I Was Hired by the Black-Minded Prince for My Life's Ransom - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 51. Can Hope Torture Even Work Without Hope?
“…Pardon?”
The Strange Man’s mouth fell open in bewilderment.
He seemed not to understand what Yurian had just said.
“Did you say… t-tenacious, sir?”
His voice trembled faintly.
Yet Yurian merely smiled benevolently.
“Me? Hardly.”
“But surely….”
“You’ve been confined so long, you must be hearing things. Poor soul.”
The man couldn’t speak against the genuine pity in his tone.
He only stared at Yurian blankly.
His expression suggested he sensed something was fundamentally wrong.
Yet he merely worked his lips soundlessly.
“Hearing things….”
His murmur sounded strangely hollow.
“Yes, that must be it.”
…….
“The Saint would never say such a thing, would he?”
He mumbled as if talking to himself.
Not to me, nor to Yurian—neither, it seemed.
Just a bizarre muttering, as if struggling to convince himself.
“It can’t be… He never objected even when I tried to kill him.”
His voice faded to almost nothing, his head drooping.
He gazed into empty space as if reciting something.
“Yes, even then he spared me.”
Goosebumps rose across my skin.
The sensation crawled up both my cheeks, and I moved closer to Yurian.
‘His eyes….’
Something seemed profoundly broken there.
No sane person could wear such an expression.
No, no—he couldn’t be.
His face bore the desperate need to believe Yurian was his savior.
Yurian gazed down at him gently and asked softly.
“You’ve suffered greatly, haven’t you?”
“Saint….”
As if his words were the spark, the man’s face contorted.
The Strange Man pressed himself against the Iron Door, his voice hoarse.
“You are a good man, are you not?”
One step.
“A good man would….”
Two steps.
“Come to rescue me, wouldn’t he?”
Clang.
He staggered forward and seized the bars.
“Isn’t that right?”
Veins bulged across the backs of his hands.
His bloodshot eyes trembled as if demanding an answer.
Then, unable to restrain himself any longer, he shook the Iron Door violently.
“Please!”
Clang-clang!
“Please, let me out!”
His eyes, shot through with red, fixed on Yurian.
“I think I’m dying, please, I’m begging you!”
Bang, bang!
“If you’ll just let me out of here, I’ll do anything!”
His voice cracked.
His eyes were so bloodshot that the tears pooling there looked like blood itself.
“So please, please save me, won’t you?”
Listening to that wail, a chill ran down my spine.
Mad. There was no other word for that man.
That wasn’t simply the face of someone who wanted to live.
The look of someone who would shatter into madness the moment salvation slipped away.
Without thinking, I had seized the hem of Yurian’s robe.
A large hand gripped my shoulder with surprising gentleness.
“Are you frightened?”
‘…Your Highness!’
“Coward.”
His tone held a note of mockery.
When I looked up at him, his eyes curved downward in a kindly expression.
“That man won’t be leaving this place, so don’t worry yourself.”
‘Why… why not?’
“Because I have no intention of rescuing him.”
Isn’t that obvious?
He added this with perfect composure, tilting his head slightly.
“He came after my life, and yet I’m still breathing. He ought to be grateful for that much alone.”
Those gently curved eyes seemed utterly sincere.
…I see. So he has no intention of letting him out.
I nodded in understanding.
Then I could rest easy.
After all, that man wouldn’t be able to breach this thick iron door.
Sensing my relief, Yurian smiled faintly and turned his attention back to the Strange Man.
He wrapped his hand gently around the Strange Man’s fingers where they gripped the iron bars, and his eyes crinkled warmly.
“Of course I’ve come to save you.”
“Truly, Your Highness?”
“Without question. It is the duty of the Imperial Family to care for the people.”
Translated in His Highness’s way, it meant: by isolating a worthless wretch like you, I protect the virtuous citizens.
But the Strange Man, oblivious to such deeper meaning, brightened immediately.
His face lit up like someone who had finally grasped a rope thrown to a drowning man.
“Thank you, thank you so much, Your Highness…!”
He extended his hand through the iron bars.
Yurian took it without hesitation.
Then he spoke with infinite gentleness.
