Chapter: 192
My arms were starting to go numb. Since earlier, the legs that had been tightly bound were also twitching a little.
While my body continuously sent distress signals, I couldn’t do anything about it. This situation was my own karma, after all.
“Um…”
I tentatively opened my mouth, hoping that perhaps—
“No.”
“Okay.”
Marghetta’s firm refusal made me snap my mouth shut immediately. I hadn’t even finished speaking yet.
“I’m not letting you go until club time.”
Saying that, Marghetta hugged me tighter, as if she was already scolding me for trying to escape. What could I do? It was Marghetta after all. Even if I felt a bit uncomfortable, I had to comply willingly.
She will let me go during club time.
She even showed some consideration in the midst of this. She truly was too good for someone like me, who deserved to be in a prison cell.
Feeling grateful, I tightened my embrace around Marghetta, who then rubbed her face against my chest, contentedly.
I feel a bit embarrassed.
I averted my gaze, feeling shy.
It wasn’t because of the hug; it wasn’t the first time we’d hugged, so why should I feel embarrassed now?
Instead, it was the pose; it seemed rather peculiar.
Thank goodness no one else is here.
I looked down at Marghetta, who was still burying her face in my chest.
She wasn’t just hugging me normally; she was sitting on my lap, her legs wrapping around my lower body, as we faced each other.
Maybe it was just me being sensitive, but wasn’t this a bit odd? It looked like a position easily misunderstood by anyone else.
But that doesn’t concern me.
No one could come here without Marghetta’s permission, so it should be fine.
Yeah, there shouldn’t be a problem. I couldn’t push Marghetta away just because I felt a bit shy. After all I’d seen earlier, how could I?
“Carl! Are you okay? You aren’t hurt anywhere, right? Did you eat properly?”
To keep my promise to visit her first after being released, I skipped the Principal’s office and headed directly to the Vice President’s office. The moment I entered, Marghetta threw aside the paperwork she’d been handling and rushed over.
It might be an exaggeration, but she checked me from head to toe, her hands frantically touching everywhere. Her urgent, tender touch was so pitiful that I couldn’t bring myself to dodge her.
“I’m okay. There’s nothing wrong.”
“Th-Thank goodness… Oh, thank goodness…”
After reassuring her several times, Marghetta finally began to calm down.
“Heuk… Heukk… Heuuk!”
Well, it didn’t seem like she completely calmed down.
Marghetta ended up thumping my chest a few times while sobbing, and though she probably thought she was hitting me, it felt more like a gentle pat from my perspective.
It didn’t hurt physically. However, it felt more like an emotional blow rather than a physical one.
“You’re so mean! You promised you wouldn’t get locked up again! You said you wouldn’t make me worry anymore!”
“I’m sorry…”
I couldn’t lift my head in front of Marghetta’s outburst as she spilled out the sorrow she’d held back for five long days.
Yeah, I had told her that. To comfort Marghetta, who was worried since I was on probation, I promised that such a thing wouldn’t happen again.
Of course, it was a promise I couldn’t keep. At that moment, I was just one report away from being imprisoned. The thought of it not happening again was utterly ludicrous; I could’ve been locked up the very next day.
And who in their right mind, after all this, would say to someone grieving over probation, “Oh, I might get locked up next time?” That’s something only the Second Prince would dare to say.
“Sit down right now.”
“Oh, yes.”
Then Marghetta sharply commanded me, her eyes narrowed with intensity.
She seemed to be trying to look intimidating, but honestly, she was more adorable than scary, her eyes still red from crying.
Of course, I couldn’t say that to her face.
After complying with her command and sitting on the sofa, Marghetta sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around my back…
“I won’t let you go. Carl is mine for today.”
She declared it as if she was notifying me to prepare for war.
The last remnants of my conscience kept me from firing back with “Haven’t I always been yours?”
If this helps her feel better, so be it.
I gently stroked Marghetta’s head. It seemed only right to go along with her declaration, even if she claimed me not just for today but for the next five days too.
Let’s hang out like this until her tears dry.
*
I couldn’t lift my face from Carl’s chest.
How embarrassing…
As soon as I saw Carl, I lost my composure. Relief and resentment surged through me when I confirmed he was unharmed.
Yet, I couldn’t maintain my usual dignity.
What if he dislikes me for being such an undignified lady?
However, it was too late. I had already burst into tears in front of Carl and even physically assaulted a man who’d just been released. If he was disappointed in me, I couldn’t blame him.
Still, this was the moment when my fiancé returned from jail.
How could I hold back?
Carl said it was only for five days, but I found that hard to accept. Did the timing really matter?
Those five days felt like an eternity in hell, a period more agonizing than any. I would’ve willingly stepped into prison just to get Carl out.
Even now, I couldn’t stop the tears as I thought of Carl being locked away.
