Chapter 6

After returning home, around sunset…

– So, you’re not just running off without thinking, right? Our young master who knows nothing of the world. What do you plan to do out there all by yourself?

While deeply engrossed at his desk studying, Carriel was suddenly addressed.

“…Are you mocking me?”

-Somewhat?

The Demon King’s mischievous expression was utterly one-sided.

It was the kind of confidence that would look down on the weak and powerless.

-Isn’t it because you’re so powerless that you keep bowing and submitting now? Would your life really change if you left here?

“So, you’re saying I should accept power?”

What a ridiculous notion.

But.

She waved her hand dismissingly with a snicker.

-The ship has already sailed, kiddo. You turned down such a grand opportunity for power without cost… I take great pleasure in making you regret this endlessly.

“…”

-Haven’t you been mocking us while teasing and taunting? Surely there must be some purpose behind this.

-So, does that mean any power with a price is acceptable?

“Why? Are you proposing some conditional contract? Want my soul? Or perhaps… my body?”

At this, the Demon King whistled as if it were an excellent idea.

-Ah, that’s right. Now that I think about it, other Demon Kings tried reviving through such means – how distasteful. A king should have some dignity, unlike those filthy ones.

“…?”

-I have no reason whatsoever to play such silly tricks on you. Though you’re still too young to understand.

I don’t get it.

What exactly is this woman, this Demon King, thinking?

“Surely, when you talk about power with a price, you don’t mean… you’re offering to raise me, do you?”

-Why would I bother when you’re not going to become the Demon King? And why would I help the son of the man who killed me? Are you crazy?

“…”

Common sense dictates this makes sense.

If she had shown any goodwill or offered to teach me due to some connection, that would have been suspicious too.

Moreover.

This Demon King must have already figured out my nature long ago.

And surely realizes such shallow tricks would never work on me.

-But watching your pitiful self getting beaten up like trash, time and again… It irritates me, you know?

“What, what are you saying?”

-Your constant flailing about like trash is disgusting. So, I’ll merely provide you opportunities to struggle. No special privileges though.

In exchange.

-If you fail to overcome it, this will become another hell for you.

“Since when have you been spouting such incomprehensible nonsense… Ugh?”

Suddenly, my consciousness became hazy.

Before I even realized I was falling, I found myself lying limply on the floor.

‘What did she do…’

My awareness gradually faded.

Like sinking into a deep, dark swamp.

Being pulled deeper and deeper into its abyss.

How much time passed?

Suddenly, my vision cleared.

“…?”

Where am I?

An expanse of ash and sandstorms… The wasteland.

I was stranded right in its center.

Uaaaaaah!!

Waaaaaaaah!!

A cacophony louder than chaos assaulted my ears.

And then.

The sky filled with black dots.

One second passed.

Another second ticked by.

Soon, those dots multiplied endlessly and closed in before my eyes.

“Kruuugh!”

Something pummeled my entire body.

No, pierced through, tore into, impaled.

When I noticed, my whole body was shredded to rags.

“Eeeeh?! Yyaaah?!”

Without knowing what hit me.

My vision went dark.

-Keeeek?

And then again.

“Huff?! Huff?!”

Gasping for breath briefly, I quickly looked around and behind me.

Countless people were charging forward desperately, screaming wildly.

Their clumsy leather armor.

Not a single one appeared properly fortified or adequately armed.

Their weapons were all sorts of irregular arms.

And.

When I turned my gaze forward again.

Once more, the sky was filled with dots.

That they were…

…long-range mass arrow volleys only dawned on me as I was dying.

‘What the…?’

Before I could voice my confusion, bewilderment, and screams,

My body was riddled with arrows, and I collapsed.

Or rather, at this point, it’s probably more accurate to say I fell impaled with arrows.

Even the terrible pain subsided quickly.

However.

By the time the third death came, I didn’t die cleanly.

The sensation of an arrow partially piercing my neck, thighs, shins, abdomen, and eyes lingered painfully.

The violent aftermath pressed heavily on my consciousness as pure agony.

“Kheeeek! Khuhk!”

Blood erupted, sprayed, drained from my entire body.

The hallucination of Death passing by with a smirk danced before my eyes.

Everything slowed down as my perception of the world gradually dimmed.

As vitality drained away and the shadow of death grew cold and oppressive.

Truly…

A horrifying feeling.

