Chapter 1

The world I lived in was harsh for soldiers and cruel to the disabled.

For me, a discharged cripple, it was especially cruel.

So, even if I became a game-addicted, alcohol-soaked wreck, I don’t think it’s my fault.

Though, looking at myself now, it kinda feels like it is.

—-

“…Sir, …Sir…!”

The shouting from the other side of the tent reflexively woke me up.

What kind of jerk makes this much noise in the morning? Don’t they think about the rights of game-addicted wrecks who stay up all night?

The hangover from last night’s drinking made me nauseous, and my head was pounding. It felt like someone was gripping my brain and shaking it, making me want to throw up.

Just another typical morning.

Drink, sleep, wake up, regret.

And then drink again before falling asleep.

The hair covering my face tickled my nose annoyingly.

I irritably brushed it aside, and a few strands got caught in my fingers, pulling out with a sharp sting.

Wait a minute…

Long hair…?

“What the hell…?”

What’s with this voice?

Shocked by the unfamiliar voice, I shot up.

This wasn’t the time to worry about hair. Instead of the rough, husky voice of a man soaked in cigarettes, a drunken woman’s voice came out of my throat.

And it wasn’t even Korean. I could understand it naturally, but the pronunciation was clearly foreign.

Long hair, a changed voice, and a body that felt oddly unfamiliar.

Anyone would panic and make a fuss in such a sudden situation.

But in times like these, you need to stay calm. I steadied my mind and assessed the situation.

First, the hair: still black, but instead of my usual messy, unkempt mop, it was now long, flowing down to my waist.

My arms: still muscular, but surprisingly smooth and slender, with much fairer skin. Definitely the arms of a woman who works out.

My chest: big.

The body I was looking down at was clearly not mine.

Then, what about the legs…?

Suppressing my trembling heart, I cautiously looked down below my waist.

They’re there.

My legs, attached.

From firm thighs to calves and down to the toes. A pair of beautifully healthy legs stretched out.

“Ha, haha…”

I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

There was nothing between my legs. Well, I used it enough in the past, so I guess it’s time to say goodbye.

Anyway, I think I get it now.

This must be the legendary TS possession that only happens after writing 5,700 characters.

I haven’t even written 57 characters, let alone 5,700.

I lost my third leg, but in exchange, I got two legs back. Isn’t that a fair trade?

I can’t see my face without a mirror, but my body seems healthy and attractive, so that’s good, right?

Looking around, the room wasn’t the one I lived in either.

Instead of a cramped, moldy studio apartment, it was a spacious tent with leather-covered walls. The bed I was lying on wasn’t a bed but a straw-filled mattress covered with fur.

The whole place looked like it belonged to nomads from 500 years ago, and there was even a longsword by the bedside.

Judging by the decor, this isn’t some modern setting where people live comfortably. It’s more like a game or novel possession. I’m not sure.

“Ha-shal-leur, are you awake?”

The man’s voice that woke me up earlier called from outside the tent.

Ha-shal-leur, is that my name? Still, I don’t know who I am.

Anyway, I need to get dressed. I should tell him to wait.

Should I respond casually? Since he’s using honorifics with my name, he’s probably a subordinate.

“Wait a moment. I just woke up.”

“Yes!”

The words came out naturally, as if they were ingrained in this body. Whether it’s possession buffs or whatever, at least I won’t be suspected based on my speech.

I reached for the clothes hanging on a wooden rack and swung my legs off the bed.

It felt awkward moving parts I hadn’t used in a while, but thankfully, my legs obeyed.

I placed my left leg down, then my right.

Took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and stood up.

I stood up.

Finally.

A tingling sensation rose from my toes, pounding my heart awake.

A wave of euphoria washed over my face.

I don’t know where I am or whose body this is.

Even though this suddenly female body feels awkward, it doesn’t matter.

I have my legs back.

—-

Once I stood up, the rest was easy.

I walked over to the rack and checked the clothes.

Two thin scraps of fabric and what looked like leather pants.

Knee-high leather boots. A fairly thick cloth top.

A thick fur cloak with what seemed like metal or animal scales sewn into it.

The clothes smelled like they’d been worn for a long time.

Anyway, the small fabric scraps were probably underwear, and the rest were outerwear.

I tied the smaller scrap around my waist like panties and wrapped the larger one around my chest.

The sensation of my hands touching my chest or groin was unfamiliar, but given the situation, it didn’t feel particularly stimulating.

Let’s not think too deeply about it.

The leather pants were surprisingly flexible, while the boots were hard enough to be used as weapons.

Meanwhile, the top was a tank-top design that exposed my stomach and arms, as if to prove this world was from a game or novel.

…Honestly, the top alone is a bit ridiculous.

There were five pieces of armor.

A short cape-like shawl, a long skirt, shin guards, a pair of gauntlets, and a scale vest covering the back and chest.

At least the armor wasn’t too complicated to put on by myself.

After equipping the armor, I slung the sword leaning by the bed onto my waist.

Strangely, the armor, which looked quite heavy, didn’t feel heavy at all.

This body must be much stronger than I thought. That’s a relief.

Once I was dressed, I sat on a wooden chair inside the tent.

I don’t know who’s outside, but I need to meet them to figure out what’s going on.

“Haaa…”

A sigh escaped me as I felt a tightness in my chest.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been this nervous.

It’ll be fine. My speech seems to translate naturally.

As long as I’m careful with my actions, I won’t raise suspicion.

“It’s done. You may enter.”

“Yes. Excuse me.”

A burly man, about 180cm tall, lifted the leather flap at the entrance and stepped in.

