Chapter 185: Let’s Go to Prison (3)
I glanced at the door several times while processing the documents. I read a few lines, looked up, read some more, and looked up again.
If I finish this paperwork, he should show up, right? Surely, once I sign, that door will swing open. With such thoughts, I tried to focus on work, but the door seemed to have a vendetta against me, refusing to budge no matter how impatient I became.
What’s going on?
I fiddled with my pen unnecessarily, feeling anxious for no good reason. This was strange. Carl usually arrived long ago, but still, there was no sign of him.
At first, I figured Carl was just a bit busy, hence running late. After all, he isn’t a robot, perfectly arriving at the same time every day.
But this was more than just a brief delay. It was already past lunchtime!
No word from him either.
My eyes drifted to the communication crystal on my desk. I would’ve understood if he sent a message to tell me he was late or couldn’t make it today. I’d feel disappointed, sure, but at least I wouldn’t be stuck in this worrying spiral. However, not a single message arrived, even after lunchtime.
Should I contact him first?
That idea popped into my head again for the umpteenth time, but I shook it off. Carl wouldn’t be quiet for no reason. If he was too swamped to send even a quick note, I couldn’t bring myself to bother him.
I get annoyed if the communication crystal rings while I’m busy. Carl must feel the same way; I didn’t want to interrupt him for no reason.
Patience.
I pulled back my hand that was nearly reaching for the communication crystal and steadied my thoughts.
Yes, just wait. If it’s Carl, he will feel increasingly guilty and soothe me the more I sit quietly. A little bit of sulking when he finally arrives should do the trick.
“He’ll come eventually,”
I mumbled to myself, perhaps a bit too loudly, and started reading the next document.
But Carl still didn’t show up when it was time for the club.
As soon as club time arrived, I rushed towards the pastry club’s room. The slight annoyance I felt vanished in an instant.
He has to be there.
I whispered to myself, nibbling on my lip. He must be there; it would be unusual if he wasn’t. If Carl was missing from the club room, something serious must be happening.
Carl stayed at the academy to keep an eye on the royal students, which meant he couldn’t just leave the club, where the royals gathered.
If he isn’t here… What kind of catastrophe could have happened that made him unable to do his duties?
“Vice President?”
In my anxious rush, I unexpectedly bumped into an individual.
“Vice Principal?”
I blinked in surprise. A little too surprising, since he usually never wanders out of his office.
The awkwardness seemed mutual, and after a brief silence, the Vice Principal cleared his throat. His expression clearly showed concern.
Why?
Seeing him here unsettled me, but then he looked worried, which made it worse.
“Vice President. Are you heading to the pastry club’s room?”
The Vice Principal asked first, almost as if he was aware of everything but was merely asking out of courtesy.
“Yes, I need to ask Carl… the Prosecutor something.”
I almost slipped and called him by his name out of habit but quickly corrected myself, making it sound more formal.
At my reply, the concern on the Vice Principal’s face deepened.
What on earth is happening here?
“Just go and see for yourself. You’ll understand once you’re there.”
“Yes, understood.”
I nodded curtly to the Vice Principal and hurried off. His words only amplified my anxiety.
Normally, such casual comments wouldn’t bother me. But today? Ominous vibes!
“——”
“—? ——”
As I neared the clubroom, I could hear commotion growing louder.
I couldn’t catch the exact words, but it definitely wasn’t a small noise. Conversations were racing at an unusual speed, unlike typical chit-chat.
Please…
Given the Vice Principal’s reaction and the members’ spirited discussions, it was clear that if Carl were indeed in the room, something serious was unfolding.
I couldn’t imagine nothing was wrong. Please, let it not be a major problem. Heaven forbid it’s like last time when Carl got put on probation.
Actually, just a probation like before would be just fine. Anything but a greater disaster.
“Excuse me.”
“So—Lady Marghetta?”
“Vice President?”
In a panic, I opened the door without knocking—definitely not the most ladylike move, but honestly, who cares right now?
A quick glance around the room revealed club members looking at me in shock.
He’s not here.
The most significant person was, in fact, absent.
“Se-senior.”
As I blankly stared around the room, Lady Louise cautiously approached me.
Right! The Vice Principal said I’d know if I came here. I should just ask Lady Louise. She’ll explain everything.
“Lady Louise, someone’s missing, right?”
At my blunt question, Lady Louise darted her eyes around, unable to speak.
But noticing my intensity, she finally opened up.
“Well, you see, oppa is…”
Yet, she faltered, her sentence cut off as she clammed up again. Upon closer look, she, too, had tears starting to form—definitely not a good sign.
Please don’t tell me this! What in the world is going on?
“That’s what…”
From beside us, Erich let out a heavy sigh.
“Hyung… has been imprisoned.”
He declared, exhaling again like it was a weighty admission. He looked every bit like someone who really didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news.
