Chapter 7
I want to die, I want to die, I want to die.
No… I want to live, I want to live, I want to live.
Mia’s mind was split in two, fighting fiercely, as she walked barefoot down the stairs to the basement, tied with rope and surrounded by large guards.
“Jumping from a tower naked… disgusting. Are you a pervert?”
That bastard. Like I wanted to do that.
Just remembering standing there in front of all those eyes, wearing only underwear, made her want to bite her tongue and die even now. But thinking that she might really die…
No. She wanted to live.
“We’ve brought the prisoner.”
Behind her, the wooden door creaked shut with an ominous sound. There were stains on the floor that looked like blood. Mia couldn’t even lift her head. Goosebumps ran down her spine.
“Good work.”
When she looked up, she saw Assad sitting with his legs crossed. The underground interrogation room was empty and cold, with no decoration. The guards forced Mia to kneel on the floor.
Even after a full day, Mia was still wearing the shirt Assad had given her. It still carried his scent. Everything in this place—even the objects—felt completely under his control.
“Mia Lisitsa.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Her voice trembled.
What punishment would she get for overhearing the rebellion? It wouldn’t just end with breaking her legs… Would he kill her to silence her?
All kinds of terrible thoughts filled her mind.
But Assad asked something she never expected.
“How did you know it would rain heavily?”
“Th-that…”
Mia’s eyes moved nervously.
I can’t say I read it in a novel!
“…I didn’t know. How could I possibly know something like that?”
Did the lie work?
She couldn’t tell from his expressionless face. He raised his hand, and one of the guards pulled back a rough curtain.
Mia gasped.
A filthy man was sitting there, tearing into a large piece of meat like a beast. Grease and juice ran down his dirty beard. He wiped his mouth and smiled at her in a creepy way.
“You said it. That it would rain heavily for three days. And that you would escape.”
“Mister…?”
Mia’s whole body heated up.
That voice—she knew it. It was the prisoner next door, the one she had shared her food with.
“How could you do this to me?”
“I told you not to go.”
His legs looked perfectly fine. Everything about him—except his voice—had been a lie.
Why did he lie? And why tell the Grand Duke?
Mia had never harmed him. She had shared her food and comforted him. Yet he had tried to stop her, almost like he was cursing her.
There was only one reason.
When she realized it, her ears rang.
“Don’t tell me… you stopped me because you didn’t want to lose the soup I shared with you? And now you sold me out just for a piece of meat?”
The man licked his lips and smiled.
“Thanks to that, I get to eat better than plain soup.”
“Trash! You’re trash!”
Tears filled Mia’s eyes. The man ignored her and kept eating. Assad watched silently, as if entertained.
The man broke the bones and even sucked out the marrow. Only after licking his dirty fingers did he finish eating.
Then—
The beautiful and cruel Grand Duke spoke.
“Execute him.”
Mia’s eyes widened.
The guards immediately dragged the struggling man away. His legs scraped against the stone floor as he resisted.
Assad didn’t even look at him. His black eyes were fixed only on Mia.
“Those who commit crimes must pay the price. Especially for betrayal.”
The man’s screams echoed through the walls. Mia wanted to cover her ears.
This was a warning.
Her arms trembled against the floor.
“He’s even more insane than I thought… Can I get out of this with lies?”
At that moment, a short scream was heard in the distance. Then silence.
Assad’s voice was clear.
“And something I hate as much as betrayal… is lying.”
It felt like he had read her mind. Mia lay on the floor, her face pale.
“Now… tell me again. How did you know about the rain?”
Suddenly, the door burst open. It was Shuri.
“Your Grace! A messenger has arrived from the imperial palace. You need to come out.”
“…Tch.”
Assad stood up slowly, clearly annoyed. As he left with Shuri, he spoke to the guards.
“Watch her carefully.”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards answered firmly. Mia stayed frozen on the floor.
After some time, one of the guards, now bored, spoke to her.
“Hey, prisoner. Did you know that guy who got executed?”
Mia didn’t answer.
“Hmph. Acting proud. It’s better not to associate with someone like him. He committed a terrible crime.”
Mia looked up.
“A terrible crime?”
“Yeah… what was it again?”
The guard nudged his partner.
“Patricide.”
“That’s right. He had a woman he liked. To buy her gifts, he first pawned household items. Then he even sold the cow his mother raised.”
Mia listened carefully.
“One night, he tried to take the cow. His mother caught him and tried to stop him. Then he lost control and stabbed her with a pitchfork.”
The guard made a stabbing motion. Mia shivered.
“His father came out too. But he couldn’t stop his grown son. People said his head was split open like a melon.”
“That can’t be… That’s not what he told me.”
The guard asked,
“What did he say?”
“He said the Grand Duke took his fiancée and crippled him…”
“What?! That bastard!”
The guard became angry.
“The Grand Duke kept him alive in the tower to see if he would repent. And he still didn’t change.”
“He should’ve been executed long ago.”
Even the other guard agreed.
Mia was confused. Everything had been reversed.
The guard, the prisoner… all of them were loyal to Assad.
“If the Grand Duke isn’t that bad… maybe if I beg, he might spare me?”
For a moment, she felt hope.
But it quickly faded.
“Sigh… even if he forgives theft or escape… there’s no way he’ll ignore that I overheard the rebellion.”
Her anxiety grew.
Then she heard footsteps approaching.
Step. Step.
To her, it sounded like her own steps toward execution.
“Your Grace has returned!”
