I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 188

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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 188

No matter how many times she checked, this was definitely a sense of unease.

Mint quietly stared at Hades without showing any sign of it.

Even though no answer came back, Hades only smiled as he always did.

His appearance, his voice, and even that characteristic arrogant and languid atmosphere were all the same.

It was such a subtle change that an ordinary person wouldn’t have noticed it.

But Mint was someone who had survived for a full 10 years in a prison where even small changes could put her life in danger.

Moreover, even aside from that, she lacked social awareness but possessed sharp senses for observing others.

And what about her instinctive intuition that was blatantly flashing red warning lights?

“No greeting, I see. How disappointing.”

In the room were only Hades, Mint, Helios, and the Old Attendant who had guided them here.

Mint didn’t dismiss as her own mistake the very subtle cracks and discord that others might consider a misunderstanding.

“What, you really won’t do it? A greeting.”

Mint slowly opened her mouth.

“Were you and I ever in a relationship that required greetings?”

“It would be nice if you said ‘we’ instead.”

Hades lightly curved his eyes.

“We have such tender years between us, don’t we?”

It was the moment his voice flowed out leisurely with his legs crossed.

Mint quickly extended her arm.

— It’s okay.

Mint quietly spoke to Helios in her mind.

— That bastard’s intention is exactly that.

— ….

— The more excited you get, the easier it becomes to cast Mental Realm Kia.

Of course, Helios wasn’t easily fooled and seemed to have immunity to Mental Realm Kia, but you never knew.

Since three years had passed, that bastard might have devised some new method as well.

Helios, blocked by Mint’s arm, would probably have explosively unleashed his Kia immediately if Mint hadn’t stopped him.

Mint remained perfectly calm.

As if she had known Hades would come out like this.

— …Wouldn’t one hit be okay?

That meant he was willing to go along with the intended plan just to land one punch.

Mint glanced at Helios.

— That kind of possessiveness is very nice, but I’d prefer if you only showed it to me.

— It’s not possessiveness, it’s jealousy. What the hell is that bastard to dare spout such bullshit about being tender with Master?

Since their reunion, Helios had tried not to show the same behavior he displayed in prison.

For instance, the way he used to mutter that he was being childish and acting like a “little brat.”

Even though Mint actually welcomed seeing this side of him.

However, Helios seemed unaware that his brief anger had brought back the old self he used to hate.

Mint suppressed her laughter inwardly.

‘It wouldn’t be bad if he gradually returned to his old self like this.’

She cherished and loved both the current mature and slightly twisted Helios, as well as the clumsy and righteous Helios from three years ago.

However, the being before them was still a member of the Imperial Family, and the 2nd Prince at that.

Seeing him boldly ask ‘May I hit him just once?’ made Mint momentarily agree with her brother Pontos’s words.

‘He said they were alike.’

More precisely, it would be that Helios had come to resemble Mint.

It wasn’t bad.

Rather… she was busy suppressing the corners of her mouth from rising.

Helios, who watched Mint’s every move and kept his senses sharp, couldn’t have missed this.

His mood became uncomfortable.

― …You called him a bothersome and annoying human, but now you’re suddenly pleased to see him?

― No?

― Then why.

― I smiled because of you. You’re so adorable. Can’t I carry you around in my pocket?

― ….

Mental conversations were much faster than regular spoken dialogue since they involved flowing one’s will into the other’s mind using Kia as a medium.

In reality, only a very brief moment of silence had passed in This Space.

― …If you wish.

So, Helios suddenly became a strange person who cleared his throat in the silence and slightly colored his cheeks.

Though he himself paid no attention to anyone other than Mint.

― …Please do as you’re comfortable.

At those words, Mint pondered very briefly. It was nice that he gave permission, but…

‘Can I actually fit that big frame in a pocket?’

Wouldn’t she need a very large pocket? But at that point, wouldn’t it be a sack rather than a pocket?

Mint briefly postponed her short contemplation and raised her head again.

“Your business.”

Mint nodded her head.

Hades had been quietly observing the two people sitting on the platform even during the silence. At her words, his dark red eyes briefly deepened.

“Oh my, do you see me now?”

Certainly his sly voice and terribly aristocratic manner of speech remained the same.

However.

‘That bastard tolerated the silence.’

Mental Kia Users are sensitive to Kia presence.

