Became a stagnant person in a squalid prison cell

Chapter 23 —

“You’re the only one who can help me get out of prison.”

Helios paused, then his face froze.

Was he offended? Or just flustered?

I wasn’t good at reading emotions, so I couldn’t tell.

“You…”

“Not ‘you’ — call me ‘teacher.’”

“Ha… okay, teacher. You always say things that are easy to misunderstand…”

Helios mumbled and looked down slightly.

“Well, if that’s what you meant…”

He even cleared his throat awkwardly.

I looked at him, then widened my eyes playfully.

“Can’t be helped.”

Helios gave a soft smile.

My eyes were drawn to the three little moles curving under his eye, matching his curved smile.

“I thought you liked all prisoners.”

He stared at me and shrugged.

“I might be wearing prisoner clothes, but I’m a prison guard.”

Honestly, I didn’t feel like explaining everything.

I just wanted to focus on Helios. And I wanted to get released.

“Though… that face of his is dangerous. It’s going to attract all the weirdos…”

It was a bit complicated.

This newbie — I couldn’t take my eyes off him until he grew strong enough to handle himself.

Helios slightly frowned when I said I was a guard, then mumbled again with his head lowered.

I had no idea what he was grumbling about this time.

‘Ah.’

I glanced toward a woman walking nearby.

She had been part of Helios’s group earlier.

The only female who passed the trial.

And I recognized her.

‘Haila.’

Haila had entered the women’s prison around the time I stopped being the boss and accepted the warden’s offer.

I’d asked Deril and Ramona to guide her since I couldn’t.

Now she’d made it up to the 20th floor.

‘Looks like she turned out well.’

And she advanced quickly too.

‘More importantly, she seemed really talented.’

I clearly remembered her ability to stop the wild dogs. It looked like a kind of “charm” skill — a power with great potential.

With the right guidance, she might even reach the 80th or 90th floors someday.

But I had no intention of talking to her.

Partly because I was still pretending to be “Garet,” and also because I wanted to stay focused on Helios.

“…Is that your type?”

“Hm?”

Helios was looking where I’d been looking.

Haila was still standing in place, clearly visible.

“Are you interested in that woman over there?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would I be?”

Of course I wasn’t.

“The only person I care about is you, Helios.”

“…”

Helios ran a hand down his face and then turned away, walking off ahead of me.

What’s with him now?

Soon, it was time to return to the prison cells. I made brief eye contact with Haila, and she gave me a polite nod.

Still as polite as ever.

Helios came stomping back, standing in front of me with his large frame and blocking my view of Haila.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

He looked serious.

“This morning, you tripped me multiple times.”

“…”

“Did you do it on purpose?”

Uh-oh.

“Was it another one of your ‘hints’?”

He bent down, lowering his voice so much only I could hear it.

I didn’t even blink.

“You’re so innocent.”

“…What?”

Just then, a guard’s loud voice rang out between us.

“Everyone return to the cell blocks!”

I chuckled and lightly tapped Helios on the stomach.

“You should save these sneaky talks for when we’re alone, baby.”

“Who’s a baby…!”

“Quick on the uptake though.”

Above the prison, the sky was blue — as always.