Chapter 7

Life in the penal unit continued.

About twenty days passed.

Today, as usual, I was assigned the unit’s menial tasks.

Washing dishes, doing laundry...

It was absurd enough to make me chuckle that I was doing this kind of stuff, but I couldn’t exactly refuse.

If I tried to resist, they’d only hate me more.

Even now, the place is crawling with men who look at me like they want to kill me; I’m not stupid enough to whine about not doing what everyone else is doing.

Besides, moments spent doing chores are sweet reprieves for me.

Not only do I get away from the damp atmosphere and musty smell of the penal unit’s barracks, but I can also escape from those so-called “brothers” who act like they’ll stomp on me at any moment.

“Sigh.”

But even so, it won’t be long. Sooner or later, I’m bound to get beaten up. I can feel the atmosphere tightening around me.

I can tell just by the muttering they do in front of me.

“Ah, damn it. If only Father were alive, I wouldn’t have resorted to stealing.”

“Ah, if only Dad hadn’t been killed, I wouldn’t have beaten up the neighbor’s brother with a club.”

“Ah, if only Father were here, I wouldn’t have set the fire—”

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue.

Is it a small comfort that they’re around my age? Perhaps because the adults have gone to war and died, most of the penal unit consists of people not much older than me.

I shook my head, lost interest in those bug-like guys, and continued with my work.

Inside Rondor Castle, a long river flows.

A river that provides drinking water and water for use in daily life.

I settled down on one side of the long river and rinsed the clothes and dishes I had brought.

Even just soaking the clothes in water and rubbing them a bit produced black, dirty water.

“Dirty bastards. The smell is just...”

I continued washing with a grimace.

Occasionally, I’d take out the clothes and sniff them, but somehow the sour smell wouldn’t go away.

I’m worried that this kind of stench might be coming from my own body.

If Mother found out, she’d surely faint.

—Thud!

As nothing changed no matter how much I tried, I stopped washing and threw the clothes onto a nearby rock.

Then I looked around.

There’s no one nearby, no one watching me.

“...”

Being alone like this, certain thoughts come to mind.

Should I go again today...

“...”

The deliberation was brief. I let out a long sigh, placed the dishes and clothes on the shore, and started walking.

My destination was a single place.

It was a place I found while doing chores like this.

Not far from this river, there’s an outer wall of the castle.

Unlike other castle walls, this place is somewhat special because, on the third-floor window of this outer wall, there’s always...

“...”

...She’s not here today.

I thought as I reached the secret spot.

With her not being there, a slight sense of shame washed over me.

I don’t know why I’m like this.

These days, I think of her even when lying on my bed, when eating dog food-like meals, and even when doing chores…

Vivian Rondor.

Was it the hostility she directed at me that left such an impression? Or do I think of her because she seems so pitiful?

Or is it because the Duchess of Rondor’s request weighs on my mind? Because, even if in name only, I became her guard...?

I don’t know the answer.

But one day while doing chores, I saw Vivian Rondor sitting vacantly by that window, staring outside, and since then, I’ve come to check that window at least once a day.

“...”

I really don’t know why I’m doing this.

If I get caught doing this, I’d bite my tongue and die.

As shameful as it was in my mind, my body kept bringing me back here.

Honestly, if I wanted to see her, I could just go find her. The Duchess of Rondor had granted me permission.

Wasn’t I supposed to be Vivian Rondor’s guard?

...Of course, if I did go see her, she’d obviously get angry, and I wouldn’t have anything to say in response, so I didn’t.

Tsk. Whatever.

As I was turning away, something like a red thread fluttering through the window caught the corner of my eye.

When I turned back, Vivian Rondor appeared, showing herself at the window.

“.......”

I hid among the bushes, blankly watching her.

For some reason, I momentarily forgot the weariness of the day.

The expressions on Vivian’s face here were filled with ones I hadn’t seen before.

Her face, always full of anger when facing me, wasn’t like that here.

An expression that seemed vacant. And perhaps a bit sad.

A powerless, lethargic expression.

It’s hard to say which is better between her angry face and this one. But seeing her various expressions was nice...

...No, not nice—interesting.

Vivian Rondor gazed outside like that for a while, then leaned her chin on the window.

At that sight, a slight smile escaped me.

“...”

And then I immediately blamed myself for my foolishness.

Laughing at that? I must still have some life left in me.

It’s all because of Vivian Rondor that I’m washing these smelly men’s clothes.

I tried to compose myself and look up at Vivian Rondor with resentment, but her next actions made that difficult.

