Free Web NovelChapter 394: Chapter 394 The Madman’s Gaze_1
"You’ve read my letters?" Sera asked, somewhat surprised.
"Of course, we often review prisoners’ letters... Don’t make that face, how much privacy do prisoners have in jail? Apart from going to the bathroom and bathing, when are you not under surveillance?" Aiden replied calmly, "This kind of screening doesn’t usually catch anything big. Prisoners who want to cause trouble tend to use codes or secret language, and our reviews are not military intelligence. You clearly don’t understand the prison system, but your letters were so simple that they didn’t reveal anything."
As he spoke, Aiden took out the letters and showed them to Sera.
Each letter contained only one sentence.
One read, "Please do not forget our original agreement," and the other, "I know that you sent that letter, I need your help."
"There’s not much content, but one could barely see that you are asking for help from the recipient, who must be an acquaintance of yours," Aiden said seriously, "I remember you’ve always avoided getting involved in political struggles, so I guess this person isn’t an anti-king party member. You didn’t mention your situation at all in the letters, so are you relying on the other party to find out? They must be someone well-informed. Who are they? Can they offer me help?"
"That..." Sera hesitated, "It’s not what you think."
Asenna glanced at the letters and suddenly let out a cold, emotionless laugh: "Hmph."
"Do you know something?" Aiden turned his gaze toward Asenna.
"It seems, Warden, you still don’t fully understand the thoughts of a girl," Asenna commented. freewёbnoνel.com
"I have worked at a women’s prison for five years, after all," Aiden raised an eyebrow.
"All in the prison are criminals; how could you see a naively adorable fairy-tale princess like her there? It’s understandable, I guess. Even you, Warden, couldn’t imagine that a woman could be so foolishly naive," Asenna said.
At these words, Sera shrank back.
"Stop beating around the bush, say it," Aiden urged Asenna to continue.
"Just by looking at the content, you should know that these letters were written to beg her lover to change his mind. I guess the address is a secret contact location known only to them," Asenna stared at Sera, who did not dare meet her gaze, "Afraid to face reality? What a pity, your lover is now in the Autonomous State to kill you in person, and he won’t receive your letters. Your stupidity is truly eye-opening; I suppose zombies could be just a bit smarter than you."
"Written to Heinz?" Aiden reread the letters and nodded.
Sera didn’t know that Heinz had already come to Silvertown on a mission, so she kept sending letters urging Heinz to change his mind. What kept her clinging to that shred of sad hope was the letter that first warned her of danger—she seemed to believe that Heinz had sent it to her.
Heinz actually didn’t want her dead, just bound by his position—at least, that’s what Sera believed, or perhaps hoped to believe.
Aiden, like Asenna, thought Sera’s actions were incredibly foolish, but he did not plan to comment on it. Given Sera’s situation and mental state, it was hard to expect her to be as rational as them.
"You think the first letter was sent by Heinz?" Aiden asked softly, "Then why did you answer that you weren’t sure when I asked you?"
"I’m not certain, I just... think it’s possible," Sera replied softly, head bowed, "He taught me before, that if I receive a letter warning of danger, it’s better to believe it’s true. But if the letter includes very specific demands, I should verify the source before acting, so I think it’s very likely he sent it."
"You just hope it’s from him, don’t you?" Asenna threw in another comment, "You pitiful creature, clutching at such a tiny shred of hope."
Sera didn’t reply, as she had been insulted by Asenna to the point where she didn’t dare to talk back anymore.
"Well, I didn’t have any expectations to begin with. If you truly had any reliable supporters, you wouldn’t be hiding in prison," Aiden put the letter away, "If it really comes down to it with no other choice... I do suggest that you reach out to those with real power within the anti-King factions. It’s better to be a political puppet than to lose your life. But I’ll reiterate my stance—I don’t like my prison becoming the center of political struggles, whether overt or covert. So I will continue to deal with Earl Hofman and his influence in my own way."
Aiden rose to his feet, "That’s all for our talk. It’s nearly lights-out time, go back to your cell."
Aiden escorted the two back to the core zone cells. Just as they entered the gates, Asenna suddenly turned her head and said, "Warden, might I have a word with you in private?"
Aiden nodded, turned his head to call out the guard on duty from the watch room to take Sera back to her cell, and then turned towards Asenna, "Speak."
"I overheard the gist of what was discussed just now. This foolish woman must have some special identity, right?" Asenna asked.
"The King’s illegitimate daughter, a genuine princess," Aiden told her the truth directly this time.
"Even more bizarre than I imagined," Asenna’s face didn’t show much surprise, but Aiden knew she was taken aback, "Truly a princess from a fairy tale. Such an identity could also be a weapon. Why don’t you suggest that she uses her own power to get out of this predicament?"
"Do you think she has that kind of quality?" Aiden countered.
"You can’t make bricks without straw," Asenna gave a cutting assessment.
"There’s no need to go that far; she’s just an ordinary person, unlike you who’ve gone through so much."
"Even ordinary people can transform, especially when they are in dire straits," Asenna replied.
"I can provide psychological counseling for prisoners, but I’m not good at relationship advice. Maybe you could try guiding her," Aiden chuckled.
"Why should I bother doing such a thing?" Asenna shook her head.
"It’s up to you. If she decides to change faster than I act, I’d be willing to let her try," Aiden said and nodded toward the end of the corridor, "Go back to your cell."
Aiden escorted Asenna back to her cell and took a trip around the core zone cells, greeted a few prisoners, freed himself from Fille’s usual verbal entanglement, and went back to the entrance of the detention area. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard a "clang" from a cell nearby. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Aiden turned his head and saw "Madman" Halo suddenly banging her head against the bars, staring at him with a chilling gaze.
Aiden watched her for a while and then left the detention area. It was pointless to converse with a madwoman.
For some reason, he felt like Halo’s frequency of staring at him like this had increased significantly, and occasionally she would shout or sing a few phrases that made no sense. This was actually quite abnormal, considering Halo hardly recognized people. Previously, when he would see her, she would either be in her own world, acting mad, or staring blankly at the wall.
Until the core zone gate closed, Aiden couldn’t shake the feeling of Halo’s gaze sticking to his back.
