I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 53

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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 53

Haira recalled the moment when Helios first stepped forward.

“That bastard, isn’t he the one who… with the guard?”

What started as light provocation escalated uncontrollably into vicious insults filled with malice, befitting the worst prison.

Their targeting of Helios was childish jealousy and fighting spirit, an outburst of inferiority complex.

A prisoner with a guard by his side, and moreover, a prisoner who climbed the Tower at an astonishing speed, skipping grades.

After news spread that he had rejected a scouting offer from the ‘Tower Committee’ which included several High-Grade Prisoners, prisoners of similar or one or two grades higher harbored malice.

Or they developed the determination to drag him into their Fam by any means necessary.

It wasn’t that Mint didn’t know this.

However, Haira’s words gave her a chance to reflect on why she had reacted so sensitively.

“Woooah!”

“He’s down again. He’s down again!”

Just then, Helios’s fight came to an end.

Where he stood breathing heavily, as many as six people lay fallen.

Opponents he had defeated alone.

“Isn’t Cakt intermediate grade?”

“G-Grade 2, they said…!”

Among the fallen was even an intermediate/Grade 2 prisoner. A prisoner two grades higher than Helios.

“Hah, hah.”

Mint and Helios’s eyes met. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand and averted his gaze.

Mint’s sleeve was gently tugged.

“Boss…”

It was Seth.

“W-We fought because those guys who came at us insulted you, Boss…!”

“…”

“You’re someone we’re grateful to, Boss! Even though we’re prisoners, we can’t stand for that kind of thing…!”

Seth was the youngest among Ged’s Group. Though he was clearly an adult, having just passed twenty.

Because his childhood was marked by abuse, his immature, almost juvenile behavior often showed through.

Such Seth’s eyes were shining with determination that had somehow overcome his timidity.

It was blind admiration.

“O-Of course, we’re really sorry for fighting without finishing training…”

“Haha, right. Sorry, Boss.”

Following Brett’s and then Ged and Haira’s apologies, Mint slowly tilted her head.

“Boss, how did you do that? That was really amazing!”

“Wow, you actually knocked all those guys down? Now there won’t be any more fights!”

“You’re the best, Boss!”

It was a familiar thing for Mint.

Faces and gazes filled with admiration and longing, and even unconditional devotion that she had never wanted.

Deril was like that, and so were the female prisoners including Doris, and even the male prisoners including the twins.

Some followed her to an almost excessive degree.

But Mint felt nothing from this admiration and loyalty.

She thought it was emotion born of necessity, emotion that would naturally fade if she disappeared.

“…You don’t need to apologize.”

Mint reached out and patted Seth’s head. Since Seth was somewhat taller, he looked bewildered.

“You can do whatever you want.”

No words of thanks came from Mint for fighting to defend her honor.

Seth considered this natural.

“S-still, I’m sorry…”

The young admiration and blind devotion from Ged’s group reminded her of the past, but Mint had likewise never once wanted such things.

Not in the past, not now.

But why.

Mint’s gaze turned toward Helios once again.

When she turned her gaze, the sight of the disciple quickly averting his eyes was pathetic.

And yet why. Are you different.

Mint gestured.

“Follow me.”

Once the fight ended, the prisoners who had gathered lost interest and dispersed long ago.

That Helios had heard Mint’s words could be seen from his flinching shoulders.

Mint walked silently.

When they finally arrived at the quiet training corner where she usually practiced, she turned her head.

Helios also stopped, keeping a distance of about three steps.

When Mint turned her head, she could see Helios’s pale face. There was a wound on his cheek.

‘Should I have had Seth heal him first?’

While Mint was thinking briefly, a childish expression crossed Helios’s face.

“…I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Mint raised her gaze.

Not just the cheek.

“That’s definitely.”

Though it was admirable that he had defeated someone two levels higher, his body was a mess. Blood was flowing from torn places.

“I did wrong.”

