A brief exchange of greetings took place between steaming cups and whiskey glasses. Finlay, who had caught his breath, placed his cup down on the tea table.
“Because Trieste is so closed, it was quite difficult to find out what was going on inside.”
The Vicentine kingdom, which had recently followed in the footsteps of Vintergar and transformed into a constitutional monarchy, had a tighter information network in Trieste. They were mainly well-informed of the movements of the royal family, their closest associates, and high-ranking nobles.
“The Duke of Blackwell is in a pretty bad state. And what on earth is Grand Duke Winston’s plan as the Emperor’s representative..."
As the consul's story continued, the expressions on the three men's faces gradually darkened. However, there was also unexpected news. While Duke Kyle Roden Blackwell was in Vintergar, there was a matter that he had secretly planned through Consul Vicentine.
“The administrative procedures are expected to be officially completed tomorrow.”
“Is that true? That’s something I never expected.”
As soon as Consul Finlay finished speaking, everyone started asking questions excitedly. That unexpected news might have a direct connection to the possibility of finding Angie.
Angie came to her senses. She blinked several times, but her vision was dark. It seemed like she was locked in the basement again. Angie felt her way to the floor. Her wrists were tied together, so it was difficult to even straighten her body.
A thick cloth was placed under her nose. It was a gag. She couldn't make a sound because it was in her mouth. It seemed that her hands and mouth were bound this time because she had banged on the door and screamed so much when she was locked up before.
“Ugh... Ugh... sob...”
Last time she was locked up for trying to attack him, and today she got caught trying to swim across the lake to get to land. Her heart was about to burst.
Tears flowed uncontrollably as she thought of Noah. She wondered if he was doing well now. She wondered what had happened to Kyle, and how Bryn and Martin had probably requested a search for their citizens. She was so frustrated with everything that she thought she was going crazy.
At least Kyle seemed to still be alive. If his brother had been executed or if his old illness had relapsed and he had died, then something would have changed in Michael's behavior.
Angoe couldn't cry properly, so she just sobbed and whimpered for a while, and then the sound of the lock on the other side of the door rang.
Angie flinched, stopped crying, and froze. Despite the short period, her body had automatically reacted after being exposed to continuous violence. No matter how much she tried to keep her mind from giving in, her body could not do what it wanted.
There was a squeak, and someone came in. The body that had been stiff from tension relaxed on its own. The light, weightless steps that came in were not Michael's. The shadow held a candle in one hand and looked at Angie, shushing and putting a finger to her lips. As expected, it was Annette.
“I’ll take the gag off your mouth first. He’s gone into town with Mrs. Dunst and won’t be back until dinnertime.”
Annette untied the bindings around Angie's mouth and wrists, one by one.
“I’ll restore it to its original state as soon as the ship sails, so just relax for a while.”
"Thank you..."
Her mouth was so dry that she couldn't even speak properly. Angie barely swallowed the soup Annette had brought with her along with some bread. She couldn't taste anything, but she had to conserve energy.
“Thank you so much, Annette. But don’t do that next time. If you get caught, you won’t be safe either.”
"I'm okay."
Annette's pretty face was dimly lit by the candlelight. As the person concerned said, she might not be punished or given a big scolding. Annette's real parents were helpers who died in the fire on Cullinan Island, and she was one of the few who were not Remedy.
She was the youngest girl in the embroidery group. That's why she was often bullied by the mean Leticia and her group. Angie would often comfort her and help her from behind. Who would have thought that her gratitude would come back to her in this situation today?
When Angie first met her as a maid at Te Deum, she was very happy even though she was imprisoned. Although Annette was not a remedy, there was a survivor among the embroidery group. The girl who was fourteen at the time was now seventeen.
Annette also recognized Angie and was happy to be reunited with her, but was shocked to see her treated like Michael's property. That's why she couldn't stay still when she was locked in the basement.
“Annette, I’m fine. Go back quickly. Someone might come looking for you.”
