For Sale: Male Lead, Obsession Included - Chapter 30
But then, he thought again.
So the illegitimate child’s claim that investigators were dispatched from the capital was true.
Could it be that stealing those documents was really for the sake of the family?
It’s hard to say.
Why would she? Though she worked for the family, her eyes were always dead, like those of a rotting fish.
As Pacion stepped outside to carry out the Duke’s orders, he couldn’t shake his suspicion towards Estira.
It seemed he would have to go down to the dungeon and torture the truth out of her himself.
Shhk—
The only sound left behind as he swiftly passed by was the swish of fabric.
***
Being imprisoned right next to Lavelier made my right cheek itch unbearably.
She had been staring at the side of my face without rest since the moment I was thrown in here, as if she never got tired.
Still, this was heaven compared to earlier when my ears hurt from her relentless screaming until her throat bled.
Even Declan, who I’d never seen frown, had his brow furrowed from the noise.
‘Why are the cells divided by iron bars instead of walls?’
I kept glancing towards the entrance of the prison to avoid Lavelier’s burning gaze that felt like it could bore a hole in my cheek.
I was checking the position of the guards.
There was only one guard, likely because there were only three prisoners, including me. A small mercy in misfortune.
I sat quietly, repeatedly thinking through my plan: escape the prison, overpower the guard, and go to the Duke.
And at that moment.
Another guard suddenly appeared, shouting urgently as he emerged from the stairs connecting the prison to the ground level.
“Hey! Everyone’s being called to the training grounds! You too, come on.”
“What about guarding this place?”
“Guarding what? It’s not like they can escape. It’s His Lordship’s orders. Hurry up. A big shot from the capital is here, and the atmosphere is tense.”
“……”
And so, only three of us were left in this vast prison.
Me, Declan, and Lavelier.
‘What a stroke of luck!’
The most difficult scenario of overpowering the guard had been effortlessly eliminated!
Without delay, I sprang into action. If the Duke was gathering people now, he would soon realize Declan was missing. Then he might dismiss my missive as a falsehood and leave.
There was no time to waste.
“Declan, come here.”
I reached into my chest and pulled out my escape tools.
The cooling spray and the magic tool for decoding—gifts from Ribolto.
Declan looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask why those were there and what I intended to do with them, so I quickly showed him with my actions.
“I’m going to cool these chains.”
Hiss—
I rapidly froze the middle of the chains binding Declan’s wrists with the spray. The surface of the chains quickly frosted over.
“And then, if I strike it with this—”
Bang—!
The chain snapped in an instant, leaving Declan gaping like a naive child.
“Don’t just stare, do mine too.”
After breaking my cuffs and the lock on the cell door using the same method, we hurried to leave.
“Don’t go!”
Just as I was about to pass by Lavelier’s cell, her thin, pale arm shot out and grabbed my dress, refusing to let go.
“Take me with you!”
“Why should I?”
How could such enormous strength come from such a frail arm? No matter how I tried to pull my dress free, Lavelier wouldn’t let go.
Wasn’t she the one who couldn’t even drink water?
“If I stay here, I might really die! Please!”
“Do you think Father would let you die? The great father who turned a blind eye to all your horrible deeds?”
No, never.
I looked down at Lavelier with cold eyes. Her blue eyes were desperate.
“If you stay here a little longer, he’ll come to get you soon. He’ll send someone to bring his beautiful daughter to meet the Duke from the capital.”
“The Duke is here?”
Lavelier’s eyes widened, and her grip loosened. Seizing the opportunity, I yanked my dress free.
“Escaping with me will only anger Father. Just stay here and reflect. It’s better that way, right?”
“Is… is it?”
Yes. Stay here, my foolish sister.
Someone will come to get you.
‘But it won’t be Father—it’ll be the Duke’s men.’
I roughly brushed off my dress and sprinted toward the stairs leading out of the prison.
Thanks to Lavelier, more time had passed than I had planned.
If I didn’t meet the Duke today, I was as good as dead.
And I wouldn’t die peacefully either.
With a sense of urgency, I grabbed Declan’s hand and ran together to the training grounds.
‘Please, stay right where you are, Duke.’
