The office erupted with a surge of energy as the blood-drinking axe was deflected by the force, spinning back towards Charlotte. Being the warden of Kilmainham Prison, Charlotte knew that his opponent, though lacking in morality, was far from incompetent. His previous attack was only meant to delay, not to harm the new warden.
When the deflected axe returned, Charlotte deftly caught it, then retreated to his office, shouting repeatedly, "Warden Magru, you can't force me to slander Miss Meinieman!"
Magru was surprised, as he had expected his high-level energy to easily defeat Charlotte. Unbeknownst to him, Charlotte had awakened the Thirteen Mystics' Bloodflame Energy, which allowed him to manipulate the blood-drinking weapon from a distance.
Magru, furious, bellowed, "Capture that traitor!"
Despite having reached the second level of Blood Glory and possessing abilities like "Insight" and "Bloodflame," Charlotte knew he couldn't escape the heavily guarded Kilmainham Prison. However, his office had a large window facing the streets of Ma'an District, a complex area with a chance of escape.
Without hesitation, Charlotte leaped out the window, tumbled to break his fall, and fled. Several minutes later, the prison guards emerged, but Charlotte had already vanished.
Magru was livid, realizing the situation had escalated. Charlotte's shout would have been heard by many, and he had yet to fully consolidate his power over the prison guards. If this news got out, it would be a disaster.
Back in the office, Magru pounded his desk, unable to comprehend why Charlotte had reacted so decisively and aggressively, choosing to expose the situation rather than comply.
"None of you better breathe a word of this," Magru growled. "If I find out anyone has, you'll be tasting prison yourself."
Most of the staff, having heard Charlotte's shout, silently concluded that the new warden indeed intended to frame Miss Meinieman.
Escaping from Kilmainham, Charlotte quickly hired a public carriage and rushed back to 58 Elysee Garden Street. Without phones or internet, the mobilization of guards wasn't immediate, giving him a slim chance.
Breathless, Charlotte rushed into his home, retrieved his savings certificates, and realized the new warden would undoubtedly seize his funds if he didn't act quickly. He decided to flee, needing money for the escape.
After collecting his savings certificates, blood-drinking axe, diary, new cane, a few clothes, and a second-hand Magnum revolver for protection, Charlotte prepared to leave. Just as he was about to exit, he heard commotion outside.
Abandoning the front door, Charlotte jumped into the courtyard, scaled the wall, and dove into the Luca Varo River. Moments later, a squad of guards stormed into 58 Elysee Garden Street, searching the premises.
Half an hour later, Charlotte emerged from another part of the river. He quickly checked his savings certificates, which were damp but intact.
Not wasting any time, he wrung out his clothes and sprinted to the nearest savings association office. After withdrawing all his money and converting it into banknotes, Charlotte felt a sense of relief. With 593 Egues in hand, he felt more secure about his impending escape.
Though he knew the fifty Egues banknotes would attract attention, he opted for 110 fifty Egues notes for easy carrying, with the remaining 43 Egues in smaller denominations.
With cash in hand, Charlotte was momentarily at a loss. Having only been in this world for a month, he was unfamiliar with the continent, let alone the distant New World.
"Returning home is out of the question. Too many people know me there, making it the easiest place to be found."
"Maybe… I should leave the Farse Empire?"
"Damn, I thought after crossing over, I'd have a cushy job and a rich, beautiful woman chasing me. How did it come to this?"
After contemplating, Charlotte decided to buy appropriate travel clothes. His thin-soled shoes were comfortable for city life but unsuitable for the wilderness or long journeys. He also needed to replace his current outfit with the continent's most popular hunting attire.
Taking a deep breath, Charlotte was about to enter an unfamiliar tailor's shop when he noticed two stern-faced men in black coats, carrying sheathed swords, blocking his path at both ends of the street.
The two men, clad in black coats, exuded a sharp, battle-hardened aura.