Chapter 11

Chapter 11

* * *

Leaving Jeremy to deal with Charlotte, Roxana decided to visit the dungeon.

“You reek of blood.”

Cassis said it so sharply that it gave her a start the moment she stepped inside his cell. Just as he had pointed out, there was blood on her hand and clothes. They were evidence of her clash with Charlotte in the hallway just minutes ago.

But for him to have smelled it from that distance, his sense of smell must be incredibly sharp.

As Roxana looked up at Cassis, a strange feeling rose up in her bosom.

“It’s nothing. Nothing you need to worry about anyway.”

Her dismissive tone made Cassis knit his eyebrows together skeptically. But she couldn’t tell him the truth. She feared that if he were to hear what happened, he’d become more—not less—wary of her. Probably even more so if he learned the blood wasn’t hers, but her opponent’s. What a bother it was to have to fabricate stories. Still, what with his eyesight still bad, she hoped they might be able to skip over the matter.

Perhaps I should have stopped by my room and wiped off the blood after all,

Roxana mused. “You won’t be seeing me for a while,” she said aloud.

Instead of responding, Cassis simply stared at her. By now, their encounters in the dungeon had become run-of-the-mill. With his sight slightly improved since the previous day, he could just make out her slender silhouette. As for the details of her form, her face, or anything else, he could still only guess. That was why he couldn’t pinpoint the exact source of the blood smell.

“Not forever. Only for a few days,” she continued.

Had this Roxana person gotten hurt?

He knew he was in no position to worry about her, and that it was inappropriate for him to do so, but the thought that the smell of blood might be coming from a wound on the girl alarmed him. Perhaps it was because he no longer suspected her of wanting to harm him. Although her motive still remained a mystery.

Cassis tried to refocus on her, but his poor vision was proving to be a true bother since he could not assess his surroundings more effectively.

“I’m a little worried that there will be no one to look after you while I’m gone, but my hands are tied. Just take care of yourself until we meet again.”

As always, her voice was quiet and subdued. Cassis turned his icy glare away from her as if to signal that he didn’t care. However, he was internally hoping he would be able to see her more clearly the next time they met.

* * *

I learned two days later that Charlotte had drugged the dungeon guard, then forcefully entered Cassis’ jail cell. She had evidently unleashed all her anger on him and left the boy riddled with fresh wounds.

“Hmph.”

I figured as much would happen, so I was hardly bothered. I had been drinking my daily dose of the poisoned tea languidly when Emily informed me of what had happened. It was obvious that in her failure to possess Cassis or defeat me, Charlotte had violently lashed out at him. I’m sure she imagined she was getting back at me for the thumping I’d given her on the day of the feast. But in all likeliness, Jeremy had probably egged her on.

I was able to sense how the wind was blowing from him just from seeing his dour expression as we left the feast. He had told me to go on ahead, but once I left him behind with Charlotte, there was only one very predictable direction his mind could have wandered in. And as expected, Charlotte couldn’t leave the toy she had been denied alone. So Charlotte got to vent a little. Whatever.

When our father first brought Cassis here, he warned everyone that the prisoner was strictly off-limits since he had yet to make up his mind about what to do with the Blue Heir. That’s why even as furious as Charlotte was, she wouldn’t dare go against Lante’s command and actually kill Cassis, unless she was ready to tempt fate and risk getting “disposed” of. What she did to Cassis was more akin to a child throwing a tantrum since she couldn’t possess the plaything she wanted.

Of course, that very tantrum would likely get her a scolding from Father. Though it’s safe to assume she must have felt it was worth the price. Luckily, Cassis’ wounds did not look as horrible as they could have. I had braced myself for him to have even lost a limb, but maybe Charlotte had been more careful than I expected. His condition wasn’t exactly what I had anticipated, but no matter.

“What’s more, they say Charlotte snapped the prisoner’s magical cuffs by mistake which almost led to a counterattack. That, on top of her unauthorized visit, means that she will in all likelihood suffer a significantly severe punishment, my lady.”

“Wait, what?”

I was taken aback by the second half of Emily’s report. I certainly had not predicted that. Charlotte snapped those magical cuffs, huh? Was it really possible for her to have mistakenly broken cuffs that are used to restrain monsters while attacking Cassis?

“How fascinating...”

No, not a chance. That Cassis must have tricked Charlotte somehow. Although she was hot-tempered and rash, it was highly unlikely that she would make a mistake that would break the magical cuffs. My guess is it was more likely she was the victim of Cassis’ scheme. Then again, maybe I was giving him too much credit.

Of course, I doubt he was dubbed the Pedelians’ Blue Heir for nothing. And yes, even ignoring the fact that he’s the heroine’s brother in this novel.

I carefully set my cup down on the table and decided to let some time pass before going to see him again.

* * *

“Sis! Did you hear about Charlotte?”

“If you’re talking about the dungeon incident, then yes, I heard.”

Jeremy had come to my room later that same night. Having sidled up to me, he’d been acting extra clingy and needy before chancing to mention our sister. Charlotte had been sentenced to 20 days confined in a jail cell as punishment. Lante was irate that she had not only disobeyed him, but that she also managed to break Cassis’ cuffs. I, for one, found the outcome highly satisfactory.

“The toy seems to have taken a beating. Aren’t you going to pay it a visit?”

His voice was dripping with even more cunning than usual as his sea-blue eyes watched closely to see my reaction. It truly was a relief to me that except for his jet-black hair, he hardly took after Lante. I couldn’t imagine being reminded of our father every time I saw him. That would have made interactions like this one all the more awkward.

“No need. I heard he wasn’t hurt that badly.” I replied casually while caressing his hair.

“Of course, I’m not thrilled that Charlotte did what she did. But since I know Father will punish her, I’ll bide my time.”

Knowing Jeremy was trying to get a read on me, I acted as nonchalantly as possible.

“I see. Okay.”

Reassured that I had no real interest in pursuing Cassis’ case, Jeremy’s mood seemed to brighten. Now he smiled as he said, “Just say the word, sis, and I’ll keep Charlotte away from the dungeon for you.”

Get a load of this kid volunteering to keep Charlotte away from the dungeon, when it was pretty obvious he was the one who goaded her into going down there in the first place! As the person who knew the entire story, it was hilarious.

“No, just leave her be. If she values her life, she’ll be more careful. Besides, she knows I’d never forgive her twice.”

And of course, she couldn’t go anywhere near Cassis while she herself was locked up.

“Jeremy, you would never mess with my toy the way Charlotte did, would you?” I asked soothingly while stroking his silky hair.

“You really are the only good younger sibling I have.”

For the merest second, Jeremy seemed taken aback by what I’d said. But he recovered quickly and smiled.

“Of course I wouldn’t, sis. I would never do anything that you didn’t approve of.”

* * *

“That moron Charlotte!”

Jeremy grumbled as he walked down the hallway after leaving Roxana’s room.

Everything was set, but that idiot had to go and fumble the whole thing.

At the very least, I expected her to put Cassis in a wheelchair.

Instead, his sister had mistakenly snapped the magical cuffs off the prisoner and as a result almost suffered an attack. It was beyond humiliating. A stain on the Agrece name itself.

“She should’ve just been disposed of.”

His cold, glacier-like eyes twinkled menacingly.

Although Jeremy was firm in his belief that Cassis Pedelian should die,

he felt it best to avoid touching Roxana’s new toy even indirectly.

As he recalled Roxana calling him her “only good younger sibling,” Jeremy felt it all the more difficult to betray her. It was impossible.

How strange. I feel screwed and gratified at the same time.

Jeremy scratched the back of his head before returning to his room.