“Sob... sniff...”

Vivian’s blank expression slowly broke, and she began to shed tears.

At first, her tears trickled down in droplets, but before long, they were streaming like a river.

Even as she wiped away the tears one by one with her fingers, she soon covered her face and wept.

“...”

For some reason, I felt different from when I usually saw her tears.

Maybe because it was the first time I’d seen her crying alone… She looked even more pitiful.

Why is she sitting there sobbing all alone?

Strangely, I felt uneasy.

After crying like that, Vivian Rondor wiped her cheeks and stretched her hand out the window.

Then, like a cat grooming itself, she stroked her arm...

“...Huh?”

Her once pure white arm was covered in bruises, not a single spot unscathed.

My mind went blank.

I couldn’t understand.

...Why is her arm like that?

Vivian checked the color of her arm under the sunlight, then gently blew on it, soothing the pain.

Then, perhaps disliking the unsightly appearance of her arm, she stood there quietly before suddenly turning around in surprise.

As if someone was calling her, Vivian roughly wiped away her tears again and moved away from the window.

Left behind, I was seized by complicated emotions.

.

.

.

Finally, unable to suppress my curiosity, I entered the castle.

Surprisingly, the guards did not stop me.

They merely glanced at me awkwardly without asking any direct questions.

It seemed that Scholar Crellin had spread the word about my situation.

Everyone appeared to know that I had become Vivian Rondor’s guard according to the Duchess’s last will.

I continued past many soldiers and maids, heading toward my destination.

I felt that I needed to resolve this curiosity before I could focus on anything else.

What on earth had happened for her arm to end up in such a state in just a few days?

Who in the world had the authority to do that to her?

“…”

The image of her sorrowfully crying wouldn’t leave my mind.

Recalling that memory dozens of times, before I knew it, I was standing in front of Vivian’s room.

“…Uh…”

Four maids were already standing quietly outside her door.

“What brings you here…?”

“…”

I didn’t answer their question.

I couldn’t even clearly explain why I was here.

It’s definitely not because I’m worried about Vivian. Definitely not.

She’s the one who had me thrown into the penal unit, the daughter of an enemy family—why would I worry about her?

Moreover, every time we met, we just fought; if anything, I’d feel relieved, not come looking out of concern.

We’ve never built up enough rapport to warrant that.

“Shall I inform Lady that you’ve come?”

One of the maids asked me.

“…”

I shook my head at her.

I have nothing to say to Vivian Rondor.

What would I even say if I went in? Ask why her arm is in such a state?

As if she’d answer me willingly. She’d probably think I’m a stalker for knowing.

So even though I had come all the way here, I stood there unable to enter.

At that moment, voices came from beyond the door.

“Th-th-the rabbit gnawed on the c-carrot and s-said—”

—Smack!!

A sharp sound, intense enough to make me frown, came through the door.

“Again. You stuttered from the very beginning.”

“Th-the rabbit gn-gnawed on the c-carrot and—”

—Smack!!

“Didn’t I tell you to open your mouth wider when you speak?”

“Th-the rabbit gn-gn-gnawed on the c-carrot—”

—Smack!

“Focus!! You’re getting worse! Can’t you even read a simple children’s story properly? How many times do I have to tell you to think before you speak!”

“Ugh…”

—Smack!

“I clearly told you not to whine. Don’t think the world will sympathize with your pain, Lady Vivian. No one cares about your feelings. Complaining only exposes your weaknesses.”

“M-madam… sniff… b-but… it h-hurts so much…”

—Smack!!

“I won’t warn you anymore; I’ll start caning you. From now on, you’ll understand through your body.”

“…The rabbit…”

“…”

The more I listened to the conversation, the more a strange heat rose in my chest.

A suffocating emotion came along with it.

Unconsciously, I looked at the maid beside me.

Noticing my gaze, the maid confessed all at once.

“I-it’s Lady Linne. She’s the teacher appointed to Lady Vivian by the Duchess. Th-the punishment is excessive, but sh-she’s truly trustworthy. Y-you don’t have to worry too much…”

“I’m not worried.”

I replied without thinking.

Along with my answer, I became aware of my actions, as if cold water had been poured over me.

I came all this way after seeing her bruised arms, but thinking about it, it’s not something I can do anything about.

Vivian Rondor is getting hit because she stutters.

It’s not something I should care about.

So I turned around and started walking back outside.

“…”

But when I came to my senses, I found myself glancing back hesitantly.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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