“Khrrrk!”

I returned.

Once again, I stood in the middle of the wasteland.

Instinctively crouching low and curling up as much as possible, but…

…that alone wasn’t enough to survive.

“Aaaaah!”

Using a shield lying on the ground to block temporarily.

But the arrow assault was too overwhelming, and this defense couldn’t last either since it continued nonstop.

Though I miraculously held out once or twice, my fate as a target was unavoidable.

Thus resisting, running away, even using corpses as shields multiple times.

‘It doesn’t end…’

I counted while enduring as much as I could.

10 times, 20 times.

In reality,

…it felt like the arrow barrage continued until I died.

‘Why?!’

Was it because I gained a bit of leeway?

Or because my rationality returned somewhat even in this hellish situation?

How did things come to this?

‘That Demon King…’

It’s definitely her doing.

But why?!

Surviving only to endure, dying repeatedly.

How long did this cycle continue?

Just as I completely gave up thinking,

Suddenly, my eyes snapped open.

“Huuuuh!”

Instinctively crouching low.

The brief relief of being in confined space soon passed.

‘Where am I…?’

-How’s it going? Your cloudy mind must’ve cleared up considerably, huh?

With a familiar voice, a golden woman hovered in midair.

Her mischievous smile.

Now more than ever, Karrielle acutely realized how similar it was to a demon’s.

====

-Insomnia is just an excuse. Wouldn’t it be more rational to rest your body and sharpen your mind this way instead of staying awake all night?

“…”

An extremely selfish idea.

The intention showing complete disregard for others’ well-being was evident.

-You said you didn’t need power without a price, right? So, I personally prepared this training ground for you to gain power at a cost. Not even gratitude, huh?

“That’s… supposed to be a training ground? This?”

Rather than a place where I’m forced to be a mere target to be eliminated, isn’t it more like a slaughterhouse?

Isn’t it more like malicious harassment, torture?

-Your father and mother faced such scenes regularly, as casually as breathing or eating. What’s with all the whining?

“Do you even see me as the same kind of human as them?”

-It’s also a sight you’ll keep seeing if you run away later. Even without battlefields or armies, irregular combat groups can always deal with civilians, travelers, wanderers. You haven’t fully grasped how terrifying the world is yet. At least these arrows are visible. What would you do if they came from unseen directions?

“Why should I deal with that NOW…!”

Knock knock knock!

“Uh, Young Master? Have you awakened?”

“…”

The Demon King grinned wickedly.

Go ahead, speak more.

Go ahead, get angrier. Her smirking lips curled upward in a way that made murderous intent rise beyond irritation.

“Yeah.”

Clenching his teeth tightly, Karrielle maintained his composure and replied.

Shortly after, the door opened.

“It’s been quite a while since you woke up this early. You must’ve been very tired yesterday?”

“…”

The cheerful girl smiled brightly.

Seeing her smiling so innocently despite meeting face-to-face every day was impressive.

Her neatly kept short black hair.

Her tidy maid uniform showed no signs of disorder.

Even in the early morning, she must’ve already risen to check the residence and surroundings.

Though there’s a steward and housekeeper, considering the total number of staff including her is less than five,

For a noble household of this size, it’s indeed a small number, but this family has always been frugal in such matters, so it’s not unusual.

Karrielle stared intently at the girl’s light brown eyes.

“Siphia.”

“Yes?”

“…Since I’m planning to go to school early today, prepare something simple for breakfast.”

At Karrielle’s request, the girl nodded enthusiastically with a sunflower-like smile.

“Yes! Anything you want!”

====

Damn it, my body was in perfect condition just like she said.

My usually hazy and wobbly consciousness was now sharp as a blade’s edge.

Though this might be a bit excessive…

‘After dying and dying repeatedly like that.’

Even now.

The sensation of my whole body being pierced like a sorry target, reduced to rags, remains vivid.

‘Shit.’

Since I always spent sleepless nights, having a muddled mind and sharp awareness was familiar.

But this kind of heightened, refined consciousness… brings forth an unpleasant feeling in a different way.

Especially.

“Karrielle. Today, it seems you’ve finally managed to get some proper rest.”

Even the Imperial Princess remarked on my state like that. Was I really that exhausted-looking?

“…”

Various kinds of irritation welled up within me.

-Kiki-ki!

Especially thanks to that damn Demon King’s evilness, even more so!

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