I, the Weakest Traveler, Start by Taming the gods of the Old World.
Chapter 63 - 63: The Jail camp

"The Goddess?" Ha Joon asked, his tea cup paused halfway to his mouth.

Artoria had just explained everything the knight Belinda had told her about the cult Red Wing. She also mentioned the fact they are associated with the goddess of Discord, Ishtar.

"Yes," Artoria continued, "although legend says she disappeared a long time ago, during her reign, she was said to have ruled the Nation of Unakel, the nation known to have the highest count of gods."

Ha Joon placed his hand under his chin, pondering.

'Camelot is in the center of this continent, surrounded by the Kingdom of Silvertine, the nation of Unakel, and the nation of Mercia. These are the most important kingdoms in this continent. To think that one of them was once a breeding ground for gods is quite confusing. Realistically, shouldn't it have been Camelot?'

He looked at Artoria. "Has there been any contact with the Unakel kingdom over the years?"

"My great-grandfather once allied with them during the Great War, but it was only temporary. Nothing after that, at least not that I'm aware of," Artoria replied.

Ha Joon leaned back in his chair. "So it's unlikely they have any connections with our people then."

"Yeah, but running into them twice can't be a coincidence. First with the Knights, and then with them trying to kill you," Merlin added.

Ha Joon stared at the ceiling for a moment before speaking. "It's best not to jump to conclusions yet. I'll speak to the prisoner we caught; only then will I know what to do next. Merlin, is she in custody?"

"Yes, she's in the primary jailhouse. Not even the Knights of the Round Table have access to her," Merlin gestured.

"Good. I planned on doing it after speaking to Artoria anyway."

"Wait, I'll come with you," Artoria said, standing up.

Ha Joon shook his head. "No, you won't."

"Why can't I? If you're going to discuss something important, it's only wise I tag along. Depending on what we find out, I'll know how to rally my troops for war against Unakel," Artoria argued.

"And that's precisely the point. Going to war isn't going to solve anything. You said it yourself, we have no real connection with them. We have little to no information to know if they're even involved in this. So, let me handle this, and you go meet with the minister of finance instead," Ha Joon pointed at her.

Artoria was taken aback. If there was anything she was proud of, it was her ability to outsmart and outmaneuver anyone in a war. But this man, this man kept making her feel inadequate.

"Even if I agree to this, I don't know anything about finance or the meetings you've held with the minister," Artoria admitted quietly.

"You don't have to worry about that," Ha Joon moved closer to her, placing his hand on hers. "Yukio will accompany you. She knows every detail and will relay it to you."

For a brief moment, Artoria felt her stress melt away as Ha Joon patted her head—until she remembered what had happened the night before.

She immediately stepped back, her face reddening as she forced a stern look.

"You're a monster," she muttered.

"Haha, you think so? I do be smart like that. Anyway, I'm off, and no, I don't need an escort. I can handle this myself," Ha Joon said, walking out of the room.

They all watched as he closed the door behind him, silence taking over.

A few seconds later, Ha Joon opened the door slightly and poked his head in, an embarrassed look on his face as he confessed, "I… don't know where the prisoner is being held."

Merlin chuckled. "Hai hai, I'll come with you." She stood up from the chair.

"I just said I don't need an escort!" Ha Joon protested.

"You're such a cutie, let's go," Merlin replied, ignoring his protest as she grabbed his hand and led him out of the room.

Leaving Yukio and Artoria standing there awkwardly.

…..

Camelot had three main prison camps. The largest, reserved for top criminals, was located in a secluded area surrounded by water and jagged rocks. Escaping from here was nearly impossible. Not only did Merlin's dragon sleep nearby, but the waters were also deadly for anyone who dared to swim in them.

The second prison, designed for lesser criminals, was a round, metal facility with guards patrolling around the clock. It primarily housed enemies from other countries.

The third was a small, fog-covered clearing in Varlm, a dense forest within Camelot.

This prison, known for its eerie atmosphere and hidden spiritual creatures, was where Sinex, a member of the Red Wing cult, was being held.

Her arms and legs were chained, and she was locked inside a small wooden box suspended from tree branches.

Many prisoners shared this fate. Those who ended up in this prison were either high-status individuals or were under investigation and trial.

A guard, wearing a helmet and holding a spear suddenly arrived in front of her prison box. Losing the rope that helped keep the box in mid air, it fell to the ground violently, Sinex, who was in there grunted in pain as she hit the ground.

The guard carefully unlocked the box and looked inside it, "Dirty rat, The Prime minister is here to see you".

Sinex, her eyes hidden behind the metal, smiled a bit.

Seated on the chair inside the prison camp, Merlin and Ha Joon waited for the prisoner they had requested for.

"You seem weirdly calm, most who come here are usually scared just from the atmosphere of this place." Merlin said, looking at Ha Joon ever so preciously.

"I've seen worse porn trust me, nothing is scaring me." Ha Joon responded, clearly getting bored from waiting around.

That was until the guard showed up-

"I have brought the prisoner you requested for, My Lord." the guard announced.

Ha Joon looked to the side, seeing Sinex, bondaged with the chains, standing only a few feet away from him.

"Hey there, long time no see… weird man." Sinex voiced out, a creepy smile on her face.