"So, did you manage to get any information?" Kreyn asked, quickly finishing his chicken. "I woke up in a dark cell next to a skeleton, so my knowledge of this place is limited."
Liam nodded weakly.
"Yeah, it happened to me last night, too. My hands were covered in blood. I immediately understood how the transfer worked. What about the information..."
He glanced at the dead, burly man and the young guard inside the cell. "He and the other prisoners were joking about busy women. Someone important, a delegation or something like that, is supposed to arrive at the prison soon, so all the female prisoners are helping in the kitchen."
Kreyn grinned. "Hah, that's great news! That means Groza and Azura are most likely there! Hah, let's go. The sooner we find them, the sooner we can start a riot and take control of this place."
"W-Wait!" Liam exclaimed as Kreyn turned around.
"Is something wrong?"
He nodded deeply.
"How? How can you remain so calm and... devious? I can't say I'm holding up badly, but this whole situation... I didn't imagine the Great Lands to be like this. I certainly didn't want to end up in a prison cell, with no idea where I am or who I'm with."
Kreyn scratched the back of his head.
"Well, I was confused too, even more than you, because I only learned about energy, the Great Lands, and other things yesterday. All in all, a new body, a new personality, and a new world — that's a lot, right?"
"But..."
The corners of his lips turned up, forming a sweet smile.
"This is what I wanted. Better a complicated world with war than an easy but gray and tasteless one. Besides, do we have a choice?"
"Agh?" Liam gasped.
"We'll either fight and take control of this place, or we'll be killed. Hahaha, we're playing for high stakes, Liam, so stop whining and let's get to work!"
...
Step. Step. Step.
Kreyn strode forward, as Liam moved with him. But, unlike Kreyn, who was dressed in a guard's uniform, Liam was still in rags and had shackles on his hands and feet.
Where were they going?
Kreyn had no idea.
He knew what his goal was — the kitchen, but he didn't know how to get there, so that was his new goal.
Step.
Another guard, a simple patrol officer, passed by them. Perhaps in a movie, he would have immediately suspected something about Kreyn's gait or face, but he didn't even look in his direction. His job was simple and boring, and he wanted to get it done and go home, just like many other guards.
"Hey!" Kreyn waved his hand with a good-natured smile.
Liam's face paled.
He was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, and now Kreyn was drawing attention to them himself?!
"Agh?" The guard raised an eyebrow. "Do you need something? And, this one..." He stared at Liam.
"Yeah, I'm taking him to the infirmary. You know, we can't lose him, or the big guy will be angry!"
"Hahaha!" The guard laughed briefly. "You're right. The recruit got really scared tonight, but it's good that everything turned out okay."
Significantly, Kreyn began looking around with his eyes closed and his nose raised, as if he were trying to sniff something out.
"Do you smell that?" Kreyn asked. "Where is it coming from? It's been a long time since we've had that!"
The guard shrugged and pointed over his shoulder toward the west wing.
"Hah, these bitches are having a rough day today. Those pompous bastards from the Wurhen Family are coming again. Tsk, this month is even worse, their daughter is coming to us, she always causes the most trouble!"
Kreyn nodded slightly as he took in the information before waving his hand carelessly and walking forward.
"Well, what can we do? We're just doing our job."
The guard touched his neck and sighed.
"Yeah, I guess so. No wealth, no power... Shit, not life..."
Moving on to where they were alone, Liam frowned deeply.
"What was that? Did you want us to be exposed?"
Kreyn waved his hand. "Relax. There was no risk, just gathering information."
"What? Do you think every guard here is always fully focused? Do they watch every suspicious movement? They're just doing their job, and until something bad happens, until they find out about it, they won't care.
"Besides, look at this place. The walls are cracked, there's dirt in the corners, rats in the cells, and a clear lack of discipline. This place is a shithole! The only good thing here was the chicken."
Then, his voice dropped sharply.
"But, the Wurhen Family? I don't like people with cool surnames. I don't know about you, but in all the games I've played and books I've read, they always cause the most trouble."
...
While several corpses in the east wing of the prison slowly cooled, waiting for someone to notice that the prison was no longer a safe place, the east wing was bustling with activity.
More than a dozen women were working in the kitchen, some cutting vegetables, some cooking soup and frying meat, and some making sauces and desserts. Next to each prisoner was a cook, while a formidable guard, a muscular woman with a scar on her face, watched them all sternly.
"Hurry up, you scum! Lady Laura will arrive in the evening, and everything must be perfect!" the woman shouted as the girls flinched.
As in any prison, not all inmates were dangerous criminals and murderers, most had committed some minor crime or simply crossed the wrong person. Especially among the women, many were in fear and were willing to do anything to avoid trouble.
One of the cooks took a look at the girl with crimson hair who was deftly chopping onions.
"Oh, you're doing great. Have you worked anywhere before?"
Azura glanced at him. "Just helped around the house, nothing more."
Thump!
Two girls bumped into each other as pots flew in all directions.
"Where the fuck are you going?!" Groza exclaimed, locking eyes with a woman with short obsidian hair.
"Tsk, don't you have enough space? You fat cow!"
BAM!
The guard slammed her fist on the table.
"Silence! Instead of arguing, you'd better do your work. You should be grateful that you're here and not in the mine like the rest of them, instead of complaining!"
Groza and the girl snorted and returned to work. She exchanged glances with Azura as if to say:
'I'm not going to put up with this anymore. We have to find a way out of here!'
Click.
At the same moment, the door opened and everyone saw a young man in rags with long blond hair. His beauty immediately stopped the work. The women simply couldn't take their eyes off him, and even the guard realized that he was a prisoner with a delay.
"You... What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with..."
Suddenly, darkness enveloped the woman as a large pot covering her head was struck by a ladle.
The echoing clang was loud enough to knock the woman unconscious, and she crumbled to the ground.
Then, the young man in black turned to the others and clapped the ladle on his hand several times.
"Well, well. What are you standing there for?"
Kreyn smirked as he pointed at one of the cooks.
"Grab them, every last one of them!"