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Chapter 153

Zarek, Eryke the Fifth, narrowed his eyes as he looked at the woman before him.
She wore glasses and a white skirt, complemented by a blue coat. Her gaze was cold, filled with indifference as she looked at him.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
“Alright. Let’s say I believe you, for now, that you managed to completely hide your presence, sneak into our capital unnoticed, and even reach the slums. But why did you attack the guards?”
“You know why,” Zarek replied with a cough, blood spilling from his mouth.
The woman stared at him in silence.
With the surveillance of the Hummingbird, of course they knew the full extent of the situation and even punished the guards because of it. However, if they were to admit their mistake, how could they preserve their dignity?
The Empire’s image must remain unblemished. If it were to be tainted, public opinion would slowly begin to shift.
So, no matter what, this had to be swept under the rug. Even if Zarek was in the right, they would argue that he should have handled it differently, that he could have resolved things with words instead of resorting to violence.
“You could have talked things out—”
“Don’t give me that bullshit,” Zarek interrupted with a chuckle, his eyes half-lidded, his grin wide.
“You think if I talked to them, things would’ve just sorted themselves out?”
“Very well,” the woman said, closing her eyes with a sigh. “You will serve a prison sentence of five to ten years in labor.”
“Labor?” Zarek echoed, confusion lacing his tone.
“That’s right,” she replied. “You’ll be sent to the mines as a laborer and spend the next ten years there, reflecting on your mistake.”
“I see,” Zarek muttered, his voice heavy with despair.
“It’s not too late to reveal your identity. If you do, we might even consider reducing your sentence,” the woman said, a glint of curiosity, or calculation, in her eyes.
To that, Zarek said nothing. He simply lowered his head and fell into complete silence.
“Very well.”
She sighed and went away without question.
Zarek was silent. In this darkness, it really felt lonely and cold.
‘Hmm, should I go back to the main body?’ He was thoughtful for a moment, but in the end, he still sighed.
There was still time before the dragon hunt began, and he could always find a way to solve things. However, if he returned and faced an even worse condition where he couldn’t even teleport back, what would he do then?
There is always a possible worst outcome, and Zarek didn’t want to risk it yet.
He might be able to take some benefits and escape out of this place.
Although this was a difficulty that most likely no one with his strength could achieve, Zarek wasn’t alone, and his skill could also have some benefit to it.
Suddenly, his nose twitched.
It was scentless and felt like air; however, his instinct was screaming at him.
His eyelids gradually felt heavy, and he was about to go to sleep.
With a heavy consciousness, his eyes closed, only for the faintest movement of his brows as a blue panel appeared in front of him.
[You have adapted to the gas of Noxis]
In an instant, his consciousness returned to him; however, he still remained in that state, controlling his heart and bodily features so as not to reveal himself.
Zarek immediately felt himself being gradually lifted from the ground and carried. The chains on his body were removed, and two metal bracers were applied to his hands and legs, lifting him off into the air.
Soon, he felt weightless as the wind brustled in his face and his hair fluttered freely with the wind.
“Ho?” he thought in his heart with calmness, while trying to sense the environment as much as possible.
After some time, he was carried over and put on the ground, and the guards quickly left the place right after it.
Around him were numerous footsteps and murmurs that surrounded him almost completely.
For a moment, he was a little stunned.
Until a footstep quickened the distance and a beep sound echoed.
Immediately, Zarek felt his entire body being scanned, from his internal organs to all the internal parts.
“He looks normal, there is no abnormality detected,” a man spoke.
“Hmm, was he hiding previously then?” another voice sounded, this time a female’s.
“It seems so. There is no way someone immediately becomes a Level Four or Five Telekinetic Human, and his wavelength is solid as well. He seems to have practised his Telekinesis until perfect compression,” the man said, his voice full of regret:
“In simple terms, he is a genius. Unfortunately, he has become a prisoner. Maybe we should get him mandatory training.”
“That seems to be the optimal choice if he really is a genius,” the female spoke.
Zarek felt this female’s voice was very familiar, as if he had heard it before. His thoughts swirled rapidly, and he immediately stopped the urge to roar out loud the name “Elsie.”
Anyway, he was lifted into the air again, and he immediately felt himself become weightless once more.
The very next moment, he felt the wind brustle past him, and they travelled quickly.
This time, even longer than before.
After some time, he could hear the clinking sound of metal clashing.
Then he landed on a metal floor, the coldness of the metal seeping into his skin.
Some people spoke in whispers around him, but Zarek could hear it loud and clear as if they weren’t whispering at all.
“Is he going to join us soon?”
“Hehe, a new prey has appeared.”
“We will abuse him…”
Zarek’s ears twitched as he heard the voices, leaving him in an almost speechless state.
After some time, he was carried to something like a prison cell, and a splash of cold water from a bucket was splashed on him.
Hupp!
Zarek was immediately startled awake. He stood up from the ground and looked around his surroundings with an incredulous expression.
“What, brat?”