Kagayama was led down a prison corridor within the same building as the courtroom.
Towering stone walls lined with tightly shut wooden doors stood on either side. Each door led to a prison cell and was locked with a complex mechanism featuring a hole in the center.
After walking through the corridor, they finally reached the end. The guard pulled a key from his pocket, unlocked the door, and then shoved Kagayama inside. The door then closed from outside.
His body slammed against the rough wall before collapsing onto the floor, leaving scrapes all over him, especially on his hands. His clothes were torn from colliding with various objects.
"Damn it, damn it all..."
He cursed, but Kagayama didn't seem angry—he looked afraid and sorrowful instead. His body felt weak, and he cried as he recalled the death sentence handed down by the judge. Drop by drop, his tears and blood fell onto the cold, rough, and grimy stone floor.
The prison cell was tightly enclosed, with the only source of light coming from a vent the size of a palm at the top. The place was filthy, with dust floating in the air like flies over a corpse when Kagayama collapsed onto the ground.
"Why is this world so cruel... It's not like the fantasy stories I used to read..."
Kagayama muttered between sobs, his gaze fixed on the wooden door.
"Weak humans… who don't even know real suffering."
That taunt cut deep, leaving Kagayama speechless, frozen in place. He turned toward the source of the voice and saw an elf—one-eyed, with only one hand, while the other was shackled—leaning against the wall.
He wore no clothing except for a cloth covering his lower body. His figure was frail, ribs protruding against his skin. Scars covered his body, evidence of the torture he had endured before arriving in this place.
Yet, despite his miserable appearance, he acted indifferent.
He gazed at Kagayama with a mocking look, his back resting against the rough wall while idly playing with the chain binding his right hand. His face remained blank, as if he didn't care.
Kagayama slowly sat up, leaning against the wall. He shifted his position a few times to keep his arm from getting crushed between his body and the wall. Once he felt comfortable, he turned toward the elf and spoke.
"I'm not like you... I'm much weaker... and more pathetic."
"I should be the weaker one here... Wait a minute... Did you just speak in Elven?"
The elf suddenly stopped playing with his chains, his single eye widening in disbelief. He tilted his head, stunned that Kagayama had spoken the language of the elves.
"It's rare for a human to speak Elven like you do."
He leaned in again, curiosity growing.
"Did you teach yourself, or did someone else teach you?"
Kagayama hesitated, unsure of how to answer. He had done neither—his ability came from the power granted by the Adersl bird. However, he wanted to keep that a secret, so he lied.
"I was taught by someone."
The elf narrowed his eyes, his curiosity deepening.
"Was it another elf?"
Kagayama paused for a moment before nodding.
"He was an elf."
The elf fell silent, his expression turning slightly troubled as he gripped his chain tightly.
"Is he safe now?"
Kagayama hesitated, considering how to put an end to the elf's curiosity before it was too late.
"I... I don't know."
His voice was soft, uncertain.
A somber mood filled the prison after Kagayama said that, even if his words were just a lie. The elf, who had been full of curiosity, could only accept the reality. He looked up at the ceiling, staring at the stone roof above them. He sighed, closing his eye as if lost in thought before lowering his head again.
"This world is truly broken."
His expression darkened, and his voice grew quieter.
"A world full of wars that will never end until one side is completely wiped out… Maybe… we will be extinct someday, too."
Kagayama could feel the deep sorrow in his words. But that feeling disappeared as the elf quickly reverted to his usual demeanor after speaking.
He seemed completely normal again, as if those sad words had meant nothing to him. His posture was relaxed, leaning against the rough wall as before. His eye looked exhausted rather than sorrowful. He resumed playing with the chain while humming a quiet tune.
Kagayama was confused by his behavior. He acted as if he was enjoying every second in this prison, but to Kagayama, there was nothing enjoyable about a dark and terrifying place where even bats wouldn't want to stay.
A question crossed his mind, prompting him to scoot closer and speak to the elf.
"What happened to your body?"
"Oh, this…"
The elf ran his hand over his scarred skin before replying, "Just wounds I got from war… and from your people."
