108 – 108 Episode. One Rabbit(2)
At first, I thought she was someone else.
The Alisha I knew was always assertive, confident, and an energetic young wizardess.
But the one right before my eyes…
“I… I was caught by your sister…”
Is just like an abandoned, miserable rabbit.
The rabbit briefly meets my eyes.
As soon as our gazes intertwine, she hurriedly lowers her head, as if scalded by something hot.
“I’m sorry for coming unannounced…”
Her ears are trembling slightly.
Is it because of the cold from the wet rain?
Or is it out of fear?
Both of them…
Even when she’d lost the Rosario and felt powerless, she hadn’t looked this gloomy.
“Just come in.”
“……”
I let Alisha inside,
Then concentrate on scanning the outside.
But there is no sign of any presence.
It seems like she didn’t bring a tail with her.
“Did Yerina catch you?”
“It’s about you… you and that trip to Elvengard…”
“You got caught and were driven out of Pallana because of that? hahahaha.”
“······.”
It was a joke,
But to my surprise, Alisha nods in silence.
She really got expelled.
I had known from Mia that Yerina found out about the trip to Elvengard.
But I never expected she had found out that the trip was not alone, but with me.
I thought Alisha would somehow dismiss it lightly,
But apparently, Yerina’s suspicion was stronger than Alisha’s silver tongue.
‘No wonder she has no luggage, she’s empty-handed.’
What Alisha brought… nothing.
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There simply is nothing there.
Just nothing, without a bag or anything else, bare-bodied,
Other than the Rosario around her neck and the magic stone ring on her finger, there doesn’t seem to be anything valuable.
She really seemed to have run away in an intense rush.
‘It doesn’t seem like she’s given away our location.’
Thankfully, it doesn’t seem that Yerina found out about this base.
If she had, Yerina herself would have broken the barrier and come in before Alisha could get here.
Despite running and being confused, she seems to have shaken off her pursuers by a thread.
Of course, it is far too early to be entirely relieved.
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“So, in case something happens when you’re alone, I sent Linda with you.
If it weren’t for Linda, I would’ve had to go in with you.
“Let’s just wait until it comes out.”
After hearing the sound of the bathroom door closing.
Alicia hastily picks up the wet clothes that Alicia dropped like stripping off her shyness and throws them into the laundry basket, then heads outside.
It’s clear that Alicia has a serious crush on Yerina.
But anything more, you’d have to hear directly from the person in question.
“Jeez. Maybe I should get some sleep too.”
Seeing Mijeong, who is still blissfully oblivious and sleeping, makes me feel sleepy.
I collapse onto the sofa and hug the prostrate Mijeong, who looks dead.
Although Mijeong squirms in her sleep, presumably because she’s hot.
For me, it’s refreshingly cool, there’s no better side chick.
“Where do you think you’re going to sleep? You have to finish recharging his energy.”
“Oh.”
And just as I was about to close my eyes.
Jinae crawls up the sofa and meets my gaze.
Ah, right.
I was supposed to kiss Jinae.
Everything becomes hazy.
.
.
.
[Your slippers are here.]
Apparently Linda had said that.
Following the machine spirit’s guidance, I walked out of the bathroom and put on my slippers.
And then, very slowly, made my way to the lounge,
“Oh, you’re all cleaned up?”
Yujin, who seemed to have been dozing for a moment, woke up and called out to me.
At his side is always his faithful blood demon.
And also, he was accompanied by a woman I didn’t know…
That man, how can he be so consistent?
With that thought, my heart felt at ease.
Before I knew it, I could find myself laughing and lightening my heavy heart.
“Such a question is impolite to a lady.”
“Isn’t it impolite to urinate in front of others?”
“Excuse me?!”
“Don’t get angry, come here. You look hungry, you should eat something. And the clothes suit you well.”
“Oh, they do, but… they’re a bit small.”
I hesitated for a moment under the scrutinizing gaze from top to bottom.
After finishing my bath, the clothes given to me were nothing other than a fluttering nightgown.
It’s so thin that the inside is clearly visible.
