[3] Escape II

I sat cross-legged after that dream, my eyes glancing at the moonlight reflecting through the cracks in the warehouse wood. Night had fallen.

Now that I had gained power or a miracle, the question was, how was I to use it?

After deep contemplation, I felt my mind become calmer and clearer, as if it had been cleansed. So, this is Wisdom: Raphael?

[Correct...]

'Huh? Did I just hear a voice!?' I thought, certain I had heard that cold, mechanical voice.

[You are correct... I am within your mind. I am the crystallisation of the Miracle of Wisdom: Raphael.]

'So you are Raphael?' I asked hesitantly.

[That is both true and false.]

'Hey, what an ambiguous answer! Explain!' I demanded.

[You are right to say I am Raphael, but you are mistaken to think I am Raphael, the Archangel. I am the crystallisation of the Archangel Raphael's abilities, the source of information, the organiser, and wise in counsel.]

It felt odd to refer to you like that, but never mind, let's move on.

'I'll call you Ciel.'

[I am honoured to have my own name.]

'Alright, Ciel, do you have a plan for my situation?' I inquired.

[Regarding your escape, that is easy to accomplish. However, freeing the others simultaneously is impossible with your current strength. If you free them, it would be akin to letting them die slowly if you do not take responsibility afterwards.]

'Wow, I thought you were wise,' I said, disappointed in my conversation with Ciel inside my head.

[I am merely suggesting a prudent choice. Besides, slavery here is a legal business, which means these children receive care, albeit not the best. But it is still better than releasing them into this harsh world, leaving them to perish like street rats.]

I pondered for a moment, trying to understand Ciel's meaning. Although it felt unfair, I knew there was truth in his words. For now, perhaps the best course was to focus on my own safety and seek a way to grow stronger. Only then could I help others without further endangering them.

With that thought, I took a deep breath and gazed at the night sky through the gaps in the warehouse, promising myself that I would find a way to overcome all this.

Glancing at the other sleeping children, I felt sadness yet was powerless to do much. I trusted Ciel's words that they would receive care here. I vowed that when I eventually escaped, I would spread the concept of freedom to challenge the practice of slavery within society.

"Alright, I believe in you, Ciel. So, tell me your plan for my escape."

[Very well, soon someone will come to fill the food bowls in front of the barred cell. Pretend to be asleep. When the guard is distracted, seize the keys and run southeast. There, you will find a small boat sufficient for your escape.]

'Wait a moment, how do you know all this, Ciel?' I asked, puzzled. How could he know if there was a boat in the southeast?

[That is all memory from your body, a memory from before your soul occupied this child's body.]

Suddenly, my shoulders slumped, and negative thoughts arose. 'Was this child dead before I took over their body?'

[More accurately, their soul was replaced by yours. This child was on the brink of death, their soul weakened to the point of demise. However, your soul entered their body and easily dominated it. That is why you experienced shock when you first awakened in this child's body. You were initially shocked, weren't you?]

That was true; waking up in this child's body felt nothing like waking from a deep sleep but rather like being jolted from a nightmare.

'Alright, then let's do this!'

[That's the spirit.]

...

As Ciel had said, a guard would come to feed us. I didn't know why they served dinner instead of lunch, but I didn't care. What mattered was that it played to my advantage.

"BGDGSF@#$@^%$32154529," the man grumbled in a language I did not understand.

'Hey Ciel, can you translate what this man is saying?'

[Of course, you underestimate me. However, you can understand their language; as for speaking, I cannot assist you at this time.]

'Okay, while not practical, it's useful.' I replied.

[...]

Why do I feel like I've made Ciel pout? Never mind, what's important is that I understood what this man said.

"Ah! Why am I the only one feeding these beasts!? Why does the boss want to gather these child slaves when their market is so low? I don't understand," he complained.

Hmm, so far I understand the language of this world's inhabitants. If that's the case, let's grab the keys.

I slightly opened my eyes to locate the keys and noticed them hanging from his waist. But there were many keys, so I didn't know which one was which.

[The one on the far left, that's the key to your cell.]

'Oh, you are very helpful, Ciel!' I thought excitedly.

[Hmph!]

Why does it sound like he's being smug now? Forget it.

As the guard locked the cell door and turned, hanging the keys at his waist, I quickly snatched the key. Unnoticed, the iron key was now in my hand.

"Good thing I took it once he finished locking me up. If he was still feeding here and I took the key, my escape would have failed," I whispered to myself.

Carefully, I waited until the guard left before I started unlocking the cell. My hands trembled slightly, but I remained focused. The key creaked as I turned it, and the cell door slowly opened. I looked around to ensure no one was watching. Once everything was safe, I stepped out and began moving southeast as directed by Ciel.

My steps were quick yet cautious, ensuring no suspicious sounds. I felt slightly relieved as I moved further from the warehouse. Finally, I spotted the small boat tied to the riverbank.

"This is it, just as you said, Ciel. Now, how do I start it?" I asked eagerly.

[Untie it, get into the boat, and row southward.]

With renewed enthusiasm and confidence in the miracles granted, I boarded the boat and began to row. I didn't know what had happened to the guard due to his negligence in allowing one slave to escape, but I didn't care and continued rowing towards the south.