[Your life is extended indefinitely until the trigger event occurs.]
━━⊱⋆⊰━━
‘That’s one crisis averted.’
Latian exhaled quietly.
In the original story, the Earl of Aesistan was a villain whose true identity was revealed and dealt with in the latter half.
But now, he’d be eliminated early, and the incidents he would have caused would no longer happen.
While this would significantly alter the original timeline… Latian could only hope the changes were for the better.
“Hughman, take that bastard away. He’s no longer needed.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Hughman, who had been standing silently in the background, bowed respectfully before moving toward Lucas’s cell.
Even as he was being dragged away, Lucas kept his eyes fixed on Latian, his gaze hollow and unblinking, sending shivers down Latian’s spine.
‘He truly gave his all to the Empire.’
A traitor with principles—what an ironic concept.
“You… you dared to deceive me?!”
“!”
Lucas, thrashing violently, broke free from Hughman and charged toward Latian’s cell.
Alarmed, Latian stumbled backward into the cell’s corner.
Lucas’s fury was palpable, but before he could even reach the cell, an even larger obstacle blocked his path.
“Gah!”
Claude grabbed Lucas by the neck, lifting him effortlessly.
Lucas gasped, choking, his legs kicking wildly.
But Claude didn’t budge an inch.
Suddenly, Hughman shouted in desperation.
“Lord! Please, anything but that!”
Latian’s eyes darted nervously, wondering what Hughman was trying to prevent.
“Argh!”
Lucas’s body swelled grotesquely, his eyes rolling back.
Then, with a wet, sickening pop, his body burst.
Flesh splattered everywhere, and blood gushed like a fountain.
Still frozen in shock, Latian slowly looked down.
Bits of flesh and blood were seeping into his cell.
He remembered Claude’s power.
‘The ability to manipulate waves.’
Claude could generate devastating vibrations wherever he touched, even within the human body.
“Urk… ugh…!”
Latian retreated into a corner, retching violently.
Somewhere in the distance, he heard Hughman’s weary sigh.
“Not again… Cleaning this up is going to be such a pain.”
It seemed this wasn’t an unusual occurrence.
Latian shivered, reminded of how merciless Claude could be toward anyone deemed a hindrance or an enemy.
‘How did I even survive that monster?’
A chilling fear and faint relief washed over him as his consciousness faded.
When Latian came to, he realized he had fainted.
He groggily sat up, his body trembling from the cold.
‘Why is it so cold? Is it because this is the underground floor?’
He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering.
“You’re awake.”
He turned to see Hughman, who slid a tray of bread, meat, and vegetables through the cell’s feeding slot.
The surroundings were now clean, save for a few lingering bloodstains.
The gruesome remains had been cleared while he was unconscious.
“You even cleaned up while I was out… Thank you.”
Hughman chuckled as Latian approached the bars.
“I added extra food. Eat up.”
“Ah, I don’t have much of an appetite right now…”
“Still, you need to eat to survive. You’ll gain some strength too.”
Nodding in agreement, Latian picked up the bread.
Following his advice, Latian forced himself to fill his growling stomach for the sake of staying alive.
That was how Latian saw it, but to Hughman, the sight of him eating so heartily for someone claiming to have no appetite was baffling.
‘No appetite, huh? You’re eating just fine. You’d think you hadn’t eaten in days.’
My soft, hamster-like cheeks puffed up as I chewed, making me look oddly endearing.
After polishing off the plate, I wiped the crumbs from my lips with the back of my hand and glanced around cautiously.
Hughman tilted his head as if sensing I had something to say.
After some hesitation, I quietly knelt down on my knees.
“Um… Did the Lord say anything about me?”
“Oh, uh. You mean about your situation?”
“Yes. Not to be conceited, but haven’t I been quite helpful?”
Hughman looked a bit awkward.
“To be honest, I thought the Lord would release you quickly too…”
“……”
“But he didn’t say anything. It seems like he’s holding off.”
“…I see. Then, how much longer do I have to…”
“I don’t know that either.”
“Ah, I see… I guess he still hasn’t completely let go of his doubts about me…”
‘I saved the Winter Castle people and handed over the mastermind on a silver platter!’
Latian silently fumed at the unfairness of it all.
His shoulders quivered in frustration, but Hughman misinterpreted the reaction and, feeling sorry for him, pulled out a blanket from the storage cabinet.
“The northern nights are cold. Here, at least cover yourself with this.”
“…Brother! From now on, you are my guiding light.”
“Light? Don’t be dramatic. Just go to sleep already.”
“By the way, what time is it?”
“It’s past midnight now.”
The last time I was conscious, the sun was high in the sky.
If it was already past midnight, I must have been out for quite a while.
No wonder my eyes felt so oddly alert.
Even so, I nodded, wrapped the blanket tightly around me, and climbed onto the thick wooden plank that could hardly be called a bed.
There wasn’t much else to do in this prison besides eating and sleeping, after all.
“Good night…”
“Sweet dreams.”
Would I have good dreams?
Hopefully, no nightmares.
I tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position, but eventually curled up on my side.
Still, the hard surface pressed against my arms uncomfortably, and the biting cold seeped through the blanket, making me shiver uncontrollably.
‘So cold…’
Could the world even get this cold?
Would I freeze to death in my sleep?
Is this how northern people lived every day?
I could feel my mind slipping further and further away.
Was I falling asleep or drifting closer to death?
Hard to tell.
There were no death flags popping up, so I should be fine… Right?
With that thought as my last, I drifted off.
When I opened my eyes again, thankfully, I was still alive—or at least, I thought so.
My face was burning red, and my breath felt as hot as a furnace.
‘Don’t tell me I caught a cold.’
I’d been dreading it, and now it seemed to have come true.
“Ugh…”
Curling up even tighter, my feverish body ached all over.
Soft groans escaped me, loud enough to wake Hughman, who had been dozing off nearby.
“You’re awake?”
I barely moved my dry lips to speak.
“Um… med… medicine…”
“What?”
“Please… save me…”
My voice was so hoarse it hardly came out.
I tried to lift myself to approach the cell bars but collapsed again, too weak to support my own weight.
Trembling pitifully on the floor, I must have looked like a sorry sight, as Hughman rushed to the bars in alarm.
“Hey! You there!”
I didn’t even have the strength to lift my head and could only focus on the jingling of keys coming closer.
Hopefully, that sound wasn’t just in my head as I closed my eyes once again.
‘Ugh, what a vicious cold… Curse this world…’
.
.
This marked the second time I had passed out.
I’d never fainted in my life, but here I was, doing it twice in such a short span.
Was this body possession really okay?
Still, something felt off.
I had been in terrible pain, but now my body and mind felt surprisingly clear.
Even my eyelids, previously heavy as lead, now fluttered open with ease.
The brightness in my vision told me I wasn’t in the cold, dark prison anymore.
‘Where am I? Don’t tell me I’ve finally died?’
Was this heaven?
If so, that was pretty anticlimactic.
I let out a hollow laugh, shaking my head at the absurdity.
“What are you smirking about?”
“…Ack!”
Why was Claude here?!
Startled, I shot upright, pressing my back against the headboard of what I now realized was a bed.
So this wasn’t heaven.
Was it hell?
Claude’s icy blue eyes, devoid of any warmth, swept over me with indifference.
Then, he smirked coldly.
“Just one night in confinement, and you’ve already fallen apart. Pathetic.”
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