Chapter 54

The place Sen took me was a deserted corridor. After catching her breath for a while, she put me down.

“Huff, gasp.”

“Sen, are you okay?”

“Huff, I’m fine. Just a bit out of breath from running suddenly.”

If I’d known she would react this strongly, I would have asked more slowly.

Sen kept wiping her face nervously. Looking at me with eyes half-filled with doubt and confusion, she finally spoke.

“Grand Princess, dreaming is something open to everyone.”

What’s this sudden talk about dreams?

As I furrowed my brow, not understanding what Sen was saying, she continued with more strange remarks.

“At first glance, prisoners might seem cool. Children that age sometimes like villains.”

“This isn’t about career aspirations.”

“Then why would you want to go to a place like prison? Because it’s cool in summer?”

“Of course not.”

“And if that’s not it, there’s no reason for you to go to prison.”

With a face that looked like she might faint at any moment, I revealed my true intentions.

“I heard Tristan is in prison.”

“…Ah.”

At my words, Sen’s expression showed realization. Her face turned red, then quickly pale, as if she had intuited that the reason for my decision came from the conversation the maids were having.

I spoke with hope that Sen wouldn’t refuse.

“Sen. Tristan is only eleven years old.”

Even considering this was another world, he was still very young.

Despite becoming numb to past common sense after dozens of reincarnations, there were still principles I couldn’t abandon. Children need discipline appropriate for children.

Discipline that exceeds boundaries is no different from abuse.

“Keeping such a young child in an underground prison is wrong.”

“But Grand Princess, you’re a child too.”

“Yes. And I also had to stay in prison for a long time.”

Sen’s expression crumbled as though she’d heard the worst possible words. Her face looked even sadder than mine, who had brought it up.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it.’

Seeing her expression full of regret and self-blame made my heart heavy.

Sen was probably recalling the time she had splashed water on me. Such things didn’t bother me anymore.

“Sen. As I always say, I’m happy to have you all by my side.”

“But back then, I hurt you.”

“That wasn’t real hurt. True pain was what happened in the tower where I was imprisoned. So I…”

I paused briefly, then looked up at Sen and continued.

“I don’t want Tristan to go through the same things I did.”

Above all, Tristan’s confession that day had shaken me.

“It’s all because of you. Saying I’m precious and stirring up my feelings. Then saying you don’t need love.”

At that time, Tristan had worn a deeply lonely expression. Just like me, who had despaired at an endless cycle of reincarnations and wished for someone who could understand me.

It’s the adult’s role to reach out first to a crying child.

“So to summarize, you’re going to visit Tristan in prison?”

“Exactly.”

“Young Master Tristan is dangerous. He also provided the occasion for you to get hurt this time.”

“I know.”

“Is there another reason why you must go to him?”

As for reasons why I should go, I could make up many. And the reason Sen would most easily accept was…

“He’s my brother.”

“….”

“I know I was very sick. But Tristan didn’t do it intentionally.”

Magic overload is like an accident that happens to those born with powerful magical abilities.

I couldn’t blame that child for hurting me. In fact, overload was a common characteristic of talented magicians.

‘A kind of trauma.’

Magicians were always worried that their power might hurt others.

And he hadn’t directly hurt me anyway.

“The Grand Duke said Tristan could return anytime.”

“That’s true, but…”

“He’s probably staying there because he feels sorry toward me.”

“I know. But honestly, I hate Young Master Tristan. No, I can’t forgive him.”

Sen bit her lip with an indignant face, looking dejected. With a contorted expression I’d never seen before, she emphasized each word.

“Grand Princess. Are we being helpful to you? We couldn’t do anything when Young Master Tristan…”

“Yes. You’re very helpful.”

Waking up to warm sunshine, having delicious meals, and falling asleep comfortably when the time comes.

Sen probably couldn’t imagine how incredible these things were to me.

“You’ll always be necessary to me.”

“Thank you, Grand Princess. Then I’ll try my best for you too.”

I nodded without much expectation. If Sen couldn’t take me, I could find another helper.

‘Or I could just go secretly.’

Actually, if Gerard had remained at the Grand Duke’s residence, asking him would have been the quickest solution. I missed his absence.

***

The next day, Sen took me to a secluded back entrance. In her hands was a picnic basket with more bread than usual.

She whispered to me as I looked puzzled.

“I found a knight who will take you to where Young Master Tristan is.”

