My eyes opened wide at the absurd statement. Kires smiled wickedly, seemingly satisfied.

“You think so too, right?”

“No, not at all.”

I twisted my wrist forcefully to free it. But the more I struggled, the tighter his grip became.

His hold clung more terribly than the shackles I had worn until a few days ago.

“Why are you playing hard to get? You sell your body to the enemy who killed your family to save yourself, yet you act precious?”

“I never did that.”

I had calmly prepared myself for what might happen to me as a slave. But this kind of insult and misunderstanding angered me.

“If you insult me one more time, I won’t stay quiet.”

“Haha, what will a mere slave do if you don’t stay quiet? Don’t act so valuable. Your body is already ruined, so why refuse when someone more noble offers to treat you preciously? I could even free you from your slave status.”

I wasn’t in a bad enough situation to be swayed by such bluster.

Kires stroked my rough hand with his sticky touch, trying to tempt me into accepting. The sensation made my skin crawl so much that I desperately tried to pull my hand away. But the more I struggled, the more my hand was drawn into his.

Kires’s gaze fell on the old hut in front of the communal cemetery. Sensing what was coming, I struggled desperately, flailing my arms with all my might.

“You!”

“Lord Croisen will not let you go unpunished if he finds out! You’re just an ordinary knight, not a Marquis, so you must obey him here!”

“Ha, have you lost your mind from all this impudence? You dare compare a commoner orphan brat to me? Even you, a princess, would be better off receiving a noble Marquis’s seed than lying with a beggar!”

“No! At least he never forced himself on someone who refused him! Let me go!”

I tried swinging my arm, imagining how I had landed a blow on Lucifer before, but this time was different. Though Kires was diminutive, he was still a knight. Or perhaps Lucifer had deliberately allowed himself to be hit then.

My right arm was easily subdued, and he struck my cheek hard instead.

The impact sent me to the ground, and a metallic taste rose in my mouth. I hated this kind of pain. It wasn’t proof of being alive, just the result of someone else’s filthy desires.

While I was on the ground trying to endure the pain, my hair was suddenly yanked upward.

“Ugh, let go! Help me… mmph!”

My mouth was covered with another strong impact.

“Hehe.”

Kires’s strange laughter sent chills down my spine. Something about it felt familiar. It reminded me of the shadow I had encountered with Lucifer at the cemetery.

As my body froze with fear, the cemetery came into view.

No, Carden, please help me!

Could he have heard my call from the grave? Carden walked toward me with an angry face to save me.

Of course, it wasn’t the real Carden.

“What has the princess done wrong?”

“Tch.”

With a small curse, freedom suddenly returned to my body. Kires placed one arm on my shoulder and patted it.

“The princess was trampling the commander’s clothes in an act of insubordination, so I was disciplining her.”

While telling this brazen lie, he was doing something else behind me. Something hard and pointed pressed against my back through my clothes.

The cool sensation threatened me while pressing slightly into my skin. The slight burning feeling suggested my skin might already be torn.

Ultimately, fear paralyzed my thoughts, and I couldn’t even defend myself. All I could do in this situation was stare blankly at Lucifer.

Please, please.

“She trampled my clothes?”

“Yes. Look at the chapel entrance. Isn’t it a mess?”

Lucifer looked back and forth between me and the bucket lying on the opposite side with an indifferent face, seemingly blind to what Kires was doing to me. His face gradually contorted as his brows drew together, and I too became tearful.

“I see. I told you many times not to touch my clothes, but you didn’t follow orders and finally caused trouble.”

I felt defeated by Lucifer’s cold words.

I looked at Lucifer with resentment. The gray snowflakes were falling more heavily than before. The cold snowflakes melted and disappeared on Lucifer’s shoulders, just like my desperate hope.

“Yes. Shouldn’t we punish the slave then? I’ll take her away and educate her properly.”

“Yes, she must be punished. Indeed.”

“The villagers have much sympathy for this woman, so I’ll discipline her where they can’t see. We shouldn’t damage the empire’s image.”

Kires made a satisfied sound and grabbed my shoulder, turning around. The blade had already disappeared from my back.

I was disappointed by the changed attitude of the man who had claimed ownership of me as my master. I had considered you my master. I firmly believed you would protect me.

The sense of betrayal brought despair.

But I couldn’t be foolishly taken advantage of like this. The blade threatening my back was gone—this was my last chance. I gathered strength in my legs and arms, waiting for the right moment to run.

That’s when it happened.

“Stop right there.”

“Why, Commander?”

Kires answered impudently as he slightly turned his body.

Now!

