"Even if I do know a way for the boy to get out of the Pit, I still can't do it… Even for you, Charlotte. The boy's mother… you see, wants him to stay there."

"...Mother?"

​​

Charlotte let out a slight hum as she slowly sat down back to her seat. Since her granddaughter was interested in Van, she took it upon herself to research Van have some of her subordinates investigate him.

"What... kind of mother will do that to his own son?"

"..."

She saw how her daughter-in-law took care of Edward even though he didn't even look human. And not to boast or anything, but even she herself, Charlotte, could be considered a better mother.

Even though she wanted to hold her son so much, she wasn't able to do so because she was afraid that she would hurt him. But even then, she did everything so that her son would feel loved.

But Van's mother...

She knew everything there was to know about him. The things he had to do to survive, the tortures and pains that he had to endure just to get by in his daily life, how he got through it.

His trials, his abuse-- she knew everything, even down to his father's history.

But there was one thing that remained a total mystery to her, his mother. For some odd reason, the reports that she got from her subordinates can be summed up in a quarter of a page.

Her name, Evangeline. The reports all said that the people can't really remember what she looked like. It would have been fine if it was just one or two, or if they completely forgot about her. But even the things that they remembered from Van's mother were the same-- that she was tall and very beautiful, someone that felt like didn't belong in the slums at all.

It was as if all their thoughts were somewhat the same. As if… their memories were erased.

"!!!"

Memories… erased?

Charlotte quickly looked towards Headmaster Hans. If there was one person in the whole country capable of altering and erasing memories like that… then it would be none other than him.

"...What are you hiding from me, Hans?"

"...Well," Hans leaned in closer towards Charlotte, even with Angela slightly blocking him from Charlotte's view, his bald head still reflected the bright rays of the sun that seeped from the window.

"Join our group and we will tell you everything."

***

Back in the Pit, Van was currently looking around the center of the Encampment. Ever since he got on Boss' good side, some of the Prisoners have begun talking to him… respectfully.

Even when he woke up this morning, the other Prisoners made way for him… and some even seemed to be waiting for him for some reason. Of course, they all went away as they saw Van, with his clothes still all bloodied up.

"Did… I miss something?"

"Oh, you're still alive?"

Van almost jumped back in fright as he suddenly saw Gil behind him. His eyes were completely wide open, not even a slight tremble could be seen from them.

"Why… didn't you wake me up?" His voice, however, even though clear, sounded too groggy.

"You seem to be sleeping so well that we were afraid to wake you up, mister Gil."

"Jeez kid, just call me Gil," Gil stretched and cracked his neck, "Ack, I think I have been sleeping the whole day."

"...You have."

Truth is, a whole day had already passed. Gil completely missed the events that transpired yesterday, with the trade between them and the Local, and Van acquiring a new house.

It would seem that the alcohol and all the stress that he accumulated on their first day here truly penetrated Gil's whole body.

"Agh… I felt like I would still be sleeping if that lady didn't wake me up. I don't even remember her name." Gil once again groaned as his head throbbed. "She told me you got a house now?"

"...Yeah."

"What… happened while I was asleep? And everyone seems to be looking at you differently as well."

"Nothing much, I just won this house from another Prisoner," Van said as he nonchalantly pointed his thumb towards his new house.

"I see, how'd you even get it, anyway?" Gil shed a sigh of relief as he looked at the house, "Well, lucky for us that we now have our own place to sleep."

"...We?"

"...T… that, you…" Gil could not help but stutter as he let out a nervous chuckle.

"Just kidding."

His stutters then quickly became relief as he heard Van's words. He then once again looked at the people that were clearly looking at them, taking side glances whenever they can. "...Just what is going on here?"

With his training as a guard, all these eyes on him were making him feel uncomfortable. Of course, add the fact that he really was a guard inside a prison.

"Nothing really," Van shrugged his shoulders.

He was telling the truth. Aside from what happened yesterday, nothing eventful has happened. The Prisoners kept to themselves, living an unexpected normal life. Sure, there were arguments here and there, but not to the point of killing each other.

The ones that were arguing were mostly disputes between the people under Grant and Rick. But aside from spitting and cursing each other, there… really wasn't anything to see. Van was expecting someone to be murdered so he could check if a soul will emerge, but alas, no one died.

Perhaps all the action were on the other side. One of these days, when he has fully acclimated in the Pit, maybe he should check the other side… maybe he could even get a territory there. Seeing as he had already embedded his name in the Encampment, maybe he could take some people and--

"Why are you still wearing your uniform?"

His thoughts were then disrupted by Gil's words. He then looked at his Academy uniform, which was almost already sticking to each other due to the dried up blood.

