The next mornings work began right before dawn. The sect was actually really generous with what time custodians woke up and went to sleep and who did what, as long as all the jobs were done by the end of the day. But everybody who was serious about the work, or who only wanted the easy jobs, got up earlier, which meant if you wanted a chance to get something that wasn't dangerous or back breaking, you had to be up early too. Otherwise you'd be stuck with something like herb picking or, even worse, serving an outer disciple directly. Guard duty wasn't actually one of the highly sought-after jobs, but I wanted to make sure I got the same shift as yesterday.
I finished sweeping the eastern walkway before breakfast.
The entire time, I kept thinking about the metal man.
How did he even plan to drink water? And where would it even go? His entire lower half wasn't there. wouldn't the water just leak out of him?
And what was he? I knew he couldn't be dangerous if he was on the first floor, which meant he wasn't a cultivator, a spirit beast, or a demon. But he clearly wasn't human. Were there just normal people made of metal out there? Would I get to meet more people like that once I became a cultivator?
By noon, I only had a few chores left, starting with washing out the servant's and custodian's baths and filling a bucket with clean water.
I'm not sure how much water he needs, but he hasn't had anything to drink in days, so I should bring a lot, right? Will one bucket be enough? Maybe I should get a pail too?
I spent the rest of the day keeping the bucket with me as I went around cleaning and eating lunch before finally the time came for my shift.
I made sure to very clearly and visibly show off the bucket as I went to the prison for my shift, going against Tang's advice. If it was really a problem that I was bringing someone water, I wanted to be stopped before I actually did it and got in trouble.
But the guards didn't seem to care and let me by without and questions.
The prison smelled as horrible as always today, but there were more splatters of blood and feces on the walls than usual.
Someone must have gotten it really bad last night.
The moans from deeper inside echoed faintly through the stone halls while flies buzzed lazily around the cells.
The metal prisoner hadn't moved. He was still lying there lifelessly, just like he was after he'd finished speaking last time.
Was he already dead? Did I take too long?
I wasn't exactly sad at the thought. People on the first floor died constantly, and new faces showed up just as often, so you got used to it quickly if you took this job often enough. And I took this job a lot since it let you just sit down and do nothing as long as you could bear the smell and the sadness.
I knelt down by the metal man's cell.
"Hey, statue. Are you still alive?"
He didn't respond, remaining motionless.
"It's me, the guy from yesterday. I brought the water. Do you still need it?"
Still no response or movement.
Is he really dead?
I grabbed a handful of water from the bucket and splashed it over him.
"Are you still alive? Come on, I brought the water. Outer Disciple Tel said it was okay for you to have some. I'll try to bring you some whenever I come around from now on, so have some."
.....
Still nothing.
I was too late. This was all pointless.
I turned around, leaving the water bucket behind.
No, I tried to help out. That was more than anyone else would have done anyway. Besides, now that I know I can bring the prisoners water, maybe I can give some to the others? It's not much, but I can't imagine any of them wouldn't want it.
For some reason, it'd never occurred to me that I could be nice to the prisoners during my guard shifts. I'd heard of plenty of guards who spent their time on the first floor beating and tormenting prisoners for their amusement, even outside of the regular torture the prisoners were subjected to, but that never really appealed to me.
But the idea of talking to them, even if they couldn't talk back, or even giving them extra servings actually did sound quite nice. It would give me something to do other then being bored.
I think I'll do that from now on.
"Thanks."
My head snapped around in surprise.
The metal man's face was pressed between the bars, submerged in the bucket.
I hadn't even heard him move.
Glug.
Glug.
Glug.
The water in the bucket was gone in an instant. He'd drunk it all in less than a second.
I hurried back over.
"Y-you're alive!"
"Yup. All thanks to you, guy."
The metal man lifted his face out of the empty container and laid his half body face-up on the floor.
"Ya know, I thought I'd die here, unable to fulfill my directive, left to rot until you came. Tell me, Savior, what's your name?"
"I'm Kon."
I looked down at the empty bucket.
"...I don't think you should call me your savior."
"Oh?"
"I only gave you some water."
I looked around the filthy prison.
"You're still trapped here. The sect isn't going to let you go. They're gonna torture you here every day until you die."
The statue looked at me with a bright gaze.
"That is a terrible way of thinking, Savior Kon."
"Huh?"
He flopped forward, turning his body toward me.
"Yesterday I was imprisoned, dying of thirst, and awaiting my execution."
"now i'm just imprisoned and awaiting my execution."
The statue continued as if he were giving a lesson to a child (which, I guess, he was).
"That means i'm a hell of a lot better of then I was before you came along! And thats more then enough reason for me to call you my savior."
I couldn't help laughing.
"When you put it like that it sounds like I did something impressive."
"Because you did you helped me out a lot."
He went back to lying down.
"My name is Foreigner, and I want to repay what you've done for me. Is there anything you want?"