We took the escalator down to the third underground level.
This had originally been the entrance to Parliament Hall, but it had now become an area open for free access. It was quite spacious, and part of it had probably been intended to open as a tourist attraction from the start.
However, guards still stood watch at the stairs leading farther down. Apparently, the office areas were off-limits to "tourists," and the freely accessible section ended here.
Below Parliament Hall was the Armory. Since those dangerous weapons had already been dealt with, why were guards still needed?
Had the Association not finished emptying it out?
If we wanted to know what was below, the guards at the entrance would definitely know best. I poked Mono in the waist, and she caught on, walking over to the guard on duty.
"Hey, Mr. Guard! Sorry to bother you, but what area is on the floor below? Is it still off-limits to visitors?"
All these guards wore opaque helmets, so it was impossible to tell what Simulacrum Factors they were. He turned to look at us before answering anyway.
"The prison is below."
"The prison? Who's locked up there?"
"Former Supreme Council members, along with elite members of the Council's subordinate warrior corps. They are currently serving their sentences below. Visits are not permitted."
The World Center had originally possessed prison-like confinement cells. Fomalhaut had once been imprisoned there, but I had not expected the lower Armory to be converted into a prison as well. It seemed prison capacity truly was insufficient, which was why Sophia had been released.
"A prison? Then there's no need to go down."
I called Mono back, then bent down and leaned close to the little Witch's ear.
"Kid, have your little magic assistant sneak down through the