Undressing
“It was probably then. The moment I felt the woman of my destiny had entered my life.”
Tak. Tatak. The neatly chopped logs burned with a satisfying crackle. The old shepherd dog let out a massive yawn, lulled by the warmth filling the gray marble hearth, a touch of languor settling in.
“Daddy! Dingding yawned!”
“Haha, is that right? He must be sleepy. Take good care of him, okay?”
“Yes!”
The little girl, with gray eyes just like her mother's, reached out to pet the dog—twice her size. The size difference turned it into a dangling spectacle, but the clever hound lowered itself obligingly, striking a fairly picturesque pose.
“Now, where was I? Ah, our first meeting. The place where I first met her... you might not believe it, but it was a prison. Oh, no, neither my wife nor I were inmates. Hahaha. Of course not. We were the wardens working there...”
[Vice Warden...?]
“That's right. Embarrassing as it is to say myself, I consider myself the type who could live even without laws. If something would shame me in others' eyes, I just don't do it.”
[Suhwa Vice Warden...?]
“Haha, something like that. But why are you staring at me like that?”
[Suhwa Romanov Vice Warden.]
The instant he heard he had to undress, Suhwa's future plans—marriage to Chief Clerk Helena, even rabbit-like children—burst into vivid life. Fortunately, his expression didn't crumble, but he was firing blazing gazes of desire at the chief clerk.
Sensing something off, the chief clerk who had called him stepped back half a pace and said,
“Vice Warden, your uniform is prepared in the bedroom. Please undress and change now.”
With that, she turned lightly, her waist-length golden hair swaying gracefully in rhythm.
“Ah, yes. Anytime... no, yes. Of course.”
The uniform was a simple white-and-black two-tone with ornate nameplates. Unlike the practical work clothes emphasizing mobility, gem-embellished epaulets and vice warden insignia gleamed.
Wonder if I'll ever get to take this off.
It struck him as flashy prisoner garb, but without showing it, he picked up the uniform. The lining felt surprisingly soft against his skin, not just the exterior flash.
He set his lone travel bag aside and shot the chief clerk a casual glance.
Not leaving?
The chief clerk, facing away, felt the look and turned.
“Not changing?”
“You'll stay here?”
“If it's uncomfortable, I'll step out.”
Heh, well now...
After a quick mental calculation, Suhwa began shrugging off his overcoat. Snow melted from the shoulders, dripping lightly to the floor.
As he casually tossed it, the chief clerk caught it fluidly and approached his back.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
“Pardon? Ack!”
The moment he thought nice scent, her snakelike hands rifled his coat pockets and top, slipping away.
Suhwa gawked in bewilderment, and she offered a tiny smile.
“My apologies. It's one of my few pleasures.”
“Didn't know the chief clerk had a hobby of groping people.”
“Hehe, hardly. Just a frisk for 'both sides'' safety before meeting the warden.”
She searched my body... both sides? How badass is this Utopia warden?
Deciding no more surprises, Suhwa changed swiftly, crossing his arms.
“If I meant to, I'd have hidden it better, no?”
“Oh? Shall I check more thoroughly?”
“Sounds thrilling, but I'll pass.”
“What a shame.”
“Pardon?”
Irked she wouldn't leave despite his change, he'd stripped without hesitation to fluster her—but hadn't even broken even.
Helena, chief clerk, chuckled at Suhwa, who looked deflated with his snow-melted hair drooping.
“Now, let's go. The warden's waiting.”
“This angle? Or just now? No, the first one?”
“Any pose looks cool and dignified to me, sir.”
The warden's office was lavishly decorated, hard to believe it was a prison head's space. In the back, a middle-aged man in early old age kept shifting poses.
His secretary, beside him with a faintly bored look, adjusted the full-length mirror accordingly.
“Don't half-ass it just 'cause it's not your job—look properly. First impressions matter, y'know?”
“You're the one who said the first pose didn't feel right when I suggested it, sir.”
“Hey! Talking back now? Getting comfy lately, eh?”