He couldn’t have missed that some kind of signal had passed between Mint and Helios during this silence.

‘Something is definitely different.’

Mint slowly clenched and unclenched her fist.

Would there be a fight?

Since This Place was Hades’s space, it wouldn’t be strange if that bastard had set some kind of trap.

But here, it wasn’t just Mint, but also Helios, who had now become one of the strongest fighters in combat.

‘If it comes to it, we could suppress them and force our way in.’

The decisive reason Mint decided to come to this place was because of the second letter Hades had sent.

The ‘phrase’ written in that letter.

It was the moment Mint thought this.

Thud thud thud!

The sound of knocking on the giant door rang out. Not only Mint and Helios, but Hades also turned his head.

“…I’ll go check, Your Highness.”

Soon the old attendant who had left earlier returned and whispered something to Hades.

Whether it was protected by Kia, the sound couldn’t be heard.

‘He blocked it.’

Hades’s expression seemed unchanged, but if you looked closely, it was subtle.

“Oh my. Tell them to come in.”

Soon the giant door opened smoothly.

The person who entered from beyond the door was another attendant. However, his attire was different.

“I greet Your Highness.”

After the attendant politely bowed to Hades, he turned around. This time he looked at Helios and bowed.

“And I greet Duke Alpeion.”

“…”

The attendant then introduced himself as the Emperor’s attendant.

“His Majesty urgently seeks Duke Alpeion.”

Though they had arrived secretly, the Emperor also knew of Helios’s arrival.

In fact, it wasn’t particularly surprising.

Neither Mint nor Helios was shaken. However, Helios frowned slightly.

“I have companions.”

“His Majesty commanded that the Duke come alone.”

In that moment, uncontrolled Kia threatened the attendant.

“…I am merely, delivering, a message.”

The Emperor’s attendant broke out in cold sweat but finished speaking in a trembling voice.

“Also, if you come this time… he said he would give you an ‘answer’ to your previous question.”

“…”

Mint didn’t miss the moment Helios hesitated.

The Emperor’s ‘answer.’

Mint deduced without difficulty.

There were two things Helios might ask the Emperor about.

First. The bet between the previous Duke Alpeion and the Emperor that had unjustly sent him to prison.

Second. The fact that the previous Duke Alpeion was suddenly killed by a newly appeared serial killer.

The reason for asking the Emperor about the second was simple.

Because the murderer was someone connected to the Imperial Court.

— Go and come back.

Helios flinched. This was brief, but stubbornness appeared on his prickly face. Mint watched it all.

“I’m not going.”

Helios answered coldly and bluntly. Speaking out loud was probably for the attendant to hear.

― There must be something you absolutely need to hear an ‘answer’ to.

Mint thought this was also what Hades wanted. If he didn’t go to see the Emperor, there was a high possibility of retaliation given the current Emperor’s personality.

Was there any need for Alpeion to be hated because of that bastard?

― Don’t you trust me?

Even as Mint said this, she briefly thought it was strange. Indeed, if she were Helios, would she be able to trust herself?

‘Unlikely.’

Mint decided to change her words.

― Do you think I can’t beat that one bastard?

A satisfying change. It would be easier with Helios there, but even without him, there was no reason she couldn’t beat Hades.

Helios frowned and rubbed his eyes.

― …Master, your physical condition. It’s not normal, is it?

In a sidelong glance, his ears were bright red. The sudden rubbing of his eyes and ears seemed to be to hide this.

Well, it was Helios’s fault that Mint’s physical condition wasn’t one hundred percent perfectly fine.

No.

― Why is it your fault that we rolled around in bed together?

Wasn’t it mutual?

― Ah, maybe your fault is bigger. Certainly when we were about to break the bed…

― Stop, please stop. I’ll go.

Helios let out a small sigh.

“…I’ll go.”

As he said this, Helios conveyed into her mind.

― It’s not that I don’t trust you. No, I’m trying to trust you.

It was an answer to Mint’s question.

Mint was momentarily speechless.

― We are certainly different people, but I hope our future will be peaceful like ordinary people.

That you won’t leave even if I’m away.

You might have a way to escape the brand, but even considering that possibility.

I will try to trust you once more.

For a moment, Mint couldn’t even guess what kind of feelings Helios had when saying such things.

“I’ll be back.”

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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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