A year? That was practically unfathomable to Rita. When she was captured at Heliord, she had spent less than an hour in custody before she managed to break out. Of course, not everyone could be a genius mage like Rita Mordio. If this stranger was someone she liked, she might have actually been sympathetic to his ordeal.

"I told you, I'm not stupid." If there was anything that could irritate Rita, it was being treated like a child who needed common sense explained to her. "I wasn't going to try anything in broad daylight." Not without a plan.

Catching the gaze of one of the soldiers overseeing the cleaning, Rita grudgingly resumed her cleaning. She was quiet for a few moments. "A year... that's ridiculous," she murmured, eyes to the floor. "I don't have a week to spare, much less a year. One way or another, I'm getting out of here."