Ch.126Chapter 126. Wise Prison Life (1)

“Yes. Yes. I have no choice. I’ll use all my vacation days at once.”

Juliane rolled around on the bed and sighed deeply.

Originally, she had planned to replace her shot-up prosthetic limbs and go to work immediately.

But as luck would have it, the repair shop was completely out of parts.

In the end, she had to decide to take a vacation until new parts could be procured.

“Right. You’re using all three weeks?”

“Yes. They don’t know when the parts will arrive…”

Her voice trailed off from embarrassment.

She had definitely threatened to go on vacation only after closing this case.

She never dreamed she’d be taking time off like this.

“But something seems strange?”

“Huh? What is it?”

“That sturdy mechanical arm becomes inoperable from simple damage?”

“Ah… about that. I hit it pretty hard, hehe.”

“Did you enjoy your trip to El Paso?”

“…”

Juliane squeezed her eyes shut.

Of course there was no way to hide from the Department of Justice’s eyes.

Getting caught was all expected.

“You caused quite a commotion.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s just the two of us. You can be honest.”

“No matter what you say, I won’t tell you. Actually, I can’t.”

“Tsk…”

It was obviously an attempt to extract a confession.

They were probably recording this call right now.

While the El Paso police couldn’t detain Juliane without immediate evidence, things would be different if they had a confession.

“Fine. If you don’t want to answer, just listen. You knew what you did was illegal, right? Going all the way to El Paso to conduct an investigation is an abuse of authority.”

“…”

“You happened to be passing by, were attacked by four cartel scouts whom you knocked unconscious, and then coincidentally ran into their boss and engaged in a shootout? Nobody believes that. They just can’t arrest you without evidence.”

“…”

Her lips kept twitching, wanting to explain.

She desperately wanted to say she did it for Cuss, that she acted because her daughter was in danger.

But that would be as good as a confession, so she had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

“Still, it was all coincidence, right?”

“Yes? You really do understand me—”

“Understanding my ass. You nearly gave me a heart attack. The police chief and military officials there kept contacting us… Sigh… Do you have any idea how hard I had to work to convince them we didn’t order this?”

“I’m sorry…”

“If you’re sorry, accept your punishment gracefully.”

“Punishment?! What is it?”

“Three weeks of disciplinary action. While you’re on vacation, we’ll count it as disciplinary leave. Stay quiet for three weeks. Don’t even contact the office.”

“Oh my goodness. I thought you were going to cut my pay.”

“What? Not enough? Want me to cut your salary too?”

“No, no! I’m satisfied! But senior…”

“What is it?”

“If it’s disciplinary action, does that mean my vacation days aren’t used up?”

“Are you kidding me? Of course you have to use your vacation days.”

“Ugh…”

Juliane clicked her tongue.

When she heard “disciplinary action,” she thought it meant free vacation.

Now she was going to use up all the vacation days she’d been saving.

She had hoped for a little mercy.

“Tch. What workplace makes you use vacation days for disciplinary leave?”

“What are you complaining about? You should be saying thank you for getting off this easy.”

“Isn’t what I did actually a good thing? Why are you so eager to punish me?”

“Are you seriously joking right now?”

“You mentioned calls from the El Paso police chief and military base, but you didn’t mention the CIA. Let me guess. This incident was good news for the CIA, right?”

“…”

Silence followed.

Apparently, she was correct.

“Those guys who crossed the border to carry out assassinations couldn’t have been viewed kindly by the CIA… They probably poured tons of money—black money—into bringing them down and handing power to a competing organization. But thanks to me coincidentally dismantling that organization, the CIA saved money and was happy, right?”

“Hey. Are you a CIA agent? Why are you so proud of doing them a favor?”

“Ah! Anyway, what I did helped national interests! Yet instead of praise, all I get is scolding. I’m really hurt.”

“You really… benefit…”

Despite her superior’s angry voice, Juliane didn’t care.

Although there was only circumstantial evidence, given that she had almost certainly conducted an investigation outside her jurisdiction, disciplinary action was inevitable.

With pressure coming down from above, she should have received a much heavier punishment, but it was just three weeks of disciplinary leave.

This meant the VIPs above were satisfied with the outcome of this incident.

