LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2
Clunk, clunk.
Clunk, clunk!
Clunk, clunk!
Sigh…
Would riding bare-bottomed over a bumpy, unpaved road have been more comfortable than this? Probably.
But, as it turns out, I—no, April—was sturdier than expected. Even the severe motion sickness had somehow become bearable.
That’s probably why I survived working under Lemeia despite the harsh conditions.
Of course, the threat I now faced was on a whole different level from those exhausting days.
“Could things possibly get worse than this?”
Sniff.
I squeezed out tears that wouldn’t come anymore. Sitting in the pitch-black carriage, my face was covered by a musty-smelling burlap sack.
The kidnapping and the seemingly endless journey had thoroughly eroded what was left of my fragile mental state.
There must have been a massive misunderstanding, but ironically, that only made me more afraid to deny that I was Lemeia.
If the kidnappers realized their mistake midway, they might decide to kill me out of convenience.
All I could do was sit quietly, hold back my sobs, and pray I didn’t provoke the kidnappers as we headed to an unknown destination.
“Princess Lemeia, we’ll arrive at the destination shortly.”
Someone informed me in a calm tone, but it didn’t change my situation.
Growl.
“Hic…”
I was miserable. And above all, I was starving.
I had already been famished before being kidnapped, but the kidnappers didn’t care. They fed me a measly piece of hard bread and some thin gruel once a day.
They said it was to minimize bathroom stops due to the travel schedule, but that didn’t make it any less upsetting.
“Back in Korea, denying someone food would be unthinkable!”
Three months under the merciless Lemeia Salt and three days with these kidnappers—these were the absolute worst experiences of my life.
And yet, the worst part was…
“I don’t want to die.”
No, it’s not like I wanted to die before this, but if I had to, I’d at least want to avoid dying like this, out here in the middle of nowhere.
When I first transmigrated, I was too overwhelmed by the situation to fully grasp what was happening.
I was consumed by the relentless days of toil, constantly fighting to eat a little more or sleep a little longer.
In fact, I only realized I was in The Forced Empress after hearing an old man I worked with call Lemeia’s name.
Even the details about April only came back to me just before being kidnapped, which speaks volumes about how preoccupied I was with mere survival.
Sniffle.
Clunk!
Just as I desperately tried to suppress my tears, the carriage—previously moving steadily—came to a sudden stop.
Bright light pierced through the hastily woven burlap sack over my head.
“We’ve arrived. Please step out, Your Highness.”
“M-my legs… they’re cramping…”
Having been stuck in the same position for hours, save for a brief bathroom stop earlier, my body had stiffened up completely.
After a moment of silence, a rough hand gripped my arm, pulling me out like a broken doll.
Splat!
“Ah!”
I landed face-first on the ground.
Oh, my pitiful life…
“We’ve successfully completed the mission and returned.”
As I lay sprawled and dazed, unfamiliar voices conversed around me.
“Is the princess unharmed?”
“Yes.”
“Then why is she on the ground?”
“She said her legs cramped.”
While I floundered on the cold ground, a large hand gently lifted me up.
“Untie her.”
“Shall we gag her, just in case she screams?”
“No. If the rumors are true, she’s smart enough to know what’s expected of her.”
Fwoosh!
The burlap sack blocking my view was removed with almost insulting ease.
My eyes hadn’t yet adjusted to the sudden brightness, but before I could take in my surroundings, I shattered the man’s expectations with a loud cry.
“I-I’m not Lemeia Salt!”
I had prepared for this moment.
I clung to the faint hope that there would be a chance to clear up the misunderstanding.
“I’m just a maid—no, a slave!”
It was humiliating to say the word out loud, but looking back at my life under Lemeia, it was an undeniable truth.
Maybe, just maybe, they’d realize the mistake and let me go.
But my hopes were crushed by the silence that followed.
Gulp.
The sound of someone swallowing echoed unnaturally loud in the tense quiet. Finally, I cautiously raised my head.
The first thing I saw was the polished boots of a man lounging in a grand chair.
As I looked up further, my gaze met his cold, green eyes. There wasn’t a shred of warmth in them—just the gaze of someone looking at an object, not a person.
Even in this life-threatening situation, I couldn’t help but notice how unnervingly handsome he was.
“This must be Grand Duke Blaire…”
If it was him, then could he actually kill me?
That thought erased all admiration for his looks, leaving only sheer terror.
As I froze, staring at him like a mouse cornered by a snake, his lips parted.
“Does she know anything?”
“P-pardon?”
His cold tone wasn’t directed at me but at a bespectacled man beside him.
“Further investigation is required,” the man replied coolly, adjusting his frameless glasses before bowing his head apologetically.
“I’m sorry.”
“So, this isn’t the target but a useless husk.”
A husk.
The icy disdain in his voice made me shrink even further.
“What should we do?” the bespectacled man asked the duke.
I could already predict his reply.
A useless husk has no value—kill her.
For whatever other reason—kill her.
Just kill her.
The conclusion was the same: death.
“W-wait, wait a moment!”
Thud!
Facing imminent death, I dropped to my knees without hesitation.
My face, worn and pale from days of hunger, twisted into the most pitiful expression I could muster.
“Please spare me! I’ve lived such a hard life. I don’t want to die.”
The duke held my life in his hands. I knelt, humbling myself even further, crawling toward him on my knees.
Though his face twisted in some sort of irritation, I didn’t care. Desperation pushed me forward.
“I don’t even need to go back. I’m hardworking! I swear I’ll serve you without pay if you just let me live!”
Despite my desperate plea, his expression remained cold as he looked down at me.
The only small consolation was that he hadn’t immediately ordered my execution.
“P-please, can’t we work something out? I’m really good at working… My nickname is Slave… No, I’m actually a slave…”
Sigh.
The pitiful sound of my voice filled the room as tears blurred my vision.
“Is this the end for me?”
Just as I began resigning myself to my fate, the duke’s chin tilted slightly.
“Take her away until we decide what to do.”
“What shall we do with her in the meantime?”
“Lock her up somewhere.”
It wasn’t the best outcome, and being locked up again didn’t sound great either, but…
As the conversation continued, my face brightened.
I had survived the immediate threat of death! At this point, I wanted to kiss the polished tips of his shoes in gratitude.
“Thank you, truly! Thank you so much!”
Had I not been dragged away by the kidnappers at that moment, I might have done just that.
“Thank you! I promise to live earnestly as your slave!”
Even as I was hauled away, I shouted my gratitude at the top of my lungs.
Anything to keep living.