After meeting the Hero, I retraced my steps.
Unlike the Hero, who was imprisoned at the very end of the third floor, the other three were housed in cells spaced one room apart in a zigzag pattern, a structure that allowed them to check on each other's survival through the bars.
The Sage was still just drawing pictures on the floor, and the Cleric was still praying facing the wall, so I was able to reach the Warrior's cell without any interference.
After being confined in the underground prison, the Warrior, her blonde hair disheveled from not being able to eat or wash properly, rushed me.
'Kaldraash! What did you do to the Hero-nim in there! Answer me!'
Unlike the Hero, who knew nothing of her comrades' fates, she seemed aware that the Hero was imprisoned here alongside them.
'Well, that makes things easier.'
If conversation fails, I can always bring up the Hero when needed.
I spoke to the frenzied Warrior alone.
'Nothing much. We just chatted about old times. I didn't do anything like what you're thinking, so don't worry.'
The Warrior then ground her teeth and warned me.
'If you even lay a finger on the Hero-nim, I will never forgive you.'
She still didn't seem to grasp the situation.
'Whoa, calm down. Getting worked up like that won't solve anything.'
However, I pretended to be intimidated and backed down slightly.
I needed to have a proper conversation with her from now on, and it would be disadvantageous to draw swords right from the start.
I tapped on the bars and said,
'I've come today to make you an offer.'
'Hmph! You're planning another despicable act, aren't you.'
'That's right. This is a secret deal between you and me.'
Saying that, I glanced sideways at Camilla.
She tried to stay put until the end, but when I gave her the boot, she reluctantly left my side.
However, the corridor was so quiet and designed to echo sounds that anyone on the same floor would be able to hear the conversation between the Warrior and me, no matter how far apart we were.
Anticipating this, I took out something I had prepared from my pocket.
It was a small cylinder containing a piece of paper about a handspan long.
I shielded it with my body so Camilla and Vanessa couldn't see, tossed it through the bars, and then raised my voice as if intending for them to overhear.
'Rachel. You were certainly the eldest daughter of the Hamburg Margrave, who is in charge of the Eastern Front, weren't you.'
As I said that, I nodded towards it, indicating she should read the contents.
Rachel looked back and forth between me and the cylinder with a bewildered expression, then, seemingly catching on to the situation, immediately began to act.
'How dare you! How dare you utter someone's name with those filthy lips!'
As she shouted this, she took out the piece of paper from the cylinder and unfolded it.
On the paper were words I had written beforehand, before coming here.
「Rachel, I deliberately pretended to betray the party to find a way to conquer the Demon King's Castle, known as the impregnable fortress. And now that I've found a secret passage leading to the Demon King's Castle, it's time for you to write a letter to your father and inform the kingdom of this fact. If you write a letter requesting help from your father, the Hamburg Margrave, I will deliver it.」
Maintaining a poker face, I threatened her from outside the bars.
'Hamburg has been an invincible fortress, never once falling to the demons since the Human-Demon War. But as the Margrave's daughter, you must know a back way or a secret passage or two into it. Tell me them. If you do, I'll spare your life.'
'Kuh! Traitor! Would you sell the lives of soldiers and subjects just to save your own miserable life!'
Rachel shouted plausible words while quickly starting to write sentences on another piece of paper inside the cylinder with a pen.
The time allotted wasn't long.
Perhaps because if they noticed something strange about our conversation, Vanessa or Camilla might come to check the prison, Rachel wrote the letter almost illegibly.
'Even a mute beast knows the value of its own life. Or do you intend to spend the rest of your life in this underground prison until you die?'
Judging by the fact that the letters weren't too smudged despite the urgency, she must have received training in rapid writing from her family.
Finally, perhaps having finished the letter, Rachel put the paper and pen back into the cylinder and closed the lid.
'Before I am a noble, I am a Warrior! I will never do anything that goes against my beliefs!'
'This isn't getting through. They say if your head is slow, your body suffers.'
