Who Stole The Empress (R15) (Completed)

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Table of Contents

  • 1. Chapter 1. Kill The Empress
  • 2. Chapter 2. Tanatos’s Cripple Empress
  • 3. Chapter 3. She's Really Here
  • 4. Chapter 4. The Empress Is Going To Die
  • 5. Chapter 5. How Did This Happen?
  • 6. Chapter 6. Swallowing Eyes
  • 7. Chapter 7. Natasha Roanti
  • 8. Chapter 8. The Crying Sound
  • 9. Chapter 9. Are You Throwing Yourself Away?
  • 10. Chapter 10. Why Did This Woman...?
  • 11. Chapter 11. Then Bite If Off And Kill Me
  • 12. Chapter 12. Ability To Save
  • 13. Chapter 13. The Shadow She Left Behind
  • 14. Chapter 14. Into His Realm
  • 15. Chapter 15. Tamon's Purpose
  • 16. Chapter 16. This Damn Woman!
  • 17. Chapter 17. I've Never Hated You
  • 18. Chapter 18. How About Love?
  • 19. Chapter 19. A Night Walk
  • 20. Chapter 20. How Do You Want To Die
  • 21. Chapter 21. Ronasso's Anxiety
  • 22. Chapter 22. How To Let Go Of Sadness
  • 23. Chapter 23. Lersha Resha
  • 24. Chapter 24. It’s Not Ugly
  • 25. Chapter 25. Where Is The Empress's Treasure?
  • 26. Chapter 26. The Reason For Death
  • 27. Chapter 27. The Consolation Of The Unashamed
  • 28. Chapter 28. A New Name
  • 29. Chapter 29. A Small Change
  • 30. Chapter 30. Out Of Control
  • 31. Chapter 31. There's Always Trouble
  • 32. Chapter 32. Dazzling Silver Hair And Purple Crystal Eyes
  • 33. Chapter 33. My Silver Fox
  • 34. Chapter 34. Is It Okay To Eat This Poisonous Plant?
  • 35. Chapter 35. Don't Be Weak
  • 36. Chapter 36. Don’t Leave Me
  • 37. Chapter 37. An Unfamiliar Peace
  • 38. Chapter 38. Warmth Of The Palm
  • 39. Chapter 39. Give Me Your Right Foot
  • 40. Chapter 40. That’s Right
  • 41. Chapter 41. The Bride's Scream
  • 42. Chapter 42. You Are Like A Gift
  • 43. Chapter 43. Ensemble Drink
  • 44. Chapter 44. I Think It’s Her
  • 45. Chapter 45. Exactly One Month
  • 46. Chapter 46. I’m Disappointed
  • 47. Chapter 47. She Doesn’t Know
  • 48. Chapter 48. To The Lady Of The Pink Rose Forest
  • 49. Chapter 49. Red Stigma On The Chest
  • 50. Chapter 50. That Person Will Come
  • 51. Chapter 51. Smile Next Time
  • 52. Chapter 52. I’m The Owner Of That Leg
  • 53. Chapter 53. The Twins’ Dream
  • 54. Chapter 54. Karen Turasia
  • 55. Chapter 55. Red Passion In The Desert
  • 56. Chapter 56. Cassion Krasis
  • 57. Chapter 57. Brothers
  • 58. Chapter 58. He Did Not Know How To Be Patient
  • 59. Chapter 59. An Unpleasant Visitor
  • 60. Chapter 60. My Brother's Mistress
  • 61. Chapter 61. Tomorrow, Lunch, Together
  • 62. Chapter 62. Roselyn's Anger
  • 63. Chapter 63. Red-eyed Savior
  • 64. Chapter 64. He’s Back
  • 65. Chapter 65. Bloody Master
  • 66. Chapter 66. Welcome Back
  • 67. Chapter 67. I Missed You
  • 68. Chapter 68. Thank You For Staying Alive
  • 69. Chapter 69. It's All Coming Together
  • 70. Chapter 70. Hope That Shine At The End Of Despair
  • 71. Chapter 71. A Mean Woman
  • 72. Chapter 72. Ronasso's Adversity
  • 73. Chapter 73. Preparation To Go Out
  • 74. Chapter 74. Each Person's Heart Flows Differently
  • 75. Chapter 75. Smile, Rosie
  • 76. Chapter 76. Do You Want Me To Show You My Specialty?
  • 77. Chapter 77. Aim And Shoot
  • 78. Chapter 78. The Gap
  • 79. Chapter 79. Arrows That Burn Flesh
  • 80. Chapter 80. I’ll Bring You The Proof
  • 81. Chapter 81. Even If I Die Like This
  • 82. Chapter 82. The Reason She Was Confident In Winning
  • 83. Chapter 83. An Unexpected Guest
  • 84. Chapter 84. Love That Couldn't Overcome Hatred
  • 85. Chapter 85. Aranrosia
  • 86. Chapter 86. The Rightful Owner
  • 87. Chapter 87. Can I Trust You?
  • 88. Chapter 88. A Blind Man
  • 89. Chapter 89. The Wind Lantern Ceremony
  • 90. Chapter 90. If You're There, Come Out
  • 91. Chapter 91. Similar
  • 92. Chapter 92. Ignorance Is Bravery
  • 93. Chapter 93. I Can Tell You
  • 94. Chapter 94. Hartz’s Conditions
  • 95. Chapter 95. If You Kiss Me
  • 96. Chapter 96. Change
  • 97. Chapter 97. Anna
  • 98. Chapter 98. I’ll Have To Remove It
  • 99. Chapter 99. The Prophet's Gamble
  • 100. Chapter 100. Because He's So Good At It
