Page 186

I glanced at the door several times while processing the documents. I read a few lines and then looked up, went back to reading, and then looked up again after a few more lines.

I thought, ‘He'll arrive after I finish this paper’, or ‘That the door will open once I've signed this stack of documents.’ But the door remained shut despite all that, much to my frustration.

‘What's going on?’

I fidgeted with my pen, feeling anxious for no good reason.

This was strange. It was well past the time Carl usually arrived, and yet there was no word from him.

At first, I assumed that Carl was just busy and was running late. After all, he wasn’t a machine that was programmed to arrive at the same time every day.

But this wasn't just a slight delay. It was already past lunch.

‘There’s been no contact, either.’

My eyes drifted to the communication crystal on my desk. I would be disappointed if he sent me a message saying he'd be late or that he couldn't make it today, but then at least I wouldn't be so worried.

However, there was nothing. There wasn't a single message even after lunch had passed.

‘Should I contact him first?’

The thought crossed my mind several times, but I shook it off.

Carl wouldn't be silent without a reason. If he was too busy to even send a message, then I couldn't bring myself to disturb him first.

It always felt annoying when the communication crystal rang while I was busy. Carl probably felt the same; I couldn't just interrupt him.

‘Patience.’

I withdrew my hand, which was almost reaching for the communication crystal, and steadied myself.

Yes, let’s just wait. Carl was the type who would feel guilty and appease me more the longer I waited patiently. A little sulkiness should do the trick once he comes.

"He'll show up eventually."

I muttered to myself, perhaps wanting to hear it, and started reading the next document.

But Carl didn't arrive even when club time came.

I headed to the pastry club’s room as soon as club time started. The slight annoyance I felt dissipated in an instant.

‘He'll be there.’

I murmured to myself, biting my lip lightly. He had to be there; he must be. If Carl wasn't even in the club room, then something must be wrong.

Carl stayed at the academy because he had to keep an eye on the royals. Hence, he couldn't just leave the club where the royals gathered.

If he wasn't in the club, then what on earth could have happened that was so serious that he couldn't even perform his duties?

"Vice President?"

Caught in my anxiety, I bumped into an unexpected figure.

"Vice Principal?"

It was so unexpected that I just blinked in surprise. Wasn't he typically confined to his office?

The awkwardness of the encounter seemed mutual as it led to a brief silence before the Vice Principal cleared his throat. The expression on his face clearly conveyed sympathy.

‘Why?’

Seeing the Vice Principal here was unsettling enough, but his expression made it worse.

"Vice President. Are you heading to the pastry club’s room?"

The Vice Principal spoke first, as if he knew everything but was asking out of courtesy.

"Yes, sir. I need to ask Car—the Prosecutor something."

I almost used his name out of habit, but I quickly corrected it to ‘Prosecutor.’

The Vice Principal's face showed even deeper sympathy than before when he heard my response.

"Just go and see for yourself. You'll understand once you're there."

"Yes, I understand."

I nodded to the Vice Principal and hurried off. His words only amplified my anxiety.

Normally, such words wouldn't bother me. But why did they sound so ominous today?

"——"

"—? ——"

The noise grew louder the closer I got to the clubroom.

I couldn't make out the words, but the sounds were definitely loud. The conversations were also rapid, unlike normal chatter.

‘Please.’

With the Vice Principal's reaction earlier and the members' heated discussions—it was now clear that whatever was going on was serious, even if Carl was in the club room.

I couldn’t dare to hope for nothing to be wrong. Just... please, let it not be a major incident. I hoped it wasn't like last time when Carl was placed on probation.

Actually, it would be okay if it ended with just a probation like before. Please, anything but a bigger issue.

"Excuse me."

"So—Lady Marghetta?"

"Vice President?"

In my rush, I opened the door without knocking. It was an unladylike thing to do, but now wasn't the time for such formality.

Glancing quickly around the room, I saw club members looking back at me, their faces marked with confusion.

‘He's not here.’

However, the most important person was missing.

"Se-senior."

As I blankly stared around the room, Lady Louise cautiously approached me.

...Right, the Vice Principal said I would know if I go. I should ask Lady Louise. She'll be able to explain what's happening.

"Lady Louise. Someone is missing, right?"

At my direct question, Lady Louise was unable to speak, her eyes just darting around.

But she finally began to talk as I continued to look at her.

"Well, you see, oppa is..."

