Slow Prison Life

“Did this come for His Highness..........?”

As his friend sighed while pinching a pink envelope, Prince Elliott’s pen stopped as he confirmed what was going on.

“What’s wrong George? Is it some kind of unsavory letter?”

“Well........well, you could say it’s an unfortunate letter.......”

“...........where is the idiot who’d send something like this to the Prince’s office?”

“We already know where Sis is.”

Everyone in the office kept silent as an indescribable atmosphere settled in.

♠

“Seriously, what is it this time, that woman”

Elliott rushed to the dungeon while once again reading the letter he had received.

“Dear Elliott, how have you been?

I’m sorry for not contacting you in a while, but my place of business has finally opened again after finishing our renovations.

A bunch of cute new guests have started visiting, so we need you to prepare various kinds of liquor.”

“What does she mean, ‘not contacting in a while’? I just saw her yesterday.”

“And the way she was talking was strange too. Sis has always just called you ‘Your Highness’, and then there’s this ‘place of business’ she mentioned.........”

“Since it’s Rachel, hasn’t she just come up with another new game for her to play?”

“In the worst case.........”

Something was absolutely going on. There is absolutely no way that whatever was lying in wait for them wasn’t no good. Because ‘that’ Rachel was in high spirits.

Everyone was currently heading there to get a confirmation, but honestly nobody truly wanted to go.

But if they were to just ignore this, it could very well develop into another dangerous situation. In the entire history of this country, has there ever been a more cumbersome prisoner...........?

“Now now, Elliott. Maybe Rachel is doing something rather interesting this time.”

Margaret tried to comfort him, but Elliott wasn’t holding his breath.

“..........something interesting for that Rachel.........”

“Yes?”

Elliott let out a deep sigh while thinking about Rachel’s letter stuffed in his pocket.

And then what Elliott saw before him when he finally reached the bottom of those steps...........

“Welcome~”

When Elliott’s group arrived, the voices of nearly a dozen young women rose up to greet them.

“What!?”

The girls were all wearing tight fitting dresses more complex than a normal evening dress, and each of them started motioning for the men to take a seat next to them with their brightest business smile. Each one of them was beautiful with an excellent style, and they all had excellent manners..........yet none of the men ever remembered seeing any of them in court.

“Eh? Eh? Eh?”

“Come this way~”

Not knowing what was going on, each of the men had their arms grabbed and were pulled over to the couches and made to take a seat. Elliott too had both of his arms grabbed and was dragged over by two women.

“Fufufu, welcome”

“Please take a load off. Ufufu”

One was a bewitching and mysterious beauty for which the word ‘beguiling’ really would suit well. The other woman was a more motherly-like beauty with a much more serene air about her. Both of them were older than Elliott, yet he was somehow able to feel strangely comfortable with them.

Elliott had already been sat down in the middle of a 3 person sofa when he realized he was sitting right in front of some iron bars. Rachel was sitting inside her cell, wearing an unusually heavy amount of makeup and a dark dress that showed off her chest.

“Welcome, Elliott. You haven’t stopped by our shop lately, so I was getting lonely.”

“No, I just saw you yesterday!? What is this!? What are you up to this time!?”

“What.....as you can see, it’s a cabaret.”

Elliott shook his head when his senses came back to him.

“You, a cabaret..........what the hell are you thinking.........”

“Well! If it’s like this, what do you think I am thinking about Elliott?”

“I don’t know damn it! I can never figure out what’s going through that skull of yours!”

Rachel made a pleasant laugh while clapping her hands together.

“Since my friends came to visit me, I thought we could play a game together.”

“Why would you play at being a cabaret club when your friends visit............and who would go along with that...........”

“Ah, that’s right. I need to introduce you Elliott!”

Rachel made a grand gesture as if she were truly the hostess for a club and motioned to the two women leaning on Elliott’s shoulders.

“Today in charge of handling Elliott’s comfort we have our store’s pride and joy newcomers. On Elliott’s left we have Eliza who cut off her boyfriend’s head after he betrayed her. And then on your right, we have Sofie who hung her cheating husband from a high place and nudged him forward.”

