I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 102

“…What are you complaining about now that you’re grabbing my collar. My chest isn’t a servant bell cord.”

Servant bell cord. Helios didn’t seem to realize that mentioning the cord used to summon servants was quite revealing of his social status.

If I liked this sloppy and careless side that showed through despite his attempts to be meticulous. If I found it quite cute, would that be a problem.

‘…Can’t I take him with me when I get out?’

Thinking this far, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

It was a foolish thought.

There must be a reason why the Warden insisted he be placed in the boss position.

If that’s the case, taking him away midway might make me a criminal again even after getting out. A hunted criminal at that.

“Praise.”

I tapped the back of Helios’s neck a few times, then stroked it down. I could feel the fine hairs on his skin standing up.

“What, what are you doing. We’re outside…”

His face slightly flushed as he stared at me.

Was I not supposed to pet him outside?

“I said it’s praise.”

“…”

“There aren’t many who can beat me.”

Even if there were, they’re all dead already. So this is high praise.

“…How many are there?”

“They’re probably all dead.”

“…”

Helios’s face turned a bit redder. Along with a healthy flush.

“…As long as I’m better than That Guy.”

That Guy? I felt puzzled but just filed it away in my mind without asking.

“When are you going to make your wish?”

“Let me think about it a little.”

He had seemed ready to lie down and throw a tantrum if he couldn’t learn to shoot. Had he changed his mind?

I obediently let him go.

In any case, my goal was for Helios to reach the 50th Floor as quickly as possible.

Granting one wish to someone who had achieved it on his own wasn’t too great a price.

‘I should explain about the special examination.’

However, our conversation couldn’t continue any further.

“…Well, well, who do we have here.”

Because Brett, who had disappeared, appeared before our party.

* * *

“…Well, well, who do we have here.”

Haira’s voice was sharp and cutting as she said this.

It was only natural.

Ged’s Group was only now gradually getting used to fighting without Brett.

But even then, they often felt traces of Brett cutting in at the right moments and protecting them.

The party had lost their first colleague to betrayal, yet they couldn’t help but keep remembering him.

Of course, it wasn’t just because of the loss in combat power.

Mint quietly observed Ged’s Group while recalling the words of prisoner ‘Deril’, who had been her roommate when she was Boss.

“The opposite of love and affection isn’t hatred, Boss.”

“What, what? Kyaha. Love talk? Are you fucking crazy?”

“Shut up. So, the opposite of love is indifference.”

“…I don’t know why I have to listen to this, Deril.”

“Yeah, that’s it. The attitude of a Boss who’s a king but doesn’t give a damn about her subordinates’ welfare and thoughts.”

“Everyone’s living well on their own, so what’s there to worry about?”

“Ahahaha. Interesting. Keep going.”

The voice of ‘Ramona’, another roommate, came to mind intermittently as well. But anyway, she easily recalled the content of the conversation.

The saying that the opposite of love isn’t bitter hatred.

All emotions stem from interest.

That much, even Mint could understand.

Now that she had become aware of her possessiveness toward Helios, those words resonated even more.

Therefore, Ged’s Group’s fierce attitude toward Brett.

Would be proof that they couldn’t forget Brett.

“Haha, that’s right. Shamelessly… I came to ask for forgiveness.”

Brett, kneeling before the party, said.

“Could you take me back?”

Whatever had happened, Brett’s face was in a terrible state.

Swollen and covered in bruises.

He was also limping. This was probably what someone would look like if they’d been beaten nearly to death and hadn’t received proper healing.

‘He didn’t hold back at all, did he?’

Mint briefly thought of Hades.

It was impressive that he wasn’t dead.

“Those who abandon their colleagues are severely punished even under military law. Why? Because it lowers morale and makes trust difficult to restore.”

“…”

Ged’s face, which had always been cheerful and had smiled even after losing his son again on the upper floors, was now completely serious without a trace of laughter.

“Do you think what’s been lost once will return?”

Speaking like that, he did seem like a soldier.

Brett, too swollen to smile properly, still habitually pulled up the corners of his mouth as he spoke.

“I came here knowing it wouldn’t be easy. Because it was the best.”

“What was?”

“When we climb the Tower together? Haha.”

The moment Brett let out that hollow laugh. Thwack! Something hit Brett’s head and fell down.

It was a balled-up prison uniform top that had been thrown. The owner of the clothes was Seth.

Seth, who had thrown the clothes with telekinesis, was breathing heavily. His expression was indignant.

“A-apologize sincerely! E-even when friends fight, they don’t apologize while laughing. But Brett, you did something much worse…!”

Brett touched his own face. His expression was strange.

Soon his face became an odd expression that was neither laughing nor crying.

“Sorry, I don’t know how to speak without laughing. When I don’t laugh, I get beaten up…”

“…”

While Seth and Ged were momentarily speechless, a voice that wasn’t buying it cut in.

Those idiots and pushovers might not know, but at least Haira was skilled at reading expressions even on such a swollen face.

“Where are you trying to sell your sob story?”

Brett, who had been silent for a moment, awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

“…Hahaha, did I get caught?”

Haira could tell. Brett was sincere. That’s why her anger flared up. Her fury boiled over.

If he was going to sincerely regret and repent, then why did he do such a thing in the first place?

He shouldn’t have done it from the beginning.

But the reason she couldn’t say anything was because she too was such a criminal who ended up here.

“I missed you, Haira.”

“Tch, now you’re adding sweet talk to the mix.”

He was acting smooth, but she could feel that his strength was drained. Did he get thoroughly beaten up after entering the Tower?

Blood is thicker than water, so if he was going to get beaten up, she hoped it was by Boss or Garret.

In the end, it meant she was no different from Ged and Seth, whom she had called pushovers and idiots.

“This place is full of betrayal just like you said when you left. I have a sharp tongue, but I’m ultimately just one of those ordinary traitors too.”

Haira clicked her tongue.

“It’s also ridiculous that you’re saying you want to come back.”

She found herself absurd for softening while saying this.

Is forgiveness appropriate in this prison? Do they have the right? She didn’t know Brett’s circumstances, but this prison was a place where they too could stand at crossroads of choice.

She just had slightly better luck. The luck of Helios and Garret.

Most importantly, even if they forgave because they were pushovers, it wasn’t just their problem alone.

“When all is said and done, the biggest victim is Boss.”

They only ended with feeling betrayed, but Helios was different.

“Boss nearly lost his life in the Tower, and if it weren’t for Sir Garret, he would have experienced death. You know well what that means.”

Helios glanced at Mint.

“So Boss will make the decision. At least I’ll follow Boss’s judgment.”

Following that, Ged and Seth showed agreement with Haira’s words.

“I-I also agree with Sister’s words…”

Mint watched with interest.

Usually in this place, a traitor’s fate was one of two things.

Either they died from retaliation, or the traitor joined another Fam.

Sometimes they would rejoin the groups they had betrayed, but that was only due to profit relationships and was extremely rare.

Moreover, while they were compensating for combat power losses, accepting Brett wouldn’t bring much benefit.

It would be different if they brought in a new person instead.

‘They don’t know that Helios nearly died for real from Hades’ Dagger.’

Usually, people don’t come back asking for forgiveness to restore trust relationships. In the end, they’re all the same vicious prisoners.

This kind of thing was possible thanks to Helios. He had a talent for creating miraculous situations.

‘Well, he’s not actually a prisoner to begin with.’

Mint liked his righteousness that others might find frustrating.

Like how you want something even more when it’s clean and shining among a bunch of dirty things.

She thought Helios would forgive him. So she watched with great interest.

“I don’t particularly intend to forgive him.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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