[Start of the chapter] “Wait…
What?!
You said…
how long?!” The moment he heard the length of his sentence, Toki felt as though a thunderbolt had struck him.
His entire body froze on the spot.
His eyes widened to their limits.
Even the corner of his mouth began twitching uncontrollably.
His voice was filled with disbelief.
He even forgot about how painfully Madeleine was gripping his arm.
“What makes you think I can even live that long?” “And…
why is the number so ridiculously specific?” “Down to the exact minute?” Marette raised her eyelids slightly.
Her fingers rubbed against the documents.
Her voice remained as calm as ever.
However, a faint trace of confusion flashed through her eyes.
“This sentence was issued by the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale.” “I have no authority to interfere with it, nor do I know the exact reason behind the decision.” As she spoke, she couldn’t help taking another couple of looks at Toki.
She silently wondered to herself.
She had been working here for quite some time…
But this was the first time she had ever seen an ordinary person receive such an absurdly long sentence.
Forget ordinary people.
Even Vision wielders rarely lived beyond a hundred years.
Just what was going on with the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale?
Toki, meanwhile, was completely dumbfounded.
His mind went blank.
Then, realization suddenly struck him.
Could it be…
That the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale could somehow sense that there was something unusual about him?
Could it sense that, just like Furina, he possessed an immortal body?
Was that why it had given him a sentence that far exceeded an ordinary person’s lifespan?
Once the thought appeared…
The more Toki considered it, the more reasonable it seemed.
He opened his mouth.
He still wanted to argue a little more.
But when he saw the expression on Marette’s face that clearly said further discussion was pointless…
He swallowed the words that had already reached his lips.
There was no point arguing.
In Fontaine, a judgment issued by the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale represented the highest authority.
“All right.
That settles it.” Marette spread her hands.
There was a hint of helplessness in her voice, mixed with a touch of novelty.
“Either way, I suppose I should thank you.” “You’ve certainly shown me something new.” “After all, you don’t see a sentence this ridiculous every day.” Toki rolled his eyes.
He complained irritably, “It’s not like I wanted to broaden your horizons this way.” Even so, he obediently cooperated with Marette and completed the rest of the procedures.
Marette took out a Kamera and gestured toward Toki a couple of times.
“Come a little closer.
Raise your head.
And try to look serious.” “This is your inmate identification photo.
We can’t be careless about it.” Toki stiffly raised his head.
He forced an expression onto his face that somehow looked even worse than crying.
He couldn’t help muttering inwardly.
Unbelievable.
His first day after arriving in another world…
He hadn’t even gotten the chance to admire the scenery of Teyvat yet.
And he was already getting his mugshot taken.
The last time he had experienced anything like this was in Grand Theft Auto V.
He never imagined that this time, it would happen to him for real.
Click.
The shutter sounded.
The photo was produced immediately.
Marette attached the picture to his inmate file.
Then she had Toki leave his fingerprint.
By the time they finished the entire series of procedures…
Toki could feel his scalp tingling.
This whole process was even more “official” than he had imagined.
Once the procedures were completed, Marette waved toward a guard standing nearby.
“Take him to the Dormitory Block and assign him according to Class C inmate regulations.” The guard quickly walked over.
He took the restraint rope from Madeleine and spoke coldly to Toki.
“Move.
Don’t waste time.” Toki allowed the guard to escort him away.
They boarded a vessel and traveled deeper into the Fortress of Meropide.
If the damp cold at the entrance had merely been an appetizer…
Then it wasn’t until he truly entered the depths of the Fortress of Meropide that Toki finally experienced the oppressive despair of this underwater prison.
The walls on both sides of the passage were covered in dark green moss.
Drops of water slowly slid down the walls.
They struck the floor with a steady— Drip.
Drip.
In the silent passageway, the sound was unusually piercing.
The lighting was pitifully dim.
Only a dull yellow oil lamp hung from the ceiling every considerable distance.
They barely illuminated the path ahead.
The light stretched the shadows of Toki and the guard far across the ground.
It gave the place an especially eerie atmosphere.
Toki frowned.
His shoulders instinctively tightened.
Back when he had played the game…
The Fortress of Meropide had merely seemed like a place filled with puzzles and quests.
