Chapter 41 – Feed me
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
I genuinely mumbled the spell and saw a blue light from his wrist faintly lingering. But to my surprise, as I looked at him, he was about to fall.
And I widely opened my eyes in shock.
"Ricdorian!"
The chains moved, and I grabbed him by the shoulder. But still, he stumbled and fell forward. He laid on his stomach and groaned.
"Are you alright? Ricdorian, can you hear me?"
He let out a groan, let alone a reply. This is driving me nuts. Jair never talked about this. He just said it would sting him a little!
Jair said that Ricdorian would grow a bit after experiencing a little pain, and I anticipated the degree of body growth. But I didn't expect to see him suffering like this. I stomped my feet while looking at him. I don't have the time to run to my cell and get the painkillers. If only I knew that suffering from this would be the side effect, I would not have consented this!
I bit my lower lip, anxious about what to do.
"…huh?"… When did it grow?
I felt that his shoulder gradually grew thicker. It wasn't just the shoulders. I could see firmer and longer legs and arms. I am astonished by what I am seeing. His torn clothes fell on the floor.
Soon, Ricdorian slowly lifted his head and stopped breathing the moment he stared at me.
His breathtaking face was now gazing right in front of me.
I tried to step back as I felt uneasy; however, the hand that held me was faster than the speed of light. He grabbed me firmly like an iron clasp. And with this, the chain was pulled tightly. The shackles on his neck were still attached. His mouth, which became plump and redder as he grew, opened slowly.
"Why are you avoiding me…?" He said. "Where do you intend to go?" Ricdorian added.
His pureness remained the same, but his ferocity right now was like that of his beastly side. And as I heard him say those lines, it felt different.
It didn't take too long for me to realize that Ricdorian was speaking in the form of a beast.
As he tilted his head, his long silver hair scattered over his forehead. I bent my head to see him even more. His eyes were looking at me deeply, making me feel like I'm drowning in the ocean. I heard his deep breaths. And his eyes seemed to be staring at my neck.
"Let me go."
"…why?"
Ricdorian's head tilted deeply. At that moment, I opened my eyes wide.
"Why… why are you trying to avoid me?"
Those strange and bitter eyes were watery. His long and mesmerizing eyes were in subtle harmony but more stimulating….this is not just because of the growth.
I grinded my teeth and thought of Jair. That bastard! He fooled me! I'm surely gonna pinch him in the ears!
Holy cow! I know it's just a slight improvement. But I was so sure. This is the look of Ricdorian in the book. This is him, the grown-up Ricdorian four years later.
My heart pounded. I squeezed my sleeve with the other hand. It was strange to see him with that kind of beauty. It's more than ethereal!
But soon, I gathered myself and thought that there was no time…this is not the right time for this.
"Let me go. I have to go."
There's no time. I had to go back before the patrols turned. But his grip did not budge. No, I could feel how powerful and robust his hand was.
But at the moment, tears fell from him.
"Don't go."
No, why are you seducing me! With my face swept away, I quickly tried to pull his hand away from me. Soon, our eyes met, and I flinched as I saw the gaze of the beast.
"Where are you going?"
The eyes on me were filled with tears, but I knew that he's an animal that could turn berserk anytime and bite off someone's neck.
I swallowed a lump as I think of his capabilities.
He was in an imperfect condition as of the moment. I could see him shaking even when he was a beast, but he still had the consciousness of a rational person. We shouldn't have done anything in a rush. Maybe he wasn't able to bear the power of the spell?
"Ricdorian, you're a good boy. Look at this, I brought you something you like."
While I opened my pocket with one hand, Ricdorian glanced at it. Ah, I know for sure he must have seen his favorite cookies.
"It's for you." I said and showed him the pouch of cookies I just grabbed.
"Mine?" I nodded nonchalantly in response.
His eyes that caught me, stared alternately at the cookie and my face. Then I offered my hand with the pouch of cookies.
"What, what should I call you… I don't remember. Ah, Master?"
"No."…Master….I pursed my lips, determined not to feel pampered once again.
"Iana. Call me by that name."
"Name?"
He bent his upper body, and the distance between us was narrowed.The tension I am feeling right now was similar to that of a wired copper. Looking at the gentle but ferocious beast, I slowly tried to gather my thoughts.
"…yes. Iana." I said.
His deep gaze was now too close to me and the blinking blue eyes curled slowly. It seems like the purpose of his sudden growth was now forgotten because of his overwhelming smile and the strangeness that flowed in his sight.
"Iana."
Iana: "…"
I only heard him say my name, but why do I feel so perturbed? Once again, I swallowed hard.
"Iana."
He licked his lips with his tongue, and his gaze slowly turned towards my hand that was holding the pouch.
Then, he held my hand and grabbed a cookie from the pouch, and he put his mouth on my wrist.
Then he smiled visibly as he looked at me straight right through the eyes.
"…Feed me." He said, with a subtle blush on his cheeks.
I blinked, wondering if I had misheard him for a moment.
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Chapter 42 – Let go
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
Wait. What did you say? Feed you? What the heck are you saying right now?
Ricdorian was still holding my hand, and I could feel the touch of his soft lip being pressed on my wrist as well as the scabs next to his lips.
"…Can't you?" Ricdorian, who vaguely glanced at me, tilted his head. Then his lips moved in a sensible manner.
Why did his lips get redder when he grew up?
Staring at it, I unconsciously bit my lower lip without turning my gaze away. His whole being right now screamed perfection.
"Iana."
I think making him call my name was a bad idea… It felt so strange hearing him say Iana as if it was really my name.
Soon, I closed my eyes, then opened my mouth. It seems like he was waiting for my response as he held me by my hand. In any case, he was ready to release me unless I fed him.
Time is ticking at this moment.
"Oh my, loosen your grip for a bit."
I said it multiple times, fiercely looking at his eyes. Then I waved my hand around the cookie.
"This is what you want, right? Then let go of my hand so I can feed you."
Ricdorian gradually let go of my hand as he looked right into my eyes. Assessing if I'm true to my words. However, he seemed not convinced for his eyes manifest a trace of doubt.
Staring back at him, I felt like there was a beast walking around in front of me. It would be better to feed him quickly and get out in an instant than encountering other unfortunate events.
At last, his hand completely fell off; however, he raised his hand to make sure I was within his reach in case I would run and leave him. His form may be a beast, but the way he acts right now is like a baby afraid of being abandoned by his mother.
I grabbed him by the chin, making sure that I would not touch the scar on his lips, feeling the smoothness of his cheeks.
