A few days ago, right after his conversation with Lawrence, Hans’ plans to rest comfortably in the Inner Castle were completely upended.
That was why he now found himself imprisoned in the notorious Capital Prison of the Kargas Barony.
It had been three days already in this wretched place.
His face, unlike three days ago, was now haggard and worn.
It wasn’t just his face.
His body was covered in countless wounds and scars.
“Ugh…”
In his mind, the conversation with Lawrence from days ago replayed endlessly.
“If you return like this, Hans, your life will be in danger. You’d likely be disposed of without a trace.”
Those words had shocked him to his core.
As he stood there, dumbfounded, Lawrence continued in a blunt tone.
“Do you really think Cheimon would sit idly by, trusting only you to bring news from the Barony?”
“In my view, there’s an eight or nine out of ten chance he sent someone to tail you. To confirm whether you’re truly defecting or if this is the Archduke’s ploy. Unless he’s a fool, that is.”
Hearing those words, a chill ran down Hans’ spine.
He realized instinctively.
Lawrence was right.
Cheimon wasn’t an idiot. He wouldn’t rely solely on Hans for information.
“Let’s say a skilled tracker, one you couldn’t detect, was following you. Wouldn’t they have already seen you enter the Inner Castle?”
“I entered through a small side gate, not the main entrance… Couldn’t I explain it as help from a collaborator?”
“Hmm. Suspicion isn’t so easily dispelled. If they saw you—who claimed to hate and despise the Archduke—walk straight into the lion’s den…”
There was no need to enter the Inner Castle to gather information.
He could’ve discreetly summoned one of the castle’s staff.
That alone created a contradiction.
At this moment, Cheimon’s suspicions were likely deepening.
Hans’ face fell.
“Then… what should I do?”
“If you want to live, follow my instructions exactly. That’s the only way to dispel the Count’s doubts.”
As Lawrence continued, Hans could only gape in shock.
In short, she was telling him to suffer—relentlessly.
But he had no choice.
Even to Hans, it seemed like this was the only way to clear Cheimon’s suspicions.
“I was a fool… ugh… to not even consider that!”
Normally, he would’ve suspected a tail.
But back then, puffed up with pride and superiority for deceiving a high-ranking noble like the Count, he hadn’t thought of it at all.
That was why he was now locked in the Capital Prison.
The cell door creaked open.
Lawrence appeared.
“Is the prison bearable?”
“Ugh… does this look bearable?”
The bone-chilling cold seeped into him, his body shivered, and his eyes were sunken from days of sleeplessness.
His gaunt body and cracked lips were just the start.
“No choice. You need to look convincing for it to seem like you’ve truly been in prison. Shall we begin?”
Lawrence picked up a whip and various tools hanging in the cell.
Each one looked excruciatingly painful.
Hans’ eyes trembled.
This was already the third day of this ordeal.
He felt like he was losing his mind.
“Please… go easy, I beg you! I’ll die at this rate!”
“You won’t die from this.”
“How can you be so sure?! I feel like I’m dying already!”
“I’ve done this a lot.”
“Even so…”
“Keep whining, and I’ll let you go as you wish.”
Hans fell silent, like a mute fed honey.
That was the last thing he could allow.
To erase Cheimon’s suspicions, he had to look like he’d been pushed to the brink of ruin.
Lawrence lit an incense.
She’d said it contained pain-relieving herbs, but Hans doubted its effectiveness.
“Let’s start.”
Lawrence tightened the whip and struck his body.
A red welt appeared, and Hans screamed inwardly.
Even if she was holding back, the pain was far from negligible.
The whip, especially, was unbearable.
“Argh!”
“Nine more.”
“Aaargh!”
After the whipping came a barrage of torturous procedures.
This… this is holding back?
From drawing blood under his nails to bruising his entire body.
Every step was agonizing.
She claimed this was done at a level that wouldn’t leave lasting damage, but he could hardly believe it.
She’s… truly terrifying.
To treat an ally like this!
The person torturing him was undoubtedly a madwoman.
I was a fool, a complete fool!
To think he’d believed she’d quit being a strategist in tears after a few days?
He wanted to slap his past self for such naive thoughts.
The one reduced to tears and begging was him.
After about three hours, Lawrence finally set the tools down.
Looking at Hans, she nodded with satisfaction.
“This should convince the Count.”
“Ugh…”
It was true.
Pushed to this state, no one would believe he was on the Archduke’s side.
Even if he were, his appearance was so wretched it’d seem like he’d betray Ethan overnight.
“Tonight, there’ll be a disturbance in the Capital Prison.”
“A disturbance…?”