I shouldn’t be like this…
Feeling embarrassed, I burrowed into Carl’s chest. As I did, I felt his clothes getting damp with my tears.
Yet, Carl held me without complaint, gently stroking my hair.
It’s warm.
I wish we could stay like this forever.
Let’s forgive him this time.
I hated that he broke his promise and ended up imprisoned. I despised that he was not only on probation but actually locked away, but the hardest part was probably for Carl himself.
Let’s let it slide this time. Yes, just this once. Really.
“Um, Marghetta?”
“No.”
While enjoying the soothing warmth between us, Carl spoke again.
I immediately denied whatever he was going to ask, assuming he would request to be let go again. No way. I could accept forgiveness, but only after he properly made it up to me first. We weren’t there yet.
But Carl let out a sheepish little laugh while looking a bit embarrassed and continued speaking.
“Do you have time this weekend?”
I almost lifted my head at his inquiry but hurriedly kept it down again. I hadn’t looked in the mirror, but I was sure my face was a total mess. I definitely didn’t want him to see it.
Seeing me remain silent, Carl chuckled again and affectionately ran his fingers through my hair.
“There’s a celebration at the Invincible Duke’s mansion this weekend for Her Highness the Crown Princess’s birthday.”
I absentmindedly nodded; I remembered the mention of it from earlier. Father had suggested attending together, but I had declined, so distracted by Carl’s imprisonment and burdened with student council duties…
“I’ve also received an invitation from the Invincible Duke, but I don’t have a partner. Going alone wouldn’t feel sincere either, so I hesitated.”
Hearing this, my heart began to race.
Weekend, celebration, and partner. If I didn’t catch on to what he was hinting at, then I wouldn’t qualify as either a noble or a human.
Partner.
That word made my heart flutter. Attending the celebration with Carl as my partner…
It wasn’t just any gathering; it was the Crown Princess’s birthday, a gathering of the most notable figures—almost like a mini New Year’s Ball.
To attend proudly as Carl’s partner at such an event?
That’s exceptional.
A grin crept across my lips. Just by showing up, I could flaunt my relationship with Carl in social circles. Within a day after the celebration, the entire empire—and maybe even the continent—would know.
“Do you remember the club fair? I mentioned back then that if it’s okay with you, I’d like to be your partner…”
I recalled that day—the monumental moment when I had the honor of taking Carl’s first dance.
And how touching it was! He remembered that casual remark.
“Will you be my partner?”
“I will!”
I instinctively lifted my head, only to realize I shouldn’t have done that.
I had stayed quiet to hide my face from him, but I foolishly let it slip.
“Thank you, Mar.”
Seeing Carl smile as if nothing was amiss brought me tremendous relief.
*
The moment I asked Marghetta to be my partner, her mood seemed to skyrocket.
Her teary eyes were now beaming with laughter, and her face that had been buried in my chest was finally revealed.
Crying and then laughing…
I briefly entertained a wildly inappropriate thought and quickly shook my head. But it was true—crying followed by laughter made her look really pretty.
Internally apologizing to Marghetta, I picked up my pace. The conversation had dragged on longer than expected, and I found myself running late for club time.
It’s my first day back.
To mark my return with a tardy arrival felt like a unique form of torture. What sort of twisted fate was this?
Regardless, I hurried along and soon reached the club room.
“Oppa!”
“Sorry, I’m a bit late.”
Louise, who had been pacing around the room, rushed towards me as I opened the door without knocking.
“Thank goodness! I was worried you might still be stuck underground…!”
I could only manage a bittersweet smile at Louise’s sigh of relief. It made perfect sense to think that if the supposedly released person was nowhere to be found.
After giving her shoulder a few pats to show that I was indeed okay, I turned to see the other club members approaching.
I privately felt grateful for them. I had worried they might swarm in for a visit during my imprisonment, but fortunately, it was just Louise and Erich.
What a sight that would’ve been!
The guard might have accidentally bitten his tongue out of shock.
“Advisor, are you okay?”
Rutis was the first to come close, cautiously inquiring about my well-being. His face wore an unusually solemn expression.
It felt strange to see him this way, especially since he had been the one who pulled off the “tofu cake” prank during my probation. I totally understood, though.
Did he realize he crossed a line?
If a friend had a tonsillectomy, you’d casually munch on chicken right in front of them; that’s the sort of teasing that’s acceptable to a degree.
However, teasing someone incapacitated from a major accident? Definitely not cool—that could not pass.
“I’m fine.”
Still, knowing that he recognized the appropriate boundaries made me feel uncharacteristically proud.
Yep, our club members are ultimately good people.
“Aren’t you bringing me anything this time? I kind of looked forward to it.”
As I joked to relish the growing satisfaction, Rutis gave an awkward smile.
Sorry, I’m merely deploying the ultimate in lame club president humor—
“I have prepared something.”
?
Seriously?!
Why in the world did he have to prepare something?
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