The next day, in a place far from the mansion, footsteps echoed down a dark and dirty hallway. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped in front of a cell.
『???: This is her cell. 』
『???: …Alright, thanks. 』
In front of the bars that rose before them, there was a girl. She was young, with brown hair and blue eyes, sitting on an improvised bed on the floor, her back leaning against the wall. Her gaze was fixed on the ground, with her arms crossed over her bent knees.
『???: …How unfortunate. 』
『???: Don't say that now... Hello, Meilia. Are you okay? 』
Neizan and Arthur stood in that cold, dirty, and completely lonely place, observing the girl named Meilia.
Upon hearing the voices, Meilia lifted her gaze slightly to see who they were, recognizing her visitors.
『???: We've come to talk to you. It seems you've had some problems, so if you explain to us what happened, maybe we can help. 』
『Meilia: ... 』
The words received no response. The girl averted her gaze, once again losing herself in thought.
『Neizan: ...I knew this would be a waste of time. Hey, you! You've got five seconds to answer or we're leaving! 』
Neizan spoke irritably, striking one of the metal bars with his clenched fist. The echo of the impact resonated through the cell, his impatience evident in his furrowed brow and the tension in his shoulders.
『Arthur: We need to give her some time. She's been here for months, it's normal that she doesn't want to talk to us. 』
Arthur shot a calm glance at his companion, though his words were tinged with slight concern. He crossed his arms and sighed, as if trying to convey patience, though his expression betrayed a hint of doubt.
『Neizan: I remind you that we should be the ones who don't want to talk to her, after what she did to us. 』
Neizan glared at him, his eyes flashing with resentment. He clenched his fists again, struggling to control his frustration.
『Arthur: Yes... You're right. But even so, we should understand her reasons... 』
Before Arthur could finish his sentence, a soft but sharp voice interrupted their conversation.
『Meilia: What are you doing here? Why have you come? 』
The young girl finally raised her gaze, her voice cutting through the air between them. Her eyes, previously dull, now looked at them with a mixture of distrust and curiosity.
Neizan and Arthur immediately turned their heads toward her, surprised by the sudden intervention. The silence that had ruled until then was broken, and both stared at her intently, noticing the change in her demeanor, which for the first time in a long while, showed something more than indifference.
『Arthur: Well, a lot of things happened, and it's a bit complicated. But to sum it up, the marquis Alberto Lisboa offered to get us out of prison in exchange for something. 』
Arthur tried to explain, his tone relaxed but slightly nervous, as if carefully choosing his words. However, before he could continue, Neizan interrupted him abruptly.
『Neizan: Stop answering her questions and don't stray from the topic. 』
Neizan looked at him with a mixture of impatience and sternness, his brow furrowed, making it clear that he didn't want to lose focus.
『Arthur: Yeah, yeah... 』
Arthur sighed with resignation before turning his attention back to the young girl.
『Arthur: Meilia, why are you here? 』
A few seconds of silence passed until the girl, without lifting her gaze, responded in a low voice, heavy with resentment.
『Meilia: I hate my parents... 』
『Arthur: Huh? 』
Surprise flashed across Arthur's face. His eyebrows raised, confused by the sudden confession. Seeing his reaction, Meilia continued, this time with a more bitter tone.
『Meilia: They're the reason I'm here. 』
Arthur frowned, trying to understand the connection.
『Arthur: ...Okay. And why exactly would your parents be to blame? 』
His question, filled with both confusion and curiosity, hung in the air as Meilia pressed her lips together, as if struggling between saying more or staying silent.
『Meilia: It all started the day I ran away from home. I stole a very expensive jewel from my family, intending to sell it later. But I lost it... 』
At that moment, memories of the day Neizan had rescued the girl flooded his mind. He recalled that she had nothing with her—no jewels or money. For a moment, he thought she was lying, but then reconsidered. Maybe the kidnappers had already taken everything of value she had at that time.
『Meilia: Now they don't want me in the family anymore. They think I've tarnished their name and reputation because of what I did. I'm no longer of any use to them... 』
Meilia's words were filled with bitterness and resignation, her eyes fixed on the ground, avoiding any eye contact.
『Arthur: I see... 』
Arthur nodded slowly, processing the information.
『Arthur: So, are you going to tell us why you betrayed us at the hotel? 』
Meilia lifted her gaze for the first time, her expression colder now.
『Meilia: I hate it. 』
『Arthur: What? 』
『Meilia: I hate being taken advantage of... 』
Meilia's faint voice echoed through the dark prison walls, soft but filled with pain, almost as if it were fading into the air. Arthur and Neizan exchanged a brief glance, both surprised by the intensity of her words, as the weight of silence settled over them once again.
『Neizan and Arthur: …? 』
Neizan and Arthur's faces reflected confusion and bewilderment. Meanwhile, the girl's expression softened, her brows and lips drooping, showing clear signs of pain and sadness.
『Meilia: I saw how they treated my sisters. All they wanted was to marry us off to other nobles. They always told me what I should or shouldn't do. They forced me, as if I were just a resource to them, an object they could trade for their own interests. I didn't want to spend my life depending on some horrible man who'd become my husband. I wanted to depend only on myself, to have my own life, without regrets... 』
Neizan, unable to contain himself, interrupted her, his voice filled with scorn.
『Neizan: What do you know about regrets? You were born into a noble family, with all the rights and luxuries that the poor living on the streets can only dream of. You were the first to take advantage of your social status to do whatever you wanted. And now you say you hate being taken advantage of? You used our kindness and then betrayed us. You're a selfish hypocrite. 』
Meilia, hurt by his words, raised her voice in response.
『Meilia: Kindness? You just used me for your own convenience, too! 』
Neizan stepped forward, his expression hardening, his anger barely contained.
『Neizan: The least you could do was pay for the trouble you caused and for your stay in our home. And I never even held it against you that I saved you from the men who kidnapped you. You haven't even considered that maybe your parents only want what's best for you. Maybe they're giving you a lesson now so you'll learn not to put yourself in danger for something stupid. 』
Meilia clenched her fists, her voice trembling with frustration and pain.