“…”

“—is what I’m hearing.”

“…”

“Isn’t that right, baby?”

Feeling like he had become a young and childish fool, Helios bit his lips tightly.

It was true.

Mint had said she would gladly exclude those who approached, and he had raised his fist in defiance of Mint’s words.

“Yeah, that’s right. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

But hearing such an indifferent response, as if she had no interest in such behavior.

This was something he hadn’t expected.

He thought she might get angry, but he could hardly picture her showing anger.

Every time, she appeared detached, as if uninterested in life itself or anything else.

But to acknowledge it so casually? This wasn’t right.

An inexplicable anxiety welled up inside him.

“Master.”

Helios grabbed Mint’s hand. Of course, this was only possible because Mint had sensed his approach in advance and allowed it.

“Are you going to abandon me now?”

Though Mint seemed indifferent and uninterested in everything, Helios knew it himself.

That she cared more than anyone about matters concerning herself.

But for her to respond so indifferently, there could only be one reason, right? She had grown tired of him. He had become useless.

And she was planning to abandon him.

“Don’t tell me you’re petty enough to abandon someone for breaking your word just once? I must have misjudged you.”

“…”

“But how can you make such decisions on your own?”

Mint was actually… bewildered.

‘What is he talking about right now?’

Mint had brought Helios purely because there were many people in that place.

Since many were paying attention to her, a prisoner who was actually a guard at heart, she couldn’t have a proper conversation, so she had brought him along.

She was puzzled by his unexpected outburst-like words.

‘At what point exactly did he conclude that I was abandoning him?’

The Helios before her was breathing heavily and grumbling.

His broad shoulders moving as he huffed, his cheeks flushed red from anger.

Most importantly, he was no longer avoiding her gaze. A subtle satisfaction bloomed within her.

Mint chuckled softly.

That expression made her feel like he was depending on her.

“Your way of thinking is quite extraordinary.”

One of Mint’s hands tapped lightly on the back of his hand that was still gripping hers.

As if telling him to calm down first.

“Where exactly did you conclude that I was abandoning you?”

“That’s because, Master…!”

Helios paused when he saw Mint’s eyes narrow slightly in amusement.

He chose to cover his own mouth instead.

‘I’ve been had. No, did I fall for my own scheme?’

Ridiculously, rather than feeling frustrated or furious at being outwitted as usual, relief came first.

Of course, he was somewhat frustrated on one hand. Why did she have to confuse people like this?

“Why aren’t you saying more? What are you throwing away?”

“…I misunderstood. If not, then never mind.”

“I see, I see, was Baby scared he’d be abandoned?”

“…”

Helios stared at Mint with a coldly hardened expression while covering his mouth. It was an incredulous face.

It was quite a talent to deliver such lines every time without even smiling, completely expressionless.

Helios flinched at Mint’s touch as she grabbed his wrist.

Mint casually pulled his hand away from his mouth.

“Don’t cover it.”

Mint’s eyes wouldn’t leave his wound.

Not stopping there, her gaze swept from his head to his toes.

Helios instinctively tensed under her somewhat persistent stare.

“…I’ll ask just one thing.”

The question he had wanted to ask on the 33rd Floor, the Fairy Tale Floor, but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to ask.

‘Is Master a woman?’

Instead of this question, he had ended up asking something else. After that, Helios thought and thought again before reaching a conclusion.

“Mas…”

“Hmm.”

Before his conclusion could leave his mouth, Mint’s hand grabbed his collar and yanked him forward.

Helios felt bewildered yet familiar with this. It had already happened several times before.

“…What are you doing?”

“You’re badly hurt. Against small fry.”

Helios bristled.

“Master might see it that way, but for me!”

“It must have been difficult.”

The teal eyes before him seemed to curve ever so slightly.

“But your wounds bother me.”

Mint’s hand left his collar and grasped Helios’s chin.

“Don’t let anyone lay a hand on you.”

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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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