Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings

Chapter 29: Prison Tower

Guided by the mysterious girl Yunel, I continued to walk through the icy mountains until I finally reached a settlement.

It was a small, modest village, smaller than Rougvelt’s.

There, I was rescued by the guards as a stranded traveler.

Yunel, who led me here, had disappeared without a trace.

Without any explanation.

And I was left alone, led by the guards to an empty cabin, where they gave me blankets and hot milk.

Since it was already late at night, I was told by the guards that a detailed interrogation would have to wait until tomorrow.

Whether the cabin was originally uninhabited or not was question as it was quite desolate inside.

The guards lit a fire in the hearth and provided blankets, so I wouldn’t freeze to death.

As accommodations go, it was a zero, but better than sleeping outdoors, I suppose.

Feeling a bit tired, I decided to rest for the time being.

Just then, a girl appeared.

“Why are you here—Rofus Ray Lightless…!”

Suddenly entering the cabin, she glared at me and made that declaration.

A girl with strong blonde hair and determined eyes.

This girl seemed to know me somehow, but I had never met her or seen her before.

For a moment, the possibility crossed my mind that she might be someone who knows the story like me, but she had never appeared in any story.

Following Yunel, now it’s some incomprehensible girl.

Steria territory is amusing.

“Hey, you’re not supposed to come in.”

Following the girl, two guards entered the cabin.

One of them was the guard who had rescued me earlier.

The guards tried to restrain the girl, but she resisted fiercely.

“Let go! Because of him, my father and brother…”

Pointing at me, the girl pleaded tearfully.

Huh? Father and brother?

Whatever it was, the guards didn’t close the door properly, so the cold air was blowing in.

Despite the cabin finally warming up.

I gave the guards a cold look and turned my attention to the girl they were trying to restrain.

“Close the door. It’s cold.”

I said as I warmed myself by the fire, and the guards looked at each other. One of them quickly closed the door, while the other pinned the girl down.

“Let go!”

I looked at the struggling girl.

“So, what’s all the fuss about?”

“I—I’m struggling because of him!”

“No, it’s nothing. She’s just a bit strange in the head, don’t mind her.”

The girl tried to say something in response, but the guard pinning her down silenced her.

I frowned.

“She’s calling me by a name I’ve never given to anybody. Being ‘a bit strange in the head’ won’t cut it.”

The girl had definitely called me Rofus Ray Lightless.

The guards’ faces changed at my words.

“W-Wait, are you really a Lightless?”

“Yeah, so what? Can’t you see this emblem on my coat?”

I pointed to the Lightless emblem embroidered on my cloak, and the guards stepped back trembling.

“L-Lightless, the noble family that rules the land beyond the sea of demons!”

That sounds like I rule the demon realm or something?

“That dark noble!? Oh no, I let him into this shabby cabin! Am I going to be executed!? Decapitated!?”

That lame nickname like ‘dark noble’, is it possibly becoming a nickname for the Lightless family?

It feels like it’s used quite widely?

The two guards fretted over being tricked while I sipped my hot milk and watched them boringly, then the girl who had been freed approached me.

“Rofus Ray Lightless! Why did you come back!? Because of you…”

“So, who are you supposed to be? Why do you know about me—huh?”

As I looked at the girl’s face, I felt a sense of familiarity.

I stood up and stared at her face, and the girl raised her hand in surprise.

“W-What are you doing!?”

Was she trying to slap me? I grabbed her hand before it could reach my face and continued to stare at her without hesitation.

Her face, I’ve seen it somewhere before.

“H-Hey, what’s with the sudden—”

As she tried to say something, the guard holding her down covered her mouth to silence her.

I furrowed my brows.

It’s a fact that she knows about me.

At my words, the two guards changed their expression.

“S-So, are you really—”

“Yeah, but? Why didn’t you say that first?”

In response to the affirmative words, I couldn’t help but smile and tousled the girl’s blonde hair.

I never imagined that Vallum had a sister.

“W-Wait, what are you doing!?”

To the sudden ruckus, the surprised girl fluttered around.

