Outside the walls of Charlotte's new home is the Lucavaro River, offering a scenic view. Kilmainham Gaol, located in the Maen District and the Lucavaro District, both belong to the Outer Fifteen Districts, lying outside the old city walls of Strasbourg.
From the terrace, Charlotte can see his yard, which is quite large, about 600-700 square meters, complete with a stable and a well, adding to the pleasant surprise.
The maids worked diligently as night fell, lighting kerosene lamps, carrying water buckets, and busying themselves throughout the house. Charlotte took a brief nap on a sofa, and when he woke up, the house was spotlessly clean, thanks to the maids who had worked through the night.
Feeling slightly guilty, he paid them double and sent them off before hailing a public carriage to head straight to the Maen District. Although he had taken a day off yesterday, today he needed to return to work at Kilmainham Gaol.
Charlotte's direct superior, Senior Sister Menierman Su Mei, didn't question his absence the previous day but instead assigned him triple the workload. Charlotte was overwhelmed with tasks, working late into the night and eventually falling asleep in the office.
When he woke up, the first thing he saw was the military-clad beauty sitting cross-legged on his desk.
Charlotte's first thought was, "Senior Sister Menierman always wears a military uniform; I've never seen her in anything else."
He quickly stood up, straightened his coat, and asked, "Warden, is there any more work for today?"
Menierman, appearing in a strange mood, said in a low voice, "There's no need to handle paperwork today; follow me."
Charlotte followed her without question as she led him deep into the prison, descending downwards.
Though Charlotte had worked at this prison for a while, he had never left the office area, and this was his first time venturing deep into the prison.
To his surprise, this massive prison had very few inmates, with many empty cells, which he didn't think much of.
Kilmainham Gaol is a fortress-like structure, with five buildings within its tall, solid walls—the first office building, the second office building, the prison barracks, the stables, and the main prison.
Charlotte only then realized that the prison's underground sections were far more extensive than the above-ground parts. He followed Menierman Su Mei down 17 or 18 levels until they reached the bottommost level.
The lowest level of the prison was not dark. A door, exuding a divine aura, stood in the center of the basement, guarded by dozens of armed prison guards.
Menierman Su Mei arrived, and the guards hurriedly saluted. The warden waved them off and entered the underground door.
Charlotte hesitated but followed, and no one stopped him.
Passing through the door, Charlotte's Bloody Glory within him suddenly surged, causing a faint red glow to emanate from his body.
He quickly activated the Blood Vortex at his brow, suppressing the Bloody Glory and calming the turmoil within, though he was surprised.
Bloody Glory wouldn't surge for no reason.
On the other side of the door was another heavily guarded underground chamber. It resembled a mine, with guards exuding an aura of the supernatural and a strong killing intent that made Charlotte uncomfortable. He even touched the blood-sucking axe hidden in his clothes.
Menierman Su Mei led him through several heavily guarded portals until they emerged from a black tower.
Back on the surface, Charlotte exclaimed in surprise, realizing one thing: they were no longer in the Falce Empire.
Menierman asked in a low voice, "Do you know what a dimensional plane is?"
Charlotte nodded, indicating he did. It was something he had studied in college.
Menierman continued, "This is the true Kilmainham Gaol, a semi-plane abandoned by the gods, once home to a brilliant civilization."
"Every year, the Empire sends a large number of prisoners here, erases their memories, forges new identities, and makes them residents here to explore the ruins and extract wealth for the Empire."
Charlotte's voice trembled slightly as he thought of many ominous possibilities, nervously asking, "Senior Sister, did you bring me here to assign me a task?"
Menierman simply said, "Follow me."
A few minutes later, Charlotte saw someone very unexpected—Zimmerman Axel Robin!
Charlotte had seen many files on Zimmerman Axel Robin, but he had no personal acquaintance with this legendary man of the Empire.
Zimmerman was restrained on a stone bed, surrounded by countless people in black robes and hoods, busy with some unknown tasks.
Menierman, with a bitter tone, quietly said, "In a little while, the world will no longer know of Zimmerman Axel Robin. There will only be Captain Huntington, who has lost all his memories and is loyal to the Empire."
Charlotte had nothing to say. Menierman Su Mei had come to bid farewell to her former fiancé, and he felt out of place, but he couldn't leave.
Zimmerman had either been injected with a suppressant or subjected to special binding magic, as he was unusually calm until the alchemy array began to glow, and he started to twitch slightly, more like convulsing.
A heavy, ancient book's shadow slowly emerged, with countless wisps of gray mist rising from Zimmerman's body and converging into the strange book.
Under the influence of a mysterious force, Menierman Su Mei's body radiated a brilliant light of fighting spirit.
Charlotte's Bloody Glory within him surged again, subtly connecting with the heavy, ancient book's shadow.
Charlotte couldn't help but exclaim softly, "Emerald Book!"
He had never seen it before but had heard of it.
It was an artifact granted by one of the Nine True Gods, The Serpent of Fate.
In college, there was a course dedicated to the origins and functions of the Emerald Book, as well as the magic and alchemy derived from its knowledge.
The Emerald Book given to humanity by the Serpent of Fate, the Solar Gold Book bestowed upon believers by the Lord of Radiance, and the Dead Sea Scrolls left behind by the Lampbearer Elder are revered as the three pillars of human civilization.
Of course, as a transmigrator, Charlotte didn't fully believe this claim. He had studied the civilization of this era and found little connection to these three artifacts, but it didn't diminish his sense of awe.