It’s been a month since that day. After the revolution we tried to wage that ultimately ended up failing, the surviving guards called for backup and have since basically doubled in numbers. Even the smallest of errs will lead to heavy punishment, just as it was back when I had just showed up, quite literally giving me déjà vu when I saw some of the inmates getting whipped again. But that wasn’t the only thing that has changed, as after my battle with Silvia that ended with me burning down the shed, they heavily reinforced the entire place with steel all over the walls, not only making it borderline impossible to break through them in any conventional way, but also making it pretty difficult to start a fire in the prison.

The courtyard was also left all but obsolete, as the guards banned us from going outside unless it’s for working on the Great Canal, fearing we’ll use the physical activity to grow stronger and try something again. This goes without saying, but all of the weapons we stole during the raid were also taken from us, which includes Issei’s pistols. Now, sitting at the cafeteria eating our breakfast as usual, Lee and Issei stared at me with an unnerved gaze as I continued to happily partake in the grub.

“…” They stared deep into my eyes.

“Mn…” I munched and munched, “Is it just me or is the food here getting better? You guys should really try it.”

“Uh, M-kun…?” Issei finally said something, “Back then, you said something about the situation turning around, but…”

“Hm?” I looked up at him.

“He’s saying that you’re acting weird.” Lee interjected, “Like, you were so adamant about us all fighting until the very last moment, but it’s like you’ve grown complacent the moment I knocked you out back then.”

“Oh, that?” I made sure to swallow my food before answering, “I mean, it’s not like I changed my way of thinking the moment you knocked me out. Rather, I’m pretty sure it was a couple minutes after I woke up.”

“That’s not the point here!” Issei piped up, “You said things are going to start looking up from now on, didn’t you?! What about this situation looks like it’s going good?”

“You’re worrying about something stupid.” I replied, “We can’t control the outcome anymore, so why are you worrying about it?”

“Dammit, of all the times for you to suddenly become a stoic…!” He hit the table with his fist, “Come on, I know I said what I said, but now that there’s more guards than inmates, I’m afraid one of them is gonna stumble upon Othelia’s hiding place!”

“Oh?” I egged him on, “But didn’t you say that living here with her is perfectly fine as well?”

“I know I said that! But note the tense in that sentence – Past Tense, as in I don’t think that way anymore!” He was all but ready to cry, “Just the other day when I went to give her the apples, I could hear some of the guards getting scarily close to finding her out. Thankfully I managed to distract them by yelling out through the walls, but that was way too close, goddammit!”

“Well, even with all that, I seriously don’t see what you want me to do.” I replied, “For now, our best bet is to ride the wave and wait for the sinus wave to go up.”

“Sinus wave? The hell’s that?” Lee inquired, “Is someone sick or something?”

“No, not those sinuses…”

I can’t really go into detail explaining what it is that I want from them, but in reality our best bet truly is just to wait. Now, I’m not sure what it is that we’re waiting for, but I know for a fact that if we just follow the sinus wave, all will be dealt with and turn out well. Even logically speaking, now that we’ve hit rock bottom, we can only go up, but that rule doesn’t apply if we dig passed rock bottom in the hopes of finding a miracle. That’s why I’m so nonchalant to begin with. I’m simply waiting for something good to happen.

“Even still,” Lee continued, “I do sort of get where Meil’s coming from. He’s basically saying that we’ve done all that we could, so now there’s nothing more we can do anymore.”

“So then what are you waiting for exactly, M-kun?” Issei turned to me.

“Alright everyone!” A couple of guards suddenly marched into the cafeteria, “Stop eating and get the fuck outside. We have some important visitors coming. As always, refusal to cooperate, as well as any and all backtalk will be answered with immediate punishment.”

As everyone was confusedly getting out of their seats, I realized that Issei and Lee had donned a bit of a nervous expression. It seems they saw someone they really didn’t want to just now.

“Ojii-san, could that be…?” Issei turned to Lee.

“Yeah, that’s him.” Lee replied, “The guy that killed Bry.”

Wait, really? That’s the guy? But he’s so… short, even for my standards. I mean, I get that I’m far from your average person’s height, but this guy barely reaches my neck, how the hell did he even reach Bryce in the first place? No wait, we no longer live in a world of swords and knives. Maybe he, as a guard, had a gun or something that was used to shoot him. I see now, no wonder these guys are so scared. Maybe we should hide after all…

Just then, something inside of me had clicked. I can’t quite explain it, but it was as if my gut was telling me to follow everyone outside. Everything in my field of vision was slowly whiting out. Everything, that is, except for the correct path. As if a golden path was being marked out for me, I felt that no matter what, I’d be alright if I just followed it to the courtyard.

