Prison Games

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Even for the heavily attended Comiket, the area was ridiculously crowded, surpassing even the crowds of the commuter train during rush hour..............

Haley climbed up on top of George’s head and tapped Elliott’s shoulder.

“Ooki?”

The monkey had clear pity in his eyes and made it clear it was time to give up, and so Elliott’s resolve shook............

“................U, UOOooooooooooh! I WON’T LOSE!!!”

“Y-Your Highness!?”

Elliott raised his camera above his head so that it wouldn’t get smashed when he rushed the line as his shout left his subordinate dumbfounded.

“Your Highness, it’s impossible!?”

“ALWAYS FORWARD! NEVER BEG! DON’T LOOK BACK! THAT’S HOW I LIVE MY LIFE!”

Regardless of George’s shouts, Elliott charged the crowd...........and was immediately swallowed by the wave of humans and disappeared.

While Rachel was lying in bed and reading a literary magazine, she received a visitor at an unusual time during the middle of the day. Most likely they had slipped in while the castle was receiving its supplies.

Without taking her eyes off the magazine she was reading she called out to this mystery woman even before they had a chance to pull back their hood.

“It’s rather rare for Sofia to come at this time of day yourself.”

The ashen haired girl gave a bow before answering in a slightly fed-up tone.

“Most of the other maids have the day off. As a result I’ve got my hands full and”

“Did they all go to Ariake together? Standing in line inside a foreign country, thank you all for your hard work.”

“There are people who like that kind of thing.”

Sofia forcefully pushed over a small bundle of thin books. They were all the books she had been asked to give to her Lady.

“Almost all of them participated in the event by making their own circles.”

“To go that far”

“There are many people who choose to live by My Lady’s example, for better or worse.”

“It makes me a little proud to hear that I’m their role-model.”

“On that note”

Sofia’s face was expressionless as she opened up one of the doujins and pointed out the publication information.

“The most influential group among the maids have taken to calling themselves the ‘Fujoshi Maids’.”³

“.........that, isn’t on me.”

While disinterestedly flipping through her copy of the book, Rachel glanced up at Sofia.

“It would have been fine for you to go too you know?”

Sofia shrugged her shoulders while continuing to direct the rest of the goods being delivered.

“Participating in circles, running around in cosplay–all of that should be left to the indiscretions of youth..........I’m fine as I am.”

“But, you and I are the same age?”

“A woman’s past is a mysterious thing, My Lady.”

Sofia looked back at her master.

“Although, I would think My Lady would be interested in this kind of event.”

Rachel was a natural shut-in, so this didn’t really have to be explicitly asked...........

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

and yet Rachel surprisingly affirmed Sofia’s suspicions. She then proudly motioned to all of the electrical equipment that had just been brought in.

“And now, the preparations are finished.”

Rachel’s cell had just been outfitted with a inch monitor and . surround sound.

“Actually, because I wanted to experience the feel of Comiket inside the venue, I gave a camera to somebody who was going there and have a live feed streaming back to here!”

“Hoh”

Rachel sat down in her chair surrounded by her new speakers, and she pressed the power button on the remote while keeping an expectant eye on Sofia and the other members of the Black Cat Firm that were with her.

The oversized screen lit up, showing a clear image from the camera...........but, the point of view was only about a foot off the ground.

“?”

The scene changed as the cameraman zipped this way and that through a forest made up of a myriad of feet. The video stopped and focused on a pair of denim jeans, getting an extreme close-up, but apparently not satisfied, it quickly moved over to some plaid pants instead. In an instant the view shot upwards, glossing over someone’s back until the person’s full head of black hair was in plain view.

The large venue was packed, a sea of black hair spreading out across the screen. The camera then suddenly jumped high into the air, and right when you think it’s flown up several meters, it landed a short bit away. Immediately afterwards the image jumped again, floating a few seconds in midair before once again landing on somebody’s head. The camera continued repeating this movement over and over again without end.

Rachel watched all of this silently for a moment before pausing the video and quietly standing up from her chair.

“My Lady”

“..............what is it?”

“I think you would have been much better off handing the camera over to one of the maids rather than attaching it to Haley”

“Haley’s more nimble, and I thought it would make a more interesting video...........*ugh*”

“Would you like to drink something to help with your motion sickness?”

“Asking me if I want something to drink right now............for just a bit, please don’t talk to me............”

Inside the train heading home, Sykes was left depressed after not being able to get any spoils from his hard fought war, yet he was still able to exhaustively tug on George’s sleeve.

“Hey George?”

“What?”