Thanks to the underwear brought after washing, I could avoid the embarrassment of wearing such revealing clothes without any underwear.
My underwear seems to have been washed by that vampire.
There’s no way Yujin did it herself…
“It’s small, of course. I bought it for Mijeong to wear as a nightgown.”
“I… I, I haven’t… worn it… even once.”
“It’s as good as new. If you want it, take it.”
“I don’t need it. It’s such a tiny nightgown.”
“Sob.”
No wonder it’s small.
If I lift the hem a little, my underwear might show.
The chest area feels tight as if it’s going to burst.
Still, in the rush, I decided to find comfort in having something to wear even for a short while.
“You two haven’t met before?”
“No… Are you going to call us newcomers as slaves?”
“Well, it’s something similar.”
It was meant to be sarcastic.
But Yujin agreed, and the mysterious woman sitting next to her also responded nonchalantly, which was quite perplexing.
To think they were really slaves…
“I don’t have a name yet. You can call me Bug for convenience. I’m a monster, after all.”
“It’s awful! Just try calling it a bug! I’ll definitely chew up those rabbit ears!”
“Hee, heeek.”
“And this one here is Alyosha Yevgenia.”
“Ah, ahh. You were talking about it before, if you twist the handle on its head, lemonade comes out…”
“Excuse me?!”
His face suddenly flushed red.
What on earth had this man been saying about me to others!
As anger spread, old memories stirred, making my abdomen tingle.
Crazy bastard. He now possesses no filter…
“For now, sit down. Eat a burrito. Hey, dude! When did you eat all that you had?”
“Hmm, hmm. It seems the calorie intake I need has increased as I grow larger.”
“…Pig. Stop, a bit. Eat.”
[“Ahahahaha. I’ll make more in a moment. Stop fighting.”]
“…”.
Annoying and infuriating.
But the undeniable truth was that I was considerably comfortable with the atmosphere.
Even though I came without warning, he did not pry about my motives.
He did not ask about my wrist either…
Thinking there was nothing to gossip about me here, with only one wandering mercenary and two monsters present, my mind felt more at ease.
Even though I felt like I had lost everything just moments before.
Submerged in despair, looking at the pitiful reflection of rabbit in water.
Looking again at the old scars on my wrist, it felt like I was becoming engulfed by the pain of the past.
But stepping out, I started gaining strength.
Well, it is true that my strength was due to anger.
But who cares…
“Thank you. I’ve started to calm down thanks to you.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Pretending to be oblivious… I have something to tell you.”
I sunk into a one-person sofa, picked up a burrito from the table, and brought up the topic.
It’s the first time I’ve shared stories of my past in such a comfortable atmosphere.
It seems it will turn into quite a lengthy tale.
As I gently stroked the rough scar on my wrist, I slowly parted my lips.
My family, the Eugenia, hails from the magic-barren North, and is a distinguished lineage of beastfolk known for producing great archmages.
That is the common refrain about the Eugenias.
But, as with all beautiful facades.
The reality within the Eugenia family was far more sordid.
One of the advantages of the rabbit beastfolk is their rapid breeding.
The Eugenias exploited one of the few benefits possessed by rabbit beastfolk.
Unlike other noble families who refrained from having too many offsprings for fear of their wealth and power being diluted, the Eugenias prolifically produced heirs.
After determining the magical aptitude of all those born.
Children who showed potential were sent to the main house for education, while the rest were discarded.
To discard meant exactly what it implied.
The family would cast them out to starve or meet whatever fate, without concern.
The Eugenias improved their lineage without magical aptitude in this way, cutting costs in the process.
By stepping on the sacrifices of countless children.
The Eugenias were able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the traditional magical houses of the south.
And I, Alicia Eugenia, was born as the first daughter of the head of the family, but.
Being a child of the main house didn’t change the standards.
Like all other Eugenia children, I had to undergo the same test, and if I failed, I would be expelled.
That was the Eugenia’s rule.
However, when it came to the test results, mine were abysmal.
I had no aptitude for magic.
