Chapter 8

The crane bill stopped with a high-pitched sound.

The shock to the blade transmitted as fine vibrations through the arm, and Suko's eyes were stained with despair.

It's over.

It's all over.

The crane bill, which he had clutched every night for a year, felt unbearably heavy.

As the crane bill fell from his stiffened fingers, Azayu's voice came from behind.

"…Let's go. Suko. We need to think of the next move."

The next move?

There's no such thing.

The tower, built of massive stones, has no known method of dismantling. It is said that removing even one stone would cause all the stones to collapse, the Tower of the Silent Guilty. Who could have imagined that the stones would extend underground?

A firm finger landed on Suko's shoulder, which had fallen silent.

"What are you going to do with this? The prince is enduring alone in the tower!"

Though Suko couldn't fail to understand the meaning of the sound he heard, Azayu's voice was not lacking in spirit.

If this were not a narrow tunnel where one could not even stand, Azayu's fist would have flown to Suko's cheek.

Every time Suko showed signs of weakness, Azayu reprimanded him.

They had cried together, patted each other on the shoulder, and come this far.

They had flattered the foolish nobles surrounding Queen Tomeyu, and come this far, even at the cost of the pride of a former general. They could have done this only because Azayu was there.

"I'm sorry. You're right."

Strength returned to Suko's eyes.

Azayu smiled with relief.

The two retraced their steps along the path they had dug for a year.

The faint light from the moonstone embedded in the helmet illuminated the tunnel.

Looking at the clumsily nailed reinforcement boards, Suko steeled his heart.

For those who had never dug a hole before, it was a process of trial and error. At first, it seemed impossible. However, they had reached the tower. Though they had not been able to save the prince, who was blocked by the rock, they had managed to dig to the tower. No matter how difficult something is, you can't start without trying.

Suko firmly etched the scene of the tunnel, which he would see for the last time, in his heart.

When they reached the dead end, the sound of a bellows came from above. The cook, who was their collaborator, was sending air into the tunnel.

Climbing the ladder, the cook's round face broke into a smile.

"Lord Suko, Lord Azayu, you have worked hard."

The cook was a dear companion who had shared the hardships of the past year. Suko always felt relieved when he saw the cook's friendly smile after emerging from the dark, suffocating tunnel.

However, today, Suko was to be struck with astonishment.

On the kitchen table in front of the cook, a square area glowed, and a woman wrapped in a white cloth was shedding tears.

"…Is this a dream? Or an illusion?"

"No, I can see her too, Suko."

In response to Suko's murmur, Azayu's voice returned.

Azayu's voice, which was usually unflappable, was hoarse.

The woman, who had been crying quietly, raised her gaze at the sound of Suko and Azayu's voices.

Suko's body stiffened as he met her dark eyes. He remembered the stories of witches his mother used to tell him as bedtime stories when he was a child.

All the children of Iwaburo were raised with the warning, "If you do bad things, the witch will come to take you as her companion." For a few years until he realized it was a means of discipline, Suko was terrified of the existence of witches and tried harder than anyone to be a good child.

He had long known that witches did not exist. Yet, to think that they really did…

The witch looked at Suko and Azayu alternately with a dazed expression.

Her pursed lips clearly conveyed her bad mood.

The witch opened her mouth.

"Hey, you two, have a drink."

Suko instinctively covered his nose.

The witch was terribly drunk.

"What, this drunk witch…"

The witch is said to be a frightening figure, dressed in black rags, with eyes that glow in the dark, who roams from house to house at night, searching for the child who has done the most mischief in the country that day. When she finds her target, she traps the child in a gourd hanging from her waist and takes them away.

Suko had never heard of a witch who was half-naked and wrapped in a tube.

Suko, who had been deflated, moved closer to the cook. The cook took an empty cup from under the kitchen table and handed it to Suko. His breath was slightly alcoholic.

"Cook… are you drinking too?"

The cook chuckled and scratched his cheek.

"It's quite a fine wine."

"It's a wine with ice grass. Of course. Here, drink up."

Without thinking, Suko took the cup, and the witch extended her honey-colored arm to pour the wine.

Suko's gaze fell on the wine that was poured to the brim.

Unlike the fruit wine he was used to, it was clear like water and had no acidic smell. His throat made a gulping sound. His throat was dry from the dusty tunnel digging, and he was thirsty for wine. However, he hesitated to drink the witch's wine.

A loud thud echoed.

Looking up, Suko saw the witch's clenched fist on the kitchen table.

"What, you can't drink my wine? Fine, fine. I'm just a stupid woman who can't even save one child, anyway."

Suko was taken aback by the witch, who had suddenly burst into tears.

Azayu stood beside Suko.

"Have you lost a child… even a witch is pitiable."

The witch glared at Azayu with tears in her eyes.

"What!? I haven't lost a child."

She started to get angry again. The witch was busy.

Leaning forward, the witch grabbed Azayu's collar.

"Or did you just now talk about my child? Do I look like I have children!?"

"…I'm sorry."

Azayu apologized with a troubled face.

The witch bowed her head as if in defeat.

