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Chapter 5
Perfect.
I think I managed to make myself look as suspicious as possible!
I grinned as I looked back at the building I’d just left.
I hadn’t expected the warden himself to question me over something like that.
But from the very beginning…
I had never intended to tell the truth.
If I had…
They would’ve dismissed me immediately.
More specifically…
The duke, who had been quietly hiding nearby.
That’s right.
I already knew Rodrigo had been in the room the whole time.
Not from the beginning, of course.
I only realized it halfway through the conversation.
I smelled him.
That fresh, clean scent unique to dragons.
My sense of smell was far sharper than most people’s.
There was no way I could miss it.
So…
He definitely heard everything I said.
He was probably incredibly curious by now.
I’d deliberately given nothing but strange answers.
At this point, he’d either tell the warden to keep watching me…
Or investigate me even further.
The warden belongs to Vankadium, after all.
Sys, the warden of Izetail.
In my previous life, it wasn’t until much later that people learned he was one of Vankadium’s most loyal retainers.
Right now…
No one knew.
“Hey.”
Just then, someone stepped in front of me as I was walking back with a guard.
I looked up.
Way up.
The man towering over me had a shaved head and mysterious tattoos covering his body.
He was so enormous that ordinary adults looked small beside him.
“Step aside, Prisoner 392.”
The guard recognized him immediately and issued a warning.
“Aw, don’t be so uptight.”
“I just want to ask the kid something.”
“It’ll only take a minute.”
Apparently, this wasn’t the first time he’d done this.
The man casually reassured the guard before turning toward me.
“Hey, brat.”
“You share a room with Prisoner 444, right?”
444?
The number sounded familiar.
I nodded.
That was Veronica’s prisoner number.
“Yes.”
“If you’re roommates…”
“You must know that woman pretty well.”
He grinned, exposing yellowed teeth.
My instincts immediately screamed that something was wrong.
“I don’t.”
“You don’t?”
“No.”
“We don’t really talk.”
“Hah!”
“As if!”
“I saw the two of you chatting away in the cafeteria.”
He glared at me.
“So you’re already lying at your age?”
“You’ll grow up into a rotten adult.”
“…Like you?”
“Yeah, just li—”
“…What?”
He frowned.
Before he could respond, I quickly changed the subject.
“If you’re curious about Big Sis…”
“You should ask her directly.”
“You think I haven’t?”
“She won’t even acknowledge me!”
“That’s why I had to ask yo—”
“If she rejected you that many times…”
“You should’ve given up.”
The man’s eyes widened.
Even the guard looked startled.
But it’s true.
If Veronica had rejected him…
Then he should’ve stopped.
Why come bother me?
I honestly didn’t understand.
“If you don’t even have the courage to keep trying…”
“Then just give up.”
“You’re not worthy of her.”
“…Hey.”
His face instantly darkened.
“You’ve got quite the mouth for a little brat.”
“You’re an adult…”
“And yours isn’t any better…”
“What did you say?”
He glared at me viciously.
The guard finally stepped between us.
“Kid.”
“You’ve only got one life.”
“You’ve got a real talent for running your mouth.”
“But I’m telling the truth…”
I mean… I’m not wrong…
“Prisoner 392!”
Several nearby guards quickly gathered.
I immediately hid behind the guard beside me.
The tattooed man clenched his fists while glaring at me.
He clearly wanted to teach me a lesson.
But this was Izetail.
Starting trouble here would only earn him harsher punishment.
“Prisoner 100.”
“That’s enough from you too.”
“Okay.”
I obediently nodded.
The guards grabbed the man by the arms and dragged him away.
No matter how much he protested…
They kept him well away from me.
Even as he was being taken away…
He never stopped glaring.
Apparently, losing an argument to a four-year-old had dealt quite a blow to his pride.
“We’re moving.”
The guard who had protected me resumed walking.
Hmm…
I glanced back toward the direction the man had disappeared.
That’s strange.
Why was he looking for Veronica?
* * *
Even within Izetail…
Veronica was famous.
She was quick on her feet.
Silver-tongued.
A legendary thief.
And…
Ridiculously beautiful.
Standing out was inevitable.
Besides…
Izetail housed both men and women.
Every so often…
Some idiot would try flirting with her.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
“…”
“Why are you staring at me so lovingly?”
“Big Sis.”
“Hm?”
“You must never date weird people.”
“…What?”
“Even if they offer you candy…”
“Don’t go with them.”
“And if they say…”
‘I’ll take care of everything for you!’
“…Don’t believe them!”
“My goodness.”
She gently stroked my hair.
“Then Karin should just live with Big Sis forever.”
“No!”
I had dangerous things to do.
Very important things.
If Veronica stayed with me…
She could end up getting hurt.
“If you’re with me…”
“You’ll get injured.”
“Hmm…”
Instead of looking disappointed…
She smiled.
“Now I want to stay with you even more.”
“…Huh?”
“I like dangerous people.”
“Eek!”
What is this woman saying?!
I shook my head frantically.
There were already enough dangerous people in the world!
What if one day…
She introduced some terrifying man and proudly announced he was her boyfriend?
The thought alone worried me.
“But, sweetheart…”
“Why are you suddenly worrying about your big sister’s love life?”
“I met someone strange.”
“Hm?”
“Everyone here is crazy—”
She paused.
“I mean…”
“…strange.”
She corrected herself halfway through.
I pretended not to notice.
“Some man asked if I knew you.”
“…Me?”
“Yes.”
“So I pretended I didn’t know much.”
“But…”
“He gave me a really bad feeling.”
Just like Veronica had said…
This prison was full of awful people.
So I wanted to warn her.
She listened quietly.
Then smiled warmly.
“Thank you, Karin.”
“If any weird men come near me…”
“I’ll kill them—”
She coughed.
“I mean…”
“I’ll chase them away.”
“Okay!”
“And if anyone strange approaches you again…”
“You come tell Big Sis immediately.”
“Okay!”
“Aww.”
“Our little sweetheart is so obedient.”
She poked my chubby cheeks with a finger.
“So…”
“How long do people usually stay in solitary confinement?”
“Hmm…”
“About a week.”
“Sometimes longer, depending on what happened.”
“Why?”
“I was just curious.”
A week…
That meant I might not see Rodrigo until next week.
That’s no good.
I’d successfully caught his attention.
But curiosity didn’t last forever.
He could lose interest at any moment.
…!
Wait.
If I can’t go see him…
Then…
I’ll just make sure he has to come see me.
My eyes sparkled.
“Hehe.”
I’d just come up with a brilliant idea.
