Chapter 12 part 2
“Yes. I heard that he already was in this prison even before the truce was even signed.”
“Then it’s already been a few years.”
“Well, around five years ago.”
There was also a little compassion in Franz’s voice.
“He’s been alone in this prison for more than five years, so that man must be out of his mind.”
“Why 5 years?”
“Because the stakes weren’t that big before. There was no one who could be his opponent.”
That’s right. Thanks to the Raven, this martial arts session was booming.
I heard that the nobles of the southern part of the country also came to bet on him.
“In addition, since he’s been experimented on, even a sane person can’t be fine after all of that.”
I stared blankly at Franz.
‘Experimented on?’
It was a terrible thing to hear.
“I don’t know what experiment he’s been through. I was just told that no matter what they did, the man wouldn’t die.”
“I… get it.”
I didn’t want to hear more.
Somehow the part of me began to understand why he begged me to kill him.
“The temple is completely rotten…”
The word that I was thinking inside was coming out through the lip.
But Franz nodded his head cautiously, as if empathizing.
“Do you understand why I want to leave here and go to the capital now?”
The capital will be different.
It looks like this because it is in the countryside.
“Sigh, it wasn’t like this before. When the person of Duke Maple became the head priest of the West, everything went into a mess.”
Duke Maple?
Why was Camilla’s family mentioned here?
At that moment, I remembered Camilla’s end in the original story.
Duke Maple, who enjoyed tremendous power in the capital, was accused of having an affair with paganism and was burned at the stake.
‘The Archduke took care of him.’
Originally, the Archduke and the Duke Maple had a relationship like a crocodile and crocodile bird.
(T/N: ‘crocodile and crocodile bird’ used as an expression of the inappropriate symbiotic relationship between the politicians and the media where conspiracies and betrayals are prevalent)
However, when he learned that his wife, Selina, was abused by Camilla, he destroyed Duke Maple.
That means.
‘Duke Maple won’t be destroyed this time.’
Because I don’t have any intention to marry him!
‘That’s ridiculous.’
Listening to Franz’s explanation, I really think that the man is Valhail Castaques.
Along with the fact that he’s a war prisoner from Dukedom.
I asked more to confirm.
“Then, The Raven… Was that person also originally a prisoner?”
Franz’s eyebrows were crumpled mercilessly, perhaps disgusting just to think of .
“He’s a man of the Dukedom.”
My heart sank.
“Was he also a prisoner of war?”
“No, that’s not it. From what I heard, he was the only survivor of the armed forces that invaded the Empire last year.”
I sighed automatically.
‘Which one of them is Valhail Castaques?’
Of all things, they are both from the Dukedom.
In the end, it was only known when the winner came out.
“Ha, how much money do I have to pay to buy a knight from the Holy Knights?”
When I muttered to myself, Franz looked back at me.
“What are you talking about?””
His eyes were filled with contempt and a little fear.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
“I’ve heard that wealthy ladies sometimes take some men of the Holy Knights like slaves for one night…”
Franz’s behavior of covering his chest by crossing his arms in an X shape heated my ears.
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Miss Selina… Were you such a person?”
“What are you talking about?”
When I slapped his forearm, Franz smiled and told me the truth.
“Of course you can’t. No matter how big a donation was made, how can you take the knight of the Holy Knights to spend a night with? They’re not some kind of mercenaries.”
After urging me not to come close to his quarantine room, Franz went back to the temple for an evening prayer.
* * * * *
‘How on earth did Shannon bring Valhail?’
Left alone in the infirmary, I stared at the closed iron door.
‘It’s quiet right now…’
He must have become infinitely sharper because of the priest who went in before.
After hesitating, it was not until dawn that I picked up a poppy juice bottle and walked back to the quarantine room.
It was impossible for him to win with his body injured as I saw during the day.
He couldn’t even stand properly.
What if his arm ripped off? Then he wouldn’t be able to hold the knife.
‘Maybe that’s why the temple sent him a priest.’
Franz said that no matter how injured his body was, he wouldn’t die.
But, that doesn’t mean that his victory is guaranteed.
‘Let’s just check if he’s been treated.’
Krieeekkk.
I opened a small palm-sized door in the middle of the iron door.
I couldn’t see anything inside.
It’s just dark.
When I carefully lit the lantern, I could see the broken chain and the surroundings messed up with blood and flesh.
He was sitting against the wall, but from the chains held in his hand, the flesh did not seem to belong to him.
However, the blood from his body was flowing to the iron door, so he was also in a serious condition.
‘He’s going to die of excessive bleeding.’
He couldn’t open his eyes even though a bright light was shining on his face.
He must have been completely unconscious.
I made sure no one was passing by, so I cautiously entered and closed the door.
I crept because I was afraid of waking him up from his deep sleep.
Fortunately, he did not notice the intruder who approached him.
When I put down the lantern next to me and lifted his tattered top, I could see a terrible wound.
‘It’s fascinating that he’s still alive.’
Something was strange as his presence was so lacking, so I put my hand under his nose just in case.
‘I can’t feel his breath.’
Surprised, I put my ear on his left chest this time.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
I could feel a clear heartbeat.
‘His heart is beating even though he’s not breathing? And his heart is beating so fast?’
How can this be? It’s completely out of the laws of nature!
It was the moment I glanced up thinking it was strange.
From some point on, I met his eyes looking down at me.
“Why are you late?”