Her reaction was amusing, so I continued to tousle her hair.

Her hair color and slightly unruly hair texture were the same as Valm’s, if I recall correctly.

“Hey, when are you going to stop touching me…?”

Well, if she’s a relative, I shouldn’t be too mean.

“But Vallum, to think he had a sister. Indeed.”

“W-Wait, stop that! What are you—”

Being pushed away, I stopped.

“But you’re acting like a relative’s uncle! I’m 10!”

Even though she was angry, she answered honestly.

Hmm, she’s two years younger than Valm.

It’s a coincidence. I have a younger brother who’s two years younger than me.

He’s an utterly worthless younger brother with no spirit or ambition though.

Unlike my younger brother, she’s a good sister with spirit and ambition.

I envy you, Vallum.

But wait.

Didn’t Sera mention her father and brother earlier?

“Sera. What happened to your father and Valm?”

“W-Why are you suddenly—don’t call me by my name so casually.”

“So what? Anyway, what happened to your brother and father? You mentioned earlier that it was because of me.”

“T-That’s…”

At my question, Sera fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“Father and Vallum were caught—framed by that despicable merchant, Gillan.”

“…Tell me more.”

Sera was prompted by me and began to tell me what happened.

Vallum’s father, who was the steward of Steria territory, was worried about the ruthlessness of the wealthy merchant Gilan.

Gillan was undoubtedly a key figure in sustaining Steria territory’s economy.

Vallum’s father acknowledged this, but the internal situation was far from praiseworthy.

Among his various misdeeds, what troubled Valm’s father the most was the drugs that flowed into the impoverished areas.

There were countless other examples, but there was no concrete evidence that Gilan was involved.

At that time, the eldest son of the Lightless family appeared and testified that Gilan was involved in slave trading.

He even left behind small items with the Lightless emblem as evidence.

For Vallum’s father, this was a golden opportunity.

Using the testimony of the eldest son of the Lightless family as a shield, Vallum’s father led soldiers to raid Gilan’s mansion and succeeded in obtaining evidence of not only slave trading but also various other crimes.

Vallum’s father submitted all the evidence to Steria’s local lord.

However, those pieces of evidence were meaningless.

The lord of Steria himself covered it up and released Gilan, who was being held captive.

And to make matters worse, Vallum’s father, the steward, was captured.

The charge was falsely reporting to denigrate Gilan—false accusation.

If Gilan were to fall, it would also mean a decline in Steria territory’s economy.

The lord of Steria could not make that choice as a feudal lord.

Vallum naturally rebelled against his father’s unjust capture.

He single-handedly stormed the lord’s mansion and confronted the guards and knights in a desperate struggle.

Vallum, who continued to plead his father’s innocence while causing a commotion, was defeated by the current Sword Saint, Eric Idea Steria, and captured.

Then, Sera and other members of the Draconis family fled to this remote village to hide from Gilan.

That’s the gist of what Sera told me.

Sera had heard about me being attacked by Vallum on the mountains before.

She had also heard about my characteristics, and the guard who rescued me had leaked my characteristics to Sera, so she couldn’t sit still and flew to me to give me a piece of her mind.

Because of my testimony with the emblem, Vallum’s father took action.

If I hadn’t testified, neither Valm nor his father would have been captured.

So, her father and brother were caught because of me.

It’s quite a childish and unreasonable grudge.

Now, I felt an overwhelming sense of irritation.

That emotion overflowed from me as a dark magical force, coloring the surroundings with deep shadows.

Sera had talked to me longer than necessary, but except for one thing, I didn’t care.

The only thing that mattered was that I had entrusted Valm with the information about Gillan’s involvement in slave trading, and even if I were to generously accept that I may have triggered it, the failure was solely due to Valm’s father’s lack of foresight and his inability to match his power and skill, plain and simple.

Frankly, they brought it upon themselves. It’s their fault for being so easily manipulated by a nouveau riche commoner.

Despite showing the Wrightless emblem, this outcome is like having mud thrown in my face.

