The great prison, Tantalus, was a place for housing and isolating heinous criminals whose crimes were too vile to speak of, or powerful beings who could never be confined in ordinary facilities. It was said that people constantly went in, but no one had ever come out. For all intents and purposes, it was considered a tomb.
Since no one had ever emerged from it unscathed, rumors about Tantalus spread from mouth to mouth, snowballing as they went.
That the Military State was creating ultimate weapons by conducting human experiments on the prisoners.
That monsters from mythology roamed its subterranean depths.
That it was called an "educational facility" in name only, and was in fact a place where they simply shoved people in to die.
Today, as I wandered through Tantalus alone, I was able to confirm the truth of these rumors. This place, Tantalus, was indeed a remarkable place, fully living up to its reputation.
The Abyss. A bottomless pit cursed by Mother Earth. A chasm built deep within it, impossible to escape by one's own power.
Within it resided mythical, historical, and transcendental beings like the Dog King, the Progenitor of Vampires, and a Regressor.
According to the golem, an escape had occurred, but that too was questionable. Just what kind of method could one possibly use to break out of this contradictory abyss?
Still, the part about a major incident seemed to be true, as most of the prison's facilities were hideously damaged. The iron bars were bent like taffy, and the stone partitions were shattered in places, grotesquely exposing the building's steel frame. The signs of a large-scale violent uprising were unmistakable.
However, there wasn't a single drop of blood to be found, and I could easily guess why.
The Progenitor of Vampires, Tyrkanzyaka.
The most ancient vampire, slumbering in the depths of Tantalus, possessed dominion over blood. Even if bloodshed had occurred, she would have collected every last drop. The blood would have flowed to her on its own, without her even having to think about it. As naturally as an apple is drawn by gravity.
In the bloodless prison, only the aftermath of the incident remained.
As my thoughts reached that point, I muttered blankly.
"...Maybe the ones who stayed behind are even scarier?"
It was a slightly terrifying thought. If this were an ordinary prison, I would have scoffed at the small fry who didn't even have the guts to escape, but... the ones who remained here were monsters of a different caliber.
Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka was a historical monster who had fought against the mighty Sanctum, and the Dog King was a being who vied for the top spot among the Beast Kings.
Thankfully, neither of them was hostile toward humans. If they were, I would have been killed the moment I set foot here.
Honestly, in this situation, I had no idea how long that would last, but...
"Anyway, there's only one thing to do."
They hadn't escaped and they hadn't killed me because they weren't hostile to humans.
In that case, there was only one thing for me to do.
I have to earn their favor.
So that they'll take my side, should something unpleasant happen later, or if I find myself in danger.
Having made my decision, I started moving in a certain direction.
The three prisoners remaining in Tantalus.
The Dog King, Azzy.
The Progenitor of Vampires, Tyrkanzyaka.
The Regressor, Shei.
Among these three, who was the safest and easiest to win over?
It went without saying. Of course, it was the Dog King, Azzy.
From a time before history, since the very beginning. Since that time, dogs and humans have been friends.
Dogs, loyal to humans from birth. As the representative of her species, Azzy is loyal to all living humans. It was likely thanks to this that a mere entity like the Military State was able to imprison the free King of Beasts in Tantalus. Because Azzy was the type to quietly hold her breath and wait, even in a cage, if a human told her to.
If it had been another Beast King... like the Wolf King or the Lion King, they would have torn the cage and its captors to shreds. Not because they were stronger than Azzy, but because, unlike her, they possessed a wild nature and could not accept such restraints.
I wouldn't know why the Military State imprisoned Azzy unless I read the minds of their high command. But I had a rough idea.
The Dog King is loyal to all humans.
Not just the Military State's allies, but its enemies as well.
The Military State has many enemies. They probably thought it would be troublesome if she fell into the hands of internal enemies like the Resistance or the neighboring Federation. That's why they locked her up in Tantalus, where they could take her out whenever they needed.
"Heh heh. Fools."
I couldn't help but lament. To think they'd shove her deep into a warehouse and neglect her, just because they were afraid the enemy might use her.
I'll show you.
A weapon that anyone can use isn't meant to be hidden away.
Carrying a lamp, I kicked open the door to a storage room. Thick dust scattered like snow, and a stale, musty smell wafted out from within. I casually cleared away a few remaining skeletons and emerged with several poles, a steel net, and a pile of firewood.
Upon inspection, the steel net's border wires were snapped in places, as if from a failed attempt to capture some giant beast. The back had sharp, polished hooks attached, with bits of flesh and fur stuck stubbornly to them. As for how it was used and broken... hmm. Let's just say I don't know.
The wooden poles were specially made, each with a sharp hook attached to its end. What in the world did they do here for such vicious weapons to be lying around so casually?
In any case, I gathered the equipment and went out to the yard. I wiped the flesh and fur off with an oil-soaked cloth, then used the hooks to delicately balance the net over the pile of firewood like a grill. Once the preparations were complete, I held the lamp at an angle to the firewood, pointed at the wick, and snapped my fingers.
"Bolt."
The Standard State Magic, created in the sole pursuit of practicality, ignited a flame. A current sparked from my finger, and the mana-soaked lamp began to burn fiercely.
As I watched the flames spread to the firewood, I opened a can. When I peeled back the lid, I saw a jet-black lump, hardened solid. I took it out and submerged it in water. Moisture seeped between the cracks of the lump, and it soon transformed into a large piece of meat that looked to be ten times its original volume. Even a sponge soaking up water wouldn't be this dramatic.
