Chapter 138 - 138: Prison Visit
Standing before a door, Aren took a deep sigh and then knocked on the door.
"It's open!"
A sweet voice came from inside.
With a turn of the doorknob, Aren opened the door and saw Athena talking to two of her servants about something.
She was dressed in a beautiful gown with intricate embroidery. It made her look very respectable and elegant.
The servants were talking to her with smiles and blushes on their cheeks. It was even hard for them, despite also being women, to maintain eye contact with such a regal presence.
'…I might have a Human Flesh Mask, but even I cannot pretend as well as she can.'
Aren thought and stepped inside the room and just sat in the corner, just like a bodyguard, with one hand on the hilt of his sword.
Before coming here, he was assigned a new guard uniform. A silverish armor with a crest of a falcon on the chest plate and a red cape flowing down his back.
"Thank you. You may go."
Athena said to her two servants, who bowed deeply before exiting the room.
"…You look good. Very respectable. You're now my personal bodyguard, and you will only take orders from me, my father, and my brother."
Athena said, then looked at herself in a full-body mirror, examining her reflection with a critical eye.
She didn't like something about her hairstyle and quickly moved her hands up to fix it.
"I genuinely appreciate this opportunity, Miss Athena."
Aren said, his face mostly hidden behind the helmet.
"Now, now, I cannot just keep inviting you to my quarters without raising some eyebrows, now can I?
"You're strong, capable of protecting me as you've already shown, so it was quite a suitable excuse. It will act as a good cover for us to be together."
Athena said.
'…She doesn't want anyone to find out about us, as she has most likely already promised to be the wife of some powerful figure.
'That's why she killed that blacksmith and has killed every other man she has ever been with. She is taking an uncharacteristic risk with me, as she has taken a liking to me, and it's something I can probably use as a weapon.'
Aren quickly thought to himself.
"We're taking a quick trip to the prison. I need to go talk with someone there. I want you to be there, on my side, and do not let any of those dirty rabbits touch me."
Athena finished looking at herself in the mirror and stepped out of the room with stunned Aren quickly following after her.
'A trip to the prison? Just like that? How lucky!'
He thought it was strangely far too coincidental. He wasn't the biggest believer in coincidences, and this seemed too convenient.
It was most likely that Athena was trying something!
'She is suspicious of me? Is it because I said I am from Lanternford? Does she think I am here to rescue Ashley?
'No, I think she is going there on her own accord, but at the same time, she wants to see my reaction to her.
'I don't think Beau ever knew that Ashley was here, and so, I shouldn't know either. I must feign surprise. I also need to pretend like I don't care what happens to Ashley.'
Aren's mind was racing with thoughts, and he wrapped his hand around the sword's hilt while straightening his back.
They went deep into the underground. Stepping down many flights of stairs. They then arrived at the basement, and the guards there jolted awake.
"Miss Athena!"
They were shocked to see the beautiful Athena there in person and felt their cheeks turn warm with blush.
At that moment, they were also able to see her personal bodyguard and felt their hearts burn with jealousy.
Those protecting the prison were called Inner Guards. They were the most trusted guards, and thus, they were given the important task of keeping the rabbits inside the prison.
"Open the door for me."
Athena said.
With nods, the Inner Guards pushed the lock open, then swung the door wide open, and the disgusting stench of the prison wafted out.
Smell of piss and fecal matter.
Athena pulled out a handkerchief, squeezed her nose with it, and stepped inside the prison, her heels clicking against the stone floor.
The tired-looking prisoners looked up at her, their eyes widening in surprise. It was as if an angel had just descended into hell.
"P-Please… We're hungry…"
"Water… water… please…"
"L-Let us out, please…"
The prisoners begged and tried to reach their hands at her, but in that moment, Aren swung his sheathed sword and smacked their hands away.
"Keep your hands to yourself! The next one that tries something, I will personally cut off your arms!"
Aren roared.
The prisoners flinched and backed away in fear.
"Disgusting fleas. You all have chosen to be sacrifices of the honorable Hunt. Your meaningless lives finally mean something."
Athena said with an angelic voice.
However, to the prisoners, she turned from an angel into a demoness. Evil, cruel, and ruthless Demon Queen.
In that moment, Athena stopped before a cage.
A tired-looking young woman hugged herself, trembling because it was cold and damp in the basement.
While she looked slightly malnourished, she still looked pretty. She was pretty enough to rival that of Athena.
"This here is Prized Rabbit. It's the most valuable rabbit of the Hunt, and by hunting her down, you'll get more points than with any other rabbit."
Athena said.
"Isn't she… Ashley Butcher? I think I've seen her a couple of times."
Aren said, but his eyes were as cold as ice, as if he was looking at a woman who was a complete stranger.
"Yes, she indeed is. For every Hunt, there is one Prized Rabbit, and this Hunt is so special that we had to get a special one."
Athena said with a smile.
"P-Please, why are you doing this…?"
Ashley weakly said. Her lips were quivering, and tears were streaming down her face.
She had been crying so much that she was surprised that there were still tears left in her.
She had been dreaming of her father coming to rescue her, but it had already been so long that she had lost that one bit of hope.
"Pitiful thing, really."
Athena thought and then said coldly.
"Beau. I want you to get inside the cell and take off her clothes."
'…Why?'
Aren thought about asking, but his eyes turned cold, and he opened the door without another word.
"N-No!"
Ashley shouted, trying to resist, but Aren ripped off her rags. She was now sitting in her birthday suit. She hugged herself, went into a fetal position, and cried.
"Hehehe~"
Athena giggled, and as Aren stepped out of the cell, she tenderly caressed his soft hair, as if she was saying, 'Good boy.'
"Ashley, it was my suggestion to get you as Prized Rabbit. I've always heard about the great beauty of Ashley Butcher that can rival me.
"I honestly don't see it, but oh well, you'll be soon worm food either way."
With a giggle, Athena walked away with her heels clicking against the stone floor, and Aren quietly followed behind her.
His hand was tightly squeezing the hilt of his sword.
'I will kill this bitch.'
Aren thought as he stared at the back of Athena.