"It's fine, fine. I'm not the kind of person who deserves an apology."

The witch, who had started crying again, grabbed Azayu's chest and shook him.

Azayu raised both hands, trying to pull the witch off, but frowned, hesitating to touch her bare shoulder. It was typical of the meticulous Azayu.

Suko, who was also at a loss as to how to separate the witch from Azayu, could only stand there.

The witch shook Azayu, and his helmet, which was just resting on his head, slipped off. The helmet hit the kitchen table with a clunk and fell into the witch's glowing orange abode, as if being sucked in.

A splash was heard.

When Suko cautiously tried to peek into the witch's abode, a black eye stopped him.

"Hey, what are you trying to peek at? Pervert."

"It's not that! It's not that! Azayu's helmet fell. Can you get it for me?"

Just because it's different from what you imagined doesn't mean you can have ulterior motives with a mysterious witch.

Suko shook his head frantically to defend himself.

"That's right. My helmet fell there. He certainly didn't peek with any ill intentions…"

Azayu, still with his collar grabbed, supported him.

"Hehehe, Lord Suko is just a man, after all."

The tipsy cook pulled his leg.

The witch's eyes turned fierce.

"What? If you want to see, just say so. I'll show you as much as you want. Even if you see my erect naked body, it might not be worth it."

The witch, muttering something, reached for the cloth wrapped around her body.

"Wait! Don't rush!"

"That's right. Calm down. It's okay. There's still hope!"

Suko desperately tried to calm the witch.

Tilting his head, wondering what Azayu meant by "hope."

"Is that so? Do you really think so? Do you really think so?"

The witch looked at them, stopping her hand.

"I do!"

"Of course. If you wish strongly, a path will open up."

Suko secretly glanced at Azayu's profile. His usually calm partner seemed to be more confused than he was.

Perhaps moved by his sincerity, the witch released the cloth.

Suko let out a sigh of relief.

"Witch, Azayu's helmet is at your feet. I'm sorry, but can you get it for me?"

Dealing with a drunk is always tiring, but the witch is especially so.

Once I get Azayu's helmet back, I'll run away immediately.

When Suko pleaded, the witch finally looked down at her feet.

"Ah, this one?"

Yawning leisurely, the witch squatted down.

Before long, the witch reappeared with a full smile.

"Is the helmet you dropped this shabby glowing one? Or is it this key to the Tower of the Silent Guilty?"

Silence fell.

Suko, Azayu, and even the cook, who should have been quite drunk, just opened their mouths wide and stared at what was in the witch's right hand.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

The witch tilted her head.

"That key…"

"Ah, no no. If you don't tell the truth, it will be confiscated."

The witch shrugged.

Suko gripped the witch's hand.

The fact that the witch was exposing her skin had completely flown out of his mind.

"It's the key. The key, Azayu! Cook! It's the key."

"That's right, it's the key."

"It's the key, sir."

Suko's voice of joy was echoed by the two.

"With this, we can save the prince. We can save Prince Hinoki!"

His hands naturally tightened.

"Ouch. Hey, it hurts."

The witch hit Suko's arm with Azayu's helmet.

"Ah, sorry."

He loosened his grip a little but kept holding the witch's hand. He couldn't let her go and escape.

However, why does the witch have the key to the tower? She should have been able to enter the tower with the prince.

"Witch, have you met the prince?"

"Prince?"

"Yes. This key should have been with the prince."

The witch slowly blinked.

"Did the child who had this key say he was the prince?"

The witch's black eyes focused on Suko's face. The witch was gradually sobering up.

"Yes."

Suko nodded.

"Will you help that child?"

"Yes."

"Are you on the side of the child, not the corrupt stepmother?"

"Yes."

Suko said with determination. The witch pursed her lips, threw the helmet, and shook Suko's hand in return.

"I'm glad… There are allies."

The witch, who seemed to be greatly relieved, bent over as if collapsing. Suko, who was pulled by the hand, lifted his heels and leaned over the kitchen table.

"Witch, I'll fall too."

"Ah, sorry."

The witch let go of his hand. The key was in Suko's hand.

"I feel a weight off my shoulders."

Leaning on the kitchen table, Suko looked down at the witch.

The witch's feet were filled with a transparent liquid.

"Did you enter the tower? Was the prince well?"

He had pretended to pass by the tower, always straining his ears to hear the prince's voice.

Occasionally, he could hear a song, but he had never seen the prince.

"He seemed fine. Very fine. Do you know what that child said to me? You're too old to seduce me. Come back when you're younger."

Azayu snorted.

"Like the prince."

"Yes, really. The prince is well."

Tears welled up in the cook's eyes.

Suko turned to the two.

"Come on, both of you. Let's think of a new plan. The secret envoy should be with the desert king by now."

It's going to get busy.

To rescue the prince with a small force, they needed to plan meticulously.

The current situation was far from optimistic.

Rescuing the prince safely would not be easy. Some might even lose their lives. It could be Suko himself. Greater difficulties than digging a tunnel would stand in their way.

—However.

Suko stared at his right hand.

Hope is in this hand.