Chapter 88

Chapter split into four(4) pages

Botsuraku Chapter 88

<b>Volume 5: Chapter 2</b>

“Boss, we’re done taking those boards apart.”

Boss… Did they mean Doolas?

No, they didn’t. If word spread that slowly in the confines of this prison, it would be uninhabitable. I was the boss. Me, Kururi Helan. It was almost like we were living in some zoo enclosure; once I’d sent their boss flying, having beaten him to a point well beyond recovery, his followers had made a rather sudden turn and adopted an attitude that was much more pleasant. They followed my orders well.

I was more than certain that each last one of them had done something that warranted their incarceration here, so I had few qualms about getting the most use I could out of them.

“All done, then? Bring them all to Cell 136.”

“Got ya.”

“Boss!”

Another follower piped up.

“What?”

“We’ve got beds, shelves, and books too. Do we bring ‘em there too?”

“That’s right. All of them, to Cell 136. The sofa too.”

So they had books too, did they? It certainly looked like prison life was about to take a turn for the better.

They even had a bed! Depending on how soft it was, I may have yet come to lose the need to call this a prison!

“What do we do about Doolas, the stinkin’ bastard?”

“Treat his injuries. I guess it all hinges on his attitude after that.”

This was the same bastard who’d accepted a bribe to beat me to a pulp. Forgiving him on the fly was obviously out of the question, but he still knew a lot. Using him effectively was the better option. Building a connection to a jailer who was, in all likelihood, paid from the pockets of the Dartanelle Family was especially important.

One we moved everything we could get our hands on to Cell 136, we’d start with building the walls. We had a former carpenter in our midst, so I could just leave that bit of work to his expertise.

He certainly didn’t look like a charmer, but his skills weren’t anything to sniff at.

In the meantime, I’d take care of the room’s layout. The bed would be placed to the side where the window was, and the sofa somewhere around the middle. The bookshelves would be placed somewhere in the back, where they would be more inconspicuous.

Yes, that should do it nicely. I’d also have liked some flowers on the windowsill.

“Boss, it’s almost time for lunch. Please, go ahead and eat first.”

“Starting today, I’m the boss. That’s why we’re changing a few rules. Make sure that everyone here gets an equal share of food. We’re also going to share the jobs down here.”

“Are ya sure? Yer the Boss, ain’t no problem for us if ya eat as much as ya want…”

“I’m telling you it’s fine. We’re splitting it evenly, starting today. Punish anyone who breaks that rule. Give them a good smashing.”

“Roger that. I’ll jus’ be lettin’ everyone know!”

It wasn’t as if I had any intention of hogging all the chow to begin with, so that was just a rule I’d come up with on the spot, not giving it too much thought. That didn’t stop it from becoming an apparent innovation for this prison, and one prisoner after the other came to me just to show me their gratitude.

But regardless of their many thanks, the way none of them would even meet my gaze just imbued me with a sensation of great discomfort. I learned that the Boss was a figure meant to be feared, to be revered. I’d really managed to acquire a rather grand title in this prison, hadn’t I? And the only thing I was actually guilty of wanting some wall décor…

Things were much more comfortable from there on out. I had a bed. I had a sofa.

I read my books while the sun was out and bright, and I went about doing my work once it went away. The food we had was frugal both in quality and quantity, but since I wasn’t really the type to overly delight in foods, it ended up being sufficiently fulfilling.

All things considered, I was rather happy.

I had food to eat, I had more than enough books to read, and I really didn’t have anything against the sunset.

Huh? Wait, wasn’t I just plain at peace here?!

“So, what do you normally do here?”

“Really only speakin’ for myself here, but I really didn’t do much ‘cept fer pickin’ on the new blood. Ever since ya became the Boss, Kururi, I really haven’t gotten a lotta orders so I ain’t got nothing but time to spare.”

“What about the other prisoners?”

“Up till now, they’ve just been pushed ta do the work no one wants ta do. They’re all doin’ ‘em together now, though. Pretty much everyone’s got time on their hands.”

True, the pure tedium was bound to rob them of their purpose in life… If only there was something worthwhile for them to do…

“Alright then, tomorrow we’ll start with something new. I’ve gotten pretty bored of just reading books all day.”

“Oh, what’s on yer mind?”

“I found shovels and pickaxes. What did you use them for?”

“Well, back when we still had us a jailer, we’d use ‘em ta dig through the walls. You know, to expand this damn hole. Nowadays we jus’ use ‘em as weapons, though.”

“Right then. We’ll pick that up again, starting tomorrow. We’ll do just enough for it to not be too much of a burden, about a few hours each day.”

“Gotcha. But Boss, just why are we doin’ that fer? If I’m gonna be honest, I don’t see the point…”

“It’ll probably hurt me to say this, but… No, I’ll be up and frank with you! You guys are  had to say appeared to have been worth it. I felt as if I’d stumbled on an excellent story.

The next day came along, and I was all too eager to start digging up the wall on the Western side.

Just as the Withered Old Man had said, the more we dug, the more unsuitable the earth became to this dry environment. It became damper and damper. In light of this new discovery, the willingness of the others to proceed with their labour was stirred up to great effect.

Even once the work hours had passed, there were still dozens of people digging.

I set in place the rule that all those working tomorrow would not be fatigued in the slightest, I only allowed those who actually wanted to work to go on.

Then the next day came. The transformation was rather sudden. While I held a pickaxe in both hands and heaved it at the wall, digging it out, someone nearby let out a yell.

“Oooh!”

“What happened?!”

“I was just focusing on this especially damp spot and – Aaaaaaah!”

For a moment, we were all assaulted by the sensation of the ground shaking beneath our feet. Not long after the great rumbling noise began, an intense spout of boiling water burst from the walls.

“R-Ruuun!”

“Right!”

By the time things had settled down, it was already noon. The jailer peeked in on from above, and the prisoners themselves took in the view as they surrounded the phenomenon from a distance.

“It’s a hot spring!”

This was one curious twist of fate. We dug and hit a boiling hot spring. It certainly seemed as if I had been blessed with ridiculous luck.

“Well, letting it all spill out is just a huge waste. We’re starting maintenance tomorrow!”

Everyone was practically overflowing with eagerness and excitement. They opened up a hole, went about spreading rocks, and filled it with the gushing, boiling water. Within this hellish nightmare of a prison, we had created a hot spring.

I wasn’t sure how else to put it, but this was already far beyond simple comfort. Some of the people here hadn’t had the chance at a hot bath in years, others in decades. Every last one of them had the face of someone that had been brought back from the brink of death. It somehow began to feel as if coming here had never been that bad a thing. Everyone had a powerful, radiant expression on their face.

The hot spring itself wasn’t all that spacious, so we made due by taking turns. Once it was my turn, I slipped into the hot spring. Accompanying me was the Withered Old Man.

“Really now, nothing but good’s been happening since you became the Boss.”

“You think so? I think we have you to thank for the hot springs.”

“Oh no, it should be you. It took thirty years of me knowing to get to this paradise, but it only took you one day. Oh, I really do feel like I’ve been revived…”

I felt the same way.

When I first came here, I’d spent my time thinking about how things would turn out. Now, that worry was far from my mind.

“What did you even do to get thrown down here? You really don’t seem like someone who belongs in here.”

“Well, it’s a long story. Oh, right. I forgot something important.”

Why did I get thrown in here? Well, I’d been set up for one thing. For another, a certain group of people was supposed to be here, wasn’t it?

I relayed the information to the followers, and told them to bring the ‘Violent Money Grubber’ Psyshin Upstol and Hunter Galdmira to me. They should have been here.

I had to hear the truth straight from the horse’s mouth…