Chapter 27
Chapter 27
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Solitary Confinement
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The first twelve hours passed with me unable to do anything but gasp for breath on the tiles.
The chill Orca had left behind finally melted into water droplets,
which mixed with my blood to form paint, splashing vibrant colors across the floor.
By the time those bloodstains had darkened and grown sticky,
I could barely manage to drag myself up onto the bed.
After that, it was nothing but endless waiting.
No one came to see me,
and not a shred of freedom was granted.
A few hours later, faint sobbing echoed from the next cell.
The crying lasted about thirty minutes before fading away for some reason,
and after that, no more sounds came.
Time seemed to stand still. The only thing anchoring me to reality was the pain in my body.
I had to gauge the passage of time by the intensity of the pain and the state of my wounds.
The bruises etched across my body began to fade,
and one of the guards brought water.
I struggled to sit up and gulped down the water on the floor,
then pleaded with her.
"Just a little more, please. Just a bit."
My throat was parched. I'd lost too much blood, leaving my body desperately short on fluids.
My body was forcing itself to heal, squeezing out every drop it could, but it couldn't conjure water out of nothing.
"No."
The searing pain in my wounds had dulled to a throbbing ache.
When I came to my senses, I saw that the bed was soaked with bloodstains too.
I considered asking if they could at least change the sheets,
but I knew it was pointless, so I kept my mouth shut.
Lying there doing nothing, all sorts of thoughts started creeping in unbidden.
The ones that dominated were Justice and Lily, Orca,
Creep, Scardi, nameless villains,
the prison, the Association's corruption,
suspicious people, and Lily again.
She said she'd visit in three days.
They'd probably deny the visit.
I want to see her.
That day especially,
everything around me was red,
and the crimson hue reminded me of Lily, shimmering in my vision.
"One cup, please. Or even half."
A painful vibration rumbled from my stomach. My body trembled, craving the energy it lacked.
"No."
Solitary was more agonizing than I'd imagined. Aside from not being tormented by Creep or the other villains, everything conspired to make me suffer.
"Please... I beg you..."
Was it my body that was broken,
or some part of my mind?
I begged the guard for mercy, pleading for anything to eat.
Every time, the response was the same.
"No."
Had three days already passed?
Lily hadn't come. They must have blocked her at the entrance.
My brain, starved of water and nutrients, kept showing me hallucinations. Even though Lily wasn't there, I could somehow see her.
She seemed to be saying,
"I'm on your side, Oppa—"
I rubbed my eyes, but Lily was still there.
No, maybe it was just the bloodstains.
I don't know.
"Eat it quick."
Then,
on the fourth water cup,
one guard slipped in a piece of bread. I thought I was hallucinating again and focused only on the cup, but she urged me on in a hurried tone.
"Hurry! If we get caught, we're both in deep trouble."
Only then did I reach for the bread. It really was bread. The soft, fluffy texture felt utterly alien.
I shoved it into my mouth without even finishing the water. The long-lost taste of carbs and the butter smeared on top choked me up.
Was my already parched throat truly clogged,
or was it the overwhelming will to survive?
"Give me the cup. Quick."
She refilled the cup I'd drained in seconds. Before such mercy, I could only kneel and accept it gratefully.
"Th-thank you. Thank you so much."
And even after that,
she took the cup and refilled it once more.
After downing three cups in a row, moisture finally returned to my lips. My body was recovering. I raised a silent toast to the water I'd finally found.
"Thank you. Really, thank you..."
I bowed my head repeatedly to this guard whose face I didn't even know.
At least for now, she was my hero.
"All done?"
"Yes, all gone. Thank you..."
"Drink as much as you can while you have the chance. I'll bring you another cup in two days, and maybe two or three more then too."
But my hero moved me even more with kinder words,
then dropped a familiar name.
"The bread's from Scardi. She said not to thank her. Said it's just her worrying on her own and to ignore it."
I couldn't believe it.
Most guards treated me with indifference or disgust, but this one, who seemed close to Scardi, spoke gently.
"I'm going now. Rest up."
I didn't know her face,
but thanks to the bread and water filling my stomach just enough, I spent the whole day mulling over her words and kindness.
Maybe, just maybe,
Scardi was someone I could trust.
The next day, I got one cup—
woefully insufficient—but after taking it in, I waited impatiently for time to pass.
My body craved the new mercy.
"...Eat. Hurry."
After an eternity of waiting, the guard returned. She gave me more food and water, then stood watch until I finished.
Slice of bread and a boiled egg.
Pathetically small portion,
but I chewed every bite with gratitude.
"Bread's from Scardi, but the egg's from Creep. She said eat up and get better quick."
And with three cups of water on top, I finally felt a hint of fullness for the first time in ages.
To feel grateful for a full stomach like this.
"And the correctional officer's been checking on Crow's condition nonstop. She was supposed to keep you in solitary for a week, but thinks maybe a day early is fine. Other guards will come later."
The guard kept feeding me information.
She still seemed to trust me.
"Better avoid the correctional officer's eyes from now on. She's especially harsh with you. Seems like she really hates you..."
"What are you doing?"
But then Orca's voice came from outside the door.
The guard jumped in fright, snapping to rigid attention,
"C-Correctional Officer! I was just checking his health!"
"Who told you to check his health?"
"S-Sorry. I was just going off what you said in the morning meeting, checking ahead and planning to report..."
"Don't do anything I didn't tell you to."
She got thoroughly chewed out by Orca and scurried off.
The guard's feet, barely visible through the solitary cell's lower door slot, vanished into the distance,
replaced by Orca's shoes.
"...Crow."
Strangely, hearing that voice sent chills down my spine.
My body, having felt her power firsthand, expressed fear on its own.
"You're going back to C Wing today. You'll get a shot for ability suppression first. Done."
Orca announced it through the solitary door. Hard to say if it was good or bad news, but I was grateful to escape this cramped hell at least.
She said nothing else. As if avoiding talking to me, Orca lingered by the door a moment before leaving.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
When the time came, two guards opened the door and came in. They grabbed my arms, one each, hoisted me up like I was helpless, and led me away.
"Baby!"
The hateful voice I'd missed hearing.
As the C Wing doors opened, Creep's voice rang out like a welcome. She squealed like a dog reuniting with its owner and hugged me tight.
"You did great. Mmm. Really."
But,
the human touch after so long felt especially soft and warm.
"You got my gift, right? Huh?"
"..."
I couldn't muster a response to her nuzzling my cheek and bragging.
No scolding or resistance made it past my lips.
I couldn't deny that Creep,
and Scardi watching from a few steps away,
had helped me.
"Let's get to the room. Quick."
Her gang was packed in there.
The villain I'd fought before solitary,
the other riffraff, and that idiot still sweating bullets and watching everyone's mood,
all huddled awkwardly around my bed, waiting.
"Lie down and rest, baby. I talked to the kids. Even if they were mad, they went too far with you. So I smoothed things over for a nice reconciliation! Good job me, right?"
A few looked beaten up, others stared at the floor in terror.
"Forgive 'em. They didn't know how close you and Justice are."
"S-Sorry! Sorry! I won't mention that bitch again."
The one with the worst injuries stepped forward and apologized frantically. Looked like the first one I'd beaten half to death.
"Forgive me. From now on, I'll just hit, kick, and grope. Nothing else."
The sentence was utterly moronic,
but watching him tremble after Creep beat him was pretty satisfying.
Really.