Kotori awoke in a cell with Amelie.

It seemed she had been transported here after the incident with Yooma. Amelie was sitting in a corner with a sad expression

"Awake?"

Kotori nodded

It seemed that Yooma was at least nice enough to not section them off into separate cells.

Amelie had a sad expression

"It seems we won't be going home for a while," she said

Indeed Yooma had told them there was a high likelihood they would be executed. Kotori still felt that it was rather excessive. The ban on the smuggling of monster materials made sense but why would they make the punishment death for such a petty crime.

Amelie who had come to the city for a fun adventurer life like her mother was now facing capital punishment far from home. For a person who was likely homesick in some manner she was probably not dealing with it very well.

Kotori pated her head empathetically. She herself was concerned about their situation as well but kept a naive hope that it would work out somehow.

Incidentally, Shun and Anya who was with them in the sewers were nowhere to be found. Not that it particularly bothered Kotori. They were mostly an annoyance anyway. Still, she wondered about their situation. Unlike Kotori and Amelie they were essentially small fry.

Kotori could not find her spirit and they were not in the cell with her. Their absence was sorely missed. She hadn't been without them for a while now and it was unsettling even if she loathed their presence in the beginning.

The celled was barren absent the cot Kotori was in. Though, there was a small chamber pot for excrement. There was a wooden door that was reinforced with iron strips Kotori didn't need to test it to know that it was locked. There was a small window that was filled with iron bars that filled the stone cell with a modicum of light.

[From one prison to another]

Kotori who had woken up from the bizarre dream now mused grimly about her situation.

[Still who was that women]

Kotori was unsettled by the content of her recent dream. To call it a dream was an understatement. It felt too real to be a dream. The feeling of the shackles and chains and the warm hand of the beautiful woman were still burned into her memory and didn't fade with time. Although Kotori was sure she was physically present in the cell with Amelie. It also felt like the location in her dream was deeply and intimately familiar with her. She was simultaneously both here and "there"

Based on the amount of sunlight coming into the cell it was just about midday which meant that Kotori and Amelie had been in this cell for around half a day

A small knock came at the door and a small slit underneath was opened. Two trays of food were brought in.

The trays were wooden and on them, they held two loaves of tough bread and a small bowl of thin stew. It was surprisingly decent fare considering the fact they were prisoners.

They silently ate their meal, both of them knowing that there wasn't much they could do. Kotori was thinking about ways of getting out of the cage but with her spirits missing she didn't want to do anything rash.

More time passed and eventually, they heard a shuffling at the door. A sound of a pair of keys jingling and then the sounds of two heavy locks being opened.

The door opened shortly after and a figure walked in.

Kotori instantly was on edge.

She looked to her right to see that Amelie was also equally on edge after seeing the man.

The man that had walked in was the one who had taken them down in the sewers,

Yooma.

"What do you want?" Kotori said. Her still childlike voice betraying any sort of hostile intent she could've transmitted

[Curse this girl body] she thought

Despite being quite cute and able to gain sympathy, it was at times like that that Kotori wished for a more mature body.

Yooma was wearing plain clothes and unarmed. Though, being unarmed meant nothing anyway since he could materialize weapons via magics.

He still held up his arms anyway in a show of good faith.

"Kotori Amelie calm down"

Kotori was briefly confused at why he knew their names until she remembered that she and Amelie had written their names in a visitor registry. Yooma likely figured it out from there.

"Why are you here!" Kotori spat "Coming to gloat?"

Yooma respectfully bowed and said

"I mean no offense Hiki-Sama"*

*Author Note Small cultural explanation here! The "sama" honorific here is used to sort of emulate the way a samurai would sound(Stereotypically humble). Sama is a respectful version of "san" used for someone who you think is above you in social status, it's closest English equivalent is the English "Sir" or "Madam", but Sama is gender-neutral. Hiki is Kotori's last name and since using first names is considered impolite except among friends/lovers.

[This guy,] Kotori thought

The tone he was using was excessively respectful all things considered. She was sure this was just his normal pattern of speaking and it pissed her off even more.

"I am deeply sorry for the conditions we have put you under. I am to blame" He said bowing deeply

"Don't you think it's rude to visit the people you are about to put to death?" Kotori said sneering

Yooma this time changed expression, looking a little indignant.

"I'm here for the exact reason"

"Why, you want to gloat?" Kotori asked

He sighed, "I have an offer for you."

"One where you don't die"