The towering figure was an Asian man of immense size.

His muscles were so well-defined that they were visible even through his clothes.

His skin was riddled with scars from cuts and tears.

And to top it off, he had a vicious face that looked like he could chew someone alive.

He looked like a bandit straight out of the Mongolian steppes.

Even during my military days, I’d never seen someone who looked so terrifying.

The pressure to not reveal my true identity increased fivefold.

If I got hit by that fist, my skull would probably cave in.

The only part of the human body that’s okay to cave in is the nipple.

The man knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

…I should at least try to talk to him.

I wanted to ask his name, but if he’s one of my close aides, asking his name might raise suspicion.

So I’ll give up on that.

“So, what’s going on this morning?”

“I’m sorry. You haven’t given orders yet on what to do with the prisoners we captured yesterday…”

“…Prisoners?”

“Yes. Twenty young ones and thirty-two women. We’ve had the young women serve the warriors as you commanded, but none of the warriors want the women who can’t even ride horses. Should we sell them all as slaves?”

Oh my god.

Are these guys really like bandits? Am I the bandit leader?

This is making me dizzy.

“…Is there really a need to sell them as slaves?”

“Huh? Well, that’s a bit…”

When I asked if selling them as slaves was too much, the man suddenly seemed flustered and stumbled over his words.

Well, selling them as slaves would probably make money.

But still, that’s just wrong.

Right after I’ve taken over, the first thing I do is sell women and children as slaves?

I don’t want to do something so insane.

“No need, right?”

“…Yes, no need!”

When I pressured him to stop, the man agreed, sweating profusely.

Why is he so flustered? Is he scared of me?

I guess my position is much higher than I thought.

Because of the man’s attitude, the initial pressure I felt completely disappeared.

“Alright. Just send them back to their families. We don’t need slaves.”

“Back to their families…? Ah, understood. I’ll relay that to the warriors.”

The man bowed his head even deeper.

His back, which I was looking down at, was soaked with sweat. Is he just a sweaty person?

“Is there anything else?”

“Yes… As you commanded yesterday, we’re preparing to return to the army, so the servants to tidy up Ha-shal-leur’s ger will be here soon.”

“Alright. Then you can go now.”

“My apologies.”

As soon as the man left the tent, my body relaxed and a headache surged.

My temples throbbed, and I pressed them gently with my left hand.

The initial panic of possession and the thrill of standing on two legs had faded.

All that remained was the overwhelming shock of the sudden reality.

A bandit queen…? What the hell is this?

I’ve never read a novel or played a game with a protagonist like this.

If the role is to attack people and sell them as slaves, that’s not a protagonist, that’s a villain.

And villains usually end up slaughtered by the protagonist.

……And if it’s a beautiful villainess, it might be even worse.

First, I need to figure out where I am without raising suspicion.

If I’m lucky and some of the content I know comes up, I’ll be able to figure it out quickly.

Then I’ll know what to do next.

—-

“…?!……!!”

“…!”

“…….!!”

It was a bit noisy outside.

What’s going on? Come to think of it, they said they were preparing to return to the army and would send servants.

I listened to the noise coming from outside.

“Ahhhh!”

“Please, spare me…!”

“Mom! Mom! M-mom!”

“You said you’d spare us if we did as you said! Why…?!”

The noise,

No.

It felt like all the blood in my body drained to my feet.

Screams, the screams of people being slaughtered.

Without thinking, I grabbed my sword and rushed out of the tent.

And I saw it.

A slaughterhouse unfolded before my eyes.

Men in armor swung their weapons at bound women and children.

A woman impaled on a spear screamed and thrashed her head, a child cut down by a sword writhed as they searched for their mother.

Decapitated corpses twitched and spewed blood.

The blood pooled on the dirt ground, overflowing, as the slaughtered bodies piled up.

The men showed no expression, silently butchering the people.

What… the hell is this?

What is this insane scene?

My back froze cold, and my fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

The nauseating stench of blood and excrement filled my nostrils with every breath.

I feel sick. I gritted my teeth, desperately holding back the urge to vomit.

If I vomit here, I might be found out. That I’m a fake.

In front of these beasts.

Then, what would happen…?

“Ha-shal-leur?”

Startled by the sudden unfamiliar voice, I turned my head.

A man with a sunken cheek and a gloomy expression was looking at me curiously.

Behind him, women who looked like servants followed.

“Are you alright? You don’t look well. Perhaps you’re still tired?”

His tone was quite calm.

He didn’t seem to have any idea that I was horrified by the massacre.

“No… I’m fine. More importantly, what are they doing right now?”

“Huh? They’re just following your orders to dispose of the prisoners.”

“…I ordered this?”

What the hell are you talking about?

I told them to send them back to their families.

“Didn’t you order them to execute them all, just like the men from the village? That’s what Ja-han White Tiger General relayed…”

Ah. So their families were already killed by these insane bandits.

That big guy earlier, Ja-han White Tiger General, was flustered because he misunderstood my orders as a command to kill them all.

So is this all my responsibility?

No. No, I didn’t know. It’s not my fault.

It’s not my fault.

I clenched my left fist tightly to hide the trembling.

It’s too late to stop them now. The prisoners writhing in the bloodbath were already all dead.

I can’t argue. Seeing how they carried this out immediately after my orders, this must be normal for them.

If I say anything now, it’ll only raise suspicion.

“No… Ja-han is right. I did give that order… I guess I’m still not fully awake.”

“You drank five bottles of that strong liquor last night. Even Ha-shal-leur would be tired.”

The man finally seemed to understand and chuckled, nodding his head.

I couldn’t laugh.