After the quick, cold shower, I slipped back into my pants, leaving my chest bare.
"Big guy!" I called out, wringing the water from my hair.
He sighed audibly, clearly fed up. "What now? You keep calling me 'big guy' this, 'big guy' that. What do you want!?"
"Chill, big guy," I said with a grin. "I don't even know your name."
He raised an eyebrow, reluctant to answer. "Borrock. That's my name, crazy guy."
"Hey, you call me 'crazy guy,' so I'll keep calling you 'big guy.' Hehe."
He waved me off. "Whatever. What do you want now?"
I rubbed my stomach. "Err... my breakfast?"
He sighed again, rubbing his temples. "Just wait. They'll send it to you. We rarely have prisoners, so things can be a bit slow—"
"Hey, I'm not a prisoner!" I cut in, crossing my arms.
Borrock smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Sure you're not, crazy guy. Sure you're not."
"Big guy?"
Borrock groaned, his head dropping back as if my voice was exhausting him. "What now!?"
I grinned. "Chill, man. I just want to ask something."
"Yeah, yeah. You keep talking and asking, crazy guy."
"Hey, at least it keeps me from getting bored. The cell won't answer if I talk to it."
He chuckled. "Hahaha, really crazy guy. Alright, what is it now?"
I leaned against the bars casually. "If I get released, can I live in the town?"
Borrock scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... Well, you could become an adventurer or a worker here. But first, you'd need an identity card—a temporary one, at least." He smirked, enjoying the moment. "Of course, that's only if you don't end up in prison."
"Hey! I didn't do anything wrong!" I protested, throwing my hands up in mock outrage.
When breakfast arrived, I started munching on it. The food was basic but filling—better than nothing. Between bites, I couldn't resist calling out again.
"Big guy?"
Borrock let out a dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes so hard I thought they might stick. "Haaa... What now!?"
I grinned, unfazed. "Damn, chill, big guy. I just wanted to ask—any coffee around here?"
He scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're asking too much for a prisoner."
I jabbed my fork in his direction. "Hey, I'm not a prisoner. Not officially deemed one unless proven guilty, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he muttered, waving me off.
I pressed on, grinning mischievously. "So, big guy... coffee?"
Borrock groaned, rubbing his temples as if I were giving him a migraine. "Damn it! Just wait here."
I couldn't resist the jab. "Huh? Where else am I gonna go? Not like I can break out of this luxury suite."
He shot me a glare, but there was a faint smirk on his lips as he walked off. "Crazy guy..."
(Inside Borrock's mind)
Hehe... just you wait, crazy guy. You want coffee? I'll give you coffee.
Borrock strode into the kitchen, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Hey," he called out to the kitchen staff, leaning against the counter. "Make a strong, super strong black coffee. Super big glass. No sugar."
One of the cooks raised an eyebrow. "Super strong? Like, enough to wake a troll?"
Borrock nodded, his grin widening. "Exactly. Make it potent. It's for the crazy guy in the cell."
The staff exchanged amused glances and got to work. Borrock chuckled to himself. Let's see if this guy's energy matches his mouth after drinking this.
Heheheheh... I can't wait to see his reaction.
With a smirk on his face, Borrock headed back to the kitchen counter where a female staff member handed him a stack of slightly burnt bread.
"Here," she said, her tone laced with amusement. "Give this to the crazy guy in the cell. And this one too."
Borrock accepted the bread and the oversized mug of pitch-black coffee, the bitter aroma wafting up to his nose. "Perfect. Just what he deserves."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "What's his deal, anyway? Why are you messing with him?"
Borrock chuckled. "He's a chatterbox. Keeps calling me 'big guy,' swears he's not a prisoner, and acts like he's at some kind of inn—asking for coffee and who knows what else. Figured I'd give him something to quiet him down."
She smirked. "He sounds like a real character. Think this'll shut him up?"
"It'll at least teach him to stop annoying me for a while."
Borrock turned and began his journey back toward the cell, balancing the massive mug of coffee and the slightly charred bread. Each step brought a new wave of anticipation.
"Hey, crazy guy. Here's the coffee you asked for. And this is from the cafeteria lady," Borrock said, grinning as he handed over the oversized mug.
"Ohhhhh!! This is perfect!!! Thank you, big guy," I exclaimed, my eyes lighting up.
I saw him smirk at my reaction. As I took a sip of the coffee, the rich, bold flavor hit my taste buds. "Wow! This is good! "
Borrock froze, his smirk faltering.
"Huh?"
I took another sip of the coffee and leaned back with a satisfied grin. "Big guy, this coffee is amazing! Super potent, no sugar—just how I like it. Did you read my mind or something? Damn, you're a lifesaver!"
Borrock's eye twitched as he watched me happily dunk a piece of the burnt bread into the coffee. "And this bread? Wow, dipping it in the coffee really brings out the flavor. Delicious!"
"You… you like it?" Borrock stammered, his plan crumbling before his eyes.
I nodded enthusiastically, stuffing another coffee-soaked piece of bread into my mouth. "Like it? I love it! Honestly, big guy, this is the best breakfast I've had since I got here. You've got a talent for this, you know?"
Borrock stared at me, a mix of disbelief and frustration on his face. "You're messing with me, aren't you?"
"Messing with you? No way! This is perfect. You should bring me this every morning."
Borrock groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Unbelievable. This guy's impossible."
"Nah, I'm just easy to please," I replied, flashing him a thumbs-up. "Thanks, big guy! You're the best!"
Borrock walked away, muttering under his breath. "I swear, this guy might actually drive me insane."
As I munched on the slightly burnt bread, the bitterness complemented the strong coffee perfectly. It wasn't gourmet, but it worked. "Mmm, not bad. A little honey would've been nice, but hey, I'm not in an inn, am I?"
The coffee was surprisingly good, strong enough to keep me wide awake as I wondered how long I'd be stuck in this cell. I leaned back against the wall, savoring the warm drink.
"Hmm... I wonder how long they plan to hold me here," I muttered. The thought of being locked up for days wasn't great, but at least the food wasn't terrible. "Well, as long as they keep feeding me like this, I guess I can survive."
I glanced over at Borrock, who was standing nearby with his arms crossed, watching me. "Hey, big guy, any chance you'll let me out soon?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You just got your breakfast, crazy guy. Don't push your luck."
"Yeah, yeah," I said with a grin, taking another sip of coffee. "Just thought I'd ask."
( End of Chapter )