“You’re back.” Mitri’s voice called out the moment Vaan entered the Ancient Dream. The elf had been seated at the usual place, flipping through a book.
After Vaan’s entrance, Mitri closed the book and set it aside to look at him. The elf’s emerald eyes flitted towards the young woman standing behind Vaan and widened a fraction. “And I see you’ve brought back a friend. A fruitful night, perhaps?”
“You could say that.” Vaan walked further inside the Ancient Dream and said, “It won’t be a problem if she stays with me, will it?”
“Of course not. Although, I am curious on how you managed to snare the second princess of all people. Weren’t you barely able to afford your fee here?”
“Hmph. You underestimate my abilities, Mitri.” Saying that, Vaan pulled out his Dark Mark card and materialized a stack of gold coins on the table. “See?”
Hundreds of gold coins- no, thousands filled the table Mitri was sitting at.
Vaan thought Mitri would be impressed. Instead-
“How wonderful. Since you can afford the ordinary rate, I’ll increase it straight away after this week. 1000 per day should be manageable for you, right?”
Vaan was quiet.
After that silence stretched on a few minutes, Mitri finally said, “I jest.”
“Uh huh.”
“…Although I would appreciate a few tips here and there. Even a long-lived elf like myself needs some spending money for his retirement. Not only that, but to be living under the same roof as a healthy young couple and provide a room that most would spend their life savings on to have as a honeymoon…”
“I got it, I got it.” Vaan shoved the coins over to Mitri. “Just take it. I’ll give you some tips every now and then too, so don’t get too antsy about my payment.”
Mitri smiled and swept all the gold on the table into his sleeve. There was a flash of light, and they vanished, no doubt into a spatial bag or something similar. “I am glad we have an understanding.” Saying that, Mitri picked his book up again and waved his hand. “Now, go enjoy your private time together. This old man will just sit here, reading through this ancient story book…”
Vaan shook his head and walked towards the stairs.
Mitri watched Vaan leave and then frowned. “…He didn’t notice it.”
A change. The one that had returned was different from the one who first arrived. Only slightly, not as if he had become an entirely different person. But darker aspects had been amplified rather than the slightly naïve and good young man who wandered lost through the streets the day before.
Mitri sighed, turning a page in his book. “At the least he has not lost himself completely.”
Not like ‘that’ person.
Mitri paused, remembering his previous guest and then shook his head.
That wasn’t good. Words and expectations had power in this world, especially to someone like him.
Then…
“I pray that you do not lose yourself and devour her, Mister Vaan.”
…That was all he could do.
Inside of his room, Vaan sat on his bed and he stared at his new slave. At the princess whose life was now completely in his hands.
Eve had taken a seat across from Vaan, a wooden chair that Vaan created for her, and stared back at him.
After admiring her doll-like beauty for a while, he looked up at her glassy violet eyes and sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”
It was a rhetorical question, but Evie immediately responded. “I can service you if you desire it, Master Vaan.” Saying so, she reached towards her shirt and started to slip it off.
“Stop.” Vaan held up his hand.
‘Why? It was getting good.’
-A headache.
Vaan shook his head and then looked up at Eve.
Like he said, she stopped. However, she had already slipped off a portion of her shirt, revealing the depths of her pure white skin beneath it.
Vaan found himself entranced for a moment, but then he shook his head and said, “Keep your clothes on. I’m not planning to make you do any of that any time soon.”
Evie nodded and put her shirt back on. However, she seemed a bit confused. “You… do not want me to service you, Master Vaan?” After saying that, emotion appeared on her face for the first time. A frown and a hint of fear. “I-Is this body… Am I not-“
Vaan sighed and stood up.
Eve froze. Despite that, panic and fear were clear on her face. Her past trauma, the scars on her heart from training must have been reemerging.
Vaan walked in front of Evie and then knelt down, patting her head. Her silver hair ruffled in his hand, soft and warm to the touch. “You don’t have to worry about any of that. I just wanted a companion by my side, so don’t get too worked up, alright?”
‘Liar.’
Shut up.
