Tower of Paradise

POV'S ARCEUS PENDRAGON.

I got out of bed as soon as I was sure everyone else had fallen asleep. I carefully opened the door and stepped out before closing it behind me.

Sneaking around at night made me nervous, so I was careful not to go down the stairs because I knew they made noise.

I managed to reach the library through total darkness. When I opened the door, the dim light of a lamp illuminated me.

I quickly entered before anyone could see me and closed the door behind me.

Cassie was sitting at one of the tables, with an open book and a fire lamp beside her.

When she heard the door open and close, she looked up and her eyes focused on me.

After a moment, she stood up.

—You didn't back down. Good.

She turned to look at me as I closed the distance between us.

—Everyone else is sleeping. Emilia went to bed a few minutes ago. So now we can talk freely.

I closed my mouth for a moment and reflected.

Emilia, huh?

Apparently, Cassie has already learned the truth.

—I know.

I knew she would have many questions and that her interrogation would determine whether she could trust me or not. While she was thinking, I opened my mouth.

—I don't know where to start. What do you want to know?

I gave her a thoughtful look before shrugging.

Cassie hesitated for a moment.

—I need to make sure my theories about you are correct. And if you really know what I think you know, I want you to know that you're not the only one. If you accept, we can even work together.

I touched my lower lip.

Cassie had really been watching me and seemed to have dedicated many thoughts to this.

And... from what she just said, she's almost understood it perfectly.

The only detail she hasn't alluded to, which she doesn't seem to have deduced, is something she couldn't have guessed: my reincarnation.

I inquired while shaking my head.

—Work together? How?

I questioned while crossing my arms.

—In fact, first, what do you think I know?

That was the first topic, the most important one to address, before any other.

Cassie snorted.

—I'm supposed to be the one asking questions here.

I tilted my head from side to side while trying to better read her mood. She definitely didn't look good at all.

—You know what's on the other side of that door. You know what this place really is. And what we were born to become. That's why you've been so weird since you got here. That's why, every time someone is "adopted," you've never seemed really happy for them.

She spoke so fast that I felt like my mind was going numb listening to her.

However, she was right about everything.

—There was always hesitation and sadness in your eyes. You might think you're a good actor, Arceus, but it's quite obvious if you act so weird.

Her tearful voice came out as if she was squeezing every word from her throat.

She gave subtle hints, but vaguely, just in case, and gave me enough information so that, if her theory was correct, I could grasp her deeper meaning. Cassie was cautious even when she actually had most of the answers.

I exhaled a sigh, not knowing how much I should reveal.

—This place is like a cage. No, it is a cage. They feed us well and everything goes according to plan. When we wake up, when we go to bed, everything. We're nothing but cattle waiting to be sacrificed.

Cassie stood there trembling like a lonely leaf on a tree. She sobbed and then raised her head. She seemed to have calmed down a bit, but her eyes and nose were tinged with red.

—They're killing them and devouring them...@@novelbin@@

Cassie said glancing around as if she was nervous, letting out a shaky sigh while crossing her arms over her chest, scared.

—Good. We're on the same page.

She sighed as if relieved.

—All of this... is probably to maintain the quality of our lives as merchandise. After all, we probably wouldn't taste as good if we weren't healthy or were malnourished.

Cassie shuddered at my comment before nodding in agreement.

—And what about the daily exams? Emilia encourages us to learn, but what's the point of that if they're just going to eat us?

I began to frown deeply at her question.

In fact, if we're cattle, they shouldn't feed us.

I originally thought that educating us should seem almost dangerous to those monsters.

The meat won't taste better if we get good grades, right?

It seemed that age and score had something to do with the level of the meat.

Although she was certainly right, that wasn't the conclusion I reached after years of research.

—If I remember correctly, those who were shipped were between seven and fourteen years old. And if seven years is usual. Then...

I gave Cassie a hint so she could understand it on her own.

Cassie covered her mouth while opening her eyes with fear upon reaching the expected conclusion.

—So basically, our shipment was proposed by our high grades?

Cassie looked at the ground helplessly.

—Still, I don't understand. Why do they classify us by score?

—Maybe it's the size of our bodies?

I suggested, but then shook my head.

No... thinking about it, it can't be that. In that case, they would care more about our body mass.

Cassie opened her eyes forcefully, having reached a chilling revelation.

—Brain size.

My face hardened and I went rigid.

—Huh?

We both fell into deep contemplation. Yes, that was it.

It is said that the human brain is 90% developed by age 6. Others also maintain that by age 13, it's fully developed.

—It's just an assumption for now.

—Fine. Now tell me, what did you see outside the orphanage?

With a guttural and primitive howl that tore through me like shards of glass, Cassie broke down in tears.

Although we were just one step away from each other, an indescribable void of emotions separated us.

—What's wrong?

Cassie took time to respond.

The room itself seemed to mourn for Cassie as her sobs and moans filled the air.

—Do you remember the door we found when we were children?

—I do.

—Well, beyond that door... There's a tunnel that connects to a well.

—A well?

—A well that leads to the surface, to the outside world.

I stood there stunned at that information.

The knot in my throat blocked any words of comfort I could say, so I did what no one else could do without knowing the truth: give her hope.

—Let's run, Cassie. We need to leave this place behind.

—...

It wasn't Cassie's anger that made my gut boil like this... it was my own.

—I don't know what the outside world is like, but we have no other choice if we want to survive. It'll be okay, we'll manage to escape. If it's you and me definitely...

—Do you think it's possible to bring them with us?

—...

—If we leave them here... They'll end up like this! Without a doubt! We can't leave them behind. I don't want anyone else to die!

Tears ran down her cheeks and clouded her vision. Cassie's body visibly shrank while her small shoulders trembled, she couldn't breathe as the torrent of emotions continued to surge from her.

Do you think it's possible to take them all with us?

—Are you joking, right? Cassie, you see... It's not possible to take them with us.

It simply wasn't possible. There was no way to escape from this place.