Chapter 5 : The Fallen Villainess Becomes a Slave (5)
The atmosphere inside the carriage wasn’t exactly pleasant.
Or rather—technically, it was unpleasant, but Avalkin didn’t mind that at all.
“She finally shut up.”
He had never expected his slave to be obedient or quiet. In fact, her particularly fierce personality was something he found rather satisfying.
But still—she had a complaint about everything.
“My back hurts.”
“My butt hurts.”
“The wheels are too loud.”
“I’m carsick. Let’s stop and get some fresh air.”
“How can you expect me to wash anything myself?”
“Eating the same food for a whole week is just cruel.”
At least when he reminded her she was a slave, she’d go quiet again—for a while.
But for someone sharing the same carriage, she was undeniably annoying.
“Can I even live peacefully with her like this?”
Then again…
“Now that I think about it, women usually don’t like me.”
Avalkin recalled the handful of dates he’d been on—all of which ended with a slap.
To be more accurate, the slap was usually what ended the date.
It wasn’t just one woman either.
Different noble ladies, all giving him the same sharp farewell across the cheek.
Which meant the problem probably lay with him.
Trying to understand why, Avalkin thought back to his last exchange with Countess Castiglione.
“Why on earth did you buy Bellaxina?”
“Because she was cheap.”
“What?”
“You asked for a dowry of 300,000 gold, but that slave only cost me 10,000. Much cheaper. Plus, her noble title is even higher than yours…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Countess Castiglione slapped Avalkin across the face.
“Hmm. I really don’t understand.”
Avalkin shook his head slightly.
He had only answered her question honestly—she asked why he bought Bellaxina, and he told her.
Women were truly mysterious creatures.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this woman slapped me too, someday.”
he thought calmly.
Unfortunately, Avalkin had never learned how to respect women properly—or how to express affection with tactful, charming words.
In that sense, Bellaxina was perfect.
Because she was a slave.
No matter how clumsy or rude he was, Bellaxina couldn’t threaten to break off an engagement—she didn’t have that right.
****
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just thinking I made a good purchase.”
“Excuse me?”
Bellaxina’s face twisted in offense.
No one likes to be spoken of like a possession. But Avalkin ignored her mood completely.
“You can make that angry face all you want, but there’s nothing you can actually do. You’re a slave, after all.”
That was it. She couldn’t take it anymore.
Not after being compared to an animal, and now being treated like an object.
Not while being dragged across the country for over a month in a terrible carriage.
And definitely not while listening to him push all her buttons just to remind her how powerless she was.
“If it’s going to be like this—then fine!”
Bellaxina clenched her fist so tightly her hand trembled—and then suddenly threw a punch at Avalkin.
He caught it on instinct, looking slightly surprised.
“Most people slap me, you know.”
“Yes! I’m a slave!”
Bellaxina shouted sharply.
“But if you thought that meant I couldn’t fight back, you’re dead wrong. I may be a slave, but I’m also Bellaxina Outbaiyan—the worst villainess in the Empire!”
Then, she turned and kicked open the carriage door.
The landscape outside flew past them at dizzying speed.
“What are you doing?”
Avalkin asked, alarmed.
Bellaxina gulped hard, looked him in the eye, and smiled brightly.
“I’m going to throw your 10,000 gold down the drain!”
And the next moment, she jumped—
Out of the moving carriage.
Like a black lily petal caught in the wind.
“…!”
Just moments ago, she was like a prized possession he was proud of.
Now she had slipped away—vanished into nature—like it was nothing.
Avalkin’s face turned pale as he stared in disbelief.
“Stop the carriage! Right now!”
He barked at the order, but didn’t wait.
Before the sound of galloping hooves could even fade, he jumped off the moving carriage.
Running back the way they’d come, he found Bellaxina lying collapsed on the dirt road.
He grabbed her by the collar and yanked her up.
“Are you out of your mind? Who jumps out of a moving carriage like that?!”
“Then tell me—how am I supposed to stay sane?!”
Bellaxina violently shook him off and slumped back to the ground.
Even now—broken and covered in dirt—her fiery spirit hadn’t dimmed.
Her rage poured out of her red eyes like blood.
“It’s over for me.”
She had tried to tell herself she wasn’t finished, that she could still rise again.
But reality had been brutal.
Not long ago, she was set to become the highest-ranking woman in the Empire.
