After the Black Moonlight’s "Death Escape" Failed [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Wolf and the Whip-Wielder

◎ How many people have slept in this bed? ◎

The absurd thought lingered only for a moment before Nameless dismissed it.

The woman’s tastes were singular; she clearly only favored blonde girls. Looking at the slaves she bought today—men and women, some of whom were war-slaves only purchased by those who frequented the colosseum—it was obvious she didn’t intend to “enjoy” them all personally.

…At least, not all of them.

And… even if her tastes had truly expanded, it had nothing to do with her. With that thought, Nameless whipped her tail across Jiao Qingyin’s arm.

Jiao Qingyin, who had been nodding off, jumped. “!”

Nameless retracted her tail as if nothing had happened, stretched her front legs, and let out a long yawn. She acted so naturally that Jiao Qingyin momentarily doubted whether she had hallucinated the strike.

But even if it was a hallucination, it didn’t stop the impulse to touch. Jiao Qingyin reached out and, before Nameless could leap away, scooped the little wolf cub up and gave her head a thorough, lightning-fast rub.

Nameless, caught off guard: “??”

I shouldn’t have been caught…! Why am I still being petted!

The auction entered its second half. The items pushed onto the stage grew increasingly rare and expensive, driving the atmosphere to a crescendo.

“Finally, we come to the highlight of this auction—the Full Moon Ring!”

The host’s impassioned introduction caught Jiao Qingyin’s attention. She hadn’t heard of this ring before, but at a single glance, she was captivated by the sapphire that seemed to hold shifting light within it.

She never had a favorite color before, but after meeting the protagonist and raising Al, she realized that blue was an exceptionally beautiful color. Specifically, a blue that wasn’t too saturated, with a faint hint of green hidden within—just like the ring before her.

Jiao Qingyin barely listened to the description. As soon as the bidding started, she signaled for a “ten thousand” increase.

She felt the ring would suit Al perfectly. As for how a dog would wear a ring… she’d just have the band removed and turn the gem into a different accessory.

Since she had changed rooms, the number on her bidding paddle had changed as well. Others didn’t know the person who had bought all the slaves was the Princess; seeing a number without a noble crest, they assumed a wealthy, nameless fool from out of town had arrived.

Jiao Qingyin’s reckless bidding had already soured the moods of those determined to win certain items. However, considering that anyone who could drop this much cash was likely dangerous to offend, they chose to tolerate it for a time.

But now, seeing Jiao Qingyin reach for more than just slaves, some people couldn’t sit still. If they couldn’t outbid her during the auction, they would simply rob her after it ended.

Jiao Qingyin didn’t know she was being targeted—though even if she did, she wouldn’t have cared.

Nameless glanced at the suddenly interested Jiao Qingyin and slowly curled herself into a ball. Her tail wrapped around her front paws, and she rested her head on her tail. This posture gave her a sense of security and made it easy to fake sleep while attempting to meditate.

Meditation was the most difficult yet essential part of practicing magic. It deepened one’s understanding of elemental power, allowing mages to find ways to break through their limits and grow stronger. Meditation had high environmental requirements; at the very least, one needed to bathe, burn incense, and prepare in a quiet room…

Nameless was halfway through recalling the book’s instructions when the world before her blurred. The noise in her ears vanished. It felt as if she had stepped into a void.

The next second, she snapped back to reality, immediately feeling a familiar, searing pain.

Nameless gritted her teeth to suppress a cry of agony. She waited until her rigid body could move again before slowly opening her eyes. Beneath her was the familiar pile of pillows; over her was a soft blanket, and nearby, the fireplace roared with warmth.

She had returned to her human body.

The sky outside the window was dark, meaning she had spent the entire day active as an animal. No wonder she felt utterly drained, hungry, thirsty, and dizzy. It seemed she would have to be more mindful of her physical stamina in the future; she couldn’t stay away from one body for too long.

Struggling against the discomfort, Nameless sat up and saw the food placed by the pillows. It was all within arm’s reach, allowing her to take it easily despite her immobile legs.

Nameless didn’t believe the servants in the castle could be this considerate. She had dealt with them; they were in similar situations as her, yet they felt no sympathy. Their attitude toward her, while not overtly malicious, was close enough.

That left only… Jiao Qingyin’s face flashed through her mind, only to be forcibly pushed away. Nameless silently picked up a piece of bread and began eating rapidly, washing it down with water. Her movements were mechanical, a necessary task performed with a blank expression. Only the veins bulging on the back of her hand betrayed her inner turmoil.

After replenishing her energy, Nameless checked her physical state. She had prepared for the worst, but the result was far better than expected—the minor wounds had fully healed, and the severe ones showed clear signs of closing. Although her legs showed no improvement, her overall vitality was much higher.

Something is wrong… Nameless frowned. She remembered clearly that Lottis had only used healing magic on her four times yesterday. She shouldn’t have recovered this quickly.

But dwelling on it was useless. Since she was alone, she seized the time. Recalling the book, she formed the hand gesture for healing magic. A faint white glow enveloped her. After one cycle, her body felt itchy—a sign of healing. Seeing her own magic work, she let out a small sigh of relief.

However… touching the uneven, scarred lower half of her face, Nameless’s fingers paused. She guided the elemental power away from that area. She needed to heal her body, but she couldn’t be caught.

Tightening her grip, she used her mana to form a blade, slicing open the skin that had just begun to show faint pink scars. Blood flowed out, but she controlled it instantly. Droplets of blood suspended in the air, gathering into a small, floating curtain.

Nameless had taught herself how to use the elemental power within objects to control them. These self-inflicted wounds were superficial; though they looked gruesome, they weren’t as serious as the previous injuries and wouldn’t hinder her movements. Even if a healer came to check, someone of Lottis’s level wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between these and the old wounds.

As for the blood… Nameless, pale-faced, looked around. There was so much of it; hiding it anywhere risked discovery.

Unless…

Nameless opened her mouth, controlling the blood droplets to draw near. Then, as if sipping red wine, she slowly swallowed them all.

A truly disgusting taste… she thought expressionlessly, licking the blood from her lips.

Involuntarily, she thought of the sweet fruit wine Jiao Qingyin had fed her. Though she’d only had a drop, objectively speaking, that wine tasted much better than her own blood.

With her mana exhausted and having lost a significant amount of blood, Nameless’s eyelids grew heavy. She lay back down on the pillows and attempted to meditate again. From her angle, she could see Jiao Qingyin’s wide, grand bed. It caused her to recall that question in her half-dreaming state.

…How many people have slept in this bed?