Five years after Liam's reincarnation.
I was reincarnated in a noble household of the Gorgon Empire.
My days as a baby were tough because I could not speak or walk.
The most shameful thing was wetting myself and being fed.
After a few months of humiliation, I got used to it.
The most interesting aspect of this world is the mana.
People use mana to strengthen and heal themselves to fight monsters and mutants.
"Hey! Quit daydreaming and pay attention to our spar."
As I was reminiscing, the devi… I mean, James shouted while my sister Clara just spectated our sparring.
It has been like this since I turned four. They would come to me after their training to spar and lecture me on my swordsmanship.
When I asked why they were doing this, they said:
They said something along the lines of. 'You should be able to protect yourself whenever we are not around'
'But I am never alone. A servant or someone else is always with me.'
When I rebuked them, they lectured me non-stop. 'Fortunately, my mother intervened. Thanks, mother, I will never forget your kindness.'
"Get ready, I am coming."
James lunged at me suddenly with a downward slash.
The moment his sword was still airborne, my eyes shone.
They shone for 10000/1 seconds, and my world slowed.
It was as if the world stopped, but I knew better; it slowed down.
In that brief moment, I could see the James sword path and thousands of others to counter-attack.
'Yes, I am a mob character, so the best option is…'
Bang!
James' downward slash connected with my sword, and I was thrown back and hit the wall while creating an X with my body.
'Mob technique 11: X wall hit'
My sister worriedly approached me.
"You idiot! Didn't I tell you to hold back!"
Clara angrily shouted at James, who had a silly face.
'Did I really hit that hard?'
He probably thought that to himself while I secretly smirked. 'Yes fucker, get more humiliated.'
"Oh god! Liam, are you alright? Does it hurt? Let me heal you?"
"Th..anks sis."
I acted dramatically while my sister healed me.
After that, I was escorted by a servant to my room, while Clara took James, who still had a silly look on his face, to the mother for a lecture.
"Thanks, now you may go."
"As you wish, young master."
With a slight bow, the servant left the room.
"Now that I am alone, what should I do?"
I contemplated this while my right hand rested on my chin.
"Yes! I know. Let's go looting."
***
Late at night.
After everyone went to sleep, I quickly put on my demon mask and covered my body with mana slime.
After dressing, I quickly jumped through my room's window and went to a nearby forest to plan.
"Where should I go tonight?"
Smack~
Palm fisting, I got a new idea.
"Yes, why should I think while the stick can do my job?"
Picking a stick from a nearby tree, I made it stand.
Thump~
I let it go, and the stick fell.
"So, it wants me to go behind the mountains, huh?"
Swoosh~
Without thinking much, I quickly departed toward the mountains.
***
'I am hungry.'
Growl~
Inside the carriage, a girl with long pointed ears could be seen.
The girl had dirty and torn clothes on her and was chained like an animal.
She was skinny.
She was terrified.
But most of all, she was hungry.
Extremely hungry.
To the point where her bones were visible.
Growl~
The girl winced with hunger.
"Keep quiet! Damn it!"
"I am trying to drive a carriage."
Two men who were trying to drive cursed at him for disturbing their mood.
"I swear, why did even the boss give us such an annoying job?"
"It's fine, Chris. Once we do this job, we won't have to live like this anymore."
"Jacob, you really are patient. If it weren't for I already would have killed this animal before the job was even done."
The girl tried to lower her voice, but hunger was still there.
'It hurts.'
'It really hurts.'
She did not emit any more sounds because she knew that if she made a sound, they would kill her.
Therefore, the girl cried without making any sound to exhaust herself in order to fall asleep.
'Yes, if I fall asleep, the pain will go'
'If I am alive, I will be able to escape, or someone might rescue me.'
This was the girl's thought.
Her hope.
And her refuge from this lonely and dark place where she was in pain.
After exhausting herself, the girl was about to fall asleep when the carriage suddenly stopped.
Bang~
"uhghg…"
The girl winced in pain as her head struck the wall.
