Chapter 40 : You Believe Me If I Say I Was Kidnapped?

“You’re finished, Stacy.”

Milly summoned Broken from the air, its blade pointed at the silver-haired woman on the throne—the pervert, the monster who had tortured her for so long. The final judgment had arrived.

The thorns that once hung her were shattered by Broken’s edge. The tendrils that slithered over her body, teasing sensitive spots, were sliced into pieces—ready to be skewered and grilled as yakitori.

For the first time, the woman on the throne looked afraid.

But it changed nothing.

“I won’t spare you—even if you beg.”

Milly raised her sword and plunged it into Stacy’s heart—ending her life at last.

“Rot in hell, Stacy.”

Not satisfied with a single kill, she pulled the blade out and stabbed again and again—until the body was riddled with holes, no patch of skin left intact. Only then did she lower her sword, satisfied.

Then—

The scene froze.

Strange voices echoed in her ears—conversation, growing clearer.

To her horror, the image before her shattered, like a mirror struck by force.

Each fragment no longer showed her victory—but her own terrified face. Beneath it, memories flickered: torment, pain, humiliation—until finally resolving into Stacy’s smirking face.

“Miss me, my dear little Milly~?”

“I don’t!”

Milly shot upright with a scream.

Cold sweat drenched her forehead.

Where… where was she?

She remembered defeating the scorpion—then collapsing.

But now, she lay in an unfamiliar tent, covered with a soft woolen blanket.

“Awake?”

The tent flap opened. A girl in silver-white armor stepped in, holding a cup of water.

Milly instinctively scrambled back—pressing against the tent wall until she could retreat no further. She clutched the blanket like a shield.

Stacy had said the city would know of her demon identity within a day. And she still hadn’t learned how to retract her wings and tail.

To this stranger, she must look like an enemy—a demon.

She wasn’t dead because they wanted her alive—captured, taken to the city, and publicly executed.

Seeing the white-haired girl trembling violently, Tifna gently offered the cup.

“Don’t be afraid. We mean no harm. We found you unconscious and brought you here. Drink some water.”

Milly recoiled.

That cup…

Last time someone gave her something sweet, she’d woken up feverish, half-undressed, with no memory of the night.

Was this water normal? Or laced with magic?

Humans hated demons. Would they really offer clean water to one?

Impossible.

Tifna sighed and set the cup beside her.

“We’re a hunting squad. Our mission was to eliminate the Shadow Scorpion—we’ve been searching for days. When we found it dead, we discovered you nearby, injured. So we took you in. No tricks. No traps.”

Hearing this, Milly’s grip on the blanket loosened slightly.

They’d been deep in the forest—likely missed the city’s chaos.

Maybe… they didn’t know.

But what about her wings and tail?

She glanced at the water’s reflection—her eyes were blue again.

And her wings? Her tail?

Gone.

Had they retracted while she was unconscious?

In their eyes, was she just a normal girl?

Phew. At least she was safe—for now.

She picked up the cup. Clear. Warm.

She sipped—just in case.

No strange taste.

She drank it all.

“Thank you.”

As she lowered the cup, she noticed her arm—wrapped in bandages. Other cuts must’ve been treated too.

Wait—her chest.

Two gaping holes.

How was she alive? That wasn’t human.

Without thinking, she lifted her dress—checking her stomach.

“Relax,” Tifna said. “Just scrapes. I disinfected and bandaged them.”

Oh. She must’ve healed before being found.

But why were minor wounds still bandaged? Did her regeneration only heal lethal injuries?

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Tifna adjusting her skirt.

“Girls should be careful, especially after such a scare.”

Tifna smiled.

For the first time since arriving in this world, Milly felt safe.

She remembered her action—flushed red—clutching her dress shut.

With Stacy, skirts were always torn or lifted without warning. She’d gotten used to it.

But this wasn’t Stacy.

“I’ll… be more careful,” she mumbled.

“Good.”

Tifna studied her. This elegant dress screamed noblewoman. But noble girls didn’t wander near the forbidden core.

Her identity was a mystery.

“Captain, your medicine.”

A voice called from outside.

Tifna retrieved a steaming bowl and handed it to Milly.

“Our cleric used Holy Healing, but minor wounds need time.”

Holding the warm broth, Milly felt tears well up.

Since arriving in this world, no one had cared for her.

Now—medicine. Kindness.

She raised the bowl—about to drink—

When Tifna spoke again.

“Almost forgot—I’m Tifna, leader of this squad. Not accusing you, but… a noble lady alone here? Doesn’t add up.”

Milly’s hand trembled.

The question had come.

She didn’t know how Stacy had thrown her here—or why she’d been dressed like this.

And she couldn’t say the truth.

“I… was kidnapped. Got away during an accident. Do you believe me?”

Milly whispered weakly.