Chapter 175: Chapter 174: Subduing the Advanced Level Knight

The conditions in Wushan Castle’s prison were appalling.

It was perpetually dark and damp, the walls covered in mold, and the air thick with a suffocating stench.

Each cell was tiny, barely large enough for a single crude cot. The prisoners confined within this environment never saw the sun and were completely cut off from the outside world, often suffering from hunger and disease.

Many inmates lost their minds within two or three months of their arrival, descending into madness.

According to Lurans, even if Reisen hadn’t been involved in the assassination of Wiggin and Blanche, his title of Baron and the Sain Territory would have been stripped from him anyway.

Therefore, Toru showed no leniency or special treatment toward such a criminal. He had Reisen locked away in the deepest part of the prison, his limbs bound by thick iron chains that not even a Bronze Knight could break.

In addition, Toru arranged for him to be guarded day and night. Though they hadn’t resorted to torture yet, they were already using starvation and sleep deprivation to wear him down.

Until Reisen revealed something, he wouldn’t eat, nor would he be allowed to close his eyes.

While Reisen’s interrogation was limited to the mental level, the Knights and servants from Sain Territory who had followed him received no such consideration. Clubs and long whips were already being used on them.

Some of the frailer maids had already collapsed, passing out cold. Whether they would ever wake up again depended on whether they were tough enough to survive.

Under the harsh interrogation, these people revealed quite a bit about Reisen in order to lessen their own suffering. They confessed that large quantities of grain, vegetables, and fruit were transported from Mountain Forest Town every year. Furthermore, a few Professional Knights who had previously joined Philton in the raid on Mountain Forest Town disclosed Reisen’s plot to ambush and kill Ronin.

With this, there was more evidence that Sain Territory had been encroaching on Wushan Castle’s resources and that Reisen had plotted to kill Ronin. His guilt was inescapable.

…

「The New Year’s celebration passed. The next day was the 1st of January, year 969 of the Imperial Calendar.」

For many, this was a joyous day. After all, a new year meant a new beginning, and many hoped for a good omen to start it off right.

However, Ronin, who had risen early, was heading to the Wushan Castle prison with Macken and Tom.

He was going there to see someone.

“Lord Ronin, the prison conditions are terrible. We can bring out anyone you wish to see. There’s no need for you to come in person.”

Knight Galier, guarding the prison entrance, hadn’t expected Ronin to show up so early in the morning. ’A filthy place like the prison is no place for a man as renowned as him,’ he thought.

Ronin politely declined his advice. “Please lead the way. It will give me a chance to look around.”

“Very well, then.”

Galier said with resignation, “Please, follow me.”

He lit a torch and, accompanied by a few jailers, led Ronin and his two companions down into the prison.

The gloomy darkness was filled with the pained groans and shouts of prisoners, creating a hair-raising atmosphere. The faint of heart would likely want to turn back after just a few steps.

“Lord Ronin, are you here to see Reisen?”

Galier asked as they walked. “That fellow hasn’t slept all night, but a Bronze Knight’s endurance is formidable. He isn’t showing much exhaustion, and he hasn’t confessed to anything.”

He then added, “However, his followers have confessed to quite a lot. There’s no way he can weasel out of the plot to ambush you.”

Ronin shook his head.

’Of course I didn’t come down here for Reisen,’ he thought. ’To be precise, what happens to him from now on has nothing to do with me.’

“Among the Knights who came with Reisen, there’s one named Joffrey. Take me to him.”

“Joffrey?”

Galier looked confused. He didn’t know why Ronin wanted to see this particular man, but he remembered Joffrey well.

“When we were arresting them last night, this Joffrey put up the fiercest resistance. The two Intermediate Knights who went for him were thrown to the ground instantly. Even Captain Gaman only managed to fight him to a draw.”

Ronin smiled faintly. “Joffrey should be close to the Advanced Level Peak in strength. It would indeed take several people to subdue him easily.”

Galier wholeheartedly agreed. In the end, it had taken Gaman teaming up with another Knight Squad captain to finally take Joffrey down.

