Episode20(S1-15)：INSIDE THE JAIL②

Alpina sighs, "good grief," she says. It was not disappointment, but a genuine expression of concern. This is a rare attitude for Alpina, who has always maintained an arrogant and irreverent attitude, and both Quon and Nana are involuntarily amused. However, when Alpina saw them, she smiled and put her one hand on her waist.

“Don't worry about the nonsense. Scuderia will not be defeated so easily. The Devil is a moderate, which is rare for The Devil, but she is still a rare great The Devil who survived The God-Dragon War. She is much stronger than a bad martial artist.”

But," Alpina's eyes sharpen. Her words take on more weight, and her caution stings Quon and Nana.

“That is why we must be extremely careful and vigilant. If I were alone, even if Charuelle and Scuderia were to challenge me with two men, there is no way I could lose, but if I had to protect you, Quon, that would be a different story.”

But I'm not going to let you die, no matter what happens.

Alpina smiles as she looks at Quon. He is unable to read the true meaning behind her expression, so he can only stare back at her in silence. Nana interrupts them to say something.

“Lord Alpina and Master. Quon. I have a question for you: what should I do about my father?　He is going to send a unit to search for my brother tomorrow morning. ......”

“I don't think he'll listen to me when I admonish him to stay quiet because he'll only die in vain.”

“That's right. I and Alpina are treated the same as criminals. Is it better that we haven't been executed yet?”

If that is the case, Quon takes one look at Alpina. He can almost predict what she will say next, but he has no other plan, so he keeps silent.

“Just leave it. They probably only have a rough idea of where Lace is. However, with that level of ability, they will most likely be defeated by the Sacred Beasts on the road. Even if they die, it's none of my business.”

And besides," Alpina said, as she crowded in on Nana. Her cool-headed eyes exude an intimidation that freezes not only her body and soul, but her soul as well. It was not because of her magical power, but because of her pure position as The Devil.

“When you signed the contract, you only asked me to rescue your brother. Nothing else was specified. Isn't that right?”

“...... Yes. My wish is to rescue my brother. For this I have sworn my allegiance to Lord Alpina.”

Nana, however, was determined to block out Alpina's words as she looked down at her with her feet on the grating. She was so determined that she dismissed Quon's advice that it was too cruel for the young girl and might lead to the same fate as herself.

“So I will not ask for blessings from Lord Alpina for the entire tribe! I will convince my father and the others!”

Hearing these words, Alpina stiffened for a moment. Her pupils, blindingly wide and blue, had found in the girl the image of her former friend.

Good grief ....... she is indeed a direct descendant of Zirnia.

“Huh, that's a good point. But is there a way? Let's hope you haven't misread recklessness as hard work.”

“It's all right! I have the blood of His Majesty The Imperial Dragon.”

At first glance, she appears to be a stout-hearted warrior maiden with a clenched fist raised in front of her chest as if to show her spirit. But in reality, she is still a child. The reality of having to put this much determination on her is a fact that should be despised. However, it is also a reality that we must rely on her, and Quon, standing in between the two, even feels frustrated.

“...... Don't overdo you.”

Quon managed to squeeze out a few words, but they were the only words that came out of his mouth. It was all he could say.

“Yes, thank you.”

Then, Nana stood up. Her face was dignified, the face of The Dragon, stained with determination and resolve. It was so dependable that Alpina felt a sense of nostalgia, and it seemed as if the anxiety and worry in her heart would be blown away.

“I will return to my father. Lord Alpina and Master Quon, please take care of my brother.”

Bowing deeply, Nana leaves the prison. The sound of her shoes tapping on the stone floor gradually fades away, and silence returns to the prison. Alpina and Quon both exhale and relax their shoulders. Alpina leans against the wall and crosses her arms and legs, while Quon crouches on the floor.

“I hope all goes well.”

“I do what I have to do, you do what you have to do, and Nana does what she has to do. Quon, you too, rest your body and mind for tomorrow.”

Yeah," said Quon, lying down and closing his eyes. But it's hard to fall asleep. Excitement or nervousness? Or maybe anxiety. Either way, his mind was pushing him as far away from sleep as possible. If this were normal times, he might have stayed up all night. He could have been working on his hobbies or studying to improve his quality of life.

But this was not the case this time. He was worried about what would happen tomorrow and wanted to rest his body and mind for as long as possible. In addition, his impatience was contributing to his insomnia, which was prompting his body and mind into a more alert state.

Alpina, perhaps sensing his state of mind, lightly snapped her fingers. As if guided by the sound, a magical circle is drawn on the surface of Quon's body, and her magical power flows lightly into it. It heals his body and mind, bringing him peace and tranquility. His eyes go slumber, and his brain shifts into a sleepy state.

“Is this ......?”

“Hypnotic magic. The Human Child, unlike us, needs sleep, right? You can't have my contract with me disregarded in the middle of the day.”

Quon's eyes slowly drift off to sleep as he is enveloped by the sensation of being rocked by the soothing waves. As if prompted by his unconsciously closed eyes, a very natural sleepiness fades his consciousness. As if his previous state of wakefulness was a lie, he fell asleep in the blink of an eye. Alpina smiled softly as she watched his sleeping face, then released the inflow of magical power and turned off the magical circle.

Moonlight shining through a light window set high on the wall illuminated them both. Inside the silver colored prison, Alpina gazes at the moonlight ring.

It's been 10,000 years or so,...... I guess we'll see each other soon, Scuderia. But still, what happened while I was away ......? If only we could figure out what The Angels are up to. ......

The moon rings bring even more brilliance to the ground. The Angels dance in the midst of the black birds flying around in blue colored night sky. The way it moves so as not to be discovered by The Human Child of The Earthly Realm is comical to Alpina's magical eyes, and at the same time, it gives off an eerie feeling.

For the first time in 10,000 years, the wheels of history are turning. Regardless of who knows it or does not know it, all life on The Earthly Realm has begun to walk toward the time that will soon come.