Chapter 63: And the Stage was Set
On the night of my meeting with Count Chamneaux, I was escorted by a few spies to the dungeon in the capital. There are two places which are called ‘prisons’ within the palace.
One was a prison for aristocrats and knights who were captured while we were at war with other nations. Life in these prisons wasn’t comfortable but a certain amount of ‘human rights’ was guaranteed.
After all, they were bargaining chips for ‘ransoms’. The prisons were very secure to ensure that the prisoners wouldn’t escape, but the aristocrats treat aristocrat and knight prisoners of war in a certain way since the ransom amount may be lowered if they are injured or become ill, and they also want to be treated accordingly if they were to become prisoners of war themselves.
Incidentally, no one has been here for a few years. There haven’t been any major battles, and the number of battles that the Empire has won can be counted on one hand.
But the other prison… the so-called ‘dungeon’ was a different story.
It was a place for tormenting prisoners. The inmates are traitors and people who are the scums of the earth. Therefore, they won’t get ‘released’. The only time they can get out of the dungeon is when they go to the gallows.
A certain Emperor threw a lot of people into the dungeons but most of them never made it out alive.
The dungeon was, of course, unkempt and no light reached inside. Nadine du van Warung was held in this rotting prison.
――― Pishan, pishan!