"Open your mouth."
Ricdorian: "… ."
His watery eyes crossed with mine as if those were not owned by an animal.
Now tell me, how can I not abide this man's bidding when he looks like an innocent little kid who needs care?
"Come on."
Looking at his slowly opening mouth, I put in the cookie I was holding and his lips moved as if it was eating candy.
However, even though I gave him the cookies, I still couldn't move my hand. I stared at him who was intentionally swallowing my fingers in his mouth….why is he devouring my hand?
This wasn't the first time he did this obscene act. I just sighed and shook my head.
In the past, when he was a beast, he devoured my hand, which he mentally thought was a cookie too. But now… it's different. Yes, he's still a beast, but he's a rational beast as of the moment. He must have realized that he was eating my hand, not just the cookie, but nevertheless, he still did not let go of it despite knowing it.
"Let go of my hand. Right now!"
But rather than letting go, I felt his fingers squeezing my wrist, slowly sucking my index finger. Moments of savoring, he looked up and stared at me.
"How about you? Don't you want to eat it?" He tilted his head, his eyes were moist and watery…
After asking me to feed you, you wanted me to eat next? What a good thought, Ricdorian. Just how thoughtful of you!
But no. I quickly shook my head, then narrowed my eyes.
"That's not eating. Let go. Quickly."
The sound of my resolute voice made him stop for a moment. But after a while, he continued doing his thing with my fingers, moistening it with his tongue. He then tried to shift his gaze, ignoring what I just said.
"It's sweet."
"…Ugh!" I unintentionally said out of frustration. I then felt a more profound gaze coming from Ricdorian the moment he heard me moan.
I stepped back since I thought this sudden turn of events would be dangerous at this rate. Fortunately, my hand was completely out of his mouth this time.
But my heart was pounding violently.
The chain was moving, and his hand reached for me; however, he stopped right in front of me because the chains were not long enough for him to be able to catch me.
"Iana."
There was a mixture of innocence and fascination in his thirsty voice.
"One more time… …feed me one more time. Please?" I glanced at the floor and lifted my head.
"…No?" He asked as I did not respond to him.
"No, I don't like people who don't behave themselves."
I let go of my hand, which I enclosed with the other and showed him my wrist with a visible bruise caused by his tight grip earlier. His eyes shook slightly, realizing he did wrong. As expected, his rationality and beast side coexisted. Then, at the time of his realization, he did not do any strange things anymore.
I shove the pouch of cookies instead of giving it kindly to him. So he picked it up himself and opened it.
"Eat it yourself."
Then the eyes, which had been fierce all along, slightly turned despondent, and with his head down, he ate the cookies on the ground.
"Yes. I'll eat."
No. Why not use your hands?
I was caught in a strange mood as I stared at him, who was eating the cookie with his mouth like a beast…or a dog… I don't know right now, but he felt like neither a human being nor a beast.
As I looked at the blue-eyed man eating the cookie, I swallowed my saliva and clenched my hands. Everything I did and the magic to help him was out of little goodwill and curiosity, but somehow I feel like he was paying a higher price for it.
I think I shouldn't be here anymore.
I was about to pull the hem of my sleeves, when suddenly I heard a groan. And as I turned my head, I saw a Ricdorian with an arched body like a ripe banana.
"Ricdorian!?"
TLN: Some of the previous chapters have been edited and retranslated (please see chapter 27). Sorry for the inconvenience. I will continuously go through them as long as revisions are needed. Also, if you have any concerns and suggestions please don't hesitate to share it on discord:https/discord.gg/Q3dStgu
Thank you for your understanding and have a nice day!
Sincerely,
SKAIS
Chapter 43 – Is this mine too?
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
I moved towards him and grabbed him by the shoulder as fast as the lightning. He was so hot! Not just the part where I held him but his entire body was so hot.
Cold sweat dripped from my forehead due to anxiousness. And the well-drenched man looked more blatantly irritated. Turning my eyes, I decided to touch his forehead.
"Arrghh, it hurts… ."
"Are you alright? Where does it hurt? Can you talk?"
"My body is hot…"
What the hell did Jair make me do under the power of the moon? He said I just need to say the incantation.
I gnashed my teeth.
He was a loyal dog who swore allegiance to Ricdorian in the book. I didn't think he would do anything harmful to him. And if this is part of the process, it seemed too painful for him.
I bit my lips, wiping away the sweat and tears on his eyes.
"Tell me where it hurts."
Then the tormented blue-eyed child stared at me—his eyes, which manifested a deep-sea color smeared with tears, perhaps because of pain.
"It's strange. In here… no one came and cared for me…"
He got my hand and buried his face on my palm and I felt like rubbing his cheeks as he was like a beast seeking for love and attention. Those words were enough to make me feel remorseful of his pitiful situation.
"Is this mine?"
What he pointed to was the remaining cookie and so I nodded.
It's yours, Ricdorian. It's yours.
But, what's with that sudden question? Right, that's not important right now.
"…then, is this mine too?"
The next thing he pointed at was my hand.
All of it are yours, Ricdorian. Wait,no!
It wasn't approapriate to point at my hand this time. What is he thinking?
I frowned at him when his lips was pressed on my wrist. I could feel his hot breath on it.
Swoosh.
Suddenly, I got shivers. I just hope he wouldn't notice my trembling hand.
"Why will this be yours? It's my hand."
His innocent eyes looked up, and tears rolled down, showing a beastly smile under that suffering expression.
"So, what should I do?"
I stared at him, pulled out my hand, and covered his eyes. What else should Ricdorian do? Get some sleep!
He's been out of strength for a long time. So it was not difficult to get out of his grasp. Also, it was on my mind to leave him like that as I have less time left. However, I decided to wipe his sweating face and body with a handkerchief. Not long after, I rummaged through my pockets.
"…hold this."
I want to leave now, but I can't because of my guilty conscience.
I put my hair tie in his hand and stood up. I pulled an old blanket and covered his back. As of the moment, he noticed the hair tie I gave him, hugging it tightly in his hand as if it was his treasure and slept soundly.
"No… this is more…"
His sweat-soaked hair, bulging tanned cheeks, worn-out clothes, and so on has soon transpired.
Ricdorian was back in his original form.
Before I knew it, I closed my eyes tightly after looking at my sweaty small hands…Iana, think of this as a good thing… A good thing.
I placed my hand in my pocket and turned my back.
It's been a long night.
Of course, I didn't sleep well after that day.
