"Huff... Huff... I escaped!" Corin panted heavily, collapsing to his knees. His chest heaved, and his vision blurred as exhaustion overwhelmed him. "To think I got teleported to the opposite side of the forest, where the monster wave isn't coming... Even the world wants me to take revenge!" he thought with a weak, bitter laugh, clinging to the fleeting hope of survival.

But then— "Ouch!" A sharp, searing pain shot through his legs, and they gave out beneath him. He crumpled to the ground, clutching the dirt in frustration.

"Tch... My body's completely shut down," he thought, gritting his teeth. "I already pushed myself past my limits, and now this..." Slowly, painfully, he began to crawl forward, dragging his battered body through the forest floor, his arms trembling with every movement.

The forest around him was eerily quiet, bathed in the faint glow of the moon. He wasn't deep enough into the woods to be surrounded by deadly beasts, nor close enough to the outskirts to call it safe—he was stranded somewhere in between.

"I don't think the teachers can find me so easily out here," Corin murmured to himself, his voice raspy and weak. "If I can hold out until morning… just till morning…" The thought looped in his mind like a desperate mantra.

But fate, as always, had other plans.

As Corin pulled himself closer to a tree to rest, his eyes caught movement in the shadows ahead. His heart froze. Emerging from the darkness was a creature that made his blood run cold.

It had the face of a giant rat, its long teeth yellowed and sharp, but the muscular, hairless body of a bear. Its claws scraped against the dirt, and its glowing red eyes locked onto him with predatory hunger.

"A rat bear?" Corin's mind raced. "Damn it... Of all things, why now?"

He tried to push himself up, to run, but his body refused to obey. His arms trembled beneath him, and his legs remained useless. Beads of sweat rolled down his pale face as the realization hit him.

"I can't fight it. I can't even move… To think I'd die at the hands of a lowly monster," he thought, despair settling deep in his chest. His hands clenched the dirt beneath him as tears welled in his eyes. "I had so many things to do… so many people to prove wrong…I don't want to die...i don't want to die"

The rat bear snarled, saliva dripping from its maw as it crept closer. Corin's breath hitched, and for a brief moment, he closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

And then—

*BANG!

A sharp, distant sound echoed through the forest, quiet but unmistakable. Corin's eyes shot open in shock.

BAM!

The rat bear collapsed with a heavy thud, its massive body crashing lifelessly to the ground just feet away from him. Blood seeped from a small, precise wound on its head.

Corin stared, wide-eyed and trembling. "What...?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. His gaze darted around the dark forest, searching for the source of the gunshot.

The forest was silent again, save for the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Someone—or something—had saved him.

But who? Or why?

The rat bear collapsed but remained alive, its massive body twitching slightly as it lay immobilized.

From the shadows emerged a figure—a girl with long, cascading jet-black hair, red, eerie eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness, and skin so pale it almost appeared translucent. Her delicate, almost fragile-looking body contrasted with the smug expression on her face. She smirked as her eyes fell on Corin.

"E-Esdeath?" Corin muttered, his voice trembling.

"Did you really think you could run away from me?" she said, her tone calm yet dripping with menace. "From someone who can see the future?"

Esdeath walked toward him slowly, her movements deliberate, each step echoing her confidence. When she reached him, she grabbed a nearby stone, dragged it in front of Corin, and sat down on it, her piercing gaze locked on him.

"Are you here to sa—" Corin began, but his words were cut off as Esdeath pulled out her gun and pointed it directly at his head.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

His entire body trembled, his breathing uneven. "N-No! Please don't kill me! I don't want to die yet!" His legs gave out entirely, and he collapsed to the ground, shaking.

Esdeath chuckled darkly, her voice filled with mockery. "Oh, don't be so scared. This is the most attention you'll ever get in your short, pathetic life."

Corin's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. "Why? Why are you doing this?" he stammered. "Weren't you the one who suggested that plan—the one where I let those girls beat me up in exchange for paying you? Is this… is this revenge for that?"

Esdeath shook her head firmly, her smirk fading as her expression turned deadly serious. "Who cares about that? You still don't recognize the grave mistake you made, do you?"

