“――――! ? “

　A severe pain woke me up!

　It was like something hit my chest…!

“Noo! “

“Hahaha!　Finally, something good! “

“Hey, don't kill the woman! “

　Yukari was screaming.

　Around us were about five men.

　I was careless.

　Thieves.

“…………”

　I endured the severe pain while trying to not make a noise, and checked my HP as I lay on the ground.

　Not even one fifth was lost. My heart was clearly pierced by a sword. But despite that, this is the only damage I received. Are the statuses of the thieves so ridiculously low? Or are mine just stupidly high? Probably it's the latter.

　Since they think I'm dead, the thieves are completely ignoring me.

　Well, it's only obvious. It would be strange to think that someone stabbed in the heart wouldn't be dead. I think so too after all. They managed to pick some unsuspecting idiot who had exhausted himself and fell asleep. It would be weird if he didn't die. But, I'm actually alive.

　…No, let's leave the reflection for later. In any case, I was lucky. That should suffice for now.

“Have you tied everything up? “

“Yeah. Let's hurry back.”

“How much do you think we can make for all this? “

“In the black market, maybe 40 million CL if we push it.”

“Ahahaha!　I can't stop laughing.”

　Carrying the tied-up Yukari, the five thieves entered the forest in the opposite direction of the sea.

　Lucky me!　Those guys, they were blinded by the 40 million loot and didn't even bother to search my inventory. Certainly, you might not be able to take items out of a dead adventurer's inventory, but to think that they would pa.s.s me off as dead without checking that.

“…………I can't forgive them.”

　This is an opportunity.

　A good opportunity to get rid of “that”.

　After I recovered my HP with a Medium Recovery Potion, I followed them into the woods.

“Noo! “

　How many years has it been since the last time I cried a womanly scream?

　At first, I thought that man had forced himself on me.

　But it was different.

　I was surrounded by several men. I was tied by experienced hands. Unable to resist. Powerless to even attack――I had that terrible restriction.

“Let's hurry back.”

　The men went into the woods while carrying me. It was then that I understood for the first time, these men were thieves.

　By the side of the bonfire remained the figure of that man, felled with a sword stabbed in his chest.

　Disappointing…… How disappointing. The man who boasted about aiming at being the top in the world, the other party with whom I've been quarreling until yesterday, to die so easily.

　And, me too.

　After being used as an amus.e.m.e.nt, after my value as a s.e.x slave wears out, they'll just throw me in a garbage dump to end my life.

　My life that began in the garbage, will also end  in the garbage. How poetic, this might be fate.

　……But.

　I don't want that.

　I really, truly don't want that!

　Even being with that man is better!

　Why is it that only I have to experience something as terrible as this!?

　Why!?

　I don't want this!

　I don't want this!!

　I don't want thi–s!!

“Hey, what's wrong!? “

　One of the thieves rose his voice.

"……Uh? “

　At that time, my forehead felt hot, almost as if I had a fever―― Then.

　I remembered everything.

—————————–

“From today onwards, you are a ‘shadow'. I'm going to call you with that word.”

“Certainly, Lucisama.”

“Yes, you are a good girl.”

　When I was young.

　Lucia patted my head, and sometimes her rings would get caught up in my hair and it hurt, but only a little.

　I liked her warm hands very much.

　She was my Master, but she also was like my mother.

“Listen, you need to work. Be useful to me. This is the only way to survive in the Icene house.”

“Understood.”

“Good girl.”

　I was educated by the gifted a.s.sa.s.sination unit under Lucisama, and I grew to become Lucisama's right hand in the shadows.

　a.s.sa.s.sination was my only job. I was such a woman.

　And then, the last day.

　Her last words.

　Why? How did I forget them? I now remembered them. Clearly……

“Ahh, you came. Lend me your forehead a little.”

“Lucisama, what in the world……”

“This is a good luck charm. A charm that will bring happiness to you.”

　A crumpled smile. The hand with a lot of rings gently touched my forehead.

　And the next moment, I lost consciousness――

　――And when I regained it, everything was over.

　Lucisama was executed under the crime of rebellion.

　Everyone in the shadow unit was also killed.

　Only I was spared and taken over to the Maurice Company as a slave.

　No, I was helped. By Lucisama.

　By my respected Master.

　By my gentle mother.

　That was Lucisama…

＜Status Details＞

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

Swordsmans.h.i.+p

s.h.i.+eldmans.h.i.+p

Archery

They use the “Form” or “step” system of martial arts. From lower to higher.

From lower to higher, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade.