I was locked in the Third Detention Chamber, and nearly a month had passed. After enduring the first ten days of lonely confinement, Yulia—granted visitation rights—started coming daily to keep me company. Thanks to her visits, my imprisoned life became lively and colorful.
Miss Aileen visited less often than Yulia, but still came every three days. She insisted that even though Lem and the others seemed determined to ignore me, she’d keep her promise to tutor me until I could read and write.
Ah, Lem and the others... they truly had no intention of acknowledging me anymore.
A few days ago, Miss Aileen stormed into my cell in a rage, bringing all my clothes and belongings from the hunter’s cabin. She must have just argued with Lem. Even Yulia—who’d used magic to escort her inside—looked fearful of the furious Miss Aileen, unusually obedient.
“Honestly! Even if the riot-causing killer from twenty years ago was a Fourth Category Ghoul Species, what does that have to do with Alice?!” Miss Aileen muttered. After dropping off my things, she barked at Yulia and me to sit properly for today’s etiquette lesson.
Wow, terrifying. An angry woman is truly scary.
Yulia and I sat upright on the corridor floor of the Third Detention Chamber, silently enduring Miss Aileen’s strict ladylike training.
Come to think of it, I’m just a prisoner. Why must I learn this weird etiquette with them? Is it because of Yulia that I’m dragged into this? Ugh, such a loss.
And Yulia—you’ve been staying here way too long lately. Are you hiding to avoid Miss Aileen’s lessons when she’s in a bad mood?
I stared blankly at Yulia, who was walking back and forth under Miss Aileen’s orders, practicing ladylike posture. I let out a soft sigh.
“Alice! Don’t give me that dazed look. Watch Yulia’s steps carefully—it’s your turn next. Today, I’ll fix that boyish walk of yours!” Miss Aileen snapped, noticing my distraction.
“Yes, ma’am!” I straightened instantly and shouted like a soldier answering his commander.
“Honestly! How many times must I say it? Girls speak gently. Why were you so ladylike with the hunters, but rough with me?” Miss Aileen scowled. Dissatisfied with my response, she halted Yulia’s twenty-first walking drill and turned her scolding full force on me.
Because I acted cute and kawaii in front of Lem. If I said that, Miss Aileen would lecture me harshly. So I summoned my old “gain-trust” energy, used a soft voice, and made up an excuse on the spot.
After nearly three hours of lessons, Yulia and I were finally freed from Miss Aileen’s clutches. Yulia magically escorted her out, then we both slumped on the floor, too exhausted to move.
“Listen, Yulia—don’t teach that entry magic to Teacher Elaina. My peaceful days would be over,” I warned her as she lay there.
“Even if I wanted to, she couldn’t learn it. Entering requires Dante’s approval. Without his magic tool—even a monkey could use it—to authorize access, no one can open that eerie iron gate outside, let alone get in here.”
“That’s a relief. But Miss Aileen’s been in a terrible mood lately. What happened?”
“It’s about the crystal corpse in Cell No. 1. She finally got permission to access Third Detention Chamber records, but two days ago, rats chewed the parchment until it was unreadable.”
“So that’s why you’ve been hiding here all day.”
“I’m struggling too, little Alice. Plus, Elaina argued with Lem this morning and is still furious. Wah, I don’t want to go back. Take me in for the night!”
“No way. If Miss Aileen finds out, I’ll get scolded too.”
“Don’t be like that! I brought payment for asylum. Look!” Yulia pulled two tattered old books from her pocket.
“What are these?”
“Dark magic books! I snuck them from the archives while Miss Aileen was busy. See? This one’s all about fire magic. Want it?”
“But I can’t read well yet. I won’t understand...”
“I’ll read to you! Please, take me in. Otherwise, I’ll practice walking etiquette tonight. My feet are numb—I can’t walk. Elaina will scold me badly.”
I got up, weighed the pros and cons, and agreed. Anyway, time to eat. I planned to grill Dante’s strange meat over Dark Magic Fire, as usual.
“Fine, stay tonight. I’m grilling meat for dinner. Want some?”
“Mhm! Grill some Corpse Eater meat for me too.”
“What?! This weird meat is Corpse Eater meat?!” I gasped in shock at Yulia’s offhand remark.
“Huh? Alice didn’t know? It’s a cheap, tasty specialty here in Posein. Though Elaina never lets me eat it...” Yulia watched me with starry-eyed excitement as I lit the fire.
“How could this be?” I whispered, devastated. Staring at the meat in disbelief, I realized: all this time in confinement, I’d been eating my own kind. Learning the truth from Yulia, tears streamed down my face.
