IGTL Chapter 50

Chapter 50 – They Threw Me into Jail (2)

After returning to Candeo Hotel, I soaked in the open-air bath to clear my head, and while I was in there, I thought about the jail.

Now that I thought about it, unless I broke out of that situation somehow, I was never getting out of that jail.

Well, it was a complete false accusation, so maybe I could fix it by using the recording function and showing them what had actually happened?

More importantly, it needed to work.

“For now, I guess I’ll log into DW after I get out of the bath…”

After muttering that, I left the open-air bath, headed back to my room, took a few swigs of the beer in the fridge, then flopped onto the bed.

In a completely unmotivated voice, I muttered, “Connect ‘Different World’,” and unwillingly logged back into DW.

Sighing, I looked around the cell, but the paid item “Substitute Doll” was nowhere to be seen.

“Hah?”

What the hell was going on??

Why had the “Substitute Doll” disappeared??

Wearing a blank, dumbfounded expression, I turned my gaze toward the cell and noticed the lock was open. When I peeked out into the corridor, I realized there was a guard standing watch.

I had no idea why the “Substitute Doll” was gone, but this was my chance.

I pulled out the regular drop item “Stealth Cloak,” perfect for hiding myself, from Item Storage, threw it on, and hurried out of the cell.

As I checked the positional data around me, I noticed there was a place where a lot of people were gathered.

“…This looked suspicious as hell, but I guess I’ll check it out.”

After slipping out of the cell and carefully climbing the stairs, I ran straight into the sentry at the top.

But thanks to the “Stealth Cloak,” the guard apparently didn’t notice me at all.

I strutted right past him, and the moment I successfully broke out, I clenched my fist in a victorious pose.

Still, this was no time to celebrate.

Relying on the map function, I rushed to where the crowd had gathered, and there I found the Mob-Fenrir, the “Substitute Doll,” in an absolutely horrific state.

‘W-What the hell!? What is this!? Why was it crucified!?!’

I screamed internally.

Staring in shock, I turned my eyes toward the guards who were still toying with the Mob-Fenrir “Substitute Doll,” then crept closer under cover and listened in.

When I strained my ears, I heard the guards talking.

“…No good. No matter how much we interrogate him, he won’t even make a sound.”

“At this rate, getting a confession is impossible. We can’t kill him either, so what should we do?”

“Yeah… The interrogation got a little too intense and he’s not moving at all now, but he’s probably not dead yet. It’d be a pain if he died because of the interrogation… I think we’ve beaten him badly enough that he won’t ever try to sexually harass Kanna-chan again. Release him.”

The moment one of the guards said that, they untied the crucified “Substitute Doll” and threw it down roughly.

“If this taught you anything, don’t you ever lay a hand on Kanna-chan again. Got it!?”

Then the guards spat on the “Substitute Doll” and started to leave.

“…Hold it.”

Before I knew it, I had stepped in front of the guards while still wearing the “Stealth Cloak.”

“W-Who’s there!?”

“Show yourself!”

“Damn it, so someone saw that…”

At my voice, the guards drew their swords and nervously scanned the area.

Hm. Apparently, even though I was standing right in front of them, they still couldn’t recognize me at all. Was that because of the Stealth Cloak?

Perfect.

To begin with, all I’d done was put a hand on someone’s shoulder to comfort her, and I’d ended up like this.

They themselves had just said it would be inconvenient if I died from the interrogation, and one of them had even muttered, “Damn it, so someone saw that…”

No matter how you sliced it, the way these guards handled things was excessive. The punishment didn’t remotely fit the supposed crime.

Not that I committed sexual harassment in the first place!

That receptionist…

She got me thrown into jail on a false charge, and on top of that, she let my “Substitute Doll” get battered into this kind of wreck…

Yeah, okay, maybe I’d gotten a little too rowdy trying to avoid meeting the Vice Guildmaster, but seriously, this was too much!

She probably only meant to get me tossed into jail for a bit to teach me a lesson or something, but this was way past that. Mostly because of the guards!

And there was no way in hell I was meeting the Vice Guildmaster now!!

“Hey! Someone’s there, right!? Get your ass out here!”

Whoops, close one.

My thoughts had wandered off again.

Right now, the important thing was punishing these bastards.

As human beings, and as guards sworn to protect this country, they’d crossed a line they had no business crossing.

Brutalizing a Mob-Fenrir who wasn’t even a criminal, crucifying him, and leaving him there was completely unacceptable conduct for the guards of this country. Probably.

So I gave the Elementals a simple order.

“End them as men. Elementals.”

The next instant, Salamander’s heat ray blasted all three of them straight in the crotch.

The moment their groins were charred black, the guards foamed at the mouth and passed out.

“Hmph. Trash…”

Kanna-chan or whatever her name was, I didn’t care. Believing the receptionist’s words one hundred percent without question was unforgivably stupid.

I dumped “Basic Recovery Potion” from Item Storage all over the guards’ crotches to stop the bleeding, then stored the wrecked “Substitute Doll” in Item Storage.

Lost body parts couldn’t be restored unless you used an “Elixir” or magic on that level.