Casually disregarding my testimony with the emblem, and yet coming to complain while ignoring all of that, both Gillan and the Count of Steria are unforgivable.

I must teach them what it means to belittle the Wrightless.

But, I’ll say it again, that’s not important now.

The issue is that Valm lost.

“…Hey, did Valm really lose?”

At my question, Sera flinched.

Perhaps affected by my magical power, Sera’s face turned pale, but she managed to respond as if twisting out the words.

“I heard… he lost.”

“Who told you that, and did you believe it?”

“Well! …Well, he was up against the Sword Saint… and my brother still hasn’t returned…”

Snorting, I looked down at Sera, who glared back at me but quickly averted her gaze.

To such Sera, I further inquire.

“I see. Is your brother really so weak as to lose so easily?”

“That’s not true! My brother is strong! He’s not weak at all…!”

I roughly tousled Sera’s head.

“That’s right. You can be proud, Sera. Your brother is the strongest man I know. There’s no way he could have been defeated.”

Without pushing away my hand, Sera tilted her head curiously.

“…Rofus Ray Wrightless. Did you… attack my brother?”

“Though not quite friends, I acknowledge his strength. Also, stop using my full name so casually. Just call me Rofus.”

“O-Okay, Rofus…-san?”

“Oh, well done. Good job, Sera.”

“Hey, not the head again!”

Tousling her head once more, this time she did shake me off.

She really is a spirited one.

During such exchanges, the night grew late.

Valm.

Valm Rio Draconis.

In the story, the man considered the strongest of the Four Heavenly Kings, surpassing me.

For him to lose is inconceivable, even if the heavens and earth were to be overturned.

Most likely, his father, the captive steward, was taken hostage.

That’s how it must be.

It has to be.

But if by some chance he truly lost…

That wouldn’t be the Valm I know.

Valm doesn’t lose so disgracefully.

At that time, I’ll kill him myself.

After spending the night in a small village, the next morning arrived.

I had come here, crossing two mountains from the protected village.

A building resembling a tower constructed at the summit of the mountain.

This is the pride of the Steria territory, a fortress prison tower known for being impregnable and impossible to escape from.

A prison where once a criminal is confined, they never see the light of day again.

According to Sera, Valm is probably being held here.

She heard it from the guards, or so she says.

…If it turns out to be just a rumor, it would be a complete waste of time.

Oh well.

If Valm is indeed here, let’s confirm it quickly.

The prison tower is quite massive, but within the range of my magical detection.

Stone structures like that are powerless against my magical detection.

“Hmm.”

…Or so I’d like to say, but my magical detection was neatly repelled by that building.

Apparently, there’s a special barrier on the walls that repels magic.

As expected of a fortress prison tower known for being impregnable.

And unintended things were detected by my released magical detection.

I recognized this peculiar magical reaction somewhat.

I turned back.

“Morning.”

With an expressionless face, a white-haired girl in a white dress greeted me—Yunel.

“Not ‘morning.’ Where were you last night?”

“Sorry. I didn’t want to attract too much attention.”

“I don’t care about your circumstances. There are things I want to ask you.”

When I glared at her, Yunel pointed to the prison tower.

“I want you to help Valm first. He’s in the basement of that tower.”

It seems that Valm is indeed being held here.

But does she know the exact location?

It would save us the trouble of searching.

“If I help Valm, will you answer my questions?”

Yunel nodded solemnly and then vanished.

She reappeared near the wall of the prison tower.

Was that some kind of spatial teleportation?

I didn’t sense any magic or magic activation patterns.

At this point, I’m not surprised anymore, but what exactly is her identity?

Yunel pointed to a nearby window.

It seemed like she was telling me to enter from there.

With a sigh mixed in, I leaped to where Yunel was and followed her lead.

However, the opening in the wall—more like an air vent—was quite narrow, even for one person.

“Hey, do we have to enter through here?”

It feels easier to just walk in through the front entrance, crushing any guards that come our way.

But Yunel firmly denied it.

“No. This is the least noticeable way in. We’ll get to Valm faster this way.”

“…I see.”

