The tense voices of soldiers running around the castle and the hard sound of metal against metal.

'There you are!

Downstairs, in the back!

"Stupid people! You headed for a dead end yourself!

　The castle was in a beehive of commotion, and it had become a place of chaos, with non-combatants such as the fleeing civil servants and maids, and soldiers and sorcerers heading to the scene.

'The stairs to the dungeons are narrow! In the front, hold your shields and spears at the ready and advance in two lines!

　A middle-aged man who looked like a commander loudly instructed him to do so, and the cluttered steps of the soldiers immediately took control. Leading the soldiers and a few sorcerers who filled the first floor corridor, the man raised his drawn sword above his head.

''Come on, we've got you trapped! Take it down the stairs a little at a time!







[Ditsen]

　We made our way through the damp and watery, musty underground passages until we came to the last cage.

　However, there was only one man inside, a battered man who must have been tortured to the utmost of his ability. The man was lying dead with a blood-stained, blackened piece of cloth wrapped around his body. Judging by his shaggy silver hair and beard, he'd been trapped for quite a while.

'Looks like an outlier. We'll head to the ladies' pavilion next.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find something to say," said Aifa, ignoring the horrific scene without a second thought. There was a lot to say, but right now it was more about me.

'I hear footsteps coming down the stairs, Lady Aifa. 'I hear footsteps coming down the stairs, Master Aifa, perhaps you're going to run into a crowd of soldiers?

　I couldn't help but ask that in a weird respectful way in this situation, which was obviously absolutely desperate.

'No, let's move away from the soldiers,'

'How? This is a dead end!

　Ifa sniffed and pointed upwards as I explained the situation by pointing to the prison.

'You can build it. This dungeon is robust, but I don't expect me to do anything about it.

What?

　I couldn't help but hear such a raw reply come out of my mouth at Aifa's line. When you go down the stairs, do you not remember how many steps you went down?

　This thick ceiling is not something that can be easily destroyed.

　As I turned my skeptical gaze on Aifa thinking about this, I heard Yuri's voice from next to me.

''Well, is this any better?''

　When I turned around, I saw Yuri reaching towards the man in the jail cell and the countless scars that must have been on the man's exposed skin had disappeared.

''What are you doing, Yuri-sama........''

　When you are going to use the jutsu by running around the castle from now on, why did you use it to heal the wounds of a dying person in a prison cell?

　Even if it's just to break the prison and free them, it is a healing jutsu, of all things.

''........You can use recovery magic? That's unusual.''

　Aifa was also surprised by the quicksilver and muttered that with a knitted eyebrow.

　Then Yuri nodded 'yes' and looked back at me.

''It looked like it was going to be painful, so...''

　Smiling at Yuri, I slumped my shoulders and opened my mouth.

''I see. That will make that person happy. Then, I'd better get going. Aifa-dono says that he can manage to escape from the basement.

　Then I looked at Aifa sideways. However, Aifa looked up, not even noticing my gaze.

''First, dirt.''

　The moment Aifa muttered, the ground shook with an earth-shaking sound.

　Then the ceiling of the dungeon moved. Parts of stone fell one after another onto the floor of the passage like living things. I frowned at the sight.

'Wouldn't it be quicker for the soldiers to arrive?'

　When I asked him that with plenty of frustration, Aifa replied with a sigh.

It's a good idea to have a good time. It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what to do. This is repeated to make a hole. The extra stones and earth are used to block the passage. You can't get this far that easily.

　Aifa drops stones and dirt with a thud as she says it. Indeed, a wall is being built just beyond the passage in the blink of an eye.

''Oh, nah, I see.......sorry about that.

　As I was apologizing with conviction, I heard a short scream, this time behind me.

'Get me out of here........'

　It's a heavy voice that seems to echo from the depths of the earth. When I turned around to see what was going on, I saw that the hands from the jail were grabbing Yuri's neck. Yuri's eyes fluttered open and closed with a surprised look on his face.

''Hey, hey, hey! You can't have that when Yuri-sama healed your wounds for you!

　Such a line poked out of his mouth without a second thought. Then the man in the jail cell wrinkled deeply between his eyebrows and gnashed his back teeth.

I am fully aware of what I am doing but I don't have time to do it. Quickly, get me out of here. If you get me out, I won't let you get hurt........

　I heard a voice that sounded like it was filled with deep regret along with determination, and I instantly understood that this was impossible to convince.

'Wow, okay! I understand! Wait a minute!

　He immediately shouted that, muttered a small word in his mouth, and activated the earth technique. Destroying the thick iron prison is hard enough, so I made some of the ground and ceiling brittle.

''Good!''

　He let out a shout of enthusiasm and kicked the iron bar that was the grate. Then the iron bar changed its angle slightly.

Okay, five more kicks and you'll break...

It's faster.

　As I'm desperately trying to kick the jail down, Aifa mutters a few words from behind me and sends one of the stones in the ceiling flying towards me.

　The chunk of stone passes by my face with a gurgling sound and flicks off to the back of the prison, snapping the iron bars as it bends.

　Two bars were lost in the blink of an eye, and the prison was no longer able to serve its purpose. Fast, indeed, but.

'That was close! I thought that one was going to kill me!

　When I turned around to complain, Aifa looked at me as if she was looking at something trivial and turned to the ceiling again.

　What an angry elf.

''........Finally, you're out.

　And while saying those words, the man with his hand on Yuri's neck came out of the prison.

''Um, I think it's time for you to let go...''

　Yuri muttered softly, but the man quietly shook his head from side to side.

'You are all sorcerers, aren't you? I'm sorry, but I can't let you go until I get out.

　I couldn't resist questioning the man who told me that.

''No, I wouldn't turn you out to be a soldier in this situation. At that time, we would be the first to be caught. Besides, who are you?

　When I ask him who he is, the man draws his bearded chin and answers with a deep, deep sigh.

''I am Schwartz Brauer, son of Königs Brauer. I was formerly the first in line of succession to the imperial throne, but now I have been stripped of it.

　I rolled my eyes at his words.

''........First Prince? No, the Crown Prince, huh? How did you end up in this dungeon...?

　Schwartz holds his tongue with a face like he's biting down on a bitter worm at my question, and Aifa opens her mouth instead.

''........That person is indeed the Crown Prince himself. Until a year ago, he was leading an army as a general, but he was stripped of his succession when it was deemed that there was a threat of rebellion.

　When Aifa said that as if it didn't matter, Schwartz barked in anger.

''There is no such thing as rebellion! I only questioned your father's methods! They're so intent on expanding their territory that they can't manage most of their newly acquired territory! As it is, while he's pointing his blade tip outward, he'll be slicing himself from the inside of his armor! Without complete control over every inch of the expanded territory and complete control over the lords in power not to be defied, there is no future for the empire! We need time for that!

　Schwartz gave a furious and passionate speech about where such power remained in his emaciated body. But Aifa didn't even look at him.

''The future of this country is of no concern to me.

　Schwartz glared at Aifa, who cut him off like that, with his sharp eyes.

　I looked at the two of them and then at Yuri. It's not like he's grabbing her with a strong force. Yuri was listening to the story with a troubled face.

''........You saved a troublesome person, Yuri-sama.

　When he muttered that, Yuri returned a wry smile.