I examined Cassis’s condition and furrowed my brows. Cassis was still wearing the restraints and gag for large magical beasts as I had seen earlier. Fortunately, the major wounds had been treated well, but the minor ones were still there.
I approached closely and checked his wrists and ankles. The skin rubbed by the restraints was severely peeled, to the point where just looking at it made me grimace.
When I slightly lifted his wrist, an unpleasant metallic sound came from the chain connected to the pillar. The same chain was connected to his ankle.
The room looked quite bleak. Perhaps because of that, Cassis lying alone in the middle seemed even more pitiful. At least his arms weren’t fixed to the wall like in the underground dungeon, so he looked more comfortable than then, but that was it.
First, I removed the gag from Cassis’s mouth. Since I couldn’t release the restraints, I satisfied myself by applying the medicine I had brought separately to his wrists and ankles and wrapping bandages. I also carefully checked the other wounds on his body and treated the parts that weren’t fully healed myself.
I knew it, but the way this household treated toys was really too much. Well, was it only the toys? In this Agriche, what isn’t harsh, what isn’t excessive?
After finishing the treatment, I didn’t leave Cassis’s side immediately and stared down at the face in front of me. The unconscious Cassis had a very docile expression as expected. The Agriche that turned a boy with such a kind and pure impression into this state felt like an extremely vile existence.
No, of course, the Agriche is indeed the clear evil of this world that should disappear.
I sighed and plopped down, leaning against the wall. Lately, compared to other times, I’d been thinking too much, so I felt a bit tired. Perhaps because I’d been unconsciously worrying and tense about Cassis, the fatigue was hitting me belatedly.
I glanced at Cassis beside me. His wounded body lying on the bare floor looked particularly pitiful today.
I looked at him for a moment, then approached Cassis a bit more. Then, I placed his head on my lap. A heavy weight settled on the thin fabric. Still, it should be a little more comfortable than just lying on the floor, even if it’s my leg as a pillow.
Although it was unavoidable, the fact that I had ignored Cassis being beaten by Land Agriche earlier made me feel unnecessarily guilty, so doing this… was true.
While watching Cassis being attacked, my conscience, which I had momentarily forgotten while living in Agriche, pricked at me sharply.
Also, seeing Cassis like this, I felt a bit sorry for him. In Pedelian, he must have been the proud young noble son loved and respected by everyone. No one would have doubted that a brilliant future lay ahead of him.
But in the novel, Cassis died in a very miserable way. Even until three years after Sylvia revealed the truth about her brother’s disappearance, no one knew about his death.
Jeremy was a nasty villain in the novel, but when it came to the woman he liked, he had a sucker side and a blind side. So, he spilled everything he knew about Cassis who died in Agriche to the Sylvia he had kidnapped.
Cassis was toyed with as a plaything in Agriche and eventually died after being horribly broken. Being broken included both mental and physical meanings.
How harsh the time Cassis spent in Agriche was wasn’t described in detail in the story, and I don’t remember it that precisely either. But I clearly remembered the fact that there was no glory or condolences in Cassis’s death.
Facing someone who had such a future ahead like this made me feel a bit strange.
Well, my future was just as dark.
If I looked in the mirror right now, I could witness one more person scheduled to die at a young age.
“I don’t want to die…”
To do that, I first had to save Cassis. But if I failed to get him out of Agriche…
Hmm, then maybe I should coax Jeremy. To prevent him from kidnapping Sylvia later.
No, perhaps it would be better if Jeremy and Sylvia never met in the first place.
Of course, this is something I can plan anew if things don’t go well later. While thinking various thoughts again, I unconsciously moved my hand. Before I knew it, I was gently stroking Cassis’s hair like I do with Jeremy. Doing this, an untimely peaceful feeling came over me.
Once I brought Cassis into my space, my mind felt a bit at ease. Now, it finally felt like Cassis was truly in my hands.
There were cases where siblings shared toys, but those with strong possessiveness like Charlotte or Jeremy didn’t have such hobbies.
So, I can make an excuse like that appropriately. Then, I can keep Cassis by my side much safer than when he was in the underground dungeon.
Of course, Land Agriche wouldn’t want Cassis to live comfortably under me, so I needed to pay attention to how it appeared on the surface.
Then, suddenly, I felt a strange sensation and lowered my gaze. Cassis receiving my touch still had his eyes closed. Because I touched it, his disheveled hair from earlier was covering his forehead.
“But it’s strange.”
I muttered softly without realizing it. Because a doubt suddenly arose from the texture felt by my fingers.
“Did someone wash him in the meantime? Why is his hair so soft?”
The hair of Cassis entwined in my hand was very soft, no less than Jeremy’s. It even swayed with a freshly washed, fluffy feel.
But unlike Jeremy, who was living comfortably in Agriche with some young master treatment, Cassis was someone who had been toyed with for days and nights in the underground dungeon.
I knew well that in that harsh environment, not to mention washing, he couldn’t even eat or sleep properly and was only occasionally whipped.
As evidence, Cassis’s body was still soaked in blood just as it was. Even the hair I was touching had red bloodstains on it.
Seeing that, it was obvious no one had washed him…
The reason I felt a sense of incongruity from Cassis, who was being dragged away covered in blood earlier, was similar to this.
“There’s no smell either.”
Come to think of it, it wasn’t just now, it seemed like it had been that way from the underground dungeon onwards. Right at the moment I muttered that to myself, I felt Cassis’s head under my hand twitch ever so slightly.
It was an extremely subtle movement. If our bodies weren’t in contact like this, I definitely wouldn’t have noticed it.
At that moment, a sudden thought flashed through my mind, and I flinched, narrowing my eyes.
…Could this person be awake right now?
Usually, someone pretending to be unconscious would show some sign no matter how hard they tried. Especially when they’re as close as this, with our bodies pressed so tightly.
Even the breathing differs between someone conscious and unconscious. But Cassis had no suspicious signs at all, so I naturally thought he was really passed out.
Even now, he was lying quietly with his eyes closed, breathing in shallow, steady breaths without any fluctuation.
I observed Cassis for a moment, but it remained the same even after time passed.
So, I became puzzled.
If Cassis had indeed regained consciousness, could he hide his agitation this well? Actually, the head could move even while really asleep.
Then, was it just my imagination?
Still, I didn’t completely let go of my suspicion and looked down at Cassis’s face.
Hmm. Just in case, maybe I should do some groundwork considering the slightest possibility.
“…Talking like this to someone who’s unconscious is a bit funny.”
I opened my mouth again and let out a small voice as if talking to myself.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop it earlier.”
If Cassis was really unconscious right now, that was fine, and if he was just pretending, that was okay too.
“But I couldn’t step in at that moment.”
Of course, it would be better if he heard the words I was murmuring now.
“But from now on, that won’t happen. Now that you’ve become mine, no one else can touch you carelessly.”
In this household, nominal things were more important than one might think. So from now on, even Land Agriche couldn’t handle Cassis, who had become my toy, as he pleased like before.
I slowly stroked Cassis’s hair again.
“I’ll definitely get you out of here.”
That was more like encouragement to myself than words to Cassis.
Could I really get this person out of Agriche safely?
The question I’d asked myself countless times since meeting Cassis swirled in my mind once again. Of course, no one knew the answer to that.
Leave a Reply