“I’m going home”

“Now-now-now-now”

Elliott tried to stand up, but the two girls on both sides of him hit the back of his knees and forced him back down.

“Come now Elli. You’re going to hurt our feelings leaving without even having a single cup.”

“That’s right Elli. You can’t rush out of here before even having three cups.”

Elliott had two older women on both sides of him coming onto him. The sex appeal was too strong, only outdone by that soft feeling casually being pressed onto both arms.

“Ah, um, you’re both older than me, but calling me Elli is a little..........”

Elliott tried feebly fighting back using the apparent disrespect to royalty as an excuse, but Rachel’s carefree voice drowned him out.

“Ah, there’s no problem there. These two would also be considered, ‘Your Highness’ where they come from as well.”

“What are you making royalty from other countries do!?”

Elliott was being completely held down against his will. He really wanted to get up and leave, but the women around him were skillfully holding him down where he could barely move.

He stiffened as the beautiful women on both sides of him tried happily taking his order.

“Elli, what would you like to drink? How does a 192 proof vodka sound? You could be seeing heaven after a single drink?”

“No, I’m fine!”

“Well, perhaps you’d prefer something lighter?”

“S-Sure!”

Elliott already felt like a mouse between a couple of lions licking their lips. If he were to get some strong alcohol and become drunk like this.........it’d be over!

Elliott shook his head as he started to sweat. The beautiful older woman to his right then called back.

“Some Dom Perignon all around!”

“Thank you very much~!!”

“Just a moment!?”

Elliott involuntarily shouted out in response to the chorus of women’s voices that rose up.

“Didn’t I just ask for something light!?”

“Oh my, but shouldn’t the amount and price be irrelevant?”

“Sure but!? That’s right but!?”

“So we can’t give someone with such a fine palette as the Prince any kind of cheap alcohol.”

“You’re right about that too but!? That certainly makes sense..........!?”

Elliott is the first prince, so naturally he almost never worries about the price whenever he makes any purchases........which was why this country’s greatest noble daughter was currently ripping him off. At these prices, you could trade this alcohol in for a house.

While Elliott was mumbling to himself about any reservations he had, a Prison Guard whose eyes had completely glossed over after he escaped from reality came in pushing a cart.

So many champagne bottles, and a pyramid made from glasses that extended upward towards the ceiling.

“Alright then let’s get started.”

“HOLD ONnnnnnnnnnnn!?”

Elliott tried stopping the woman who had begun climbing a step ladder and reached out towards the topmost cup.

“Didn’t I say, ‘something light’!? So why are we suddenly bringing out a tower of champagne!?”

“Because we’re a high-class luxury business used even by royaltyyou. We need to bring out the highest grade alcohol if we are going to produce the highest grade hospitalityharassment.”

“And the money for all of this!?”

“High-class customers shouldn’t worry about things like that.”

A beautiful yet expressionless woman ignored Elliott’s attempts to stop her and used both hands to start pouring some champagne into the topmost glass. Because of how high the tower was, she had to open another bottle, and then another one after that. When the tower was completely glowing gold like a bright chandelier, the girls all raised a cheer.........while Elliott was already feeling groggy.

“I order something light and you bring out the highest grade alcohol.........what an awful rip-off..........”

“It’s not a rip-off because you’re properly enjoying the product.”

The expressionless womanSophia gave a calm reply, but Elliott no longer had the will to complain anymore.

Unaffected by Elliott’s mood, Margaret let out some honest praise looking upon a spectacle she’d never seen before.

“Absolutely amazing! Elliott, may I drink some too!?”

“Sure, yeah, drink as much as you’d like...........”

♠

No longer in the mood to drink, Elliott spent his time taking measured sips of champagne every once in a while. That was fine since ‘Eliza’ and ‘Sofie’ were more than happy to drink his share. Their cheeks were already starting to turn red, and they started drunkenly poking Elliott’s arms.

“Ufufufufu. After all the effort Elli put into coming to visit us, how about we play a game?”

“Eh? Um, but playing a game like this........”

Elliott didn’t brag about it, but because he had Margaret, he had never gone drinking in a store with girls like this before.

“That’s right~, it’s a simple game........oh, and really easy too.”

