Chapter 3

“Crazy bitch”

*clap clap!*

“There you go, scum!”

She couldn’t count how many times she was hit. Count Tyrian threw a blood-soaked leather whip on the floor after he had relaxed to some extent.

“It’s dirty, so throw it away and get a new one.”

“Yes, Your Lordship”

Count Tyrian grabbed Carinne’s hair and lifted her head. She groaned and sat down on the bed in order not to get sick.

“How dare you run away? I told you if you run away again, I will find you, cut off all your limbs, feed them to the beasts, and throw the rest of your body into the garbage.”

“Ugh……”

“You just have to sit back and marry Count Bupo as I ordered you to. Is that understood? Because that’s the only thing you can do to repay my kindness.”

Carinne silently clenched her teeth. When Count Tyrian let go of her hair, she groaned as she was pushed across the bed. Her nightdress was torn and messed up. the blood dripping from her back smeared the leather whip.

He didn’t lift the whip easily, but once he starts hitting with it, he would keep on beating until he sees blood. Fortunately, the wounds heal over time, leaving only a blurry scar or no trace at all if you don’t look closely.

“If you run away once more, I’ll cut off one of your fingers.”

‘Fuck.’

Carinne silently clenched her teeth. She knew that he wouldn’t do that anyway. He was eager to sell her off somehow and to do that, all limbs need to be intact.

“You are not to consume anything but water for the next week.”

“…”

“Spiteful bitch.”

When Carinne didn’t say anything in reply, Count Tyrian clicked his tongue and strode out of the basement.

She groaned in pain from her sore back. It was as bad as always.

***( T/N: in the past)

The man lying on the bed slowly opened his eyes in the sunlit room. Red eyes appeared under the lids. Unlike yesterday, his eyes were clearly in focus.

“Have you awoken? I didn’t expect the change in your body to come suddenly yesterday. I apologize for not coming to your aide fast enough.”, the man in all black attire said, firmly.

He shook his hand as if he was bothered. His hand groped the side of the bed, and soon he laughed.

“You didn’t even give me your name, but you ended up walking out.” He muttered bluntly.

He asked some questions while they were doing it last night, but she didn’t answer any of them, yet again instead of letting her answer, he kept stealing her lips with each question.

She had been motionless as a corpse at the beginning of the deed, but then after a few rounds, she started reacting pretty aggressively so he, too, enjoyed the act quite a bit.

‘It was simply a payment.’

I merely introduced another option to the benefactor who helped me, and it seemed like I was chewed out after being used.

However, they were more compatible than he thought, and the woman left as if she had no regret.

‘I expected it from the beginning so I didn’t say anything, but…’ It was unexpected that he would fall asleep like this. He had always been uncomfortable and couldn’t sleep properly, but he was sleeping in an unknown inn until late in the morning. This is also an odd occurrence.

“I am sorry.”

“Why? For what?”

“Find the woman who came here with me yesterday. It was a woman who was about…about this tall.”

The man said, pointing to his heart. If it’s okay, he wanted to help her a little more with her revenge. The man bit his lip while thinking.

“Yes, Your Lordship”

The prosperous man took the order.

The man slowly woke up out of bed. A naked body with nothing on it was revealed.

“Thank you” The woman had hugged his neck before going to sleep and whispered.

After that, she disappeared in such a way. Not a single piece of a note was left behind.

He sighed briefly and got dressed.

‘What if I find her…’

The man laughed low. Before long, he also left the inn.

***

*Quang-!*

Inside the basement, which became dark again after the door was closed.

Carinne, who was lying slanted on the bed, sighed long. Usually, he didn’t use his hands to hit, but he seemed to be quite upset.

“Oh, it’s refreshing.”

It was satisfying to see his face heated up, turned white, and then blue.

The man who only swung his whip each time finally used his hands outside the basement.

She slowly wrapped her arms around her stomach and leaned against the old bed.

It will be difficult to have children and raise them, and I doubt they’ll just be free.

‘…I hope the situation won’t worsen.’

Count Tyrian invested a lot into Carinne. Somehow he will get his money back. If Count Bupo says he’s going to take her with him, then it’s a done deal.

“How many times can I escape?”

Carinne sighed.

Contrary to what she was anxious about, that day, Count Tyrian never came to her room. After a week had passed he came to visit.

During that week, Carinne was given only a few slices of bread and a bucket of water. In a small hidden place where the basement door did not open and no light reached, Carinne had to split a few pieces of bread for a week’s meal, fortunately, she had some food hidden there in advance. Dried beef jerky didn’t rot for quite a long time, and collecting water that wasn’t drunk helped. This hunger was nothing. It was familiar to Carinne.

In the familiar darkness, she closed her eyes and rubbed them. It was the same daily life she always had.

***( T/N: in the present)

“Welcome, Count Bupo! Thank you for coming all the way here. Haha…Come this way.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you for inviting me.”

The big-framed man whose build could not be justly described by the word ‘overweight’, staggered his weight into the room while wiping his sweat with a handkerchief.

Carinne held her breath as she saw Count Bupo thumping in. ‘… this is terrible.’ Furthermore, the smell of sweat emitting from his body was rancid. Count Bupo laughed, passing by, looking at Carinne up and down. The sagging flesh of his face rose, revealing yellow teeth.

“Follow me, Carinne.”

“…”

Count Tyrian invited Count Bupo to dinner.

Carinne’s belly was slightly swollen, but wearing a dress didn’t mean she could hide it all.

The problem was that she had to hold onto her back since the morning, because of the maid who tightened her dress so severely as if to make sure the fetus would die.

Carinne endured the disgust and followed Count Bupo and Count Tyrian.

The sky-blue dress, the white powder to whiten the face, and the lip gloss on the lips were all just terrible. Carinne bit her lower lip.

-“If you rebel, the cruelest punishments will ensue, and if you run away and get caught, then not only yourself but those who have failed to catch you will suffer too.”-

So everyone was watching her desperately. Carinne couldn’t escape from this place.

‘I want to be free.’

Carinne followed Count Tyrian and stood behind him. Since Count Bupo was sitting across from her, it was a sufficient position to appreciate her. Count Tyrian’s goal was clear as well.

She was sorry to use the child as a means, but there was no other way.

Count Tyrian would sell her for sure even if it meant breaking the tendons of her limbs.

Carinne couldn’t sit down because she wasn’t allowed, and bite her lower lip.

“I waited quite a bit. It seems that everything is ready, the wedding will be held next month. How about it Count?”

“Yes, yes, we’re ready even if it will be on tomorrow.”

Count Tyrian said with a nice smile. Anxiety could be heard in his voice, even when it was subdued. Carinne covered her mouth with her hand as she thought she would laugh.

“But, I have a little problem…”

“Problem?”

Count Bupo asked back with a voice that seemed to be pressed against his flesh. She saw that the sofa was getting drenched in his sweat. Carinne grinned as she suppressed an attempt to frown.

“I am with child.”

“…what?”

“I shared a bed with a man I met at a bar about half a year ago, and now I’m pregnant.”

Count Bupo’s eyes opened in surprise yet they were so small that it wasn’t possible to see whether they were open or not, then he turned to Count Tyrian who stared at Carinne with an embarrassed expression.

‘This crazy bitch… ‘ He couldn’t say swear words so he continued glaring at Carinne while gritting his teeth. She smiled with a gentle look and stroked her stomach as if showing off.+

“Is it true?! Sir Tyrian!”

“She… that is true, but she is still young though, you can make her miscarry anytime, and since no one knows, work can be done quietly….”

“Shut up!”

Saliva splattered from Count Bupo’s mouth.