Prison Break

… “The sky… has brightened.” Ailian said to the person in the neighboring cell.

“Yes, it has dawned.”

He opened his terrifying blood-red eyes, veins filling them as he stared fiercely at his surroundings, as if he wanted to seize everything in this world.

“I don’t understand. I thought I no longer feared death, but before dying, I find myself remembering this miserable world.”

He held onto the iron bars and forced himself up, then gazed at the cell he had stayed in for a year with a trace of sorrow.

“I…”

“Eugene, your last meal…” A black-robed priest walked out from the small iron door that seemed permanently shut.

“Heh, thanks for still remembering me, baldy.”

He mocked the priest’s bald, kappa-like head.

“You’re already a dead man. I won’t waste words on you.”

He suppressed his irritation, after all, there was no need to talk much with someone who was about to die.

Normally, he would have rolled up his sleeves and fought the man in the cell to the death, but now there was no need.

Soon enough, this man wouldn’t be able to mock his monk haircut anymore.

Holy Mother above…

“Bring his breakfast!” he shouted to the two chanting priests behind him.

They slowly approached, carrying a plate of fragrant food.

Ailian simply watched silently, observing this man who was still joking even at death’s door.

She couldn’t understand what gave him the mood to keep opposing the priest.

He took the plate passed through the iron bars.

A roasted chicken, giving off a rich aroma.

“Better to die full than hungry. Just eat it obediently…”

As he received the chicken, he heard the server whisper softly.

“Hahaha…”

He laughed bitterly.

He tore open the chicken’s belly and began chewing in large bites.

“What are you staring at?! Get lost! I want to eat properly!”

He roared at the two men while chewing the tender chicken breast.

“Madman!”

They muttered and moved to sit on chairs not far away.

“Hmph…”

Seeing them leave, he snorted, then under Ailian’s gaze, he pulled something wrapped in oil paper from beneath the bedboard and stuffed it into the chicken breast.

“You two! Come here!” he shouted loudly.

“What now?!”

The priests walked over, complaining.

“I can’t eat anymore. Give it to the next cell.”

He pretended to be full, burping, and patted his deliberately puffed-up stomach.

He picked up the plate and walked toward the table without another word.

“Hey! It’s not for you!”

“Strange guy. If you won’t eat, we will!”

They said angrily.

As they walked away, he pressed himself against the bars, staring at them with blood-red eyes.

Then, unexpectedly, one of them returned with the plate.

“It’s too dirty. We don’t want it.”

He pushed the chicken in front of Ailian.

“Lucky you.”

Ailian stared fixedly at the roast chicken.

It was probably the best food she had seen in days.

She looked up at the bloodshot-eyed man.

He was already exhausted and had fallen asleep.

She opened the chicken’s chest, took out the oil-paper bundle, and pressed herself against the bars, watching the two priests like he had done.

They wouldn’t come anytime soon…

She quietly opened the paper.

“… ”

What was inside shocked her.

A small gardening chisel.

Worn and nearly deformed from use.

She quickly hid it under the bedboard.

Then she said nothing and began devouring the chicken.

Suddenly, she started crying.

This chisel had already been used.

The oil paper recorded in detail the surroundings of the prison and where each direction led.

Every cell had such a record.

Each one had a large cross marked on it.

All paths were impossible.

Outside lay a bottomless abyss.

The church was built on a mountain in the outskirts, and they were suspended above a sheer drop.

The handwriting differed.

Each prisoner had used their own time to explore and record it.

Leave.

This cell was the last unexplored one.

This parchment was the result of decades of effort by dozens of people.

She picked up a handmade ink pen made from bone.

She didn’t know how the ink was made, but someone had succeeded in making it.

This was the precious legacy left by those before her.

Soon, Eugene would also become one of them.

She hid everything beneath the bedboard.

“Get up! You’re going to be executed!”

They opened the barred door and dragged the sleeping Eugene out.

“You bastards, I can walk myself!”

He woke instantly, glaring at them with red eyes, frightening them into letting go before grabbing him again.

“Let’s go…”

They pushed him out through the iron door.

“Hahahahaha!”

Before leaving, he suddenly burst into laughter.

He turned back, their eyes met.

Ailian lowered her head sadly.

His eyes were blood-red like a raging beast, yet there was a trace of gentleness in them.

Bang…

The door slammed shut.

Goodbye.

As if it were a farewell, he walked away without looking back.

They had only met for thirteen hours.

They had exchanged no more than four sentences.

Noon.

In the bustling square, a tall pyre was piled at the center.

Citizens surrounded it tightly, forming a barrier.

Among the crowd, a black-cloaked figure moved inconspicuously, pushing forward to the front.

“Hahahahaha… fools! Do I look like a black mage?!”

Eugene roared hysterically.

He was the subject of today’s crimson flames.

He would turn to ashes.

He glared at the crowd with bloodshot eyes.

No one was frightened.

They looked at him like a monster.

His half-brown, half-white hair and red eyes were terrifying.

And so, he truly became a monster.

“Hahahaha…”

He looked helplessly at the fearful people.

“Church… Church… hahaha!”

He roared at the sky.

“I curse you! You will collapse! You will burn to ashes like me! I, Eugene, was framed! Heaven and earth bear witness! Hahahahaha!”

A madman.

Truly a madman.

The black-robed priest thought.

“Light it! Ignore this lunatic!”

The priest ordered the red-clad soldiers.

They lit the oil-soaked wood.

Flames surged like a dragon toward Eugene.

“A familiar scent…” Luna murmured.

There was a faint aura on him.

It was Ailian.

I have to save him.

“Ahhhh! You will all die!”

The oil on his body ignited, burning him.

“Crimson flames! Burn everything! Hahaha! Can you withstand anger?!”

He roared at everyone.

The ropes binding him burned through.

“Ahhhh! You will be buried with me!”

He leapt toward the crowd.

Luna knew it was time.

She covered her face and dashed forward like an arrow, bringing a mist of water with her.

She grabbed him and sprayed the mist over his body.

The flames were extinguished instantly.

“Hahaha…?”

He was stunned as the burning pain vanished, replaced by cool mist.

He stared at the masked girl before him.

A crimson-haired girl.

Then a dull blow struck the back of his head.

He lost consciousness.

For the first time in years, he had risked everything.

And it saved his life.

There was indeed Ailian’s scent on him.

Even soaked, she could clearly smell it.

She hoisted him over her shoulder and jumped off the platform.

“What?! You idiots, go after them!”

The bishop shouted.

She ran swiftly, evading the pursuing knights, then turned into an alley.

She hid him in a trash bin and waited.

The footsteps faded away.

She lifted him again and continued.

Suddenly—

She froze.

“Well, this is unexpected…”

A red-robed bishop stood at the alley entrance.

“I didn’t expect this either…”

A clear female voice replied in shock.