The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Anxiety rising, the guard stood up.

Just then, a faint voice reached his ears.

"...Water..."

It was barely audible, a whisper he could only discern with focused attention.

‘Could she have been muttering that word this whole time? Was Jei actually asking for help, and he simply hadn't heard?’

"Hey, Jei! The water is right there in front of you!"

A water container had already been placed inside Selena's cell. The purpose of imprisoning her was simply to restrain her, not to torture her.

If she could just muster the strength to sit up and reach out, she could grab the container.

Yet, Selena continued to repeat the word "water" like a madwoman.

The guard stood up and looked into the cell.

Up close, Selena's condition appeared even more dire. Four days without food or water had taken their toll.

"Jei! Jei! Snap out of it! The water is right there!"

"...Water..."

‘Damn it!’

The guard retrieved his keys and unlocked the cell door.

Selena's hands were already bound with restraining cuffs designed to prevent the use of Aura, magic, and Shadow Transference. It was a necessary precaution; if transference were possible, the prison would be meaningless.

"Jei! Here's the water. Come on, pull yourself together and..."

Swish!

The guard thought he had taken about three steps forward, carrying the water container.

But in the next instant, he found himself staring at the ceiling of the cell. Selena was straddling his body.

It was the same technique she had used to subdue Frondier.

"...Huh?"

The guard, still disoriented, let out a bewildered sound.

In the dim darkness, Selena appeared almost like a silhouette. Her long hair cascaded down.

Looking down at the man, she slowly reached out and grabbed the water container he had brought. Her head tilted slightly as she drank, and a few drops of water trickled down her delicate chin.

After four days, the water tasted incredibly sweet, and Selena drank it with a captivating, almost chilling allure.

"H-how... how did you... the restraints..."

Seeing that Selena's hands were free, the man stammered in shock.

The restraining cuffs, which had appeared to be secured, were actually undone. No, the very idea of worrying about the cuffs coming loose was absurd.

"As a thank you for your help, I'll explain."

Selena's free hand, the one not holding the water container, came into view. Between her index and middle fingers, she held a needle.

"I used this to unlock them. It's a simple trick that requires neither Mana nor Aura."

"...B-but how? Any such weapons should have been confiscated before you entered the prison."

The man was well aware of the design of Selena's clothing. The personnel who had searched her knew exactly where she could hide needles and how many she carried.

"Because I modified it. Just enough space to insert one, between the fabric at my waist."

"Modified? When did you..."

"I went to a department store."

‘A department store?’

An unexpected word popped out.

When would someone from Manggot have the opportunity to visit a department store?

"...Frondier took you there, didn't he?"

"Yes. You're quite perceptive."

"I heard that fool was completely smitten with you. It seems to be true."

Selena didn't respond to that. Her gaze briefly shifted to the side.

"Even so, how could you unlock the restraining cuffs with just a needle? They're not ordinary handcuffs."

If the cuffs could be opened with a simple lockpicking technique, then any petty thief who could pick locks would be able to escape. These were not so easily defeated.

Yet, Selena had managed to unlock them.

The answer was surprisingly simple.

"Because I know the structure of these cuffs. I practiced a bit, too."

"...You know the structure?"

The restraining cuffs were a product of magic engineering. In other words, they were ultimately a piece of technology.

If someone thoroughly understood their design, and possessed Selena's exceptional skill with needles, unlocking them would be possible.

However, the premise itself should have been impossible.

"How did you figure out the design? How could you even see their structure! And what do you mean by 'practice'..."

"Unfortunately," Selena interrupted, her voice low.

Prick.

The needle in her hand gently pierced the back of the man's neck.

She hadn't killed him, but he wouldn't wake up for at least half a day unless someone threw him into the ocean.

"That's a secret."

Selena tucked the needle away and stood up.

"I apologize. But at least you won't die sleeping here. And no one will blame you."

She offered a brief apology, then looked up towards the ceiling, towards the cliff face of Manggot.

‘...This rune.’

Its immense size, the familiar scent of Mana...

It was so unmistakable and clear.

The moment Selena first felt this Mana, she almost broke her act of exhaustion.

Frondier had come.

He had reached the place where she was held captive.

Even though she knew this wasn't solely for her sake, Selena struggled to contain the surge of emotions within her.

"...He really came to save me."

Selena had asked Frondier to rescue her.

While Belphegor believed Frondier had deliberately missed to ensure Manggot's complete annihilation, Selena knew the truth.

'Belphegor must have gone out to confront Frondier. He's not inside Manggot right now.'

If her only goal was to escape this prison, Selena could have done so at any time.

However, with Belphegor lurking within Manggot, it would have been pointless. Escaping a small prison would only leave her trapped within a larger one.

But at this moment...

Frondier had signaled her escape from Belphegor's surveillance using the rune.

"He truly saved me..."

Frondier had already kept his promise to Selena.

That alone was enough for her.

"Now then."

Selena took a deep breath and exhaled.

Shadows seemed to approach her as if entranced, and she sank deeper into the darkness.

"I have to do my part."

As much as she wanted to use transference immediately, she couldn't.

Transference meant arriving beside someone.

With her shadow connection to Frondier severed, the only places Selena could transfer to were the locations of other Manggot members.

Using transference in that way would instantly reveal her escape from the prison.

"Right, first things first."

Selena examined herself, specifically her attire.

The clothes Manggot had given her, one of the many outfits intended to seduce Frondier.

─You even wore that ridiculous outfit from there? Couldn't you find a place to change?

─Next time, wear something normal, whatever it is.

─After this trip is over, we'll go shopping for clothes.

─When we go shopping for your clothes, I should buy some new ones too.

"Yes, let's change clothes first."

She had brought several better options than this trashy outfit.

"Time to return to my usual attire."

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