Given that, I had no choice but to proceed.

It would indeed be a hassle to be spotted by the guards, but this route also seems quite challenging.

Yunel indicated that the hole was just large enough for me, a little smaller than an adult.

As I looked, I noticed that the hole seemed to narrow with each step, becoming dimly lit as I couldn’t see far ahead.

“…Hey, should we just go in front—”

“Let’s hurry.”

“……Sigh.”

I sighed deeply and entered the hole as instructed.

It’s likely that only Yunel would make a duke’s heir crawl through such a narrow and dirty passage.

As I crawled on all fours, dirtying my hands and knees with soot, Yunel followed behind me.

“By the way, why did you make me go first? Wouldn’t it be better if you went ahead?”

I asked, suddenly curious.

Yunel answered with a serene expression.

“If I went first, you’d see my panties.”

“Who’s going to see them?”

“Lie. I’m not wearing any panties.”

“…Why ask me and then give such a response? What reaction are you expecting from me?”

“Clothes are restrictive. But if I’m naked, Valm will get mad.”

“It seems like Valm is having a hard time.”

Though I don’t know the relationship between Yunel and Valm, her sense of perception seems quite different from that of humans, as expected of a non-human.

I can glimpse the struggle Valm is going through.

“This prison seems to have been around for quite some time.”

As we progressed through the passage, which could be called an air vent, the soot-covered walls seemed quite aged.

It gave off an atmosphere reminiscent of the “First Tomb.”

“This place was originally an ancient ruin. They converted it into a prison.”

Yunel answered my question fluently.

“You seem quite knowledgeable.”

“…Valm told me.”

Yunel said only that and fell silent.

We emerged into a slightly wider passage.

This was no longer an air vent but a proper corridor.

From there, I followed Yunel’s guidance.

The fact that this place was an ancient ruin seems true; the countless branching passages resemble a labyrinth.

Despite that, Yunel proceeds confidently without hesitation.

At that moment, Yunel suddenly pressed me against the wall of the passage, covering my mouth.

“…!?”

“Don’t talk.”

Yunel frowned at me and placed her index finger on her lips, signaling for silence.

Soon after, footsteps could be heard coming from the depths of the passage.

It might be the patrol guards, perhaps a pair of them.

I instinctively attempted to use magic against the wall, but it was repelled.

It felt like my magic was being repelled, similar to when my magical detection was blocked from the outside.

Not just the outer walls, but the entire building seems to be enveloped in a barrier that inhibits magic.

Quite an advanced barrier; it even repels mid-level magic like the Dark Carpet of the Dark Domain.

Barriers against objects and magic are commonly found in labyrinthine dungeons, meant to prevent shortcuts by destroying walls, floors, or ceilings.

While it’s said that this prison tower was originally an ancient ruin, such barriers aren’t commonly seen in artificial ruins.

Not even the “First Tomb” has barriers like these.

It seems to have been quite an unusual type of ancient ruin.

However, it’s undoubtedly ideal as a prison.

After all, with this anti-magic barrier-laden prison, even first-rate mages would find it difficult to escape once confined.

Yunel’s claim about the route being hard to be found by others wasn’t a lie; after the patrol, we descended to the underground without encountering any guards.

“It’s this floor.”

We arrived at the fifth underground floor.

The stone staircase continues further underground.

This prison, located at the summit of a mountain, might have been carved into the mountain itself, but it’s much deeper than expected.

I’m somewhat curious about how far down it goes, but Valm’s liberation takes precedence.

However, despite being originally in a cold region, the lack of sunlight makes the underground even colder.

Breath freezes instantly, forming tiny ice crystals.

Yunel, who had been leading the way, stopped suddenly.

“…What’s wrong?”

“—Shh, hide…!”

Yunel, with a panicked expression, pulled my coat and dragged me to the corner of the passage.

Even the emotionally restrained Yunel seems anxious now.

“Use some magic to hide…!”

“Even if you say that…”

If I could use the Dark Carpet, I could hide within the shadows I create.

However, I attempted it, but it seems the walls on this floor also have anti-magic barriers; my magic was repelled.

