...."
He drew a long breath through his nose.
"This stunt of yours is not going to change anything," Nickelson said at last.
"We've talked about this. He's lost his arms. He can't reliably use magic anymore, and we cannot afford to invest a high-ranking priest or an expensive potion treatment that may or may not mend someone who assaulted the S-Ranked Hero."
"...."
Hicks lowered his gaze, saying nothing.
"And even if that weren't the case," Nickelson continued, his voice tightening, "you know this as well as I do."
He paused again, longer this time.
"He would've taken the blame either way for letting his teammate die. Even if it wasn't his fault… Since we cannot afford to lose two A-Ranked Otherworlders."
Hicks remained silent, eyes lowered, his expression firm and unmoving.
Another moment passed.
"...I have a daughter too, Hicks," Nickelson said more quietly, "In the Goddess' name, you've held her in your arms as an infant!"
Hicks looked up at him.
"I know what you must've felt when you looked at that Otherworlder. I know why you felt the urge to fire that guard," Nickelson went on, tapping a finger against the desk. "But we cannot grow attached. Not to these Otherworlders. You know precisely why."
A full minute of silence followed.
"I do, sir," Hicks said at last. "And as you've mentioned, you know precisely why I did what I did as well."
Nickelson exhaled slowly.
"For crying out loud there's no arguing with you," Nickelson clicked his tongue, looking away.
Letting several seconds of silence pass by.
"... Just get out of here, Hicks. I expect you to come back with full force after this week. Minus the nonsense."
"I believe you said four weeks without pay, sir," Hicks replied, clasping his hands behind his back.
"You heard wrong. Leave," he said, sighing for what felt like the umpteenth time as he dipped his quill into the ink.
"Have a pleasant day, sir."
Hicks turned and began walking toward the door.
"Hicks."
He stopped.
"Yes, sir?"
Nickelson's lips curved, just slightly.
"...You haven't changed a bit."
Hicks let out a chuckle.
"All thanks to your leadership, allowing me the privilege of being my truest self, sir," Hicks replied, bowing once more before leaving.
The door closed softly behind him.
Nickelson remained there, staring at it for a long moment, a resigned smile lingering on his face.
"Fucking bastard..." he muttered, exhaling through his nose before returning to his work.