"Sayo… No!!!"
"Ha… Ha…"
In a hidden cave dozens of miles outside the imperial capital, Tatsumi, who was temporarily staying overnight, suddenly woke up, clutching his chest and gasping for breath, as if he had had a terrible nightmare.
Yes, Tatsumi had a nightmare, dreaming that Sayo, his childhood playmate and childhood sweetheart, was grabbed by a black giant hand. She was so terrified and desperate, reaching out and calling for him to save her, but he was useless and could do nothing, only watching the black hand drag her away.
"Great, it was just a dream…"
Looking at the somewhat dark red moon in the sky outside the cave, Tatsumi wiped the cold sweat that had covered his forehead and breathed a long sigh of relief.
However, although he said so, there was no smile on Tatsumi's face, but a solemn expression.
Since childhood, he had occasionally felt that something important was lost, as if it had been taken away by someone. If it was before, that feeling would come and go quickly, and it would prove that he had not lost anything, so Tatsumi would take it as a strange illusion and not pay much attention to it.
However, this time the feeling was stronger than ever before, and there was a clear and definite target - Sayo, who grew up with him!
As if his last precious thing had been taken away, his whole body and mind were filled with a huge sense of emptiness and loss, making Tatsumi feel extremely puzzled and even a little scared…
"We'll be in the imperial capital tomorrow, Sayo, Ieyasu, you must be okay!"
With his innate sunny personality, Tatsumi shook his head, trying to dispel the distracting thoughts in his mind, and his originally turbid eyes regained their clear and firm look.
He should trust his companions; they won't leave him, never!
"Let's sleep; we have to travel tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. What will the Imperial Capital be like…?"
Feeling much better, a smile finally appeared on his face. He lay back on the small bed made of hay, filled with anticipation. The boy drifted off to sleep again…
…
He felt boundless regret. In the village, his master had repeatedly warned him that the Imperial Capital was full of ruthless people who would devour you without blinking an eye, but he had ultimately been careless. Watching the door recede further and further away, Sayo couldn't imagine what she would face next, leaving only an endless sense of panic in her heart.
Bang!!!
"Ugh…"
Silver threw her roughly onto the bed, aggravating the pain in her stomach from the earlier blow. The girl instinctively cried out in pain.
"Good evening, dear Sayo-san?"
Feeling a dizzy spell, as if someone was pressing down on her, Sayo struggled to open her eyes. She immediately saw Sora's handsome, alluring face, which filled her with immense terror.
"Kuu… Mr. Sora, I didn't mean to. I didn't see anything, I really didn't see anything. Please let me go. I won't tell anyone, I really won't tell anyone…"
Clinging to the last shred of hope, she hoped it was all just a prank. Although she felt incredibly ashamed and angry, she told herself that she would forgive him if he told the truth and apologized now!
Unfortunately, these beautiful fantasies were nothing more than Sayo deceiving herself!
"Hehehe, Sayo-san, you are a smart girl. It's not right to play dumb and deceive yourself like this!"
"The elders who taught you in that village must have told you, right? The Imperial Capital is full of man-eating demons."
"Well, I just happen to be the demon who is going to 'eat' you!"
Leaning close to Sayo's ear, inhaling the girl's intoxicating fragrance, Sora's lips curled into an evil smile as he whispered in her ear.
Clearly feeling Sayo's body tremble, Sora's smile widened.
Heh, the male lead's childhood sweetheart? She still can't escape his grasp!
"You bastard!!!"
Her beautiful eyes glared at Sora, almost spitting fire. The girl practically roared.
She desperately tried to push away this shameless scoundrel, but Sayo's strength was too weak for Sora, unable to change anything.
"Well, Sayo-san, you look so cute when you're angry!"
"You should be grateful to God because you met me and not someone else. Living in a secluded village, you can't imagine how depraved, cruel, and filthy this world has become! But it's okay; I'll show you soon enough!"
Instinctively alarmed, she wanted to struggle, but it was too late! Before Sayo could react, her first kiss, which she had preserved for over a decade, was brutally stolen by this demon…
Boom!!! It felt like an explosion. Sayo felt countless pieces of information flood into her mind like torrents.
Forgetting to struggle, forgetting to resist, the girl felt like a lone boat in a giant wave, constantly drifting and sinking, unable to do anything under the massive influx of information.
She saw the dirty and ugly faces; she saw the perverts who amused themselves with the lives of ordinary people; she saw the blood and remains scattered in every corner of this country; she saw the endless vengeful spirits floating in the world, filled with resentment and roaring in fury; she saw the tragic and desperate fate of herself and Ieyasu in the river of destiny!
"This isn't right… This isn't right…"
Her eyes were unfocused, and tears streamed down her face. Under the immense shock, the girl no longer had the will to resist, only knowing how to mutter to herself instinctively.
The filth of this world, the cruelty of her fate! It all felt so ridiculous. She, who knew nothing, was actually thinking of saving everyone in the village!
Endless fear and despair. Sayo felt like she was trapped in a terrifying nightmare!
"Master, this guy is so weak. It looks like she's about to break down after just this!"
Enjoying Sayo's terrified and desperate appearance with Sora, Rem, who had regained some strength, hugged Sora's arm and said heartlessly.
"Ah… but that's what makes it exciting and interesting!"
Having decided to completely crush the girl's will, Sora wore a devilish smile.
"Poor Sayo-chan, don't think it's over. Your nightmare has only just begun…"
Holding the girl's chin, Sora licked his lips.
The massive mental shock had completely numbed the girl, and she had long lost any courage to resist. Watching the hands reaching towards her, hearing the sound of her clothes being torn, Sayo knew she was finished…
At the same time, in another room not far away, Ieyasu was fast asleep, hugging his pillow and occasionally smacking his lips, seemingly having a sweet dream, completely unaware that his childhood companion, Sayo, was being dragged into the abyss by a demon step by step not far from him…