Chapter 34
Just beyond the door, a pair of ashen eyes stared at her.
“Whoa…”
When Raylenne turned on the light, Aiden’s face came into view. He was standing as close to the door as his chains would allow.
Raylenne calmed her startled heart and stepped inside.
“You haven’t been standing here the whole time, have you?”
“I was standing here because I thought you might come.”
“How did you know I was coming?”
“I heard your footsteps.”
Distinguishing people by their footsteps… It sounded like a joke, but Aiden’s expression was serious. He wasn’t the type to joke about such things.
Still, there was something in Aiden’s statement that Raylenne could dispute.
“Last time, you didn’t notice me and tried to attack me.”
She recalled the night of the full moon when she had quietly entered his cell to take him out. He hadn’t recognized her footsteps and had been poised to attack, pressed against the wall.
Not to mention, she had been quite flustered to find him shirtless.
“That time… I had just woken up, so I wasn’t in the right state of mind to distinguish footsteps.”
Aiden said, his eyes lowering slightly, as if embarrassed.
“I understand.”
Raylenne replied with a smile, not because she didn’t believe Aiden could recognize footsteps, but because he looked so endearingly frustrated.
However, she quickly hardened her expression.
‘Oh no…’
Such thoughts were dangerous. Last time she had been shocked by how attractive he looked, and now she found him cute.
In any case, her connection with Aiden wasn’t meant to last. In a few months, she would have to help him escape this place. Realistically, meeting him afterward would be difficult. He would be on the run, avoiding pursuit.
Thinking this made her inexplicably sad, even though she had known this all along.
“Are you in any pain?”
This was her usual question whenever she visited his cell. It was a routine question, but she genuinely cared. In such a harsh environment, it was easy to fall ill both physically and mentally. Fortunately, Aiden seemed to be holding up well, but she always tried to be vigilant.
“No, I’m fine.”
“Are you eating well?”
The food was just dry bread, but she occasionally brought him something better, which might provide some comfort.
“Yes, I’ve eaten well.”
Aiden answered calmly, and Raylenne smiled faintly.
Then, suddenly curious, she asked, “What do you usually do in here?”
She glanced around the small cell. It must be incredibly boring to be in here all day with nothing to do.
Aiden was silent for a moment, his eyes darting slightly as if he were considering his response.
Then he spoke softly, “I train my body.”
“How?”
“Anything I can do without equipment.”
Push-ups, sit-ups, things like that…?
Raylenne imagined Aiden working out alone in his cell. Aiden quickly added, “It’s not for any specific reason. It’s just a habit.”
Raylenne understood why Aiden had hesitated. He likely feared she would think he was preparing to fight back if he mentioned his workouts. But Raylenne wanted to commend him instead. Keeping himself in shape would definitely help when it came time to escape.
She even wished she could give him a sword to keep his skills sharp.
“That’s certainly better than staring at the walls.”
Raylenne added in a somewhat cold tone, trying to downplay the admiration in her voice, feeling Aiden’s clear eyes on her was somewhat intimidating.
“Just make sure Haele doesn’t catch you. If word gets out, it’ll cause trouble for me.”
“I won’t do anything that would trouble you, as I said.”
Aiden’s voice was earnest.
“…Alright.”
Raylenne replied awkwardly. The cell suddenly felt warmer.
At that moment, Aiden spoke first, “What happened with Cashwood?”
Raylenne had intended to tell him about it today, so Aiden’s timing was perfect.
She slowly began to speak, “I found the missing maid, but she was dead.”
Aiden’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“Dead…?”
“I think the culprit killed her to cover their tracks.”
Aiden exhaled deeply.
“This won’t be easy.”
“But we did gain something.”
They had identified a new suspect. The realization that her own brother, Helis, might be behind the attempts on her life wasn’t exactly comforting, but it had broadened her perspective.
“A gain?”
Aiden asked, looking curious.
