Saint and her key

 With you in the Prison, a Story of prisoners.

Author: Irori Amemiya

Sparkling chestnut-colored eyes, hair equally light in pigment, long and fluffy.

Limbs that stretch effortlessly could be mistaken for those of a model, a cute ribbon emphasizing a tightly cinched waist.

As befitting a saint, Annabel showers the people with a gaze always brimming with compassion. Yet towards me, she only looks at me with eyes as if I were a dying animal.

"You're still alive, huh? I heard you hadn't eaten for a while, so I was worried you'd starve."

"...You forcefully shoved food into my mouth, and you have the nerve to say that."

"It's only natural. If you're not alive, I can't go back."

Saying that, Annabel smiles gently, infuriatingly cute despite everything.

Even if her personality is the absolute worst.

Soft, tapping footsteps can be heard. Annabel's face lights up upon hearing the footsteps.

"Joseph-sama!"

"Ah, Annabel. Were you here?"

Flowing golden hair, deep blue eyes reminiscent of the sea. A perfectly sculpted straight nose exudes a royal aura from his entire body.

He gently pulls Annabel's waist closer and strokes her cheek with tenderness.

Annabel, in response, closes her eyes with a dreamy expression.

—And I am watching this from inside the cell.

I am Eliza. I've forgotten my real name. Eliza is the name of this body. I was reborn in this world only as a soul, so I'm borrowing this body.

With dry, reddish hair and a sickly pale complexion, my appearance is meager compared to Annabel's.

While Annabel possesses extraordinary power as a saint, I have no power whatsoever.

But that's to be expected. I am merely the "key" to return Annabel to her original world.

Joseph looks at me with disdain. His handsome gaze stings me.

"Even slaves or beggars dress more decently. Annabel, you'll ruin yourself in a place like this. Let's go."

"Yes, Joseph-sama. I've heard that golems have invaded the borders again, so we need to strategize."

"Ah, my dear Annabel. You needn't do such things."

"No, I am the saint from another world. I exist to save this country."

With a look of undeniable desire, Joseph steals a kiss from Annabel.

I wish they'd do that where I can't see them.

Perhaps my wish was understood, as the two of them returned to the castle, engaging in affectionate gestures along the way.

"...Sigh."

Please forgive my sigh.

I'm just Annabel's extra. I learned this when my soul was summoned to the Ellandia Kingdom from where I used to be.

"Oh...! The saint, the saint has appeared!"

When I heard those words, I felt a glimmer of hope.

Maybe I could also influence everyone, become a hero-like presence.

But reality is always cruel, and the saint everyone was waiting for was Annabel, not me.

Even our appearances differ. While Annabel brightens up the place just by being there, I'm gloomy and shunned both in my former place and here.

　Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, I hadn't been killed, as I am meant to be the "key" for Annabel's return to her original world.

That's the way the system works. Summoning always involves two people, one is the main player, and the other is the extra.

It seems that the Ellandia Kingdom lacks resources, and its finances are constantly strained.

So, they summon saints and heroes from other worlds to help them in various ways.

Summoning two people is a way to ensure compliance, using one as leverage. It's quite inhumane.

"If that's how the system works, they could be a bit more considerate with how they treat the extra role."

At first, I wasn't confined to a cell.

But Annabel, Joseph, and the people of this country all treated me as if I didn't exist...

I once got angry at Annabel. I asked her what she thought I was.

As a result, Annabel caught me and threw me into this cell.

Apparently, I had committed a crime of disrespect towards the saint.

"Even though I was reincarnated..."

I leaned against the back wall of the cell.

And then, my spine creaked as I pushed something.

"Hmm?"

One of the stones was loose. With nothing else to do, I grabbed the stone with both hands.

With a dull thud, the stone came out easily.

It doesn't seem to lead to another wall. It's dark and hard to see, but it might connect to another cell.

I squinted, trying to discern what lay beyond the darkness.

"Oh my..."

"!"

I heard a low, raspy voice. It sounded like a man of indeterminate age.

"Well, well. It's been a while since I've spoken to someone."

"Uh, um..."

"Ah, I apologize for surprising you. I'm not a criminal. My name is Brett."

Despite the hoarseness, his voice was firm and resolute.

His claim of not being a criminal might not be a lie.

"And you? You don't seem like the type to end up confined in a place like this."

"I'm Eliza. I'm the 'key' for the saint to return to her original world."

