Chapter 126 – A Familiar Life Of Imprisonment (1)
Translator: SKAIS Editor: Dict Groiler
Roughly a year had passed since the incident. Just as the saying goes, time can be likened to an arrow that had been shot in release. You can’t imagine catching it with your bare hands, blink and you would miss it indeed.
And that’s exactly what happened.
But it’s not a full year, not yet in all honesty. Roughly nine to ten months had only passed, but still enough that I thought it had been a year already.
Clink. Clank.
The clanging of a chain could be heard every time I moved.
I learned to not mind it anymore, I had gotten used to such a treatment from my so-called brother.
Sometimes, I thought, if I weren’t to look at my ankle, I would forget the chains I was literally shackled with. But then I would have to look down at some point, and be reminded all over of just how powerless I am.
Stopping in front of the hallway, I lifted my head.
The season has come again, summer, when the sound of grass bugs is heard, is just around the corner.
And when the year ended, it ended with summer, instead of the usual winter. It reminded me greatly of Australia in the world I had previously lived in.
Where there should have been winter, summer stood in its place. The blistering cold was replaced with scorching heat. It was something I failed to acclimate to before, but as I stayed here, greeting it for a second time…
I think I’ve finally gotten used to it after all.
Summer is approaching, which means the end of the year is coming soon. In other words, I’m about three months away from being released from prison. And a year later…as I was counting the days, the silver-haired boy came into my mind.
Soon the figure was erased from my mind and a new figure of a human being appeared.
“Lady.” The woman in the maid’s uniform bowed politely. “The meal is ready.”
My eyes lingered a little longer on her, watching the new maid. Her hair was wound so tightly onto her head, I feared her hairline would recede further back into her scalp. She looked oh so prim and proper. I let out a soft sigh before I averted my gaze and finally moved.
“I’ve never seen you before.” I said but an answer did not come back.
She might be newly employed then. The ones Chaser would choose ahead of time, right before the new year would arrive. Though now that I was paying attention to her, she seemed to be out of focus.
She has yet to pay attention or even glance my way, so I held my stare. It seemed as though she’d finally come to her senses and steeled her nerves as she finally made eye contact.
“Ah….” The maid quickly shook her head. Her gaze had trailed off some direction though, her eyes widening in choked surprise.
I followed her line of sight and suppressed the urge to chuckle at her expression.
This, too, was something I had gotten used to. People, especially those new to the mansion, would be surprised the moment they would lay eyes on the chains by my feet. It was understandable.
Who would have expected the lady of the house to be shackled like a dog?
Even the people here deemed it strange for such a treatment to be done unto me by my own brother.
“Are you interested?” I asked, drawing her gaze back to my face, “About the chains on my ankle?”
“I’m sorry… .”
“There’s nothing to do about it.”
She smiled and raised her fingers as if I could see them. Then she whispered a little…as if she was telling a secret.
“Let’s end this once.”
You’ll be in big trouble. Then I brushed past her. Maybe it was late, but the maid rushed to me and walked in front of me.
It shouldn’t have been so puzzling to me. It was a little wishful thinking on my part after all. I wanted her to be smarter than the others, just like the way she presented herself with her hair. It was a daunting sight to see Chaser run a sword through someone…
I don’t want her to be the next body under his belt. It wasn’t the first time someone tried to help me.
The walk had taken a while, but eventually I reached a room, not the dining room. I didn’t always get to eat in it, for very good reasons.
“Sa, save me! Please, please… .” there was a pleading echoing through the walls.
I glanced around the room, trying to figure out what was going on. What had I walken into now?
It didn’t take long for me to understand. It wasn’t surprising as it should have been, as I liked. It happened so much around here, I’ve already become desensitized to such sounds already.
“Save me.” the whisper persists.
I heard a sweet voice. “What should I do, Iana?”
It may not be noticeable, but even his voice changed within the year. Before, his voice was velvety, but light. Now, gone were the traces of a boy, as his tone dipped deeper, but still as velvety smooth as before.
“I’m troubled.”
Liar, I thought. You’re capable of much more than that, much worse than that.
“Save me, I, I didn’t do anything. Nothing, nothing!”
Even considering that, it was a beautiful voice.
I rolled my eyes at a glance.
Without answering, he let go of the man who squeaked for help. It seems like he already lost half of his blood, but there seems to be no fatal injury. Even so, I think he still has the power to scream.
“Come on, come on! I, I, I didn’t do anything! I didn’t do it! Argh!”
I saw the entire scene of the room. A surprisingly fluffy bed, various cute props, and sky-high lace hanging from the ceiling. Wherever I look, I can’t think of this as a man’s room.
Which, once again, was to be expected. This was my designated room after all.
“Iana, I’m waiting for an answer.” At the last turn, there was a man with long legs with his face straight. In nearly a year, his long bangs tickled as they were covering his eyebrows.
“Why do you ask?”
Now, coming into someone else’s room and asking me ‘What should he do?’
“Of course, I’m here for your advice.” Chaser answered casually. In contrast to the sweet voice, the voice this time was dull.
“I don’t think my opinion matters. In the end, you’re going to do whatever you want.”
I wanted nothing to do with him, but I know he wouldn’t leave until he got what he wanted. Now is not the time to be stubborn, as I have learned.
“Though I must say,” I began, trailing off lightly as his gaze on me grew heavy and intense, “The more I looked at the person, the more I’m sure someone is to blame for directing their attention to me.” I finished tersely, giving him the deadliest glare I could muster.
I couldn’t hear an answer from the side for a moment. After my eyes pointed at Chaser, he opened his lips.
“My Iana knows me so well.” Instead of answering, I’ve seen him for almost a year, don’t you know? I sent him a glance.
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