“Do you want to go outside?”

Noel asked casually as he handed me a set of clothes like it was no big deal.

I paused as I went to pick up the new clothes. Nine days ago, after he’d said, “Let’s go for a walk together sometime,” Noel hadn’t mentioned anything about it since. I hadn’t pushed him either. I had simply focused on showing him how hard I was trying to adjust to this life. And now the reward for that effort was right in front of me.

“Can I go outside?”

I asked Noel, trying not to sound too eager, but also not wanting to seem like I was holding back. I just looked at him, genuinely curious.

“Theo and Cane haven’t said anything either. It’s suffocating being stuck here all the time, you know?”

Suffocating? Then why had they kept me stuck here for 20 days?

I muttered to myself, but at that moment, Noel looked like an angel. My heart was racing.

I’m finally gonna get out of this room! I’m going to walk down the hallway and see the railing, which I had only glimpsed through the small gap in the slightly open door. I was so excited that I kept my mouth shut for fear of saying something stupid.

“Let’s have lunch together today in the first-floor dining room. We’ve made your favorite fish dish.”

“Sounds good.”

I managed to reply softly, my voice barely audible.

As soon as I spoke, Noel pulled a key out of his pocket. I tried desperately not to stare at it greedily. Instead, I looked up at Noel’s face, trying to keep my expression full of anticipation.

The shackles that had tightly bound my wrists for the past twenty days were finally released. The cylindrical silver key slid smoothly into the keyhole. With a gentle twist from Noel, there was a soft click!-the clean sound of metal parts fitting perfectly. The shackles fell apart almost effortlessly.

It was just a simple key. The very key I had once been so desperate to find that had caused Cane to scold me so harshly. I had screamed in fear, shaking uncontrollably. But now the shackles were completely off my wrists!

I rubbed my wrists awkwardly. By the fifteenth day, the handcuffs had become so unbearably tight that I had begun to experience phantom pain. Even then, instead of asking Noel to release me, I bit my tongue and endured the pain. I kept telling myself it was just a game, something to ease my mind, knowing that adding another trauma to the growing pile would only make things worse. I already felt like I was drowning in psychological scars.

Now the chains that had tormented me for so long were gone. At that moment, I was free – no longer bound to anything.

The thought of pushing Noel with all my strength and sprinting for the exit door exploded in my mind, but I knew I couldn’t do that. I had to assess the situation outside more carefully and gather as much information as possible.

After all, patience had its rewards.

“Let’s go.”

Noel gently took my hand and pulled me forward. I hesitantly followed him, step by step, towards the exit.

Was he messing with me? Could it be this easy? Was I really about to go outside, just like that? My heart was pounding –thump, thump, thump – so hard that I pressed a hand to my chest. Only then did I realize I’d been holding my breath the whole time.

The wooden door swung open smoothly under Noel’s hand. It was the same door I’d tried to open countless times during my first week, to no avail. There must’ve been some kind of fingerprint recognition or subtle magic involved. After all, Theo had no problem using magical devices.

The hallway was filled with bright light, a stark contrast to the dim lighting in my room. I stepped out slowly, following Noel. A deep crimson carpet stretched across the wide hallway, and landscape paintings lined the walls.

Overhead, an elaborate chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and intricate decorations adorned the moldings in every corner. I looked up at the chandelier before glancing back. The plain wooden door, now slightly ajar, offered a view of my bed and the clock hanging on the wall beside it. For a moment, a wave of nausea hit me and I nearly gagged.

The contrast between the ordinary hallway and the secretive wooden door was unsettling. It was strange, almost surreal, how this nondescript door hid the fact that I had been locked behind it for 20 days. The realization hit me hard, vividly and disturbingly.

Noel held my hand as we walked slowly. My palms were sweating with nerves, but he didn’t seem to mind. At the end of the long hallway stood an antique knight’s armor, its presence almost eerie against the dead-end wall behind it.

