CBDBS l CH 32

Chapter 32

I quickly moved to the top of Erjin’s bed.

Lifting the blanket a little, I saw his face.

His beautiful golden hair was damp with cold sweat. His lips were bitten so hard, blood was about to drip down.

He was close to losing control.

‘If I can’t break it, I need to at least weaken the brainwash.’

I made up my mind and acted fast.

For someone of Erjin Astrahan’s rank to be brainwashed, there had to be something keeping it in place.

He hadn’t met anyone here in the fortress, nor had anyone visited him.

‘Which means… there must be a medium.’

I began searching his body.

Most things would’ve been confiscated when he was thrown in here—anything that could be a weapon or a tool for escape.

‘So what could be the exception?’

Then I noticed something.

His jacket, carelessly draped at the head of the bed.

Unlike normal prisoners who were stripped of all belongings and put into prison clothes, Erjin was left in his original outfit. That was because he was from a duke’s house, and this imprisonment was only meant to “restrict his movements.”

I scurried over and searched the jacket.

‘Found it!’

Inside the pocket was a neatly folded letter.

[Fein Astrahan]

It was from his father, the Duke of Astrahan.

‘I don’t usually like reading other people’s letters… but today’s an exception.’

At first glance, it was nothing but a simple exchange of father and son asking about each other’s health. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought it was normal.

But then I remembered the conversation Gerard and König had earlier:

“The Duke of Astrahan? He’s still out of it, right?”
“Yes. He’s basically gone. His brother, Sir Pavel Astrahan, is acting as regent.”

It wasn’t just today—rumors of the Duke’s poor state had spread among nobles for years.

Even my own father, Marquis Aymond, once called him “mad.”

And when I touched the letter—

‘Ugh…’

A wave of nausea hit me.

Maybe it was just my imagination… but no. I had to act.

I tore the letter apart.

Riiip—

With every shred, pain pricked my fingers like needles. My head pounded, my stomach churned.

But I didn’t stop.

‘Yes… this letter is the medium.’

The more I ripped, the more certain I became.

Finally, the pieces were no bigger than my fingernails.

The heavy air eased, and Erjin’s ragged breathing began to calm.

The hand gripping the bed frame so desperately relaxed back into its slender shape.

‘…He’s okay. Thank goodness.’

All the tension drained from me. I collapsed onto the bed with a weak laugh.

‘This letter was really the medium? Hard to believe…’

Usually, things like watches or jewelry were used for brainwashing—objects always kept close and hard to remove.

‘Maybe because of who he is, they used something unexpected.’

Whoever set this up was meticulous, that was clear. And they wouldn’t stop at just one medium.

Carefully, I reached out and searched his body again. There had to be another.

That’s when I saw it.

Through the gap of his half-open shirt, a faint pink mark just under his collarbone.

A brainwashing seal.

I froze.

I’d only seen a part of it, but I knew exactly what it was.

A blooming wisteria flower.

The crest of House Aymond—my family’s crest.

‘Why is the Aymond mark on Erjin?’

Confusion swept me.

Three years ago, all of my family—except me—had been massacred by unknown attackers.

So how…?

Could someone be alive? Where? How?

Questions tumbled over one another, drowning me.

But before I could think further—

“Hmm…”

Warm breath brushed the back of my neck.

A soft, teasing voice whispered in my ear.

“…You’re really unpredictable.”

“Ch-chuu?!”

I jerked my head up.

Erjin’s half-lidded eyes stared right into mine.

‘H-how long has he been watching me?!’

My mind spun, desperate for an answer, but his gaze didn’t waver.

Sweat-soaked hair, flushed cheeks—his look was dangerously seductive.

If König was openly tempting, Erjin’s charm was hidden, subtle… and just as dangerous.

“Even I… feel a bit embarrassed like this.”

‘Wh-what do you mean by that?!’

I realized then—Erjin was half-naked, his chest exposed. My hand… and my gaze… were both right there.

‘W-wait… what am I doing?!’

“Chuuut!!”

It was a mistake! I swear on my secret stash back in the Bear Mountain—there was no other intent!

“Hmm…”

Why did he have to look at me like that?

“Chuu… chuutt…”

This was bad. Really bad.

***

“Chuu…”

What should I do?

Trapped by Erjin’s gaze, I couldn’t move.

Bang! Bang!

Suddenly, loud crashes shook the bars.

“Prisoner! Quiet down in there!”

One of the knights shouted, rapping his spear hard against the wall.

‘Don’t tell me he saw me?’

Before I could panic further, a heavy blanket dropped over me.

Erjin had covered me.

“…Such a nuisance.”

His face, once calm, turned cold.

Was this the same man from a moment ago?

The air grew icy, sending chills through me.

Then—

“Urgh… ugh—!”

Groans echoed outside.

Thud!

Something heavy crashed to the floor.

Erjin kept the blanket over me, hiding the view.

“It’s better if you don’t look.”

But I already knew where the sounds came from.

The knights.

‘Y-you… what did you just do?!’