Chapter 442: The Star
After a thorough interview, which thankfully did not cycle back to her, Malz, Ferro, and Anko were roomed in a wing of the castle’s extensive basement, which was one part of a network of tunnels and rooms called the Underway, which added a completely new layer to how complicated the city’s construction was.
Before leaving them with the guards at the door, Jian warned them, "The first two to three floors tend to be safe, but don’t try to go much deeper if you don’t have to. Chainsfree was built on top of older cities, and what hasn’t sunk is often occupied by dangerous creatures. Monsters too."
He specifically did not answer when she asked if they were allowed to explore a bit, instead giving her an evasive "I’m sure someone will let you know when that’s allowed."
Why tell us about how to stay safe in the Underway if we’re just going to be imprisoned?
When she brought this up to Ferro, he shrugged and said "I guess they think they won’t imprison us forever. We didn’t have anything useful to tell them about the Duat after all."
A few of their questions had come harrowingly close to dismantling the narrative they’d built, but even Anko managed to defend them with true but vague answers.
Her favorite question had been "Where did you get those clothes?" To which Anko answered, "From a crazy guy who said he was two people. He had magic like you wouldn’t believe."
But now, after a night of fitful dreaming and waking up in a cold sweat, Malz remembered her earlier resolve enough to do something about it. So she left a snoring Anko and stepped into the hall. Trying the door, she found it locked, but a moment later the guard opened it.
"Can I help you Miss Aiko?"
"Is there a place I can get a bath?"
"I’ll have to get another guard before I can take you."