“A… companion?” Eve tilted her head, as if she couldn’t understand. At the same time, the emotions on her face instantly faded, as if washed away.
It must have been a defense mechanism. When the pain was too much, her emotions faded… likely as a result of Mental Corruption.
Vaan sighed again, complicated emotions in his chest. Even though he said that he just wanted a companion, it wasn’t as if he lacked any thoughts of doing ‘it’ with her. At the same time, even if she regained her mind, it wasn’t like he had any intentions of letting her go.
But then, seeing her like that…
Vaan frowned, pondering over it for a bit. Then he nodded. “This might be cruel, but if you can’t bear through it then I guess that’s just the way it will have to be.”
“Master Vaan?”
It would be cruel. It could break her spirit even further. And even if it worked, he might even get hated. Furthermore, he didn’t know if he could take it back once he did, but…
“Restoration.”
With his hand on her head, Vaan spoke the name of his skill and turned back the damage inflicted upon the young woman’s mind and soul.
Evelyn Edenia was the chosen wielder of Sacred Sword Durandal. The Holy Sword Princess and Second Holy Princess. Because of that, she thought it was her destiny to save the common folk. To right all injustices before her eyes. To save those that could not be saved.
Her father warned her against it. He said that there were necessary evils in the world, minor blemishes that had to exist so that darkness didn’t spread into the light. Not only that, but in this world where power reigned supreme, people wouldn’t take kindly to someone like her.
She ignored him. Foolishly naïve, hopelessly optimistic. Trusting in her Divine Providence and the sacred sword, she set out to become an adventurer and help out everyone within her sight.
Although she bumbled around at first, with the sacred sword’s aid she managed to become somewhat respectable in fighting. And because of that, she gained somewhat of a reputation as well.
The foolish princess. The naïve heroine… Chasing her ideal, she faced countless names and insults.
The adventurers thought she was reckless and foolish, denouncing her actions.
She volunteered her strength to the villagers that couldn’t afford to pay a reward.
She escorted merchants but turned against them when it was revealed they were corrupt.
She traveled with other people, but stubbornly continued on with requests even when they gave up.
The poor adored her, but the average person…
Foolish. Naïve. Reckless… and an eyesore.
Adventurers hated that she took on countless low-level requests without pay, leaving them out of work.
Merchants hated that she lost them money on ventures that were slightly immoral but perfectly legal.
And the nobles hated that the sacred sword was being wasted on such a fool when it could be used to raise a new powerhouse to ascend Babel.
But she didn’t notice that. Evelyn’s light shone so bright that she couldn’t see the shadows gathering beneath her feet.
And so, she didn’t realize when her ankles were tied.
A simple escort mission. A noble that she was familiar with, a party that she had worked with, a merchant she interacted with. People she believed were on her side, but secretly despised her.
She let down her guard… no, she had no guard to begin with.
And that was her end.
The young man she trusted the most vanished without a trace and she was struck from behind by those she thought she could trust.
Like that, the Sacred Sword Princess was tricked. Duped. The trusted party that she worked with took away her sword. The merchant she interacted with drugged her and smuggled her out of the capital. And the noble that she was familiar with greased some hands to ensure she disappeared, all while making a profit. Even the priestess that seemed so kind sent her off, going out of her way to seal Evelyn’s divine providence with the Holy King’s permission.
When Evelyn woke from her drug-induced coma, her nightmare began.
Pain, pleasure. Hope, agony. Trust, betrayal.
Skills she never desired were forced upon her. The dignity of a princess was shattered as the lessons of how best to give and receive pleasure were etched upon her body and mind.
A dark room with concrete walls. Iron bars preventing her escape. Pain that prevented her from leaving and pleasure that made it so she never wanted to leave.
Trapped in such a place, given such a destiny, Evelyn accepted it.
She was foolish.
She was idiotic.
She was naïve.
She could no longer hear the voice of Durandal. She could no longer show her face in public after her humiliation. And she could no longer continue on the path she wanted to pursue.
It was simple. Something they told her again and again after she was captured.
A foolish princess. A naïve idiot. Someone who didn’t know the extent of the world and hopelessly tried to shove her ideals in other people’s faces.
