.Chapter 58 – You are always an exception (3)
Translator: SKAIS Editor: SKAIS
…so that was what you wanted?
While Lenag was briefly lost in thought, with his eyes glued to the floor, a brief greeting distracted him, which made him turn his back from me.
“Excuse us, Marquess.”
I was about to speak when his attention was diverted to the guards who addressed him. After contemplating for a while, I decided to just say it because I thought it might be possible given all the favor I had. Right, I’ll just say it.
“Yeah? What are you saying…” He said. “Oh, that? All my colleagues call me that.”
“…no, no, no. Please tell me.” He added.
He covered his mouth gracefully with the back of his hand.
Taking advantage of my spare time, I continued to talk swiftly.
“You said I could do whatever I wanted. Then…”
He turned his head as I spoke.
“Going to the cell in the basement is allowable?”
Lenag: “…”
He did not respond.
Silence embraced the area, and I could hear the accelerated beating of my heart. Those eyes behind his glasses, staring at me, gave me goosebumps, and I felt a cold sweat flowing down my nape. Being under this serpent’s unexpected gaze would make me faint in no time. However, I tried so hard to endure it.
Oh no, Iana, you must have asked a wrong thing at this moment! I shouldn’t have done that!
You’re not going to allow me, are you?
There might be another occasion when I should go and meet Ricdorian in the future. And it’s just tiresome doing this kind of tightrope bridge every time I went to Ricdorian’s cell.
So I just threw my idea thinking it might be worth it. Anyway, I thought it could be possible since he’s giving me strange favors.
“…do you enjoy playing with him? Well, you can do whatever you want as long as you think it’s worth it.”
Lenag forced out a vague answer to my proposal.
What does that imply?
I pretended to understand it in context, and most of all, I’m not playing with Ricdorian. Why would he think like that?
“I’ve heard that you humiliated him while taking a walk, such as throwing a ball or holding a leash and so on.”
…I was like a sheep who took care of a beast on a walk. Also, I did not intend to humiliate him. I was just trying to teach him.
“I don’t care if you’re going to be there any time in the future. But preferably…”
It was taken more lightly than I thought, and I felt a queer sense of despondency.
No, so in the first place, I could’ve just asked him for permission to visit Ricdorian? So those efforts I made in bribing Hans with cigars were just to make me suffer in distress? If I had known this would happen, I would have brought it up earlier. I wouldn’t have resorted to those hard ways.
I just mentally face slapped myself. All this time, I’ve been doing things wrong. And soon, regret consumed my whole system.
Suddenly, a shadow covered my line of sight. It was Lenag who was now near me and he tilted his upper body gracefully.
“…instead?” I asked in a careful manner.
What was he trying to say?
In the moment of nervousness, his head bent down and stopped at a distance that would not be too rude. He then whispered softly with a cold voice…with slight hesitation.
“Can you spend that time with me?”
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“Iana!”
I was startled that I stopped dozing off.
“Are you all right?”
“Eh? Yes. Yes…”
I laid my head down like a sick chicken. Soon, Baron was in front of me, and Sally was right beside me.
“Huh… Why do you look so exhausted? What are you thinking?”
“I know. She’s been in this phase since this morning. It seems like she had lost her consciousness. Iana, where are you? Come back to Earth Iana.”
“No, no, no, no… .”
Yawn.
My fatigue was squeezing like a wave. I never felt this tired my entire life, and my shoulders felt so heavy as if I’m carrying a sack of rice on each side.
Lenag told me I didn’t have to come out until breakfast, but I got up on time instead of grabbing his offer, which was truly tempting.
Regardless, I thank him for his kindness, but it was better not to accept his offer for now unless I really needed to. Because if I get used to it, I might someday become in debt of gratitude to him, and as what they say, everything comes with a price, and I know when the time comes, he would for sure ask for a payment. And I would be defenseless–like a person disappearing on a deserted island without anything to help myself. So as early as now, I wanted to prevent things like that from happening.
Of course, I’ve already received a lot of convenience inside this prison. But I have always used what was given to me, such as ‘medicine’ or ‘gift’ from my brother, to solve my light-hearted curiosity like secretly handing Hans drinks and cigarettes to see Ricdorian.
I thought there’s nothing more challenging to handle.
…But it seemed that being caught walking out in the middle of the night was the hardest thing I had ever come across. I miscalculated everything, and because of that, all that I’ve been doing secretly was ruined.
“You look a little depressed. What’s the matter? Oh, isn’t that it? Letter.”
“Letter?” What letter?
“I haven’t seen Iana read a letter lately. Hey, Iana. You haven’t got a letter from your brother recently, right? Is that why you’re sad?”
Oh. Right…
Come to think of it, how many days has it been since the last letter was sent?
The reply of the letter should always be on time. But now, the reply was exceptionally late.
I was wondering what’s going on since it was late once again. Actually, it was weird to get a reply every day or two.
“Not a big deal. I’m just tired because I didn’t get enough sleep.”
I stretched out myself all the way, like how a foldable chair was unfurled. It’s only been an hour since I had lunch, and I fell asleep.
Baron and Sally, who were talking to me, soon left me alone and started talking to each other. The living room, which was decorated with elegance, was jammed with aristocratic prisoners who were resting today.
Wait, there’s a lot more people today… And it’s noisy.
I slowly leaned over and closed my eyes. However, I was disturbed by the noise and opened back my eyes. In addition, as I looked around, in the middle of a large living room, there was a man with a serious face.
What was he doing?
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