"Who the hell is blocking the road!"
"Hey bastard, we are talking to you!"
Bang!~
Scream~
Smash~
"AHhh! Spare me"
"We will do anything, don't.."
"ahhhhhh"
The girl heard the men shouting and screaming in pain.
Hearing the screams of two adult men, the girl was terrified.
Her face paled.
Her body trembled without her realising it.
She felt horror.
Horror of death.
'I don't wanna die.'
She tried to stand but couldn't because of all the trembling and exhaustion.
So she crawled.
On all four.
Before she could move further, the screams stopped.
'I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die.'
So she tried to move faster.
Clank~
She couldn't move further.
Looking down, she saw the chain tied to her feet.
Despair came.
She felt helpless.
All hope in her mind died.
And then.
She saw it.
A demon.
His face is black.
Two horns on his forehead.
Four fangs beside his mouth. Two beside the lower lip and two beside the upper lip.
He had a dark sword.
His back covered the moon, casting a shadow over her.
He looked the embodiment of death himself.
Then.
The demon's sword wiggled and turned into slime, going inside his coat, and he spoke.
"Are you fine?"
That was all the girl heard before she passed out from sheer horror.
***
After following the direction of the stick, Liam found a carriage with two bandits.
He took care of them and went to see what was inside the carriage.
To his utter shock, all he found was a chained girl who passed out right after seeing him.
"Where are my treasures!?"
I shouted in frustration because I came looking for loot, and all I got was a chained child with pointed, long ears.
After kicking the ground and venting my frustration for a bit more, I calmed down.
"So, …what should I do with him now?"
After thinking for a while, I decided to take her with me and then take care of the rest.
Thump~
Splash~
I dropped the elf girl inside my room and splashed water to wake her up.
"Wah!"
Right after waking up, she saw me and almost screamed again, but before she could, I pressed my hand against her mouth.
"Stop, I won't kill you. You know."
'Thank god I stopped her before she screamed, or else I would have gotten in a lot of trouble'
"Mfh..mmhfhfm…"
Seeing that she was scared of me while looking at my face, I removed my mask.
'This stupid mask'
Seeing my real face, she calmed down a bit, but she still looked tense and looked at me with wary eyes.
"Hey, I helped you, okay? So stop making that look."
After convincing her that I would not harm her. She calmed down.
"…W-who are you?"
"Me?"
'Hmm, what should I tell her to make myself look cool?'
"I AM THE NIGHTMARE."
I say with a cool pose.
"The Nightmare."
"Yes, it is I who helped you and rescued"
'Nah, I just wanted some loot, but I found you, but you don't need to know that.'
"Really?"
"Yes."
"But why did you help me?"
'Hmm, that is a good question, how do I answer?'
"Because…"
Looking around, I saw a box of perfume with a name written on it.
"…you are one of my chosen allies to assist me in defeating the BABA YAGA."
"The baba yaga?"
"Yes, the BABA YAGA."
"They are an evil organisation that worships the BABA YAGA. You are one of their victims."
"For an innocent to live a happy life, I wet my hands with the blood of evil. Oh, the child of the great tree, will you assist me to vanquish the evil worshippers?"
'Damn! That was cool, right?"
"B-but I am powerless. I… I can't even protect myself." The girl says, looking at her hands.
"I will give you the necessary power, so take my hand and help me."
She looked at the extended hand of The Nightmare, which promised power.
'Can I really do it?'
'What? Did she figure out I am lying?
Sweat formed over Liam's forehead as he thought he was caught lying.
The girl hesitated, but after a bit of contemplation, she took the extended hand and stood up.
'Phew, I wasn't caught.'
I then asked her name while she continued to hold my hand.
"What is your name?"
"My name?"
"Yes, your name."
"I am Alina."
"Good, from now on you shall be…"
'Her hair is black so…'
"The black Demon"
The moon shone through the window and illuminated the two figures.
This was the beginning of an organisation called the Nightmare Palace.