Slow Prison Life

A cloudless clear sky. A suitable morning for a departure.
…….However, if you"re being forced to flee the capitol after a reduction in rank, the mood is bound to have a little misery mixed in as well.
Today is, the day of departure for the former Prince Elliott on his way to the Reefren territory.

“Good grief……..there"s something really moving about looking out at some scenery you"ll probably never see again.”

Elliott was looking out at the trees in the garden next to his carriage. George, who had come to see him off, wiped the tears out of his eyes.

“This is how it is……….I never would"ve expected things to come out like this four months ago……..”

“Haha, knock off those tears. Isn"t this a peaceful end after losing a court battle?”

In Elliott"s case, he had already been completely defeated before a power struggle could even take place.

“However George, is it okay for you to come see me off like this? Aren"t you in a pretty precarious situation yourself?”

The fact is he was seeing off someone who was almost as good as exiled, a pretty dangerous move from a survivor"s standpoint. No matter what the era, honoring a loser wouldn"t be looked kindly on by the winners.

“Yes, thanks for your concern. But for the time being at least, Alexandra has given me her permission……….”

“……..I see. I wonder if she really cares.”

“She also sent over a few gifts for you. Um……….a picture book to read along the way, a few coins so you can buy some food or other supplies during the trip, a knight doll to kill some time in the carriage………..”

“That b.a.s.t.a.r.d, does she think I"m still a child………….”

Elliott refused to take the gifts that Alexandra had sent over, so George pulled out another bag.

“This too……..bringing this, I honestly had to think about it………”

“What is it?”

“I was entrusted with this as well………it"s apparently a gift from Sis.”

“………..Rachel………..?”

The both of them took a look at the suspicious looking bag with the wariness it deserved.

“It"s okay to bet that there"s absolutely nothing decent in there.”

“……..yes, I was worried the entire time I was carrying it………..”

Sharing a look, the two men carefully opened the bag. After making sure nothing was going to pop out at them, they start pulling out everything that was in there one by one.

“Medicine……….?”

“It"s medicine.”

The bag was filled with medicine for different ailments and injuries, bandages, blood clotting medicinal herbs, anti-bacterials, absorbent cotton, triangular bandages, pain relievers……..

“Isn"t there too much medicine for wounds in here!?”

“Knowing her, there"s definitely got to be a reason for this………..”

At the very bottom of the bag was a card with a message scrawled across.

Hang in there!

“………without knowing her intent here, this is a very foreboding message.”

“Is there something in the earldom, some other problem…………”

As the men thought, both of them realized quite a bit of time had pa.s.sed since George had come to visit.
No matter what the meaning behind Rachel"s message was, they couldn"t worry about it forever.

“Well now, George. Once things have calmed down, feel free to come over to play.”

“Yes, Your Highness should be careful too……..”

George had to rub his nose a little as Elliott moved to board his carriage.
An escorting knight then got on as well, yelling it was time to leave as they shut the carriage"s door behind them. The carriage"s coachman then locked the door for his pa.s.sengers before jumping up to his seat and grabbing the horses" reigns.
George waved farewell as the carriage began its departure, and he continued to do so until it had left through the main gate and was no longer in sight.

“………I wonder when next we will meet…………”

George turned his eyes back in the direction of his office………….but after a few steps, his legs stopped.

“Just a moment………before, did they lock the cabin doors from the outside?”

The carriage that had left the royal palace cut through the city and traveled over to the highway. As the meadows of the countryside spread out from the cabin"s window, you could finally start to feel like you had left the capitol.

“………so, I"ve already come this far.”

There was a small cough to Elliott"s deeply emotional words,

“We"ve finally come this far,”

and the knight escort gave their own carefree sounding impression from underneath their face covering hat.

Hearing that carefree att.i.tude, Elliott took a good look at the knight………..

“Martina!?”

It was only a few days ago that this female knight tortured Elliott all night long just outside the dungeon.

“Wha!? You shouldn"t be part of the escort department? Why are you here………..”

Martina laughed frivolously, and then smiled with eyes lacking any light in them.

“Hm? We"re going in the same direction as the fort I have to return to. The Reefren territory is just a short ways away, so they asked me to act as an escort.”

And so she was smiling………while holding in her palm an all too familiar broken off leg from a desk.

“Now, during this time I asked Your Highness about your relationship with Sykes……….but because we only had a single night together, I was forced to leave the job half finished? I want to take my time……..and just as I was thinking that, they offered me this escort job.”

Elliott jumped over to the door handle, desperately pushing and pulling to try and get out……….but the door wasn"t showing any sign of opening.

“Oi coachman! There"s an emergency here, open the door!”

He started screaming loudly while banging on the door, but there was no reaction.

“It should take around three days to reach Your Highness"s territory………I asked our driver to keep going without stopping the whole way there, so he shouldn"t get in our way? But because I couldn"t ask so much from an ordinary person, Rachel gave me a hand.”

“d.a.m.n, should I have realized when I saw all that earlier medicine?”

Elliott was just about to tear through the carriage"s door after ramming it a few times with his shoulder when Martina gently held him down.

