Chapter 178 Mardira’s Awakening… Or Is It?
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
When I walked out of the shack with Lady Sardonyx, there were three boards on the ground.
”Pay attention. If you step on these, the door to the basement where the White Lily Knight¹ are kept will open. The board on the left opens the door all the way. We are moving feed now, so step on the middle board,” Lady Sardonyx said.
I just got out of that prison yesterday, so I had to believe her… We were living under this empty land the whole time.
I wondered why everyone used the ceiling to move… What kind of person is the Magic Labyrinth² King to build such a thing?
Millrose stepped on the middle board. Part of the ground in front of us opened to the left and right. Lady Sardonyx gave an order, and maids carrying food and water went inside.
Those maids are not normal. It is a long way down to the floor, but they all jumped without fear.
They landed perfectly. If I jumped like that, I would break my legs for sure.
Lady Sardonyx knew that. We cannot jump like them, and we cannot fly like a Magical Girl³. So, another maid put a ladder there for us.
”Now then, you three. It is your first day. Work hard,” Lady Sardonyx said.
”Yes,” we replied.
Ugh… it is finally time… I know the job. I had a long talk yesterday and a meeting with Millrose before sleeping.
* * *
I went down the ladder with Millrose and Lady Esrain. The White Lily Knight members looked very shocked to see us.
”Wh…!?”
”Millrose!? Lady Esrain too…!?”
”Why is Mardira with them!?”
They probably thought we were dead. Or they thought we would be eaten by a demon monster⁴ today.
But we had clothes on and were with the maids. It makes sense they are surprised…
Millrose stepped forward. She hit the floor with a whip.
”My, my. You all look so good~desuwa, don’t you? Yes, you look just like farm animals~desuwa.”
She was right. Looking at this as a manager, it is a crazy sight. The great White Lily Knight were on the floor naked with their hands tied behind them.
”Be happy, you cattle. It is time for feed,” Millrose said.
The maids filled the floor trenches with food and water. Lady Alvia spoke up.
”Wait…! Millrose, what are you doing…!?” Alvia-asked.
”What am I doing?”
”Why are you there!? It is like…”
”Like we are servants for the Magic Labyrinth King?” Millrose asked.
Everyone stared at us. It looked exactly like that.
”The Magic Labyrinth King liked my ability⁵. He said I have too much talent to rot here,” Millrose said.
”What…”
Did he say that? I think he said something like that, maybe.
”We were chosen as managers. Yesterday, we had a bath that even kings cannot use. We had great food, a house, and beds~desuwa,” Millrose added.
”Wha…!?”
That news must be like poison to them. They sleep on the hard floor and eat like animals with no hands.
They must want the life Millrose described so much.
”I will make it simple. We are your masters. I will not be nice to people who fight back. If you know the rules… eat your feed,” Millrose commanded.
It was very quiet. They hated us and kicked us out, but now we were their masters. They did not know what to do.
Millrose hit a woman who did not move with the whip.
”Ow!?”
”Did you hear me!? Eat, you cattle!” Millrose shouted.
”Gasp!?”
She went around hitting people’s rears with the whip. Soon, Lady Esrain was doing it too.
”Guh…!”
”Ugh…”
People started to crawl to the trenches. What should I do!?
”Mardira! Stop Millrose!” Lady Alvia yelled. She thought the whipping was too much.
Then, I looked up. I saw Lady Sardonyx watching me. Our eyes met.
”……!”
That’s right… She is watching to see if I am a good manager! If she thinks I am no good…!
I moved behind Alvia… no, the livestock Alvia. I hit her big rear with the whip as hard as I could.
”Ngh!?” Alvia-gasped.
”How dare livestock give orders to a manager…!? Eat your food, now!” I screamed.
I hit her again and again. Red marks showed up on Alvia’s skin.
”Mardira…! You…!”
”Do not talk like that to me…! It is Mardira-sama to you!”
I hit her harder. Wait… this feels… fun? It feels good? I have never felt this before.
”Guuuh…!”
Alvia crawled to the trench.
Ah… haha… That Commander Alvia… I am winning! She looks so pathetic with those marks on her rear…! He… hehehe…!
Nobody can stop me here! Even Alvia has to listen… Nobody else can fight me!
My back felt a thrill. I wanted to hit someone again for any reason.
* * *
After they ate, I told the maids to untie them. We took them to a room to wash with water.
Then we went back to the hall. They stood in a line, still naked. Millrose stood in the middle.
”Starting today, we manage you. Your life will change,” Millrose said.
Everyone listened closely. Things were finally changing.
