Four years later….
Mildewy odour emanated from the dungeon walls as water seeped through cracks. As I descended the steps and made my way farther inside the castle, the chilly air hit my skin as I approached an iron gate with a single man standing watch over it.
I asked, "Will you let me pass?"
He responded, "No, Lord Agriche said I shall not let anyone enter.
"Really? Even for me?" I smiled.
Even if he had anticipated my reaction, the guardsman winced. I feigned hesitation, tilted my head to show my innocence, and gazed at him deeply with my half-closed eyes.
I had been a regular at my father's dinners ever since I made my debut at the age of twelve. To say that I became one of the Agriche family's rising stars is an understatement. I was now one of my father's favorite children and a strong candidate to be the leader of my family's future generation.
Naturally, I didn't take pride in my accomplishments. It was no chance that I got this far, even if I still lacked the heart to be a real evil. If I were to be really honest with everyone, the only reason I worked so hard in school was to get my father's respect. I knew I would need his support until he lost power within the family.
The guardsman hesitantly said, "Miss." A tiny bit more.
Should I pull rank or keep being coy with him? I kept my gaze fixed on his face as I evaluated my options. I needed the keys to the prisoner's cell too.
The guardsman's face started to gradually grow red, as if a flower had bloomed.
What is this, hmm? I wondered. I wasn't even an adult yet at the age of sixteen. Was this man a ped*phi**?
I suppose it's inevitable that trash will be attracted to me. I was born a beauty, even though I was still in my late teens. He might not have been accustomed to seeing me or anything else attractive in this filthy cell.
Well, in the end, everything worked out for me.
The guardsman tried to hide his embarrassment as I took the keys from his hands.
"I'd like to play with the prisoner. Only for a moment," I enticingly mumbled before laughing briefly. "You don't have to tell my father."
He quickly caved in and opened the door. He pleaded with me as I passed him to go into the prisoner's cell and get out before we were discovered.
The guardsman was a weak man. He was not going to last long in this place, in my opinion.
I was walking through a dimly lighted hallway when the chill in the air became more intense. The foul odour, which was a byproduct of the crimes that had been committed here in the past, grew stronger. This was the place where we killed or tortured hostages for generations.
When I noticed a person bound behind an iron gate with sharp spikes, my expression grew grim. I used a key to unlock the door.
Creeeeaaaak. The rusting door swung abruptly open.
I went into the cell of the prisoner. He was kneeling with a large stone ball bound to his wrists and ankles. His head dipped over his chest, giving the impression that he was in an uncomfortable position. Under the dim torchlight, his ethereal bone white hair took on a blue colour. I recognised the golden eyes from our previous encounter, but they were shut. He appeared to have passed out.
I remained by the door. "Excuse me," I said softly.
The Heroine's Older Brother.
"Cassis Pedelian."
Even when I called out to the young man, he remained still. I contemplated quietly before stepping in further into his cell.
Since I last saw him, his condition had gotten worse. His arms and ankles were punctured by the chains, creating new scars.
He had been mercilessly whipped since he entered the castle, as evidenced by his white scars, gushing wounds, and torn clothing.
However, I did not notice any exposed white bone or areas of missing tissue. He still had all of his limbs, and no wounds were turning green from infection. Our chief interrogator must have refrained from using his preferred whip, which was frequently coated in lethal lacquer and spiked at the tip. Father must have informed his troops that the prisoner could not yet be killed.
Cassis was receiving royal treatment while imprisoned at this house. I felt grateful. If the young man had become paralysed or was mortally injured, it would have been more difficult to assist him. He needed to live for me. I had to survive, and our fates were intertwined.
I pulled out a pill capsule from my sleeve, took it, and pulled his hair back. The Adam's apple on his neck grew stretched as his head leaned back at an angle.
Well, well.
Cassis was a charming young man. His facial scars seemed to accentuate his masculinity. I wanted to aggravate him by reaching out and touching him more.
His stare when we first met had frightened me. The young man now appeared to be kind and relaxed while his eyes were closed. His soft skin served as a reminder that we were about the same age, if not somewhat older. He was seventeen years old when he was captured, according to the book.
A shame, I thought..
I would have taken my time to study his face, but I needed to get things done right now. Unfortunately, Cassis nicely complemented Charlotte's taste.
Charlotte was the one of the children who had begged our father to play with Cassis earlier. Her sadistic pleasures and hot temper made her an ideal villain.She was the perfect villain thanks to her fierce temper and cruel delights. Her favourite pastime as a little child, three years younger than I, was playing with the "toys" that my father occasionally brought home.
I slowly peeled apart his bloodied lips with one hand still holding his chin. When I touched him, he winced and remained motionless other from that. I stopped, unsure if he would eventually awaken.
It was not surprising that he was unconscious. Few prisoners in this facility fared any better.
I put a tablet in his lips pensively. He probably would not have readily accepted my assistance if he had been conscious.
"Ugh" He groaned.
Was he this time actually waking up? Before I finally caught sight of those golden eyes again, his eyelids trembled. In an effort to clear his eyesight, he blinked slowly while maintaining an unfocused look.
Oh well. I hoped he would stay unconscious. Too bad.
We made eye contact.
"Ah, hello," I smiled.
He remained silent. He soon became aware that something was in his throat as a flash of recognition appeared in his eyes.
"Wha….tttt…..tthe…" He spoke slowly, as though his motor functions were still weak.
In response to his distress, I reacted by touching his mouth again with my finger. It was a reflex.
At my touch, his eyes appeared to fly out of his sockets. To throw me off, he violently shifted his head.
Do I now appear to be the pervert? I pondered and had the urge to chuckle.
Oh my, this prisoner was quite energetic. The fact that he still had this much energy surprised me, but I didn't feel threatened. He was unable to move because of his bounds, so he continued to sit pitifully on the ground.
He started coughing and gagging as he attempted to vomit the tablet I had given him.
"Don't spit. I gave you an antidote." I said
"Uggh."
"Please listen. If I had intended to kill you, I would have chosen an easier method."
In an effort to get the pill out of his system, he persisted in struggling and gargling his throat. It was comprehensible. He had been nearly beaten to death while being held captive by a deranged family. Was one of the house's mistresses attempting to save him at this point? It didn't make sense.
Regardless of how he felt, I still needed him to take the medicine. he pill had to digest completely in his stomach. After I had negated any potential slow-acting poison his assailant may have given him, he could complain or ask questions.
I said in a casual tone, "Sorry in advance." When he was putting up such a fight, it was impossible to avoid it.
I wrapped my fingers around his neck with my other hand while I placed my palm firmly against his chin to close his jaws. Cassis gulped involuntarily. The tablet was still in his throat, and I could still feel it. His eyes rolled back as if he was about to pass out once more.
He exclaimed, "Wh-what aa-are you…? ".
"Sorry, oppa. Try to swallow one more time," I coyly said.
I hit him in the stomach after removing my hand from his throat. Now, I could almost hear the pill as it entered his gut. Before fainting once more, Cassis let out a low moan.
Did I hit him too hard?
Despite not being very strong, I had developed the same fundamental combat techniques as any of my siblings. If I made use of my surroundings, I would have a good chance of dominating any boy or girl my age. In addition, Cassis' wrists and legs were chained, and he was feeble.
He had to have trust in me to get him out of here safely. Should I have gone with a different method?
It's too late now, I had decided. Cassis was lying on the floor, unconscious, and in a cold sweat when I exited the dungeon.