Early in the morning, as I walked down the hall, the guard who was looking at me from the side, spoke.
"Iana, are you alright? If you are sick, you can go to the infirmary."
"No. No. I want to take a walk. I want to get some fresh air."
After that occurrence, I came out for a walk with a stiff face. When I get back to bed, the dawn was near, so I had little time to sleep. Furthermore, I encountered no problems going back to my cell.
It took me less than 10 minutes to get out of Ricdorian's cell, lock the door, release Hans from Jair's magic, and go back. The way back to my cell was smooth. It's just that my problem is I wasn't able to get enough sleep.
Who can sleep comfortably after experiencing such a thing?
To be honest, I was so confused. I didn't know what to do when I saw Ricdorian suffering. He looks like he was carrying the pain and suffering of the entire world. On the contrary, it seemed that I underestimated Jair's magic. I thought the side effect would be just a faint pain. I have no idea it would torment Ricdorian
I brushed off my thoughts aside as I felt a strange expression coming from the guard in charge of the walk who just spoke to me.
"Iana? Your face is red. Go to the infirmary right now."
"No, it turned red because of the walk. I guess this was over-exercise."
"…over-exercise?"
The guard glanced at me, who's now sitting on the bench, rather than taking a walk…Yes, I know my excuse is crap. But in the end, the guard didn't do anything anymore and walked to another prisoner.
I looked away and sighed heavily. Today, I'll promise myself to just rest and do nothing.
Then, suddenly as I massaged my temples, an idea came into my mind.
"Oh!"
A good idea!
In the distance, a group of female prisoners gathered. Sally, the prisoner assigned next to my cell, was chatting with them. They were all laughing as if they had no problem. Usually, I would have involved myself in it, but I closed my eyes and decided no to go to them because I didn't have enough energy to be there right now.
It had been three days since I met Jair.
"I felt the magic was activated. Maybe I was successful?"
New magic restraints arrived from the capital city, and for some time, I was forbidden to take a walk with Ricdorian. Thanks to that, I was walking alone today.
Soon, I stared disapprovingly at the uninvited guest.
"Oh, hello."
Oh, come on, I was waiting for you for three days.
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Chapter 44 – Unknown Inside (1)
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
"How would you know if what I did was successful?" I curiously asked him.
"It's simple." Jair smiled freshly as if he just had a cold refreshment in a hot summer. His green eyes depict confidence and sureness.
"If you fail, I wouldn't have seen you here anymore."
I paused at what he said. And when I looked up, I was welcomed by his smiling face.
Right now, I'm kind of like clenching my fists. I'm in a disposition wherein I don't know what I should feel about him.
"So you know what could possibly happen if I fail? But still, you chose to leave the magical thing to me despite knowing those possibilities?
"You were willing to do it, and I really appreciate your participation. Thanks to you, my magical curiosity was satisfied."
He looked so unbothered and cool despite what happened and what could have happened.
It was a funny act that he was still trying to pretend as a sorcerer. But if I didn't know what was going on with him, the idea of calling himself a wizard would seem quite plausible.
"Yes, I participated in your idea because I was also curious. So, I am not putting all the blame on you on this one." I said, a little bit irritated of him making fun of the situation.
I know things didn't go smoothly, but it also didn't go way beyond worst, and I'm thankful for that. However, loosening up seemed a little hard for me after everything that happened, which almost gave me a heart attack.
"Oh."
"But at least you know that I'm not having fun like you; instead I am more worried about the prisoner."
I got up from my seat and took a step back away from him. Then I stared at him with a contemptuous expression. If he really cared about the welfare of Ricdorian, he would have spoken with a little bit of conscience.
Sure enough, Jair looked uncomfortable at the sight of my unpleasant expression. But soon, he bowed down politely to me.
"I don't want to fight you. Furthermore, I don't know when we'll be able to say hello to each other again. I can't tell you everything that I know, but what you did meant a lot to me." He said sincerely.
This time, he was serious.
"I'd be grateful if you'd really used the magic I gave you."
Come to think of it, today's not the day when the prisoners in the middle east side of Kambrakam are allowed to walk. I forgot about it because he came to me so naturally.
So was he walking around while using his invisibility magic? I guess so.
"I came here to see him even though I, myself, know that I am taking too much risk. The owner of this cell had returned, and it would be hard for me to move. This place becomes dangerous for wizards when he's around." He said as if he had read my mind.
He was referring to Lenag, the prison head and the owner of this place.
No matter how natural his ability to escape from jail, it's still not easy doing so.
Only then did I soften my expression a little as I felt relieved. This just proves that Ricdorian is a significant person for him. At least, I know that there is really someone who truly cares about Ricdorian.
"You walked stealthily, didn't you?" I asked.
"Yeah, but it's no big deal." Inevitably, not at all.
"Do you know how many nights of sleep I think I have lost because of that night…Well, it was such a terror! I think my lifespan has shortened because of the fright it gave me." I said. "Oh, by the way, will the prisoner be alright now?" I stared at Jair and thought of that moment when I heard Ricdorian groaning from pain inside his cell.
Jair seemed to be contemplating for a moment but soon relaxed his face.
"Yes, he'll be fine before you know it. I was impressed that you did it earlier than I planned. And by the way, this is where his initial state ends before he becomes an adult… If it wasn't for you, young lady Iana, it would have been me who would walk very late and do the spell."
Anyway, it sounded like we were waging on this. As if we were on a gamble unsure of the future. Well, if it doesn't work, I'm still going to move forward.
I sighed deeply.
It's a little too early to walk away from this situation. I'm going to finish what I started.
"What about the sudden growth?"
I briefly told Jair a summary of what happened last night. And expectedly, he listened attentively and nodded as I talked. His face gradually relaxed as my explanation continued.
"Was that natural?" I asked.
"Yes, it's natural that the prisoner would undergo a 'sudden growth' at that time. It's a temporary phenomenon. The process of honing his body in shape means he had adapted the magic. I guess it would be convenient for you to think of what you did as a test."
I'm glad I didn't make a mistake.
"Yes, it's temporary, and I'm not going to draw it anymore…." He said.
I sighed deeply, then suddenly raised my head.
That was the first time I met Jair, and I accepted his offer without much thought, but…now that we met once again, I suddenly questioned myself.
"Why me? Why did you bother giving me the spell and perform it?"
"Hmmm. Well, I didn't expect you to ask something like that."
He cocked his head as if asking why and smirked a little.
Why would he not expect such a question?