One of the Seven Major Inventions of the Military State, the Military-Grade Compressed Can. A state-of-the-art compressed food that supposedly increased food storage capacity by over twenty times by completely removing all moisture. Processed with preservation magic, it claimed that just adding water would instantly return it to its original volume, with the taste and aroma perfectly intact!
Of course, like all exaggerated advertising, its texture and aroma were inferior to real fresh meat, but it was more than good enough for dog food. I placed the rehydrated slab of meat on the grill.
Meat this thick would take a long time to cook, but since I wasn't the one eating it, it didn't matter. And the one who would be eating it probably wouldn't care either. The important thing was the smell it produced while cooking.
Leaving the meat on the grill, I took out the bell I'd brought and shook it.
Jingle, jingle.
After one loud ring, I put it away and stoked the fire to cook the meat. The red meat began to cook into a dull color, as if the blazing crimson flames were stealing its vibrancy. The juices that seeped out dripped onto the firewood, rising as smoke and soot. The smell of cooking meat spread in all directions.
It was about time. I took out the bell and shook it again. Immediately, a voice echoed from the distance.
"A delicious smell! Food! Food!"
Though the words were spoken consecutively, each syllable came from a different location. Her running speed was comparable to the speed of sound. I calculated the time it would take for Azzy to arrive, tensed my arm, roughly read her thoughts, and pulled the net at the perfect moment.
Instantly, the pile of firewood exploded. Ash, smoke, and splinters of unburnt wood flew in all directions. Amidst the chaos, the lingering heat took a deep breath of air and flared up at once. Flames spread, swallowing the debris. Azzy, who had leaped onto the firewood pile aiming for the meat, flailed about in the fire.
"Woof! Hot! It's hot!"
Without a word, I used my cloak to beat at Azzy. After extinguishing all the embers, a soot-covered Azzy stood up, her eyes welling with tears. But the pain was fleeting; her eyes lit up as soon as she saw the chunk of meat in my hand.
Not a chance. I held out my palm and shouted.
"Wait!"
Flinch.
Azzy lowered her body, staring at my palm. Her tail wagged frantically, and her eyes darted around restlessly even as she remained still. Her body twitched as if she wanted to lunge for the meat that very second, but just as she was about to tense her muscles, I timed it perfectly and held out my palm. Her intentions read, Azzy couldn't move rashly and just whimpered, staring at my hand.
"Wait? For how long?"
Without answering, I took out the bell and moved it slowly from side to side, making no sound. As the curious object moved, Azzy forgot about the meat for a moment and watched my hand. I continued to wave it slowly, just until the brink of her losing interest. The moment her attention shifted back to the meat, I rang the bell.
Jingle, jingle.
The moment Azzy perfectly registered the sound of the bell, I seized the opportunity and threw her a roughly cut piece of undercooked meat. Though startled, she snatched the meat out of the air with her mouth. Even as she chewed on the meat, her gaze never left the bell in my hand.
Through stimulus control, I had firmly imprinted the bell's existence on Azzy. Now, all I had to do was provide the reward.
"Good! Good wait! You did great! Amazing!"
At the sudden praise, Azzy's eyes widened in confusion. I didn't care. I began to praise her in an excited voice.
"You're such an amazing dog! You can even distinguish the sound of a bell! And you listen when I say wait! You're truly incredible!"
"Huh? Did I do good?"
"Yes! You're the best dog ever! I love it! You're adorable!"
I continued to praise her, my words filled with emotion but little substance. A normal person would have been wary at first, but Azzy, whose emotional guard was practically nonexistent, started getting more and more excited with each word of praise. At some point, she gulped down the meat and began to run around, shaking her head back and forth.
"Woof! Woof!"
"Alright, Azzy! Wanna play ball?"
"Awoooooo!"
At this very moment, the Dog King looked happier than any other dog in the world.
Inwardly, I let out a vile laugh while clapping enthusiastically for Azzy.
Behold, Military State.
A tool that anyone can use isn't meant to be hidden away.
You just have to be able to use it a little 'better' than everyone else.
I slipped the bell into my pocket. This wasn't enough yet. A single instance with canned meat would never be enough to reach my goal.
But after a day, a week, a month...
If I calmly let her hear the bell's sound during that time, associating it with pleasant sensations...
This bell will become a controller that can dominate the Dog King.
Kukuku. Just you wait. You imprisoned me, but in doing so, you've also given me time.
Time to train the Dog King!
"Khahahaha!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
Oblivious to the sinister undertones hidden in my laughter, Azzy simply barked furiously, circling me in joy. She seemed antsy, eagerly anticipating the game of ball that was to come.
Alright, then. A game of ball it is. Using my shoulder a bit to raise my intimacy with the Dog King will be a great asset down the line!
Just as I was about to lead the Dog King to a wider, open area...
'I wondered what he was up to on his first day, and he's with Azzy? I can't figure out this man's intentions at all.'
Whoa, that surprised me.
A thought suddenly entered my mind; the Regressor was following close behind me. Just as I was about to turn my head to greet her...
'This is perfect. I'll hide myself with camouflage and secretly follow to observe him. If he's trying to corrupt Azzy, I'll be ready to cut him down at a moment's notice.'
When I turned my head, there was no one there. I couldn't sense anyone's presence, either.
But the thought came through clearly. The thought of a woman dressed as a man, about three meters behind my right, arms held close as she cautiously tailed me.
I pretended not to notice, my eyes scanning the empty air before I slowly turned my head back to the front.
Uh, so.
You're using camouflage, you say.
I guess I'll have to pretend I didn't see her....