Chapter 399: My Prince....
Chapter 399: My Prince....
Prisania's POV
"Where did you run off to now?!" The maid who brought me shouted, her voice tinged with frustration.
"I-I am sorry, I was planting some seeds," I said meekly as I followed her back to work.
"Sigh... How can you remain emotionless towards people and yet be so loving towards plants?" The maid asked, but I remained silent, lost in my own thoughts.
It had been two years since I was sold into this Merchant house, and my mind was still haunted by the words "Ms. Reincarnator."
Yes, I was a Reincarnator from a world called Earth. Born into a middle-class family, my life was nothing out of the ordinary. Like many others, we struggled to make ends meet.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about my past life, except for the dreams and hopes I held for myself and my family. However, when I was Thirteen, everything changed. My family sold me into an illegal contract, and.... I accepted since we got so many loans.
I wasn't furious at them!
And faced with the grim prospect of my future, I made the decision to end my own life. I knew that regardless of the path I chose, my life would only lead to suffering with no light at the end of the dark tunnel.
That's why when I was reborn, I was taken aback.
Hope!
I had dared to hope for a new family and a fresh start, where I could aspire to greatness like the heroines in the stories I read. I longed to experience the kind of grand adventures where a noble prince would take my hand and lead me to a better life.
However, those newfound dreams were shattered when I witnessed my new mother's death within a few days. Soon after, my new father started to regard me as some sort of saviour, expecting me to bear children to secure the future of his Incubus clan.
Pffutt... I wanted to laugh bitterly at the irony of it all. It was painfully clear what they were, being Incubi, and what they intended to do with me..... My life seemed to be repeating the same tragic pattern from my past life, only this time, it was unfolding at an alarming pace.
I wasn't certain when they would make their move, but I resolved to maintain my dignity and not become a toy in their twisted game. However, just when I thought all hope was lost, someone intervened and brought me here for reasons unknown.
I need to survive here!!
But one thing remained clear... That mysterious figure knew about my past and also.... my future.
"You will meet him only on this path," I muttered those cryptic words to myself again, trying to decipher their meaning.
"My prince... ah..." I murmured softly, lost in my thoughts of a life I had once dreamed of.
"What are you doing?" The Maid's sharp voice snapped me out of my reverie, reminding me of the harsh reality I was in, urging me to focus on my duties.
As time passed with the hope of meeting my prince, I waited eagerly, but instead of encountering a Prince in knight dress, I found myself being sold off from one household to another due to my perceived lack of productivity.
Undeterred, I continued to work in each new household, holding onto the belief that my prince would eventually come for me and save me from this wretched place!!
Years went by, and my patience wore thin as each household ended in financial ruin, leading to my sale yet again to different owners.
This cycle repeated until I reached the age of 15, a time when my beauty and assets caught the attention of those around me, but not in the way I had hoped.
I-I felt fear creeping in as others started to eye me with lecherous gazes.
"I-I want to save myself for my prince..." I whispered to myself, my resolve firm as I scratched my face in desperation. To my surprise, the innate Vampire Healing ability swiftly mended my skin, prompting me to cover my assets before making a daring escape from the oppressive household.
This was my only chance.... Tears threatened to leave my eyes when I almost managed to escape from the perverted bastards!
Surely, my prince would come for me, I thought optimistically.
It was during this tumultuous time that I stumbled upon an assassination group actively recruiting new members. Without hesitation, I masked my identity as a man and successfully infiltrated the group.
Passing their rigorous tests, I gained entry into the secretive assassination association.
"This is the contract, sign it!" A man shrouded in black cloth presented me with the agreement.
"Okay," I replied, carefully reading through the clauses. Essentially, I agreed not to betray the group, and in return, my memories associated with the organization would be erased if I ever decided to leave or caught. However, I made it clear that I would only take contracts to eliminate those deemed as evil.
I worked with them for numerous years...
.....
...
And... When I woke up, I found myself in a house, my memories completely wiped clean except for the moment of awakening in the dark of night.
There, a handsome man regarded me with a furrowed brow. Sensing the scrutiny of those around me, I realized that someone had captured me and wiped my memories clean due to contract.
The desire to end my suffering coursed through me, but I found myself enslaved by the very man who was supposed to my kill target, leaving me with no choice but to endure the torment that followed.
The Evil Maid took pleasure in inflicting pain upon me, treating me as though I were deserving of punishment. In the midst of her cruelty, my only comfort came from the occasional kindness of the handsome man who, despite our disastrous first encounter, would sometimes pat me, tease me, and play with me. There was also the cat who offered solace in moments of despair.
As much as I longed for my prince to rescue me from this bleak existence and lead me to a happy ending, I found myself inexplicably drawn to Asher Eli's actions. There was something about him that stirred my emotions, causing me to cry in his embrace.
Really! Not sure why but whenever I was near him... I felt like my emotions got tangled up and always cried in his embrace.
I cried for the loss of my mother, an event that haunted me for years.... even though I didn't react that much at first, somewhere in my heart I...I accepted her tendered care and love.