Halfway down the hall, a railing appeared, leading to a set of stairs that spiraled upward. It wasn’t until then that I realized I’d been underground all along.

The luxurious walls of the staircase were lined with abstract, brightly colored paintings, completely out of place for a place where someone had been abducted. The stairs stretched high, too far up for me to see what lay beyond.

How had Noel managed to get the tray down to the basement? There must have been another way down beside the stairs. I looked around, trying to spot an alternate passageway, but nothing stood out.

Meanwhile, Noel was striding up the stairs with ease. I followed, my legs shaking with each step. The carpet felt soft and warm under my bare feet, but a strange chill ran through my body.

Just leaving the room had drained me of so much energy that I felt like I was going to collapse from sheer exhaustion.

Finally, we reached the ground floor. I let out a small gasp of awe.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Noel draped his arm around my shoulder as he asked the question. I nodded, barely paying attention. The first floor opened into a spacious hall and living room, with an entire wall of glass offering a clear view of the garden.

I absentmindedly stroked the sofa, feeling like a fool. The sensation of being free from the shackles on my wrists was overwhelming, and sitting in a bright, open living room instead of that lightless basement felt surreal. My gaze drifted to the garden beyond the window, as if I were in a trance. It wasn’t an enormous garden, but it was spacious enough.

Tall trees lined the path, creating a natural walkway, while flowers and grass spread out across the area. Beyond the occasional tree, I could make out other buildings in the distance. My heart started pounding wildly again.

I couldn’t tell exactly how far away they were, but I had a feeling they were farther than they appeared.

Judging by the size, those structures seemed significant—far too grand to be part of a private estate. They were well-maintained and clean, almost giving off the vibe of a government-run facility, like a library or a university, rather than just another part of someone’s mansion.

Just from looking at the buildings, garden, and house, I couldn’t tell if this place was Arken or Ham. At the very least, it didn’t seem to be in the northern continent. The flowers and trees in the garden were lush and vibrant, far too green for the constant winter of the northern lands. The glass wasn’t just big, it was imposing. Sunlight poured through, illuminating the luxurious couches, tables, fireplace, bookshelves, and decorations. It was a beautiful, spacious home.

Suddenly, an unexpected wave of anger washed over me. How could they have such a well-crafted, elegant home and still lock me up in such a basement? My anger was directed at the three men who had imprisoned me in that suffocating space.

Every piece of decor, from the art nouveau frames to the tables and ornaments, was lavish and elegant. Even at a glance, it was clear that these were expensive items.

“Do you like the garden?”

I must have been staring at it too long. When I snapped back to reality, I turned to Noel and smiled, feeling genuinely good. Just seeing something other than gray walls was overwhelming in the best way.

“I do. It’s beautiful.”

“I knew you’d like it.”

Noel looked at me with satisfaction in his eyes.

“Take your time and look around. I’ll get you some refreshments.”

Without a trace of tension, he got up and walked across the living room, presumably to the dining area around the corner.

What…?

I was stunned.

I wasn’t restrained, and the large front door across the hall clearly led to the garden outside. If I ran now, opened the door, and made a dash for it… what were my chances? Fifty-fifty? No, wait – considering I didn’t know the layout of this place or fully understand the situation, the odds were closer to 80% that I’d be caught, with only a 20% chance of escaping.

I wasn’t restrained, and the large front door across the hall clearly led to the garden outside. If I ran now, opened the door, and made a dash for it… what were my chances? Fifty-fifty? No, wait – considering I didn’t know the layout of this place or fully understand the situation, the odds were closer to 80% that I’d be caught, with only a 20% chance of escaping.

The chances were slim, but I couldn’t take my eyes off that door.

Cold sweat coated my hands. No matter how well I kept my poker face on, I couldn’t completely control my body’s reactions. I wiped my hands on my white shorts, trying to calm myself. There might even be cameras in the living room. Forcing myself to look away from the door, I shifted my gaze back to the garden.