Volume 5 Chapter 4 The Locked Girl
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Saint, it’s cold tonight. I’ll start a fire, so please come over here… Ah, Saint! Please wait—your hair is still wet! If you catch a cold, the entire nation will fall into chaos. Please, take better care of yourself!”
It had already been two years since she was first revered and called the Saint.
”Saint, you’re very clever. When I was a child, I had a terrible memory, and my father would often scold me in frustration. My brother would step in to teach me instead.”
Waiting always felt long. Yet once it passed, it was as though no time had passed at all. Human perception truly was a mystery.
”Tomorrow is the prayer service, so we need to leave early to avoid being late. …You look displeased. Why do you dislike ceremonies so much? …Ah, is this a note? Your handwriting is beautiful. …You don’t like men? I see. I understand. I’ll arrange for it to be women only from now on.”
If those days had truly been painful, she would not have felt this way. And yet, there was now a faint loneliness in her heart. That meant she must truly regret parting from the Saint.
”…Yes. I am, as the rumors say, a fallen noble. I was born the daughter of a noble family in the northernmost reaches of Crotopone. Ah, no—it was a long time ago. Please don’t worry yourself about it. Now, I’m happy just to spend my time like this… with the Saint.”
Looking back, a lot had happened. Those two long years had taught her many things. Thanks to the Saint, her otherwise meaningless days had found purpose. She was the first true friend she had ever made. From the bottom of her heart, she wished for her happiness.
Except for him and Letty, the Saint was the first person she had ever cared for in this way.
The scent of dust and the rattling sound of wagon wheels filled the air as she peeked through a narrow gap in the curtain covering the wagon’s cargo hold.
Red. A deep, blazing red—flames burst from every direction around the palace. People ran about frantically, shouting in confusion.
”Saint!! Where are you, Saint!!”
A woman stood outside the palace in nothing but her nightclothes, shouting in desperation. Someone brought her water from the well, which she poured over her head before charging into the inferno.
Guilt flooded her chest.
The palace, mostly built from stone, hadn’t burned too badly. The woman managed to escape without serious injuries. Still, the very fact that someone would risk their life for her brought tears to her eyes.
I’m sorry, Gina.
Thank you, truly, for everything up until now.
Silently, she offered her gratitude—and said her goodbyes.
She had once thought that if it were possible, she would’ve stayed with her. But that could never happen. If she brought Gina along, misfortune would surely follow. So this was where they would part ways.
”Hey, hurry up and get out!”
A faint voice came from the front of the wagon.
Without delay, the wagon jolted forward. The vibration of the wheels, along with the clatter of hooves, signaled that it was time. The wagon moved forward proudly, rolling out into the main street of the town.
Her abductors had set fires throughout the area, looting without mercy, until finally, they seemed satisfied with their destruction.
No horns were visible, but there was no doubt—they were Demonkin. Probably more than ten of them. All elite magicians, highly trained.
Their sabotage was so precise that the Theocracy couldn’t even react.
It must have been planned down to the last detail. The cloth draped over the cart, though it looked like simple linen, felt as hard as stone.
It was likely enchanted. This was no ordinary cover—it was a stone cage in disguise, impossible to break from the inside.
She rubbed the dull ache at the back of her neck and let out a sigh.
She had been carried directly from the palace, unconscious as part of the setup.
She had foreseen the attack and managed to dodge the worst of it, so she hadn’t been knocked out—but now, part of her regretted that. The pain throbbed steadily. It might have been easier if she’d simply lost consciousness.
Still, she had to focus on what was ahead.
So far, everything was proceeding according to plan.
Once she was taken out of the Theocracy, the route would lead southwest—toward the Kingdom of Stras. The detour wasn’t for any particular reason. After circling around the massive Butchik Salt Lake (T/N: A large landmark body of water), they’d head straight east to a port town in Stras.
It would take time, but the journey should be safe—just endless swaying in the back of a wagon.
She had checked several times using her precognition. There were no signs they planned to harm her.
