After the Black Moonlight’s "Death Escape" Failed [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Wolf and the Whip-Wielder

◎ Look closely, I am your Master. ◎

Jiao Qingyin planned to send Al far away from the Prince’s fief.

The System had yet to return, which caused Jiao Qingyin’s plan to detach her personal emotions to be repeatedly shelved. If she kept Al by her side, she found it difficult to keep her feelings within the necessary boundaries.

Under these circumstances, physically increasing the distance between her and Al was the best option available.

The magic circles within the manor were highly exclusive. After sending Al away, Jiao Qingyin would record the other’s information into the formation’s defense system. That way, even if Al stood directly before the manor’s main gate, she would be unable to find a way back in.

Furthermore… Al’s disability had been cured. Her physical strength and magic power far exceeded the vast majority of people in this world. She would no longer be bullied for being weak; she could live well anywhere.

At the very least, it would certainly be better than playing the role of her slave in the manor.

Jiao Qingyin scheduled this plan for seven days later—Al had just finished her surgery and needed a period of observation to ensure there were no lingering side effects.

To prevent any complications, Jiao Qingyin locked her in a magic-neutralizing dungeon before she woke up.

She hadn’t wanted to choose the dungeon, but in the entire manor, only this place—where no one could use magic—could guarantee the containment of the current Al.

However, although it was a dungeon, Jiao Qingyin had actually performed some renovations for Al’s sake.

She chose a cell with a skylight window, removed the torture devices that originally covered the walls, cleared out all sharp objects, and replaced the iron slab in the corner with a soft, small bed.

While making these arrangements, Jiao Qingyin was still angry with Al. But since the other was unconscious, she temporarily suppressed her fury.

Yet, after Al woke up in the dungeon, Jiao Qingyin never visited her once.

She was angry that Al had ignored her wishes and tried to use force against her, but at the same time, she was unable to control her concern for Al.

She liked Al. Since realizing this, the feelings she had deliberately ignored began to swell continuously, nearly filling her entire heart.

Jiao Qingyin didn’t know how to handle these complex emotions, so after waking up in the middle of the night, she looked at the pale blue moonlight outside and chose to escape.

She decided to push all of this onto her future self—the version of her that would be stripped of personal emotions.

After the detachment, her personality and memories wouldn’t change, but her brain would only contain rationality. Her code of conduct would have only one rule: “The Optimal Solution.”

She would coldly execute all tasks and take on the guilt and sin of failing Al without a second thought.

“This is for the best,” Jiao Qingyin told herself.

But her true inner self argued softly: “This isn’t going to work.”

Thus, on the first night of isolating Al from her side, Jiao Qingyin stayed wide awake from late night until dawn.

As the days passed, there was still no word from the System, but Al’s state was gradually becoming wrong.

According to the butler’s reports, since being locked in the dungeon, Al seemed lethargic. She frequently refused to eat and her activity had significantly decreased. Something was very off.

If asked directly, Al would only give one answer: “I will only speak if I see the Princess.”

When Jiao Qingyin learned of this, although she calmly told the butler “I see,” her hand hanging at her side clenched into a fist.

The anger she had suppressed for the past two days flared up again.

Her first reaction was that Al was trying to use self-harm to get her attention. But after calming down, Jiao Qingyin felt that Al wasn’t that type of person.

So… was she truly sick?

Jiao Qingyin sent the manor’s best physicians to the dungeon. Their diagnosis didn’t require magic, so it should be effective.

However, it still failed. No one could find the cause of Al’s illness.

Furthermore, Al had the physicians relay the message: “As long as I see the Princess, I will recover.” This made Jiao Qingyin’s expression turn completely cold.

“Then let her fend for herself.” Her voice, suppressed with rage, scared the physicians into kneeling on the floor.

The two were at a distance-based stalemate. Jiao Qingyin didn’t want to see Al, yet Al constantly sent signals that she wanted to meet.

On the seventh day, after checking on the body of the wolf pup—who had been in a deep sleep since last week—an ill-tempered Jiao Qingyin returned to her room. She tried to calm her emotions with flower arrangement but received another report from the butler.