If you interrogated and tortured someone who was falsely accused, you deserved to experience suffering on that same level.

If some self-righteous moron used the authority of a guard to whip an innocent person under false charges, then castration was exactly what he deserved.

Enjoy suffering from eternal pain in your crotch, assholes.

Leaving the pile of downed guards behind me, I left the area and headed straight for the Adventurers’ Guild.

The moment I stepped inside, the receptionists all stared at me in utter shock.

Ignoring them, I walked over to the bulletin board, and then Kanna, the receptionist who had turned me over to the guards in the first place, awkwardly spoke to me.

“I-I’m glad to see you were released safely.”

“Yeah, that’s right. I got out safely, even though I was crucified and beaten half to death. It was quite the educational experience. Thank you very much.”

“Um, Lord Kakeru… You’re angry, aren’t you?”

…Yes, obviously?

I kind of thought an apology might be appropriate, but instead she skipped right past that and went with, “You’re angry, aren’t you?” Because of your careless little sexual-harassment accusation, I got thrown into jail, and my paid item “Substitute Doll” got beaten to the point it was practically wrecked. Reflect on your actions, damn it.

If I hadn’t switched out at that moment, I would’ve been the one who went through all that.

“You turned someone over to the guards on a passing emotional impulse. Did you seriously think I wouldn’t be angry?”

The moment I said that, the atmosphere in the Adventurers’ Guild froze solid.

Then, right there and then, Kanna bowed her head.

“I-I’m terribly sorry!”

It was a beautiful deepest bow.

She lowered her head so far it looked like her forehead might touch her knees.

But I wasn’t forgiving her.

Because, obviously.

I got turned over to the guards on a passing whim and then got put through torture disguised as “interrogation” by way of the “Substitute Doll,” remember?

“Your apology isn’t necessary. I really did learn a valuable lesson. If you yell sexual harassment, then even if it’s a false accusation, the people around you will blindly believe you and treat the other person like a criminal. It’s truly wonderful. Still, who knew that all it took was putting a hand on someone’s shoulder to get tossed into a cell, tortured, and spat on by guards? It gives me chills just remembering it. Maybe it’s better if I keep my distance from Adventurers’ Guild receptionists from now on. I’d rather not be accused of sexual harassment and handed over to the guards again…”

At my merciless words, Kanna’s face turned pale.

“I-I’m truly sorr…”

“Didn’t I just say your apology wasn’t necessary? Please, raise your head.”

“I-I can’t…”

Kanna kept her eyes fixed on the floor and didn’t move.

The other receptionists in the Adventurers’ Guild were all avoiding eye contact with me too.

Well, after throwing that many warning shots, it should’ve been enough.

I casually kept looking at the bulletin board, and then someone came down the stairs.

“Well now, well now. What exactly is going on here? Why does it feel like a wake in here?”

So he finally came out… the Adventurers’ Guild’s Vice Guildmaster.

“Oh? Oh ho ho ho? Why, if it isn’t Kakeru, our S-rank adventurer.”

“Kakeru? Who’s that?”

Just as I was about to leave the Adventurers’ Guild, the Vice Guildmaster put a hand on my shoulder.

“…What do you want?”

“There’s no need for that tone, is there? I’m the Adventurers’ Guild’s Vice Guildmaster, you know?”

“…And what of it? I’ll sue you for sexual harassment, you bastard.”

The moment I muttered that, Kanna, who still hadn’t raised her head from that deepest bow, twitched.

“Hm? Sexual harassment? What in the world are you talking about?”

“Oh? You didn’t hear me? I said I’ll sue you for sexual harassment. You see, I break out in hives whenever a man touches me. Ahh, itchy. Also, that receptionist bowing over there had me turned over to the guards and sent to jail, by the way.”

“Hm? Why were you sent to jail?”

“Oh, for the exact same thing you just did. I put a hand on someone’s shoulder, got labeled for sexual harassment, and got turned over to the guards. More importantly, would you mind taking your hand off my shoulder? I really will sue you for sexual harassment, you know?”

With that, I brushed his hand away, and the Vice Guildmaster turned his gaze toward Kanna.

“What exactly is going on here? Why is he this angry?”

“I-I’m terribly sorry!”

“‘I’m terribly sorry’ doesn’t really help me much. I need you to explain why…”

“T-That’s…”

Even the Vice Guildmaster looked troubled by this.

“…Well, fine. Kakeru. I, the Vice Guildmaster of the Adventurers’ Guild, have come out here personally. In consideration of me, could you forgive her?”

“Sure. If you’re willing to accept my conditions.”

“Your conditions, hm? Very well. All right, everyone, return to your normal duties. Kakeru, come with me.”

“…Understood.”

With that, I headed to the Vice Guildmaster’s office.

The moment we entered the room, he looked straight at me.

“…So then, what is it you want?”

“It’s not exactly that I want something, but could you stop hounding me over the recovery potions from now on?”

“Hm. And why is that?”

“I think you understand the reason perfectly well, Vice Guildmaster.”

The Vice Guildmaster put a hand to his chin and fell into deep thought.