They would provide food, and there was no indication of violence. Perhaps it was due to their racial customs, but once she was handed over to the merchant, she could easily protect herself—even in nothing but a filthy one-piece dress, smeared with mud.
She had decided. It was time to change, while she still could.
Of course, she had prepared. She stripped off her nightclothes and quickly changed into a one-piece dress hidden beneath them.
Then she rolled around inside the cart, smearing herself with the odd-smelling dirt and mud.
That should be enough. This would protect her from the merchant’s interest.
The stench was awful—just breathing it in made her stomach churn.
And yet, it felt strangely nostalgic.
In her current life, even a single stain on her clothes meant an immediate change. Now, the foul stench of rotting vegetables and dirt brought back memories—memories of life as a beggar, of the slums.
Even if left alone, the smell would linger. The inside of the wagon felt like a stone room.
It was strange to think that getting a little dirty could make her safer. But no one wanted to approach a woman who looked like this.
She would never have understood that back then. But now she did.
This was why the commoners hated her.
Beggars were filthy and smelly. That’s why people threw stones to drive them away.
Now she understood why her former self had been looked at like garbage.
Her hair, streaked with unnatural colors that evoked thoughts of disease, had only worsened matters. She had let it grow long to hide her face, to protect herself—but that had only made her appear even more unsettling.
It was no wonder she’d been beaten to death with a stick, called abominable.
Looking back now, she thought that without foresight, she would’ve died far earlier than Letty. Simply continuing to avoid harm without any skills would’ve been utterly impossible in that environment.
But she had survived.
Not just thanks to her skills—it was her effort. It was the result of a desperate struggle. A fight to make her dreams come true.
So…
”I want to be praised,” she thought.
With those words drifting through her mind, she slowly closed her eyes.
Just as she had two years ago, she sat in a triangle, bowed her head, and offered a prayer while gazing into the distant future.
No—this time, it wasn’t far off. It was only a few days away.
Before long, the kidnappers had boldly escaped the Theocracy with the carriage she was in.
After that, the reins were handed over to a group of merchants, and she was transported by new drivers. The demons disappeared from view, and several merchants began heading south.
Along the way, tensions flared. Arguments broke out—perhaps from fear, perhaps internal conflict. From their conversations, it became clear that many of the merchants had no idea about the nature of their “cargo.” When someone let slip that she was a kidnapped girl, they stopped to discuss it.
However, one man—blinded by greed—ultimately made a move.
In the dead of night, he set off alone, heading south with the valuable “goods”—her—loaded into his cart.
That was when she was forced to accept the slave mark contract, a blade pressed to her throat.
The slave contract mark was essential for a human to be reliably exchanged for money. She knew she wouldn’t be killed even if she refused, but she feigned fear and agreed—becoming a slave.
Born the daughter of a prostitute, starting as a beggar, becoming a saint… and now, falling into slavery.
A bitter laugh almost escaped her lips at the misery of her life—but this was necessary. Inevitable.
And finally, the time had come.
Rather, there was even a sense of exhilaration.
She didn’t want to be a slave. She was annoyed enough at the merchant to want to stab him in the back.
Even so, knowing what was to come, she couldn’t remain emotionless.
The person who would become the master of her slave mark…
That thought filled her mind.
They passed through Uruben and approached the kingdom’s checkpoint. The merchant began climbing the final mountain.
Apparently, to avoid inspection and enter the port, they had no choice but to cross the mountains separating the Crotopone Kingdom’s capital, Roketta, from the port town beyond.
The path was steep, and the carriage jolted violently with every bump.
She endured the nausea from looking down and quietly wished they would arrive soon.
But she was all too aware of the pounding in her chest.
The goal was right in front of her.
”Hey… Tch, get in there,” the merchant spat.
The magic that had turned the carriage’s cargo area into a stone prison was released, and she was dragged out.
