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The dull thud echoed through the cell, and everyone instinctively looked over.
The two newcomers were a boy and a girl, both still young.
The boy's face was bruised, and dust clung to him from head to toe. His lips were pressed tight, and his eyes swept the room with open suspicion.
But the one who truly drew every gaze was the girl beside him.
Her crimson hair, cut to shoulder length, seemed to burn even in the gloom, making her dark eyes stand out all the more vividly.
Just as everyone was quietly sizing them up, the iron door slammed again.
The overseer from earlier had returned, carrying a bucket. He stomped inside and barked, "One serving each, Don't get clever."
Lunch was black bread and some kind of soup whose contents were impossible to identify, served in battered wooden bowls. Even the two new arrivals got a portion.
"Why didn't I get any food yesterday..."
Reon bit into the dry, rock-hard bread in his hand, sounding thoroughly resentful.
"The new arrivals came earlier than usual." Jellal broke his own bread in half and handed part of it to him. "Normally they like to break them in first, then toss them in here like garbage after dinner."
That made it click for Reon.
The attack from the mysterious wizard must have rattled them, which was why they had hurriedly rounded up the newly captured slaves and locked them all together.
They really were like rats. The slightest noise and they started panicking.
Being worshipped by a group like this made Reon's opinion of that dead dark wizard sink a little.
If that was really the case, then they were definitely going to make another move soon.
With brains like theirs, they'd probably suspend construction and search the whole tower from top to bottom. No wonder they were in such a hurry to lock all the slaves up, They'd only just now thought of that?
The last portion of food was handed out, and just as Reon expected, the overseer did not leave right away. He stood in the middle of the cell with his hands on his hips, his narrow eyes sweeping across every face.
"Listen up," he announced roughly. "You're all staying put this afternoon, No work."
A faint ripple ran through the cell. Surprise and disbelief flickered across several faces.
"Don't get it into your heads that wizard's coming to save you. We'll drag him out soon enough."
The overseer kicked the empty bucket with his boot, making it screech across the floor.
"And if any of you cause trouble right now..."
He stopped halfway through the threat, as if suddenly wary of something, and swallowed the rest of it.
"Just don't make trouble for me."
The iron door slammed shut behind him. The moment his footsteps faded, Hugh was the first to spring to his feet.
"No work, this is amazing."
"Those bastards are definitely scared," someone whispered with a grin. "He didn't even dare finish his threat just now. He's obviously afraid that wizard might really be hiding in here."
"We ought to thank that archer wizard, honestly, That was incredible."
Someone laughed loudly in agreement. The unheard-of holiday had everyone buzzing with excitement.
Reon could not help smiling too. It felt good knowing his effort had not been wasted. Besides, that half-day on the worksite had nearly killed him.
Hugh leaned over, waggling his brows.
"Your luck really sucks, Reon. If you'd come in today, you wouldn't have been whipped, and you'd still get the day off."
Reon coughed helplessly, then smoothly turned toward the two newcomers.
"Come to think of it, we still don't know your names."
He used the introduction to redirect the conversation.
As expected, the red-haired girl was far more interesting than teasing him, and Hugh immediately turned to them with fresh curiosity.
"Simon." The boy answered shortly, his voice still guarded.
"Erza..." the girl said softly, her crimson hair gleaming faintly in the dim light.
"Erzaaa."
With a second girl finally in the cell, Millianna darted over like a happy little bird and grabbed Erza's hand in both of hers.
Reon did not linger with the two girls. Instead, he fixed his attention on Simon.
The boy was built solidly, with muscles far beyond what someone his age should have had.
If Reon really decided to start something, having Simon's help would make a lot of things easier.
But Reon's completely undisguised scrutiny made Simon visibly uncomfortable. Ever since the black magic cult had destroyed his village and separated him from his sister, he had been wary of everyone.
"What do you want?" Simon asked with a frown.
Reon acted as if he had not noticed the boy's caution at all. Cheerfully, he held out the half-piece of bread Jellal had given him.
"You're built strong, you should eat more."
The cell was small enough that the gesture drew immediate attention.
A wounded person who barely had enough to eat for himself was suddenly trying to give away food to someone else. No matter how you looked at it, it was strange.
Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Reon scratched his head in confusion. Then he seemed to realize something.
"Oh, right! Erza, this bowl of soup is for you. Don't worry, I haven't touched it."
That was fair enough. Two people had just arrived, and it would have been awkward to only offer food to one of them. That part had simply slipped his mind.
"At a time like this, who cares whether someone's already drunk from the bowl or not?"
Erza gave him a strange look.
"Why are you giving me your food?"
Simon stared at him with the exact same expression.
The mood suddenly stalled, turning oddly stiff.
In the end, it was Hugh who jumped in to smooth things over, though he probably did not realize that was what he was doing.
"You idiot, if you're trying to copy the old man's act, at least use your own share. Why are you giving away the food Jellal gave you?"
"No! Jellal's portion is already in my stomach. The part I gave away just now was mine."
Without changing expression, Reon stuffed the last of the bread in his hand into his mouth, destroying the evidence before calmly offering his rebuttal.
"Bastard, do you think I'm stupid?"
Hugh lunged at him, flailing in outrage.
Jellal watched them bickering and could only shake his head with a helpless smile. As far as he was concerned, his friend was great in every way except that, once in a while... his mind took very strange turns.
"Pfft..."
The scene finally got a laugh out of Erza. Even Simon visibly relaxed.
"Go on and accept the boy's kindness," Grandpa Rob said gently as he stepped over to them. "I don't think he means any harm."
Simon silently clenched the half-piece of bread in his hand.
Erza, meanwhile, picked up the bowl of soup on her own and took a careful sip. Then, with no hesitation at all, she lifted both bowls and gulped them down one after the other in huge swallows.
"Whoa!"
Her boldness won instant cheers and applause from everyone else.
Erza wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, let out a long breath, and then turned to Reon, who was currently pinned down under Hugh.
"Ha... thanks for the soup."
"Then hurry up and save me."
Reon struggled under Hugh's hold as he shouted back.
"Who treats an injured person like this?"
"Understood."
Erza nodded with a grave expression. Without even waiting for Jellal to explain that they were just messing around, she stepped directly into the fray.
Unfortunately, she made no distinction between friend and foe, and she was absurdly strong. One hand on each of them, she crushed both boys into submission at once.
Reon immediately felt the pressure spike. Somehow, his situation had become even worse than before.
"Simon, get over here and stop this lunatic."
He shouted in a panic.
"The bread was your payment, paym-"
He did not get to finish. Erza shoved him right back down without the slightest mercy.
...Was he talking to me?
Simon stood there in a daze for a moment before realizing that yes, Reon was in fact calling him.
It was not exactly an obvious assumption. He did not know Reon at all.
He had no desire to get involved. But when he looked at the three of them tangled together on the floor, then down at the half-piece of bread in his hand, he fell silent.
After a moment, he suddenly took a huge bite, barely even chewing before striding forward.
With a burst of overwhelming strength, he pulled all three apart and said in complete seriousness,
"Fighting is wrong."
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