Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 021
Chapter Title: Contract (3)
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"Madam."
I swallowed a sigh and pushed the pouch back toward Rose.
"Didn't you hear me earlier? I said it's yours now."
"......"
"Are you trying to turn me into a man who flips his words like the back of his hand?"
I placed the pouch directly into Rose's twitching hand. Then I curled her fingers tightly around it.
"Ah......"
Rose's eyes fell on my hand gripping hers. Her wavering gaze traveled up my arm and stopped at my face.
Thump, thump.
A pulse transmitted from the back of Rose's hand touching my fingertips. The throbbing, much faster than before, drummed against my skin.
"......Th-thank you."
Rose hastily pulled her hand away from mine. Then she wrapped her other hand around it.
"Thank you, Your Excellency. I'll treasure it."
"Good."
"Th-that's all from me......"
Rose avoided my gaze. Clutching the pouch tightly with both hands, she fidgeted restlessly.
Right now, Rose looked like she wanted to escape this very spot. Or maybe she wanted to flee from me.
'Why on earth?'
I'd prepared the contract meticulously to her liking, and even brought mana stones thinking she'd appreciate them.
She'd clearly seemed pleased just moments ago. Why had her attitude suddenly turned strange? Hadn't I done well?
It grated on me, like we were back to square one. Back to that wary Rose from our first meeting.
"May I go now......?"
This was odd. I wanted to make her sit back down and keep talking.
But Rose was already half-standing from her seat. Her body was turned toward the door, as if she couldn't wait to leave.
There seemed to be no reason or way to pull her back.
"......Yeah."
"Take care......!"
The moment my response fell, Rose bolted out of the room. It was unmistakably a getaway.
"......"
Left alone in the room, I returned to my desk in the study. But work wouldn't stick. An inexplicable mood gripped me, shattering my focus.
It was frustrating, disappointing. A feeling I'd never experienced before in my life.
"......Hah."
A deep sigh scattered across the desk in the study.
Step, step.
In the underground of Schmichael Castle. As a human shadow flickered long on the spiral stairs descending, prison cells with iron bars appeared on both sides.
"Your Excellency."
The jailer, tense upon hearing of my arrival, bowed his waist.
"You've come."
"You've had a hard time."
The prison keys dangled from the jailer's belt. After glancing at them once, I nodded toward the inside.
"The prisoner?"
"One on this floor, and another one floor below."
"Open the door."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
The jailer unlocked the corridor door with his key.
Step, step.
I began walking down the corridor lined with cells on both sides. Behind me followed Butler Bill and the jailer who'd come along.
"Y-Your Excellency?"
A pitiful voice came from one of the cells. The stablemaster poked his head out between the bars.
"Your Excellency!"
He looked noticeably gaunt.
The horse this stablemaster had tended had tried to throw me off. Thanks to that, I'd recalled my past-life memories, but I'd nearly been seriously injured all the same.
Step.
I slowly approached the cell where the stablemaster was.
"Eek, Your Excellency. Please spare my life."
The stablemaster clung to the bars and began pleading.
"I'm truly innocent. How could I ever do such a thing to Your Excellency's horse?!"
"......"
"Please show mercy. Look into my injustice!"
Tears and snot streamed down his face as he begged—a truly unseemly sight.
This was strange. Rose's quiet sobs hadn't looked this ugly. They were merely troubling, and in the end, I'd even wiped her tears.
Seeing a grown man grovel like this made even the mercy I'd considered evaporate.
"Quiet."
My voice flowed across the cold prison floor, chillier than ice.
"You seem unaware of why you're here."
In truth, Joel had secretly drugged the horse to make it rampage. But this man was the one who'd left the gap for it to happen.
If the stablemaster had diligently cared for the horse, I wouldn't have fallen.
"You're here for negligence in your duties."
Hic.
"Whether the horse was drugged or not, you're not free from responsibility."
The stablemaster could no longer protest. His shocked eyes just rolled around.
"Jailer."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Drag him out."
Clang!
The jailer, prepared in advance, opened the cell door.
"Come on now."
"Follow quietly."
The stablemaster hesitated, face pale with fear. With no restraints on him,
"Uwaaak!"
he shoved the approaching jailer and tried to bolt from the cell.
