Seven to Three

Several disheveled figures appeared one after another, darting past the panting Tales. Some gave the Prince curious glances, others complicated ones, before charging at the enemy without hesitation.

They kept the Prince isolated from the battlefield.

Tales leaned on his longsword and smiled.

Never Lost.

It was one of the most precious gifts Tales had received after escaping Dragoncloud City:

Even in Black Prison, Tales could clearly sense that they were on the eighteenth underground level, still some distance from Sakrael's lowest level, yet not far from another group of prisoners.

The most special—and most heartrending—group of prisoners.

When Tales had seemingly lost his temper and shouted his first sentence, the boy had actually wondered whether Kuaishang could understand what he meant.

[Go fuck yourself! This is the eighteenth underground level! Use your damn brain—where else could I hide?] —Where else on the eighteenth underground level could people be hidden?

As it turned out, Kuaishang, who had struggled alone in the outside world for six years, possessed plenty of quick wit and a fierce will to survive. He quickly understood Tales's signal:

[But I can't do anything! Did you forget? I'm just a lousy thief who can't even open a door!] —The cell holding those Guard prisoners? But I can't open the cell door.

Once the first step in their communication was complete, Tales could safely throw the bizarre Alchemy Tower key in his hand to Kuaishang. Their exchange, hidden between a few words here and there, naturally continued:

[Stop being a thief in the shadows! Be a proper bandit who breaks down doors and robs people in broad daylight!] —Don't worry about the door. Take this key and unlock it directly!

[A bandit? Easy for you to say! I don't know how to be a bandit...] —But how do