Ch.0The Girl I Saved

Sometimes, I find myself thinking about when I drifted into this world.

I ponder where my choices went wrong and regret them.

I reflect on how I changed other people’s lives.

I was arrogant.

Priding myself on knowing more than anyone else, I failed to understand others’ humanity. I forgot that everyone’s values and character change as they live.

This place was the karmic retribution for my failure to recognize that this world was reality, not fiction.

A narrow space with three sides surrounded by iron walls on a freezing metal floor.

The only means to see the outside world was a small rectangular passage. Even that was a grim pathway with iron bars.

I stare at it endlessly, imagining escape, but with my limbs bound, it remains just a daydream. Despite possessing strength beyond comprehension, I cannot break free of my restraints.

It was because of learned helplessness.

As I stared at the iron bars with lifeless, drooping eyes, I heard it.

The sound of footsteps approaching, pat-pat. Though I only heard the sound, my body trembled with fear.

Before long, the owner of the footsteps revealed herself.

“Nepy, did you miss me while I was gone?”

The owner of the voice was a dazzlingly beautiful woman.

A maiden with snow-white hair flowing down to her waist and striking jewel-like blue eyes.

And the very person who kept me captive.

I gave no answer, only making wheezing sounds with my breath.

“Ah, you don’t need to speak. I know… I can read all your thoughts just by looking into your eyes, Nepy. Don’t worry! I’ll be with you all day today, so you won’t be lonely.”

“…”

As I stared at her with helpless eyes, she expressed her dissatisfaction.

“Why won’t you speak, Nepy? I want to talk with you. If you keep your mouth shut like that, I don’t know how to make you open up.”

My gaze instinctively turned toward the tools hanging on the wall. A saw with missing teeth, bloody tongs, and a chair studded with awls all proudly displayed their presence.

But I maintained my silence. My immortal body had long since grown accustomed to the pain in this space.

“Sigh, I have no choice. To make you open your mouth…”

Her figure approached until there was barely a hand’s width between us. I tightly closed my eyes at the chilling energy I felt.

Then she playfully exclaimed:

“Hiyah!”

In that moment, I, who had closed my eyes, opened them wide at the soft sensation on my lips. Her brilliantly beautiful face came into focus before me.

Her warm breath felt humid as it reached me from just inches away. Soon after, her tongue pushed between my lips and traced over mine.

My lips parted completely against hers, and she passionately and greedily entwined her tongue with mine. As if trying to leave her mark on everything.

I neither resisted nor responded, simply letting her take control of everything.

For a long while, our sticky breaths lost their way, circling confusedly within each other.

“Haa… haa…”

The transparent fluid stretched like a spider’s web in a thin thread, then suddenly broke.

Only after thoroughly exploring my depths to the point of breathlessness did she finally put some distance between us.

“If you keep acting like this, I’ll just have to open your mouth like this, won’t I?”

The bold demeanor from moments ago was completely gone, replaced by that of a shy maiden. She now looked like a fresh couple holding hands for the first time.

That disconnect felt so horrifying that I gritted my teeth and spat out her name.

“Irefi…”

Irefi Justitia. That was her name.

The one I had saved… that was her name.

On that day when I first encountered her, I foolishly became entangled with her.