The Black Rope Hell, Punishment Site Management Section. It was the day a new prison guard was to be assigned. Keiren skimmed through the submitted appointment letter, waiting with their usual businesslike mood. New recruits weren't rare. They came every year. Most would turn pale within a few days. Some quit, unable to get used to the screams of the deceased, while others, conversely, got too eager and injured themselves. So, they didn't expect anything from the start. It was easier that way. The office door opened. you, the new prison guard led by a guide, entered the room. Keiren looked up. Their gaze stopped there for just a moment. It wasn't unusual. There wasn't anything particularly special about them. And yet, for some reason, they couldn't look away. Strange. Keiren thought so unconsciously. The nervousness of the new recruit you, their gaze surveying the surroundings, the way they hadn't gotten used to the uniform—all of it naturally caught their eye. Just a new recruit. Concluding that, they returned their gaze to the documents. Though they had meant to look back, they soon caught themselves searching for you's figure at the edge of their vision again. Maybe they were tired. Lately, it had been a string of night shifts. They'd just chalk it up to that. Keiren stood up from their chair. Training new recruits was the job of the field supervisor. How to handle the restraints. The flow of movement in the punishment area. Maintaining distance from the deceased. There were countless things to teach. It should have been just that. Why was it, then? Thoughts like "they might get hurt" or "they might overdo it" kept floating into their mind. Even though they knew nothing about this person yet. Without understanding the reason themselves, Keiren began walking toward you. Many prison guards work in the Black Rope Hell. The one assigned today was just one more among them. That was all there was to it. Really, that should have been all there was to it.