I gathered all my remaining strength and broke free from Kires. Just as I started running with all my might, I heard the sound of a sword being drawn from behind.

Then came a short scream.

“Ah.”

“Princess! Duck!”

At Lucifer’s shout, I instinctively crouched down. Something dark and ominous tried to pounce on me.

What followed was the sound of wind being sliced.

[Grrrr! You’ll pay for this!]

Was it that thing again?

“Huh? Commander! What happened? Why did you… Kires…?”

Soon after, I heard the knights murmuring. I remained in that position, trembling.

“Shitemon Kires has been summarily executed for violating military law by insulting a superior officer’s status and coveting the knight commander’s property.”

He knew everything all along. Relief that he hadn’t abandoned me drained all strength from my body.

“Tsk tsk, he really crossed the line.”

“Moreover, he was enticed by what appeared to be one of the Dark Clan.”

“The Dark Clan? They’re still alive?”

“Who knows. What’s certain is that we need to take the princess to His Majesty for purification as soon as possible. If we erase the traces of her being raised as a sacrifice, they’ll probably have no choice but to give up.”

My ears perked up at Lucifer’s words. If what he said was true, I wanted to meet the Emperor of the empire as soon as possible.

Then the rebels, strange shadows, and lake monsters would no longer target me.

“But will the Marquis let this go?”

Terseon’s worried voice was heard. However, Lucifer didn’t respond to him.

Instead, he approached me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up forcefully. I staggered slightly and raised my head.

That’s when I noticed the sword at his waist.

A stone ring? Something vaguely flashed through my mind. But strangely, the image wouldn’t form clearly.

While I was dazed, trying to forcibly recall the memory, Lucifer called me in a sharp voice.

“Princess.”

“Y-yes?”

I met his eyes in confusion.

His gray eyes were filled with my reflection. White snowflakes had settled heavily on my red hair.

Looking at this, I somehow had the illusion that even this cold man was warm.

“Didn’t I tell you not to do anything to avoid causing trouble? You stole my underwear secretly, and now you’ve caused this incident.”

In reality, he was still a person with cold eyes and a cold voice.

“This is your punishment. From now on, do nothing without the permission of your master.”

Lucifer took away my freedom once again.

The snowflakes that fell on the cold shackles he placed on me defiantly refused to melt.

* * *

The next day, I visited the villagers with Lucifer’s permission. Since the day I had wept in the square, people seemed to have forgiven me a little more after seeing me pray and tidy up around the communal cemetery every day.

But I still felt my efforts were insufficient.

So I came to greet them. To visit each person and ask for forgiveness and express gratitude once more.

“Lea, are you leaving now?”

Aunt Ann, who had been the first to embrace me, hugged me again.

“Yes, I’m going now.”

“Your life has been so harsh that I’m at a loss for words.”

She wiped away tears of sorrow upon seeing the shackles on my hands. I had already grown so accustomed to them that I no longer felt discomfort.

“It’s okay. At least I’m alive. I need to live well for the sake of others too.”

I smiled without crying, like someone more attached to life than anyone else. Perhaps finding me admirable, Aunt Ann stroked my head with her warm hand.

“That’s right. Please live long and well for Elina’s sake too. And if things work out someday, come visit us occasionally.”

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I only had one year of life left. What if that made her sad again?

“Yes, I will.”

I just smiled gently, and the aunt went into her house and came back with something.

“Here, it’s starting to snow now, so it’ll be cold. Wear this to keep warm.”

A purple shawl she had knitted herself. The soft shawl was wrapped around my shoulders. It was so warm that it slightly melted the cold lump that had accumulated in my heart over the past ten years.

“Thank… you.”

“And this. That man simply doesn’t know how to take care of a woman. Leaving your hands so rough like this.”

The aunt pressed an ointment into my hand. I frowned slightly, wondering who she meant by “that man.” But she didn’t notice my expression and continued speaking.

“And do you remember this?”

In the pouch she gave me was a special snack. Receiving it, I smiled brightly with nostalgia.

“Yes. This is honey bread. The treat you only made on special days.”

“That’s right. Elina, you, and that boy Carden all loved it.”

My heart twinged slightly at Carden’s name. But since it wasn’t given to cause pain, I needed to smile.

“Yes. All the orphanage friends who got to taste it thanks to Elina were so happy.”

“So share plenty with that boy. Eating something sweet might bring back the kind person he used to be.”

“What? Who are you talking about?”

Instead of answering my question, the aunt gestured with her head. I turned in the direction she was pointing. Through snowflakes that had grown thicker since yesterday, I saw a man walking toward us.

He was my master.