"If I may ask where are you guys from?" I asked the sister, knowing I will never receive an honest answer from the boy.
"The Cridbrunt Village up north." She replied.
"You mean the village that started the uprising a few months ago?" I remembered that uprising against the empire.
It had started sometime on December led by some people from a village up in the north which overthrew their local lord and slaughtered his entire family. It was then quickly followed by the villagers forming a rebellion group.
In fact, one of my 3 assignments was to cull the rebellion up in north last month. It was out of that option I had chosen to travel to the grey zone.
If I remember right Jack, the 2nd imperial prince, succeeded in culling the rebellion up north a few weeks ago and became a military hero due to his service at doing it without costing much death and bloodshed.
The girl had an unsightly look as if she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
I diverted the topic. "Anyway, what are you guys doing here so far from your village? Have you started a new business as a merchant?" I asked while talking to her.
She knew that I knew that she wanted to avoid the topic of the uprising, so she just answered my question instead of diverting from it as well. "We are here to see someone." She said with a sad tone.
"Why are you looking so sad when you want to meet someone? Did you not get to see them?" I asked her.
She remained silent which gave me the answer.
"Well do you want my help? I am known as quite the chatter in the empire. Maybe I can help you see whoever you want?" I asked her.
Her face had look to say as if hope was reignited, but she quickly quelled it, in fear of expecting something from me as part of a deal.
"We...accept your ...help." The little system user managed to speak while attempting to hide his fear.
"Dean... what are you saying?" His sister told him off.
"Trust me, sis." He spoke confidently before turning towards me.
"What do you want in return for helping us?" He asked me fearfully.
I thought for a while before replying. "Nothing." I shrugged my shoulder.
"Uh..."
"Eh..." Both of them were surprised at that statement.
"Well lead on. Maybe I can convince whoever it is you want to see." I said as I motioned them to start walking.
"Hold up... It's not exactly easy to see him..." The sister started off before she went quiet.
"He is in prison!" The parasite holder stated.
"Can you help us see someone inside a prison?" The boy asked me.
I acted as if I was thinking for a while with my hand on my chin. "I think I should be able to." I answered which surprised the girl.
"Yes!" The boy shouted in excitement.
Dean started leading all of us towards the prison. Ellis and Luke followed from the roof on either side of me.
I saw Dean checking something in the air before casually looking towards where Luke and Ellis were following me from as if he were sightseeing. 'Checking your map, I see.'
Confirmed system user. No way anyone can know where both of them are, especially Luke, unless they are on the same level as Luke in tracking and hiding, along with Ellis who was getting good at it too(extremely quickly might I add).
We soon passed the market area and approached the industrial area where factory works, and the sorts were done. The prison was located right at the edge of the industrial area right next to the polluted river which was cleansed with magi as it left the industrial area.
Anyone foolish enough to think escaping through the river might as well swallow a poison that can kill them instantly rather than suffer a slow and agonising death from the poison in the river, which was created from the accumulated waste of the industrial area.
As soon as the prison guard saw the girl they started whistling. *Whistle* "Have you finally thought about our deal little girl?" The middle-aged prison guard asked her.
'Ohh wanting to taste a someone younger than you? I can't really call you paedophile since the girl looks to be above 18 as well.' I thought while ignoring the anger and ashamed look on the girls face.
"You bastards how dare you...?" The boy started off but was held back by his sister who covered his mouth.
"You what brat. I dare you to say something to me once more and I will make sure you never get to see anyone in this prison again." The guard threatened.
"Mmhmm mhmm." The boy spoke incoherent words due to the hand covering his face.
"Look at the punk defending his grown-up sister, when he hasn't even learned how to shit for himself. Hahaha!" Both guards amusingly started laughing.
I walked forward to them. Seeing me walk forward both of them got tense. "Oi who are you? Are you related to them? Stay back. You are not allowed within a 2-meter radius of us." One of the guards warned me.
However, I carried on. "If you walk anymore closer we will have to cut you down." The guard held onto the hilt of their sword.
"Sir please don't go any closer. Come back!" The girl shouted but I ignored her.
I knew the brat was holding her back, otherwise, she would have tried to stop me going forward.
As I got within their range one of the guards raised his sword to strike me down with the blunt side of his sword.
*Clang* His sword met Ellis' sword and was easily pushed back.
I carried on walking without stopping.