I-I cried in his embrace for my wretched life that was filled with disaster and running away.
Despite what others might think of him.... a brute, thoughtless, or even a pervert for his interactions with the Evil Maid. Asher Eli felt different from anyone I had encountered before. He was unlike any man I had known in my past life or in this new world.
Even though some might think he was brute, thoughtless and even pervert for his actions on Evil Maid, he felt different from others I have seen so far.
I had never encountered a man like him before, not in my past life nor in this new world. Just being near him sent my emotions into turmoil, and I found myself drawn to him in ways I couldn't explain.
Yes, there were moments when my succubus bloodline would influence me, leading to unconscious, p-perverted actions. That's my defense!
I never divulged my true story to him, offering only half-hearted explanations, yet he never pressured me or forced me into anything. There was a gentleness in his demeanour that contrasted sharply with his outward appearance.
"So, tell me, Prisania... What kind of food do you like?" Asher Eli asked one evening when the Evil Maid was preoccupied.
"W-Well..." I hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
"Don't worry, just tell me," he encouraged gently.
"I-I like chicken nuggets with fried rice," I finally answered, feeling a bit shy.
"Hmm... Okay, We will go to the Royal restaurant after the training program," Eli said, patting my head affectionately while having a smug face saying he had lots of money.
"N-No... I mean..." I tried to interject.
"Hmm? What's wrong? You don't want that?" Eli inquired, noticing my hesitation.
"No, No... It's just..." I struggled to find the words, my fear of displeasing him evident.
"Just tell me," Eli urged with a reassuring smile.
"I-I want to taste the food you make... I-I've heard from the Head Maid that your cooking is incredibly delicious..... even better than any restaurant," I admitted, feeling a mix of fear and anticipation, afraid that I might be asking too much of a Master and even readied myself in case he was going to beat me.
But to my surprise,
"Super! It's been a while since I made something spicy," Eli responded with a smirk, heading straight to the kitchen.
Later on,
"Here you go," he presented the food to me.
"I-Is this okay?" I asked hesitantly, knowing the Evil Maid would be furious if she found out.
"It's fine, just enjoy," Eli reassured me.
It was then that I tasted the food filled with love and tenderness, not only filling my stomach but also warming my heart.
"Did you like it?" Eli asked with curiosity as if he wanted me to praise him.
"Y-yes..." I replied, my eyes becoming teary.
Without hesitation, Eli pulled me into a comforting embrace, encouraging me to release any pent-up emotions. And so, I cried in his arms once more, finding solace in his presence and his ability to ease my burdens.
He was really my emotional support!
But then, my happiness shattered into a million pieces when I inadvertently broke something so precious to him, an act that filled me with immense regret and sorrow. I knew deep down that I had made a grave mistake, yet when I saw his hateful look directed at me.... my heart felt like it was breaking like fragile glass.
His eyes showed only hate and anger, devoid of any hint of a smile, just pure loathing and disappointment. It was a stark contrast to the warmth and comfort he usually exuded, leaving me feeling utterly devastated and lost.
I wasn't sure why I felt so utterly broken, or even why I was feeling this way, but I couldn't help but reflect on my tumultuous past, filled with pain and abandonment.
I was deemed useless, so much so that my own family sold me off to pay their loan without a second thought, casting me aside like a mere object.
Once reborn in this new world, I witnessed my mother's tragic death before my very eyes, yet I remained stoic and devoid of tears, numbed by the harsh realities of life.
I-I was powerless against my father, who viewed me as nothing more than a tool for his own success...
I.... felt like nothing, tossed around by everyone, with no control over my own fate.
My only solace in the world had always been the tranquillity of nature, finding comfort amidst the gentle sway of trees and the fragrant embrace of blooming flowers.
Yet,
'Drip, Dirp'
When I saw his hatred, tears poured from my eyes as if something inside me had snapped. For the first time, I yearned for someone's forgiveness and feared losing them...
It was then that I realized, without even knowing me fully, I had fallen for his smile and gentleness, the way he held me dearly and offered his unwavering support. In his presence, I found a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that had consumed me.
I had completely forgotten about the prince the mysterious figure had told me about.
My focus was now consumed by the desire to see a smile on his gentle face, to undo the damage I had inflicted with my careless actions.
But I-I knew I couldn't achieve that just by uttering a simple 'Sorry'—I truly despised it when someone offered hollow apologies after causing harm to something precious.
I-I wanted to see his smile again so when he told me to kill myself..... I was truly happy!!
My life had never known true happiness, only a gloomy existence from start to end, marked by loss, betrayal, and a profound sense of emptiness.
No family, a deceased mother whose memory haunted me, an unkind father who saw me as nothing more than a means to an end... a solitary and gloomy life that I had managed to make somewhat bearable by avoiding breaking myself.
So When I killed.... I saw his blissful smile in that moment of absolute vulnerability, it stirred something within me.
"Heheh..." I smiled as if I had finally achieved what I had hoped for.