“Your Highness……..during our time together, I only had one night, so I had to use my time efficiently and heard your story about one book.”

Martina started stacking books, one after another, in the seat next to hers.

“Now, to confirm everything with Your Highness, I bought everything up to the latest issue.”

And then, the corners of her mouth lifted, giving the former prince a wide smile and a close-up view of her white, shiny teeth.

“Ufufu……three whole days, treat me well.”

♠

Ordered by the Duke to pull Rachel out from the dungeon, Sofia reluctantly visited her cell to perform her task.

“My Lady, as expected, it"s time to come out, is what the Master says.”

“Yes, I understand that. However I noticed something serious.”

“And, what are you talking about?”

Rachel made a declaration with a serious look on her face.

“I, this would be a good life for me.”

Sofia stared into the void for a good long while.

“Thanks for telling me.”

“That"s no good! Rachel, don"t just come out saying a bunch of stupid things!”

While the Duke came out from his hiding place in the back, Sofia gave a dissatisfied protest.

“Master…….if you"re going to come yourself anyway, then don"t get me involved to begin with.”

The Duke grimaced at the maid showing a little att.i.tude while pointing at his daughter.

“It"s because you know Rachel the best! Now think about the best way to get her out!”

“Even if you say that………then, my ace in the hole.”

As hired help, she really wanted to say not to bring her inbetween the two of them. Sofia sighed and clapped her hands, signaling two maids to come in while carrying some large baggage.

Rachel watched closely as the maids set the bag down on the floor, opening it wide and pulling off the gag.

“Pwah!”

“Well, Sand Bag! You came!?”

What emerged from the bag was Rachel"s favorite feels good to hit person.
Rachel was screaming happily, but the person themselves yelled back clearly in a foul mood.

“I told you not to call me Sand Bag! Can"t you tell by looking!? I didn"t come here; I was taken captive! What"s the meaning of this, can"t you carry somebody without tying them up!?”

“No, this is special treatment.”

Rachel picked up on Sofia"s words and made a in-no-way-evil smile.

“That"s good right, special treatment.”

“It"s the worst!? Only a complete moron would do this, so you guys!”

Margaret kept shouting while bouncing around in the bamboo mat tied around her as Sofia and the other two maids hung her from the ceiling.

“Oi hey stop! What are you doing!?”

Ignoring Margaret"s furious protests, Sofia gave Rachel a bow, who until now was excitedly clinging to the iron bars of her cell while watching them work.

“My Lady, please have a look. Sand Bag is ready as well, and she"s been looking forward to seeing My Lady too.”

“We~ll!”

“Who is ready!? Don"t forcibly hang somebody and then say such rotten things!?”

“How about it My Lady? You haven"t tried an open palm or even just a fist yet right?”

“Uuuuh, saying things I"m weak against………..”

“Listen to people when they"re talking!”

Margaret was invisible, even though she was the central topic they were talking about.

Seeing that Rachel was still hesitating, Sofia clapped her hands again.

“Furthermore today, there were a couple of people here who wished to review My Lady.”

“Here, people?”

At Sofia"s signal a third maid entered guiding in the new guests…………

“The d.u.c.h.ess Somerset, and Countess Marlborough.”

“GYAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Rachel screamed and dived back underneath the covers of her bed.

“OLD HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGS!”

Margaret started bouncing around from her spot on the ceiling even more energetically while shouting at the newcomers.

“Well, what a foul mouth. And there"s never a reason to be so loud!”

Seeing your faces is reason enough to go “AAAAAAAAAAAAA”

Sofia guided the two older women to a spot right next to Margaret.

“My Lady, today we invited these two experienced people here……..to talk about the charm of Sand Bag.”

“Oh my”

“You planned thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!”

Returning Sofia"s gaze, Countess Marlborough rolled up Margaret"s skirt right in front of an excitedly watching Rachel.
The Duke asked Sofia.

“I can imagine what you"re about to do, so I probably shouldn"t be here for this right?”

“I think it will be fine. I"ll just report to the Mistress that, "The Master was more curious about a younger a.s.s than My Lady," the next time I see her.”

The Duke left.

“Rachel, is it really okay? This Sand Bag Baron"s Daughter”

“Aren"t you a teacher!? Properly remember other people"s names!”

“The charm here is in the elasticity!”

“Hey, don"t ignore me!? My name is Margaret Poisson, now say it!”

“When you pat the a.s.s meat you can feel the firm skin, and below that you can feel that horrible elasticity followed by that final solid center……..once you get that feel after that very first hit, you will definitely get addicted!”

“Fuaaaaaah!”

“Rachel, why are you getting excited about her explanation!?”

Sofia rolled down Margaret"s pants.

“So around here, it"s about time we have d.u.c.h.ess Somerset take over. d.u.c.h.ess, if you would.”

“Yes, well then, by your leave……….”

“Oi old hag, you know this no longer has the shape nor shadow of educational guidance anymore right!?”

d.u.c.h.ess Somerset adjusted her posture, pulling off her gloves and raising her right hand………….

*WHACK*

“OWWWWWWWWWWW!”