However, she stopped mid-sentence and fell silent again. Upon closer inspection, I noticed tears brimming in her eyes—she was far from okay.

Please, don't do this. What on earth is it?

"That's the thing."

Erich sighed as he spoke from the side.

"Hyung... has been imprisoned."

He said, exhaling deeply again. It seemed like he was reluctant to say it, but felt that he had no choice.

Seeing his demeanor, it looked like it took Erich a great deal of determination to share this news.

"What?"

However, the news didn't make sense to me.

What did he mean, imprisoned? Carl has been imprisoned?

...Ah, so he's on probation again.

"Is he at his quarters now?"

I tried to calm my confused thoughts and spoke.

So that was it. Carl didn't contact me because he was embarrassed about being put on probation again so soon after the last time.

Poor Carl. But even then, he should know that worrying me was worse than anything. I would need to speak sternly to him this time. But still, I shouldn't forget to comfort him...

"...He's currently in custody at the capital."

Erich's words shattered my hopeful denial.

Custody? Not just probation but actual custody?

He got away with just probation for the royal assault before. So, did this mean that something even more serious had happened?

"...Oh, no, no..."

I crumbled, finally understanding the gravity of the situation.

"Senior!"

"Lady!"

I felt hands supporting me and voices speaking beside me, but their words were muffled.

'I, I...'

I remembered waiting for Carl in the Vice President's office.

I thought that I should just trust him and that he would feel sorry and make it up to me the longer I waited.

I planned to graciously forgive him if he did, pretending I couldn't stay mad.

'Without knowing...'

I had such comforting thoughts without knowing that Carl was actually in jail.

Guilt washed over me.

***

Seeing Lady Marghetta slumped in her chair made my heart ache.

Her murmured words were so soft that they were almost inaudible, and her tears eventually fell.

All of us understood her pain, so we pretended not to notice. How could anyone remain unaffected while knowing that their loved one was in jail?

Yes, I understand. I would have cried too if Lady Marghetta hadn't arrived.

When we arrived at the clubroom, the Vice Principal was waiting there instead of oppa and left these incomprehensible words before quickly leaving the scene.

I nearly collapsed when I finally understood, just like Lady Marghetta had done. But I was able to hold back after seeing her in greater shock.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Even during Rutis’s incident, it ended with just probation."

Whispers came from behind, spoken quietly out of consideration for Lady Marghetta.

"Does anyone know?"

"How could we? We don’t even have a clue.”

Everyone nodded at these words. It would have been sad yet understandable if this imprisonment were related to Rutis's injury, but this sudden imprisonment made no sense.

"We'll have to go see for ourselves."

Erich's quiet comment drew everyone's attention, including Lady Marghetta's.

Despite trying to be discreet, Lady Marghetta heard everything. Erich seemed flustered by her gaze, but he composed himself and continued.

"It's the weekend starting tomorrow. I'll go to the capital to check."

"Then we should—"

"The high-ranking ones should stay here. What would it look like if royalty visited the institution?"

Erich quickly dismissed Rutis's suggestion. It made sense, given that it wasn't a long stay like during the vacation but a day trip. Besides, bringing royalty would only complicate things.

His argument was persuasive, so everyone agreed. I also didn't object to being excluded.

"I will go, too."

Lady Marghetta's quiet interjection was anticipated by everyone, so Erich silently nodded.

***

I really wish he would just disappear.

"But it's a five-day leave, right? How do you feel?"

"I feel like biting my tongue and dying, so please just go."

"Oh dear. If you die, someone has to stay behind and clean up your body."

This fucking crazy old man. Just leave me alone.

Facing the sneering Minister was draining my mental strength in real time.

I knew it. If it were him, he'd rush here faster than anyone else. It would have been strange if he were late.

'Because I did the same.'

The Minister behind bars? That was something I'd laugh about for at least a month. The Minister clearly felt the same.

But I didn't expect him to show up less than an hour after I was imprisoned.

‘This is really too much.’

Predicting this situation, I had requested no visitors for today. I couldn't muster the courage to face anyone else given my current state of mind.

And the Minister, who had also been imprisoned before, knew that this was the weakest time for a prisoner.

So, despite the no-visit order, he filed an emergency visitation request under the pretext of 'financial ministry business.'

'It’s nonexistent.'

Of course, there was no such business. It was just an excuse to see me.

Meeting with a prisoner who had declined visits should warrant an official report, but the Minister chose to tease me, considering a report a small price to pay.

"The first day might be cold, but you'll get used to it."