Witnesses (1)

"Huh?…"

Slowing my steps, I noticed a prison cell I hadn't seen before. A heavy iron door, surprisingly unguarded.

Not that it looked particularly strange, but…

Before I knew it, I had walked right up to it.

I had plenty of time to escape, but not much freedom to wander the dungeon.

Tap, tap, tap.

(Did I just imagine that…?)

Tap, tap, tap.

(No, I didn't! Damn it…)

My body tensed with fear. If they caught me again, getting back here wouldn't be so easy!

For some reason, I grabbed the door handle immediately.

A quiet creak, and the door opened. Without thinking, I slipped inside and gently closed it before a guard came into view.

Finally inside, I looked around.

My eyes took several seconds to adjust to the darkness. Then I saw a silhouette framed by shadows.

The stranger ahead seemed to be chained to the wall, completely unable to move.

"Lucas…"

(Did he just say something?)

I froze halfway as I reached to light the oil lamp.

"Lucas, is that you? What the hell took you so long?! Do you think my bones are indestructible?" The irritated, slightly hoarse voice echoed briefly along the damp stone walls.

(He said Lucas? I wasn't mistaken?)

"Hah…"

I let out a quiet breath, stifling a laugh.

(Lucas, huh?) Without waiting around to get caught, I slipped back out quietly.

Yet again, another little adventure ended in failure.

(I probably should've turned right…)

Hurrying off before the guards returned for their rounds, I didn't notice the man with long silver hair brushing past me and entering the cell of the unfamiliar prisoner.

---

I stepped into the cell.

Since I had slightly lost track of time, I ended up arriving a bit later than intended.

As before, I was greeted by the smell of dampness, the cold of the cell, stone walls, and—

"Lucas, what the hell?"

Ah right. That bastard's annoying voice.

Grinning.

My face twisted into an irritated smile.

"Why did you leave? When are you planning to get me out of here?! Hey, whether you like me or not, the Tower master ordered you to get me out."

Helios kept ranting, and I didn't bother responding.

Spark.

My index finger lit up with a faint glow, pointing right at his face.

"…"

(Finally, the jerk shut up.)

"Hey, there's no need to shine that in my face."

A grimace of displeasure crossed Helios's face as the light brought out a violet hue in his dark hair.

Grinning.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

(Even if you piss me off, getting you mad is kind of fun, hehe.)

"Anyway, why did you leave the first time? And weren't you carrying a lantern? You bastard, pretending to be innocent, huh!"

(What nonsense is this idiot spouting now?)

(He causes trouble for the Tower and thinks he's someone important. If it weren't for the double pay, I'd gladly let him rot in here.)

"What are you talking about? I was gone for five minutes. Do you think I would've entered with a lantern, left just to put it back, and then come back in to shine a finger light in your face?"

"Do you think I'm stupid or something?" Helios scowled.

(You're not the only one who thinks that.)

Grinning.

"…"

I shook my head silently.

"You came in, then left a minute later, then came back again."

(He's not joking…?)

"You're saying someone else came in here, and it wasn't a guard?"

"It wasn't you? Then…"

"Hah… how annoying."

My eyes glowed amber again as I leaned my head back and ran a hand through my hair.

"You didn't talk to that person, did you?"

"Eh—well…"

"Did you say something?"

I leaned over Helios, waiting for an answer.

"I just asked if it was you…"

(Is this idiot serious right now…?)

"I see. So you said my name to a stranger whose face you didn't even see?" I said sweetly, barely holding back the urge to beat him to death.

"I really thought it was you! Why the hell didn't you lock the door?!"

Helios snorted, trying to justify himself.

"They had long hair too, though now that I think about it, the figure wasn't that big. So… maybe it was a woman."

(A woman?... Could it have been her?)

"Amazing. You cause trouble even while chained to the wall. Truly impressive."

(And mistaking me for a woman? Seriously, this son of a— ahem...)

"Hey!"

Not letting him say anything else in his defense, I walked out. Even though Helios had ties to criminal guilds, I still had to save his ass. If he exposed his connection to the Magic Tower, it would cause even more problems.

"Looks like I'll have to get rid of the witness too," I clicked my tongue, heading toward Rozy's room.

(And why is it always the person who finds my face attractive that I have to get rid of? Hah, Helios, that idiot… I'm definitely killing him later!)