At least, that’s how it seemed at the time.
I can still vividly recall the chilling glances of the adults, their anticipation turning into disappointment, impassive and cold, just after the results were announced during my childhood, which had barely begun.
That day, I was supposed to be driven out.
Alongside the other children without magical aptitude.
But my father broke the rule.
He declared that he would not send me away but keep me in the main house.
Since it was a decision made by the patriarch with absolute power, no one could overturn it.
Naturally, a multitude of voices of resistance erupted.
The head of the house managed to bar me from the physical labor of the cold winter days.
However, he could not shield me from the scorching glares within the family.
Useless child.
Trash.
Shameless wretch.
Human scum, and so forth.
These were the names I’ve heard while growing up.
I was brought up in the household, but I was never treated as a member of the family.
I was deprived of the education received by my relatives.
I had to subsist on whatever was left after they finished their meals.
The adults cursed me in their presence, my peers ostracized me, and the servants treated me as if I were invisible, afraid I might cause trouble.
The head of the house avoided me too, wary of his subordinate’s opinions.
I alone couldn’t claim the title of nobility at Evgenia Castle.
But I could withstand all that.
The hardship, pain and occasional tears.
The reproach and oppression from the outside world – I could overcome them by hardening my shell and hiding my fragile heart.
But what truly hurt me was nothing but guilt.
Those innocent children who would sneak one last glance at me diverging from the family.
Every time I received news of their deaths every year, it was unbearable.
They all either died unable to endure the winter or were striving to survive forced labor…
And here I was, living in a warm house, having proper meals.
I should’ve led the same exact life as them.
Just because I was a bit luckier…
That made it harder to bear.
“Hey, have you heard? About those who were expelled during our generation.”
“Did they survive?”
“About half died, and the other half survived. But that half, apparently they are being sold as slaves to the south?”
“hahahaha! They must feel relieved! They’re living in a nobleman’s house in a warm place like the south!”
“Hey, you freeloader! Maybe you should consider getting sold as a slave?”
“······.”
As I grew older, the torment intensified.
With each passing day, the thoughts multiplied and the guilt swelled as my mind grew thicker.
The more I listened to them, the more I believed their words to be true.
Why am I here?
Wouldn’t it be easier, both physically and mentally, to be sold as a slave along with the children who were released that day?
Why was I the only one saved that day?
No, perhaps salvation wasn’t the right word to begin with.
Does the Master truly care for me?
Or could it be that they deliberately surrounded me with pain, just to torment me?
When I was alone, countless thoughts would flood my mind.
My head would ache with these lingering thoughts.
The only thing that could make me forget all this pain was even greater agony.
It was a cycle.
Around that time, I started cutting my wrists.
I made the marks in visible places, perhaps mixing in a desire to show my protest.
But the main reason, as always, was that my mind cleared up as the blood flowed.
As long as my wrists throbbed in pain, my mind remained clear.
But once the bleeding stopped and the wounds healed, the thoughts and headaches inevitably returned.
I couldn’t stop self-harming, and I became dependent on it.
It was around the time when the scars covered my wrists completely.
“Alicia, what is that?”
Finally.
The Master had discovered it.
In that moment, I felt a slight thrill.
I wished someone would find my wounds.
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I hoped they would empathize, knowing how much I struggled and wanted to die.
In my childish heart, I had such thoughts.
“Because it’s ugly, I wear gloves. I don’t want to hear the elders’ complaints.”
“······.”
Foolish.
There was no one to sympathize with me.
No one was on my side.
It took me ten years in this house to realize that fact.
Young me, trapped in this despair, knew that self-harm was the only way out.
Even at such a young age, I thought of death.
I truly wanted to die.
It wasn’t just a fantasy of imagining my family, advisors, or relatives mourning and regretting after I died.
I just wanted to escape this pain, to quickly run away from this reality.
“I am the heir of this family! I am Yerina Frost! I will make Yevgenia kneel and serve as their princess, the future queen!”
That was the time.
When I met my older sister.
And when my life turned completely upside down.