A memory flashed through Kagayama's mind—scenes of elves being enslaved in the city. He wondered if this elf had been enslaved before being thrown into prison.
Kagayama tensed up when the elf mentioned his race. His body stiffened as he stared at the elf.
"My people?"
The elf seemed indifferent to Kagayama's reaction and answered in a flat tone.
"Yes."
Kagayama swallowed hard at his words.
"W-war?"
This time, the elf's face showed a hint of interest.
"Yes… War."
A nostalgic expression crossed his face, and a faint smile appeared as he recalled the past.
"I can still remember the moments when I cut off human heads with a sword in each hand."
Kagayama stepped back a few centimeters, his face filled with fear. His hands trembled for a moment, accompanied by cold sweat trickling down his skin. On the other hand, the Elf felt bad for scaring him, so he changed his tone to a more cheerful one.
"Woah, woah, I'm not doing that now."
Kagayama felt relieved and adjusted his sitting position before saying,
"T-that's good to hear."
The Elf relaxed his body again as Kagayama's curiosity about him grew. After a moment, another question was directed at him.
"Doesn't it hurt?"
The Elf was confused because Kagayama's question wasn't specific.
"Which wound are you asking about?"
"Maybe for now, your hand and your eye."
He rubbed the shoulder of his other arm and touched the hole where his eye used to be.
"Well, it doesn't hurt anymore. This happened seven years ago."
"What about the other wounds all over your body?"
The Elf looked at Kagayama with confusion because he seemed so concerned.
"Some wounds still hurt even now."
Kagayama drew a conclusion in his mind that the war the Elf had fought in must have been around seven years ago, considering he was still able to wield a sword with both hands at that time. As for the other wounds, he assumed they were from slavery. However, he didn't want to jump to conclusions, so he asked further.
"Did you lose your arm and eye in the war?"
The Elf was surprised by Kagayama's guess and could only give a wry smile before answering,
"You're right. I lost them in the war."
"I see..."
His voice was soft, as if he had lost enthusiasm, but deep inside, he felt satisfied after learning the truth.
Kagayama's concern made the Elf feel a little more comfortable. He hadn't expected to find a human who was kind to Elves in Asdrof, a city known for its dislike of his kind.
Gradually, the Elf started to trust Kagayama and grew curious about him, leading him to ask a question without hesitation.
"Are you a follower of Raritsa?"
Although he looked gloomy, Kagayama was internally shocked to be asked that. He had no idea who Raritsa was or what they did. He didn't want to be accused of something strange, so he responded,
"I don't know what you mean."
The Elf became even more curious about Kagayama and asked again,
"Then, are you from the northern lands?"
"N-no, I'm not from there."
"I see..."
The Elf's voice was quiet, but his curiosity about Kagayama remained, as both of his guesses had been wrong. He closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.
The silence stretched between them, with no conversation to break it. The image of his impending execution became clearer in Kagayama's mind, filling him with fear. But amid it all, he realized that his thoughts of execution faded slightly when he focused on other things—like talking to the Elf.
Kagayama wanted to keep talking to distract himself, but he didn't want to burden the Elf further. At the same time, his anxiety grew stronger, his mind constantly returning to his looming execution.
The sound of the guards' footsteps pacing back and forth slowly tormented him. The cold air of the prison made his mood even darker.
He became more and more frustrated. He tried to shift his focus to something else, but nothing worked. Looking at the Elf, he saw how relaxed and calm he seemed despite the oppressive atmosphere of the prison.
Time passed, and Kagayama couldn't stand the silence any longer. He spoke up.
"How can you seem so calm in this place?"
The Elf opened his eyes and turned to Kagayama.
"I have no desires left."
Kagayama's curiosity deepened.
"What did you desire?"
The Elf gripped his chains tightly, and anger burned in his gaze. His face tensed as if recalling a painful past before he finally answered,
"Revenge."
His voice was firm, igniting Kagayama's curiosity even further. Now, he was completely absorbed in their conversation. His eyes regained some life, and he began to ignore his fear. He now wanted to know the Elf's past, so he repeated the word with a questioning tone.
