Chapter 48

“Hey, Christy. You’re in a terrible state.”

When she turned toward the voice, it was indeed Noein standing there.

As usual, Mathilda stood behind him, and on either side of her were two attendants Christy had seen a few times before—one with sharp eyes and the other an unsightly face—Pence and Radley.

Seeing them, Christy felt a sense of relief.

Her escape had failed, but at least now she wouldn’t be tormented and killed by goblins here and now.

It was humiliating to be saved by Noein, but she couldn’t afford to be picky.

The goblins showed a wary expression at the sudden reinforcements… but Noein and his group made no moves. Noein, the lord, merely looked at Christy with a sneer, Mathilda didn’t budge, and neither Pence nor Radley even drew their swords.

“…What? H-Hey, why aren’t you helping me?”

“Did I say I came to help? Did anyone hear me say that?”

“No, Lord Noein.”

“I didn’t receive any instructions.”

“Yeah, I didn’t hear nothin’.”

Hearing their words, Christy felt the blood drain from her face.

“What? N-No way, don’t joke at a time like this! Hurry up and help me!”

“Why? You decided to run, didn’t you? Then you have to keep running until the end. We’ll be watching, so do your best.”

Noein’s lighthearted smile was so wicked, so vulgar, so cruel—it looked like the smile of a demon to Christy.

The goblins, seemingly realizing that Noein and his group had no intention of helping or fighting, turned their backs on them and once again closed in on Christy.

“N-Noooo!”

She was going to die. She was really going to die.

Gripped by the terror of death once more, Christy mustered her strength, stood up, and shoved the goblin.

As the goblin stumbled, Christy used the moment to collapse at Noein’s feet, clinging to him desperately.

“I-I can’t anymore! I can’t escape! I’ll come back! I’ll come back, so save me! I’ll work hard!”

The only way to survive this was to beg Noein. She had to earn his forgiveness.

“Wow, how pathetic. And clinging to my leg with those bloodied hands… how filthy. You’ve dirtied my shoes. Mathilda.”

“Yes, Lord Noein.”

Even as Christy clung to him, Noein’s face remained twisted with malice. At his command, Mathilda stepped forward.

“Gyah!”

As if kicking away garbage, Mathilda kicked Christy aside with her foot.

By the time Christy fell to the ground, the goblin she had knocked down earlier was already back on its feet.

“Gyaaaah!”

With a roar of frustration and hunger, the goblin charged at her.

“No! No, no, nooo!”

Pinned down, the goblin was about to bite into her neck, but she thrust out her arm in desperation, only for it to sink its teeth into her flesh.

The goblin’s fangs tore through her skin, sinking into her muscles.

“Aaahhh! It hurts! Help meee!”

Using her free hand, she punched the goblin’s head with all her might, knocking it away.

With that brief moment of respite, she once again crawled toward Noein.

“Please! I’ll be serious! I’ll be respectful! I’m sorry for being so rude until now! I’m sorry! Please help me!”

She was terrified of dying.

How foolish she had been to think, “I’d rather die.” She never knew death could be this frightening.

She would do anything to survive. With that thought, she desperately begged Noein.

Yet his expression remained wicked, his eyes cold.

“Ah, look at you, covered in tears and snot, groveling so miserably. Where did the proud Christy go? Isn’t your pride important to you? Then you should try harder to protect it.”

“I don’t need pride! I don’t need it anymore! I’ll be honest from now on! Please, save meeeee!”

Noein sighed lightly, and with a soft “I guess I have no choice,” he muttered under his breath. Hearing that, Christy felt a glimmer of hope.

“Mathilda.”

“Yes, Lord Noein.”

“Noooooo!”

Once again, she was kicked and flung toward the goblin.

The goblin, now intent on delivering the final blow, raised its club as it approached her.

At that moment, Christy mustered every last ounce of strength she had and stood up, amazed at her own ability to do so.

“Uwaaaah!”

She screamed as she charged at the goblin, ramming into it with all her weight.

It was a pitiful attack, merely the force of her collapse, but even so, the unexpected blow caused the goblin to fall. In that brief window, Christy once again clung to Noein.

She wrapped herself around his legs, looking up at him.

Noein’s eyes were still cold. They weren’t the eyes one would use to look at a fellow human being.

…Ah, so this is what it means to become a slave. For the first time, Christy truly understood.

She was his slave now. He held the power of life and death over her.

He was her master. Given the way she had acted and spoken until now, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had decided to cut off her head.

And yet, how kind he had been up until now. How much she had taken advantage of that kindness.

This was the price of her indulgence. She was learning what position she was in, who had kept her alive, at the cost of her very life.

“I swear my loyalty! I swear my loyalty to you, Lord Noein! I belong to you! Please save me! Please have mercy on meeee!”

Her face was a mess of dirt, blood, tears, snot, and drool. She could barely see in front of her. Her throat was hoarse, and her voice came out rough.

Even so, she directed her blurry gaze at Noein’s face and shouted with all her might.

“…There’s no lie in those words, is there?”

“I’m not lying! It’s true! Lord Noein, pleaseeee! Save meeeee!”

Clinging to his legs with all her strength, she wrapped her arms tightly around his legs so that even Mathilda couldn’t kick her away.

“…Very well. Radley.”

“Yeah.”

With Noein’s command, Radley immediately drew his sword and dashed forward.

The goblin, unable to even process what was happening as its long-time spectators suddenly turned on it, had no time to react before Radley’s blade cut through its neck.

As the goblin’s body crumpled to the ground, Noein knelt down to look at Christy. Without hesitation, he gently stroked her cheek, unconcerned about getting his hand dirty.

“I accept your loyalty, Christy. You are my precious slave and beloved subject. As long as you are loyal to me, I will love you as your lord. I promise to give you a happy life.”

With a smile, Noein spoke those words, and to Christy, he looked like a god. Feeling an overwhelming sense of relief, she finally let go of her consciousness.