“It’s okay. I’ll stay a little longer. It’s scary to be alone...”
The two faced each other for a moment, with the soft candlelight between them. Annette was the first to speak.
“Angie, the water in the middle of the lake is really deep. You could really drown, so don’t do that next time. I heard that some of the workers actually drowned.”
“Yes. I won’t do that next time... Thank you for worrying.”
“It’s very cold here in the winter, too. It’s warmer than the northern part of the capital, but... you’ll freeze to death before you drown.”
Angie couldn't argue. She still vividly remembered the cold that had crept into her bones when she had entered the water.
“There must be another way. I don’t know yet, but if we wait a little longer, there might be a suitable opportunity. Just hold on a little longer, Sister.”
Angie buried her face between her knees. Her throat was so tight that she couldn't speak. She barely swallowed her tears and raised her head.
“Annette, those new maids you told me about before... You said they weren’t remedies, but they seemed to have been brought in for another purpose. Have you found out anything else?”
“Not yet. But I’m sure they brought them here to use for something bad. There’s nothing unusual during the day, but a while ago I saw a girl named Sally go into the man’s bedroom after midnight.”
The man must have been Michael. Annette hated him and was afraid of him, so she didn't even call him by his name. She also said that even though Lord Kyle was difficult to approach and extremely difficult, he wasn't as terrible as Michael.
“In the bedroom...?”
A guess crossed Angie's mind. Given the circumstances, it seemed certain that he had lost his function as a man. And Mrs. Dunst must have found out about it through some incident. Or Michael himself had confessed.
Well then. If it's not a remedy, then maybe...
“Could it be that they brought him here to use for that treatment?”
Angie blurted out without realizing it. Annette nodded.
“I thought so too. And this is purely speculation on my part, but I think that person is trying to continue Eternity. Solve the infertility problem with those women and eventually have a baby...”
Annette couldn't say anything else. It was too horrible to even speak. Angie stared blankly at Annette, her face horrified. She, too, couldn't say anything.
Three weeks had passed and the last month had arrived. The early winter of Hedestad was very strong. The palace grounds, where the first frost had fallen several times, were cold and gloomy.
In the Stone Tower, a prison literally built by piling up stones, the cries of crows rang in their ears every day. There were also occasional groans that sounded like human groans. There was currently only one prisoner imprisoned in the Stone Tower, which was meant to hold only high-ranking officials.
The stench of blood and stench in the stone prison on a harsh December day was not as strong as Grand Duke Winston had hoped. He wanted to order them to be slaughtered alive, little by little, over a long time, but he barely held himself back.
There were many ways to inflict maximum pain without causing fatal injuries that would leave scars. However, there were also many limitations to this as it could easily lead to mental breakdown.
Just before entering the prison, Grand Duke Winston frowned at the warden outside. His finger was pointed at the guard who was collecting the cloth stained with crimson blood.
“What is that? I told you not to bleed.”
“No, Your Highness. We didn’t touch a single blade. The prisoner just coughed up blood.”
“Coughing up blood...?”
“When torture is carried out, each prisoner shows various symptoms depending on his or her constitution.”
The supervisor added curiously.
“He's fine now.”
Winston sighed and stepped inside the prison. Unlike the dark entrance, the deeper he went inside, the brighter the room became with torches and candles.
“Sir. Just a week.”
"...”
“The execution date will be decided within the next three days.”
Grand Duke Winston looked down at Kyle, who was hanging on the cross frame. The frame was tilted at an angle. Kyle twisted his thin lips into a sneer. At first glance, he was just half-hanging in midair, his limbs tied together.
However, as time passes, the blood in the body rushes to the lower part, blood circulation is not proper, and breathing and heartbeat become overloaded. So, people who are hung for a long time cannot even scream and suffer terrible pain until they die. Skilled guards would push the prisoners to the limit of their endurance and then straighten the cross to get confessions or torture them.
