The north bordered the territory of the Kuth Tribe, known as the Savages. It was a dangerous area, plagued by frequent appearances of monsters and outbreaks of war.

Perhaps for this reason, the north was filled with mercenaries of unknown origin and knights sent on missions.

Seria had barely reached the village before the sun disappeared. Pulling the hood of her cloak even lower over her face, she cautiously surveyed her surroundings.

The atmosphere of the village was drastically different from the ones she knew. There were no women here.

The place was filled with burly men, all of them carrying dangerous-looking weapons like swords and maces as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

‘Surely, there aren’t any savages here too.’

The thought of the Kuth Tribe, rumored to eat people, sent a shiver down Seria’s spine. She quickly shook off the horrific idea.

Here, even Seria’s blood-soaked robe didn’t look out of place. In fact, it seemed to fit right in, making her think she could blend in seamlessly among them.

Seria let out a small sigh of relief at that thought and continued moving forward, intending to find a place to stay for the night.

Seria hurried her steps. Despite walking almost as if she were running, her strides were terribly short. Moreover, even though she wore a robe, her small and frail frame was clearly noticeable compared to the people here.

If it hadn’t been for the blood-soaked robe, it was likely that some unsavory characters would have already attempted to approach her. In this situation, the drunken mercenaries she passed stared at her intently, their eyes lingering on her retreating figure much longer than she preferred.

Seria could sense the strange atmosphere as well.

She was aware of the unsettling stares of the rough men that had been directed at her for some time.

Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. Thump, thump. Her hands, hidden in the cloak, trembled with fear.

Closing her eyes, Seria tried to calm herself, to push the thoughts from her mind.

‘D-don’t pay attention to it. This is all just in my head…’

Just in case her face could be seen, Seria pulled the hood of her robe even lower. But unfortunately, the world was not on her side.

At the worst possible moment, she began to feel dampness spreading across her br*ast.

“No, no… please, not now…”

The sensation of w*tness inside her was unmistakable and vivid. It wouldn’t be long before it soaked through her robe. 

She quickened her pace in panic, needing to find somewhere – anywhere – to go immediately. 

The streets were lined with nothing but taverns, and she couldn’t imagine where all the people would sleep if there were nothing but drinking establishments. 

As this thought crossed her mind, someone suddenly stepped into her path. 

Even without looking up, she could feel the imposing presence of the large figure blocking her path. 

Seria’s body instinctively froze, her muscles stiffening. She tried to remain calm, hoping to get past him unnoticed. 

But the man wasn’t easily dissuaded. When Seria tried to move around him, he blocked her again, leaning forward as if to peer under her hood.

“This… Ugh, no matter how I look at it, it seems like a woman…”

The unpleasant stench of alcohol hit Seria’s face every time the man spoke, making it clear that he was completely drunk. Terrified, she tried to back away, taking shaky steps backwards in an attempt to escape.

But the man wasn’t alone.

He seemed to have a group, as more rough-looking men began to take an interest, approaching her one by one.

“Hey, Fred, what’s going on?”

Seria’s heart was pounding like it was going to burst out of her chest. She had no idea how to get out of this situation. All she could do was stare helplessly at the cobblestones beneath her feet, shaking uncontrollably.

If it had been just one man, she might have had a chance to escape, but…

Before she realised, five or six men had surrounded her, cutting off any possibility of escape.

“That one in the robe. Hmph, no matter how I look at it, it seems like a woman, right?”

The drunken man said as he reached out to pull back Seria’s hood.

Just as he was about to reveal her face, another figure suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Do you have business with my companion?”

The voice was low, calm and dry.

Instinctively, Seria looked up. The man who had appeared was so tall that she had to crane her neck all the way back just to catch a glimpse of the back of his head.

The men who had been harassing Seria looked visibly startled. They hesitated, exchanged uneasy glances and muttered to each other.

“A savage…?”

“What’s he doing here…?”

Soon the group began to retreat, moving quickly away until they were out of sight. Even the drunkard, who had stumbled and reeked of alcohol only moments before, ran off as if he hadn’t been drunk at all. 

Seria blinked in confusion at the sudden turn of events, her eyes wide open. Just as she was about to thank the man who had helped her, he turned to her.

Without a word, he bent down and lifted the hem of her robe.

“Ah!”

Startled, Seria hastily reached for the hood, but it was too late – her face was already fully exposed.

Her pale cheeks, as if untouched by the sun, and her shiny golden hair, tucked neatly behind her ears, shimmered in the dim light. It was clear to everyone that Seria did not belong in a place like this.

