"......The release application has been approved. Krachi Andrich will be released."
It seemed the application had gone through without a hitch. I'd actually expected a decent chance of rejection, so... just what had Nora been struggling with all this time?
While I was still getting my bearings, Cool and the others let out cheers of celebration. Princess Nora stood by the wall, silently watching the scene unfold.
Apparently, rooms were treated differently between the lowest level and the upper floors. Krachi, who'd been locked in a cell, was in a wretched state.
Both hands and feet bound in chains, suspended from the center of the room, clad in nothing but his underwear—his mage-trained body was covered in wounds from head to toe, a truly pitiful sight.
Yet his eyes alone retained the same brilliant light they'd had when he was free.
We waited in front of the opaque door for a while. It didn't take long.
The door slid open with a quiet sound.
Was this the first time we'd met since the Martial Emperor Festival?
One who had mastered the arcane arts of lightning. My genuine counterpart—Krachi Andrich of the Thousand Heavens Ten Thousand Flowers—strode out through the doorway with a dignified bearing and spoke in a voice so full of vigor you'd never have guessed he'd been chained up just minutes ago.
"I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but... it seems you, Cool, and the rest saved us after all, Klye. You have my gratitude."
"I didn't really do much. Cool and the others were the ones doing the heavy lifting."
Cool and the others looked over at me with surprise, but... I wasn't being humble. I genuinely hadn't done anything. I'd just been sitting around eating Ohisama and chocolate.
In terms of actual work done, I hadn't even done a tenth of what Cool and the others had. No, seriously.
"Is that so... I caused you all trouble. Cool, Zuri, Kutori, Rusha, Elize."
"Krachi, we merely did what anyone would. Though, I do wish you'd learn to consider retreating when you're in over your head."
Cool pushed his glasses up with repeated deliberate pokes and said to Krachi.
Considering retreat... yeah, yeah, that was important... but it was futile. I'd told my companions the same thing several times, but heroes were simply the type of people who didn't listen to such advice.
Nora's reaction was absent. She stood there silent, intently watching the exchange.
I'd been surprised when she'd yielded the release application priority to me, but it seemed—something within her had changed.
Well, whatever. I didn't fully understand it, but at least things had worked out for now.
"At any rate, our objective's been achieved. Shall we head back? We can figure out the rest later."
§ Guided by the staff member, we made our way from the lowest level back to the surface alongside Krachi and the others.
"The release application procedures have already been completed. You may leave as you are. I'll show you to the exit."
"Thanks. I'll come again someday."
"......This is just my personal opinion, but... please never come back."
The staff member delivered those biting words with an expression of pure exhaustion.
Even though I hadn't worked that hard, I was starting to feel a bit tired myself. Once we got back to the building, I'd have another snack break—today's second—with Krachi and the others in tow.
With those thoughts running through my head, I stepped out of the prison building.
And then—an ear-splitting siren blared across the entire prison.
I hurriedly looked around. Krachi had thrown his coat back and taken up a combat stance.
W-well now, let's stay calm. This is a prison, right? Even if there was an attack, the prison security should handle it.
I turned to the staff member, who was going pale while checking a terminal.
"Hey, staff member, what's going on?"
"......A prison break. We've been had."
It wasn't the staff member who answered, but Princess Nora, who had been following behind with her hand-picked knights in tow.
Nora had been silent ever since Krachi's release, refusing to even make eye contact—but she seemed to understand the current situation.
"A prison break!? Who?"
"The Thunder Emperor. Angus rewrote the prison rules. Since the conditions for release were met before leaving the prison grounds, it was classified as a prison break."
That was absurd... I was curious about who Angus was, but honestly this whole city was a mess.
"I'd been wondering what they were thinking, giving a 'spare' the Thunder Emperor title—but he played a dirty trick. When I become queen, I'm killing that man for certain."
Nora spat those words out with venom.
Come to think of it... what exactly happened when you were classified as having broken out?
Seeing me with eyes wide in confusion, the staff member cried out in a desperate voice: "When a prison break is confirmed—the prison security forces mobilize! To eliminate the escapees and their accomplices!"
Ah... I see now.
The colossal mechanized soldiers stationed in the courtyard had begun to move. The thick gates had closed, and a countless number of turrets that had appeared at some point were all aimed squarely at us.
I didn't sense killing intent. They weren't trying to kill us.
They were simply following the system, mechanically processing the situation.
I took a deep breath and turned to Nora.
"...Nora, I know this might be a long shot, but is there anything you can do?"
"...Endure for eight minutes and fifty-two seconds. I'll rewrite the rules based on the existing framework. Well, we'll be leaving, though."
Light rained down upon Nora and her soldiers from above.
A massive disc-shaped object had appeared directly overhead at some point. Nora and her knightly escort, bathed in the light, rose into the air and were sucked into the disc.
Despite the blatantly obvious desertion, the mechanized soldiers showed no reaction.
Take me with you...
"Can't you take us along too?"
"If I took you aboard, my disc might get attacked."
That was far too cold... and after I'd tried to do her so many favors, too.
"For what it's worth, the Thunder Emperor you were trying to release is also here..."
"!?"
Floating in midair, Nora was momentarily speechless at my words, but quickly retorted in a raised voice: "Could not release him. I have no interest in something I failed to obtain."
I see... she'd moved on fast. Good for her.
Still, we were no less in a bind.
I had the Barrier Ring, as always, but would I manage to escape? My only hope, Krachi, had just been released and was probably completely drained... Cool was looking at me with desperate eyes, but was he expecting me to pull through? That was impossible.
Wondering what to do, trying to look cool while inwardly panicking, Princess Nora sniffed dismissively and said with a hint of embarrassment: "Besides, the Thunder Emperor I wanted to release wouldn't lose to some prison defense system."
"......"
At those words, Krachi clapped his hands together lightly and stepped forward, positioning himself between us and the threat.
"Of course! And Klye! Don't lump me in with how I was back then—that's starting to become a problem!"
Just as confident as ever. I was pretty sure he was absurdly powerful back then too, but that was— Among the mechanized soldiers deployed in the courtyard, a single behemoth of a unit lunged at us.
Krachi raised his hand toward the gleaming saber as it came crashing down with a thunderous roar.
Ah, wait... come to think of it, wasn't magic supposed to be impossible in here?
Paying no mind to my question, blinding purple lightning erupted from every inch of Krachi's body.
And then Krachi shouted: "While chained, I never stopped thinking! This is the answer!"
It was blinding. Literally blinding, Krachi Andrich...
"If the spells I cast are simply unmade, then I shall become lightning itself! Receive the power of the heavens! 'My Thunder Azure Dragon — Divine Engine Breaker'!!"
"......Big brother's making up original spells again..."
Rusha's exasperated voice, heard for the first time.
And the instant the saber made contact with Krachi, the colossal mechanized soldier was blown to smithereens in spectacular fashion.