Episode 1
The meaning of “fate” is a person’s luck throughout their life.
Therefore, I thought that when I returned anew, my fate would change as well.
I wished the story would be like those tales where a person finds happiness after past suffering… But, as is the case with tragedies that begin with dull hope, reality took the complete opposite path.
“…Is this the right place?”
The only carriage driver in our family nodded repeatedly, his face pale, in response to my question.
“Y-Yes. This is definitely the right place.”
Even in our family, located deep in the remote regions, after traveling a full week by carriage, crossing mountains and valleys, we arrived at a place where it’s hard to believe humans could live… a mere barren wasteland.
‘Didn’t they say it was a duke’s palace?’
True, the empire had been engulfed in wars, and many nobles had fallen, but no matter the circumstances, it doesn’t seem logical for a duke’s estate to be in a place like this.
Upon closer inspection, I saw a towering castle in the middle of this endless desert.
‘My husband is supposed to be there.’
Fifteen years had passed since I returned as the daughter of a poor family, and now I was being forced to marry the duke who resides in that castle.
A sham marriage, with no wedding ceremony or even a formal introduction.
The man who bought me as his wife in exchange for substantial financial support lived there.
‘I knew that noble marriages in this era were conducted this way… but I still can’t believe it.’
I thought they would at least pretend to hesitate for the sake of their only daughter, but they sold me coldly for stacks of gold coins.
The faces of my parents, with whom I could never connect emotionally, came back to my mind.
As soon as they received a letter offering to marry me off for a price, they summoned me and said:
“Congratulations on your marriage, our daughter. Now, leave.”
Money was more important to them than their daughter.
And so, I couldn’t even say goodbye to my friends and was forced to leave with the driver alone.
Oh, if this were a modern era, those scoundrels would be behind bars by now. All I could do was sigh bitterly.
‘I wonder who my husband will be? Since they’re in such a hurry too… maybe an old man who missed his chance at marriage, or a fool abandoned by his wife, or…’
The closer we got to the castle, the worse the thoughts swirling in my head became.
“Oh, miss… I think I need to turn back from here.”
“What?! You want me to continue the journey alone?”
My shock didn’t last long, as my eyes widened when the carriage driver said these sudden words. By a quick estimate, there was still half a day’s walk ahead.
The driver bowed, patting the back of his old horse, and said:
“The horse isn’t in good condition. If it enters this land, it might collapse dead…”
He wasn’t lying. The horse was panting, staring at the castle across the desert, with foam gathering at its mouth, in a scene that suggested not just threat but illness.
If I forced it to go further, it might truly die.
“…Fine, go back then.”
“Thank you so much!”
I was grateful that he brought me this far, given his age.
He was the only person in my family who stood by my side, so I didn’t want to exhaust him further.
If the remaining distance was no more than half a day, walking wouldn’t be an issue.
I waved my hand, signaling him to return carefully, and he bowed repeatedly before departing.
“Alright, let’s go then.”
Fortunately, I didn’t have much luggage. The other side had made it clear from the start that there was no need for it, and I didn’t have any wealth to speak of anyway.
A handful of dresses, a jewelry box inherited from my grandmother, and some self-defense tools given to me by a friend were all I owned.
Carrying my bag in one hand, I slowly headed toward the castle.
“The distance is longer than I thought.”
I had calculated I’d arrive before evening, but the sun was already nearing sunset.
By the time I reached the castle gate, night had fallen.
My panting reached my throat, and my sweat made my clothes cling uncomfortably to my body.
I had hoped to make a good impression at my first meeting with my future husband, but that seemed impossible now.
“Isn’t there anyone here?”
I stood before the massive castle gate, which dwarfed even our house, and looked around. There was no knocker to tap, nor a guard watching the gate.
Realizing I’d have to open the heavy door myself, I placed my hand on it.
And…
Creak—
The door began to open slowly.