“The prisoners will riot. During it, you’ll escape the Inner Castle with help from pre-arranged collaborators.”
“Then…”
“The one tailing you will likely make a move out of curiosity. They’ll have a communication orb, so you can contact the Count then.”
“Understood.”
That night, chaos erupted in the Inner Castle.
Fires broke out, and news spread that prisoners had escaped the Capital Prison.
Hans’ name was on the list of escapees.
In the dead of night, looking like a beggar, Hans fled the Inner Castle.
“This way!”
“W-Who are you?”
“A knight of the Count. I was ordered to escort you. Hurry!”
Hans flinched.
As Lawrence predicted, Cheimon had indeed sent a knight to tail him.
I almost… died without a trace.
He’d nearly been disposed of by Cheimon.
With a desperate expression, he rushed to the knight.
“S-Save me!”
“Follow me.”
They navigated a maze-like path.
After a long sprint, they stopped.
“Huff, huff.”
“Good gods… what happened to you?”
Despite the concerned tone, the knight’s eyes glinted sharply.
Trembling, Hans recounted his ordeal.
He’d infiltrated the Inner Castle with a collaborator’s help to gather information but was caught and thrown into the Capital Prison.
The knight, Rodern, nodded at the tale of brutal torture.
To a 5-star knight like him, Hans’ wounds looked severe.
It was clear the torture was done with intent to kill.
At this level…
Any lingering loyalty would’ve been obliterated.
No one tortured this harshly would side with the Archduke.
“Ethan… I’ll tear that bastard limb from limb!”
“Calm down. Your condition is critical. Get treated first…”
“No. Despite my state, I obtained critical information. I must report to the Count immediately. Do you… have a communication orb?”
“Yes. What happened to yours?”
“It broke while I was being chased in the Inner Castle.”
“I see. Here.”
Hans took the orb and contacted Count Cheimon.
The Count’s eyes widened briefly at Hans’ wretched state.
“The deception worked.”
At those words, Cheimon focused on Hans’ report.
As the tale of the Capital Prison unfolded, the Count’s eyes grew wider.
When it concluded:
“Well done, well done! You went through hell!”
A smile spread across Cheimon’s face.
“…No, it was my incompetence that got me caught. I’m sorry, Count.”
“No, no. If you hadn’t earned the trust of the Barony’s people, how could you have escaped? It’s a relief you’re alive. By the way…”
“Speak, my lord.”
“Once you’ve recovered, can you gather more information on the Barony? We need your network.”
The Inner Castle was under tight security, making infiltration difficult.
Hans, with his connections, was a godsend in this situation.
He could be used extensively for now.
“If it aids Count Cheimon, of course.”
“Haha, thank you. I’ll send plenty for treatment—get a priest’s blessing.”
I survived.
Hans sighed inwardly with relief.
If Cheimon didn’t trust him, he wouldn’t have offered funds for an expensive priest’s blessing.
He clearly intended to keep using him.
Hans shouted with fervor.
“I’ll serve with utmost loyalty!”
Having saved his irreplaceable life, it was both the worst and best day for Hans.
***
Ethan looked at Silvia.
“How’s Hans?”
“The Count seems to have largely dispelled his suspicions. He’s moving about freely.”
Ethan nodded.
Hans was too valuable a piece to lose so easily.
That’s why he’d entrusted this to Lawrence.
This incident would’ve taught Hans a harsh lesson, ensuring he wouldn’t let his guard down again.
It was a cheap price for such a life lesson.
“I plan to leave the Barony for about two months.”
“Going somewhere?”
“I am.”
Ethan recalled what Poulton had told him last night.
“Archduke, are you planning to move against the Romenton Barony?”
“Probably.”
“One house might be overlooked, but two will provoke a different response. Even with your rapid growth, it could be dangerous.”
“And?”
“The Marquis contacted me. He said what you lack is time. If you wait two months, he can provide very useful aid.”
A way to save time.
There was only one thing that could mean.
An Elixir.
If the Marquis was that confident, it wouldn’t be some shoddy potion.
“I’ll wait.”
He nodded readily.
There’s work to do anyway.
Ethan glanced at his greatsword.
It was made of decent steel.
So far, with his low attainment, it had held up under his Fire Mana.
But once he entered the Cycle phase, the blade would likely start melting.
Especially when using his Secret Sword Art.
To crush the Branch Families, he needed a reliable sword.
And for that, he needed quality metal.
Harder and lighter than steel, resistant to high temperatures.
He knew one place to find such metal.
There was a famous dungeon in the past.
A dungeon not far from the Kargas Barony.
He could obtain the desired metal there.
Get the metal, forge a sword, return, and consume the Elixir.
His next steps were set.