“It’s okay. I’m not a kid.”

I appreciated the consideration, but I’ve seen enough blood over the years to not be startled by it.

After all, I was the one who got him into this bloody mess.

“But you…”

“Aren’t you taking it?”

“No, no! I’ll take it!”

Afraid that I might change my mind, Cheshire quickly reached out with both hands. It was only after he took the handkerchief that I was finally able to step into the room.

Inside the room, Margaret was tied to a chair, hands and feet bound.

“As expected, your doing?”

“Who else would it be?”

“So you’re not going to play the game anymore?”

“That’s right. I’m not. There’s no need anymore.”

I looked down at Margaret. Her face was flushed, whether from anger or something else.

“…Are you after my child?”

Looking at Margaret, who managed to speak despite her trembling, I curled my lip.

She was trying to protect her own child, even though she was the murderer who killed my daughter. It was laughably pathetic.

“If you hadn’t started it, I wouldn’t have come this far.”

“You’re the one who brought the murderer after my daughter. And now you’re taking it out on”

“You killed her.”

I grabbed Margaret’s shoulder and ground my teeth. If I could, I would tear her apart and swallow her, but even that wouldn’t soothe my anger.

“You’re saying I killed her? Who did I kill?”

“I know everything, so don’t play dumb. You killed her. My bloody daughter. So, I have every right to do the same to your child.”

“Don’t shift the blame! I did nothing wrong!”

Margaret tried to break free from my grasp, shaking her head roughly.

But she couldn’t escape. The more she struggled, the more my nails dug into her shoulder, causing small wounds.

With a sickening grip on Margaret’s shoulder, I glared at her.

“If you want to save your child, tell me straight.”

“What are you asking me to say!”

I undertook this troublesome task just to get Margaret to open her mouth.

There was a lot I needed to hear from her.

Margaret had witnessed the last moments of Meriel. And…

“I’ve never betrayed you. Not even once.”

I forced a rising face out of my mind and tightened my grip.

“How did you kill my daughter.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know. I didn’t kill her.”

Margaret shook her head in defiance and stubbornly closed her mouth.

“…Alright. Fine. If you don’t want to speak, then don’t. There’s a limit to how much you can be stubborn.”

I tried to suppress my boiling anger and forcefully let go of Margaret.

I never expected Margaret to open up easily, that’s why I planned this troublesome ordeal. It was time to wait.

Until I hear the answer I want, I had no intention of letting Margaret go.

How much time has passed since then?

Contrary to the fear of torture, Livianna did nothing after capturing Margaret.

She had only been kept in the room since she was captured, and she was not starved. When the time came, meals were prepared.

As this happened several times, Margaret felt as if she was a caged animal.

However, such thoughts didn’t last long.

In the pitchblack room where not even a single light was lit, Margaret had no way of knowing how time passed, and her activities were limited.

At first, she was on guard and tense, but she couldn’t hold on for long. Unable to endure any longer, she fell asleep and realized nothing had happened. Sometimes, she spent her time sleeping, but even that had its limits.

Then Margaret realized that this was torture.

Being alone in a pitchblack room, spending endless time by herself was more horrific than she had imagined.

Squeak.

The only thing that let her know the time in this place was Cheshire’s visit with meals at set times.

The slight light that crept in caused Margaret to squint reflexively. Her eyes, accustomed to the darkness, were in pain even with the small light.

“How long is your master going to keep me like this?”

“……”

“Is she planning to starve me to death?”

“……”

At this point, one would expect a response, but Cheshire had not once opened his mouth. It was clear that Riviana had paid him in advance.

Margaret was about to vent her frustration, but quickly changed her expression at Cheshire who was about to leave after setting down his meal.

After placing the meal, he immediately left. The only time to see him again was at the next mealtime.

“Don’t go!”

“……”

“I lost. I’ll do whatever Riviana wants.”

Meanwhile, whether Margaret calling Riviana’s name was not to his liking, Cheshire’s eyebrows quivered minutely. But that was all.

Riviana’s loyal dog just intended to leave without any response.

“That’s what you wanted. You kept me alive because you had something you wanted to hear from me. So, I will tell you. All of it.”

“……”

“Hey! Can’t you hear me!”

“……”

“You dog! Listen to me! I said listen!”

The last scream was more like a wail, but Cheshire’s reaction remained the same.

After looking down at Margaret once, he left the room indifferently.

All that was left was the darkness that came again, and the cold soup.

Margaret blankly stared at the soup bowl.

It was the same this time as well.

Her wrists were bound, and no spoon was given. To eat the soup, she had to lower herself and eat like a dog.

Really, it was a life like a captive beast. No, even more so.

Because she was not a beast.

“Ha, hahaha……”

Margaret let out a laughter with her forehead on the floor.

There were times when she abstained from eating out of injured pride due to such absurd treatment, but even that didn’t last long.

She wasn’t alone. For the baby in her womb, she had to eat anything.

After abandoning her pride and finishing the meal, a sense of selfloathing surged like a tide.

She was angry at Riviana who made her this way, and she showered her with curses. She kept vowing not to let it slide once she got out of here, and kept vowing again. Then she cried out loud. Her own plight was pitiful, and it was so sorrowful.

But even such emotions eventually became numb over time.

When she came to her senses, she had naturally adapted to the rules of this place at some point.

She waited for the door to open as if it was natural, and ate like a dog without any problems.

When she suddenly realized that fact, Margaret became scared.

The pitchblack darkness was scary, but what she feared most was her changing self.

She did not struggle so much just to live like this. So she had to get out of here as soon as possible. She couldn’t become accustomed to this life anymore.

That’s why she decided to open her mouth. It was most important to get out of here now, even if it meant breaking down.

But even when she finally gave the answer she wanted, there was no return.

Even if she opened her mouth, contrary to the expectation that the situation would change a little, nothing changed.

It was an unexpected reaction.

So Margaret was able to realize once again.

That this hell was not going to end easily.