"Revenge?"
The Elf hesitated to reveal his past, but after thinking about it, he realized there was no point in hiding it since he would be executed anyway. Deep inside, he wanted someone to hear his pain. And since Kagayama didn't seem like a bad human, he decided to speak.
"I... have already avenged them all..."
His gaze softened, looking more at peace than before. The Elf felt relieved as he shared his suffering with Kagayama.
"Well, not all of them... but at least I did my best to avenge my family."
Kagayama narrowed his eyes, his heart filled with sympathy.
"Were they killed?"
"Yes, they were killed during the first wave of the human invasion."
The Elf placed his hand on his knee and looked down.
"My brother and parents were murdered and burned along with our home. Only my younger sibling and I survived that incident..."
He gave a bitter smile, as if regretting something, and continued,
"That was truly the worst moment of my life. Especially because all I could do was sit in a cart with my sibling and watch them burn from a distance."
"Why didn't they get on the—"
"Why didn't they get on the cart?! I told them to, but... children were prioritized, so they chose to wait for another cart to pick them up."
His emotions flared up. His eyes narrowed, and his hands clenched into fists, as if filled with hatred.
"But before that could happen, the humans reached the village and slaughtered everyone."
Kagayama felt sorry for the Elves' fate after hearing his story. He lowered his head in thought and continued listening.
"Then, when I reached the lands of Henvana, I could only watch as my sibling went insane before taking his own life."
His gaze carried deep hatred and grief.
"That made me hate humanity so much that I wanted to kill them all."
The Elf slammed his fist against the floor. The loud sound and his enraged expression made Kagayama flinch, backing away a few centimeters.
Seeing that his actions were scaring Kagayama even more, the Elf quickly calmed himself down and adjusted his demeanor.
"D-don't worry. I only hate certain types of humans, and you don't fall into that category."
He gave a small smile to reassure Kagayama that he didn't consider him an enemy.
"When I joined the followers of Raritsa, I realized that not all of your kind are bad. Some of you even helped me along my journey."
"I-I see..."
As they were deep in conversation, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed from beyond the walls, accompanied by several people talking. The once silent prison suddenly felt as lively as a marketplace.
The Elf who had been talking with Kagayama leaned his head against the wall, making a loud thud that echoed throughout the room. He let out a long sigh and rested his chained hands. His expression suddenly turned lifeless and weary as if the noise had brought him deep sorrow. His eyes were now fixed on the wooden door, as if watching for something.
Despite his emotional turmoil, he gathered the strength to speak.
"They're here, and our time is running out."
Kagayama understood what he meant, as he had heard of public executions before.
Time felt like it was slipping away too quickly. He still barely knew the Elf, but their conversation had been comforting, much like when he talked to the Adersl bird before. These moments would never happen again, considering they were both about to be executed.
Kagayama felt grateful to the Elf for talking to him and distracting him from his impending execution. Taking a deep breath, he spoke to the Elf.
"Thank you for talking to me."
The Elf immediately turned to him with a relieved smile.
"Ahh... It's nothing. I should be the one thanking you for listening to my story... At least someone will remember my journey before I die, even if only for a brief moment."
Kagayama still wanted to keep talking to the Elf to calm himself down, so he searched for a topic.
"By the way, why are you sentenced to death?"
The Elf smiled, understanding his intent, and answered.
"I was sentenced to death for killing my own master."
"I see."
During their conversation, the sound of doors opening and shouting could be heard from another room. After a while, the cheers of a crowd echoed from outside the building. This cycle repeated several times until the sound of the opening doors drew closer.
This time, Kagayama's heart pounded, and his vision blurred as nausea rose in his throat. His sobs broke the silence, accompanied by tears falling to the floor.
He could no longer distract himself. Fear consumed him, and sorrow gnawed at him from within. His body curled up in the cell, overtaken by frustration and despair.
The Elf, who had appeared composed earlier, now showed sadness as he looked at Kagayama. A single tear ran down his cheek before falling to the ground.
They remained like that for quite some time until the door to their cell opened.
