Chapter 745 – #159_The Prodigal Son Returns (3)
#745
1.
Leaving his eldest mother-in-law, who was complaining of a migraine, Siwoo headed to the underground prison with his younger mother-in-law.
“It’s alright. I know the way.”
“I know, I’m not doubting you, Siwoo. I just wanted to chat on the way.”
Deneb, who volunteered to be his guide, first stopped by her room to finish some simple grooming.
Nothing extravagant.
She changed out of her crumpled clothes that she hadn’t changed in a long time, re-tied her hair, used a cleansing spell repeatedly, and then sprayed on some perfume.
Since inheriting the title of count with the brand, she had never missed a day of grooming, and Deneb realized for the first time that it could feel so new.
And that it could stir up such ticklish emotions.
She was aware that she was doing something wrong.
She knew that these feelings were something she should suppress, and how much it would anger her sister.
But even if a murky future and anxiety blocked her vision, there was a heart that she couldn’t help but desperately cling to.
It wasn’t just in romance novels filled with sweet phrases or dramatic plays.
It was truly happening in this reality.
Taking a slightly roundabout route on purpose.
Deneb glanced at Siwoo’s profile and suddenly spoke.
“Is there anything you can’t suppress, Siwoo?”
This reunion was so precious to Deneb.
Every day, she cried until her eyes were swollen, drank from bottles, and resented her sister.
She prayed that she could walk beside him again.
Now that her wish had come true, Deneb’s steps were naturally light.
“Something I can’t suppress?”
“Yes, ah. I’m not trying to reproach you. You barely made it back safely, and my sister was a bit harsh, wasn’t she?”
“No, it’s not. If I were to imagine having cute daughters like Odile and Odette, I can understand why Albireo would be angry.”
“…I guess I would be too.”
Deneb couldn’t bring herself to mention that her misguided affection for Siwoo was a significant part of what fueled her sister’s anger.
Shin Siwoo might seem like a womanizer at first glance, but she knew he had his own firm boundaries.
When he was caught in the fishbowl, he tried to avoid a relationship with Deneb even at the risk of his own life.
Also, when Deneb later tricked Siwoo into sleeping with her, he believed without a shred of doubt that it was for ‘research.’
He didn’t try to test her by making some shady assumptions and trying to continue a sticky relationship with Deneb.
If she told him the truth, even this simple time would disappear like a bubble.
It was obvious that Siwoo would naturally distance himself from Deneb.
Besides, a mother-in-law with a crush on her son-in-law.
Wasn’t that the height of depravity, something that would only appear in third-rate erotic novels?
“If there’s something I can’t suppress… well, I don’t think there’s anything in particular.”
Actually, there was one thing.
The sexual desire that surged when he smelled a scent.
It was a topic he didn’t want to discuss with his younger mother-in-law, so Siwoo quietly changed the subject.
“I see.”
In fact, from the moment the answer came out, Deneb’s attention was already on the sleeve that was touching Siwoo’s.
A distance that she had intentionally narrowed slightly.
Every time the sleeve swayed as if it were about to brush against his, she hesitated.
Should she get a little closer?
Would he think it was strange if she got too close?
This worry quickly sank deep, like a stone falling into water.
Could she hug him now?
As a mother-in-law welcoming her son-in-law who had returned safely, wouldn’t she be able to express that much joy?
Or was it already too late?
“Deneb.”
“Yes?”
“Is this the right way?”
Lost in thought, she had been walking wherever her feet took her, and before she knew it, they had entered a secluded garden path in the mansion.
It was well-maintained, but the shrubs were arranged like a maze, making it invisible from the outside, and therefore deserted at night.
“Siwoo.”
Deneb felt her heart flutter.
It is said that all humans have a self-destructive urge.
For example, when looking down from a high place, the thought, ‘What would happen if I jumped?’ comes to mind.
Or when seeing a car or truck speeding by, the curiosity, ‘What would happen if I got hit by that?’
Of course, if one has a healthy mental state, these self-destructive urges remain as mere occasional curiosities.
But Deneb was not in her right mind right now.
Deneb knew better than anyone that her feelings were wrong.
Guilt, remorse, regret, self-loathing, a love that felt like it was tearing her apart, and the reality that she shouldn’t express it, were enough to exhaust her.
She was now overcome with the urge to run across a frozen lake, knowing full well that she would probably not be able to make it to the end.
She wanted to run without calculation or thought of the consequences.
“Yes, Deneb.”
Seeing Siwoo tilt his head, looking like he didn’t know anything, Deneb belatedly regained her reason.
If she had been just a little slower, she would have said something outrageous like, ‘Will you hug me?’
Only then did Deneb realize what she had been about to do.
But unlike her reason, her body couldn’t suppress the inertia of her thoughts, and she ended up bumping her forehead against his chest like a tree trunk.
“Deneb? Are you alright?”
Siwoo, thinking that Deneb was feeling dizzy, quickly supported her back and waist.
“You’re back safely.”
Deneb felt a mix of relief and sadness at his voice, which still didn’t show a hint of ulterior motive.