"I felt that you and the prisoner were so close to each other when I saw you take a walk together. And that is why I asked you to do it."
Close to each other?… More like a woman who treats Ricdorian like a dog. But in Jair's eyes, who said he knew everything, basically, it might look like that– as no one had the guts to approach Ricdorian except for me.
"In fact, a man who suffers from an animal's curse does not let his guard down on anyone. To boot, I was a prisoner in the middle east side of the prison who was not allowed to approach anyone I want to and Ricdorian's cell is inaccessible for us. Miss Iana, that prisoner lowered his guard down on you…this just means something, and you did a good job for that."
Jair then chuckled, feeling thankful.
"Anyway, why are you helping the prisoner? Oh, this is part of my research as well."
The wind blew, and Jair's hair shook gently. The eyes seen between them pretended to be mischievous, but they were quite serious.
Is he going to judge me whether I am hurting Ricdorian or not?
After scratching my cheeks, I gently wrapped it with my hands and laughed.
"I want to be handsome," I said, then I looked at Jair, who was now showing a hilarious look.
"Wow…that's an unexpected answer." He smiled faintly, then afterwards a blank look on his face appeared. His smile was as lifeless as a desert. And his short hair then gently shook on rhythm with the wind.
"May I ask you one more favor, then?" he asked.
"No, you can't."
He burst out laughing at my answer. I said no, but he acted like he didn't hear anything and opened his mouth casually.
"If you see him again next time, will you let me know if there's any progress?"
That was a much better request than I expected. If his request was to make me sneak in again at night, my foot was prepared to kick him in the shank.
"That's not hard, but what kind of progress do I need to observe?"
"Just some simple changes on him. After all, the wizards have this saying that if there's no progress, then just let it be."
I soon nodded as an acceptance of his request. It wasn't that difficult to give him details about Ricdorian's progress.
"I'll contact you somehow. By all means." He said.
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Chapter 45 – Unknown Inside (2)
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
About ten minutes later, Jair went back to his cell in a hurry. He looked as if time was running after him because he quickly walked away without saying anything.
He looked so busy that it seems not the right time to talk to him. But seeing that look on his face made me curious. I definitely wanted to ask him more questions.
On my way back from the garden to my cell, I happened to meet Sally. She was on her way back from the walk just like me, and next to her was the officer-in-charge of her.
If I remember correctly, she was chatting with the female prisoners in the garden earlier. Thinking of her who has been in high-spirit these past few days, I decided to approach her.
"Sally!" I said and waved at her.
"Oh my, Iana!" Sally turned her back and looked at me with widely opened eyes when she realized it was me who called her. She glanced at the guard beside her and shooed him away as if dismissing him.
"Iana, where were you earlier?"
"Earlier?"
"I saw what happened in the garden, and, unfortunately, I didn't find you there. Hey!"
I have forgotten that Jair used magic at that time, and she must have been caught up under it, and that's why she hadn't seen me.
I smiled nonchalantly and said I have ameeting with a prison guard.
"Aha, so you've gone upstairs, haven't you?"
"Yes."
Anyway, it's a good thing she knows that I often go there, and the guard who talked to me earlier while I was in the garden wasn't here, so she won't know the truth where I really was.
Sally nodded, convinced.
"Right. You were a daughter from a noble family, weren't you? I don't know the family name, though."
"Eyyy, I'm not."
So a prisoner who is capable of meeting a jail warden by himself in this place meant that he came from a pretty wealthy noble family. What an idea, Sally!
"By the way, what happened? You said you were looking for me."
I also don't know my family name, though. But what's the point, of course?
I looked at her with a shrug. Then Sally patted me on the shoulder.
Soon, she clapped her hands.
"That's right!"
Suddenly, her face blushed, which in turn made me open my eyes wide. And I questioned myself,'Why is she doing this all of a sudden?'.
"Iana, female prisoners are all over it. You haven't heard of it, have you?"
"What is it about?"
"A very handsome man who visited the prison caused this!"
Because there was nothing to do in prison, there was a limit to what prisoners could do. As a result, each of them developed their own hobbies, and some of the prisoners, including Sally, had a hobby of gossiping about the male prisoner's faces.
It is called the'Handsome Pursuit'and the'Prominence Gathering.'In fact, this was the reason why I became acquainted with her.
"Oh my gosh! Listen!. Don't tell me he's more handsome than Erobs!"
Erobs is a young and handsome jail warden that female prisoners like the most.
"At first, the viscount's wife, Aisha, said that she saw a big black carriage when she came back from the dining hall."
"If it's a black carriage then that means a guest?"
"Of course! Blue carriages are used for prisoners, right? And she saw someone getting off the carriage. She said she has never seen such a good-looking man in the world like that before."
A viscount's wife, Aisha, is a young noblewoman who is 20 years younger than her husband. She was sent to prison because of scandal rumors. Typically, it wouldn't be a problem to have rumors, but her husband, who was afraid of her causing any more problems between the family, sent his wife to prison to ease his mind.
What does he mean? Using the prison to cool off? Now, that's what I call a sane husband!
I remember something as I looked up. The only best character of him, according to her, is that he draws incredibly beautiful paintings.
"Listen. Doesn't she have a family member who likes to paint? How I wish that family member could draw what she saw, but… really."
"Was his looks that magnificent?" I asked.
"Yes!"
I was so aware that Sally was making a fuss without any detailed explanation. She only wanted to chat.
"Well, I'm sure he's really a person of beauty. Mrs. Aisha herself is a woman of high standards."
I certainly didn't seem to be a woman of high maintenance. But these people grasp the concept of family origin. The meeting was so different from that of aristocrats hanging out. Especially the fact that his own wife is an important person to him.
Sally's chatter continued after that. Soon, after more than 10 minutes of exciting stories, our time limit slowly came. Even her guard looked at her with a sick expression.
It was when I nodded when someone shouted my name.
"Iana!" He shouted while running, then puffed. He was the one guarding my cell.
"It's urgent."
Looking at his worn-out look, he seemed to have been searching for me in my cell, and to any possible places, I could be. Good thing, he happened to see me chatting in the hallway.
Upon reaching us, he looked at Sally stealthily. Sally might have felt that the guard wanted to talk to me alone, so she said hello to him and bid goodbye to me afterward.
"See you again. Iana!"
Well, thanks to the guard who called me, our talk ended shortly.
I glanced at Sally, who had gone straight into her cell.
The guard watching my room was a blunt middle-aged man named Jason. He had a hard time interacting with me because I'm a female prisoner. But not only with me but for most female prisoners.
