Chapter 11. Mini Cat (1)

Translator: Lili

Inmate ‘Mary’ was the reigning queen of Augwell.

Mary’s uncle and benefactor was a businessman, the top figure in logistics and the boss of a violent gang. Even before being imprisoned at Augwell, Mary had racked up 23 assault charges. The sheer amount of money spent on smoothing over these incidents had earned her the nickname ‘The Walking Jackpot Punching Machine’.

Mary, who had a habit of regularly beating people on a monthly basis, was paradoxically known for being just as good at providing medical care afterward. Most of her charges resulted in light fines. However, her 24th assault landed her in Augwell for a simple reason: her victim, whose ribs she personally broke, was wealthy enough to make her ‘jackpot machine’ useless.

Thankfully for Mary, her team of lawyers ensured she was sent not to an ordinary prison but to the luxurious private Augwell. This arrangement left Mary with few complaints; in fact, she began to suspect that prison life suited her. What she enjoyed most about this isolated society was that she could throw punches without anyone demanding a settlement fee.

With her gang of followers, Mary ruled over Rooms 200–210.

When she heard that two newcomers had been assigned to the vacant Room 207, Mary decided to personally welcome them. The reason was simple: after spending so much time in confinement, she was considering getting herself a ‘prison wife’. The mention of a ‘stunning beauty’ among the new arrivals piqued her interest.

Upon meeting Shushu, however, Mary had been mildly disappointed.

‘Cute, sure, but stunning? Not really.’

The rare innocence that Shushu radiated intrigued her. Still, Mary was here for the real deal—the ‘stunning beauty’ she’d heard about.

The moment Mary saw Mini Cat, Shushu’s roommate, she understood why the guards had emphasized such a description.

Mini Cat’s beauty rivaled that of supermodels and top actors Mary’s uncle had mingled with. She was, quite literally, breathtaking.

“You’re the one they were talking about, huh? Nice to meet you, gorgeous.”

***

Mary, whose rough mannerisms mirrored those of her uncle, a gang leader, managed to soften her tone at Mini Cat’s stunning appearance. It was rare for her to be this courteous.

However, Mini Cat simply gave her a brief, disinterested glance, opened another window, and ignored her entirely.

Mary, whose fiery temper usually led her to knock out anyone who dared to disrespect her, clenched her fists but held back. She couldn’t bring herself to ruin that face. It was a miracle born of restraint.

“Not sure if you’ve heard, but I’m Mary. I run the 200s. Everyone here is under my control.”

“…”

“Sweetheart, what I mean is, if you stay on my good side, life here will suck a lot less. The opposite is also true.”

Her words were intended as a veiled threat, though the crude language made it a poor attempt at subtlety. Regardless, Mini Cat paid her no mind. Not a nod, not a word—just a look of boredom as she stood by the window.

Mary’s patience, thin as it was, snapped. Her followers exchanged knowing looks.

‘That pretty face won’t last long. If Mary shows some restraint, she’ll only break a rib or two.’

“I was gonna be nice because you’re pretty, but you’re just a stuck-up little—”

Before she could finish, something incredible happened.

Mini Cat, who had been lazily watching Mary, moved. By the time the room’s occupants blinked, Mary was gone.

It wasn’t a magic trick, no doves were flying out of hats. Mini Cat had simply tossed Mary out the open window.

The only parallel to magic might be that, like a dove taking flight, Mary had soared out of the third-story window with a scream.

“This is the third floor…”

Someone muttered from Mary’s crew, breaking the stunned silence.

Mini Cat, unbothered, shut the window as if she had merely shaken out some dust. She didn’t even glance down to check where Mary had landed. Her calm demeanor left no doubt: this was no ordinary inmate.

Shushu, frozen in shock, pressed herself against the wall, trembling. Her instincts screamed that of everyone in the room, Mini Cat was by far the most dangerous.

‘Please, don’t leave me alone with this person!’

Shushu silently begged, casting desperate glances at Mary’s followers, who had once seemed monstrous.

But Mary’s gang had already assessed the situation. After recovering from the shock of seeing their leader turned into a metaphorical pigeon, they quickly exited the room, avoiding eye contact.

“…”

Left alone with Mini Cat, Shushu stood awkwardly in the corner, her eyes wide with fear. Meanwhile, Mini Cat sat casually on the bed, glanced at Shushu, and smirked.

“Looking forward to getting along, cutie.”

Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.

***