Ty rested his head against the cell wall and replied, "That still makes it strange. I’ve also heard that people actually try to get into this event, right?
Are you here under the guise of hoping to win that wish, or are you actually some criminal guilty of something as peculiar as placing a hairpin in an eye socket?"
The old man’s response was a light chuckle, his voice echoing slightly in the confined space. "You tell me, what do you think?" he posed the question back to Ty, an air of mystery lingering around his words.
Ty breathed out and let the thought settle. "Well, the funny thing is, it matters less than I thought.
Because the more I think about it, being locked away in a cell for an entire day or so has given me more rest and calmness than I can say I’ve had since all this madness started."
He hated how honest that sounded, but there it was.
The old man sighed, a sound that seemed to carry a lifetime of experiences. "The madness sometimes keeps us alive, though, or at least keeps us the sharpest knife," he mused, his tone reflective.
He said it like a joke, but Ty could hear the warning tucked inside it. This place chewed through calm quickly.
"Enjoy the sleep, young man," were his parting words before he laid his head back, turning away from Ty, fully embracing the floor’s cold embrace as his makeshift bed.
Ty’s gaze was fixed on the ceiling, lost in thought, when the blue fairy emerged from his pocket, her presence bringing a slight glow to the dim cell. "What, so you’re just going to sleep?
It’s barely 8 am or something... they should really put some clocks in here... and some lights," she huffed, her light casting shadows on the walls.
"No, I don’t see how causing a ruckus or trying to burn these bars down will do any good," Ty responded calmly, his voice echoing slightly in the confined space.
"The last time I tried to do a jailbreak, I actually ended up killing someone, so I’d like to avoid anything like that.
Plus, I can’t make any rash movements until I learn more about this supposed wish and their history..."
The fairy considered this, then offered, "I suppose, maybe I could go ask for a book or something?"
"No need, I asked the Lt to bring me one when he can. He will probably do so--"
The door at the end of the hallway clashed open, slamming into the concrete wall with a loud bang and cutting Ty off. Why so rough with doors? Ty wondered.
As a guard made his way down to Ty’s cell, the atmosphere tensed, anticipation and curiosity mingling in the air. The fairy’s glow dimmed slightly, as if in response to the unfolding situation, leaving Ty to wonder about the purpose of this unexpected visit.
Ty closed his eyes, half-expecting the summons to bypass him, until the guard’s voice pierced the silence. "Demon Boy, step forward!" Resignation laced his thoughts. Of course, when I mentioned needing rest, something arose.
"What is it?" Ty inquired, his voice calm yet edged with a hint of defiance.
The guard’s voice dripped with malice, "Step up to the gate before I put a bullet in your head. No one will be sad to see the Demon killed!"
For a moment, Ty closed his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips, "Do it."
The guard’s composure faltered, his malice slipping away, "E-excuse me?"
The fairy, emerging with a blend of concern and incredulity, chimed in, "Do you really want so much sleep that you’re willing to go to sleep forever?"
Ignoring the fairy, Ty addressed the guard directly. "I know for a fact you aren’t going to kill me unless I do something crazy. My value here is among the highest. I doubt the king would even allow you to kill me."
Rising, Ty approached the prison cell door. "All I’m saying is, have some better manners. You don’t want to be on my bad side when these shackles come off," he stated, his grin.
The guard’s words faltered, "I-is that a threat?" His hand instinctively moved to his side, where Ty glimpsed an unusual-looking gun holster.
Ty kept smiling. "Of course not. I’m just mindless Demon Boy, so treat me nicely, and I’ll have you in good thoughts... I’m sure you know what I mean, right?"
Swallowing, the guard managed a hesitant reply, "Y-yeah, it’s just you have some items to pick up and a guest has come to visit you."
Ty arched an eyebrow, "I thought the visit wasn’t until tomorrow?"
"It has been moved to today for some reason. Not that I care. Regardless, please follow me and don’t try anything funny," the guard said, his tone indicating he wanted no trouble.
"You see these cuffs on me, right? Not like I can do much, whether I wanted to or not," Ty remarked, sarcasm and resignation sharing his voice.
Without responding, the guard unlocked the cell and grasped Ty’s shoulder, ushering him out with a gentle push towards the hall at the end of the corridor.
Sighing, Ty retraced the path he had come by until they reached the door through which the Lieutenant had first brought him in. Instead of proceeding straight, they veered off into a wide room. Tables were arranged neatly, each spaced out by five feet.
"Go ahead and choose any of these tables to sit at," the guard instructed, gesturing towards the orderly arrangement.
Ty nodded in confusion as he looked around, realizing the setup resembled that of a normal jail cell eating area. He thought to himself, ’I guess this is where they have normal people eat? Well, those who aren’t considered massive threats.’
As he walked around, he found a table lined with blue-looking marble and an uncomfortable seat he inspected it slightly before going to sit down and wait for the visitor.