“Master Al fell into a coma last night. She was discovered by the guards this morning and only woke up after treatment from the physicians…”

Jiao Qingyin failed to control her strength and crushed the neck of the vase.

The delicate glazed vase immediately developed a long crack. Seconds later, starting from that crack, fine fissures spread across the entire vase. With a soft clink, it shattered into a pile of shards.

Before Jiao Qingyin, only beautiful but useless glass shards and slowly flowing water—dripping onto the floor—remained.

Jiao Qingyin put down the rose in her hand. Her face was clouded with deep gloom.

“Find me a mask,” she said.

Jiao Qingyin put on a disguise mask, transforming herself into a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman, and changed into a maid’s uniform.

This was one of the most common looks in the manor. Disguised as a maid, it would be much easier to do what she wanted without attracting attention—specifically, Al’s attention.

After adjusting the bow behind her, Jiao Qingyin pushed a small cart of food all the way to the dungeon.

Due to time constraints, Jiao Qingyin had only renovated the cell Al lived in; the rest remained in its original state. Consequently, almost as soon as she entered the dungeon, she frowned.

The air was bad, the light was poor, and the atmosphere was gloomy and claustrophobic. It was truly a terrible place to live.

Jiao Qingyin had come in disguise without notifying anyone except the butler. The dungeon guards didn’t know who she was, but seeing her blonde hair, blue eyes, and maid’s uniform, they let her through without question.

The incognito Jiao Qingyin maintained a wooden face and made a mental note of this security risk.

However, despite some minor flaws, the dungeon’s overall security was high. It was basically impossible for someone locked here to find a way to escape.

On one hand, magic was unusable; on the other, Jiao Qingyin had stationed dozens of guards inside and a group of knights on standby outside.

Empty-handed, even Al wouldn’t be able to defeat all these people and escape to an area where magic could be used.

What’s more… currently, Al was the only person in the entire dungeon.

The original Princess had imprisoned many commoners and slaves here, even some minor nobles who had offended her. But since Jiao Qingyin transmigrated, she had subtly used various excuses to release these innocent people.

Therefore, in the empty corridors of the dungeon, only the footsteps of Jiao Qingyin and the lead guard, along with the rattling of the cart wheels, echoed.

The guard leading the way was a bit of a chatterbox. Looking at the food on the cart, his expression was full of envy.

“Sigh, Princess Royal spoils this slave too much. Look at this food; I bet you wouldn’t see this on many noble tables.”

Jiao Qingyin glanced at him. She hadn’t intended to answer, but on second thought, she could learn about Al’s recent situation from another perspective. She said, “I think so too.”

The guard sighed and couldn’t help but say, “If you ask me, giving these things to that slave is a waste. She never eats them anyway.”

This was indeed in the reports Jiao Qingyin had received—“Master Al has a poor appetite, consuming only the minimum amount of food required daily.”

But the Al in Jiao Qingyin’s memory wasn’t like this. The Al of the past knew that food equaled survival; she wouldn’t do something that self-sabotaged her strength.

This was one of the reasons why Jiao Qingyin was worried Al wasn’t faking illness but actually had something wrong with her body.

Jiao Qingyin resisted her habit of touching her left eye and deliberately steered the conversation: “I didn’t even know why that person was locked in the dungeon. Does she usually behave strangely?”

The guard seemed to have been holding it in for a long time. Having finally found someone to talk to, he spilled a long string of words.

“Since that slave came in, she’s barely spoken. At first, I thought she was a mute. It wasn’t until the butler came once and they had a row that I heard her voice for the first time…”

He continued to talk about Al. His words were rambling and tinged with an accent, but Jiao Qingyin listened intently.

As they neared Al’s cell, the guard suddenly stopped. “I won’t take you any further. Go straight ahead, turn left, and you’ll be there.”

Jiao Qingyin noticed his expression was strange and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you afraid of her?”

The muscular guard’s lips twitched. Seeing such an expression of fear on his face looked a bit eerie.