Of course they would view it favorably since she had saved government money.

Well, if it was money the CIA used for operations, it was probably obtained through illegal channels, so strictly speaking, was it even government money?

“So? Did I do well? I don’t think I’ve ever received praise from you in my life.”

“If I praise you for this, I’ll get my head chopped off… No comment. I’m hanging up now. Enjoy your three weeks off.”

“Yes. Forced vacation, you mean.”

“Whatever.”

Beep.

The call ended.

As Juliane was about to lie back down with another sigh—

Knock knock

“Hmm?”

She turned toward the sound of knocking at the door.

There was Jinsoo, leaning against the already open door, holding a basket.

“Are you done with your call?”

“Ah, yes. It’s fine now.”

“Then shall I clean you up?”

“…!”

The basket Jinsoo was holding contained water.

Seeing the towel tucked under his arm, Juliane understood his meaning and quietly let out a sigh.

“Ah, I can do that myself.”

“But if I do it for you, it’ll be faster and more thorough.”

“That’s true, but…”

“If you don’t want me to, I’ll stop. I just want to examine you more closely.”

“Ugh…”

How could she refuse when he put it that way?

Juliane reluctantly gave a nod of approval.

Jinsoo brought the basket over and placed it on the table.

“Where’s Cuss?”

“She went out to play with Bella.”

“Don’t you need to go with them?”

“Bob is with them, so there shouldn’t be any danger.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Will you be okay not going with them?”

“…”

Jinsoo flinched slightly in surprise.

Seeing Juliane’s smirking smile made him a little annoyed.

“What? Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“You get anxious when you’re separated from Cuss even a little bit.”

“Then how do you think I managed when she was at school?”

“You probably spent every day anxious.”

“This person, really…”

“Ahahahaha!”

Juliane burst into laughter as Jinsoo suddenly tickled her armpit.

She wanted to tease this daughter-obsessed man a bit more, but his resistance was too fierce, so she decided to stop.

“Now, let’s clean you up. Raise your arms.”

“Yes…”

At the gentle voice from behind her, Juliane raised both arms upward.

Or rather, just one arm.

The other side showed her shoulder moving, but the long sleeve remained drooping.

Jinsoo grabbed the shoulder part of her shirt and lifted it to remove her top.

This revealed her pale skin, clad only in black underwear.

Looking at her back that had lost one arm, Jinsoo’s mouth opened wide as he imagined an angel who had lost its wings.

She was that beautiful.

“Sh-should I take off your bra too?”

“No. Let’s leave it on. If we take that off too, things might get inappropriate.”

“Ah…”

That makes sense, right?

Juliane hung her head in embarrassment after bringing up the topic herself.

“I’ll remove your other arm too.”

“Ah, yes.”

“How do I do it?”

“Just grab the part below the shoulder… Yes, there. Hold it and turn it counterclockwise with force.”

“Oh…”

“Please don’t make such perverted sounds…”

Jinsoo let out an exclamation after removing her remaining arm.

An angel who had lost both wings was blushing in front of him.

A helpless angel who could no longer do anything alone.

Coming to his senses, Jinsoo dipped the towel into the basket and wrung it out.

Then he held Juliane’s shoulder and slowly began wiping the amputation site.

“How’s the temperature? Not too cold?”

“Mmm… It’s perfect. Nice and warm.”

“That’s good.”

Splash, splash.

For a while, there was only the sound of water, and no words were exchanged between them as he wiped her down.

One had to suppress increasingly inappropriate thoughts, while the other had to resist the urge to lick her beautifully toned shoulder blades.

“Eek?!”

In the end, Jinsoo couldn’t resist and did something unexpected.

Surprised by the sudden sensation of his tongue, Juliane jumped up, but Jinsoo held her shoulders down and continued licking her back.

“Ah… Aah… Uhhh… What are you… Mmm… doing…!”

Soon Juliane gave up resisting, her body trembling as moans escaped her lips.

She had been licked on her ears, neck, and various other places by Jinsoo before, but never on her back.

Her expression gradually filled with pleasure at this new, thrilling sensation.

“Mmm… What on earth are you doing…”

“Juliane. I just made a decision.”

“What…?”

“Let’s get married this year.”

“…?”

