CH 19

When he opened his eyes, Aiden was sitting there, looking more haggard than he had collapsed.

"Lalaine... … ?”

When Rylaine's blue eyes appeared, Aiden hurriedly ducked.

“Are you okay… … !”

Fortunately, the pain was gone, but it felt like all the energy was drained from my body.

Like someone who has been in a hot bath for a long time.

Rylaine blinked a few times and stood up. With Aiden supporting her by her side, she was able to get up easily.

A warm feeling touched the palm of my hand.

I must have passed out on the cold floor, but now I am lying on a blanket.

“… … I think it's okay.”

I didn't feel any pain anywhere else.

Just as Tantan said, I only felt pain, but there were no aftereffects.

"Is that true… … ?”

Aiden's eyelashes trembled slightly as he asked. It seems that he suddenly collapsed and was startled.

"yes."

When Rylenne answered, Aiden lowered his head.

"ha."

With a deep sigh, Aiden clutched his head.

“… … thank god."

Then Rylenne found Aiden's finger bleeding.

"uh… … ? Aiden, your fingers... … !”

The wound on the finger wasn't severe, but it looked painful enough.

“… … No big deal.”

Aiden lowered his hand and hid it behind his back.

'Where did I get cut while I was down... … ?'

Rylaine tilted her head and looked around.

But no matter how you look at it, there was nothing like a veil in prison.

“Never mind me. Not to the point of worrying about someone who just woke up after passing out.”

Aiden's attitude was quite determined, so Rylenne didn't ask more.

"by the way… … .”

Rylenne's gaze rose at Aiden's low voice. Aiden's expression was serious.

“The black fruit I just ate… … Isn't that Hayasin?"

'This guy really doesn't know anything... … .'

At first glance, it would have been difficult to understand.

More than that, Ryrene was embarrassed.

I didn't think of any countermeasures after eating Hayashin, so I was worried about how to answer Aiden's question.

When there was no answer from Rylane, Aiden asked.

“… … Why is that?”

A hint of guilt lingered in his frowning eyes.

“If I hadn’t fainted, I would have suffered terribly.”

I thought that was very fortunate.

Lailene, who was like a sunfish, picked it up right away and fainted. Her pain was short-lived.

“To me… … Do you intend not to say anything?”

His voice was quite melancholy.

“I know I am a prisoner here and have nothing to do with you… … . but,"

The gray eyes were staring at him earnestly.

The eyes I met made me feel sad and sad, as if I was about to cry.

"I want to know. what happened to you?”

Lailene realized that there was no way to avoid the eyes staring at her.

The fact that you can't avoid it with clumsy excuses like before.

Rylenne sighed and opened her mouth slowly.

"actually… … Helis tried to feed you Hayasin.”

“I thought so. But why... … .”

“Because I thought it would be better for me to eat.”

Aiden frowned.

“… … I thought you knew it would hurt to the point of fainting?”

“So I couldn’t feed you any more.”

Lailene got up from her seat. I could feel Aiden's gaze following me.

Rylenne, who had been opening her mouth, looked down at Aiden and added another word.

“Let’s say the reason is a bit of conscience.”

Turning around, Rylaine held the doorknob and closed her eyes for a moment.

'I didn't mean to be honest like this.'

As I stared into Aiden's transparent gray eyes, the truth popped out.

'Since I've already told you, there's nothing I can do... … .'

Rylaine, who opened her eyes, approached the iron gate and looked outside through the window.

He had been passed out for about an hour, so it seemed that Haele would come soon.

They said that the tiger would come if I said it, and I heard Hale's heavy steps, frightening to think.

“I’m leaving, so take good care of your finger so that it doesn’t get worse.”

Rylenne hurriedly trimmed her hair and clothes as if nothing had happened.

dripping-

When I opened the door, Haele had just arrived in front of the cell.

"what… … ? Lalaine, are you still inside?”

“I was checking Aiden’s condition.”

Fortunately, Haele didn't seem suspicious of my words.

Haele glanced at Aiden, who was sitting idly by the window of the iron gate.

“Is Aiden okay?”

“I suffered a lot before, but now I am completely free from pain.”

"okay… … .”

A pity was reflected on Hale's face.

No matter how much he knew that Aiden Vedsian was an enemy of Duke Ergen, he seemed to think that this was not the case.

Although Haele was timid, her personality itself was soft and gentle.

“Did Helis get scolded yesterday?”

At Lailenne's question, Haele immediately made a sullen face.

"yes… … .”

It was worth it.

Since Helis confessed in front of her family that she was attacked by Aiden for messing around, Helis will not be alone.

“Don't worry too much. Helis is that kind of guy.”

Lailene offered dry consolation.

"And you know that next time you're never going to let Helis come in here alone, right?"