Directly affecting the walls or touching them with magic won’t work.

Yet, a magic to conceal one’s presence…

…Then, perhaps that would work?

—Dark Mist.

The dark mist enveloped me and Yunel, pressed against the wall, hiding us within its darkness.

Normally, this is a low-level magic used to obscure vision or as a smokescreen.

But in a dimly lit, dark corridor like this, it should hide our presence without raising suspicion.

Soon, footsteps could be heard from the depths of the passage.

Yunel trembled, her face turning pale.

Yunel’s fear, evident moments ago, seems to persist even now as she gazes down the corridor.

And from the depths of the passage emerged a man with long crimson hair and a coat of the same crimson color.

He carried a sword with the royal crest at his waist.

Hmm, I don’t know him.

It’s the first time I’ve seen his face.

Carrying a sword with the royal crest suggests he’s either a royal guard or a skilled swordsman recognized by the royal family.

Given that I don’t recognize him, he’s likely not a member of the royal family or its associates.

Yunel’s fear of him suggests there’s a good reason.

For now, I’ll remain still and hold my breath, waiting for the crimson-haired man to pass by.

The crimson-haired man stopped suddenly.

“Hmm, has a rat found its way in?”

The man muttered.

Immediately after, what I saw was the crimson-haired man swinging his sword towards me, having drawn it without my notice.

Incredibly fast.

I used a reinforced magical barrier to block the sword he swung at me.

Under the pressure of the sword, the dark mist dispersed all at once.

The blade was stopped by the barrier, not reaching me.

Though I remained vigilant, the barrier showed no signs of cracking.

For something so fast, it lacks power.

There seems to be some magical energy imbued in the blade, but that’s it.

The crimson-haired man halted, narrowing his eyes as he looked at me.

“A mage, huh. Impressive skill to block my sword.”

“…Well, not really.”

The man furrowed his brow slightly.

“You look like a child, but did you come with companions? Surely, you’re not alone.”

“Huh?”

Alone?

I glanced back, only to find Yunel nowhere in sight.

That rascal, disappeared again.

“Is your purpose to rescue a prisoner? How many companions do you have?”

I tilt my head in response to the man’s inquiry.

“You’ve got it wrong. Before questioning, shouldn’t you first try to subdue me?”

“…If you surrender, I won’t be harsh. I have subordinates about your age. Honestly, I don’t feel like killing you.”

The man shows hesitation in pointing his sword at me.

I respond with a scoff and strike at him with a Dark Scythe I conjure in my hand.

The man instinctively tries to block it with his sword, but realizing he can’t withstand the relentless slash, he swiftly deflects the scythe’s blade.

The released slash marks a line on the wall behind the man.

And the sword blade shows cracks; the man breaks into a cold sweat.

“Even if you’re hesitant, can you even defeat me?”

I pose a simple question, and the man grimaces.

“…Who are you?”

“Rofus Ray Lightless. Ring any bells? Seems like I’m a bit of a celebrity.”

I reveal my identity deliberately.

Normally, infiltrating another territory’s prison is a clear criminal act, and one should conceal their identity. But the circumstances are different now.

Steria underestimated the Lightless.

The price for that will be paid in the name of the Lightless.

After this prison tower, it’s Gilan, then the Steria March Count.

Normally, such matters should be handled by the head of the household, but the root of this incident lies in my decision to display the Lightless crest.

So, it’s only right that I bring it to a close.

“I see, so you’re… that…”

Upon hearing my name, the man shrugs without much surprise.

“…I see. In that case, is your objective Valm?”

…Does this man know about the connection between me and Valm?

“If so, what will you do?”

“…Can’t do much, can I? Go ahead, I’ll pretend I didn’t see you.”

The man shows a resigned attitude.

“Oh, how kind of you to let me go. But what if I don’t intend to let you off?”

I immediately conjure a large number of Dark Balls behind me and unleash them at the man without hesitation.

Numerous dark balls hit the walls and floor, raising a dust cloud.

As the dust settles, there’s no body there.