"'Key'...!? What a coincidence, that such a thing would happen."

"Coincidence? Wait, are you also...?"

"Yes, I was also summoned from another world and left here as a 'key'."

I heard Brett shuffling behind the wall.

The hand that protruded through the hole was bony, covered in dirt and dust. Judging from its appearance, he might be quite old.

But his hand seemed to be searching for something, so I instinctively reached out.

As I tightly held his icy-cold hand, I felt the tension in Brett's hand gradually relax.

"Oh...! It's been so many years, touching another person like this."

"Um, where is the person who was summoned with you?"

"I don't know. He joined a subjugation team and went missing."

"Oh no! Then you could be released from the 'key' duty too."

Brett chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Being listed as 'missing' means there's a possibility of being alive. I'm being kept alive just in case that unlikely possibility occurs."

"Doing something like that...! It's awful to keep you confined in a cell like this."

Being in indefinite confinement must be incredibly tough.

Yet, Brett looked concerned and said,

"You must be going through a lot too. The current saint has been quite active, and yet they've left this 'key' here like this."

"Because I had an argument with Annabel, they said it could be considered disrespectful."

"...Seems like this country still doesn't see the 'key' as a human."

"Exactly!"

We had an aimless conversation after that.

Having an exchange where my words weren't denied was rare and made me very happy. Brett seemed to enjoy it too. He mentioned it had been four years since he was imprisoned in this cell.

If you haven't talked to anyone for that long, even someone like me might be a fun conversation partner.

Brett's manner of teaching various things without sounding condescending was likable. It was endearing how he'd make a small joke and then blush in embarrassment.

Wanting to be kind to his raspy voice, I gave him a honey candy Annabel had playfully given me (apparently, even a woman like her tries to appease me). He was surprisingly delighted.

It seems even life in a cell isn't entirely bad...

＊

Around three months later, in the midst of such a life.

I couldn't help but notice that the castle was becoming restless. The amount of food provided was gradually decreasing.

Annabel appeared with slightly rougher skin than usual.

Still, her beauty hadn't been significantly diminished.

"...You've been eating quite well lately. How carefree."

I refrained from saying that I'm feeling well because Brett is here. I wanted to keep that a bit of a secret.

"Is that bad? If the 'key' is healthy, you should be relieved too. After all, You can return anytime."

"Hmph, as if it's easy. Even with the 'key,' I can't protect this country on my own. And if I'm not here, it's impossible to maintain the frontlines!"

Anxiety tinged her beautiful eyes.

I asked how Joseph was doing, but she didn't answer.

Annabel roughly flipped the hem of her dress and left the cell.

The situation seemed to be worsening. The amount of food we received was drastically reduced.

"As for me, it seems they've decided to let me die like this. I haven't been given a single drop of water since last night."

"That's... terrible. If that's the case, they should at least set you free."

I shared the food I was given with Brett.

He hesitated, but said that he'd rather share than starve to death.

Annabel never came back. I can't remember the last time I saw her.

The soldiers who used to bring us food were now often wounded.

They taught me various things.

"The war seems to be lost. The golems have invaded the heart of this country, and the only thing left is this castle."

"The golems from the western elves, right? They have learning capabilities. Considering the training of this country's soldiers and the strength of its commanders, defeat was a foreseeable outcome."

"...I wonder if Annabel alone couldn't handle it."

"It seems that even a single powerful individual can't turn the tide now; the situation has worsened beyond recovery."

Before long, even the supply of food stopped. However, since the cell door remained locked, I realized I would starve to death.

Even after being reincarnated, I didn't think it was possible for things to end like this.

Though gradually becoming hungrier was tough, it wasn't so bad as long as I was with Brett.

When he managed to catch a rat and offered me its meat, I was surprised that even in this state, he could be so kind to someone else.

My lips were parched, and I was on the verge of losing consciousness.

At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed at the entrance of the cell. The sounds of stones rubbing against each other, crumbling stone walls, and the hint of light filtering in.

As I blinked my eyes against the brightness, a golem made entirely of stone appeared before me.

"Ah, the castle has fallen."

I murmured, and from the back of the golem, a man's figure suddenly appeared.

Long golden hair, a slender pale face, and a beauty that could be mistaken for a woman's. He looked just like an elf.

"Who might you be? You seem too young to be a criminal."

"Uh... I, well..."