So I rarely talk to him except when I have some business.
With a little perplexed expression, he whispered in my ear.
"You are called by the inspection officer."
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Chapter 46 – My Brother Came To Visit Me (1)
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
The inspection officer?
The jail warden who whispered to me tilted his head.
Did my brother send me an item again this time? I'm kind of delighted.
Every time an item came, I would always be called by the inspection officer or by Lenag, so this kind of setup was no longer unusual for me. I thought I wouldn't be able to cope up, but surprisingly I was able to get used to it.
"Hurry up."
The inspector general office was located on the floor above my cell, so it will take some steps before getting there.
While walking lightly on the stairs, we happen to witness a commotion taking place. At a glance from the railing, I saw a crowd of prisoners.
"Hey, Jason. Why are there so many people over there?"
"Oh… it's probably because we have a guest today. I've heard he's an important guest, but I don't know who it is."
Kambrakam was a strict prison, but visitation was not forbidden. And most of them say that you had to pay a lot of money to take a visit here.
All that money goes to the owner of this prison.
When I heard Baron's words, I came to realize that Lenag was a very resourceful man. How could he make so much money that way?
Of course, some said that this prison was a national property, but Lenag's share must be of a large sum. Anyway, I don't think he's just an ordinary visitor because he was already labeled as a distinguished guest. I wonder what's his business here.
Looking once again with a light curiosity, I found a broad back that was unusually noticeable in the middle of the crowd. Not because the man was huge and fat, but because I thought that view of him was so elegant. The mere sight of his broad shoulder could make me tell that he's a stern person.
"Wow. Was that the one Sally mentioned earlier?" I muttered unconsciously.
I can slightly see the nose, but that's enough to say that he's so beautiful. He has this silhouette that will make you want to see what was in front. Wow. Even his silhouette looks refined.
He was standing in the shadows with a beret on his head, and therefore, I couldn't see the color of his hair or its detailed outline.
I just stared at the slim silhouette until it remained an after image. And only after the man disappeared, I headed to the inspection office with Jason, who thankfully waited for me.
Unexpectedly, it was Lenag who was waiting for me at the office.
Oh. I thought it was the inspection officer whom I'll be seeing today.
"Miss Iana."
Lenag, who welcomed me naturally, closed the door.
"Well, I heard you were out of town…"
While saying so, I suddenly remembered the conversation I heard from the guards on my way to Ricdorian at dawn a few days ago.
They said that despite the busy work in the capital these days, Lenag still keeps on coming back to the cell and not on his own house to rest.
…Was this cell that good? Well, I suppose it's an excellent place to stay. And comfortable enough. For me, at least.
Lenag looked at me and gave me a silent salute.
"Yes. That's right. I came back for a while. Something urgent came up, and I needed to get back here. More than that, I'm sorry."
Huh? What? What is he apologizing for?
I blinked then stared at him, and in my curious gaze, he showed me a serene smile.
"Your brother came here."
"My brother?"
I paused.
If he came here, why haven't I seen him? Moreover, why didn't he show himself to me?
"Your brother came all the way here for the first time in a while, but something came up, so he went back immediately."
He lifted the teacup and spoke.
"He came all the way to the Oval Office, but unfortunately, some unexpected things happened. I'm afraid your family has a lot of work to do."
"Ah…yes." I sighed.
I can't really do anything about that as I don't have control of our family's duties. Also, I recalled my assumption that maybe my brother is working under Chaser. He was a man who had been rolling his hands and mind with a lot of conspiracies.
I'm sure that even if he's here, his mind would still wander around all the workloads he had to do. I felt a little sorry for the burden my brother has to face with his job. Furthermore, it somewhat made me sad not to see his face.
I unknowingly twisted my hair, I laid down my eyes and looked at my hair color.
Since I have pink hair, my brother must have a similar color to mine. Iana must be a figure who did not even hear him say her name before. Soon, I made an expression that made my face look creepy.
I tried not to make it obvious, but Lenag right now was gazing at me like a mad dog but soon fixed his gaze. The sound of his tapping fingers goes well with the ticking of the clock.
"This is usually a violation of the rules; however, I can't help but say I'm responsible for you. Here it is."
My eyes widened at the sight of what Lenag had taken out.
"It's mine…?" I asked, so unsure.
Right now, I felt more absurd rather than being joyful. This is too much!
What Lenag brought out was a bouquet. If you try holding it with both hands, it occupies your entire hand. The size itself wasn't that big, but it's enough to cover my sight when being carried. But that's not really the problem here.
The only problem was that inside the bouquet are not real flowers. It was a jewel. The jewel was arranged gorgeously inside the bouquet like a flower… No, wait a minute. Can I bite this?
The center of the gem was a white flower, and the petals seem to be jewels.
I swallowed my saliva while looking at the unusual jewel.
It's about the size of four fists… Wasn't this enough to buy a house?
"… my house, it's not gonna go down, is it?"
"I doubt it. If you're referring to your family's affairs, rest assured, your brother's doing great."
No, I didn't ask about that. What I mean is that we're not going to go bankrupt with this present, right? I wanted to tell him that, but in the end decided not to.
Slowly lowering my eyes, I stared back at the bouquet that my brother had left behind for me. I took out the small letter inside it as my eyes already got tired of staring at the jewels. Not long after, I quickly opened the letter.
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Chapter 47 – My Brother Came To Visit Me (2)
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
[My dear beloved sister.]
It's the neat handwriting that I've always seen.
[Instead of not seeing me today, will you look at this? A beautiful flower like you, once in a lifetime. The flower that won't wither.]
I was caught up in my illusion that these flowers would have scent even though they don't have any.
[You'll be disappointed with the withered flowers.]
I felt sorry that this letter was written after knowing that he couldn't see me. Lenag also told me that the letter was written abruptly here.
[I didn't want to see you disappointed. I only want you to have all the good things in the world.]
Soon my line of vision stopped for a moment in the last passage.
[I'll pick you up soon.]
I opened my mouth so wide that I couldn't measure it.
What the hell?! Iana's family is wealthy?
More than that… Can I take this jewel in my cell?
I looked at the bouquet and Lenag alternately.
For the first time in my life, I received a strange, and the rarest thing I could call a jewel flower, and I don't know if I can show even a part of this to anyone. Maybe not. As receiving something like this wasn't allowed.
However, I tried to stay calm as much as possible.
"Can I take this to my room?"