He hesitated for a moment. Seeing that Jiao Qingyin seemed kind-faced, he said, “I’ll tell you secretly, but don’t say I told you…”

Hearing this opening, Jiao Qingyin’s body tensed slightly, realizing that something bad might have happened to Al.

The guard lowered his voice further, as if afraid of being overheard. “That slave… she seems to be a lunatic.”

Jiao Qingyin’s pupils shrank slightly.

Numerous fragments of her time with Al flashed through her mind. Although she could see that Al had many personality flaws, she never thought Al would one day be associated with the word “lunatic.”

The guard looked profoundly secretive and shut his mouth after two sentences, as if he hadn’t just been talking non-stop. Seeing Jiao Qingyin about to press for more, he waved his hand and said, “You’ll see in a moment—but remember to stay back.”

“…” Jiao Qingyin was silent for a few seconds before speaking: “Tell me more, or I’m afraid I’ll offend her.”

The guard hesitated, but after looking at Jiao Qingyin’s slender arms, he sighed and continued, his voice so low it was almost inaudible. “Previously, a guard saw how pretty she was and said some nasty things, saying she…”

The guard mouthed a foul word. Jiao Qingyin’s expression turned cold instantly.

Her first reaction was to find this person, cut off his tongue first, and then—

Before Jiao Qingyin could finish her thought, the guard continued: “In the end, that slave somehow managed to take his sword and cut his tongue out herself. She also kicked and broke his leg down there.”

The guard pointed between his own legs.

Jiao Qingyin’s clenched fist relaxed.

…Not bad.

But not enough.

Jiao Qingyin, ever vengeful, composed herself and asked, “Where is that guard now?”

“Tongue’s gone, leg’s broken. He was afraid the Princess would find out, so he didn’t report it. He tried to find someone to treat it himself, but the wound got infected, and…” The guard made a slashing motion across his neck with his hand and made a comical grimace.

Jiao Qingyin’s shoulders relaxed, but her expression remained gloomy. “Did no one report this to Her Highness?”

“What are you saying… it wasn’t a major incident. Why bother the lady over it?”

Seeing her expression was off, the guard thought Jiao Qingyin was scared. But they had already reached a spot very close to Al’s cell, so he stopped his comforting words.

“Leave as soon as you deliver the items. Don’t linger.” He gave Jiao Qingyin the key to the cell.

Jiao Qingyin took the key. The guard looked relieved and quickly walked away.

It was as if he didn’t want to stay near Al for even half a second longer.

Jiao Qingyin gripped the key in her palm, suppressed the thoughts swirling in her mind, and walked to Al’s cell door.

Al, whom she hadn’t seen for days, was sitting in the middle of the room with her back to the door, gazing up at the small window in the ceiling.

It was noon, the sun was shining brightly, and through the window, one could see a patch of cloudless blue sky.

Despite the blankets, the dungeon floor was still cold and damp. Jiao Qingyin’s gaze flickered, not understanding why Al chose to sit on the floor instead of the soft bed she had provided.

The sound of the cart was quite loud. Jiao Qingyin believed Al knew someone had come, but the other acted as if she hadn’t heard anything, remaining motionless in the same posture.

After standing for a while, Jiao Qingyin took the initiative: “Master Al… I am here to deliver your lunch.”

Al didn’t move, nor did she give any response.

Jiao Qingyin called out again.

The dungeon was eerie, containing only her echo.

Jiao Qingyin fell silent. She stared at Al’s back. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt Al’s hair wasn’t as lustrous as it had been.

The other… looked like a mechanical doll that had lost its power, showing no signs of life.

After waiting for a long time and seeing that Al had no intention of responding, Jiao Qingyin used her backup plan.

“Master Al, Her Highness wishes to see you.”

At the mention of “Her Highness,” Al, who had been as quiet as an inanimate object just a second ago, suddenly moved. Jiao Qingyin only saw a blur before Al was standing at the cell door.

Through the gaps in the iron bars, Al’s clouded blue eyes seemed deep. “She’s letting me out?”