“Stop for a moment and sit up straight. I need to talk to him.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
“Because Trieste is so closed, it was quite difficult to find out what was going on inside.”
The Vicentine kingdom, which had recently followed in the footsteps of Vintergar and transformed into a constitutional monarchy, had a tighter information network in Trieste. They were mainly well-informed of the movements of the royal family, their closest associates, and high-ranking nobles.
“The Duke of Blackwell is in a pretty bad state. And what on earth is Grand Duke Winston’s plan as the Emperor’s representative..."
As the consul's story continued, the expressions on the three men's faces gradually darkened. However, there was also unexpected news. While Duke Kyle Roden Blackwell was in Vintergar, there was a matter that he had secretly planned through Consul Vicentine.
“The administrative procedures are expected to be officially completed tomorrow.”
“Is that true? That’s something I never expected.”
As soon as Consul Finlay finished speaking, everyone started asking questions excitedly. That unexpected news might have a direct connection to the possibility of finding Angie.
***
Angie came to her senses. She blinked several times, but her vision was dark. It seemed like she was locked in the basement again. Angie felt her way to the floor. Her wrists were tied together, so it was difficult to even straighten her body.
A thick cloth was placed under her nose. It was a gag. She couldn't make a sound because it was in her mouth. It seemed that her hands and mouth were bound this time because she had banged on the door and screamed so much when she was locked up before.
“Ugh... Ugh... sob...”
Last time she was locked up for trying to attack him, and today she got caught trying to swim across the lake to get to land. Her heart was about to burst.
Tears flowed uncontrollably as she thought of Noah. She wondered if he was doing well now. She wondered what had happened to Kyle, and how Bryn and Martin had probably requested a search for their citizens. She was so frustrated with everything that she thought she was going crazy.
At least Kyle seemed to still be alive. If his brother had been executed or if his old illness had relapsed and he had died, then something would have changed in Michael's behavior.
Angoe couldn't cry properly, so she just sobbed and whimpered for a while, and then the sound of the lock on the other side of the door rang.
Angie flinched, stopped crying, and froze. Despite the short period, her body had automatically reacted after being exposed to continuous violence. No matter how much she tried to keep her mind from giving in, her body could not do what it wanted.
There was a squeak, and someone came in. The body that had been stiff from tension relaxed on its own. The light, weightless steps that came in were not Michael's. The shadow held a candle in one hand and looked at Angie, shushing and putting a finger to her lips. As expected, it was Annette.
“I’ll take the gag off your mouth first. He’s gone into town with Mrs. Dunst and won’t be back until dinnertime.”
Annette untied the bindings around Angie's mouth and wrists, one by one.
“I’ll restore it to its original state as soon as the ship sails, so just relax for a while.”
"Thank you..."
Her mouth was so dry that she couldn't even speak properly. Angie barely swallowed the soup Annette had brought with her along with some bread. She couldn't taste anything, but she had to conserve energy.
“Thank you so much, Annette. But don’t do that next time. If you get caught, you won’t be safe either.”
"I'm okay."
Annette's pretty face was dimly lit by the candlelight. As the person concerned said, she might not be punished or given a big scolding. Annette's real parents were helpers who died in the fire on Cullinan Island, and she was one of the few who were not Remedy.
She was the youngest girl in the embroidery group. That's why she was often bullied by the mean Leticia and her group. Angie would often comfort her and help her from behind. Who would have thought that her gratitude would come back to her in this situation today?
When Angie first met her as a maid at Te Deum, she was very happy even though she was imprisoned. Although Annette was not a remedy, there was a survivor among the embroidery group. The girl who was fourteen at the time was now seventeen.
Annette also recognized Angie and was happy to be reunited with her, but was shocked to see her treated like Michael's property. That's why she couldn't stay still when she was locked in the basement.
“Annette, I’m fine. Go back quickly. Someone might come looking for you.”
“It’s okay. I’ll stay a little longer. It’s scary to be alone...”
