The Heroine's Little Sister

Chapter 92 : Prison Visit

"Are you sure about this?" Aiden for the fifth time since we parted from his highness, Prince Alaric.

I met with them mainly to request permission to talk to the cardinal before his scheduled death. Though I can just easily sneak past the guards... but I won't. I don't have any reason to do that either.

"Yes, I'm certain about this. Aren't you the most curious as to what is your connection with him?" I answer for the fifth time.

Though I have this gut feeling that they might be blood-related at most. I mean, what are the odds of encountering another being with dragon blood be it pure or not? Rosaline told me that they might have been some of her kind that has manage to escape back then. Since she deliberately made herself the target of hate by transforming onto a dragon right in the middle of the ancient city.

"Still..." he mutters as he stares at me with a pleading look.

I have noted this for a while now but... Aiden has started displaying his emotions more and more the more he spends his time with me. Although I have been spending most of my time with my sister, Aiden together with Prince Alaric has also been spending time with us.

I think, his highness has likely asked him to help remove the awkward tension between him and my sister. Additionally, he is probably trying to help Aiden to confess his feelings for me. I'm not blind to not noting the signals they have been transmitting to one another every time they joined us at tea time.

This is also an excellent example... Ever since I request permission to see the cardinal, Aiden has been so adamant about not wanting to send me alone. As if the cardinal can assault me when I have already broken his mana core... not that they are aware of it.

He has become protective of me and is currently even acting as my own personal mage. No, not a knight... since he is not one.

"I can do this on my own. There is no need for you to worry," I said as we enter the prison and descended the stairs where the cardinal is currently being held.

I noticed that there are a lot of guards assigned to secure this prison. Considering that they were caught off guard during Lael's attack, they doubled the guards this time around.

Lael did such an excellent job last time. I heard he even tried to demolish the prison just to secure more time for our escape. Regrettably, if I have allowed us to escape back then... Then it would merely repeat the event that happened from the past timelines.

"Aiden. Stay here," I say firmly as I glance away from his pleading look.

"...Fine. Make sure not to get hurt, okay?" he responds dejectedly as he hangs his head low.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," I try to reassure him as I bestowed him a faint smile.

Those words seem enough for him to stop following me, as I walk on my own toward the last cell.

The sound of my heels echoes through the dark, gloomy, and quiet hallway as the light of the lamps guides my way. There are no other prisoners here as they were all moved to a separate floor. And since all the mana-infused crystal balls that were used by Aiden to observe me back when I was imprisoned, were destroyed. No one will be able to listen to our conversation unless they are hiding in the shadows.

As soon as I reached my destination, the cardinal merely glanced at me.

"What business do you have for someone like me?" he greeted me with his cold tone as he remained leaning on the wall while staring at the light coming from his barred-up window.

His pitiful position right now reminds me of my past. I have spent quite a long time in prison, and it feels all too familiar to me rather than anywhere in the capital. Prison feels more familiar than my own home. How funny.