As the baffled secretary opened her mouth, a light knock sounded, followed by the chief clerk's voice.
“Warden, sir. Chief Clerk here. I've brought the vice warden.”
“Oh—right! Come in! Come in!”
Evidently settling on the first pose after all, he hastily resumed it. The secretary, wearing an ambiguous smirk—mocking or amused?—set down the mirror and opened the door.
There stood Suhwa in full Utopia uniform and the chief clerk in winter gear.
A quick eye-nod to the secretary, then Suhwa strode to the warden and bowed a crisp ninety degrees.
“First time meeting! Suhwa Romanov, reporting for duty at Utopia starting today!”
Caught off-guard by the exuberance, gazes from the warden, chief clerk, and the secretary prepping tea locked on him.
After a brief silence, the secretary placed tea on the table and exited with the chief clerk. The warden burst into hearty laughter.
“No idea how many times you've surprised me today. They teach theater at the Academy these days?”
“Dunno. Never studied it, but... stage seemed set, so I gave it a shot.”
Lips smiling, but his eyes on Suhwa were desert-dry.
Maybe Ilka Pavola's the real warden, and this guy's some heinous inmate?
About then, the warden offered a handshake.
“Jepeto Cervantes, warden of Utopia. Pleased to meet ya.”
His grip felt like a lifelong fisherman's—calluses everywhere, scars etched across back and palm hinting at a battle-scarred life.
“Suhwa Romanov.”
“When I first heard... honestly, didn't believe it.”
“Pardon?”
He sipped the steaming tea and continued, face lighting like a kid eyeing Christmas gifts.
“Academy's top grad, guaranteed success anywhere in the Empire...”
A pause, then,
“Why the hell apply to Utopia?”
“To learn from Warden Jepeto's masterful handling of the Empire's most troublesome criminals.”
So blatant, it landed more absurd than flattering. Jepeto's face went slack.
“Of course, that's not all. But there's truth in it too.”
“You smell more merchant or merc than Academy lad... whatever, spill it. Why'd this year's summa cum laude pick this backwater slammer?”
“Secret.”
“What?”
“Can't say just yet.”
Life sparked in Jepeto's formerly arid eyes.
“'Just yet' means... might tell later, depending?”
“Didn't say that far—but won't say no either.”
“Ha! Never seen such cheek. Thought it was noble brats' playground, but Academy's got grit!”
He downed the cold tea, slammed to his feet, snatched Suhwa's file—thumbed countless times—and read aloud.
“Name: Suhwa Romanov. Age 25. Entered Academy upper division at 18. No notable prior record. Excelled in swordsmanship, magic, strategy/tactics, economics, politics, law—six subjects with 'Excellent' this year, most ever. Top grad. Whew...”
“Hearing it right here is embarrassing.”
“Damn right. Not all earned fair, eh?”
“Pardon?”
As if waiting, Jepeto stretched grandly and pressed on.
“Name... maybe real. Age 25? Could be true or fudged. Sword and magic prowess... we'll test in the arena later.”
“Only trust what you see?”
“Nah, not that stiff.”
Clearing his throat leisurely, the merciless exposé rolled on.
“My sources say your econ, politics, law scores? Cheating or leaked exams.”
“Even packaged 'em as study guides, sold to classmates... slick.”
“Weirdest part: midterms maybe cheat, but summa cum laude means aced finals too. How?”
“Whoa... caught off-guard here? You an Academy alum, sir? Knowing finals are cheat-proof...”
“Hmph! Think I'd waste time on kids' games?”
Kids' games... it's the Empire's top school.
What started as a cheerful assignment greeting devolved into an inquisition grilling his sins.
He hadn't assumed Academy antics unknown, but wrong foe. This was the Empire's top-secret prison; the man before him, its top dog. If he willed, sending back an Academy grad would be easier than swimming on dry land.
“How I passed Academy finals...”
Unexpected, but the tension straightened his spine nicely.
Short deep breath, eyes on his brow naturally, gestures for emphasis.
More gravely than any moment today, Suhwa began to speak.