As I said before, this novel's cell was very simple as what we usually see in reality. A dangling bed, a desk, and windows and curtains. But here, the curtains also look noble like the prisoners.
From the infirmary up to every single cell, everything was no different from a normal cell.
Anyway, if I keep these flowers in my room, it would certainly stand out as it's the only thing that would look stunning inside that shabby place.
"You can take it with you." Lenag nodded lightly.
I see, so he permitted me to place this in my room, didn't he?
As I was about to nod, I opened my eyes in shock as I didn't expect him to say something in addition.
"I won't let anyone touch it because it's yours."…No. I wasn't worried about it being robbed.
Before I knew it, I looked up to him and leaned my back slightly.
For some reason, it's like he had given me the advantage to take a good look at him as I am now seeing him at close.
He had this pair of golden eyes that were gorgeous and reasonable enough to praise him
But hold on. Those glasses…Was that a prescription? I don't think he really needed those glasses to see better. It seems like those lenses don't have grades. It looks precisely ordinary as if it's just there for fashion purposes. I suppose he doesn't really have any eye deficiencies.
"I know it's strange to ask you a question this time, but are your eyes that bad for you to use glasses?"
I don't think there was a phrase in the book about Lenag's vision.
He paused a bit when I asked him the question. It must have been an unexpected question.
"Not really. If I have to say it, I'm using this for a different reason."
Different reason? Trying to look cool? To look scary? Hmm. But I think a Lenag without glasses will look more violent.
"Just for someone… I thought I would look better with glasses."
On the contrary, the glasses seem to replace the fierceness of his eyes with coolness. But looking closely, his eyes were not really that fierce. That is because his golden iris was so pretty. It shines brightly like that of sunlight.
I smiled slightly at him. Then he stopped for some reason.
"…those flowers are too huge. It might get in your line of sight. It might be difficult for you to walk." He said. "I'll help you take them in if you want to. To avoid any trouble." He added.
"What? Oh, really? Thank you."
Surely, it was too much of a fancy bouquet of jewels just to carry. I thought I'd be the only one to take these back to my room. Still, it's good to use some lending hands.
But, I never thought he'd have such a level of caution.
"You're kind."
"Really? That's something I've never heard of." He then laughed.
A kind of laugh I would never want to hear from him. I don't know. It just seems like laughing makes him more intimidating.
Well, you could hear more of that often if you won't laugh like that, won't you?
I puffed slightly upon hearing him laugh then I laughed awkwardly along with him. This seems a little sweet, but it was still scary. In the novel, many prisoners were killed by his sword that could no longer be counted with fingers. He took part in Chaser's plot as his sidekick, and he also did not hesitate to take in cruel measures.
When I recalled those scenes, I could certainly not relax.
In the novel, he said that swordsmanship is as good as managing guards. Lenag became a ferocious man. After all, he is not that young prosecutor anymore. All his experiences made him evolve into an undefeated prosecutor.
Soon, I felt like touching my soft hair that was falling with my head down; however, I think it would be inappropriate to do so right now. He might get the wrong idea.
I know that his friendly attitude towards me was asked by my brother and father, but I felt that his kindness was too much when it comes to me. Obviously, he wasn't this pleasant to anyone from what I had read even if it was requested from him.
At this point, I am starting to wonder about my family….seriously.
"I'd like to ask you a question," Lenag said, lowering down his head. "Don't you wonder why your brother locked you up here? I thought it was weird not to ask you this for once."
Yeah, I was just wondering about that.
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Chapter 48 – My Brother Came To Visit Me (3)
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
I glanced down.
"Well, at first I thought there must be a reason for this. I believe he's not the kind of person who does things without basis."
I think he's a loving and caring person with the way he looks after me, sending me gifts and letters. And if he would've done that every day, I would certainly be convinced that my brother is a kindhearted man. No doubt at all!
I'm just not sure if this is just his way of making it up to me. He might've been doing all of this out of guilt for letting me be in prison, or maybe he's just sorry for coming but not seeing me.
On the other hand, his actions might also be due to his genuine affection, which I really hope is the real reason.
"… I see. So Miss Iana still believes in her brother."
I narrowed my eyes thinly and looked at him in subtle nuance.
Hmmm…Lenag seemed to know my brother so well from the way he talked. He appeared not swayed with my perception of my brother. No, of course, he knows him that much since my family asked him to do things for me.
Soon, I felt somewhat upset by the idea of not seeing him. But afterward, I shook my head gently. Then, the moment I raised my head, I stopped.
….when did you get so close?
The distance between the two of us was so narrow.
"Well, yeah. He's my brother, so it's expected for me to trust him. And uhmm…Do we really have to talk about him this close?" I said, a little bit bothered.
He paused, and his face, which turned stiff for a while, quickly moved away. It's as if he had awakened from a daydream.
"… I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine." I said, to ease the tension between us.
Hmm. This is a situation I didn't foresee.
Soon, he parted his lips against that bewildered face.
"I will go."
Before going, he held out a small box and hesitated for a while, but soon, he decided to put it back in his pocket.
I was about to ask him what that was, but he immediately turned his back at me.
He's so strange today. If only he hadn't spoken to me like this and called me out, I would've gone back to my cell immediately.
"…that…" What I said stopped him from his track.
He faced me, but for the first time, Lenag hesitated to look at me and then tilted his head.
Seriously, what is wrong with him?
The calm gold eyes staring at me slowly descended.
"It's nothing."
I felt like he wanted to say something but chose to keep it with him. His expression right now was blank, no matter how I look at it.
I stopped myself from asking more, as I don't think he wanted to talk about it right now. Furthermore, I don't think he will tell me what it is even if I beg him.
Soon, I unknowingly moved under his guidance. And the door was closed behind my back.
When I returned to my room, the jewel flower was placed on my desk, and I was lost in agony.
Are they living so comfortably? My family?
I think I should start thinking more about them.
I was so easy-going inside this place, knowing that I'd know more about them once I'm released from prison. But thinking about Lenag's attitude towards me earlier, I guess it should be best to be more aware of them. What Lenag seemed to convey earlier does not suggest that my family has anything to do with the villains in this story.
Or maybe not.
Because I'm becoming more and more convinced of the other possibility that my brother was working under Chaser.
I woke up from my thoughts and headed to the living room with the guard. The living room, which was still open for prisoners, was relaxed amidst the crowd.
"You look troubled, young friend." As I was about to sit on the sofa, I looked up to the one who talked. And as expected, it was Baron, who sat on the opposite side.