How could she think that they would accept that?
Evelyn realized it, and then decided.
Since it was like that, since it was her fault to begin with, it didn’t matter anymore.
A doll. Like the ones she once played with before she took up the sword.
It hurt too much to remain a princess, so she would become a doll. A perfect little toy that was exactly like what the scary and ugly men wanted her to be. Something that could only belong to another. Something that could be broken at anytime, that could be made to do anything.
Evelyn Edenia… threw herself away.
She was nothing.
She didn’t want to be anything.
Not anymore.
The dream she had, the hopes she carried. Being shown that they were just an illusion, her spirit broke, along with her mind.
Evelyn Edenia shattered into bits, never to return.
And she didn’t want to return.
But.
Master Vaan. The one who bought the ‘her’ that had become a perfect toy along with the sacred sword that had lost its light.
He showed her warmth. He saw her as more than a toy. He cared for her well-being.
Refusing her offer to service him. Being frustrated at her lack of emotions. Appreciating her beauty and showing lust but then having those emotions replaced with guilt and concern a moment later.
He was light, a ray shining down to her who had drowned in the shadows.
But that wasn’t enough. Even if the light was so bright, it was pointless. Someone like her didn’t deserve it.
Filthy. Defiled. Disgusting.
It was better for her to remain as just a toy. She couldn’t be the one that her Master wanted her to be.
Why not?
She was an ugly girl. A fool who tried to force her ideal upon everybody without caring who she hurt in the process. A selfish idiot.
So? I’m pretty selfish too, you know.
Not only that, but she wasn’t pure. Not anymore. While her maidenhood might be intact, everything else… she had been indulged with and indulged in so many disgusting things that her body was stained to the core. A single glance, a single touch was enough to send her heart racing, her body flushed. A girl like that…
So what? It’s natural for the body to respond like that… though if it bothers you so much, I’ll remove it.
And then there was Durandal. She, who once heard its voice call out to her as its wielder, had lost the ability to hear it. The chosen had become the forsaken. The power she had as the Sacred Sword Princess was now nothing more than an average adventurer… No, worse since her body was frail from her ‘training’. Someone like that… How could she be a companion?
So that’s what you’re worried about? Ha! A sacred sword… to someone like me those are as common as tree branches. Don’t worry about that and just come back already.
She couldn’t be what her Master wanted her to be. Someone like her-
Someone like you is exactly who I want with me. And if you’re that upset then pay me back in person, you idiot princess. I didn’t spend all that money for a mindless doll. I want YOU.
‘…Me?’ For the first time in years, the princess spoke her mind. ‘…You want this selfish, foolish, princess? This dirtied and stained toy?’
Yes, you stupid idiot! How many times do I have to repeat myself?
‘…But I’m broken. Even if I wanted to…’
Her mind was shattered and her soul was in pieces. ‘Evelyn Edenia’ had been lost a long time ago. The one speaking, the girl responding to that voice was just the faint whisp that remained, the tiny trace of ego that still hoped for salvation.
But you’re still there, aren’t you? Just missing some pieces.
‘…Maybe. But I-‘
Then shut up for now and bear with it. If you’ve got any more whining to do, tell it to me face to face!
After that, a spark of light flashed, falling down to her who had thrown herself away into the void.
The kind-hearted and naïve girl who had thrown herself away and purposefully shattered her memories to avoid the pain and humiliation. The broken pieces that were supposed to be lost forever.
That spark of light flickered, lightly tapping the shattered pieces and then filling in the gaps that were missing.
An image flowing in reverse. The painful times, the good times, the naivety, the betrayal, the despair, the dreams… Everything that made up Evelyn Edenia was being restored, good and bad.
She resisted it. She didn’t want to remember. Evelyn didn’t want to face her mistakes. She didn’t want to experience the ‘training’ again. She wanted to run and hide back in the dark.
But before she could, an irritated voice called out to her, one that seemed somewhat familiar and at the same time foreign, casting a blinding ray of light into the shadows that had drowned her.
Now, pull yourself together, you dumb princess!