But now that he was actually standing inside it…
The oppressive sensation of being surrounded by seawater…
The sinister atmosphere inherent to the prison itself…
And the despair that seemed to permeate everything around him…
It was far more intense than anything he had experienced through the game.
He could even feel it.
The ground beneath his feet seemed to be trembling ever so slightly.
In the distance, he could hear the deep rumbling of seawater flowing outside.
It constantly reminded him of one thing.
This place was a prison buried deep beneath Fontaine’s waters.
If anything went wrong…
Everyone here would be swallowed by the sea!
“Hey, newcomer!” Just then…
A man dressed in ragged clothes hurried over.
There was a scar across his face.
Wearing a sleazy grin, he leaned closer to Toki.
“Never seen you around before.
You just got here, right?” “Listen, I’ve been here for three years.
I know this place like the back of my hand!” “I can explain the rules of the Fortress of Meropide to you.” “What every area is used for!” “And even how to quickly earn Credit Coupons.” “Credit Coupons are basically the Mora of this place!” “All you have to do is…
give me a little something in return!” Toki glanced sideways at him.
He found the situation rather amusing.
Back when he played Genshin Impact…
He had thoroughly explored practically every corner of the Fortress of Meropide.
The Reception Area.
The Dormitory Block.
The Administrative Area.
The upper and lower levels of the Production Zone.
Even the Geode Mine Shaft in the Abandoned Production Zone.
He even knew exactly where the Pankration Ring was located.
He knew the Rag and Bone Shop’s business hours like the back of his hand.
This prisoner probably had no idea.
The “newcomer” standing in front of him…
Might know the Fortress of Meropide even better than some of the veteran inmates who actually lived here.
Being here felt almost like driving down familiar streets in Los Angeles.
It was practically like coming home.
“No need.” Toki refused calmly.
There wasn’t the slightest ripple in his voice.
“I’m actually pretty familiar with this place too.” The prisoner froze.
The smile on his face instantly stiffened.
It was as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
He looked Toki up and down.
Toki was dressed in ordinary clothes and carried no identifying marks whatsoever.
He certainly didn’t look like someone who had ever been here before.
The prisoner couldn’t help letting out a derisive laugh.
“You?” “A newcomer who just got here, and you’re already claiming you know this place?” “Looks like you were scared stupid before you even made it to your cell.” Toki couldn’t be bothered wasting words on him.
He merely gave the man a cold glance.
Then he continued following the guard.
The prisoner had only succeeded in embarrassing himself.
He glared viciously at Toki before walking away, grumbling curses under his breath.
Before long…
The guard brought Toki to a cell in the Dormitory Block.
“Get inside.” “This is where you’ll be staying from now on.” “Remember the rules.
Don’t cause trouble.” “Report to the Production Zone on time for work and earn your Credit Coupons.” With that, the guard turned around and left.
Toki stepped into the cell.
He looked around.
It wasn’t very large.
There was only an old wooden bed.
A table with peeling paint.
And a small ventilation opening.
Dim light could be seen beyond the vent.
Every now and then, damp air carrying the moisture of the surrounding sea drifted inside.
The walls were mottled and stained.
Various messy markings had been carved into them.
It was obvious that many prisoners had lived here before him.
He sat down on the wooden bed.
The boards were painfully hard beneath him.
But the discomfort also helped him calm down.
He began trying to look at the positive side of things.
“Actually, for an ordinary mortal with basically no special abilities…” “Staying in the Fortress of Meropide isn’t such a bad thing right now.” Elite-tier mortal.
He was only a little stronger than an ordinary person.
If a Mitachurl brought its axe down on him…
He would probably die on the spot.
“If I just lay low in here…” “At least I won’t have to worry about Hilichurls chasing me around.” “And I won’t have to worry about running into any other dangers.” Toki murmured to himself.
“Now I just have to wait for Furina to increase her combat strength.” “And obtain a Vision.” “Then my own combat strength will rise along with hers.” “Once Furina has a Vision…” “I’ll become a high-level Vision wielder.” “By the time I’m released…” “Not only will I have enough strength to protect myself…” “I’ll also be capable of establishing myself in Teyvat.
I get both benefits at once!” Thinking about it that way…
Much of Toki’s frustration disappeared.
After all, he knew what Furina’s future held.
As long as events continued along the original storyline…
He would eventually obtain extraordinary combat strength as well.
(End of Chapter)