The Prisoner’s Prophecy

“This… alright then. Take this card and go to this address to find the client.”

The Teenager at the reception desk seemed on the verge of speaking, but ultimately held their tongue.

Iordera, being too short, her small head barely clearing the reception counter, couldn’t quite discern the subtle shift in their expression.

She was currently delighted, having stumbled upon such an excellent job right from the start.

It offered high pay, no danger, and a convenient nine-to-five schedule.

Clutching the card, Iordera exited the mercenary guild and made her way towards the address inscribed upon it.

“City Penitentiary, Entrance Zero.”

After a lengthy period of inquiry with passersby, she finally resorted to purchasing a city map, meticulously following the route until, after considerable effort, she located the place.

It wasn’t too bad; the distance from her lodging wasn’t particularly far, and once she knew the way, her daily commute would take less than an hour.

The prison entrance was guarded.

Iordera presented her card, and the guard immediately escorted her into a room.

‘These city folk are quite decent,’ Iordera thought, pleased that they hadn’t discriminated against her for being a loli.

However, she quickly realized her joy was premature.

“You’re here to be a jailer for Prison Zero?” The client frowned.

“How old are you this year?”

The client was a man in his prime, clad in black knight’s attire, with a rather handsome face that nonetheless conveyed a sense of deep-seated bitterness.

The card from the guild identified this client as: Sir Olcott.

“Hello, I’m already Level 17, which meets your requirement of Level 15 or higher,” Iordera stated politely.

“There shouldn’t be any issues, right?”

The black knight, Sir Olcott, maintained his stern expression.

“This has nothing to do with level.

We don’t need you fighting here.

What’s more important is temperament.

Young people… or rather, those who are too young, won’t do.”

“Then there’s even less of a problem,” Iordera quickly responded.

“I’m already 23 years old this year; my appearance is due to special circumstances.”

Sir Olcott eyed her suspiciously.

No matter how he looked at the white-haired loli, she didn’t appear to be older than 13.

Yet, since she had already come all this way, there was no harm in giving her a try.

“If that’s the case, then sign here,” he said, producing a document akin to a contract.

“Or simply leave a handprint.”

Iordera took it and scanned the contents.

The employment contract was remarkably straightforward, merely outlining the duties and remuneration, devoid of the complex clauses found in modern agreements.

The terms were identical to those on the card.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she pressed her handprint onto the document.

“You can start work today.

Deliver dinner to the prisoner, then collect the plates, and you’re free to go home.

Today’s pay is two gold coins; starting tomorrow, it’ll be four daily, paid out each day.”

“Alright, alright, no problem at all!” Iordera nodded enthusiastically.

To earn several thousand coins just by delivering a meal and wiping a few plates—this job seemed almost too good to be true.

Sir Olcott folded the contract and handed over a key.

“This is the key for the meal slot on the cell door.

Do not open it at any other time, except for delivering and collecting meal trays.”

“Understood.”

Iordera reached out to take it, only to find that Sir Olcott gripped the key so tightly she couldn’t pull it free.

‘?’

“I’ll give you a word of advice,” the black knight stated coldly.

“Don’t speak to her casually.”

Intimidated by his demeanor, Iordera slowly nodded her small head.

“Oh.”

Finally, the key was hers.

Following the instructions, she proceeded to the kitchen, where she received a single meal tray.

Carrying the dinner, she began her walk towards the cell.

It was a somewhat long journey, but thankfully, there was only one passageway, brightly lit throughout, ensuring she wouldn’t get lost.

Eventually, she arrived outside a prison cell.

“So, they’ve brought in someone new this time.”

A somewhat ethereal voice drifted out as the girl in the cell and the loli met each other’s gaze.

She was an exceptionally beautiful girl, her slender frame accentuated by long gray hair.

Her posture, however, was remarkably elegant, as if she were a noble young lady awaiting a servant to deliver her meal.

Six chains bound her body, their other ends anchored to the surrounding walls.

The sections of the wall where the chains connected were covered in runes, which seemed to emanate a faint, soft glow.

Her skin was very pale, almost sickly, with delicate veins faintly visible on the backs of her slender hands.

Her fingernails, long from lack of care, were nonetheless impeccably clean.

Iordera was momentarily bewildered, unable to comprehend why such a beautiful and seemingly fragile girl would be confined in such a high-security location.

But upon reflection, this was an异世界 (TL Note: Another world or fantasy world), where anything was possible.

“Were you specifically sought out by Sir Olcott, or did you come here after seeing the recruitment notice?” the girl asked softly.

Her voice floated through the air, like a bard telling stories in a village, almost singing as she spoke.

Iordera ignored her, opening the meal slot on the cell door and passing the tray through.

The gray-haired girl remained seated on the floor, her gaze fixed on the loli outside the door.

“Today’s meal arrived a bit late.

You must have been hired at the last minute and aren’t familiar with Juneburg.”

“There’s distinctive brown soil from the south side of the city on your clothes, which is where the cheap guesthouses are located.

You’ve rented a place there.”

“You’re unfamiliar with Juneburg and accepted this commission without making inquiries—a high-paying, short-term task riddled with suspicious circumstances.”

Iordera shifted uncomfortably, twisting her neck.

The girl’s gaze seemed to cling to her, as if intent on unearthing every detail of her background.

A wave of embarrassment washed over her, for she truly hadn’t noticed the myriad suspicious points surrounding this commission.

Now, upon closer reflection, tasks like delivering meals and cleaning were paying several times more than what a patrol guard earned.

She began to feel a prickle of nervousness.

Observing her reaction, the girl continued, “You drifted into Juneburg from elsewhere, settled in casually, and immediately took on a highly paid short-term job.

This indicates your current situation isn’t safe, and you need to save some money to begin your escape.”

Iordera grew even more uneasy.

“What kind of person would need to do that?” The girl’s lips curved into a slight smile.

“Your eyes are beautiful, a clear, ruby-like color, with a touch of even more dazzling color around the pupils.”

‘Oh, really? I think they’re quite pretty too,’ Iordera thought to herself, a hint of pride blossoming within her.

“However, even the people from the northernmost tribes have, at most, dark brown pupils; none possess your eye color,” the girl chuckled softly.

“You are not human.

The possibility of you being a mixed-blood demi-human is the highest.”

“Yes, that makes sense.

Demi-humans typically exist as pets for nobles, and your appearance suggests you were meticulously cultivated, making you quite valuable.”

The girl’s voice grew damp and cold, slithering against Iordera’s face like a snake.

“Just imagining it, I know they placed great hopes on you, desiring much gratification from you.

You escaped by any means necessary, and now you’re seeking work and saving money in a troublesome place like Juneburg.

You must rather risk death than be captured and dragged back.”

Iordera awkwardly cleared her throat twice.

“Since that’s the case, don’t make things difficult for me.

Just eat your dinner quickly so I can get off work and go home early.

Everyone has their struggles; let’s try to understand each other…”

The girl chuckled softly, then suddenly twisted her neck, a creaking sound emanating from her beautiful swan-like throat.

“Do you truly believe you can quietly spend these next few days, then take your money and escape far away?

No, my dear, I’ve already memorized you—that adorable little face of yours,” she said, her eyes widening pathologically.

“I will be out soon.

I will find you, press my hand around your poor, tender neck, and then…”

“Let me guess, what is it you fear the most?”