Morning sunlight filtered through the tiny ventilation slits high in the dungeon wall, narrow enough that only a mouse could squeeze through, stingily casting a few hazy beams into the gloom.
The heavy sound of iron boots approached from the distance, breaking the peaceful snoring in the dungeon.
"Wake up! You bunch of... utterly unreasonable people!"
Sena's voice sounded terribly hoarse. Clearly, last night's sudden terrorist attack at the city gate had kept her awake all night.
She pushed open the cell door. Her usually crisp prosecutor's uniform was now slightly wrinkled, and the dark circles under her eyes were so heavy they looked like someone had punched her twice.
Kōichi rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up, then casually patted Kazuma, who was still drooling.
Dust, on the other hand, reacted instantly. The moment he saw Sena's icy, pretty face, he flashed what he thought was a charming smile, though in reality it made people want to hit him. He even pushed his luck and gave a whistle.
"Yo, Sena-san, morning. Sleep well last night? I dreamed about you, you know. Especially that..."
"Shut up, you filthy lowlife!"
Sena reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her pale face instantly flushed red. She rolled her eyes in disgust, then completely lost her composure and spat hard onto the hay near Dust's feet.
"If you dare say one more word, I'll petition the judge to throw you into an underground water dungeon packed with tentacle monsters and leave you there until the next century!"
Dust shrank back, sat down in the corner with an awkward grin, and muttered, "Tch, scary woman. It was pretty soft, though..."
Sena took several deep breaths to suppress the urge to murder him, then turned to Kōichi and Kazuma. Her eyes were filled with suspicion and scrutiny.
"Kōichi Hayashi. Kazuma Satou. Last night, a powerful Explosion Magic attack occurred at the city gate. The entire city guard was sent to provide support, and more than half the dungeon guards were withdrawn... Why didn't you two take the chance to escape? Based on the logic of criminals accused of subversion, that should have been your best opportunity."
Kazuma immediately understood. He puffed out his chest and put on the air of a saint with nothing to hide.
"Prosecutor-sama, you're insulting our character! We are the savior heroes of Axel! Even if we've been misunderstood, we still love this country deeply. How could we do something like breaking out of prison and ruin our own reputations? We slept very peacefully last night. In fact, we were worried about the explosion outside and kept praying for the safety of the people."
Kōichi picked up the thread, his tone so sincere even he was almost convinced.
"That's right, Sena-sama. We stayed here so we could prove our innocence openly and honorably at today's trial. That so-called evidence is nothing more than a coincidence of probability. Our refusal to run is the greatest proof of our commitment to justice."
Sena narrowed her eyes at the two of them, whose faces practically had "I'm a good person" written all over them, then glanced at Dust, who was still grinning like an idiot beside them. Her stomach twisted.
The air in the interrogation room was as cold as an ice cellar.
Sena pulled out two heavy wooden chairs and gestured for Kōichi and Kazuma to sit.
At the center of the table sat a silver-white bell engraved with complex runes, giving off a faint blue glow. It was the legendary Bell of Truth.
"Enough nonsense." Sena crossed her arms, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Before the official trial, I need to confirm your identities and backgrounds. Remember, before the Bell of Truth, any lie will be exposed immediately. First question. Who exactly are you? Where did you come from? What hidden purpose did you have in approaching the lord?"
Kōichi and Kazuma exchanged a look. Their taut nerves somehow went off course at that moment because of a strange, pointless pride.
"Ahem. Since you ask so earnestly..." Kazuma straightened the collar of his prison uniform, struck a pose he thought looked incredibly cool, and spoke in a deep voice like a late-night radio host. "The truth is, I was originally the savior of another world. Because I was too powerful, the gods feared me and exiled me to this world of suffering. I came here to use my superhuman wisdom and unparalleled luck to guide the ignorant masses toward the light..."
"CLANG!!!"
The Bell of Truth let out a deafening roar so loud it nearly knocked Kazuma off his chair. Its blue glow instantly turned a glaring blood-red.
"Ah, my mistake." Kazuma awkwardly rubbed his ears, stubbornly trying to save face. "Maybe the definition of savior was too broad just now, and the bell didn't understand. Kōichi, you do it. Tell her our true identities."
Kōichi sneered and put on the expression of a hermit who had seen through all worldly affairs.
"Sena-sama, the truth is, I am the sole heir of an ancient magical family hidden deep in the mountains. I appeared in Axel because I foresaw the threat of the Demon King's Army and decided to conceal my identity, quietly protecting the peace of this world as an ordinary adventurer. As for the lord's manor... that was purely an accident caused by my magic being too powerful and triggering a planar fluctuation..."
"CLANG!!! CLANG!!!"
The bell not only rang, but even began trembling violently, as if Kōichi's lie was so absurd it had insulted the bell's intelligence.
"Enough!!!"
Sena slammed the table, veins on her forehead twitching wildly like earthworms.
She grabbed an enforcement staff as thick as a baby's arm from the rack beside her and smashed it onto the table with a heavy bang.
"You two lying bastards! Do you think this is a circus?!" Sena's roar shook dust from the ceiling. "Listen carefully! If you dare make up any more garbage about saviors or hidden ancient families, I'll immediately charge you with contempt of court and fraud and apply to have you beaten to death on the spot! No need to wait for tomorrow. I'll send you to meet the Goddess right now!"
The interrogation room instantly went so quiet that they could have heard a needle drop.
Kōichi and Kazuma shrank back, staring at the staff gleaming with cold light, finally realizing that this prosecutor really was on the verge of exploding.
"O-Okay, I'll tell the truth. I'll tell the truth, all right...?" Kazuma swallowed, his eyes drifting around. He muttered under his breath while frantically glancing at Kōichi from the corner of his eye, as if hoping for some sort of emotional support.
He took a deep breath, as though making an enormous decision, then spoke in a trembling voice.
"The truth is... I was originally just an ordinary NEET. You know, the kind of shut-in deadbeat who stays home playing games every day, doesn't go outside, doesn't socialize, and even gets looked down on by his parents. That day, I went out to buy a limited-edition game, and while trying to save a girl who wasn't actually in any danger, I scared myself to death... That's right. I wet my pants and got scared to death by a tractor. Then a nasty Goddess laughed at me and sent me here..."
Silence.
The Bell of Truth remained perfectly still. Even its faint blue glow seemed to soften, as if it sympathized with that unbelievably tragic true story.
"Pfft! Hahahahahaha!!"
Kōichi finally could not hold it in anymore. He braced himself against the table and burst into deranged laughter, tears nearly flying from his eyes.
"Every time I hear that, I can't help it! Hahahaha! A death like that deserves to be recorded in the history books of another world!"
"Shut up, you bastard!!" Kazuma's face turned bright red as he roared in shame and fury. "Go ahead and say yours, then! You think you're any better than me?!"
Sena's expression had shifted from livid to something indescribably complicated. She turned her head, her exhausted, searching eyes locking onto Kōichi as she lightly tapped the staff against the table.
"Well then, Mr. Heir to the Ancient Magical Family, it's your turn. Begin your performance, or... tell the truth."
Kōichi stopped laughing and cleared his throat twice, trying to preserve his last shred of dignity. But under the pressure of the staff and the bell, he could only slump in his chair like a deflated balloon.