Chapter 8 Inception Space_1

"...So, you're saying that Anna and Katherine from room six cornered you in the locker room and extorted protection money from you, is that what you mean?" Aidan started questioning with his arms crossed.

Fille nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, they said if I didn't give them the money, they would break all my fingers. I said Lord Aidan wouldn't just stand by, and they said, 'What does the warden count for—'"

"I'm warning you not to exaggerate, and if I find out you're insulting me by sneaking in personal digs, you can expect to be thrown in solitary," Aidan interrupted with a warning gaze.

"Anyway, they were just shaking me down there, the nasty kind," Fille shrank her neck.

Aidan nodded; this matched the truth Veronica had related.

"And Veronica?"

"She…" Fille thought for a moment, "She was originally showering alone inside, I don't know how she heard, but suddenly she ran out from there, warning those two not to go too far. They got physical with her, and the death-row inmate ended up fighting with them."

"They're bold enough to provoke a death-row inmate?" Aidan scrutinized Fille's eyes, "You'd better not be spouting nonsense, or else..."

"I—I got it wrong!" Fille quickly waved her hands, "Those two bitches got scared when she warned them, but as soon as she was gone, they turned vicious and started beating me. Then the death-row inmate came back to save me, and that's when they started fighting."

"If they were so scared of the death-row inmate, why would they have the guts to hit you before she was out of sight?" Aidan narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Who—who knows? They're bad people, and bad people will do anything," Fille averted her gaze subconsciously.

"Are you sure you didn't provoke them yourself, making them lose control and hit you?" Aidan asked with a sneer.

"How—how could that be?" Fille laughed nervously.

"..." Aidan just looked at her without speaking.

"All right, all right, I'll come clean!" Fille, feeling uncomfortable under his stare, raised her hands in surrender, "I saw how scared they were of the death-row inmate, so I might have provoked them a little bit..."

"So, you counted on Veronica to help you, and you used her to deal with the two from room six," Aidan nodded, chuckling mockingly, "Pretty smart, using the tiger to eat the wolf, and saving on bodyguard fees at that."

"What bodyguard fees? What—what are you talking about?" Fille's gaze shifted.

"Stop pretending. Even without Veronica's help, you'd have paid other inmates to take care of those two fools, right? You've always survived in here through these means, haven't you?" Aidan directly pointed out.

Veronica didn't realize she had been used by Fille, who, though lacking in fighting power, was actually very cunning.

As the wealthiest woman in the core area, she would opt to buy off other big shots in the prison to sort out her troubles. Moreover, due to her frequent stints inside, she had accumulated quite a network. Those who knew her wouldn't bother her, and only greenhorns like Anna and Katherine, fresh from other prisons, would be foolish enough to try and shake her down.

"How could I, such a simple-minded person..." Fille attempted to bluff her way through.

"A pimp claiming to be simple-minded is like a lion claiming to be a vegetarian," Aidan snorted with disdain, "Last question, how did you faint?"

Fille tapped her chin with her hand, pretending to recollect, "I don't know. They were fighting, and I was about to run, and then someone hit the back of my head..."

"Really wasn't it that you slipped on a soap and then knocked yourself out on the cabinet?" Aidan probed.

"You already know, so why ask me?" Fille pouted.

"Was that soap dropped by Veronica? Are you trying to help her hide it?"

"She did help me out that one time; I am someone who believes in honor," Fille said with her arms crossed, her face the picture of righteous indignation.

"Still talking about honor in prison..." Aiden couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated, "Alright, I've got a pretty good handle on the situation now. Since you're not in trouble, you can go back to your cell with the guard after this."

Fille's final testimony matched Veronica's account, which suggested that most of what Veronica said was likely the truth.

Just as Aiden was about to stand up, Fille suddenly called out to him, "Wait a second, Lord Aiden."

"What now? Don't tell me you're going to pretend to be unwell and want me to stay here with you. I'm busy, so don't cause any trouble!" Aiden looked at Fille warily; she always took any opportunity to be a pest.

"It's not that!" Fille pouted discontentedly, "I just wanted to tell you, that person... might not be the murderer."

"How can you be so sure? Just because she helped you once?"

"I was in the same room with her last night, too scared to sleep. It was my first time being around such a frightening person, and I really had no peace of mind, so I tried exploring her dreams while she was asleep..."

"Hasn't your power been sealed?" Aiden frowned.

"I still have a tiny bit left. I can't seduce or drain life force anymore, but I can still peek into others' dreams," Fille explained, "Dreams can sometimes reveal a person's subconscious. I was trying to see if she had any psychological weaknesses."

"So you're a psychology expert now?" Aiden laughed.

"I'm serious!" Fille insisted irritably, "We often delve into others' dreams to study their desires and preferences. Even a somewhat experienced demon knows a thing or two about the human psyche."

"So what did you see in her dream?"

"If you give me a little magic casting permission, I can show you with an illusion," Fille requested.

Aiden immediately became suspicious.

"I won't pull any tricks, I don't want to die!" Fille cried out, slapping the bed.

"Fine," Aiden said, glancing at the prison doctor nearby, "You keep an eye on her. If anything unusual happens, call in the riot squad immediately."

"You have no trust at all," Fille complained, feeling slighted.

"The biggest fool in the world is the one who trusts you," Aiden retorted, giving her a look, "Alright, get on with it. Prisoner 3307, magical abilities' temporary unsealing authorized."

No sooner had he spoken than Fille felt a portion of her magic power, suppressed by the barrier, returning.

"Alrighty!" She sat up energetically on the bed, reached out toward Aiden's temples, and began the illusion spell.

Aiden saw a flash of white before his eyes, and then the surroundings changed. He found himself sitting in the gallery of a courtroom. A bell-like sentencing voice came from above:

"...The defendant, as a law enforcement officer, abused her authority to kill a civilian with a firearm. Her behavior constitutes dereliction of duty and murder. Additionally, in the process of being pursued, she maliciously attacked law enforcement officers, severely damaging the reputation of law enforcement agencies. The jury has unanimously found the defendant guilty of dereliction of duty, murder, and obstructing official duty. The court hereby sentences her to death."