He seemed to have built up a lot of courage to share that.
“What?”
However, that didn’t register.
Imprisoned? Are you saying Carl is in prison?
Oh… he got put on probation again, didn’t he?
“Is he in his quarters now?”
I struggled to calm the whirlwind of confused thoughts in my head as I spoke.
So that’s it. He didn’t contact me because he was too embarrassed to let me know about getting put on probation so soon.
Poor Carl! But seriously, he should realize worrying me is a much worse offense. I’d have to lay down the law this time. Still, I shouldn’t forget to console him…
“…He’s currently incarcerated in the capital.”
Erich’s words shattered my hopeful musings.
Incarcerated? Not probation—a full-on prison term?
He had gotten away with just probation for the incident with the royal before. So did that mean something way worse had happened?
“…Oh, no, no…”
Reality hit me square in the face, causing everything to collapse around me.
“Senior!”
“Lady!”
I felt hands holding me up as voices called out near me, but their words were muffled through the fog of my thoughts.
I…
I recalled sitting in the Vice President’s office waiting for when I thought Carl would arrive.
I kept telling myself I should trust him and that he would feel guilty and want to make it up to me the longer I waited.
I believed that at least I would pretend to forgive him if he came before me, acting like I couldn’t stay mad.
Without knowing…
Even while I foolishly felt relaxed, Carl was actually behind bars, crushed under the weight of it all.
A wave of guilt washed over me.
*
Seeing Lady Marghetta drooping helplessly in her chair squeezed my heart tightly.
“Carl, Carl… I’m so sorry, Carl…”
Her voice was a whisper, nearly inaudible, until tears began cascading down.
Naturally, everyone understood her heartbreak, and we tried our best not to intrude upon her grief; how could anyone act normal with a loved one in jail?
Yup, totally understood. I’d have been in tears too had she not shown up.
“The Prosecutor is now imprisoned and won’t be coming for a while.”
Upon reaching the clubroom, we found the Vice Principal waiting in place of oppa, leaving behind those confusing words before hastily departing.
When the grim reality finally set in, I nearly crumbled like Lady Marghetta, but I managed to keep it together, only because I noticed her in even deeper shock.
What in the world is happening?
“With Rutis too, it ended with just probation, right?”
Quiet whispers drifted from behind, likely considering Lady Marghetta’s dignity.
“Anyone know what happened?”
“Of course not. No clue whatsoever.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. It would’ve been sad yet understandable if the imprisonment were for something serious like Rutis’s injury. But it was shockingly sudden without any indication.
“We have to see for ourselves.”
Erich’s quiet statement drew everyone’s eyes, Lady Marghetta included.
His attempt to remain discreet failed miserably… It was clear Lady Marghetta heard him. Erich appeared flustered under her gaze but steadied himself to continue.
“Tomorrow’s the weekend. I’ll head to the capital to check it out.”
“Then we should—”
“The high-ranking ones should stay here. Can you even imagine what will happen if royalty shows up at the institution?”
Erich hastily dismissed Rutis’s suggestion. It made sense since it wasn’t a long stay like during vacation—just a day trip—but bringing royals could complicate even the simplest matters.
His reasoning was pretty persuasive, so everyone reluctantly accepted it. I didn’t speak up to oppose my exclusion either.
“I’ll go as well.”
Lady Marghetta’s quiet interjection was something we all anticipated, so Erich merely nodded in silent acknowledgment.
*
Seriously, I wish he would just vanish!
“But isn’t it a five-day leave? How do you feel?”
“I feel like I want to bite my tongue off and die, so please just leave me be.”
“Oh dear. If you die, someone needs to clean up the mess.”
This ridiculous old man! Just go away already!
The sight of the Minister smirking at me was drains my mental fortitude in real time.
I knew it. If it was him, he’d dash over faster than anyone else. It would have been odd if he showed up late.
‘Cause, hey, I did the same thing in the past.
The Minister now stuck behind bars? That’d serve as material for laughs for at least a month. Not that the Minister would disagree.
But I didn’t expect him to arrive within an hour of my imprisonment.
This is unbelievable!
Having anticipated this situation, I’d requested no visitors today. My mental state couldn’t handle meeting anyone, not with what I was feeling.
Plus, the Minister, who’d been imprisoned before, knew all too well that this was a prisoner’s weakest moment.
So, despite my no-visit order, he filed for an emergency visit under the guise of “business from the Ministry of Finance.”
Clearly, there’s no such business.
Of course, there wasn’t any real business to discuss. It was just an excuse to get a look at me.
Meeting a prisoner who had previously declined visits should warrant a formal report, but the Minister opted to tease me instead, considering that a small price to pay.
“First day might be a bit chilly, but you’ll adapt soon enough.”
That crazy old man. Seriously, just leave already!
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