Chapter 66 – What am I? (1)
Translator: SKAIS Editor: SKAIS
“Why do I want to serve you? To tell you why… it’s just.”
For a moment, he lowered his eyes as if he felt a little disconcerted. And his gaze, which seemed like penetrating right through me earlier, was now slightly folded. Furthermore, the tickling effect of his subtle voice had never left my ears.
And when he hoisted his head back, he slowly stroked his chin with his fingers. I noticed that he had a habit of doing that every time he was in deep thoughts.
“… can’t I just want to?” He added.
The look in his eyes was burning with passion. And if I’m not mistaken, it was like he was very determined right now to do what he desires.
But the moment I blinked, it was already gone.
“No…there’s nothing that can’t be.”
Out of nowhere, I scratched my cheek and bit my fork. But realizing what I did made me feel so awkward that I decided just to eat a lot of cream to divert my thinking.
“Let’s have tea together too.”
“Ah, thank you.” I laughed awkwardly as I let go of the fork I was biting after eating the cream.
“It’s dried black tea. I took it out because I thought Miss Iana would like it.”
“Eh?”
“It’s a gift from your brother.”
Lenag even filled my glass. His service was really over the top today, and of all people, he’s the man I least expected to have some gentleness in the bones.
The way he did his series of acts was extraordinarily calm and elegant. Like a fine young man from a noble family. However, the tranquil atmosphere between us felt uncomfortable. It was like he may appear to be near, yet he felt extremely distant. Good thing, the sound of filling the glass in the middle of the moments of silence replaced those.
“Oh, come to think of it, Miss Iana.”
“Yes.”
I lifted my gaze at his call just as I was about to lift the cup to my mouth. The tea that’s falling over my throat was so sweet. It’s so amazing. I had always liked black tea. And I guess the real Iana really liked it, too.
I found it amusing, and at the same time, I was delighted as I had discovered a surprising similarity between the original owner of this body and me.
“It looks like Miss Iana’s release date will be decided soon.”
I almost spat out a mouthful of tea that I just sipped. And it was purely because of the man’s face in front of me that I managed to endure not doing it.
His cold, sharp eyes resemble those of a serpent. One wrong move, and you’ll get attacked. So maybe if I spat it out here…then my life would be over. I might have even been stabbed to death if I wasn’t able to hold it back.
I inhaled deeply to calm my nerves before opening my lips.
“Out of prison?”
No, my gosh, Lenag! I don’t even know my prison sentence and what kind of sin I am here for. And to hear that right now? I don’t know what I should feel.
“Literally. Miss Iana, you will be released from this cell soon.”
When I woke up inside this establishment, I realized that I was a sinner, a prisoner and that this place was a prison. But I was so comfortable walking around that I recognized this as a place where I could wander freely wearing these striped clothes that were cozy.
Moreover, I couldn’t help but feel a little disheartened as I had already incredibly accustomed to this place. I’ve gotten so comfortable lurking in here that it saddens me to think that I need to conform to my new life once I’m out of here.
It seemed suspicious, and I knew for sure that this man here pulled some string for me and did me another favor. It’s really becoming apparent that Lenag here has a bias on Iana. Well, not to assume, but it could be a possibility… Because what could be the other interpretations of the actions of this young man.
I stared at Lenag, whose eyes were closed, in front of me.
This was a prison, but it’s definitely different from the other prisons I knew, especially those in my real world. Maybe it’s because of the word “prison” that one could generalize and think of it as obsolete.
Not long after, Lenag’s face, which had a soft expression a little while ago, looked very indifferent in this instant.
I just felt dazed.
“…was that possible?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Out of prison.” No. Was being released this quick and straightforward? That was what I really wanted to ask.
Like those ceremonious moments in a drama, I recalled a prisoner’s happy face with a voice saying, ‘I will be released’ countless times. But why did I feel like it didn’t go well with my situation?
Soon, a detached look had appeared in Lenag’s face as he was looking at me.
“… aren’t you happy?”
I think I missed the timing to be happy. If only I were released from the beginning of my stay here, I would definitely feel happy, but I don’t think I could say the same matter right now.
“No. I came here because I have sinned. I didn’t think it was so easy for a sinner to… .”
Thud!
I couldn’t complete what I wanted to say because I was stunned, as the man in front of me stood up beside the table. He seemed to have hit the top of the table lightly, but that was enough to create a vibration to shake the four-tiered tray.
“Miss Iana, have you always thought it like that?”
An ambiguous expression passed through Lenag’s face. I didn’t know why he was acting like that, but I just nodded nonchalantly.
Did you think so too? That I am a sinner? So, I didn’t say the wrong thing…But why were you coming out like that? What’s going on with you?
“It’s not your fault.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked again the question that he had asked me earlier.
“You are not a sinner.”
I am not a sinner? Then what am I?
I looked at him with a harsh expression, but still, Lenag had no intention to answer. Instead, an unknown light appeared in his aurum eyes.
Lenag was silent for a moment; it seemed like no words would come out of his mouth for the time being. So I took this chance to let go of the fear that I had slightly felt while watching him.
“This is the infamous Kambrakam prison. I’m one of the prisoners in this place. What do you mean when you say that I am not a sinner?”
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