I stood there shocked as Princess Jeanne opened the prison cell.
Hikai: What are you doing?
Jeanne: You should escape.
Hikai: Escape?
Jeanne: Yes, something is wrong with Father. I do not believe that he is of sound mind right now and that is why I want you to escape.
Hikai: How am I supposed to escape, though?
Jeanne: Don’t worry about that.
Then the two guards behind Jeanne suddenly threw two Poles at me.
Hikai: Woah.
When I caught both of them, Diana was the first to react.
Diana: Grandfather!
She went inside one of the Poles.
Hikai: What? If you have these poles then those two must be.
The two guards removed their masks.
Zack: Really, just when will you stop making trouble?
Hikai: It’s not like I wanted this to happen.
Ester: We’re here to help out! It’s a prison break!
Hikai: Thanks but what do we plan to do now?
Jeanne: Well-
The door opened and 10 guards entered the room.
Guard: What is going on here!?
Zack: Tch, I guess we’ve got no choice.
Ester: Let’s go!
The three of us fought against them.
Hikai: Alright let g-grh.
I tried to move forward but I suddenly hit the wall.
Zack: What the hell are you doing?
Hikai: Ouch. Damn, what the heck?
Ester: Ohhh. Amazing, is that your new move?
Hikai: New move?
Ester: You moved so fast that you knocked out two people just by running into them.
Hikai: Eh? I didn’t even feel them.
Ester: Maybe it’s because of your new body?
Hikai: Status.
I tried to check my status but it didn’t appear.
Hikai: Eh? What’s going on? Why won’t my status appear?
I wondered what was going on but more guards entered the prison.
Jeanne: Think about it later. We have to get you out here first.
Everyone: Right!
We ran out of where they were holding me.
Hikai: How many floors does this place have?
Jeanne: There are five floors here.
Hikai: Which floor are we in?
Jeanne: The 5th one.
Hikai: So I’m in the lowest part huh?
Jeanne: Yes.
Hikai: How exactly do we get out of here?
Jeanne: We’ll have to take the stairs. Although each staircase is located at the other end of the prison so we’ll have to go through the whole prison to get out.
Zack: Such a hassle.
Ester: Can’t we just break through the ceiling?
Jeanne: Do you intend to make the whole prison fall on us?
Ester: Ehhhh. Fine, we’re just going to have to go through all the guards then!
We ran towards the stairs.
Jeanne: More guards!
We defeated the guards that were blocking us. By “we” I mean Zack and Ester.
Hikai: Damnit! My body is not moving how I want it to.
Zack: Stop running into walls already.
Ester: Are you trying to leave your mark in the prison?
Hikai: Shut up. I can’t move my body properly. Its totally different now.
After fighting through more guards we finally arrived at the fourth floor.
Zack: Seriously, how big is this place?
Ester: We still have four floors to go? Can’t I just destroy this place already?
We were still running as we arrived in the middle of the floor. There was someone there waiting for us.
Ryuji: Yo.
It was Yamamoto Ryuji.
Hikai: Wait a minute.
Everyone suddenly looked towards me.
Hikai: Are you alone?
Ryuji: Yeah.
Hikai: Don’t tell me that there’s one hero per floor.
Ryuji: Eh? How did you know that?
Hikai: Seriously? I wonder who thought about that.
I thought to a certain blonde haired girl.
Hikai: And? You want us to stay one by one here to fight you?
Ryuji: That is what she said that you would do.
I scratched the back of my head.
Hikai: But there’s only three of us who can fight here so aren’t we at a disadvantage here?
Ryuji: Who knows?
Ester: Then I’ll do it.
Ester suddenly faced off against Ryuji.
Zack: We should just beat him with all of us and leave already.
Ester: Shut up and go already!
I shrugged my shoulders since I could guess what was coming next.
Ester: Leave this place to me!
Ester charged at Ryuji as she said that.
Ryuji: Let’s go!
Ester: Ohhhhh!!
Knuckle to knuckle, fist to fist their battle begins.
Zack: Seriously that girl. She definitely just wanted to say that.
