Chapter Forty-Two

In Idle Prison, Tiyung wakes to his first night sharing a cell with Ailor and is surprised Ailor hasn’t tried to harm him. Comparing Ailor’s composed vigilance to Mikail’s, Tiyung remains cautious, unsure if Ailor is a true prisoner or a planted spy.

They speak. Tiyung admits Ailor reminds him of someone. Ailor notes Tiyung’s bearing and collar, prompting Tiyung to explain noble regalia and reveal he is the son of Seok, Count of Gain. Ailor concludes Tiyung is a hostage and shares that he was seized at home without clear charges.

Ailor refuses to name his “boy,” implying a son and suggesting his arrest might be related, though he believes he’d be dead if that were the reason. A distant scream underscores the prison’s brutality, contrasting with the relative “perks” in Tiyung’s cell.

Tiyung acknowledges a friend on the outside secured a lantern and food but withholds Hana’s identity. He worries because Hana has not returned and reflects on rescuing Nayo as only “saved from worse,” not fully saved.

Ailor asks if this friend can send a message; Tiyung is unsure. With little else to grasp, they agree to hope for the friend’s return. Despite suspicion and fear, Tiyung feels a fragile optimism—belief that he, and perhaps the others he cares about, might survive.