  • 101. Chapter 101. A Mysterious Trend
  • 102. Chapter 102. The Conditions Of The Gift
  • 103. Chapter 103. The Tips Of His Ears
  • 104. Chapter 104. The Meaning Of Yellow Lily
  • 105. Chapter 105. God, Please Take Care Of Them
  • 106. Chapter 106. I'd Like To Meet Him
  • 107. Chapter 107. It’s Beautiful
  • 108. Chapter 108. What Do You Want Me To Do?
  • 109. Chapter 109. There's Only Two Of Us
  • 110. Chapter 110. Even If It Hurts A Little, It Will Last A Long Time
  • 111. Chapter 111. Does This Make Sense?
  • 112. Chapter 112. With Both Feet
  • 113. Chapter 113. Instinct
  • 114. Chapter 114. Did It Happen?
  • 115. Chapter 115. One Step, Two Steps
  • 116. Chapter 116. A Familiar Voice
  • 117. Chapter 117. I See The Glory Of Winter
  • 118. Chapter 118. That's Why It's Not Me
  • 119. Chapter 119. . It Was A Flash
  • 120. Chapter 120. When The Revenge Is Over
  • 121. Chapter 121. What Will He Get?
  • 122. Chapter 122. What Is Your Name?
  • 123. Chapter 123. Sweet
  • 124. Chapter 124. Black Canyon (1)
  • 125. Chapter 125. Black Canyon (2)
  • 126. Chapter 126. A Twisted Doubt
  • 127. Chapter 127. You Have To Save It
  • 128. Chapter 128. The Secret Of The Silver Horned Deer
  • 129. Chapter 129. His Sincerity
  • 130. Chapter 130. Into The Black Fog
  • 131. Chapter 131. Breaking In
  • 132. Chapter 132. Tell Me, Asha
  • 133. Chapter 133. Warmth
  • 134. Chapter 134. Evidence Of Longing
  • 135. Chapter 135. Under The Wheels
  • 136. Chapter 136. Natasha's Crime
  • 137. Chapter 137. Who Left The Flowers?
  • 138. Chapter 138. He Who Sees The Will Of God
  • 139. Chapter 139. Winter Can't Beat The Pines
  • 140. Chapter 140. Let’s Go There Together
  • 141. Chapter 141. Betrayal
  • 142. Chapter 142. A Vanished Home
  • 143. Chapter 143. Finally, At The Imperial Palace
  • 144. Chapter 144. Remove It
  • 145. Chapter 145. Your Worst Nightmare
  • 146. Chapter 146. July 16th
  • 147. Chapter 147. Pretend You Don’t See It. Pretend You Don’t Know It
  • 148. Chapter 148. Take The Child To His Mother
  • 149. Chapter 149. A Crack
  • 150. Chapter 150. Song Of The Fall
  • 151. Chapter 151. Anna’s Situation
  • 152. Chapter 152. Perso’s Anguish
  • 153. Chapter 153. A Suspicious Maid
  • 154. Chapter 154. Whose Baby Is It?
  • 155. Chapter 155. This Is My Answer
  • 156. Chapter 156. The Wild Dog Outside The Fence
  • 157. Chapter 157. The Main Characters
  • 158. Chapter 158. That Day
  • 159. Chapter 159. Let Me Tell You A Secret
  • 160. Chapter 160. Run Away
  • 161. Chapter 161. The Hunt Begins
  • 162. Chapter 162. To The Hell I Got Out Of
  • 163. Chapter 163. Let's Watch
  • 164. Chapter 164. The Crazy Emperor
  • 165. Chapter 165. Rampage
  • 166. Chapter 166. Clash Of Life And Death
  • 167. Chapter 167. Collect
  • 168. Chapter 168. The Banquet Is Over
  • 169. Chapter 169. A World Without The Power Of God
  • 170. Chapter 170. Thorny Hedge
  • 171. Chapter 171. It Was The Night When Winter Ended
  • 172. Chapter 172. Side Story 1 - The World Has Been Turned Upside Down
  • 173. Chapter 173. Side Story 2 - Death In The Dark
  • 174. Chapter 174. Side Story 3 - Monstein
  • 175. Chapter 175. Side Story 4. Tamon's Happiness
  • 176. Chapter 176. Side Story 5. Very Sweet And Tender
  • 177. Chapter 177. Side Story 6. Methods Of Persuasion
  • 178. Chapter 178. Side Story 7. A Night Full Of Peach Scent
  • 179. Chapter 179. Side Story 8. Desired Asha
  • 180. Chapter 180. Side Story 9. Unexpected Fit
  • 181. Chapter 181. Side Story 10. Return
  • 182. Chapter 182. Side Story 11. All Is Well
  • 183. Chapter 183. Side Story 12. Amazing News
  • 184. Chapter 184. Side Story 13. A Very Cute Dream
  • 185. Chapter 185. Side Story 14. What Kind Of Bullsh*t Is This?
  • 186. Chapter 186. Side Story 15. What Will Turn The World Upside Down
  • 187. Chapter 187. Side Story 16. Suspicious Meeting
  • 188. Chapter 188. Side Story 17. Find Me
  • 189. Chapter 189. Side Story 18. You Just Have To Enjoy It
  • 190. Chapter 190. Side Story 19. Time To Become A Family
  • 191. Chapter 191. Side Story 20. Omen
  • 192. Chapter 192. Side Story 21. Became A Family (End)