The two faced each other for a moment, with the soft candlelight between them. Annette was the first to speak.
“Angie, the water in the middle of the lake is really deep. You could really drown, so don’t do that next time. I heard that some of the workers actually drowned.”
“Yes. I won’t do that next time... Thank you for worrying.”
“It’s very cold here in the winter, too. It’s warmer than the northern part of the capital, but... you’ll freeze to death before you drown.”
Angie couldn't argue. She still vividly remembered the cold that had crept into her bones when she had entered the water.
“There must be another way. I don’t know yet, but if we wait a little longer, there might be a suitable opportunity. Just hold on a little longer, Sister.”
Angie buried her face between her knees. Her throat was so tight that she couldn't speak. She barely swallowed her tears and raised her head.
“Annette, those new maids you told me about before... You said they weren’t remedies, but they seemed to have been brought in for another purpose. Have you found out anything else?”
“Not yet. But I’m sure they brought them here to use for something bad. There’s nothing unusual during the day, but a while ago I saw a girl named Sally go into the man’s bedroom after midnight.”
The man must have been Michael. Annette hated him and was afraid of him, so she didn't even call him by his name. She also said that even though Lord Kyle was difficult to approach and extremely difficult, he wasn't as terrible as Michael.
“In the bedroom...?”
A guess crossed Angie's mind. Given the circumstances, it seemed certain that he had lost his function as a man. And Mrs. Dunst must have found out about it through some incident. Or Michael himself had confessed.
Well then. If it's not a remedy, then maybe...
“Could it be that they brought him here to use for that treatment?”
Angie blurted out without realizing it. Annette nodded.
“I thought so too. And this is purely speculation on my part, but I think that person is trying to continue Eternity. Solve the infertility problem with those women and eventually have a baby...”
Annette couldn't say anything else. It was too horrible to even speak. Angie stared blankly at Annette, her face horrified. She, too, couldn't say anything.
***
Three weeks had passed and the last month had arrived. The early winter of Hedestad was very strong. The palace grounds, where the first frost had fallen several times, were cold and gloomy.
In the Stone Tower, a prison literally built by piling up stones, the cries of crows rang in their ears every day. There were also occasional groans that sounded like human groans. There was currently only one prisoner imprisoned in the Stone Tower, which was meant to hold only high-ranking officials.
The stench of blood and stench in the stone prison on a harsh December day was not as strong as Grand Duke Winston had hoped. He wanted to order them to be slaughtered alive, little by little, over a long time, but he barely held himself back.
There were many ways to inflict maximum pain without causing fatal injuries that would leave scars. However, there were also many limitations to this as it could easily lead to mental breakdown.
Just before entering the prison, Grand Duke Winston frowned at the warden outside. His finger was pointed at the guard who was collecting the cloth stained with crimson blood.
“What is that? I told you not to bleed.”
“No, Your Highness. We didn’t touch a single blade. The prisoner just coughed up blood.”
“Coughing up blood...?”
“When torture is carried out, each prisoner shows various symptoms depending on his or her constitution.”
The supervisor added curiously.
“He's fine now.”
Winston sighed and stepped inside the prison. Unlike the dark entrance, the deeper he went inside, the brighter the room became with torches and candles.
“Sir. Just a week.”
"...”
“The execution date will be decided within the next three days.”
Grand Duke Winston looked down at Kyle, who was hanging on the cross frame. The frame was tilted at an angle. Kyle twisted his thin lips into a sneer. At first glance, he was just half-hanging in midair, his limbs tied together.
However, as time passes, the blood in the body rushes to the lower part, blood circulation is not proper, and breathing and heartbeat become overloaded. So, people who are hung for a long time cannot even scream and suffer terrible pain until they die. Skilled guards would push the prisoners to the limit of their endurance and then straighten the cross to get confessions or torture them.
“Stop for a moment and sit up straight. I need to talk to him.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
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