Locking eyes with her so suddenly, Jiao Qingyin’s heart skipped a beat. After quickly recovering, she first lowered her head before answering: “Her Highness only gave an order. I don’t know the rest.”

She spoke with her head slightly bowed, her blonde hair shimmering in the light from the skylight.

Al narrowed her eyes. She hated blonde people the most.

But she had no interest in this maid’s appearance, nor did she notice her figure. All her attention was on what the maid had said.

Did her Princess finally remember her?

Was it because she heard she was sick, or because she grew bored of those dull people around her and remembered someone was still locked in the dungeon?

Al’s thoughts were full of malice, but she soon realized that this malice couldn’t hurt Jiao Qingyin. On the contrary, its only effect was to make her own internal organs ache with anger.

She took a few deep breaths to calm her emotions before speaking again: “…Where is she?”

Al waited for the strange maid to answer, but the latter only pushed the cart forward against the iron door and said, “Her Highness said you must eat something first.”

Al stared at her for a moment before moving slowly.

She took the bread closest to her through the bars, chewed it a few times, and swallowed the whole piece. “Is this enough?”

Jiao Qingyin’s face was expressionless. “Staples, water, vegetables, and meat all need to be consumed.”

Al frowned, glancing at this strange maid.

Under the influence of her heat cycle, her sensory abilities were greatly diminished, but this person gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

However, that overly bright blonde hair and those inorganic eyes made Al certain she had never met this person who looked somewhat inhuman.

And she was unwilling to cooperate. “The current amount is enough for me.”

Al was telling the truth. Because her heat was approaching, she had been in a state of agitation for the past few days. She didn’t want to eat anything; the only thought remaining in her mind was the desire for her partner.

She didn’t need food; she needed Jiao Qingyin.

But the other—

The events of a week ago flashed clearly before her eyes. Red bloodshot streaks slowly crept onto Al’s eyeballs.

“You can go and ask around—see if there’s anyone who hasn’t kissed me like that.”

“I will never allow you to come near me again.”

“Sorry.”

The voice of Jiao Qingyin in her memory hit Al’s head like heavy hammers, causing her ears to ring, such that it took a while for her to realize that premonitions of fever were appearing again.

Her vision was a blur of colors. Al covered her head, but in her daze, she heard someone speaking.

“Has anyone not kissed…? Are you asking me a question?”

The strange voice woke the barely standing Al. She struggled to open her eyes, realizing she had unconsciously murmured the words Jiao Qingyin had said to her.

“…You know?”

Al propped herself against the wall with one hand and stood up bit by bit. She appeared to be staring at the maid, but in reality, her vision only contained the gold of the hair and the black and white of the uniform.

The abnormal physical condition of her heat made it impossible for Al to even return to the wolf pup’s body. Her body and mind were trapped in the dungeon, and her mental state was becoming increasingly tense.

On the outside, she still looked normal, but inside, she was in ruins.

She repeated the question: “Do you know who she has kissed?”

Understanding what Al was asking, Jiao Qingyin realized this might be an opportunity to make Al give up on her.

So she said, “Her Highness is very ‘universal’ with her love.”

“Universal love.” Al practically squeezed these words from deep within her throat.

Jiao Qingyin didn’t respond. Sometimes, silence is more powerful than any words.

She waited for Al to get angry or make some other reaction. But after a long time, only a suppressed, low question came from the other side of the bars: “The ‘universal love’ you mentioned… has she always been like this… including recently?”

Jiao Qingyin immediately understood Al’s meaning. The other was trying to confirm if the “universal love” belonged to Ottilia Hughes or herself.

Thinking about how, before this period, she had left Al alone in the bedroom every day and rarely spent time in the same room except at night, Jiao Qingyin spoke a lie: “Yes. Her Highness… likes to summon us to serve her during the day.”

—Liar.

Under her silver hair, the corners of Al’s mouth twisted into a warped curve.

Liar.

She followed Jiao Qingyin every day. As long as she meditated, she would wake up in the other’s arms. No one knew better than her who was around the other during the day.