For some reason, Sally sat rather modestly next to him. It was unusual for the two of them to be together.
"Iana, you look worried. What's the matter?"
"There's something that bothers me, mister. Can I ask you something? Is that okay?"
Sally and Baron were originally familiar with one another, but they became more acquainted with each other through me. In fact, aristocrats don't know each other well, and it's a virtue for them to pretend to know.
"Oh, if it helps you, young friend, it's okay. Just ask me anything as much as you want."
"And from now on, I'm going to talk about something quite interesting." I said.
"It's a funny thing to hear you say that, but I'm looking forward to it."
Baron's look turned to Sally, and Sally, who knew the meaning of that gaze, laughed.
"Do you want me in?"
Sally was a veteran lady with a long list of social parties she attended. Not to mention Baron.
"You've been wondering about my family, haven't you? What do you think my family is like?"
Sally's eyes widened as she looked at me with her chin up and lips grinning. The man who was sitting beside her was no different. Of course, I took precautions before asking them this, like a con artist.
"Oh, that's an unexpected mystery."
Most of the time, during my stay here in prison, I answered with a smile whenever someone asked me about my family. Of course. I didn't know. I thought I'd find out when I got out of here. But now, I can't just watch things with ease.
What if they really have something to do with Chaser?
I am worried because I already intended to live in peace and comfort once I'm out. And if my family really works under Chaser, that would be trouble. So now I'm trying to get some information.
It's better to know something beforehand so I can be prepared and maybe find a way to be out of their radar and go to a faraway land.
"That's a mystery, and I'm sure every prisoner thinks that your family background was a funny issue. Well, to be honest with you, if you're a family member who has met the head of the guard, so maybe you're aYeong-ae*who's never been seen at this age just like with the… Einte's of Leeman. Furthermore, some would sort of express this like a hound prisoner."
"Oh, my. I thought so, too. I've already heard about this at Leeman, so I thought she might be an Einte or a hound."
"The wife of Count Einte is a woman from the southern region. Her skin is a little dark. And she used to say she looked like her daughter. So maybe she's not the child they are talking about."
I made sure my smile didn't fade as their conversation deepened. As if I really had an idea of what they were talking about. But later on, I turned my head quickly.
The Eintes was situated in Leeman, and most of the hound prisoners were of Marquess'…If that's the case, then'Iana'must be a family member of at least a count.
Yeong-ae– an honorific term for a noble daughter.
TLN:
Hi all,
This is to inform you that starting next week chapter release rate will be reduced to 3 (friday, saturday, sunday). But there will be times when I update 4-5 chapters whenever I can translate more in my free time.
I would really appreciate your understanding. Thank you and have a nice day.
Sincerely,
SKAIS
Chapter 49 – My Brother Came To Visit Me (4)
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
According to Baron, the criterion for a noble prisoner to see the prison head is the size of the territory, but the minimum size of that territory was already set. The vastness of that was not just limited to the dimensions of the land because it should cover everything, including wealth and properties. That's how they were graded. So, it must really be so challenging to set an appointment with the prison head.
In other words, the door to the prison head's office relies on the wealthy hands of a prisoner. And I felt that it was quite disgraceful for every nobleman to be distinguished by the prison head using that means.
Outside, being judged by jail wardens who are familiar with you was also not a good thing, especially for those who don't have wealthy relatives in the outside world.
If you are not well-off, then you are just as powerless as a baby pup. That's probably why prisoners pay more attention to those knights who often meet with the prison head.
That's good, I think. At least it means that some prisoners have a long-term precaution.
It wasn't precisely a problem for me, though. I know that.
I listened to their conversation, and I hurriedly gave them a small hint of what I know for now.
But by this time our free time in the living room was slowly reaching its limit.
I grinned at those who wanted answers from me.
And when I was about to open my mouth, Ghanshu called out.'All, go back!'indicating that it was the end of the free time.
"Oh, my. Should we postpone your answer for the next meeting?"
I smiled at the two sad and discontented faces.
I'm sorry. I'm also not sure who my family is.
Fortunately, they returned to a rather intriguing look.
In fact, exciting things were rare in a slightly dull and free cell. Thinking about our situation right now, I guess it is terrible that things ended quickly.
"Iana, you look happy." On my way back to my cell, I answered with a smile to a friendly guard's question.
I certainly felt better today than the other days. To be honest, I really liked the jewel flower.
"Yes, I got a very nice present."
"Oh, from the brother?"
"Yeah, that's right."
When I came back to the room, I greeted the gatekeeper and walked in. I opened the drawer with the flowers on my desk. Taking out one of the piled-up empty letters, I wrote quickly.
Earlier, I asked Baron and Sally because I was curious and was expecting a plausible answer. However, their opinions, which are well-versed in aristocratic physiology, may be close to the answer, but they were not enough for me to know the truth.
And from the beginning, I already thought of another way.
And since I am inquisitive about my family, right? Then I will resort to the fastest method I can only think of.
[Brother, what kind of family are we?]
Looking at the letter satisfactorily, I mailed it the next day…with pride.
How many days will it take to receive a reply?
While waiting for the letter, I was thinking of going to see Ricdorian inside his cell. But, first of all, I think it's going to be hard since it's already late.
"I'll go and visit him tomorrow."
And so, the next day, I headed to the basement stairs.
"I think you have gone the wrong road, Miss." However, I had no choice but to stop. It was because several guards blocked my way in front of the basement stairs.
I blinked at the face of the guards I saw for the first time. I thought I saw most of the guards' faces in my district, but I realized I don't know them at all.
Soon, I smiled serenely.
"Well, I see. I think I took the wrong road. It happens sometimes. So, where was the dining hall?"
"It's on the left. This area here is so complicated that you need to have a guard for guidance."
They looked at my prison uniform and slightly relaxed their expressions. The shapes of the prison uniforms were different in each section. Most guards were relatively generous and kind to prisoners in our section because that is where most of the aristocrats were designated.
Sometimes, without a guard, it's easy enough to slip through this area.
Looking at them, I could tell that they must have believed my excuse of going to the dining hall.
But I was aware this time that I must have judged that the risk of going to Ricdorian's cell is not that great.
"Thank you. But…did something happen? I don't think I've seen you before."
"Ah…yes. It's not classified. We are guards from the West wing side of Kambrakam. By the way, this is an underground area where the worst criminals are imprisoned… and it looks like there was an intruder a few days ago."
'…intruders?'I flinched.