Hikai: I kind of understand that. Come on, let’s just go.
Now there was only the three of us left.
Zack: When will these guards end!?
I was finally able to move without hitting the walls.
Hikai: I guess I’ve adjusted a bit now.
Jeanne: There’s the stairs!
We finally reached the 3rd floor.
Zack: Does this mean that one of those guys will be waiting here?
Hikai: Yeah, that’s probably the case.
Zack: Hah, let’s just go.
The three of us walked towards the middle of the floor.
Takeshi: So you’re here.
And as Zack predicted, the one who was waiting was Kazama Takeshi.
Takeshi: Have you found your answer?
Hikai: I’m not sure.
Takeshi: Is that so?
Hikai: But I will face her. I will know when I see her.
Zack: So are you just going to ignore us like that?
Jeanne: I don’t really mind though.
Takeshi: So? Which one of you will fight me?
Takeshi looked towards us and pointed at Zack.
Takeshi: I guess you’ll do.
Zack: Hah? What do you mean by I’ll do?
Takeshi: Go, mistress is waiting.
Zack: Tch, just get out of here already.
Now there were only two of us.
Jeanne: There seems to be no more guards here.
We reached the staircase to the second floor.
Hikai: Let’s rest up here for a bit.
Jeanne: Eh? Don’t we have to hurry?
Hikai: Yeah but I’m pretty sure that you’re tired so let’s take a breather okay?
Princess Jeanne seemed hesitant but she still sat down the stairs.
Hikai: By the way, where’s Oscar?
Jeanne: He’s on break.
Hikai: Seriously?
Jeanne: Yes.
Hikai: Hah. We have another problem here.
Jeanne: Hmm?
Hikai: There are still two of them but you can’t fight right?
Jeanne: Yes, I can’t fight.
Hikai: So how does this work?
Jeanne: What exactly do you mean?
Hikai: There’s two of us and two of them but you can’t fight so it’s really just the two of them and me. I’m not even sure that I can win against one of them and even in the slim chance that I do so, I still have to fight another one?
I agonized on what may happen.
Jeanne: Ah, but didn’t Takeshi say that Kei wants to talk so maybe you won’t have to fight her?
Hikai: Maybe but that still doesn’t give me any advantage whatsoever huh.
I tried to find a way but I still couldn’t find a answer. My body feeling different didn’t help me at all either.
Hikai: Argh! I don’t want to think about it anymore. Let’s just go.
Jeanne: Yes, by the way what were you and Takeshi talking about?
Hikai: Don’t mind it. It’s something between us. Something related to our past.
Jeanne: If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s fine. Let us go.
My answer huh, if the promise still hasn’t been broken then I’ve been misunderstanding her this whole time. But what exactly do I do with that information?
Jeanne: What should we do?
Kei: ….
The one waiting for us was Hotaru Kei.
Hikai: So it’s her. I guess you’re the one going on first Princess.
Jeanne: Eh? Wait, why me?
Hikai: You see, I think she wants us to have a talk with only the two of us.
Jeanne: Did you forget that I cannot fight?
I tried to hand her one of the poles on my back.
Hikai: They probably won’t hurt you since you’re the Princess.
Jeanne: If that’s what you think then why are you handing me that pole!?
Hikai: Well they may attack you because the only ones who will try to go outside are the ones trying to escape after all.
Jeanne: Then doesn’t that mean that I’m not safe at all!
Seemingly fed up with out exchange, Kei finally spoke.
Kei: Just go Princess. Beatrix is waiting.
Jeanne: What about the guards?
Kei: There are no guards between me and Beatrix so you don’t have to worry about them.
Jeanne: Eh? But-
Hikai: Please Princess.
I bowed to her.
Jeanne: Fine. I’m going on ahead. I’ll be waiting with Beatrix.
The Princess went towards the stairs to the first floor. When she was finally out of sight that was when I spoke.
Hikai: I believe that we both have something to say.
Kei: Hmph.
Hikai: I have misunderstood something this whole time.
Kei: What?
Hikai: It seems that I still have a promise to uphold.
~Chapter 30 End~
