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Chapter 74. Prison Solo Journey In The Wilderness

On the first day of being captured by Blow Sawah, I was stripped naked and taken to the royal castle. I underwent a thorough body search, even to the point of my asshole, then was forced to wear a scratchy hemp garment and thrown into the dungeon.

Considering the journey and the windowless passage, it was probably an underground dungeon. I felt like crying.

The path to the underground dungeon was quite complex. It seemed like we entered the royal castle from some back entrance, then weaved through the castle, taking many turns left and right, until we emerged into a courtyard and were taken to a small dirty building ahead. There were many soldiers stationed around what seemed like a detention area.

The iron bars leading to the underground dungeon were further inside.

Despite doing it to help Hagg and Yaralai, I already regretted it.

Perhaps due to the region, there was no humidity, but the stench was considerable. I felt like crying.

The walls of the dungeon seemed to be carved out of solid rock, making it impossible to dig through even with an iron pick. There was no bed, just a straw mat, and a clay pot that seemed to serve as a toilet emitted a foul odor. I felt like crying.

The underground was labyrinthine like an anthill. There seemed to be a considerable number of people being held there, as even when I was being escorted further in, the prisoners were hurling insults and curses at the soldiers leading the way. Perhaps some of them weren't even criminals.

I was placed in the farthest cell, and the treatment was harsh.

No sooner had I been thrown into the cell than I was dragged out within thirty minutes and relentlessly interrogated in a room near the exit of the anthill-like dungeon. The first things they asked were my name, origin, and occupation, but despite providing a backstory prepared for my origin and occupation, the interrogator's impression of me plummeted.

Of course. Who would believe I was just a surviving merchant from a shipwreck by chance? I felt like crying.

I was repeatedly interrogated about Buffalo, likely because of poaching. Each time, I explained that it was my first time seeing a buffalo, but they insisted I had hired dwarves and elves for poaching from the start. This was probably a story concocted by them from the beginning. They kept pressuring me to confess, saying they could lighten my punishment, but I couldn't nod here. I steadfastly refused. I felt like crying.

Perhaps I was fortunate not to be tortured. I felt like crying at the thought of having to worry about that.

After the interrogation, I was thrown back into the cell. They shouldn't just throw me in like that! Damn it, I'll cry, damn it!

"Ugh... why is this happening..."

I peeked outside from the iron bars. Being in the farthest corner, there was hardly any torchlight reaching here, and I couldn't see the other cells. I realized this might work somehow, so I tried to take out the blanket. The special ability bestowed upon me by the Goddess to contain things in some alternate space, but then I remembered the blanket was left on the bed at Whale's Belly Inn.

I sighed, realizing I should have bothered to put it away each time.

I used the other ability, the SHOP where you could inexplicably buy various things, to purchase a blanket. The blanket cost 4,990 yen. Why yen? It remains a mystery.

Remaining balance: 9,878,398 yen.

I used the blanket to cover the iron bars and took out the cleaning tool. The cleaning tool was a magical item that allowed me to use one type of cleaning spell sealed inside. I activated the cleaning spell and cleaned the entire cell. I focused particularly on the clay pot. The whole room lit up faintly, and the pot emitted quite a bit of light. It seems the brightness increases with the strength of the spell. It was a good thing I experimented with it beforehand.

After cleaning my own body with the spell, I tried to lay the blanket on the floor after removing it from the iron bars, but fearing it might be discovered, I decided to place it under the straw mat. This way, it wouldn't be noticeable at first glance.

Still, the current situation felt almost like camping outdoors. I felt like crying, remembering my childhood... almost.

Though I didn't have much appetite, I nibbled on a nori bento and lay down on the straw mat.

My remaining balance is 9,877,920 yen.

Whether I should thank or curse the gods, I pondered. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

――――

Having experienced sleep akin to sleeping outdoors during my childhood, I had no physical issues sleeping.

However, mentally, it was a different story.

My body, accustomed to staying up late and rising early, woke up without question. Since the light from the hallway remained unchanged, I couldn't tell the time, but it was probably around dawn. I cursed my body, which had been conditioned by working in a black company. I just wanted to sleep in for once.

Even on rare holidays, I had never been able to rest without being bothered by my superiors. It was truly a crappy company.

I quickly made instant coffee and shoved a sandwich into my stomach. I didn't know if breakfast would be served, but honestly, I didn't feel like eating meals served in a place like this.

My remaining balance is 9,877,339 yen.

I had to swallow without savoring since I didn't know when the guards would come. The hot black coffee seeped into my body.

I refrained from smoking as the smell might give me away. I really wanted to smoke at times like this.

I wondered how long I would be held captive. Cherina was probably explaining the situation, so I thought the misunderstanding would get cleared up eventually.

But wait.

Was there really a possibility that Cherina would clear up my misunderstanding?

After all, I was just a person who happened to stumble into this situation, merely one of Cherina's business partners.

Cherina was fond of the Pig King. No, His Majesty the King, and was the type of king who would pull his wife along at the slightest opportunity. She wouldn't risk herself by defending me. It wouldn't be like Cherina to not consider that.

"...In normal circumstances, she would abandon me."

It was only natural. Who would willingly throw themselves into a den of wolves? And the only thing to gain would be my capture. There was no advantage for Cherina.

The deals with the writers were already concluded. The exchanges of bricks, cassavas, and corn were done. With regard to Japanese paper, even with just the current knowledge, it should be sufficient for her.

There was no guarantee I would divulge the remaining secrets of Japanese paper even if she did save me.

The more I thought about it, the less I felt Cherina needed to take risks. It would be smarter for her to hand me over as the culprit and leave me be. Cherina was the head of the largest trading company in this country, and she fully understood that.

In that case, there was only one course of action for her.

"...Damn... I might have been careless..."

Why did I believe Cherina would act for my sake? It was clearly a situation where she would abandon me.

She always said she would clear up the misunderstanding when we were getting escorted here. But those were likely just words spoken in the heat of the moment.

No one could say "farewell" in such a situation. She'll realize it soon after. There was no benefit for her to help me.

She might want to help me emotionally, considering we had become somewhat close. But realistically, I couldn't imagine her taking action to clear up my misunderstanding. The executives of the trading company would probably stop her. That wise Cherina wouldn't weigh the trading company against me.

It gets settled.

Cherina wouldn't help me, and she couldn't help me. Even if she had personal feelings to help.

Reflecting on my life so far, I came to that conclusion. People always betray, and they shouldn't be trusted. That's what I've learned throughout my entire life.

Slap! I slapped both cheeks with my hands.

I woke up.

Sitting wouldn't improve the situation. It would only worsen. So I struggled. I struggled alone.

As always.

As usual.

With my determination, footsteps approached from the corridor. I could tell from the clinking of swords.

"Come out!"

As expected, the soldiers with menacing faces unlocked the cell door and yelled at me.

With a sharp gaze, I was led by them to the interrogation room.