Looking over at the right hand that had just spanked a young girl"s a.s.s, the older woman let out a feverish dream-like face similar to a young maiden in love.

“……….ah, truly wonderful. I"ve spanked countless a.s.ses during my 60 years as an educator………..but Sand Bag"s a.s.s is truly unprecedented! Any type of attack is fine, it has such a wonderful feel to it that makes you just want to beat it all day long!”

“Oi, what"s an unprecedented a.s.s supposed to be!? My a.s.s is not a toy!!”

“Why I, to think that I was. .h.i.tting this with sandals the other day! The taste of this a.s.s can only be truly appreciated by using your bare hands. I"d end up breaking my hand if I hit this nonstop, but with this a.s.s, I"d have no regrets in my life!”

“No regrets in your life!? Is your life that cheap!? Why are you so fond of hitting b.u.t.ts!?”

With a backdrop of Margaret being forced to eat the d.u.c.h.ess"s lone hits while the Countess tried to say it was her turn, Sofia started talking to Rachel again.

“Is this fine My Lady? If you were to come out right now, you too could hit that a.s.s.”

“Uguuu………”

Rachel"s feelings of wanting to hit her Sand Bag and her wish to not leave the prison were fighting each other………and seeing Rachel"s silent torment, Sofia put up the pressure.

“If My Lady doesn"t need her………then I suppose we could just give her to the d.u.c.h.ess then?”

“Ah, Have! My! Have but………..auuuu………..”

Rachel"s torment forced her to crouch down and cover her head.
By some chance, it might be almost time for Rachel to give up her prison life………..
Sofia whispered over to the caterpillar-like Margaret.

“If My Lady leaves her cell here, it will end up being your achievement you know?”

“That doesn"t really matter!? In one way or another all of these people are funny in the head!”

“It can"t be helped.”

♠

Sitting up on the terrace, not saying anything with a cup of tea, Raymond was staring up at the sky when a chamberlain rushed in.

“Your Highness!”

“Oh, did you receive a reply from Rachel!?”

Raymond had sent Rachel a letter requesting permission to visit her in the dungeon three days ago, but he had yet to receive a reply.
Because he had made the decision on becoming Rachel"s partner himself, he had written her his thoughts and asked to meet with her alone……..surely she"s a little perplexed that her partner suddenly changed from Elliott to somebody else.
Raymond wanted to properly propose to Rachel, and he already had a ring prepared. As long as they could come together, he felt that the two of them could come to understand each other.

Raymond had been eagerly waiting to receive her reply…….and, the chamberlain who had rushed to his side was now saying nothing.

“Wh-What"s the matter?”

With Raymond staring at him, the chamberlain gave his report while fidgeting a little out of embarra.s.sment.

“Your Highness……..that, the letter you sent to Rachel………..”

“Mhm?”

“The maid you asked to send it, it seems she misplaced it in the kitchen, and we just found it now………Your Highness!?”

Hearing the news, Raymond tumbled off his chair, landing flat on his face on the ground.
The chamberlain rushed to help him.

“Your Highness, please stay strong!”

“Fu, Fufu……….I"ve been waiting for a reply every single day………I was starting to think it wouldn"t come………”

“This is absolutely inexcusable! This colossal failure, the maid who would forget your imperial order……..”

“Ufu………reward her greatly!”

“I will have her take immediate responsibility……….huh? Just now, what…………?”

“Kukuku, far from not getting a response to my once in a lifetime message, to think it got misplaced……….this is the first time I"ve ever gotten to experience this level of neglect play!”

The chamberlain, seriously started worrying about the future of this country.

♠

“Stop Martina, I truly don"t know anything! How many times do I have to tell you those books are bulls.h.i.t!?”

“Hahaha, I don"t know Your Highness. You know where there"s smoke, there"s fire.”

♠

“Come now My Lady. If this goes on Sand Bag is going to get all used up.”

“Aan, such…….wait, unfair. Sloppy!”

“GYAaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”

“Unbearable! This feeling is……….Mmm, it"s truly unbearable!”

“It"s relaxed, and yet somehow tenacious……..ah, this really is the best a.s.s in the world!”

♠

"That, is it really okay to reward someone for not serving you………”

“You idiot, it"s good because she treated us like a cold older sister. You fail as a man.”

♠

Having left the prison, the Duke walked out into the backyard and stared up at the heavens.

“Originally it was just the destruction of a stupid engagement…….why has it caused all this fuss………..”

When the Duke looked down after feeling a light tapping on his knees, he found the monkey Rachel keeps as a pet holding up a cup and a bottle of whiskey.

“Sometimes you can"t help feeling a little uneasy. Let"s share a cup.”

“…………to be comforted by a monkey………..hold on monkey, that, isn"t it from my collection that Rachel brought with her…….”

“Is there something wrong with that?”

The Duke turned his eyes away from the monkey that was currently tilting it"s head wondering what the problem was, and looked back up towards the heavens.
A beautiful, clear sky with no clouds in sight was looking down on the ground and at all the humans crawling on it.
It was the type of weather that makes you laugh at all the insignificant problems humans have, but for some reason the Duke was sighing.

“Ah………today too the sky is blue………….”