Now, all I needed was to get the cylinder back, but Rachel, bound by shackles, couldn't approach the bars. And if I bent down to pick up the cylinder from the floor, the other two would find it suspicious.
So, I lightly circulated the mana within my body.
Then, the cylinder lying on the prison floor floated gently into the air.
I reached through the bars, quickly snatched it, and exchanged a meaningful glance with Rachel.
'If you really refuse, then so be it. You'll regret this choice later.'
'That'll never happen, so get out of my sight right now! You damned lackey of the Demon King!'
After giving Rachel, who had acted her part perfectly until the end, a grateful nod, I returned to Vanessa and Camilla, who were waiting by the entrance.
Vanessa, who was sitting on a chair with her arms crossed and a bored expression, asked,
'So, what was the result?'
I gave a wry smile and shook my head.
'No luck.'
Vanessa nodded sympathetically and said,
'I figured as much. That Hero fellow isn't your average tough nut. He didn't even groan when the torturer cut the tendons in his limbs with a saw.'
While talking with Vanessa, I glanced at Camilla, who still seemed unable to shake her suspicious gaze.
'Why the long face?'
Camilla replied honestly, lowering her eyes slightly.
'Kaldraash-nim keeps acting suspiciously, which has me worried. Perhaps this is all part of an advanced psychological warfare.'
Hearing that, I couldn't help but laugh.
'Who would openly betray someone like this in this day and age?'
Camilla then admitted honestly,
'You're right. I suppose I was being overly sensitive.'
After telling Camilla it was understandable and not to blame herself, I looked at Vanessa, who had patiently waited for our conversation to end.
'Let's head back up now.'
Vanessa nodded, her head resting on her right hand, and started leading the way up the spiral staircase.
I followed her up the stairs, pausing to glance down briefly.
'....'
I couldn't be sure when I would visit this place again.
But if the day came when I saw their faces again, much of the world would have already changed.
I had a vague premonition of it.
After leaving the underground prison, we parted ways with Vanessa, who was returning to her patrol duties. As planned with Violet earlier that day, we decided to head back down to the village below the castle to attend a small party hosted by the villagers.
Since we had spent quite some time in the underground prison, it would likely be pitch black night by the time we reached the village.
Holding the reins of my wyvern with one hand, I took out the contents of the cylinder from my pocket.
It was the handwritten letter Rachel had just written.
I unfolded the small, handspan-sized paper and began reading the words written inside.
'To my dearest Father, back in our homeland.
I can barely remember when I last saw you.
I am completely isolated in this faraway foreign land.
While racking our brains with my comrades for a way to survive, we accidentally discovered a secret passage leading to the Demon King's Castle.
I wrote this letter myself to inform you of this, but since there was no proper way to deliver it, our party's Mage has agreed to deliver it instead.
He is trustworthy, so please, Father, trust the contents of this letter.
If you raise your army and conquer the Demon King's Castle, this long, drawn-out war can finally come to an end.
Before I sleep, I will always pray for your victory.
Your loving daughter, Rachel von Hamburg.'
'Tsk.'
After reading Rachel's letter, I couldn't help but let out a short, incredulous laugh.
At first glance, it seemed she had written as I wished, but the key thing here was the excessively cursive handwriting.
If you connect the somewhat unnaturally formed letters in order…
'To my dearest Father, back in our homeland. I can barely remember when I last saw you. I am completely isolated in this faraway foreign land. While racking our brains with my comrades for a way to survive, we accidentally discovered a secret passage leading to the Demon King's Castle. I wrote this letter myself to inform you of this, but since there was no proper way to deliver it, our party's Mage has agreed to deliver it instead. He is trustworthy, so please, Father, trust the contents of this letter. If you raise your army and conquer the Demon King's Castle, this long, drawn-out war can finally come to an end. Before I sleep, I will always pray for your victory. Your loving daughter, Rachel von Hamburg.'
The single phrase 'The Mage is a traitor' is completed.
Didn't she pull off quite a cunning trick for a mere Warrior?
I nervously crumpled the letter in my hand.
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