The merchant’s gaze was just like the commoners from long ago—disdainful and cruel. To wear such a look after locking her in such a place for days on end… wasn’t that just too much?
At the end of the long ascent, they arrived at a run-down, isolated village.
Ramshackle houses stood in every direction. This place had likely been forgotten by the world long ago, hidden in the mountains and lost to time.
The wind brushing against her skin after so many days felt incredibly refreshing.
If only she could wash herself, it would be perfect. But instead, she was confined to a shabby little hut.
The merchant, holding the slave mark restraint in one hand, shoved her aside and began unloading the cargo.
He carried the stolen goods into a two-story wooden house directly in front of the hut. From the look of things, this was his hideout.
There were already many packs loaded on the beasts of burden when they arrived, suggesting this place doubled as a warehouse for stolen goods.
Without a word or even a glance her way, the man diligently worked until the unloading was done.
Then, he didn’t come out again.
Having gone several days and nights without proper rest, the man was likely exhausted. If there were pursuers from the Theocracy on his tail, his decision to keep moving had been the right one—it was likely thanks to that he had managed to escape.
He would probably rest here until morning.
His decision wasn’t exactly wrong.
But it wasn’t right either.
Because there would be no tomorrow.
Tonight, she would be taken away.
She recalled that slave marks could sense each other’s proximity. She needed to be careful not to stray too far.
It was already past noon. The sun was beginning to sink.
There wasn’t much time left. She had to tidy herself up now.
She needed to find the right balance—clean, but not so clean it looked suspicious; unkempt, but not so repulsive she’d be discarded.
She headed for the well to wash her body and clothes.
There was no way she could allow herself to smell bad. That was absolutely out of the question.
After washing, she dirtied herself again with some dry soil.
Her current state was even worse than when she’d been a pauper. Days of confinement had left her a mess.
If she met him like this, she’d definitely be tossed aside. She had to prepare herself as best she could to avoid that fate.
”I wish I could look a little cuter…” she murmured to herself.
Maybe a flower crown?
No, that was just ridiculous. She’d never heard of a slave adorned with flowers. Accessories were out of the question.
More importantly, she was starving. Her stomach had been growling nonstop—she hadn’t been fed at all that day.
She’d seen rapeseed flowers near the village entrance earlier. She’d go pick some and eat those.
But as a slave, there wasn’t much she could do.
She washed off the grime and stench at the well, satisfied her growling belly, and with that, her preparations were complete.
She was out of ideas.
The tension was unbearable.
There was nothing more to do. All that was left was to wait.
She kept scanning her surroundings for any signs of problems, but her nerves wouldn’t settle. She ended up wandering around the village in circles, wasting precious time.
At one point, she found a wooden bowl on the ground, washed it clean, and used it to fetch water from the well, sipping it slowly to kill time.
Normally, she could have endured far longer. But she was so on edge, she drank too much water—then had to relieve herself—then drank again.
”I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t stop,” she whispered.
As time passed, it felt like the tension would kill her.
—Ugh!
Was it the third time?
Once again, she returned from the well with the container in hand.
But as she stepped into the hut, she tripped and dropped the bowl.
She fell on her rear, the container clattering across the floor—and stopping at someone’s feet.
”Hah… hah… hah—”
Her breathing quickened. She was hyperventilating.
She looked up at the sky in a panic.
The sun was already red, dyeing the surroundings in that familiar hue—just as she’d seen so many times in her visions.
Before she even realized it… the moment had arrived.
Her heart felt like it would burst.
The pressure nearly crushed her. A desperate urge to flee tightened her chest.
—Sir Klock.
Inside the hut, a man sat sleeping, his back against the wall.
The man she had longed for since the moment she was born… was right there.
—I’ve always wanted to meet you.
”…Ah, was this your house? Sorry, I borrowed it for a bit,” he said, his voice casual, as if nothing were out of place.
Notes:
• Gina – A kind choir member who shows genuine concern for Adelina. She’s a rare ally in this unfamiliar place, offering some comfort and companionship.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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