So, I turned to these two with a confident smile and said, “Alright, this is what I was talking about. This is what we’ve been waiting for!”

***

They were pretty insecure about following me outside, but they knew that if I was alright with it, surely nothing that bad could happen. That being said, they still refused to stand in the front rows, instead opting to stand back just in case this was supposed to be an execution event.

While we were being guided through the halls, the guard at the front would constantly mention that if anyone spoke even ONE word, they’d be shot on the spot. This was surprising, because the punishment would usually be something like a couple of whips to the back and you’re done, but instant death? That one’s new…

Walking outside, I could see a lot of people. It honestly felt quite cramped with them all standing here in one place. This felt very official, in an odd way. This is most probably because not only were all the inmates and guards present, but also the hundreds of men dressed in green camo. Well, I use the term “camo” loosely, as we’re in the middle of a desert, so green really only makes them stand out more.

Still, this was a dangerous situation to be in. We weren’t informed of who these people are, and we have no idea if they’re going to use those guns on us or not. Oh, looking a bit closer at them, those guns really are something else. They’re a lot larger than a pistol, and these people need to use both hands to hold them. And hold on, is that a knife attached to the tip?!

“Alright, is everyone gathered here?” A mustachioed fellow stood in front of the rest as he cleared his throat, “Okay, nice to meet you all, prisoners of injustice!”

Prisoners of what now? Wait, hold on, we’re not in here because we did something bad, we’re here because we’re slaves. Slaves, as in, not getting paid for the labor we have to put up with. Y’know, that kind of slave. Oh, but I guess I’m starting to understand now, to the outside world, this whole place being a prison for convicts would make for an incredibly convenient cover story. I see, so that’s what’s going on. These “guests” don’t even know that we’re the victims here…

“…Is what I want to call you.” The person continued, “But I have my reasons to doubt that you folks really are what you’re being branded as.”

Huh?

“Nice to meet you all. I am Pierre Kaiser, and I am one of the founding fathers of Neo Sulfury.”

Neo Sulfury? Hold on, I’m not following him at all. Like, I’ve been in here for over a year, sir, am I supposed to know this? Actually, it seems the others in the crowd next to me are also confused, as all of the inmates suddenly tilted their heads in unison. This made for a funny scene, but when you remember that they’re not allowed to talk, their funny little gesticulations are suddenly a lot less funny. Wait, didn’t the Grimhearts say they were heading south or something?

“Now now, settle down. I want absolute quiet right now.” He shushed everyone down, “Listen here, we are all the military for Lis, which is opposed to slavery, wherever it may be. You may not know this, but just recently Sulfury has ceased any and all wars being waged on its territory, and are instead focusing on liberating and helping out as many people across the world as possible.”

“…” We listened intently.

“So, I am only going to ask you one question. It’s a simple yes or no question, so don’t think too hard about it and answer truthfully – Are you all enslaved by the guards here and being kept against your will?”

“Ye…!” I wanted to shout out, but Issei and Lee stopped me.

Looking at the two of them, I could see how much they were against standing up. It seems they were worried that I would get shot if I spoke up, but this is our chance! This Pierre guy is quite literally what we’ve been waiting for since we got here, so they won’t stop me!

“Y…” I once again tried speaking out, but my throat got incredibly dry.

What? Why? Why is it so hard to just say one simple word!? Am I… scared as well? Do I fear that my entire life will be ended in just a couple of seconds if I say the word? Suddenly, while I was in a state of insecurity, my entire world had turned completely white. I couldn’t see anything, nor anyone around me. I was alone. There was no yellow path anymore…

Just then, in the deafening silence of it all, something occurred. I couldn’t see it, I couldn’t hear it, but it was there. I saw not the word, but the concept. The concept of affirmation. I took a deep breath, and before I knew it…

“Yes!” I could be seen yelling out at the top of my lungs, “Yes! We’ve been enslaved by these rat bastards! I was supposed to be a scholar in Simpleton, and this guy here was going home after escorting his son there! Not only that, but this guy here was traveling the world with his girl! Everyone here was a free and innocent man that was wrongfully enslaved! Save us!”

“…” The guard that had warned us previously glared me down, “Tch, dammit…”

As all of the guards began raising their hands in resignation, the soldiers of “Neo Sulfury” aimed their scary looking guns at them. Everyone’s gaze was turned to me, before quickly spinning to Pierre, who happily clapped and smiled.

“Bravo! Thank you for being honest!” He smiled, “I’m sure the pain you’ve all endured was unbearable, but there will be none of that anymore. You are all free.”