Corin's mind blanked as panic consumed him. He crawled forward, dragging his weakened body to Esdeath's feet. His hands clutched at her boots as he sobbed, desperation pouring out of him.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I don't remember what I did, but please tell me! I'll fix it—I'll do anything! Just… please don't kill me!" Tears streamed down his face as he begged, his voice cracking.

Corin was nothing more than a privileged teenage noble. Unlike warriors who could accept death with dignity, he had no such resolve. Right now he would do anything—anything—to survive, even if it meant groveling before someone as terrifying as Esdeath.

"Is that so?" Esdeath said, her voice low and dangerous. She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "Do you remember that day in the academy corridors when you were talking with Emma… about Lady Mariette and her Third Division group?"

Corin's breath hitched as the memory resurfaced. His face paled. "T-That… but…" He hesitated, confusion flickering across his features. "I think there's some misunderstanding! I wasn't talking about you or anything! It was about Lortell—"

BAM!

A fist crashed into his mouth, silencing him mid-sentence. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips as he coughed violently, gasping for air.

"Don't say her first name with your filthy mouth," Esdeath hissed, her voice trembling with fury. "Say Lady Mariette! Do you understand?"

Corin clutched his bleeding mouth, nodding frantically. "Cough… Y-Yes! Lady Mariette! It was about Lady Mariette!"

SLAP!

A sharp slap struck his cheek, the force whipping his head to the side. His face burned, turning red from the impact.

Esdeath's entire body trembled with anger, her eyes wild, the ring-like shapes in her pupils spinning rapidly. Her voice cracked as she spoke, filled with unrestrained emotion. "That's the reason. It's all because of what you said about my dear Lady Mariette!"

Her hands clenched into fists, and her words grew more venomous. "You insulted her—my perfect goddess—calling her a… a slut. Unforgivable!"

Her voice shook with obsession, her words dripping with devotion. To Esdeath, Lortell Mariette wasn't just a noble or a leader. She was a divine figure, a being worthy of worship. Corin's insult had crossed a line that could never be forgiven.

"But it was me who did it! Why did you make me kill Emma? What was her fault?" Corin's voice trembled as he argued, desperation clear in his tone.

"Emma?" Esdeath's voice was cold, her eyes sharp. "Of course, there was her fault too. Her fault was silently watching." her gaze piercing through him. "If she had slapped you for insulting my goddess, I might have forgiven her once. But she didn't. She stood there and did nothing. Anyone who insults or tolerates an insult to my dear Lortell deserves to die!" Her declaration was firm, laced with cruel satisfaction.

"Please!" Corin whimpered, his voice barely audible now. "I didn't mean it! I'll apologize! I'll beg for forgiveness!"

Esdeath's eyes narrowed, her smirk growing more twisted. His begging only seemed to entertain her further. "Hehehe… Is that so?" she taunted, tilting her head. "You want forgiveness? Then lick my feet and beg for forgiveness from Lortell. Say this—'Mighty Lady Mariette, I, a worm, committed a grave mistake by insulting you. Please forgive this worm's lack of knowledge!'"

Corin froze. The humiliation was unbearable. As the son of a duke, lowering himself to this level—licking the feet of a mere baroness and begging—was worse than death. But Esdeath's cold, unrelenting gaze left him no choice. His only hope was to comply and pray she would spare him.

Slowly, trembling, Corin lowered himself. His head dipped, his lips brushing against Esdeath's foot. A shudder ran through him, the ultimate humiliation sinking deep into his soul.

"Mighty Lady Mariette," he whispered, barely audible, "I, a worm, committed a grave mistake by insulting you. Please forgive this worm's lack of knowledge."

"Louder!" Esdeath barked, her voice sharp like a whip.

Corin flinched. "Mighty Lady Mariette, I, a worm, committed a grave mistake by insulting you. Please forgive this worm's lack of knowledge!" he repeated, slightly louder.

