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Chapter 10
When people think of solitary confinement, they usually imagine torture devices and unimaginable suffering.
But it wasn’t nearly as brutal as I’d expected.
It was colder…
Bleaker…
And much more miserable, sure.
But I had the whole room to myself.
I didn’t even have to bother going out for meals.
The surveillance was strict, but no one tortured me or anything.
The only thing I really missed…
Was my sister.
A lot.
Still, it was bearable.
There was just one problem—
“Your Graaace!”
“…”
“What are you doing right now?”
“…”
“Aren’t you eating? Today’s meal was actually pretty good! Or… do you not have an appetite? Are you feeling unwell…?”
No matter how many times I called out to him, he simply kept his back turned toward me.
He never once looked in my direction.
Well…
He had looked at me once.
When I first arrived.
But that was already two days ago…
Sigh…
Resting my chin on my hand, I let out a long sigh.
No matter what I do, he won’t even look at me once.
Does he really dislike me that much?
I hadn’t done anything particularly annoying…
And by now, he should be incredibly curious about me!
I stared at the broad back that looked as solid as a suit of armor and groaned.
If he’d overheard my conversation with the warden…
He should at least be showing the tiniest bit of interest!
I even blew up a building the Imperial Family personally funded!
I seriously don’t understand.
But there wasn’t much more I could do directly.
There are only five days left.
I could understand him ignoring me on the first day.
But now I was starting to panic.
Once I left solitary confinement…
I might never get another chance to interact with him.
And I couldn’t exactly blow up another building.
I need to think of something.
The guards rarely entered this section except at scheduled times.
There was plenty of opportunity to talk.
The problem was…
The one person I wanted to speak with kept avoiding every conversation.
I wanted to build things up little by little…
I sighed again.
I needed…
A completely unexpected way…
To make that stubborn back finally turn around.
Hmm…
If it came to this…
There was only one method left.
* * *
“Move her back tomorrow.”
That night, after the child had fallen asleep…
Rodrigo secretly left solitary confinement and voiced his dissatisfaction.
“Have you all lost your minds? Why are you keeping a child in there?”
“My apologies, my lord. It just so happened to be the wish she requested…”
“At this rate you’ll grant her wish if she asks to escape prison, too.”
Sys immediately lowered his head.
“I sincerely apologize.”
Still…
A promise was a promise.
Besides, thanks to Karin, every piece of dangerous black ore had already been removed from the prison, preventing future explosions.
In a way…
She had done them a tremendous service.
That made it even harder to refuse her request.
And the wish itself wasn’t even unreasonable.
She’d simply asked to be placed in solitary confinement.
Considering the crime she’d committed…
That punishment was perfectly appropriate.
If they refused, they’d have to come up with another penalty instead.
So…
They’d placed her in the same solitary block as Rodrigo.
“Is the child bothering you?”
“She chatters endlessly.”
“She tells me about today’s weather…”
“About how delicious the food is…”
“She talks far too much for someone in solitary.”
…Though you’ve apparently listened to every single word.
Sys kept that thought to himself.
Rodrigo only remembered things he cared about.
The fact that he recalled every tiny detail meant he’d been paying close attention.
He simply hadn’t realized it.
Instead, he crossed his legs and continued grumbling.
“She’ll stay a full week?”
“…Yes.”
“Damn it.”
If it were up to him, he’d throw her out immediately.
But she hadn’t stolen anything.
She had blown up an entire building.
Ending her punishment early would only invite criticism that they were being too lenient.
It might even encourage other prisoners to misbehave.
Especially because the destroyed building belonged to the Imperial Family.
If the punishment seemed too light, even Sys himself might come under Imperial scrutiny.
Taking that kind of risk just to remove one troublesome little girl…
Wasn’t worth it.
Which left only one option.
He’d have to endure the inconvenience for the rest of the week.
“Damn that brat.”
If she’d planned all this from the beginning…
Then she was unbelievably bold.
And frighteningly cunning.
“Hey!”
Just then, a woman stormed into the warden’s office.
Rodrigo clicked his tongue as he watched his younger sister march toward him.
“What are you trying to advertise?”
“That you’re a free woman?”
“You’re far too careless.”
This was exactly why he’d prevented her from leaving for a whole day.
After finally getting out…
She’d become even more unruly.
“You think now’s the time to lecture me about being careful?”
“You dragged our little girl into solitary!”
Rodrigo snorted.
“Anyone listening would think I kidnapped her.”
“She walked into solitary on her own.”
“How is that my fault?”
“W-What?”
A bewildered Veronica turned toward Sys.
“Is that really true?”
“…Surprisingly, yes.”
“Oh my goodness…”
She looked completely dumbfounded.
“Why would she suddenly ask to go into solitary…?”
“No—why did she blow up the building?”
“Did she suddenly decide she hates the gods?”
“She said it was to prove something.”
“Prove what?”
“That she’s been insulting the Imperial Family all this time.”
“And that she’s repeatedly tried to arrange the Emperor’s assassination.”
“So she blew up the building as proof.”
“Oh my.”
“Our little sweetheart is surprisingly bold.”
“I kind of love that.”
“…”
“S-Sorry.”
“But you have to admit… that was pretty satisfying.”
“Ahem.”
Even Rodrigo couldn’t deny that.
Destroying the building had been absurd.
But…
It had felt satisfying.
The Temple was the organization that had helped the Imperial Family suppress the dragons’ power.
It represented the alliance between the two groups Rodrigo hated most.
Watching one of their buildings reduced to rubble…
Wasn’t bad at all.
In fact…
He rather liked it.
Still, enjoying the result didn’t make the child any less troublesome.
Rodrigo quickly composed himself.
“Anyway.”
“If anyone lays a hand on our little girl, I’ll make them regret it.”
“Tch.”
“Then why don’t you move into solitary with her?”
“Really?”
“Can I?”
“Get lost.”
Rodrigo shut his sister down without hesitation.
“My apologies, my lord.”
“Perhaps this is actually a good opportunity.”
“If we’re going to take the child with us during the escape anyway…”
“Wouldn’t it be better to observe her closely while she’s nearby?”
“At least we might discover what she’s really after.”
“See?”
“Sys agrees with me.”
“Look, Brother.”
“Of course our Karin is adorable, lovable, and precious.”
“But objectively speaking, bringing her along is still the right decision.”
“You two really are on the same wavelength.”
Rodrigo laughed in disbelief.
Observe her, huh…
It wasn’t a bad point.
In truth…
He’d been thinking about it himself.
Judging by how desperately she’d tried to get his attention these past two days…
She obviously had something she wanted to say.
“Tch.”
“So be it.”
Rodrigo stood up.
“Hey! Where are you going?”
“None of your business.”
Answering curtly, he walked out of the office.
Bang!
The door slammed shut.
Watching it close, Veronica pouted.
“That stubborn mule…”
What’s that called again?
Reverse psychology?