”In the morning, you eat and wash. Usually, your hands are tied again, but not today. You can use your hands until tonight,” Millrose said.
Some knights looked happy. They could move freely.
”But you have to do work.”
”What…”
”First, you fight Maid Leader Lady Vectra,” Millrose said.
We can open doors with levers. One room has a Weapon⁶ rack. They can pick any gear. Then they all fight Lady Vectra. They are naked, so it is hard.
Everyone lost to Lady Vectra on the first day. She knocked them out before they knew it. They know how strong she is.
”If you do well, you get human food for lunch,” Millrose said.
”Eh…!?”
Real food. They wanted that very much.
”But the losers get animal feed. You will work more after lunch too.”
We have walls for climbing and beams for carrying heavy stuff. We can make them run too. We will grade them all.
”The best person gets the same food as us. The top 20 get a bed and hot water. They are not livestock. They are ‘human’ again,” Millrose said.
The prisoners talked a lot. They really wanted to be human again.
”But the others stay as livestock. And if you get hit by the whip too much, you stay livestock even with good grades,” Millrose added.
Lady Vectra stepped forward.
”I count the whip hits. Alvia has the most. Seventeen hits,” Lady Vectra said.
That was all me… Did I hit her that much? Or… was it not enough yet?
We have to whip someone every day. We pick who and how many times. It is our choice.
If I hate someone, I can whip them and keep them as livestock forever.
Ehehe… I can make anyone a loser with one choice…
”If you are very good, the King might let you leave. Do your best,” Millrose said.
The King did say that. But leaving does not mean going home. We are deep in the Demon Forest⁷. If you go out naked, you die. We need the King to live.
Only the three managers know that. This place is safe. No country can fight this place.
”If the King likes you, you get clothes… or you can be a manager like us~desuwa,” Millrose said.
”No! Nobody wants to serve that man!” Alvia yelled.
I hit Alvia’s chest with the whip.
”Ngh…!?” Alvia-gasped.
”You don’t know the King’s power! You were just a fool for Viorga⁸!” I screamed.
”Mardira, this is just the start. Save your energy,” Millrose said.
She was right. We have to work until night. The day just started.
”Now… do you understand? Let’s start training with Lady Vectra, you cattle,” Millrose said.
I have a plan. Alvia… I will give you the most whip hits of all…!
—
Summary:
Mardira, Millrose, and Esrain start their new jobs as managers of the White Lily Knights. They tell the prisoners they can become ‘human’ again if they do well in hard training. Mardira finds out she loves using her whip on her old boss, Alvia. The chapter ends as the group starts combat training with the scary Maid Leader, Lady Vectra.
—
Character Insight:
Mardira is changing fast. She was scared, but now she feels powerful because she can hurt the people who used to be above her. She is starting to enjoy being mean, especially to Alvia, because it makes her feel like she is finally in control of her life.
—
Behind the Scene:
This story shows how people change when they get power over their old friends. It is a dark look at how the Labyrinth breaks people’s spirits and turns them against each other for a better meal or a bed.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Sard – Magical Girl version of Liliarette. A-cup, wolf cut hair, class guardian knight. Yellowish-red vibe.
• Millrose – Vice-commander level knight of the White Lily Knights. Ranked 1st most hated. Height 164cm, D-cup. Cream-colored hair in ringlets. High pride and well-trained body with faint abs.
• Esrain – One of the four Great Gurus of the Emmeld Kingdom. She is the youngest among them and is considered to be at the peak of her magical power. She has beautiful white hair in a short cut and sleepy-looking eyes. Her height is 150cm with a D-cup bust size. She has a youthful, petite facial appearance.
• Mardira – A female knight ranked 3rd most hated. Height 153cm, B-cup. Dark blue hair in a bob cut. Low stamina and self-esteem.
• Alvia – A Captain in the White Lily Knights, a private military force loyal only to Princess Viorga. A blonde woman with long, slightly frizzy hair that flicks out in places. She has a height of 171cm and an E-cup bust size. She possesses a muscular build with visible abdominal muscles and sturdy upper arms.
• Vectra – A Unique Individual maid with white skin and white hair. Height 170cm, Bust Size D. Class: Duelist. Attribute: Darkness. Weapon: Star-Strike Battle Axe Volkein
• Viorga – The First Princess of the Emmeld Kingdom. She is a beautiful, young woman with long golden hair and sharp blue eyes, always dressed in an elaborate crimson and gold royal gown. She is utterly ruthless, viewing all people—including the summoned Heroes and her own family—as disposable assets in her political games. Looks like Aileen Lauren from certain series.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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