Dragging her emaciated limbs that looks like a dried branch, a girl walked alone.
Without a destination, she just wanted to get away, far far away.
There’s no water to wet her dry throat, only her own saliva. But her thin throat muscle has even lost some of its function, could not sense anything passed through. Not only her throat that was dry, her eyes, her lips, her skin, and even her heart has dried out.
Aisha left the village, or to be more precise–she was chased out, two days ago.
So far the only thing she got was tree roots and water from occasional rain.
Even so, she still thought it was better compared to eat game, just a whiff of their blood will turn her stomach upside down.
“In between life and death, perhaps your picky eater would be cured” she remembered the words of the villager that filled with scorn. Too bad, even in her current state, it doesn’t seem to be cured.
She could sense that she finally reached her limit.
Her feet were unsteady. Her body was shaky, swaying left-right without her consent.
There is no more vitality left in her thin body.
Looking at her hands that have been cracked due to washing and scrubbing, and various blister because of working in the field, she thought this dirty hand would become even dirtier as she smiled dryly.
(I guess…I will die…)
She didn’t even have the energy to speak.
Not being able to say the inevitable future that awaits her might be a good thing she thought as her self-deprecated smile become deeper.
(I wish…I could die in the same place as Papa…)
It’s just a matter of time, she would soon either died because of starvation, or an animal found her and attack her.
For Aisha death is not something unusual.
The reclamation village of Free Trade City where she was before was very poor.
Even when they reported that some died due to starvation, the feudal lord won’t even lower the tax. For them, they were just cow that could be milked dry. As long they could secure the number, it doesn’t really matter how many died. Even when left alone, a new generation of farmers would be born. Due to that way of thinking, they don’t even treat the farmer under them as fellow human, but insects that crawl in the ground. They would die at the whim of their lord, as easy as crushing insects under their feet.
No matter how many poor farmers died, they won’t even noticed it.
That was the world Aisha knows.
In that kind of world, living itself is a hardship.
That’s why, for Aisha who grow up slowly and a severe picky eater, has no place in that village.
No, to be more precise, she has lost her place.
No matter what she did she could not work like her peer. When she reached twenty, the kids who were at the same age has become adults, but she alone still physically a child.
She has deemed to be useless.
She did not feel disappointed because of that however, what she feels disappointed was–
The fact that she is in the end only a meaningless, worthless, and spoiled brat that could only rely on her father.
She felt grieved, that she could not even save her father.
That’s why she did not hate anyone else.
She just hates herself.
Her dry golden hair flutter in the wind.
Guided by those wind Aisha looked toward the forest.
The dark lacquer colored forest feel eerie even with the illumination by the moonlight
And from that eerie forest, she could hear footsteps–
(Beast…! But, I can’t run anymore…)
Her body has reached its limit.
“Ooh, a child! Are you abandoned?”
“Hahahaha, let’s bring her back and bang her.”
“Ehh, but, Gil. She is so skinny and just a child on top of that. I will pass. She won’t worth much to be sold too. Just ends her here, if we get back late boss will skin us alive.”
Even the hateful gaze of the villagers was better compared to them.
To think that gaze filled with ill will, malice, hostility, and killing intent would erode her heart like this.
(…I can’t…accept it…)
Her life was nothing close to happiness.
Insufficient food, ragged cloth, she trembles in her sleep due to cold night wind and must wake up before the sun is up. Her hand cracked after doing work, and the meat that was a luxury item for the villagers, she could not eat even a bit of it.
Right now she felt hungry both body and soul. However, looking back the only time she is not hungry could be counted with fingers. The only time she is not dirty was after she takes a bath, and the only time she is not wounded was when she was little.
Chased out from the village after her father’s death, with death always lurk beside her, she tried so hard, and yet if this is the end, was it not too cruel?
“No no, let’s bring her back! Some guys at the base were fine with child, as long there is a hole, there’s a way! We can’t touch the woman boss planned to sell after all!”
“Hahahaha, you are also a lolicon yourself…alright, haul her.”
“Is she even alive though? She hasn’t moved since a while ago. Not talking, not crying. Oi, are you alive?”
The bandits’ voice sounds far away.
In her empty heart, there was only anger that has no place to settle.
She did not know what should she resent.
With her weak lips–
Just a little-
Her emotion surged–
And she opened it.
“…Someone please…answer…!”
Of course, none give her the answer.
Only the lecherous smile of the bandits.
Since the beginning, there is no answer, and Aisha also did not actually have an expectation for it.
She just couldn’t hold it anymore.
However, right at that time, the answer appeared from the sky.
Like an angel descended from heaven, it filled with a solemn atmosphere.
The personification of the darkest night.
None in that place, including Aisha, could measure up to the existence that appeared in front of them.
However, Aisha could say with confidence, that existence–
–is twisted.
Like a whirlpool that hide the deepest darkest that none would dare to take a peek.
Powerless human, of course, not even an elder elf, or an elder vampire could ever reach the feet of that existence.
Deep blackness that backer than any black. A mass of power in the shape of a young girl.
Enormous energy that could be sensed even by someone without combat power like Aisha, and yet the personification of that power is only a young girl. Somehow in the corner of her heart, Aisha felt t was unacceptable.
But that was just a sliver of thought that left in her fleeting mind.
Because she has been charmed.
She won’t ever able to turn away from it.
She threw away her worthless life like a scrap of paper and gave her all to look at the most beautiful pearl inside the jewelry box.
The jet black hair that glitter under the moon, surround the ideally-shaped small beautiful face. Her round golden eyes glow the most beautiful inside the darkest night. Under her left eyes, was a mysterious mole with the shape of dragon scales with a scarlet glow. Her supple limbs were unblemished like a pure white snowfield. And wrapped around her body was a jet black dress with a tinge of red.
Aahh–
AAHH–
How,
How beautiful she is.
The girl with unparalleled looks calmly opens her mouth.
“That’s a pleasant color. Don’t curse, young child–smile, as you have an exceptional fortune.”
This must be the time when Aisha’s next life started.