She carefully reached out and grabbed his waist.
It was a walk where she could be in his arms, something she had longed for so much, even if it was awkward.
2.
The prison still had a bleak atmosphere.
The underground prison of the Jemina family had levels.
Not levels like suites or superiors in a hotel, but prison numbers (獄號) that were divided according to the severity of the crime and the level of danger.
It was divided into three levels, from the first to the third basement floor, and the higher the number, the deeper the prison and the stricter the surveillance.
Dorothy was on the first floor, and Linne was on the third floor.
Deneb, who was examining the tightly locked door, said.
“There’s someone here already.”
“Is it my teacher?”
“Yes, as I said before, Duke Tiferet stays here most of the time. It means he’s going to watch over them himself.”
His heart naturally grew heavy.
Why she wasn’t by Siwoo’s bedside but in this gloomy prison.
He didn’t need to hear it to know why.
-Clank!
The heavy iron door opened silently, and Deneb regretfully stepped back.
“When you’re done, just close the door behind you.”
“Aren’t you coming with me, Deneb?”
“I’m a busy person too, you know.”
No matter how much she enjoyed being with him, she wasn’t so oblivious as to interrupt a lovers’ meeting.
She had also been in his arms a little while ago, so that was enough for today.
Siwoo exchanged a brief greeting and entered the underground prison.
This was the third time he had come here.
The first time was when he was caught having relations with the twins and was dragged here by his younger mother-in-law, and the second time was when he came to visit Amelia when she was imprisoned for causing an accident.
It didn’t seem that long ago, but compared to then, many things had changed.
The first thing he saw was Dorothy, who was lying on the bed in pajamas, not her nun’s habit.
In fact, it was hard to say that the facilities were good, as it was an underground prison.
The bed was barely adequate, and her ankles were bound by heavy chains.
“Dorothy, I’m here.”
“Darling~ I missed you so much.”
Nevertheless, Dorothy, who had been lying on the bed reading a book as if she were in her own room, brightened up when she saw Siwoo and ran to the bars.
“You’ve been through a lot because of me.”
Seeing Dorothy, he felt a renewed sense of gratitude.
In this escape, Dorothy’s contribution was undoubtedly the greatest.
She had contributed the most to Siwoo’s completion of the escape magic, and she had provided information so that Eloa and L’Riel could wait at the escape location.
Furthermore, she had smuggled herself in with Amelia and joined them, literally ‘ready to die,’ at the moment when all their plans had gone awry.
If even one of the things she had done had been missing, the escape would have been impossible.
Even Siwoo himself didn’t quite understand why she was going to such lengths.
“No~ no~ It was my lifelong dream to travel to Gehenna. But this hotel is really bad. The room condition is terrible, and there’s no view, you know?”
Siwoo could only laugh at Dorothy’s playful tone.
Since it was impossible to use magic in this place, the bars weren’t that dense either.
Dorothy pouted and stuck her face through the bars.
“I did a good job, right? If I did a good job, give me a kiss.”
“Yes, yes, of course.”
He thought he was just going to give her a light kiss, but as soon as Siwoo approached the bars, Dorothy’s hand grabbed Siwoo’s collar.
If this were an escape action movie, the unsuspecting guard Shin Siwoo would have had his neck snapped and died, and the key would have been stolen as well…
But Dorothy was just showering him with sticky kisses.
“Churp…. Muah…. Haa…. Ah…. Kissing you makes me want to do it with you….”
Dorothy made a sulky face.
Then, as if a good idea had occurred to her, she raised her finger and said.
“Aha! I’ll turn around and stick my butt out, and you can do it from the outside? A female prisoner and guard roleplay. How about it?”
“Ahaha, that’s a bit…”
“Or should I do it with my mouth?”
“There are surveillance cameras here.”
“So what?”
When Siwoo pointed to the video recording device on the ceiling of the hallway, Dorothy shrugged her shoulders as if it were nothing.
Then, as if it were a joke, she stepped away from the bars and crossed her arms.
“You don’t have to be so grateful and flustered.”
“No, I don’t even know how to repay this debt. Thank you again, really.”
“But I was just repaying the huge debt I owed you. I’d have no regrets if you just made it back safely.”
“Of course. I’ll take responsibility for it no matter what.”
“Hehe, you’re reliable, aren’t you?”
Siwoo reassured Dorothy with a confident tone.
After roughly finishing their catch-up talk, Siwoo headed to the third floor, the brain prison where Linne was imprisoned.
This was the first time he had set foot here.
Unlike the first floor, which at least showed some signs of maintenance, this place was truly a dilapidated facility.
It also meant that Linne was being strictly managed.
“……”
After going down the stairs that went deep underground, he saw his teacher sitting on an old wooden chair in the middle of a straight hallway, watching over the inside of the prison.
Her gaze was no different from when she drew her sword and faced an ‘enemy.’
Unlike Dorothy, who had several reasons for mitigating circumstances, Linne was a public enemy, something that those who didn’t know the details couldn’t sympathize with.
Siwoo took a deep breath and took a step towards his two teachers, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.