As I tried to peer toward the wall to see who opened it, my eyes suddenly met something emerging from the gap in the door.
‘An eye…’
A massive eye protruded from the opening.
This wasn’t a metaphor—it was a real, enormous eye.
Covered in a long, slimy substance like that secreted by snails, it stared at me steadily.
In this bizarre scene, my body froze with terror.
An eyeball larger than my head was staring directly at me.
From behind it, the stone wall of the castle was gripped by wet, sticky fingers. I didn’t even try to count them, as they didn’t look remotely human.
“Who… are you…?”
I heard a voice that didn’t strike my ears but seemed to shake my brain directly.
A monster I had only seen in movies stood alive before me. I knew I should run, but my instincts told me it was too late. Both feelings mixed in my head, confusing me.
“Intruder…?”
When I sensed the monster beginning to recognize me as an enemy, my tongue moved on its own.
“I’m the new lady here. I just moved in. Let me in, okay?”
I said it clumsily, like a foreigner learning the imperial language for the first time, even mixing in some Korean words at the end.
‘What did I just do…?’
Despite my shock, I should have run instead of spouting such nonsense. Did I mess up because of fear?
“…”
But whether it understood me or was pondering how to devour me more deliciously, the massive eyeball scrutinized me from top to bottom.
After seconds that felt like an eternity, the castle door opened wider.
“My lady… please come in…”
At that moment, it seemed to me that the giant eyeball was smiling.
Despite the loud, slimy sounds, I deliberately ignored them.
[Kyehi—]
“…!”
At that, my feet moved instinctively, and I stepped inside the castle.
Suddenly feeling as if something was chasing me from behind, I rushed forward.
Like a rabbit fleeing instinctively from a predator, I took a long leap and entered the castle courtyard.
“W-What was that?”
I quickly turned around, but there was nothing in the barren land outside the door.
Instead, I heard the sound of grinding teeth and a strange laugh, ‘kyehehe.’
Frozen with fear, I kept staring outside the door, having dropped my bag.
As I looked, the massive door closed itself, as if something had completed its task.
With the door’s closing, the strange sounds stopped as well.
‘…Wait, where did that monster go?’
As I began to regain my senses, I quickly looked around.
The giant eyeball that had opened the door for me was nowhere to be found. It was as if no one had been there from the start.
I felt like I might be under some spell or trick, unable to explain what had happened, and stood there stunned.
‘Strange, is this really the human world?’
What I had experienced was so bizarre that it made me doubt whether I had unknowingly entered another world.
“Hmm? A visitor?”
How long had I been standing like that? As my sweat cooled and I began to feel cold, I heard a man’s voice from inside the castle.
Relieved to hear a human voice after all this time, I quickly turned around…
‘Damn it.’
But when I saw the man, I shut my eyes tightly.
The source of the voice was a man with octopus-like legs instead of human ones.
If it had only been his legs, I wouldn’t have been as terrified as I was by the giant eyeball. But his horrifying appearance made cold sweat pour from me again.
In one hand, he held a fresh, blood-dripping liver, with bits of entrails stuck around his mouth, and his clothes were stained with an unknown fluid.
It was clear he had been eating a human and came out in a hurry.
Amid all this, his face looked astonishingly innocent.
“Strange. A human shouldn’t be entering here at this time.”
‘He said human, didn’t he?’
His manner of speaking clearly indicated he didn’t consider himself human. A cold dread crept down my spine.
“Well, no matter. Before anyone else sees you, I’ll take care of you…”
“Excuse me.”
“Hmm?”
If I stayed like this, this strange creature would dispose of me.
Feeling an imminent threat to my life, my tongue moved again unconsciously.
“Eating raw liver can cause poisoning.”
“Huh…?”
“Food poisoning is dangerous, and it might contain parasites too. If it’s not from a reliable source, you should cook it before eating.”
I no longer knew what I was saying.
“So that’s how it is?”
And why are you convinced by this nonsense in the first place?!