Chapter 1. Kill the Empress

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 2. Tanatos’s cripple Empress

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 3. She's really here

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 4. The Empress is going to die

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 5. How did this happen?

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 6. Swallowing eyes

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 7. Natasha Roanti

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 8. The crying sound

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 9. Are you throwing yourself away?

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 10. Why did this woman...?

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 11. Then bite if off and kill me

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths.Ā 

 

Rumble.

 

It was Arsene’s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.

 

He didn’t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything since last night.

 

He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.

 

But that didn’t stop him from screaming for food.

 

The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene’s feet.Ā 

 

“..bread?”

 

It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby’s fist.

 

It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.

 

Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.

 

Arsene’s cage was located at the very end.

 

One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.

 

In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.

 

It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of her long bangs.

 

With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.

 

ā€œEat.ā€

 

Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.

 

As if to say, ‘Eat without making a sound.’

 

Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.

 

He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.

 

The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.

 

Ā 

…Why?

 

He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.

 

Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.

 

To his surprise, the bread didn’t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.

 

In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.

 

But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.

 

However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.

 

In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.

 

“Monster!”

 

The ship shook with a tearing scream.

 

There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.

 

“Monster …….”

 

Arsene closed his eyes tightly.

 

It’s the monster, Herpes.

 

It appeared.

 

‘It’s over. It’s over.’

 

He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.

 

But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent…

 

“Empress.”

 

Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

 

He couldn’t do anything.

 

The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.

 

His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.

 

[Argh! Save me]

 

The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.

 

The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children’s fear.

 

ā€œHold on tight.ā€

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.

 

“Don’t miss it.”

 

Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl’s voice was calm.

 

And this was the very moment.

 

Boom!

 

The ship tipped over.

 

Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn’t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.

 

Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.

A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.

 

He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.

 

“Now.”

 

The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.

 

But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.

 

It wasn’t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.

 

“My breath. I’m choking. I’m dying.’

 

The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.

 

It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.

 

And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.

 

ā€˜I need to get my head straight.’

 

ā€˜I can survive.’

 

-swooshĀ 

 

It was then.

 

A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene’s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.

 

It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.

 

“This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still… Are you okay with it?”

 

It was a wonder.

 

From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn’t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn’t seem as great as it had earlier.

 

Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.

 

The girl’s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.

 

The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.

 

The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene’s and suddenly turned her head away.

 

The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene’s hand.

 

ā€œThis way, quickly.ā€

 

In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl’s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.

 

When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.

 

“Monsters….ā€

 

Not one, but three were swimming around.

 

In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.

 

They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.

 

With Arsene’s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.

 

Herpes’ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.

 

ā€œWe need to escape.”

 

Arsene grabbed the girl’s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.

 

The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn’t see the way. He couldn’t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship.Ā 

 

Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there…. Arsene’s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.

 

Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl’s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.

 

“It’ll be fine.ā€

 

Arsene crumbled and asked back.

 

“…How?ā€

 

Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene’s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl’s finger.

 

There was a man.

 

A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)

 

The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man’s momentum was unusual.

 

The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.

 

The man’s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.

 

The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.

 

“…!”

 

Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater.

Chapter 12. Ability to save

 

 


***

Sponsored by Vina šŸ’– (2/2)

***

 

[Screaming]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

The ship shook with an uproarious scream.

 

Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.

 

It was not a good time to be throwing up.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.

 

Fortunately, he didn’t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.

 

The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.

 

There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.

 

Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.

 

There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods.Ā 

 

Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.

 

If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.

 

Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.

 

Now was not the time to run away.

 

By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.

 

The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.

 

ā€œI have to get there as soon as possible……..”

 

Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.

 

[Fog. D*mn. It’s foggy. Oh, my God.]

 

[Everyone, speed up! We’ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]

 

Ā [Hurry up!]

 

There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.

 

It felt as if the ship’s speed had increased.

 

At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.

 

As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.

 

Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their br