“But there is no rushing matters.”
“What? But why…”
“Don’t you think I should first know who reduced you to this state?”
“…Ah!”
The Strange Man’s eyes went blank and he nodded.
“That’s right, that’s right. That damned gray-haired bastard….”
“Tell me from the beginning, step by step.”
“I thought it would be over in just a few days. He said if I just held on, he’d get me out.”
The man mumbled, his voice trembling.
That damned gray-haired bastard….
I glanced sideways and saw Yurian watching the Strange Man with a drowsy smile.
His expression hadn’t changed.
But I could detect a glimmer of interest flickering in his eyes.
“Brother, what did this gray-haired man tell you? You can speak freely with me.”
“S-Saint….”
The Strange Man wiped away his tears and drew a shaky breath.
He gripped Yurian’s hand tightly as he spoke.
“That man… he said he would let me live.”
“Let you live?”
“The 2nd Prince ordered him to kill me.”
The memory seized him, and the man trembled violently.
“He said if I wanted to survive, I should stay here for a while. He said once things calmed down, he could use me again… Damn it!”
Bang!
The iron bars shuddered again.
The instability was palpable in the very air.
“If I’d known I’d have to live like this, I’d have just died!”
“My, you mustn’t say such things.”
Yurian raised his eyebrows with theatrical mockery and shook his head.
Then he patted the Strange Man’s hand—the one holding his own—with his other hand.
He opened his mouth with an air of genuine sympathy.
“Who was it that tormented you so?”
“That bastard….”
The man trembled.
Even the thought of him kindled a fury that rose in his throat.
“He was a nobleman. I heard his name, but… damn it, I can’t….”
“Take your time. What was his name?”
“…Kyle! It was definitely Kyle!”
“Kyle.”
Yurian’s eyes widened languidly.
A gray-haired aristocrat.
Without thinking, I looked at Yurian.
Yurian was looking at me too.
Our eyes met briefly.
‘A sibling?’
[He is a sibling.]
The 4th Prince.
He’d locked the Strange Man away here in secret from the 2nd Prince.
[This is quite interesting.]
Yurian’s eyes narrowed.
I nodded in agreement.
We were of the same mind.
‘This doesn’t look like a good intention, does it?’
[He was sharpening his blade in his own way…. So the 4th Prince is indeed Ozwald.]
A smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
It was the peculiar smile of one who had stumbled upon an unexpected secret.
[It was worth coming to the Confinement Chamber.]
He withdrew his hand from the Strange Man’s grasp with a benevolent smile.
The gesture was so natural that the Strange Man unwittingly loosened his grip and flailed about.
Mad anxiety flickered again in his eyes.
“Your Highness… why are you taking your hand away? Have I done something wrong?”
……
“You are rescuing me, aren’t you? Yes?”
His eyes, burst with broken capillaries and blood-red, moved grotesquely back and forth between Yurian and me.
I flinched, and Yurian moved in front of me, speaking softly.
“Of course.”
“Then, right now….”
“But there is something you must do first.”
Something to do?
The Strange Man looked up at Yurian with vacant eyes.
Yurian whispered his words.
“When I bring the key, you must stay quiet and give no sign that you’ve met me.”
Clank.
Yurian gave the Lock hanging on the Iron Door a light tug.
“Make sure this Lock doesn’t get replaced with something more intricate and heavy, understood?”
“Yes… yes, I understand.”
The man nodded eagerly, his face brightening at once.
He then made the gesture of sealing his lips.
“Your Highness was never here. I have been alone the entire time.”
“Well done.”
“I will wait quietly, giving nothing away….”
“Yes.”
Yurian nodded with a beautiful smile.
“Then take care of yourself.”
He draped his arm lightly around my shoulders and turned to leave.
I was drawn along by his hand, moving away from the Confinement Chamber, and whispered softly.
“Is this Psychological Torment?”
“Who can say.”
Yurian smiled tenderly and whispered.
“How can psychological torment work if there’s no hope to begin with?”
…Truly despicable.
I shook my head, and he let out a soft laugh, leaning close to my ear.
“Vanillin, let’s go back up. I think we’ll need to keep up the pretense of being bound a little longer.”

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