Chapter 18: Cellmate, You’re Here?

"...I, I just..."

The man was sweating profusely, his usual eloquence in belittling others completely failing him. He stammered, glancing around nervously.

When he noticed Venti, who was watching him with an amused expression as if nothing was wrong, his anger flared even more.

He quickly pointed at Venti’s nose and began to explain.

"Please, let me explain! This so-called bard has been spreading vulgar content explicitly banned by Belobog. I’ve warned him repeatedly, but he remains utterly shameless, showing no respect for the descendants of the Architects. That’s why I had to invoke the authority of the Silvermane Guards. Please forgive me, Lady Bronya!"

His blatant lies earned him disdainful looks from the onlookers. Some noblewomen who had been charmed by Venti’s performance were visibly outraged, ready to speak up in his defense.

"If he truly did as you say, I will investigate. But until then, should I interpret this as the Stepan family attempting to place themselves above the Supreme Guardian, challenging her authority?"

Bronya stared at him expressionlessly, her gaze piercing enough to make anyone’s blood run cold. Only those who faced her directly could understand the overwhelming pressure she exuded, a presence far beyond what ordinary people could endure.

Her icy demeanor, honed through battles against rift monsters, made it impossible for someone like him to meet her eyes.

Moreover, her words made him realize his grave mistake. He wished he could slap himself for dragging the Silvermane Guards into this mess.

The current Supreme Guardian’s control over the Silvermane Guards was far stricter than her predecessors. Misusing their authority in her presence could lead to severe consequences—ranging from being labeled a bully to having his family’s dark secrets exposed. This was no trivial matter!

And now, he had lied to her chosen successor. If exposed, not even his family could save him. He’d be thrown into prison, and his life would be ruined. Offending the future leader of Belobog? There’d be no future for him.

He deeply regretted not letting go of the bard earlier. Even if he tried to backtrack now, he’d only be adding the crime of attempting to deceive the Supreme Guardian’s heir.

With multiple charges stacked against him, he’d likely be exiled from the city, left to freeze in the icy wasteland.

His fears soon became reality. After staring at him for a moment, Bronya turned to the bard and asked, "Bard, is what he said true?"

Everyone present could see that Bronya had already seen through the lie. This was merely a formality.

If the bard accused the noble of lying, and with a few witnesses to back it up, the matter would be settled immediately. Bronya would have the Silvermane Guards take the man away, and tonight’s events would become a tale of justice, further boosting her reputation.

This was a rite of passage for every successor—accumulating fame through various means to clear the path ahead.

And this time, the story involved a commoner bard standing up to a noble playboy. It was a narrative that would resonate deeply with the masses, as the current scene proved.

Everyone was excited to see Lady Bronya uphold "justice."

The elder noble witnessing this could only sigh inwardly. Her shrewdness far surpassed that of his own family’s younger generation. No wonder she was the chosen successor.

However, the bard’s next words left everyone stunned.

"He may have been harsh, but he’s not wrong about me spreading banned cultural content."

The bard answered nonchalantly.

Bronya frowned. Was the bard so nervous that he misspoke?

Earlier, she had heard him play. Though she couldn’t identify the composer, the melody was soothing, effortlessly easing tension and immersing listeners in its refreshing, spring-like tones.

Based on his musical skill alone, she could vouch for him. His performance was far from "vulgar noise," and he didn’t seem like a malicious individual.

While she could still frame the incident in her favor, the impact would be significantly diminished.

And now, with the bard openly admitting to violating the Supreme Guardian’s禁令, how could she ignore it?

The atmosphere grew tense and heavy.

The playboy remained silent, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. The onlookers were baffled, unsure of the bard’s intentions. Even the elder noble was confused, wondering if this was part of Bronya’s elaborate plan.

Yes, he had already assumed this was a carefully orchestrated scheme.

Though it targeted his family’s younger generation, there were other heirs to the family’s legacy. This fool had walked right into a trap, and it was his own fault for being so reckless. The elder noble began calculating how to minimize the damage.

As he pondered whether there was a deeper meaning behind the Supreme Guardian’s actions, Bronya spoke again.

"...You have a chance to reconsider your words, bard. Don’t be nervous. I will ensure justice is served. Under the Supreme Guardian’s rule, no citizen will suffer unjust persecution, nor will there be any underhanded retaliation."

Her words caused a stir among the crowd. Though brief, her blatant "favoritism" shocked everyone.

While her actions could be justified, openly expressing distrust toward the nobles was concerning.

Yet, Venti stood by his statement.

"I have indeed sung of the beautiful things that are banned, and I don’t believe it’s wrong. Even now, I wish to continue, to let more people know that beyond the endless snowfields, there are rabbit-shaped basins, trains that traverse the stars, and forests that never wither."

Bronya’s expression showed a hint of disappointment. She withdrew the mercy she had been about to offer and instead handled the matter formally, ordering both individuals to be taken away.

Throughout the process, Venti remained cheerful, while the playboy, who thought he had been saved, alternated between laughter and tears, as if he had gone mad.

As the Silvermane Guards escorted Venti to his cell, he briefly passed by Bronya. In that moment, she saw no resentment or dissatisfaction in his eyes.

Instead, the bard looked at her with pity.

It was as if their roles had been reversed. She was the one imprisoned, unaware of her own captivity, while he was the freest bird soaring under the blue sky.

What kind of mindset led him to look at her like that?

Though reluctant to admit it, Bronya was intrigued. In her subsequent investigation, she discovered that the songs he sang were less about the world beyond Belobog and more about a world born of his imagination.

...Was he just a pitiful soul lost in his own delusions?

But could someone so foolish truly produce such pure and refreshing music?

The questions multiplied without answers, until one day, she finally decided to seek him out and ask.

She walked through the cold, dark corridors of the prison, deep into the icy cells where even geothermal heating didn’t reach. There, she found him.

He was as carefree as ever, as if he didn’t know what worry was. He lay on the ground, one leg crossed over the other, a piece of dry grass in his mouth, humming a cheerful tune of unknown origin, completely unaffected by his imprisonment.

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a mysterious glow on his androgynously beautiful face. Hearing her footsteps, he turned his head.

She still remembered what Venti said to her that day:

"Hello there, dear Bronya. Are you here to be my new cellmate?"

To anyone else, it would have been an insult, but to him, it seemed like the greatest honor in the world...