Now, she was nothing more than a slave, living out her life no better than livestock.
“Just kill me, Avalkin Istvan Zigsmunt.”
A bitter smile formed on her lips.
The closer they got to Yeshken, the colder the winds became.
Each gust that rattled the carriage had been a haunting reminder of the tragic ending that awaited her.
It gnawed at her like a nightmare.
“That might be the only ending with a shred of dignity left.”
Avalkin stood over her in silence, his expression unreadable, trying to sort through the tangle of emotions in his chest.
She was supposed to be convenient.
A tool to serve his purpose.
But now, seeing her like this—utterly broken and sobbing—something about it didn’t sit right.
“Haa… Looks like I really am throwing away 10,000 gold.”
He glanced at Bellaxina’s ankle, clearly broken from the fall, then got to his feet.
“Why did you have to push me so far?!” she shouted.
“Fair point. I shouldn’t have.”
Avalkin admitted calmly.
He had made a mistake assuming she wouldn’t fight back just because she was a slave.
Bellaxina was no ordinary slave.
She was the kind of woman who would rather destroy herself than let someone else win.
“This forest is called Blackwood,” Avalkin said suddenly.
“It’s where they harvest black ironwood—infused with magical energy. Doesn’t burn well, so it’s useless as firewood.”
Bellaxina just listened, unsure why he was telling her this.
“It’s also where corrupted yetis live. A deer with a broken leg wouldn’t survive a week here.”
A deer with a broken leg.
He was talking about her.
“I don’t kill, Bellaxina Outbaiyan.”
“…I understand.”
He wouldn’t kill her.
But if she wanted to die—he wouldn’t stop her either.
That was the kindest thing a man who paid 10,000 gold for a slave could offer.
Avalkin looked like he was about to say something more, but then closed his mouth again.
“Good luck to you.”
It was an awkward farewell.
Still, Bellaxina gave a small nod and sincerely replied:
“Thank you.”
Avalkin’s carriage slowly disappeared into the distance.
****
“Achoo!”
Bellaxina quickly rubbed her hands together and hugged her arms tightly, trying to generate some body heat.
‘Why was I so impulsive?’
If she was going to throw it all away, she should’ve at least done it somewhere warm.
Clutching her coat tightly, she limped forward, drawn by the faint smell of stew simmering from somewhere deep in the woods.
‘I’m starving.’
Her stomach growled loudly.
Bellaxina never realized it before:
Just deciding to die wasn’t enough to actually die.
Until death came, the stomach still dutifully did its job.
“Could I have a bowl?”
The stew’s scent had led her to a lumberjack who was chopping trees nearby.
“Uh… O-oh, sure. Have a seat.”
“Thanks.”
Though clearly caught off guard by the strange sight, the lumberjack scooped her some stew and carefully observed her appearance.
‘She looks like she’s been through something… seems like someone from a noble family.’
Bellaxina felt she looked nothing short of a mess.
But even so, she was wearing a dress—albeit worn—and the navy fur coat over it was far too expensive for any commoner to afford.
As he handed her the bowl, the lumberjack asked cautiously:
“Your leg looks hurt. Are you alone out here?”
Bellaxina nodded and took the bowl.
The warmth returned sensation to her fingers, and the soft steam rising in front of her face helped lower her guard.
The lumberjack didn’t miss that brief moment of vulnerability.
‘Well, would you look at that.’
A certain thrill stirred in his gut.
A young woman, alone in a deep forest. Injured, unable to run. Her outfit looked a bit too fancy, sure—
‘Probably a high-end courtesan or something.’
His eyes slowly traced down the curves of Bellaxina’s body.
A woman out here alone almost certainly meant she had no one to protect her.
And from his perspective, there was no reason to hesitate.
“Thanks. Can I pay for the stew with a button?” Bellaxina asked.
“No need. It’s just a rabbit I fished out of the river with a few random herbs.”
“Still…”
She looked uneasy—not because she felt guilty for accepting kindness,
but because if she didn’t offer payment, it would feel like she was begging.
“Well, if you really want to repay me,” the lumberjack said,
“Mind if I ask you something?”
“Go ahead,” Bellaxina answered casually.
She figured if she didn’t like the question, she could just lie her way out of it.
But the question that came out of his mouth went far beyond anything she’d imagined.
“How much for one night, miss?”