Something didn't feel right. I felt a strange sense of dampness at the back of my neck.
The west wing is home to prisoners with the most oppressive quality of crime, including murder, arson, and treason. It was a place with the strictest surveillance and worse environment than any other section.
Besides, a strange guard said the underground area was the place to detain the worst criminals, but in fact, the basement was occupied by Ricdorian alone. It's the only space that was allocated for the Hel family.
Originally, Lenag's family was a neutral faction that managed this prison cell for generations, so they allocated this space for the wealthiest nobles. But Lenag abandoned neutrality and joined hands with Chaser
"I'm so scared of intruders. What kind of accident would happen here…right? I'm scared…"
"Oh, no. You don't have to worry about anything. You're in the safest area. However, they say that an intruder's'item'was found next to the prisoner in this basement."
"Ah…That. I see."
I felt another cold sweat flowing on my nape. I tried to maintain my composure while trying not to expose my agitation.
Maintaining a nonchalant smile, I bid goodbye and turned my back to the last minute. Then suddenly my ears slightly turned red, it was as if the guard, who was looking at me while smiling, dyed it.
I didn't have the time to spare, Oh my gosh!
But wait a minute. I'm sure…
I gave Ricdorian a hair tie, didn't I?
The intruder…Was it I?
As of the moment, my hands were moist.
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Chapter 50 – You…Why are you doing this to me? (1)
Translator: SKAISEditor: SKAIS
I remembered I once had left two blankets in Ricdorian's cell before. But I already spoke with Hans regarding that and asked him to retrieve those blankets I left behind.
Okay, I'll take the ones that you left. But can't we go somewhere else and talk?
And that's exactly what Hans was good at, doing favors but of course with an exchange. Also, I promised him that I'll never leave anything behind for Ricdorian again.
It was because there's a rule that special prisoners should not be given any convenience. That's why afterward, I didn't bring him a new blanket, although every time I see him in that specific situation, I would always feel sympathy.
But that day, I forgot about the rules and the promise I made, the moment I saw his seemingly pitiful appearance, who looked like a person who had lost his soul…like a fool in the streets.
I stood still in the middle of the corridor as my head was about to burst with all the various complex thoughts shuffling in my mind. When suddenly, a guard who passed by asked if I was okay. I just answered him back with a smile and continued with my track.
As a matter of fact, I was more concerned about Ricdorian than the tie I had left that could pinpoint me as the intruder.
What if I put him at a disadvantage? What if he would suffer the consequence of my carelessness?
I stared blankly in the air and thought of that cell he was in. The treatment he received here was not appropriate already, what more with the regulations I had broken.
I shook my head and sighed. I shouldn't be thinking negatively.
"Everything will be okay. Everything will end in a good way. Really…" I said, convincing myself.
In just a blink of an eye, time seemed to pass by very quickly. I don't know what kind of spirit I have today. Maybe a lifeless soul? Since, I have been so down recently.
I didn't realize I fell asleep, and surprisingly, it was already dark. The moment I noticed the moon hovering out of the window, I felt nauseous.
"…in my room, I can tell whether it's day or night." Clearly, because there's a window. I mused sarcastically.
After minutes of deep thoughts, I eventually got up. I opened the drawer and took out the bracelet that Jair gave me.
I didn't get an opportunity to give it back to him. And I assumed this was something I would never use nor tak out of the drawer again.
Just in case something arises, each jewel can be used four times. Oh, I'll double the opening order so you can't make mistakes.
The magic for door opening and the invisible magic was used twice that day. I only used the sleep spell once. And therefore, I can still make use of all the magic.
I promptly grabbed the bracelet and popped a sigh out. I've made up my mind.
"So…yeah. Let's see if he's all right."
Just once. I only want to know if everything's fine. I really couldn't stay still whenever I remember the captivating face of Ricdorian full of tears.
The guards in the West wing are almost entirely different from the guards I see every day. They were senior knights.
Recalling the guard patrolling the stairs made me bite my lower lip. They seemed more intimidating…stronger and powerful.
They said senior knights were rough. I guess it's because they're dealing with vicious criminals.
What if Ricdorian was treated roughly than before?
My heart swiftly felt like it was stabbed, but I just shrugged that feeling off.
"Just to confirm." I told myself repeatedly just to defend what I am about to do.
I opened the door and moved into the hallway. There was no one in the corridor at dawn. Same situation a few days ago when I tried to go to Ricdorian's cell.
But no, a guard was patrolling on the other end of the hall. Shortly, an idea came up. I decided to make fun of him because, after all, he wouldn't see me.
My heart was jittery.
Fortunately, when I came down the stairs, I didn't encounter people like what happened before, which almost gave me a heart attack.
And in front of the stairs, I picked up one of the rolling stones. Afterward, when I walked all the way to the basement stairs, I gawked at the guard, who was also one of those who were patrolling earlier in the morning.
…fortunately, there is only one guard right now. I was relieved by the sudden change in number. That's great. At least I only have to worry about one.
I was fiddling the stone, and I threw it forward as hard as I could. And that's what I call a perfect throw!
The guard turned his head at the fallen sound of the stone that just hit him.
"…what is it?"
The guard tilted his head for a while, and afterward, he wandered to the place where the stone fell. I made sure it was far away from where I am.
I waited for him to go through the shrubs, and then I quickly ran down the stairs. I almost stumbled in a hurry. Good thing, I got support from the walls and safely arrived in front of the bars. And to my surprise, there was no one in front of the cage.
Hans was not here?
Perhaps, Hans' seat was left empty for now, and therefore Ricdorian was guarded from the stairs. I'm sure they had presumed it wouldn't be a problem since a senior knight was safeguarding the stairs.
In any case, I'm glad this befell.
But isn't this a little sloppy? However, I just shook my head. I shouldn't concern myself with that; rather, I must hurry and see Ricdorian.
I opened the bars moderately, which created a minimal noise, in order not to draw any watch man's attention. After opening the bars, I closed it but not entirely, just enough for the guard to see at first glance that it looked like it was entirely close.
But why does it feel like going to his cell was like walking in an unending path? It's giving me stress.
Soon, I put down my hand that happened to hold a lamp.
The boy's face was revealed under the dim light shed by the lamp. And this time anew, my eyes were parched.
"Iana." I paused because he called me.
"How did you know it was me?" I said as I broke free from the spell.
And because I was in a hurry, I just came to the realization that I had come too close to him.
Forthwith, the chains moved roughly. Now, he had captured me and it was too late for me to escape from his grasp.
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