A guard stood there, holding a key in his hand. He glanced around the room briefly before stepping inside.
Kagayama felt his heart stop as the guard approached. His breathing grew rapid, and his eyes widened as if staring at a demon. He instinctively backed away in panic, only to hit the wall behind him.
The guard kept walking, passing by him. He approached the Elf and unlocked the chains that had bound him all this time. A sharp sound rang out as the chains struck the stone floor. Slowly, the guard helped the Elf to his feet and led him out.
Kagayama felt like something was missing as the Elf started walking away. He thought hard, trying to figure out what it was.
(I haven't asked for his name.)
Amid his fear, Kagayama mustered all his strength, forming words in his clouded mind. Before the Elf left the room, he called out.
"May I know your name, Sir Elf?"
The Elf turned back, his face resigned as he replied.
"My name is Velnio Sanch. And you?"
Kagayama heard the question and shouted back with all his might.
"My name is Kagayama!"
The Elf smiled upon hearing his name before disappearing behind the wall, and the door closed again.
Now, Kagayama was alone in the cell. From there, he could hear the crowd outside, their voices filled with cheers and chatter, just like before. However, this time, he distinctly heard people shouting "Elf" repeatedly, mocking and jeering.
Kagayama listened in terror, and his fear only worsened when he heard footsteps drawing closer.
The door opened, and the guard helped Kagayama to his feet before leading him to the execution site. He walked through the dark corridor, each step feeling unbearably heavy. A light appeared at the end, and as he stepped into it, a gruesome execution platform came into view. A large crowd stood in front, watching.
On the platform, an executioner stood with a massive axe, next to a wooden block drenched in blood. Nearby, a cart carried a pile of naked corpses, their heads missing, their bodies soaked in blood. At the top of the pile lay the Elf's body.
The sight made Kagayama's fear intensify. He struggled violently, twisting his body in every direction to escape, but the guards held him tightly, forcing him toward the execution site. Several times, he nearly fell, only to be yanked forward again. His breathing grew erratic, his hands trembled, and tears streamed down his face.
Step by step, he advanced with a heavy heart and hopelessness. But still, he whimpered.
"Let me go... Please..."
His voice was weak, drowned out by the noise of the crowd.
The people who had gossiped about him earlier were now present to witness his execution. Their expressions gleamed with delight as they watched him being pushed toward his death.
A nobleman, dressed in fine garments, observed from the second floor of his luxurious mansion, sipping from a golden goblet. He appeared to relish the execution as if watching a grand performance.
The executioner, clad in black with his face hidden behind a long cloth, held his enormous axe near the wooden block, preparing to behead Kagayama.
Finally, he reached the execution site, and the guard forcefully laid him down. The guard held him down firmly as he squirmed in a desperate attempt to break free. He felt like he was suffocating under the pressure. His sobbing filled the air, accompanied by the roaring cheers of the spectators.
Now, his body was in position, and the executioner raised his axe. The crowd's excitement grew, urging the guard to tear Kagayama's shirt as had been done to the others before execution.
With a knife, the guard shredded Kagayama's shirt, exposing his back—just before the executioner could bring down his axe.
But unexpectedly, the axe slipped from the executioner's grasp, falling backward. He staggered, taking several steps back, his face filled with horror.
The spectators fell silent, watching in confusion. The nobleman, caught off guard, accidentally dropped his precious goblet into the crowd below.
The executioner stood frozen for a moment before speaking in a trembling voice, pointing at Kagayama.
"An envoy… of Adersl…"
His words were soft, but the people in the front rows heard them and quickly spread the news.
Panic erupted. The once-excited crowd now scrambled to flee the area in terror. Even the executioner, who had beheaded countless people, retreated and hurried away like the rest.
Kagayama was left bewildered as the masses abandoned the execution site in fear, as if they had just seen a demon.
The only one who remained was the guard. He stroked his chin, deep in thought, appearing surprisingly calm. Then, he grabbed Kagayama's hand and led him away.
For now, the guard no longer shoved him roughly like he had before his execution.
The two of them re-entered the building and made their way to a room.