Chapter 22: Senior, We’ve Arrived

The way back was much easier.

Since I had already opened the path once, it wasn’t as hard.

Though it still took more than 10 minutes.

“Senior?”

With no response, I peeked inside the subspace.

“Hmmph…”

Dien had fallen asleep, using her hair like a blanket.

Somehow, she had even brought an eye mask, looking utterly at peace.

“How do you manage to fall asleep so quickly? Wake up.”

I shook her awake, and she stirred lazily.

This scene felt oddly familiar somehow.

“Ugh… Space magic is convenient, but there’s no time to sleep.

Isn’t this the curse of our overly fast-paced modern society?”

“Stop spouting nonsense and focus.”

Dien yawned softly, still half-drowsy.

“Yaaawn… But it’s so bright here. What if I hadn’t brought my eye mask?”

“Your inventory isn’t a place for sleeping.”

“Close your eyes, and anywhere can be a sleeping space…”

With a dramatic stretch, Dien poked her head out of the subspace.

“You said you work at Bertein, right? Let’s see how grand the empire’s most esteemed duke’s mansion is…”

Her voice trailed off as her gaze landed on her surroundings.

“What is this?”

“This is the underground prison.”

Her face fell, realizing this wasn’t what she had imagined.

“Prison?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m locked up in the underground prison, taking the punishment in place of the princess.”

“Not once did you mention prison! All you talked about was curses…”

A damp breeze peculiar to underground prisons brushed past.

Dien wrapped herself tightly in her fluffy hair.

“So, you kidnapped the eldest daughter of the Pirandello family and brought her to a prison?”

“You only bring up your family name in moments like these, huh?”

“I wasn’t kicked out, okay? I left voluntarily!”

“Sure, let’s call it that.”

“It’s not just calling it that…!”

Just as her voice was about to rise unusually loud—

“Shh. Be quiet for a moment.”

I put a finger to my lips.

Clink clink—

The sound of keys jangling echoed from a distance.

“The guard is coming.”

“What?”

“Get back inside for now.”

I firmly pushed Dien’s small head back into the subspace.

“Ahh—!”

The bizarre sound she made was cut off as I closed the subspace.

“Is someone there?”

The guard appeared at that exact moment.

“Were you speaking to me?”

Feigning innocence, I began acting casually.

“I thought I heard voices.”

“That’s unlikely. I’m the only prisoner here, after all.”

At least, the nearby cells were all empty.

The underground prison of Bertein wasn’t for ordinary criminals.

“Hmm… I could’ve sworn…”

“You seem tired lately. Perhaps some rest would do you good.”

“…Very well. Carry on.”

Though suspicious, the guard bowed slightly before walking away.

The guards were well aware I was Elin’s tutor.

They knew I’d be released in two weeks, so they had no intention of treating me harshly.

This was all just for show.

It was Nathia’s ploy to make Elin feel guilty while watching me take punishment on her behalf.

I’ll find you soon, Princess Elin.

Of course, I was communicating with her through long-distance communication parchment all along.

“Senior, you can come out now.”

Once the guard’s footsteps completely faded, I opened the subspace.

“Hmmph…”

Dien had fallen asleep again.

I closed the subspace once more.

“Isn’t this practically an illness?”

Abandoning any attempt to understand, I opened a portal to Elin’s location.