Right… what was he thinking. He still had his friends which he gained in the Academy, there was no reason to think about territories and things like that. No matter how similar this place is to his previous home, this isn't the slums.

"...You're starting to stink, Van."

"Really?" Van slightly scratched his head, only to find out that a chunk of his hair was already solidified by dried blood.

"Speaking of which… where do people take a bath here?" Gil also started smelling himself and almost retching afterward, "W… wait, what if there's no bath here!? What are we going to do!? I like taking care of my ski--"

"Excuse me. Are the two of you… going to the river?"

Before Gil can start blabbering, a woman's voice entered their ears.

"Y… yes?"

Gil was slightly taken aback as he saw the short-haired woman approaching them. Aside from Nisha, this was the first time that a woman has talked to them inside the Pit. Even with the party the other night, they all seemed to keep to themselves.

"I… can lead you to where we wash ourselves." The woman meekly said, her eyes slightly glancing at Van from time to time.

"Really!?" Gil could not help but let out a smile, "Then thank--"

"Just tell us where it is and we can go there ourselves," once again, before Gil could finish his words, he was interrupted.

"N...no! You will get lost in the forest. Please, let me come with you!"

"We can find it ourselves," Van let out a scoff before turning away."

"Please!"

However, before he could walk away, the woman grabbed his wrist. "I haven't taken a bath in weeks because I am afraid some of the men will follow me! I… I will let you do it to me after!"

"D… do what!?" Gil quickly let out a stutter as he thought of something inappropriate. "You don't need to do anything!"

Van, on the other hand, looked at the woman straight in the eye. He knew that he shouldn't listen to her… but hearing her plead now, she reminded him of Andrea.

Not good. He was getting too sentimental.

"Van, I don't really see any problem with her coming with us, we can just take turns in taking a bath." Gil sighed, "What's your level, lady?"

"I… I am level 27."

"See? I am sure both of us have a higher level than her. There's nothing to worry about."

...Even this woman has a higher level than him. Granted, he still has not sent the soul he got from the previous owner of his house, but still… why does she seem weaker than him?

Van then suddenly remembered that he was supposed to ask Gil and Nisha how many points they were receiving whenever they level up. He knew he was overthinking it, but his numbers just seemed… too big.

"...I will bring miss Nisha," Van told the two to wait in front of his house as he called for Nisha. She said that she will be on his side, so might as well make use of her now.

And so, Gil and the woman waited for a few minutes… in silence. They spoke to each other, but only to the point that they exchanged their names. The woman's name was Cynthia.

It was only when Nisha hesitantly arrived that they came to know of Cynthia's crimes. If her info was to be believed, then Cynthia was here because she killed a normal human that his husband had been cheating with.

At first glance, Cynthia looked like a very sweet woman, normal even. Gil always keeps forgetting the fact that everyone in this place committed heavy crimes, so he was still slightly surprised when he heard that.

"...You seriously called me because you wanted to take a bath? What are you, a kid?" As the four were walking to the river, Nisha could not help but let out a sigh. She was more used to taking a bath during the night where she could nimbly escape if ever there were… opportunists.

"No. I am fine without taking a bath. I am just going to be on guard just in case someone attacks us," Van said as he shook his head, his hair, which was almost solid, looked like a parasol as it waved in the air.

"..."

"No, forget what I said. You definitely need a bath, kid." Nisha quickly covered her nose as she looked at Van, "We can just switch turns. You two go first, Cynthia and I can go after."

"I don't think I really need to, though. I will just wash my unifo--"

"No! You need a bath!"

Gil and Nisha both screamed at the same time as they saw what seemed like flies hovering above Van's head.

Cynthia, on the other hand, could only laugh silently. Van was now somewhat close to Boss, what if she offends him, she thought.

Finally, after a few more minutes of convincing Van to take a bath, they arrived at their destination.

"W… wow," Gil's eyes widened in shock as the clear water reflected on his eyes,

"There… was a place like this here?"

***

"We need to go back there to rescue the boy, Chief!"

"Are you stupid, Eugene!? That boy swindled us!"

"What!? No, but I saw the desperation in his eyes. He wanted to get out of that place!"

"Then why did he go back?"

"That…"

Back in the Local Village that was nearest to the Wall, Eugene was currently having a heated discussion with the Local Chief. What transpired yesterday was still not clear to them, and Eugene wanted another go at rescuing Van.

"Fool! It is obvious now that the boy is one of them."

"Then even more so that we need to rescue him! Please, Chief! He probably didn't even know what he was doing! I am sure he was forced by them!"

"That is enough, Eugene! Do you really want to risk your men's life for some barba--"

"C… Chief!"

Before the Local Chief could finish his words, a guard barged inside his office, his breaths heavy and an obvious panic coming out from it.

"A… a person from the City is here!"