Flustered, she quickly pulled her hood back over her head and lowered her eyes, her head dipping as if to hide from his piercing gaze.

“Why would someone like you come to a place like this?”

The man’s voice was sharp as he turned towards Seria. He exuded a presence far different from the delicate, effeminate nobles she had encountered in the capital. 

His massive frame, dark skin and solid, muscular build set him apart. Even the way his hand hovered, as if ready to grab Seria’s face in one swift motion, showed his intimidating presence.

“You smell like milk. Are you waiting for a man to r*pe you?”

The man’s gaze stopped at Seria’s br*ast. Due to the continuous flow of fluid from earlier, her robe was completely soaked. Seria was confused when she saw her wet robe and didn’t know how to react.

‘Why is all of this happening to me?’

Feeling the man’s unblinking gaze, Seria instinctively hunched her shoulders and took a quick step back.

As Seria distanced herself from the man, she finally took in his face. His unkempt, pitch-black hair and grotesquely glowing golden eyes were enough for her to instinctively recognise who he was – the savage she had only heard about.

As she acknowledged this truth, her body, already stiff with tension, became even stiffer with fear. Seria instinctively began to chew on her lower lip, her delicate shoulders trembling. Her already pale cheeks grew even paler.

Seeing the expression on her face, the man grinned, one corner of his mouth raised in mockery.

“Now that I think about it, I don’t think you’ve thanked me properly.”

The man closed the distance with several long strides, quickly filling Seria’s field of vision with his massive form. He wore pieces of armour that were barely recognisable as such, hastily assembled, and his body was covered in large scars – the likes of which Seria had never seen in her life. 

Every time the man moved, his muscles rippled with power. When this happened, the long scars on his body seemed to twitch like worms. Unable to bear the sight, Seria squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away.

“T-thank you… for helping me.”

She managed to force the words out, summoning every ounce of strength she could muster.

But the man’s expression remained unimpressed.

“So this is how respectable people show their gratitude?”

“…”

“Anyone who sees might think I’m going to eat the daughter of a noble family.”

At his words, Seria’s shoulders jerked sharply, her body tensing with unease.

‘I’ve heard that savages really do eat people…’

Seria’s bright blue eyes flickered visibly at the thought. He raised an eyebrow in disbelief before letting out a dry laugh.

“Heh.”

As the man’s expression grew more mocking, Seria’s mind went blank, her thoughts clouded with panic. She had no idea how to handle the situation. 

For a moment, she even wondered if the rowdy men the man had chased away might have been a better option. 

As soon as the negative thoughts surfaced, they quickly spiralled and became more intense. 

The man’s disapproving expression remained unchanged as he watched her shrink and tremble.

“So, where should I take you?”

He asked. His tone was one of mockery. But there seemed to be no real malice in his question – only curiosity. 

At his words, Seria parted her small lips nervously and shook her head. 

“I… I don’t know… Just somewhere nearby… somewhere I can sleep…” 

She murmured in a barely audible voice, struggling to get the words out. 

The man’s face contorted even more, as if he couldn’t understand what she was saying. 

“You don’t know?” 

“No.” 

The harshness of his gaze made Seria feel small, causing her to shrink even further. She lowered her head even further, staring helplessly at her own feet.

“Where’s your group?”

“Uh, I don’t have one…”

“Heh, you’re talking nonsense. So you came to the north alone in such a state?”

Seria hesitated for a moment before nodding. Technically, she wasn’t completely alone, but she was now, so she figured it wasn’t a lie.

The man stared at her intently, as if trying to gauge the truth of her words. His piercing golden eyes seemed to see right through her.

With each passing second, Seria felt herself shrinking further under his gaze. Meanwhile, her br*asts grew heavier, the dampness spreading across her robes. 

The man furrowed his brow at the sight of her robe, now even wetter than before, as if he couldn’t understand. 

Seemingly frustrated by the delay, he clicked his tongue and suddenly grabbed her hand, pulling her with him. 

As Seria followed, her heart pounded with a mixture of fear and anxiety, each beat echoing painfully in her br*ast.

‘Is it okay to follow him?’

The thought of ending up on the savage’s table made Seria shudder, her mind recoiling from the terrifying image. She shook her head quickly, trying to push the thought away. 

But now there was no turning back. She couldn’t escape his grip and run. 

His hand, gripping her wrist like a branch, was large and strong. No matter how much she struggled, his dark hand was far too strong for her to break free. 

With no other choice, Seria resigned herself to following him. She could only hope that wherever he took her, it wouldn’t be a slaughterhouse.