Eliza made a sweet smile.

“Elli, I will go ahead and poke you with the edge of your saber? If you don’t die, then you win.”

She was smiling so sweetly, but there was nothing sugary about those eyes of hers.

“No!? Tha-That’s a little difficult for me!”

“I wonder~”

As Elliott tried desperately to refuse, Sofie who was sitting beside him clapped her hands together.

“That’s it, we have to get Elli something to sit on.”

Sofie started to laugh happily while starting to poke Elliott all over his body.

“How about calling it Elli’s Close Call? All Elli will have to do is sit down in a barrel. That’s all, and then the girls will take turns stabbing the barrel with knives with the girl who delivers the killing blow being the winner. I suppose Elli will be the winner if you survive though right?”

She was laughing happily, but her eyes weren’t getting the joke.

“No, wai, such a......!? ...........Nobody would want such a terrible game!?”

Desperately taking a look around the store.........

“Wow~, how fun!”

“I want to go first!”

“Just a moment, you can’t just take being first so seriously you know!? We have to spread it out, make sure that everyone gets a turn!”

All the girls in the store were getting excited. Some of them had already started pulling out their own sabers rather than short knives.

“Oi Rachel, what’s with these people!?”

Although he had never been to a cabaret before, this was definitely not how cabaret’s are supposed to work. Even a naive man like Elliott could figure that out.

But Rachel seemed to be having a grand time while drinking her own champagne.

“Huh, didn’t I say before? All of our hostesses are subordinates of Eliza or Sofie. They’re all also young ladies who have been forced to go through hard times because of their fiancees.”

“So why are they all here!?”

“For Elli of course.”

“Damn, somebody help........”

Elliott suddenly remembered that he had brought his subordinates with him and hastily started looking around him............

“George!”

George was completely blue in the face with Alexandra leaning against his shoulder insulting him.

“Ufufufu, does George come to these kinds of places often?”

“No, this is my first time! Honest!”

“But, you’re curious aren’t you? Should I tell your parents about your amazing night life?”

“Id- Don’t say anything stupid!? I’d never do something so stupid!”

“Speaking of which, I found a lovely 5 carat black diamond being sold.”

“Y-You want me to buy it!? But, the price is a little........”

“Well, then perhaps a month confined to doing foreign affairs might help?”

“Let’s buy it tomorrow! No of course, that doesn’t mean I hate work!?”

“S-Sykes!”

Sykes was already dead inside as Martina fawned over him while sitting in his lap.

“Does Sykes often come to places like this? I’ll get angry if you say you have an active nightlife.”

“..........no, I’ve broken all contact...........”

“Hufufu, I’m just joking with you. Ah, Alexandra seems to be getting getting a black diamond. How nice, I’m, just a little jealous.”

“Oh, would you like some new jewelry? What, what would you like me to buy............?”

“Is it okay!? Well then, our marriage certificate”

“..................So a black diamond, 10 or maybe even 20 carats...........”

“Our marriage certificate”

“How about I buy you a gorgeous necklace!? Or, perhaps something you can wear in your hair!?”

“Our marriage certificate”

“No, not Wolanski too.........”

Wolanski was off drinking with Haley who just so happened to be wearing some ruby red lipstick and a tight-fitting dress.

“That’s right, His Highness doesn’t watch his feet so he always makes a big show of tripping himself up!”

“Ooki!”

“Oh yes, he does it quite often. And one time, he was so flustered that when he stood up, he stuck his head right into the rear-end of a horse!”

“Ookikiki!”

“Hahahahaha!”

“Why are you the only one having a good time here drinking with a monkey!?”

Rachel casually tilted her head as Elliott wearily screamed towards the ceiling.

“Hey Elliott, your complexion looks a little bad.”

“Oh, I wonder why my complexion has started looking bad!”

“You know that if you drink alcohol with an empty stomach, you’ll get drunk faster don’t you?”

“That’s not it!? How could I get drunk in this cold atmosphere!?”

Rachel pointed towards Wolanski.

“Wouldn’t it be better to fill your belly like that one over there?”

Wolanski had just ordered a large plate of fruit.

“Here you go Henry, eat as much as you’d like.”