"Are you a resident of this country? If so, surrender. Defy us, and you'll die."

I no longer had the energy to resist. Even speaking felt like a chore. Leaning against the wall, I—

"I am not a resident of this country. I am someone from a foreign land, possessing unique abilities."

Brett's voice echoed clearly through the gaps in the stones.

The man looked puzzled, then shattered the stone wall with the golem.

Dust filled the air, stone fragments scattered. He reached out to my hunched form, and when he stood up—

"Brett...?"

"Hey there, Eliza. This is our first time seeing each other."

A young man stood there, as emaciated as I was. He was about two heads taller than me, and his black hair, having grown during years of confinement, reached his shoulders.

But his eyes, like obsidian, hadn't lost their brilliance.

"I said I was the 'key'—that was a lie. It's actually me who was summoned to this country with unique abilities."

"Huh?"

"I didn't obey the country's orders. War is pointless, you see. The enraged kings locked me up here."

The man listened carefully to Brett's words with a vigilant gaze.

"So, you're an enemy of this country."

"Yes. Furthermore, the abilities I possess will surely be of use to all of you."

Saying this, Brett raised his palm. A gust of wind stirred up sand and dust.

In the distance, the faint sound of thunder could be heard.

"I can control the weather. Let me show you snow in summer and rainbows in winter."

"I see. If you can control the weather, it would be greatly useful for our army. What about the girl?"

"Well, as for me..."

I am Annabel's 'key.' An extra. Not a saint or anything special, just an ordinary person—

"She's my 'key.' Without the 'key,' I would die, and I wouldn't be able to use this ability."

"Brett?"

Brett's lips curled slightly. He seemed to be smiling.

"Isn't that right? If you weren't there— if you hadn't been a companion to talk to, if you hadn't shared your food, I would have died a long time ago."

"Understood. If you say so, I'll take the girl with me."

Brett and I were taken together. He rarely left my side (except during bath times).

Thanks to Brett, we were provided with ample food and comfortable beds.

Wearing proper clothes and enjoying a warm meal—when was the last time I had experienced that?

Two weeks after being released from the cell, we were allowed to freely roam the castle.

The castle, which had been completely transformed by the hands of the invading elves, felt like an entirely different place.

"Well, I was put in the cell right after being summoned, so I don't have many memories of wandering around the castle."

"Eliza... you've been through quite a lot of unfortunate experiences."

Brett included.

It seems his 'key' was killed right in front of him for not obeying Brett's commands.

"I apologize for lying about me being a 'key.' I thought you might have been a spy sent by the country."

"No, it's fine. You did it to protect yourself."

With the hope of returning home crushed, he repeatedly said that our conversations truly saved him. It was a bit embarrassing.

Brett, who now had groomed hair and improved skin, had a fairly attractive appearance.

He had gotten used to smiling. His shy smile was endearing.

I returned the gently extended hand. His palm was warmer and plumper than before.

"Ah, there you are, Brett."

The elf who had freed us approached upon seeing Brett, wearing a somewhat awkward smile.

"We've finally found the individual who was at the heart of this country. They were quite elusive, running around and making it hard to locate them... We're planning to execute them this afternoon."

"Execute..."

The elf gestured towards the central courtyard, where a few dirty humans were bound with ropes and guarded by golems.

"...Oh."

In the center of them, I saw the figures of Annabel and Joseph.

Dirty and worn-out, they looked like slaves or beggars.

...

Could I rescue them? If I asked Brett, maybe he could help Annabel, if not Joseph.

What would the execution by the elves be like? Would it be painful, or perhaps merciful?

"...I wonder if they ever tried to imagine what it's like to be in the other person's shoes."

"Huh?"

"Oh, it's nothing."

For example, if Annabel had stopped to open the cell doors.

If only she had imagined even a bit what treatment I would receive, the one left behind.

Or if someone had opened Brett's cell doors.

Actually, if they hadn't put me in the cell in the first place.

I might have run out, shouting to protect her.

But that's a pointless thought. Such things "didn't happen."

We were unjustly imprisoned, nearly starving to death, and yet we're standing here.

"Let's go, Brett."

"Yeah."

Thanks to sufficient nourishment and sleep, my hair flowed smoothly, and a healthy glow returned to my pale skin.

Brett gazes at me, seemingly dazzled. I am his 'key.'

Without sparing a glance at Annabel, I walked through the castle.