So she really did arrange a way to go to the prison where Tristan was confined.

‘So quickly.’

As Sen said, a knight was waiting in the garden. He was one of the knights who had enthusiastically cheered for me during my sword training with the Grand Duke.

After exchanging glances with Sen, the knight led us to a secret passage to the prison. As we descended the stairs leading underground, the knight cautioned us.

“Please keep this a secret from the Grand Duke. If he finds out you came to such a dangerous place, he’ll worry.”

“I understand. But if we don’t tell, there’s no way he’ll find out, right?”

“Of course, Grand Princess. I know the shift schedules.”

“I’ve made up excuses for the empty spots in your schedule.”

Sen told me that other maids were also helping with this. It seemed many people had stepped up to help me visit Tristan.

‘I hope nothing goes wrong.’

Because we had to move through areas with no guards, it took a long time to reach where Tristan was. The knight seemed concerned about whether I was scared of the dark.

In reality, I remained indifferent even upon seeing bloodstains on the walls.

“How long has Tristan been here?”

“He entered voluntarily after you woke up.”

“And nobody stopped him.”

At my words, the knight exchanged awkward smiles with Sen.

“The only one who could stop Young Master Tristan would be the Grand Duke.”

I closed my eyes, remembering that Tristan was a figure of terror in the mansion. That meant he had been here for quite a while.

“We’ll stay here.”

Sen and the knight positioned themselves in the corridor to keep watch. I thanked the knight for his help and turned to Sen one last time.

“I’ll be back soon.”

“Yes. Please share the bread I packed with Young Master Tristan. I deliberately packed extra.”

“Thank you for helping me.”

Actually, the help I had expected from Sen was just getting information about where Tristan was confined.

I never imagined receiving such direct assistance.

“By the way, how did you get the knight’s help? Do you know each other?”

“We know each other through a group.”

What kind of group?

I felt somewhat uneasy and was about to ask more, but decided against it. Well, Sen had her own private life.

I walked toward the prison, swinging the picnic basket. Since it was a prison for serious offenders, it looked worse than other places.

Drip. Drip.

Water droplets from the ceiling hit the floor, creating ripples.

Finally, I could see Tristan inside the large prison cell. When the disheveled Tristan saw me, his eyes widened.

“…You!”

He spoke first upon discovering me.

“Why are you here?!”

“Does that matter?”

I opened the prison door with the key I received from the knight.

Tristan, chained to the wall, looked completely exhausted.

Iron chains fixing his arms to the wall and a thick magical restraint device around his neck. These were excessive restraints for just a child.

The Grand Duke probably wanted Tristan to give up and come out on his own. Hiding my inner turmoil, I spoke as calmly as possible.

“Why am I here? To see you, of course.”

“Go back right now!”

“I don’t want to.”

The knight had mentioned that he deliberately skipped meals, and indeed, his face—the only part of him that looked somewhat decent—was quite haggard.

“Let’s go back, Tristan.”

“….”

“You’ve reflected enough.”

Below his sunken eyes, dried tear stains were visible. I crouched in front of Tristan and pushed back his sweat-soaked hair.

He needed someone to tell him that enough was enough.

“The library did burn a bit, but no one was hurt. Lucas is fine without any injuries.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“But you wanted to know. While you imprisoned yourself here, suffering.”

“I’m not here by choice.”

“I heard the Grand Duke said he’d let you out whenever you wanted?”

Tristan looked caught off guard, then frowned.

“So what?”

“It’s time to forgive yourself.”

Tristan looked at the hand I extended, then bit his lip. Fresh wounds appeared on lips already crusted with dried blood.

Just then, electricity sparked from the magical restraints binding Tristan’s limbs.

“Who are you to tell me to forgive?”

He panted with resentment, then gritted his teeth. The magic fluctuating around him turned into sparks.

Before I could stop him, the sparks illuminated the air.

“You nearly died because of me! You shouldn’t be saying such things!”

“Tristan, calm down!”

“How can you! What kind of mindset do you have to… tell me to forgive!”

Crackle.

The restraint device activated as his magic intensified with his emotions. As the waves of magic dissipated, he coughed up a handful of blood.

“Huk. Gasp.”

Cold sweat ran down his cheek as he slumped, drained of energy. Tristan bit his lips painfully and couldn’t utter another word.

His stubbornly miserable appearance made my anger rise.