The other guard looked towards his friend who was facing against a new threat.
"Are you trying to break into the prison of his imperial majesty?" The guard questioned as he raised his sword to strike me.
*Bang* He was kicked back onto the wall.
I carried on walking forward to where the communication device was located.
"Oi open the door!" I ordered lazily after pressing the communication device.
*Wail*
Sirens started wailing throughout the prison. In a few minutes, a battalion of guards walked out of the prison.
"Drop your weapons, arms above your head and kneel down." One of the leading guards spoke after he and his group of 70 guards had surrounded us.
"Do I look like someone who is carrying any weapons?" I asked the guard who ignored my question and repeated his statement once more.
"Drop your weapons, arms above your head and kneel down."
"I don't want to kneel down, its too much effort." I stated to the head guard.
"Last warning intruder! Drop your weapons, arms above your head and kneel down." He warned us one last time.
"Meh, let's see what you can do." I stated.
As the first few guards were about to even take a step forward a wave crashed in front of them.
The guards followed the wave to see Ellis sheathing his sword.
"Sword Whisperer!" One of them stated in awe and fear.
All of them gulped in fear. "Any of you want to engage me now?"
The captain drew his sword and prepared to cast a spell.
However similar to before another wave launched just above his head missing his hair by few centimetres.
Everyone turned to look only to see Luke sheathing his sword.
"Oh, I forgot to mention I got 2 for the price of one. Hehe!" I smiled towards them as they nervously looked at me.
"State your intention intruder!" I heard a voice speaking from the comms.
"Ah, you are finally here." I walked forward to speak into the comms. The guards knew it was best not to take a step forward seeing Ellis and Luke both had their hand on the hilt of their swords.
"I am here for inspection under the orders of... wait a minute." I told the person on the comms before turning towards Ellis.
"Hey Ellis, what's his name?" Ellis looked at me in confusion.
"Ah nevermind, I got it thanks!" I thanked him and turned back to the comms, much to his growing confusion.
"Yeah, I am here under the orders of the 3rd imperial prince. The 2 guards behind me are the proof of the order as they are the bodyguards of the prince, the 2 youngest sword whisperers of the empire." I stated.
"If you are who you say you are, then you should take care to announce his imperial highness' name with a bit of respect please." The voice advised me.
"Riven confirm the identity of both bodyguards before letting them in." Riven the lead guard nodded before walking up to both Ellis and Luke and bowing towards them. Ellis and Luke had higher seniority in terms of rank than him.
Luke held up his ID along with Ellis, this time Riven bowed even more respectfully before he walked towards the comms.
"They are indeed the guards of his imperial highness 3rd prince John Emberson." Riven announced.
"Very well bring them in." The voice announced after which they comms shut down.
The guards started reorganising before they went in.
Riven stayed behind in order to guide us.
"Oh, they are with us." I stated as I pointed towards the 2 at the back gaping at me.
Ellis and Luke walked forward while I joined the two at the back.
"What are you doing? They are going to find out we didn't come here for inspection." The girl whispered in panic.
"Relax those two are the personal bodyguards of the imperial prince. I just got them out for a walk today, seeing as the 3rd prince has been cooped up in his lab for the past 1 week now, leaving those two alone and bored.
Besides, they got free access almost everywhere in this empire." I stated while pointing at the 2 poker-faced dudes in front of me who had no idea what I was playing at here.
Sure, they had free access, but I had even more access and authority everywhere in the empire, second only to the emperor together with the commandments.
"Won't you get in trouble for doing this?" Dean asked me.
"A drop of water won't affect the massive ocean. I am neck-deep in trouble already with quite a lot of people, this little trouble won't add or change anything." I explained.
"But still ..." The girl went off, but I held up my hand.
"Don't bother. I said I would do this for you, and I would. I have been bored for quite a while seems like this prison visit will liven things up for a bit, for me.
Also please don't reveal to anyone that this was a last-minute operation. I don't want to set aflame, the thin rope we are walking on, in fire." I warned both as we arrived at the warden's office.
Opening the door there were two people in there.
One the warden.
"Greeting esteemed guards of his imperial highness." The warden saluted both Ellis and Luke.
The other...
"Hey wassup, punks? Long time no see! How you y'all been doing?" ...he sat on the chair eating the popcorn chicken I made for him 12 hours ago.