This maid was lying—was this her own action, or was she following someone’s orders?

At the thought of Jiao Qingyin frowning and wanting to draw a line with her, Al’s heart felt sharp pangs of pain.

Did the other truly loathe her that much, or was it because she had done something wrong…?

But no one had ever taught her how to love someone correctly.

At this point, Al finally couldn’t resist the rising heat in her body. She slid down against the bars. All her forced disguises were punctured, and like a deflated balloon, she slowly went limp.

“I need to eat… is that so?”

Jiao Qingyin felt that Al’s state was very wrong. But through the cell door, she couldn’t see the specific physical condition. She could only purse her lips and hand a cup of water over.

According to the records, Al’s last drink was nineteen hours ago. So regardless of whether she was sick or what sickness she had, hydration was necessary.

Jiao Qingyin planned to let Al drink a bit of water, then open the cell door and take her out for an examination.

She had already arranged the outermost cell of the dungeon into a suitable place for diagnosis—through the small door for food delivery, she could use magic from outside to examine Al inside.

It was a good idea, but when Al reached out to take the cup, even though she didn’t touch the other’s skin, Jiao Qingyin still felt the excessive heat from her hand.

“Do you have a fever?” Jiao Qingyin looked up sharply.

Al’s eyes were dazed. It took a moment for her to process the simple question, and she nodded unconsciously.

“When did it start?”

Al refused to speak. She tried her best to open her eyes to see the position of the cup, and then reached out—

With a splash.

The spilling water soaked half her sleeve. The white fabric clung tightly to her, making the uncomfortable Al instinctively want to shake her sleeve, but she had no strength.

Not good… Al wanted to hide her weakness from outsiders as she had before, but her remaining strength could no longer support her.

Seeing the other’s condition worsening, Jiao Qingyin’s tone grew heavier, carrying a sense of impending pressure. She repeated the question: “When… did it start?”

Al still didn’t want to answer. But in her blurred state, her body instinctively felt the presence of the person nearby was very close. She failed to control herself and blurted out the truth: “Seven days ago.”

—Wasn’t that exactly when she was first locked in?

A nameless fire rose in Jiao Qingyin’s heart, making her almost want to grab the collar of the little rascal and scold her for not saying it earlier.

She had sent people to check on Al countless times, asking if she was unwell or needed anything. But the other refused to say a single word from beginning to end, always giving only one sentence: “I want to see the Princess.”

A fever for seven days, while refusing food and water—if she wanted to die, Al was nearly successful.

The anger Jiao Qingyin hadn’t dispersed all this time burned together with this new flame. She stood straight and inserted the silver key into the lock.

Continuous anger overrode her reason. All the psychological suggestions she had given herself completely collapsed.

Detaching emotions? Letting Al fend for herself? Jiao Qingyin only wanted to do one thing now.

She felt that Al clearly lacked some… proper education.

She didn’t care if the other’s setting included self-destructive tendencies or if she would blow up the world in the future. She only knew that the other was her Al right now.

—Nominally still her slave, her “puppy.” That gave her even more reason to restrain the other’s behavior.

Biting things she liked, but not saying a word when in pain—where did this terrible habit come from?

Before kicking her out of the fief, Jiao Qingyin decided to fix Al’s twisted personality.

The iron door creaked open. Finding herself shrouded in a shadow, the Al in an abnormal state looked up.

She couldn’t see clearly, but she could feel a hand reaching toward her neck, where her collar was.

Al’s hollow eyes widened. Then, using all the explosive strength she could muster, she swung at the hand about to touch her. “Damn it—I don’t care whose maid you are—get out, don’t touch me!”

No matter what this maid’s purpose was, she couldn’t accept having any physical contact with her.

But in the next second, a familiar scent that made her want to cry enveloped her completely.

Jiao Qingyin lifted her chin. After removing the mask, her narrowed black eyes were like two deep pools. “‘Maid’?”

Her voice reached Al’s ears from an extremely close distance:

“—Look closely, I am your Master.”