He just decided this now?

After licking her back?

Is the feel of her back somehow included in his marriage criteria?

Juliane was about to turn around with a look of contempt when—

“As I mentioned before, we need to adopt Cuss, register her birth, and give her citizenship… I think it’s better to get married sooner rather than later.”

“What? Is that your only reason for getting married?”

“Of course not. I love you. I love you so much that I can’t live without you anymore, so I’m asking you to marry me.”

Jinsoo embraced her tightly from behind.

Juliane felt her heart warming from the pressure of his large frame.

Though she had no arms, it didn’t matter.

Because Jinsoo was someone who would love her just as she was.

No, he already did love her.

“Okay. Let’s do it, let’s get married. We’ll have a small ceremony with just family and close friends.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“And about the wedding rings…”

“…”

Jinsoo felt his heart sink.

Wedding rings.

He had forgotten about that.

Proposing without wedding rings.

Cold sweat formed on his forehead as his pupils trembled.

“Actually, I’ve already ordered them, so they should be delivered soon. I was planning to propose then, but you beat me to it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Pure gold. Pure gold that will never tarnish.”

“…”

While caressing Juliane’s stomach, Jinsoo buried his face in her back.

He kept inhaling deeply.

Savoring the scent of the woman who would never leave his side again.

.

.

.

“Mmm…”

Early morning with birds chirping.

Juliane woke up in a good mood and stretched lazily.

Looking beside her, she found the blankets disturbed and an empty space.

Judging by the clattering sounds from outside, it seemed Jinsoo was already up and preparing side dishes.

“Hehehe…”

Instead, she found Cuss on the opposite side, tightly hugging Jinsoo’s pillow while sleeping.

Lifting the blanket, Juliane lay down to examine Cuss’s sleeping face.

How could she be so cute?

She strangely resembled Jinsoo somehow, which made her incredibly lovable.

“Really… how did you grow up to be so good?”

Juliane smiled contentedly while poking Cuss’s cheeks.

Jinsoo had said Cuss wasn’t fully human yet, but Juliane didn’t think so.

She was too well-behaved for a child who hadn’t received proper elementary education and had grown up in the slums.

Was this the result of Jinsoo’s loving care?

She had thought he was quite clumsy at parenting, but it seemed no one could match Jinsoo’s love for Cuss.

“Hmm?”

Juliane’s eyes narrowed.

She noticed that one side of Cuss’s nightgown skirt was strangely bulging.

Wondering if something was inside, Juliane tilted her head and carefully lifted the skirt.

Come to think of it, both Jinsoo and Cuss had been oddly protective about showing beneath their skirts.

Now that she was essentially Jinsoo’s wife and Cuss’s mother, surely it was okay to look.

As she flipped up the skirt to look inside—

“Huh?”

She was utterly shocked.

Something that shouldn’t be there was present.

A rolled-up black whip… no, what appeared to be a tentacle-like organism was extending from Cuss’s bottom.

Moreover, it was moving as if alive.

Blinking, Juliane carefully turned Cuss’s body slightly so as not to wake her.

And she confirmed it.

It wasn’t attached to a belt or coming from her anus.

The tentacle was clearly growing naturally from where the human tailbone would be.

“What… on earth…”

Juliane’s voice trembled as she sat up.

What is this?

She wanted to call out to Jinsoo and ask immediately.

But for some reason, her voice wouldn’t come out.

This was a man who had changed Cuss’s clothes and bathed her countless times.

There’s no way he wouldn’t know about this.

So he had been hiding it all along?

Why…?

“F-first…”

It could be a tumor or some disease.

The first step would be to take Cuss to the hospital for an X-ray and get a doctor’s opinion.

Just as Juliane was trying to stay calm and tapped below her ear to call 911—

Zzzzzap!

“Bwack?!”

Her body became paralyzed with a shocking sensation.

Juliane collapsed onto the bed, wetting herself and trembling uncontrollably.

Her eyes rolled back, preventing her from seeing properly, and her tongue moved erratically, making strange noises.

Only her ears were functioning normally.

Then a soft voice flowed into Juliane’s ear.

“Why did you do that, Juliane? It would have been better if you never found out.”

For some reason, it was a sad, tearful voice.