My Gacha System: Starting with a Divine Talent Tree.-Chapter 27: The Ravencourt Town [4]

"ONE DOWN!!" he roared with a heartfelt laugh. "THE REST WILL DIE—."

Yerrick punched the boy, knocking him out in just a split second.

The boy dropped instantly.

Blood dripping from his cheek, the shard of glass still stuck between his fingers.

The entire chamber went dead silent, even the prisoners stopped breathing.

Yerrick flexed his knuckles, annoyed, as if he’d just swatted a fly.

"Tch. Another little monster." He grabbed the boy by the hair.

"Throw him in the pit. If he’s still alive by morning, brand him again."

Two guards rushed forward, pale and shaking, and dragged the unconscious boy away.

Eden stared at the boy for a long while before his gaze turned towards Yerrick.

’...He is strong.’

Eden thought, keeping his gaze on the man for a long second.

He only shifted his focus when he felt Abel tapping on his chest.

"....Let’s go." Abel whispered, leading the way.

Eden followed behind him as he kept his body low.

Abel pressed a finger to his lips and pointed to the narrow side corridor.

It was the path that led to the private wing.

There were no guards present and Yerrick’s attention was preoccupied.

"Move," Abel mouthed.

They slipped along the wall, making sure not to make any noise.

The area was dimly lit with close to no visibility that kept them hidden.

They reached the crates stacked near the iron door.

Abel crouched behind one and motioned Eden close.

"We need a plan," Abel whispered.

Eeden nodded. "What about the key? Yerrick’s probably carrying it."

"No," Abel murmured, studying the door. "There’s no keyhole."

Eden looked again. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Abel was right.

Instead of a lock, the door had a strange circular indentation.

"What do you think opens it?" Eden whispered.

Abel glanced toward Yerrick, who was barking orders again. "...I don’t know."

"So... we follow one?" Eden guessed.

"Or," Abel said slowly, "we drag one."

Eden blinked. "Drag? As in—"

A sudden loud clang echoed through the chamber.

Both boys peered around the crates.

A new man had entered the hall through the opposite tunnel.

He was a tall man who was wearing a cloak to cover his entire body.

The guards instantly straightened and even Yerrick stiffened.

"Supervisor Arven!" a guard shouted, saluting.

Eden and Abel exchanged a glance.

Bingo.

The new arrival walked straight toward the private wing door.

Eden’s pulse quickened. "He’ll open it..."

"And when he does," Abel whispered, eyes narrowing, "that’s our way inside."

Eden nodded slowly.

The man approached the door and took something circular out of his pocket.

Abel and Eden hid as they waited for the right moment.

As soon as the door opened—

"Now." Abel mouthed.

Abel didn’t wait.

The moment the iron door cracked open, he burst from behind the crates.

Eden followed instantly, heart hammering in his chest.

Supervisor Arven had only begun to step through when Abel’s hand shot out.

He grabbed the man’s hood and pushed him inside with a force that made the man stumble.

"What—!?"

Eden didn’t let him finish.

He lunged, slamming his shoulder into the man’s chest and shoving him deeper into the narrow door.

The door swung shut behind them.

Before the supervisor could call out, Abel jammed his palm over the man’s mouth and whispered coldly:

"Make a sound and I’ll break your jaw."

Arven’s eyes widened in panic.

Eden quickly kicked his legs out from under him.

The man dropped hard, cloak pooling around him.

Abel knelt on his back, pinning him down effortlessly.

Eden crouched in front of him. "The thing you used to open the door. Give it to me."

Arven’s breath hitched. His hands twitched, reaching for something but Abel twisted his arm.

Crack!

"A-aa—!"

Eden hissed. "Don’t do that! Someone will hear—"

"This corridor is soundproof," Abel muttered, glancing at the glowing sigils on the walls.

Eden exhaled shakily. "...I see."

Abel nodded toward Arven. "Take it from him."

Eden hesitated for half a second, then reached into the man’s inner pocket.

He took out the cold metallic disk.

"Wait! No!"

Arven’s eyes flared in panic as he tried to move.

Abel grabbed the head of the man and....

Crack!

Broke his neck.

Eden quickly moved back as he glared at Abel. "What the fuck?"

"What?" Abel asked, snatching the disc away. "He was of no use to us."

Abel pocketed the metal disc and faced the inside of the corridor.

Taking in a deep breath, he began to walk inside the dimly lit place.

At the end of the corridor, there was another door.

He pressed the disc into the circular indentation.

The sigils lit up with a dull red glow...

...then the door began to creak open.

A wave of cold air washed over them and the faint scent of perfume and blood.

Eden stepped in first.

Abel walking just behind him. "Stay alert."

Eden nodded as he felt his heart tremble.

Because from the very first step inside, he could already tell... the private wing was worse.

....Much worse.

There were hundreds of small cages within the place.

Much to their shock, each one of the cages had a girl trapped inside it.

Most of them were asleep or too weak to even talk.

There were a lot of them who turned to look at them.

But Eden couldn’t see hope in any of their eyes.

It was nothing but blankness in them.

.....Like they were truly broken.

’...What type of sick world am I being thrown into?’

Eeden for once thought about the life that he has right now.

And once again he remembered who was the one who ruled this place.

...It was none other than Lucifer himself.

"...How long have they been like this?" Eden whispered softly.

"Hey!" A voice much stronger echoed within the place. "Is that you, Abel?"

Eden froze and so did Abel.

Both boys turned sharply toward the source of the voice.

It came from deeper inside the private wing.

A teenage girl sat with her hands bound and legs shackled to the ground.

"Abel Ramsay," the girl said again, voice rough. "Do you remember me?"

Abel’s breath caught in his throat as he slowly walked towards the girl.

Eden glanced at him and for the first time since they arrived in Ravencourt, Abel’s expression wasn’t cold or calculating.

It was... shaken.

"...You know her?" Eden whispered.

Abel didn’t answer.

The girl lifted her head fully now, and despite the grime, despite the bruises, despite the blood dried on her neck....

....She looked hopeful.

"You remember me right?" She asked again, her voice low.

Eden blinked. "Hey, Abel?"

Abel ignored him entirely.

He strode forward and stopped right in front of her cage.

"...Rinea," Abel said quietly.

Eden’s eyebrows shot up. "You DO know her," he said. "Who is she anyway?"

"A friend." He spoke softly. "I knew when I stayed in capital."

Abel quickly moved and began freeing the girl from her bounds.

Abel’s jaw clenched. "...What happened to you?"

"...I was kidnapped." She spoke bitterly. "And before I knew it, I was here."

Eden turned to look around him as his gaze landed on the other girls.

....They were still not reacting.

"...What happened to them?" He wondered aloud.

And Rinea heard his words.

"They are being controlled." She said, looking at him. "....By the man who brought us here."

"Controlled?" Eden mumbled, looking at her. "...By Mirth?"

The girl’s eyes widened. "You know him?"

Eden just nodded as he looked back at the girls. "How do we free them?"

The girl didn’t speak as Abel freed her from her bounds.

"...You can’t." She spoke, her voice low. "You can only kill them."