“In the end, how long will it take?” Doreen crouched in the corner of the prison with her hands on her knees.
She had been locked up here for almost a week.
It was an enclosed room isolated from the outside world.
There was no one else, not even a voice to be heard, but her. When eating, drinking, and taking out the garbage, she had to enter Room A in the inner room first. After the warden confirmed that she had entered Room A, the warden would remotely lock Room A’s door through ritual and send someone into Room B to put food and water in and take away the waste.
There was nothing in her room except a wooden tray for food, a wooden bowl for drinking water, a small toilet, and a “bed” resembling a sleeping bag on the floor.
Otherwise, the room was empty.
Only when being interrogated would there be strangers with rings or white gloves and stern faces pushing the door in.
Doreen would instantly lose consciousness by looking at them.
It was pretty disturbing, just like immersing her head in icy water and being frozen until she became unconscious.
She did not even know what questions she had answered or when they left. It was as if she had been too drunk and had lost her memories.
When she woke up, she found her brain searing hot as if she had a fever. It would take several hours for her to recover.
However, the good thing was that fear and anxiety that slowly accumulated in her heart due to her imprisonment in this confinement room would disappear with the arrival of that brain-overheating state.
Doreen was worried.
Did I leak information about Mr. Ghirlandaio when I was unconscious?
Or is there already a fight outside now? A battle among the heirs? Or a battle between uncles and nephews?
Will His Royal Highness Dmitri be exiled?
He doesn’t look smart after all.
I heard that Grand Duke Ivan’s health is poor. Will something happen to him? Would Mr. Ghirlandaio lay assassination attempts against him and find opportunities to usurp the throne after the Grand Duke died of illness? Then, His Royal Highness Dmitri will be exiled outside the country. This is highly possible. However, Grand Duke Ivan is said to be a pretty kind person. I hope he survives.
Mr. Ghirlandaio—no, His Highness Ghirlandaio does not seem to discriminate against werewolves as much as his brother. If he can become Austere-Winter’s Grand Duke, maybe the situation of our werewolves can be improved a little. Hopefully so…
But, since I know so many secrets, will Ghirlandaio kill me to put me into silence?
“Woo.” Thinking of this, Doreen groaned and buried her face between her knees.
—I think I am done for.
Just then, there was a creaking sound.
The door, which was tightly fitted and without a doorknob, was opened from the outside. Two Winter’s Hands came in, holding the door with one person inside the room and the other person outside. They looked straight in front and disregarded everything else.
Eh, they haven’t entered and locked the door yet?
Doreen shivered, looking at the door in bafflement and terrified.
Usually, this door would only be opened when she entered Room A and locked herself.
Why aren’t they worried about me running away this time?
Is it my death sentence approaching?
“—Doreen.”
Mr. Ghirlandaio’s voice came from the door.
The handsome middle-aged man had a gentle smile on his alluring face like a sculpture. He walked in through the two Winter’s Hands.
“Sir Ghirlandaio,” Doreen whispered in reply.
She struggled to stand up from the ground.
Since she had squatted for too long, her legs felt a little numb, so she staggered and fell forward.
Before she fell into Ghirlandaio’s arms, he quickly grabbed her shoulders and helped her.
Is it an illusion?
Why does it feel like Mr. Ghirlandaio’s hand is so strong? It’s like a stone statue that has come to life.
However, she reacted quickly and struggled to stand up straight.
“Sorry, Mr. Ghirlandaio! I sincerely apologize!” Doreen made her voice as loud as possible, but it was still too soft to be heard.
She was terrified because of her clumsiness.
Then, she felt her throat constricted with fear and her gums and fingertips feeling slightly numb.
Ghirlandaio gave a somewhat incomprehensible, mysterious, and scrutinizing smile.
I seem to have seen this smile somewhere.
Yes.
When the teacher chose her back then, he seemed to have shown this expression.
“Doreen.”
“Yes…! I… I am here.” Her voice was getting softer and softer.
But Ghirlandaio patted her shoulder and smiled gently, “Don’t be nervous.
“By the way, why are you so afraid of me? You haven’t been like this beforehand.”
What can I say?
That’s because I don’t know if I have leaked a secret, so I don’t know if I will be put to death.
Looking at Doreen, who hesitated, Ghirlandaio’s eyes grew deeper.
As if wanting to break the silence, the black-haired, black-eyed middle-aged man spoke slowly, “Don’t worry, nothing happened.”
“What do you mean?”
“Everything is the same as before.” Ghirlandaio blurted casually, “Oh, right. What are your plans after you are released?”
“My plans…” Doreen faltered, unable to answer. She did not even know the right words to say.
“I have no idea.” She hesitated for a long time and finally said so.
This was the truth.
She did not know the “right” words to say, so she could only tell the truth in the end.
At least if she spoke a wrong answer like this, she would not regret it too much.
“But, if I can… I want to find [teacher].”
“Professor Wolf?”
“Yes.”
Doreen bit her lip — literally. She sucked her blood like a baby sucking milk.
“I want to ask him. Why did he give me this mission? Also, what am I to him?”
As she spoke, Doreen’s voice grew softer again.
At the same time, she became more and more lost.
In fact, there was no need for [Professor Wolf] to give her the answer.
She had long understood that she was just a disposable tool.
After all, Professor Wolf himself was not a werewolf.
He adopted and raised werewolf orphans only to achieve his own goals. From this point of view, Professor Wolf was no different from the others who regarded werewolves as tools.
“In that case.” Ghirlandaio said softly, “You might as well work for me first.”
“You?” Doreen looked at Ghirlandaio in surprise.
But is this necessary?
I’m just a useless werewolf.
I don’t have connections or any special skills. I only know how to follow orders and can’t do anything well.
“Yes, work for me.”
Ghirlandaio said slowly, “I’m going to go to the underground world first to do some things. After that, I want to search for Professor Wolf and confront him face to face. From this point of view, our goals are the same, isn’t it?”
Same goals?
Doreen stared blankly at Ghirlandaio.
In her eyes, the gentle smile of the middle-aged man was reflected.
It seemed exceptionally convincing.
“It’s just like [teacher].” She whispered.
“What?”
“No, nothing.”
Doreen inexplicably had a closer feeling toward the person in front of her.
Since I’m just a tool, why don’t I use it for those who want me?
Thinking of this, Doreen felt that her mood improved a lot.
Somewhere out of her sight…
Ghirlandaio held two crystal bells in his lowered left palm.
As expected.
Ghirlandaio nodded thoughtfully.