Chapter 01 [arc three]

Karilyn woke up to a knock at her door. She sleepily rubbed at her eyes and sat up. The slave had no idea how long she had been asleep. She felt tired still, but the knocking was too loud to ignore. She was relieved that the handprint system actually worked as she stood up. Her legs were wobbly still, but they worked fine. It was as if they had never been broken. The effects of the healing bed were insanely strong, and she wondered how often she could use it. And if the bed's technology had limitations. The twenty-two-year-old yawned and stretched her legs before walking to the door.

She put her hand on the circle once it was green and braced herself. The slave girl had no idea who would be on the other side. If it was the ogre king, the situation would become tense. She didn't know what to feel about him. The man saved her life but was keeping her captive in his palace. Any agency she wanted had been ripped off of her, and once again, she was a product. She was someone's property no matter where she went, all because of the position she had been born into. The class system in this world was sickening, and she found herself wishing there was another option for her.

The door slipped into the wall, and she was met with an unfamiliar face. Karilyn stepped back instinctively and stared. Instead of the ogre king standing before her, it was a woman. The woman was dressed in black and had on shades. She looked like an upper-class businesswoman. The two observed one another, the woman curiously and the slave girl with fear. With her lips curled, the woman looked to be debating coming in. She took a step forward, and Karilyn flinched. Seeing this, the woman stopped and moved back.

The woman nervously giggled and put a hand on her chest. Karilyn could see it had wrinkled scars from being burned. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd mind some company after such a long day."

"Um," Karilyn didn't know what to say. The woman was waiting for an answer, moving from foot to foot eagerly. Her red lips were curled into a heart-shaped smile. "How did you know I'd be in this room? Did the king tell you?"

The woman nodded and clapped her hands together excitedly. Her tight, curly blonde hair bounced along with her chest. "Yes, he did!" But I already figured you would be in here since this room is for maidens. And you are one now!"

This last comment made the woman continue to smile in her happy-go-lucky attitude. The slave girl was shocked that someone so bubbly resided in such a place. Her whole outward appearance and behavior were reminiscent of a valley girl. She had to be a demon, or at least work with them, to know the ogre king. Karilyn frowned, thinking over what the woman had said. The king had also mentioned maidens when speaking to her earlier. She had just assumed he meant sacrifices, but there appeared to be more to the word. And if he had planned this room for maidens, that meant they lived. Her eyes widened at that thought.

"Excuse me. Can you explain what exactly a "sacrificial maiden" is? Since I'm one now." The redhead was desperate for answers, and the blonde appeared open to blurting them out.

The woman gasped dramatically and slapped herself on the forehead. "Oh! I'm so stupid, I thought he already told you that! Hehe, so a maiden is a woman who is saved from eternal damnation to ascend." She smiled proudly, like any of what she said made sense. As Karilyn tried to process it all, the blonde grabbed at her hair.

She jumped in surprise and instinctively snatched the strand the woman was holding away. "Can you not do that, please? It's rude." All fear went away as the woman flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry, I forgot to ask! You have beautiful hair, though, perfect for a sacrifice. You're a redhead, so you're going to get a lot of blessings in life. You have handsome men and a rich husband in your future. Lucky!" The blonde rambled, brushing past her apology as she looked around happily.

At this point, Karilyn gave up trying to decipher what the woman was saying. She behaved like a child, bouncing from one topic to the next. It was a welcome change from the emotionless behavior of the king and the constant temper tantrums of Kaname. Still, it irritated her to be touched and prodded without her permission. Just because people saw her as a product didn't mean it was true. She felt a wave of anger at being treated so carelessly but buried it. Under Kaname's ownership, she had been treated like garbage.

They made her wear lice-infected rags and beat her whenever they wanted. She didn't have any privacy to use the bathroom, shower, or even eat. It was humiliating, and she was determined to never be treated that way again. Her humanity had been stripped from her, and this woman had triggered it. But she knew by the way the woman spoke and acted that it was an accident. So, for right now, it was in the past, and she'd ignore her feelings. She crossed her arms over her chest and cleared her throat.

"Is dinner done yet? I haven't eaten in days, and the king mentioned I'll be given a meal." The redhead was starving and wanted to eat soon. The slave hoped the man hadn't lied to earn her trust.

The woman thankfully nodded her head and beckoned the girl forward with her scarred hand. Her nails, in contrast, were painted neatly. "That's the reason he sent me to get you! Come with me, we're going to eat a celebratory banquet!"

The slave girl was about to ask what the banquet would entail, but her growling question silenced her. She closed her mouth and looked at the woman's outstretched hand. She was starving and simply grabbed her hand eagerly. If anything happened, she would deal with it later. Right now, she wanted to eat a meal before going back to bed.