Chapter 2

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 2

Chapter Title: Pleading for My Life

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Rattle, rattle.

Thud, clunk!

Rattle, rattle!

"Haa..."

Even bouncing bare-assed over this rutted, unpaved road would probably feel smoother than this.

But I—this body, April—was tougher than I'd thought. I'd gotten used to the brutal motion sickness by now, somehow.

That must be how she endured slaving away under Remeia all that time.

Of course, the threat looming over me now was on a whole different level from all that grueling labor.

"Could it get any worse than this?"

Sniff.

I squeezed out the last of my tears. Here in the dark wagon, my face buried under a musty sack.

The kidnapping, the endless journey—it had gnawed away at my already fragile mental state.

There was clearly a huge misunderstanding, but the more I thought about it, the less I could bring myself to say I wasn't Remeia.

If they realized their mistake midway, the kidnappers might decide I was more trouble alive and just kill me.

All I could do was stay quiet on this trip to who-knows-where, swallowing my sobs to avoid upsetting these strangers.

"Princess Remeia, we'll arrive at our destination shortly."

Someone calmly announced it, but nothing changed.

Gurgle.

"Hic...!"

It was miserable. And above all, I was starving.

I'd already been half-starved even before the kidnapping, but these guys didn't care—they fed me nothing but a scrap of hard bread and watery gruel once a day.

They explained it was because they couldn't stop for bathroom breaks often during travel, but that didn't make it any less miserable.

"Back in Korea, not feeding someone is unthinkable!"

Three months under that monster Remeia Salt, plus three days with these kidnappers—it was the worst ordeal of my life, one I'd never endure again.

And the absolute worst part was...

"I don't want to die."

No, even if I did want to die, not like this—in some dingy roadside inn.

Right after possessing this body, I was too busy surviving to even grasp my situation.

Every overwhelming day left no room for thought; I was desperate just to eat a little more or sleep a bit longer.

I only realized I'd possessed someone in Forced Empress when old man Gramps, working alongside me, called out Remeia's name.

And even then, it wasn't until right before the kidnapping that I remembered details about April herself. Anyone could guess how frantic I was just staying alive.

"Hic...!"

Thud!

As I desperately stifled my sobs, the wagon—which had been rumbling steadily—came to a halt.

Then, blinding light pierced through the crudely woven sack.

"We've arrived, so please get up."

"M-My legs... they're cramping..."

Aside from that one bathroom break hours ago, I'd been stuck in the same position the whole time. My body felt completely locked up.

After a brief silence, a firm hand grabbed my arm and dragged me out like a ragdoll with cut strings.

Splat!

"Ow!"

I hit the ground hard.

Oh, my wretched fate...

"We've safely completed the mission and returned."

While I lay sprawled, struggling to collect myself, unfamiliar men conversed nearby.

"Any injuries?"

"None."

"Then why is the princess face-down on the floor?"

"Ah, she says her legs are cramping."

As I squirmed on the cold floor, a large hand gently lifted my slumped form.

"Stretch it out."

"Should we gag her to stop her from screaming?"

"No. If the rumors are true, she's wise enough to know what to do here."

Whoosh!

The sack blocking my view came off with laughable ease.

Before my eyes could adjust to the sudden brightness, I shattered the man's expectations with a yell.

"I-I'm not Remeia Salt!!"

Truth be told, I'd been preparing for this moment.

Clinging to the hope that a chance to clear up the misunderstanding would come someday.

"I'm just a maid—no, a slave!"

Slave. Bitter word to say myself, but looking back on my life here, it wasn't wrong.

Maybe—just maybe—they'd admit the mistake and let me go?

But no answer came, as if mocking my vain hope.

Gulp.

The sound of dry swallowing echoed loudly. As the tedious silence dragged on, I cautiously lifted my head.

The first thing I saw was the shoe of a man lounging crookedly in a massive chair.

Lifting my gaze higher, I met green eyes devoid of any warmth.

A gaze like he was looking at an inanimate object.

Despite the life-or-death peril, he was stunningly handsome—enough to make my head spin.

"Duke of Brail, no doubt..."

Did that mean he could kill me?

The thought erased his good looks from my mind. Only terror remained.

I froze like a mouse before a snake for what felt like ages until the man's perfectly composed lips parted.

"Do you know anything?"

"Y-Yes? Wh-What?"

My dazed reply was followed by a chilling voice—not directed at me.

"...We'll need further investigation."

He wasn't talking to me.

My ears burned.

The man adjusted his monocle and bowed his head apologetically.

"My apologies."

"So this isn't the target, but some stray weed."

S-S-Stray weed.

The coldness dripping from his tone made my whole body shrink.

"What should we do?"

Monocle Guy asked the duke dryly.

The responses I could predict were:

1) No need for weeds—kill her.

2) For various reasons, kill her.

3) Just kill her.

So, yeah—death.

"W-W-Wait a second!"

Thud!

Faced with encroaching doom, I dropped to my knees.

Twisting my already messy, starved face into the pitifulest expression possible.

"Please spare me! I've had it really rough up until now. I don't want to die."

My fate surely rested with the duke.

I groveled low, shuffling forward on my knees toward him.

His face twisted oddly, but I didn't care. Driven by a primal survival instinct I never knew I had, I vowed solemnly.

"I won't even ask to be sent back. I'm actually great at work—super diligent. Just spare me, and I'll serve you bone-deep for free!"

But despite my desperate plea, he still looked down at me with displeasure.

The only sliver of hope? No instant order to kill me from those lips.

"C-Can't we figure something out...? I'm good at work... They call me Slave... No, I really am a slave..."

"...Hah."

My pathetic voice echoed desperately in the quiet room.

At the same time, tears born of terror—the greatest crisis of my life—blurred my vision.

"Am I dying here?"

And not even at home, but dying like a dog outdoors... Even as a ghost, I wanted to go peacefully under warm blankets!

This moment made every second feel like an hour.

Did my desperate look get through? After staring at me for a long while, the duke gave a slight nod.

"Put her away until we decide her fate."

"How should we treat her?"

"Lock her up somewhere suitable."

Not the greatest verdict—and it sounded like more confinement!

But as the conversation continued, my face brightened.

I'd dodged immediate death. I could've kissed the duke in gratitude.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

...If they hadn't hauled me up right then, I might've planted one on his shiny shoe-tip.

"Enough. Take her away."

"Thank you so much! I'll live right from now on! No—I'll slave away diligently!"

Even as the kidnappers dragged me off again, I shouted my appeal at full volume.

Keep me alive from here on out!