“The guy’s tight-lipped, too. After a whole night of interrogation, he hasn’t given up any valuable information.”

“How is he now?”

“He’s fine. Not gonna die.”

Galier explained, “For an Advanced Level Knight like him, we try not to injure him too severely. It’s better to sell him to a slave caravan than to beat him to death.”

As they spoke, the group arrived outside a cell.

A jailer opened the cell door, and they stepped inside. The torch illuminated the small space.

Joffrey’s Armor had long since been stripped from him. He was left in nothing but a set of hemp clothes, which had been whipped into tattered strips and were stained red with blood.

Joffrey’s breathing was ragged, sometimes heavy, sometimes faint. He was clearly in a bad state.

“Joffrey, wake up!”

Galier stepped forward and slapped the man’s face.

Joffrey shuddered and opened his eyes. He instinctively flinched. “My lords, I truly know nothing about Reisen’s affairs.”

To see such a burly man act this way, it seemed last night’s beating had been quite severe.

For Joffrey, everything since last night had felt like a nightmare.

He had originally followed Reisen to escape his identity as a Wildman and build a career for himself. Reisen had promised to grow his power and turn the Sain Territory into a Viscount Clan.

But fate was unpredictable. He never imagined Reisen would be thrown into prison so quickly, and word was that he was about to be stripped of his noble title and territory.

For Joffrey now, achieving fame and fortune was impossible. The question was whether he could even leave this cell alive.

After all, the interrogators saw that he was the strongest among the captives and assumed he was Reisen’s most trusted Knight. They relentlessly pressured him to confess to Reisen’s crimes.

But he hadn’t even made it into Reisen’s inner circle; he had no way of knowing about these things.

Joffrey’s heart was filled with bitterness.

’If he had known a few days earlier that this would happen, he would have accepted Ronin’s offer, even if it meant betrayal.’

“Perhaps you really don’t know.”

It made sense. As an Advanced Level Knight who had only recently joined Sain Territory, Joffrey hadn’t fully earned Reisen’s trust and was suppressed and ostracized by the Knights who had. It was normal that he wouldn’t know much about Reisen’s secret affairs.

Joffrey’s whole body jolted when he heard that voice. He knew exactly who it belonged to.

When he looked up and saw the speaker’s face, he trembled with excitement.

“Lord Ronin, please, save me!”

Joffrey struggled to his feet and knelt on the bed. “After I started following Reisen, I was stationed at the Black-collar Tribe for most of the time. I was only transferred to escort him to Wushan City recently because he suspected I would betray him and surrender to you. I really don’t know anything about the crimes he committed!”

“You should be grateful for your ’ignorance.’ It’s what saved your life.”

Ronin valued Joffrey for two reasons. First, he had sufficient strength and talent—after all, a thirty-one-year-old Advanced Peak Knight was a decent asset anywhere.

Second, his background was relatively simple, and such a person’s loyalty would be purer.

“Ridder told me long ago that you were quite strong. On the road to Wushan Castle, I also extended an invitation to you. What have you decided?”

Joffrey trembled. He never expected Ronin would come to the prison personally to recruit him. This show of respect and value made him shake with excitement.

At the same time, he understood that following Ronin was now his only hope for survival.

“I am willing, my lord! I am willing!”

“From this day forward, Joffrey’s life is yours!”

The corners of Ronin’s mouth curved up. ’Offering help in a time of need is always better than adding to an existing triumph.’

Mountain Forest Town already had its top-tier fighting force; now the gaps in its mid-tier ranks needed to be filled. Joffrey’s addition was a perfect fit.

“Macken, Tom, take Joffrey out of here.”

As Ronin spoke, he tossed out five Healing Spell Scrolls. “Oh, right. His injuries are severe, so heal him first.”

Hearing this, and thinking back on Ronin’s repeated recruitment attempts, Joffrey was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears.

In his eyes, Ronin now seemed as imposing and great as Mount Wushan itself. He would look up to and follow him forever.

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