Chapter 0: The Little One Who Was Caught Again

Huff… huff…

The moonlight of Starfall City was swallowed by the night mist that clung to the shadows.

The slums drowned in the stench of rotting darkness.

A small figure pressed herself against the wall, curling up behind a toppled oak barrel.

The white stockings on her feet were already soaked through with filthy water, the torn tips revealing toes that had turned bluish from the cold.

Her tiny leather shoes had long been lost along the path of escape.

Milly pulled her ragged cloak tighter.

The golden-threaded church emblem embroidered on it had long been caked in mud, yet it still failed to conceal the faint light seeping from her collar.

A thorn-shaped sigil burned faintly against her collarbone, glowing like a firefly trapped beneath her skin.

It was a “gift” someone had left her.

But now, it had become the most dangerous of beacons.

Milly pressed her fingers against the searing mark until the pain chased away the drowsiness weighing down her eyelids.

Her heartbeat pounded like a drum, each thud a reminder that danger was drawing closer with every step.

The sound of iron boots crushing rubble echoed in the distance.

Torches cut through the heavy mist, illuminating the moss that crept through the cracks in the walls.

Milly struggled to steady her breathing.

On such a quiet night, even the faintest sound could be fatal.

When a sliver of strength returned to her, she cautiously poked her hooded head past the edge of the wall.

Phew… safe, for now.

Days of endless pursuit had worn her thin.

Once the hunters moved away, she would steal away again beneath the veil of night.

Damn it.

Ever since she arrived in this world, not a single good thing had happened.

Taking advantage of the retreating torchlight, Milly carefully slipped out, a pale phantom peeling away from the shadows.

Beneath the cloak, strands of white hair cascaded like a waterfall, nearly brushing her ankles.

Days of running had left her no chance to care for it, leaving her hair tangled and disheveled.

Though dirt smudged her delicate face, her refined features still showed through, and her azure eyes gleamed like twin stars.

She had to reach the city walls quickly.

Only beneath the cover of darkness could the cloak disguise her inhuman traits—the small wings at her back and the slender tail hidden beneath her hair.

By day, with no way to blend into the crowds, she was forced to burrow into the shadows.

After slipping through several streets, her strength gave out.

She leaned weakly against a wall, lowering herself to the ground.

Only three streets remained before the city wall.

Once she found the hidden passage there, she could finally leave this nightmare behind.

Just a little farther.

One last push, after a short rest.

Catching her breath, her eyes flicked toward the end of the street.

Faint sparks of light glimmered in the distance.

Moments later, they brightened, inching toward her direction.

Tch… those hunters really wouldn’t give up.

She pressed herself into a corner, letting the darkness swallow her presence.

Perhaps she would have to hide for another day.

The footsteps drew near, then halted.

They searched for a while, then slowly retreated.

Huff… another narrow escape.

Milly carefully peeked around the wall, only for her gaze to freeze on a heap of trash five paces away.

Amid rotting vegetable leaves lay half a blackened loaf of bread.

She hadn’t had a drop of water or a crumb of food in days, surviving only on sheer willpower.

But the sight of that bread made her hunger crash over her like a wave, drowning reason.

Without it, she wouldn’t last till morning.

After making sure no hunters were in sight, Milly cautiously stepped out.

Just as she reached for the bread, the sound of chains dragging across stone rasped behind her.

“Found you, little monster.”

A knight in silver armor blocked the alley’s mouth, the sun-emblem of the church engraved on his breastplate.

Milly recognized those bloodshot eyes beneath the helmet.

A week ago, from behind the bars of a dungeon cell, those very eyes had cursed her.

Now, he had finally caught her.

“Come back with me to the Inquisition. The Saintess will plead for you. At least then, you’ll suffer less…”

His words of surrender were shattered by lightning.

The thorn sigil on Milly’s palm flared, unleashing an arc that blasted him into a pool of filthy water.

When his body slumped motionless in the muck, Milly spat into his armor with a snort.

The Saintess would plead for her?

What a joke.

That woman wouldn’t even spare her a bowl of seaweed egg soup.

He had cursed her as a wretch when she was caged, and even now, after her desperate escape, he dared to come after her.

How could she let that go unpunished?

But the price was steep.

That single strike had drained her remaining strength.

Tonight, she would have to find a corner to hide in, waiting for the crescent moon to rise again.

She reached for the bread—but the air suddenly grew still, unnervingly silent.

A chill crept into her chest.

Something was wrong.

Just as her fingers touched the bread, a tentacle shot out from the darkness, knocking her hand aside.

“Stacy…”

Milly spat the name through gritted teeth as a tall figure emerged from the shadows.

“At this point, I’ve nothing left to say to you. Move.”

Tentacles coiled around her wrist.

She tried to summon lightning again, but only weak sparks flickered at her fingertips—far too feeble to even sting.

She had spent everything on the knight.

If she had known Stacy would appear, she would have saved her magic, even if it couldn’t hurt her.

Stacy’s mocking voice drifted from the shadows as she pointed at the bread at Milly’s feet.

“All that trouble just to crawl out of the dungeon… only to dig through trash again? Twice now.”

“And who do you think I should thank for that?” Milly snapped, her words sharp, but Stacy’s smile only deepened.

A second tentacle lashed out, coiling around Milly’s throat.

Her small face flushed red.

“Little Milly, has no one told you? Your anger is just like pouting. And besides…”

Stacy’s voice trailed off.

Her smile faded as her gaze sharpened.

“When did you start thinking you could call me by name? Do you remember what you’re supposed to call me?”

Lifting Milly’s chin, Stacy watched the girl’s face contort with pain as the tentacle squeezed tighter.

“Say it. What should you call me?”

Darkness blurred Milly’s vision.

Her limbs went limp.

Survival instinct pried her lips open.

“M–Master…”

The moment the word left her mouth, Stacy released her, tossing her limp body to the ground.

The girl gasped for air, trembling.

Stacy nudged the bread toward her with her boot.

“Go on. Eat.”

Milly shot her a look of shame and fury.

Her reason screamed at her not to touch it, but the fire of hunger burned away her pride.

She opened her mouth to bite it—only for Stacy to suddenly peel off her boot, revealing feet clad in sheer black silk.

With a sharp motion, she pressed her toes down on the bread.

“Punishment is necessary. Lick until I’m satisfied, and then… you can eat.”

Rage and humiliation welled in Milly’s eyes.

Yet, trembling, she extended her small tongue and began to lick.

Stacy closed her eyes, savoring the moment, as she leisurely produced a rolled parchment.

Once Milly’s name stained that contract, her fate would be sealed.

She would belong to Stacy completely.

How delightful that would be.

Milly’s eyes burned with tears of shame, yet she swallowed it all down.

If not for Stacy, none of this would have ever happened…