episode_0044

A slave shop covered by a tent.

The soundproofing was poor, and the voices of many people echoed. Inside, it was a store that was no different from any other store. Except for the fact that the alien species on display were locked in iron bars and trembling in fear.

A man who appeared to be part of a group spoke loudly as he grabbed the front of the hair of a woman who was chained to the iron bars with both arms tied.

“Master! Out of all the slaves, isn’t this one the prettiest?”

The owner, who came out of the inner room with an impression on his voice, glared at him.

“Who was it? It was you.”

“Relax your expression.”

“Take some of the product off.”

“It may be rude, but I think you’ll change your mind when you see what we caught, right?”

“What more can you do than be a slave?”

“Among those slaves, there are some so-called special ones, right?”

“Did you catch another elf?”

“Oh~ You know that well, right?”

“Go back. Elves are hard to educate and are not easily affected by magic like brainwashing, so they won’t accept it.”

“This old man knows one and doesn’t know two. Do you think I brought just those ordinary elves?”

The owner, who answered his question with silence, looked at the iron bars they had brought. At first glance, they looked like any other iron bars.

Until I saw the young elves inside those cages.

“What do you think? Do you like it?”

The owner looked at the man’s question with suspicion.

“… How did you catch it?”

“There are many ways.”

“Aren’t you going to answer?”

“It’s a trade secret, so don’t think too badly of it. So are you going to buy it?”

“There’s no reason not to buy it.”

“Then let’s start simply with 100 gold coins?”

“… So all 10 people get 100 gold coins?”

“It’s not like I’m doing business one day… Of course it’s Mari Dang.”

“Yeah, the little elves are worth it. I’ll buy them all.”

“As expected, it’s cool.”

“Stop messing around and take her inside quickly.”

“Oh, right. Is it okay if I take this person?”

The owner gave him a fierce look. The man with both arms raised smiled mischievously at that sight.

“Just kidding, just kidding. I’ll just give you one elf.”

The shop owner laughed and waved his hand.

“Do as you wish.”

“Then the contract is established.”

The man who had slammed the desk in front of the store owner quickly dragged Su-in out. The last thing he heard was Su-in’s screams of terror.

I was trapped in the dark.

Who knew there was such a huge space inside a tent?

A race of aliens locked in countless iron cages.

Some people are hungry.

Some people are sick.

Everyone seemed to be waiting for death.

I spent every night in fear because I knew at a young age that this was what my future would be like.

How many days have passed?

The shop owner tried to brainwash us with the whole god under the pretext of ‘educating’ us. No matter how resistant the elves are to brainwashing, that was still brainwashing through magic.

If you cause a little mental confusion, you can indirectly brainwash them.

All the elves younger than me chose to be brainwashed in order to survive. That way, they wouldn’t get hit and could eat food.

As time went by, the elves who were the same age as me, and then all the elves except me, were brainwashed.

After several months, I was not brainwashed.

As time passed, she lost all sense of time. The elves who had come with her had already been sold, and the wide iron cage made her feel even more lonely.

The life in his eyes had long since disappeared due to the brutal assault he had endured.

“Why aren’t you brainwashed? Your pretty face would be something that would make the auction house noisy if you were brainwashed.”

“… ”

“I don’t see any signs of resistance… What a strange girl.”

The man who was looking at the iron bars I was locked in clicked his tongue.

“It’s definitely a shame that I couldn’t sell it at auction. But that pretty face saved you.”

“… ”

“The person who will buy you for me tomorrow will come. He is a noble with a more unique taste than I thought. ”

Dead emotions came back to life. Of course, it wasn’t in a good way.

My pupils trembled and my whole body felt cold. I didn’t feel any joy at getting out of here and seeing the light. I was just consumed by the fear of what that old man might do to me.

But there was nothing that could be done.

Now is the time to think about ‘how can I make it better?’ From the moment I was brought here, I never thought of any hope that there would be light for me.

Now that I think about it, maybe that’s why I didn’t get brainwashed. I didn’t have any expectations from the beginning.

That night.

The store collapsed. In a mysterious attack.

“Were you really scared? You’re safe now.”

From that day on, I became the maid of a girl from a priestly family.

Miss Naiz gave me the name Ilya and treated me like a friend. It was a pleasure.

All the abuse I suffered was comforting and reassuring when I was with her. Is this the power of the priest?

Years of happy living passed by in the blink of an eye.

Miss Naiz and I had become best friends. Then one day, something shocking came out of her mouth.

“Ilia.”

“Huh?”

“I’m leaving this town tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“I know it’s sudden. Actually, I didn’t know I’d be leaving this town.”