Sykes pointed towards the seat across from his own where Elliott was lying back, completely burned out with all the blood drained from his face.

“His Highness, what happened to him?”

“Ah”

George gave the empty husk that was once his boss a pitiful look.

“After spending his whole afternoon crushed and flattened trying to get to the cosplay plaza, he found out that Margaret was cosplaying a male character.”

“Oh..........I wonder if he’s going to start crying”

. Here is a handy guide I found online to help explain a lot of terminology when it comes to Comiket. https://blog.otakumode.com/ / / /winter-comike/

. Comiket is held inside the Tokyo Big Sight. The Gamera Pavilion is what otaku call the building that is usually used as the main venue for any large event.

. Fujoshi are girls who really love gay male love.

- The Prince Thinks about Evolution

- The Prince Thinks about Evolution

The Prince Thinks about Evolution

Haley is a monkey.

To be clear, monkeys can be a little bothersome.

Monkeys have to understand the strength of their herd and the types of fruit available to them.

If they can’t figure out who is above and below them, they won’t be able to understand their place in the pack which can cause chaos.

It’s very important that a monkey knows just who is in charge.

And for the record, Haley like bananas more than apples. Persimmons are best when they’re harder and ripe.

Prince Elliott had once again visited the prison where his former fiancee had been secluded to in order to kill some boredom by berating her..........but before he started, a question popped up in his mind.

“Oi Rachel. I’m a little curious about something.”

“What’s that?”

“This monkey, why does he always climb up to a high place and start acting cocky whenever I come visit here.”

“Isn’t it because he’s satisfied with where he is in life?”

“That guy’s definitely doing it out of malice, and for some reason I feel like he’s treating me like I’m an idiot.”

Rachel took a sip of her tea and turned the page of her book, not paying Elliott’s grumblings any mind as he stared down a monkey.

“Oi, are you listening to me?”

“I’m listening”

The Prince was being noisy. Unable to enjoy her book in peace, Rachel raised her face clearly already bored.

“That’s right........they say you see yourself when looking into the pure eyes of an animal. So if you think he’s acting maliciously towards you, then perhaps Your Highness thinks that you yourself are deserving of such an attitude.”

Rachel tried giving a sarcastic reply, but Elliott was a man who never doubted himself and readily spat back.

“As if I’d believe that! Hey monkey, get down here for a bit!”

Rachel’s monkey accepted Elliott’s challenge and started climbing down the prison bars. When he reached Elliott’s height, Haley stopped and stared directly into the Prince’s eyes.

“What do I have to feel guilty about! Look, look into these gloomless eyes! Well monkey, do you understand now!?”

“What are you trying to get a monkey to understand.............?”

Elliott continued to stare seriously into the eyes of this monkey, irreverent of the Rachel who was so amazed by what she was seeing that she had finally closed the book she was reading.

It was unclear whether or not he truly knew what this human was saying. But Haley continued staring into Elliott’s eyes............until the next moment the little monkey made a small laugh and climbed down off the bars completely. As if he had lost all interest, Haley turned around, climbing up the tea table and sitting down on the bed...............before sticking his butt out towards the Prince.

Elliott had forgotten to breath when he had seen how this monkey was treating him, but that breath returned along with the rest of his sense.

“..............YYYYYYYOOOOoooooOOOOOoooooUUUUUuuUUUuuuuUUUU!? Hey, that’s some attitude for a beast like you to have! Oi, are you listening to me!? Get out here and face your death like a man!”

The shouting continued..........but no matter how long Elliott went on for, the monkey never replied back or did anything in response. Finally understanding the monkey really wasn’t paying attention to him, the Prince quit banging on the prison bars and rounded on the animal’s owner.

“Oi Rachel! Isn’t this enough evidence that this guy is clearly acting spiteful!?”

“Your Highness is much too distrustful. It’s all in your head. All ⋅ in ⋅ your ⋅ head.”

“I don’t think this is on the level where you can just say it’s my imagination!? You take a look too! Now! This monkey is obviously acting discourteously!”

“Discourteous..........Haley is a very well-behaved monkey though? Haley, come here”

“Ooki”

The monkey gave a proper response when Rachel called for him. He walked across the bed and knelt before his master. When Rachel held out her hand, Haley took hold of her index finger and kissed the tip of her finger.

“Well how about it? Aren’t his manners perfect?”

“Tch.........monkey, look over here!”

But no matter how much Elliott shouted or motioned his arms for the monkey to come over, Haley merely yawned and ignored him.

“Oi, hey you! Don’t ignore the Prince!”