"Yes… … . I will keep that in mind.”

Haele probably learned a lot from this incident.

In particular, he must have been acutely aware that if he did not want to use dumping later, he had to receive permission from himself and report it one by one.

“Yes, good job.”

Rylenne patted Hale's shrunken shoulder and left the dungeon.

The bright sunlight hit my eyes today. Looking at the clear sky, what happened today felt like a dream.

At the same time, Helis felt more resentful.

Aiden was caught innocent and couldn't even see the sky like this, so he came to get some weird fruit as a way to vent his anger.

Thanks to you, I had an experience that is difficult to do in my life.

Lailenne made a decision, gritting her teeth.

I promise to take care of Helis somehow as soon as possible.

* * *

“Aiden Bedsian.”

Haele lowered the window of the iron gate and called Aiden. Aiden raised his head.

There was no expression on Aiden's face, which Haele had always seen.

It was the same today.

“Are you okay?”

“… … .”

"No matter how much I claim to be the owner of this castle, honestly, I don't think this is the case with me."

Aiden didn't open his mouth.

Haele had never heard Aiden's voice before.

But if there's something strange about it, it's that I often hear noises when Lady Rylenne is in the cell.

'Laylaine-nim wouldn't have talked to herself.'

Aiden, who hadn't opened his mouth even after being slapped twice by Miss Carberion, wondered how Lady Rylenne made her open.

But the curiosity ended there.

Aiden Bedsian knew how much trouble he had suffered today, so it wasn't too strange that he was silent now.

'devil… … .'

Haele opened the iron door and slipped out the quality bread she had brought.

“Eat this.”

Aiden didn't budge.

'Ugh, stubbornness.'

Then he noticed the scar on Aiden's finger.

"you… … Are you hurt?”

“… … .”

Then it is. I know that Aiden can't answer, but why did he needlessly ask?

“Wait a minute.”

Haele quickly hid herself. And soon Haele reappeared with a heavy sound.

In Haele's hand, there was a bandage and a transparent liquid.

“Now, disinfectant and bandages. Let it heal.”

The things Haele had brought along with the bread were pushed deeper into the cell.

He doesn't budge now, but he knew Aiden would move when he disappeared.

“I’ll leave.”

Haele was about to take a look at Aiden, who was sitting helplessly,

"for a moment."

Aiden is called Haele.

“… … uh?"

Hearing Aiden's voice for the first time, Haele looked at Aiden with a puzzled expression.

“Did you call me just now… … ?”

Aiden nodded.

“A man named Helis.”

“Helis? If you call me that, I might get scolded again.”

Haele shuddered at the thought of how Aiden had only eaten one piece of bread a day for a week.

But Aiden didn't care.

"I do not care."

I read the sincerity in the determined eyes. Haele gave up her heart to criticize her.

"okay… … . What are you curious about?”

“Isn’t Helis on good terms with Lady Rylenne?”

It was a strange question.

To the unanswerable question, Haele answered with regret.

“I don’t know about that.”

Lailenne-sama and Helis-sama were people who didn't have much to see.

“But why do you ask that?”

Silence passed. Aiden seemed unwilling to answer.

'Ugh, just say what you want to say.'

I looked at Aiden to say something, but Haele had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

It was because his expression as he stared out the window was so dark and frightened.

* * *

Left alone, Aiden thought.

'It's called Helis.'

He was the second son of Duke Ergen.

[I apologize for Helis.]

[He was the guy I always wanted to hit, but you hit me instead, so I felt refreshed.]

Aiden remembered what Rylenne had said in the past.

At the time, I just passed it off as if we weren't getting along, but today I realized that it was more than that.

Aiden remembered what had happened a while ago.

What was in Rylenne's hand was definitely Hayasin.

He is now a prisoner in a cell, but he was once educated as the eldest son of the Bethian duchy, so he knew it.

Railene's complexion was pale from the time she stood in front of her with her hayashis on. Her eyes were swinging back and forth.

Judging from the atmosphere, it felt like she was trying to feed herself and then Rylenne ate it.

It's like you don't really want to do what you're trying to do.

When I bit Hayashin, I was surprised and couldn't even keep my mouth shut.

Before she could say anything, Rylaine was leaving the cell.

As he followed and tried to grab the hem of his clothes, the shackles on his feet made a clicking sound, announcing his situation.

All I could do was pace around the cell nervously.

Outside, I could faintly hear Rylenne talking to Helis.

“Go first… … . I'll look into Aiden's movements a bit more before going up."

It was a nice word.

Aiden waited for Rylenne to come back into the cell.

By the way,

“… … !”

Rylaine sat down and hugged her stomach.

I could tell by the way I closed my eyes.

that she is in pain.