"Louder, louder, louder!" Esdeath snapped, her grip tightening on her gun. She slowly slipped it beneath her skirt, the cold metal pressing against her heated core. A soft moan escaped her lips as she began to pleasure herself, rubbing the gun against her most sensitive flesh.

Corin, seeing Esdeath's arousal, mustered the courage to speak louder. "Mighty Lady Mariette, I, a worm, committed a grave sin by insulting you. I beg for your forgiveness, Your Highness."

"Yes, yes, just like that," Esdeath panted, her eyes locked onto Corin. She squeezed her breasts, her fingers trailing over her hard nipples. Licking her fingertips clean, she let out a low groan of pleasure.

Corin continued his apology, his voice growing steadier with each repetition. "Mighty Lady Mariette, I, a worm, committed a grave sin by insulting you. I beg for your forgiveness, Your Highness."

Esdeath's breathing grew heavier, her body tensing as she neared her climax. "I'm close," she gasped, her hips bucking slightly. "Don't stop!"

Corin, his face glistening with sweat, repeated the apology once more. "Mighty Lady Mariette, I, a worm, did a grave mistake..."

"I'm Cumming!~...." With a final cry, Esdeath's body convulsed, her thighs clamping together tightly. A flood of her essence poured forth, drenching her undergarments and streaming down her legs. Her breath ragged, she finally stilled, her eyes fluttering closed in satisfaction.

Esdeath, overwhelmed by the rush of pleasure, lost her balance. Sitting on a stone moments ago, she now found herself lying on the ground. But instead of surprise, her expression remained serene. Her eyes drifted upward to the full moon shining above, its soft glow illuminating her pale, sweat-slicked skin.

She panted heavily, her chest rising and falling as though she had run a great distance. Her cheeks were flushed a deep red, and warmth radiated from her body. "I came so hard," she murmured under her breath, her lips curling into a warm, almost innocent smile. "It shows just how much I love you. Just thinking about you makes me feel this way." Her voice was soft, almost dreamy, as she gazed at the night sky, lost in her thoughts.

On the ground nearby, Corin lay motionless. Some drops of an unidentifiable liquid dotted his face. He stared at the sky above, his mind racing. "This girl… she's insane," he thought, his anger and frustration boiling beneath his fear. "Who does something like this in front of someone who's on the verge of death? She's shameless. Mentally unstable."

But despite his disgust, another thought crept into his mind: survival. "I'll endure this. No matter what, I'll survive. And when I do, I'll make her pay. I'll burn this Lortell-obsessed lunatic alive!" he vowed silently, his fury giving him a shred of courage.

Esdeath slowly pushed herself to her feet, her movements shaky as though her body hadn't yet recovered. She patted down her clothes, brushing away the dirt and dust. Her legs trembled slightly, and a faint shimmer of moisture clung to her thighs.

Corin seized his chance, his voice trembling with desperation. "I did what you asked! Now save me! I swear on my name I won't say anything about you! Just let me live!"

Esdeath turned her head slowly, her pale blue eyes locking onto him. Her face was blank, unreadable at first. But then, ever so slightly, her lips curved into a smirk. That smirk grew wider, twisted into a wicked grin that sent a chill down Corin's spine.

"When did I ever say I'd save you?" she asked, her voice icy, each word cutting into him like a blade.

Corin's breath hitched. "W-What?"

Esdeath's smirk deepened. "I said I would forgive you. And I have." She crouched slightly, leaning forward as if to make her words hit harder. "But forgiveness doesn't mean saving you. It just means you can die with a clean conscience,So just lay there and die peacefully."

With that, she turned away, her steps slow and unsteady as she walked into the shadows. The moonlight barely clung to her figure before she disappeared completely, leaving Corin alone with the growing dread in his chest.

Minutes passed. The night grew colder, quieter.

Then, a low growl broke the silence.

"Grrrrrr…"

Corin froze. His heart hammered in his chest as his eyes darted toward the sound. The Rat Bear, the monstrous creature Esdeath had subdued earlier, was stirring. Its massive body began to move, the effects of its paralysis wearing off. Its glowing eyes locked onto Corin.

"No… no… NOOOOOOOOOOO!"