"What did you realize now?" Anna asked.
"We were being watched… by spies, most likely," Billy replied. "I misjudged their gaze with the normal people… that is why I never found them. In any case, the spies informed each other about us and then they informed a big shot that has ties with the Toles state… that is my guess."
It was a pretty complex guess, but Anna realized that Billy had a point. She wondered how come he came to that conclusion… it was because he had read many comics in his previous life, so it was easy to imagine how low-level dumbasses acted. In any case, Billy unlocked the steel door and then found a staircase and a place illuminated with many torches. It was really a prison… there were some people that had some pretty scary eyes, but Billy actually found their driver in prison.
"It seems that you are well," Billy said while he was rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Billy confirmed once again that his hypothesis had a point. Someone wanted to imprison them and then give them to the Toles state alive… the commander of their enemy's army and their grudge… In any case, while Billy had used a lot of mana, he still used Earth Manipulation to save the driver. First of all, the decrease the pressure of walls near the iron bars, and after that, Billy easily pulled out the iron bars.
"Your magic sure is versatile," Anna said.
"Anyone can do this much with enough training," Billy said. "Well then… what should we do?"
"Just waiting for others notice that we had disappeared won't cut, huh," Anna said.
"That is right… the spies probably will control the flow of information and erase any traces of our trip," Billy said. "The people back home will miss us in a week or two, but they won't find a single trace of us and we can't exactly wait for that long."
If they wait for a while longer, they might recover their mana and force their way out, but that won't help their cause. Billy considered their options. Escape quietly and then look for Pierre seemed like the best option. At the very least, he will hear them out and conclude that they had no reason to cause problems. Still, finding him without any proof didn't seem like a good idea… they needed to find evidence.
"Did they tell you anything?" Billy asked the driver.
"Sorry… I was looking after the Horses for a moment, and then I was suddenly here," the driver replied.
Those guards sure were resourceful, considering that they could do that. Billy had to be careful. Once he is captured, the enemy will probably keep him sleeping forever. Regardless, Billy had another idea. The prison was quite large, so Billy could feel and hear the footsteps of people from above. Considering the time, it was obvious that it was the guards… so it was the perfect chance to put his plans into action.
Billy created a hole in the ground big enough to cover a human by using Earth Manipulation, and then he used his magic to feel the movements above the prison. When he felt someone stopping right above them, Billy pulled the ground with Earth magic and then made a random guard fall. Once he fell, Billy made the earth return to its place. The guard noticed that something was off and tried to get up, but Billy knocked him out with a single Earth Bullet on the forehead.
When the guard woke up, he was in the hole Billy had created. Everything aside from his head was covered by Earth, and he couldn't move a single inch. That feeling was terrifying… but it was better than Billy dirtying his hands and damaging his own mind with physical torture.
"Hello," Billy said. "As you can see, you are completely at my mercy. So, I am going to ask you a few things, unless you want to make this unpleasant for us, I would have you to be sincere and not lie."
The guard tried to resist while ignoring Billy. He truly was thinking that he could free himself. Billy sighed while watching that. He didn't ask any questions, and he already had to start… Billy touched the ground and then made it raise toward the face of the guard. He panicked, even more when the ground began to cover his chin. With that, he should have realized that Billy could bury him alive if he wanted.
"Now… things will only get worse if you try something funny," Billy said. "Tell me, who is trying to screw with us?"
"... I don't know, only the captains know," The guard replied after a brief moment of hesitation.
"Who do they respond to? Who give them orders?" Billy asked.
"... The count," The guard replied.
"The count?" Billy frowned since it was the first time he heard that the people in that stare had nobility ranks. "Who else is involved in this?"
"The innkeeper received some money to work with us… the two captains of the city and their closest subordinates," the guard replied.
"Bullshit, I know that you have eyes and ears in other cities and towns," Billy said and then touched the ground. "You will tell who else are involved in this, or you will become a statue."
"I swear! I don't know!" The guard said, visibly despairing. "The count may receive messages from outside, but that isn't something that I can confirm… Although the possibility exists that he is working with the Toles state."
"Why would he do that?" Billy asked.
"His influence is limited and his power has stagnated for some years… he probably can increase it if the ruler changes and he stays on their good side by helping the enemy," the guard explained.
That confirmed what Billy had thought. In the end, capturing them was just a means for the count of the city to stay on the good side of the enemy state. It was a pretty bold move… but someone who was lusting for power so much, it was nothing.. In any case, it seemed that such a problem won't be solved any time soon.