Tsk. I knew it would come to this.
Shing!
The moment I drew the sword from my belt,
Pfuk!
I plunged it into the stablemaster's gut as he lunged at me.
"Guhk......"
The stablemaster trembled violently, then collapsed to his knees with a thud.
Thud.
He toppled forward, twitching. But that soon stilled.
"Your Excellency!"
The jailer rushed over in a panic. Wiping sweat from his brow, he bowed repeatedly.
"I'm sorry! Due to my negligence......"
"No matter. I expected this."
"Pardon?"
In the original story too, this guy died by Dane's sword while fleeing. If he'd just gone quietly with the jailer, he might have kept his life.
"Bill."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Bill didn't even blink at the death right before his eyes.
"How are these cases usually handled?"
"We'd dismiss them without severance or a letter of recommendation. And make them sign a nondisclosure agreement."
"I see."
Killing to silence was indeed the easiest way.
Swish.
I wiped the blood from my sword on the stablemaster's clothes, then sheathed it.
The jailer and Bill, witnessing this, didn't know where to stand.
"I'm sorry."
"Forgive us, Your Excellency."
"Don't worry about it. Clean it up."
"Yes."
I left the two behind and started walking again. In the opposite direction from the entrance I'd come through.
"I'll go see the prisoner below."
"Yes."
"Stay here until I return."
The jailer gasped and said,
"Your Excellency, please be careful."
"Mm."
"She's no ordinary wicked woman. We even take extreme care when feeding her."
Nod.
I nodded as if to say I understood, then opened the door at the end of the corridor.
'Looks like she burned him once before.'
I thought to myself.
Creeeak—
The seldom-used back door let out an unpleasant groan. With no wall lamps on the stairs, I had to rely on my candle and descend slowly.
Step, step.
Eerie footsteps echoed down the narrow stairs. Loud enough for whoever was below to hear clearly.
Step.
Stepping off the final stair, a narrow cavern-like space came into view. Cold air emanated from the stone floor and walls.
Right in front of the stairs lay a half-tipped food bowl. Just as the jailer said, it looked tossed in carelessly.
And at the far wall opposite, a woman was bound.
"Haa......"
Faint breath scattered from between disheveled golden hair.
"C-Cold......"
The woman with red lips lifted her head.
"Hey, you there......"
"......"
"It's too cold here...... Please, do something, anything......"
Her eyes, meeting mine, were blue but clouded with pain. She looked so fragile and pitiful, like I should rush over and offer aid.
"Do something for me......"
As the woman whispered and writhed, her voluptuous figure stood out. Even in shabby clothes, her supreme beauty couldn't be hidden. Especially her arms raised and bound to the wall, evoking indecent imaginings.
"Please......"
An irresistible, fatal temptation. Ignoring the plea of such an alluring woman in this defenseless state would be hard.
Anyone would probably pounce and devour her body ravenously.
'No wonder the jailer fell for it.'
I'd heard the previous jailer had suffered badly at her hands. That's why a new one had been assigned.
"How about dropping the act?"
"......"
"Before I mistake you for an assassin who's forgotten her target's face."
The woman didn't reply. She just fluttered her long lashes and let out a wistful sigh.
I picked up the food bowl from the floor.
Thud.
I set it down within reach of her feet and said,
"You look weak. Eat something and talk."
"No."
The woman shook her head side to side. A very coquettish gesture.
"How can I eat like this......? Huh? Help me."
Her eyes glistened as if she might burst into tears any moment.
'Good acting skills.'
Anyone soft-hearted would hurry over and feed her.
The next moment was predictable. Her long legs would choke them out, or she'd trick them into helping her escape.
So I had no intention of moving.
Swish.
I stepped back entirely and leaned against the side wall. A distance she couldn't reach no matter what.
"You talk plenty, so you seem lively enough."
"......"
"Doesn't look like you want it. Shall I toss it?"
As I pretended to kick the bowl away,
"-!"
the woman flinched. But when I didn't, she glared at me with narrowed eyes.
"......Heh."
The woman briefly wore a 'that figures' expression, then bowed her head. A hollow laugh escaped, whether from defeat or anger, I couldn't tell.
"As expected of Dane Schmichael."