Raylenne hesitated about whether to share the day’s events with him. She knew there was no need, and she probably shouldn’t, but she couldn’t deny that she had already relied on Aiden’s help a lot and might need his assistance again.
Raylenne decided to continue.
“Yes, I discovered a new suspect. Helis might be the real culprit behind the attempts on my life.”
Aiden’s eyes widened in shock.
“Helis… your brother?”
“Yes. It’s still just a suspicion, but it’s worth investigating further.”
Aiden nodded, his expression serious.
Raylenne couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. The room seemed to grow colder as the reality of her situation settled in.
Eventually, Raylenne opened up about Helis.
“Well… actually…”
Aiden listened intently without moving until she finished speaking.
“So, although I don’t want to believe it, I think Helis might be the one trying to kill me.”
When she finished, Aiden lowered his gaze thoughtfully. He seemed deeply serious, as if it were his own issue. When he looked up again, his eyes were sharp.
Surprisingly, Aiden spoke, “I don’t think Helis is the real culprit.”
“Why not…?”
Aiden met Raylenne’s eyes.
“The first reason is because of his personality. The real culprit has been trying to kill you slowly over a long period to avoid getting caught.”
“Are you saying Helis wouldn’t do that?”
“He lacks the patience for that. He would have tried to finish it in one go, even if it was reckless.”
It made sense. Helis was known for his temper and impatience. Given his personality, he would likely opt for a swift kill rather than a slow, meticulous approach.
“The second reason is,” Aiden’s reasoning had been convincing so far, making her curious about his next point, “my intuition.”
Huh…?
She felt a bit deflated by the entirely non-logical reason.
Raylenne frowned and asked, “…Is that reliable?”
“I’m good at reading people. From their eyes, tone, and expressions, I can usually tell what kind of person they are.”
Aiden’s voice was filled with confidence. Raylenne did acknowledge his keen senses—he could distinguish people by their footsteps, detect subtle smells, and sense presences acutely.
However, what Aiden spoke of now was ‘intuition,’ a primal sense difficult to explain. It was surprising to hear him place such strong emphasis on something so vague.
Watching Aiden’s confident expression, Raylenne wanted to test his intuition.
“Since you’re so confident, let me ask. What do you think of my older brother, Caverion Ergen?”
After a moment’s thought, Aiden spoke.
“He’s a dual-faced person who hides his resolute and cold nature behind a gentle demeanor. That’s why I personally dislike him.”
It was a concise yet substantial explanation. Aiden had accurately captured Caverion’s character.
Impressed, Raylenne asked another question, “Then what about my father?”
Today, she had been reminded of the true nature of Duke Ergen, who had shown himself to be a merciless person, willing to threaten to separate Helis and Belle for his own ends. Although the original story mentioned Duke Ergen’s involvement in assassination plots, hearing it firsthand was shocking.
How would Aiden view such a dreadful man?
“His eyes exude malice. He would do anything for his benefit, even if it means using those close to him.”
Again, Aiden’s assessment was remarkably accurate. As Raylenne nodded inwardly, Aiden hesitated and added.
“…I’m speaking honestly about Duke Ergen because I want you to be careful. I don’t think he sees even his children as loved ones.”
Aiden seemed concerned about having spoken too bluntly about her father.
‘I don’t mind at all…’
But Raylenne soon understood his attitude. On the surface, she and Duke Ergen seemed to have a normal father-daughter relationship.
‘More importantly…’
Watching Aiden accurately describe her family’s traits made her curious about how he perceived her. She pointed to herself with her finger.
“What do you think of me?”
Aiden’s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t expected her to ask about herself.
“Raylenne…?”
“Yes, tell me your impression of me, just like you did with my family.”
It might be uncomfortable for him to speak frankly to her face, but Raylenne was curious. What did Aiden’s intuition say about her?
She looked at Aiden expectantly.
“Raylenne, you are…”
midori
thanks! i certainly enjoy the chapters where they just talk and interact!