“… Then what happens?”

“I’m sorry, but… I think I’ll have to leave you for a while.”

“No! I’ll go with you!”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“So you’re saying you’re not in danger?”

“… If it weren’t for God’s commandment, I wouldn’t have gone.”

“Then you don’t have to go. That kind of god… ”

“That won’t do.”

Ilia lowered his head and kept his mouth shut at the sight of Naiz speaking so bluntly.

Ilya opened his mouth again, feeling the atmosphere between them becoming tense.

“Then I’ll go too.”

“Ilia’s stubbornness… ”

“I will go! As you move for God, I will go for the person I serve.”

Did Illira’s sincerity get through? Or was Naiz expecting her to say the same thing?

“… Thank you. Actually… I was really scared too.”

Ilya and Neyz smiled at each other and left the village the next day. The bond that held them together became stronger as time passed.

I even started to think that I could easily overcome any danger if I was with her.

Unfortunately, she realized that it was a vain hope at her last destination, Suljirik.

-No… Miss Naize!!

-Ilya, wait. I’ll be back soon.

-No!!! Don’t go!!!

“Huh… What is this… A dream… Is this it?”

The resentment and anger I felt back then are still vivid.

‘But… what is this?’

Ilya stared intently at the clubs wrapped around his arms. He clearly remembered drinking alcohol, but he couldn’t remember holding the clubs, so he couldn’t help but wonder.

Ilya, who had been pondering the whereabouts of the club for a moment, quickly stopped thinking, got up from the bed, and left the room.

As soon as I opened the door, the familiar smell of cigarettes and alcohol hit my nose. It was a smell I could smell normally, but what should I call it today?

It was worse than usual.

As if Ilya’s guess was correct, all the old men who had never passed out from drinking were snoring and sleeping soundly.

And then I saw two men standing in front of him.

“Ilia, are you awake?”

They were Prince Logs and Prince Mars.

Before he could even begin to wonder how the two were alive, Ilya was surprised to see the two preparing to go out.

I went straight to Logs and whispered in his ear.

“Where are you going?”

“Us? We have something to do.”

“Are you and the prince going together?”

“Oh, it’s because I’m sneaking around like I’m watching.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay.”

Logs looked quite flustered at her determined appearance.

“How dangerous is it to go with the prince… You and I, who are being chased right now, are going to go alone?”

“Uh… Uh.”

“No way. Absolutely not.”

Ilia exhaled heavily and looked at Logs. The person who spoke to her was not Logs, but Mars.

“Ilia.”

“… Prince.”

Ilya bowed his head and took a step back at Mars’ call.

“I’m really busy right now. Let me borrow Logs for a moment.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t worry too much, I’ll come as soon as possible.”

“… Okay.”

Since it was the prince’s word, I couldn’t refuse. But… what does it mean to borrow?

In the first place, Logs isn’t mine.

The back of the departing Logs.

As I quietly watched him like that, I felt something strange.

***

Knock knock.

“… ”

“You really know each other, right?”

“Yes. Maybe I don’t know the line so I’m doing this.”

I never thought I’d come back to such a shabby dojo, but I wonder if Luca would know.

Knock knock.

“Hello, I’m the one who delivered Steven before.”

“It’s you! Hurry up… ”

“Hello. Today, I want to share a conversation with you… ”

bang!

“… ”

“We know each other, right?”

“You saw me welcoming you.”

“Is it my fault?”

“Whose fault is it? Honestly, if you hate this person this much, what on earth did you do wrong?”

“… You don’t have to know.”

“If you don’t tell me the story, it will be difficult for me to help you.”

“Nothing changes even if you know it.”

“Maybe I can help you in some way.”

“What help would a piece of trash like you give me?”

“Did I say I won’t cooperate? It’s a simple request. Just buy me some time until I find my stuff.”

“Don’t you think we won’t be able to hold out for that long?”

“Why are you rebelling with troops that can’t even hold out in the first place?”

“… ”

“Oh, it was my fault for asking.”

“… Anyway, let’s go back now.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a call to go back.”

“Ha… We don’t have enough troops and we’re not prepared, so what are we going to do if we give up so easily?”

“… So you’re saying we should wait?”

“Yes, I will be there for you, so please sit next to me.”

I leaned my back against the door. The prince hesitated for a moment, then came next to me and leaned against the wall. No matter what, if I wait like this, he will open it for me.

And the current time is 11pm.

It’s been exactly 12 hours since I started waiting.

Every time the cold air touched my skin, my body started to shiver more. Why isn’t it coming out like this!