“Ooki!”

“Isn’t he giving the fruit away though?”

“Whether the customer eats it or has the hostess eat it instead, the shop doesn’t care as long as it gets paid for.”

Elliott suddenly got curious and took a close look at the platter.

“Hey.........that plate, isn’t it too decedent? There are a lot of fruits in it I’ve never seen in our country before.”

“You’re right, and it’s because we were completely serious while preparing it!”

“Perhaps........it’s more expensive than the champagne?”

“We’ve priced them accordingly.”

“.......Wolanski, he might faint after seeing his bill after this”

Completely unaware of his boss’s pitiful gaze, Wolanski smiled and laughed at the monkey who was hesitating to eat the fruit in its hands.

Haley stared at his banana for a second before looking up.

“Ooki.........?”

“Eh? Isn’t this really expensive? It’s fine, it’s fine!”

Wolanski laughed away Haley’s concern.

“His Highness is paying for all of it”

“Wolanski, you bastaaaaaaaaaaard!”

Was it because of all the yelling or the terrible pressure he was feeling on both sides? Either way, Elliott suddenly started feeling hungry himself. Rather, he was probably just feeling exhausted, not having the mental power to keep walking the tightrope during this stressful situation.

“Damn........I’m terrified of what’s to come, but I too...........”

“Would you like a fruit platter?”

“Isn’t the price for that way too scary to eat!? And besides, I’d like something a little more snack-like”

Rachel tilted her head.

“Hmm.......well, how about some sandwiches then?”

“Oh, that sounds nice........is what I’d like to say, but you definitely put in some kind of outrageous ingredients right!?”

“Not at all. It’s ‘normal’.”

“I don’t believe you!?”

Rachel clapped her hands, and the expressionless woman who had brought in the champagne tower before appeared again to take the order. After being gone for a moment, she brought back a plate filled with sandwiches........and for some reason immediately brought them over to Rachel.

“My Lady, if you would”

“Yes”

Elliott watched them with obvious suspicions.

Rachel then held her hand out over the sandwiches that her attendant was holding towards her.

“Looks tasty”

“Thank you very much”

The untouched sandwiches were then brought over to Elliott.

“Thank you for waiting. Here are you sandwiches handmade by the daughter of a Duke.”

“Just a moment!?”

“Is there something wrong?”

“What are you saying Rachel just did!? Or is there something else!? Is there some other Duke’s daughter in the back who made these!?”

Rachel’s expressionless subordinate gave a monotone reply.

“My Lady just gave up on her desire to eat these delicious-looking sandwiches. After that kind of effort, it’s no exaggeration to say these are handmade by her.”

“It’s definitely an exaggeration! How does such a thing add any value at all!?”

“Picture it as an idol event.”

While Elliott dishearteningly glanced at the snacks he ordered not sure if he really wanted to eat them, Sophia did a rough calculation of the night’s sales and reported their progress to Rachel.

“Our sales are terrific, My Lady. Our numbers are soaring as if a river of gold were flowing into our accounts. Our new product is a rousing success.”

“Mm, indeed. Our profit margin is wonderful. Our night business is popular.”

“No, you’re all awful.........”

Rachel took another look at her account book when after suddenly noticing something, she raised her head.

“Speaking of which.........didn’t Sand Bag come too?”

“She did. A while ago she was doing everything she could to bring down that champagne tower”

Rachel and Sophia both started looking around for the twin-tail girl.

“Mmm, high class alcohol is re~ally tasty!”

She was dead drunk, surrounded by four, five other girls.

“Oh, you girls all have such big boobs! Let me touch them~”

In addition she was acting like a drunk old man screwing around with the other hostesses.

“........amazing.”

“Yes, as expected of Sand Bag.”

“Surely everyone in the Mourning Noble Girls knows of Sand Bag’s identity?”

“Yes, of course. They see her as a homewrecker who stole another person’s spouse, and they originally surrounded her hoping to traumatize her through intense sexual harassment..........she would have been safer if she had just wrapped herself in raw meat and thrown herself in a cage with some wild animals.”

“Indeed........I, this might be the first time I can say that Sand Bag has my respect.”