After the Black Moonlight’s "Death Escape" Failed [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Wolf and the Whip-Wielder

◎ I am your private property ◎

Nameless’s face truly could not be described as pleasant.

She had been disfigured by the original owner’s own hand. The lash wounds from the whip spanned almost her entire face. Lottis’s healing magic had only been able to repair the less severe areas; as for the lower half of her face—which had received “special attention”—it was a different story.

The deep red scars looked like winding worms, twisting across her once-perfect cheeks. A single glance was enough to inspire dread in most.

Even Nameless herself, looking in the mirror while washing, found the sight hideous and unbearable.

She knew perfectly well how foolish it was to remove her veil now. Otillia Hughes valued appearance above all else; if she wanted to appease the woman, she shouldn’t show this face.

But the scars existed. No matter the concealment, the fact remained. Rather than wait for the other woman to strike first, she would do it herself, preserving at least a sliver of—at this thought, Nameless realized she was still struggling for a scrap of useless dignity.

As if I have any dignity left.

Nameless couldn’t help but find it laughable, and she did indeed let out a low chuckle. A thin trail of blood slid down the corner of her mouth, providing a grim splash of color to her pale, dry lips.

“Host, please take note…”

Hearing the system’s prompt, Jiao Qingyin snapped back to reality. She realized she had been silent for too long, nearing the threshold of a warning. She picked up the fallen veil and tossed it back onto Nameless like a piece of trash.

Jiao Qingyin’s voice was cold and biting. “Good that you know. Cover it up. Don’t let me see your face again.”

“…” Nameless flexed her knuckles, clutching the veil that landed on the back of her hand. After a moment, she slowly put it back on. She used a bit too much force, leaving a visible crease in the delicate fabric.

Jiao Qingyin’s eyes flickered, but before she could speak, Nameless looked up, her expression smoothing out. “Understood.”

She smiled again, but this time the smile was entirely different. She looked utterly submissive, even soft. The sharp edges from a minute ago had vanished; she was as docile as a tamed pet.

But the better she behaved, the more Jiao Qingyin knew it was a facade. She looked straight into the other girl’s eyes, her own heart skipping a beat. For the first time, she felt a genuine interest in a target. She was drawn to the soft shell the girl had deliberately donned, and she couldn’t help but imagine what she would find if she peeled it away.

If—

[Host, Main Quest 3 has been issued. Please check.]

The system’s mechanical voice interrupted her thoughts. Her logic returned, and she quickly scanned the information.

[Main Quest 3: Escort the Protagonist (Unnamed) to the Royal Palace Banquet.]

[Tip: There is one month until the task begins. Please act freely, roleplay appropriately, and gain the trust of the Protagonist (Unnamed).]

One month… That gave her and the protagonist some time. Jiao Qingyin picked up the Introduction to Basic Elemental Magic from the desk, preparing to leave the study. Al was still so small; she wasn’t comfortable leaving the puppy alone in the bedroom.

As for the protagonist… she would just have the butler take her back.

However, as she moved to leave, her hem was caught by the girl in the wheelchair.

“Can you take me with you?” she asked. Her voice was still unpleasant to the ear, but her attitude was gentle.

Jiao Qingyin looked down, meeting Nameless’s eyes. She wondered if Nameless was doing it on purpose—Jiao Qingyin suspected she was—the girl kept her head tilted back, her neck taut, which only served to emphasize the black collar around it.

The leather pressed into the pale skin, the edges slightly red against faint, dark scars. This posture of completely exposing her weakness, like offering her neck to the blade, provided a profound sense of satisfaction to any observer’s desire for conquest.

Coupled with the thought that she had placed that collar there herself, Jiao Qingyin felt a slight itch in her throat. The scene before her practically screamed: “I am your private property.”

Nameless gazed at her with those beautiful eyes, her snow-white lashes trembling like a silent plea. Faced with such a look, who could say no?

Jiao Qingyin could.

“No. You’re too much trouble,” she said cruelly, reaching down to brush Nameless’s fingers away.

However, Nameless seemed determined. Not only did she refuse to be brushed off, but she followed the movement and caught Jiao Qingyin’s index finger. Feeling the warmth of a body that wasn’t her own, Jiao Qingyin stiffened slightly.

“You… Your Highness, please take me. I’ll be obedient.”

“No.” Jiao Qingyin considered herself hardened against softening her heart. If it conflicted with a mission, she wouldn’t even show mercy to someone begging for their life on their deathbed.

“…Please?” Nameless’s voice grew even smaller, a hint of moisture shimmering in her eyes.

Jiao Qingyin: “…”

When the butler saw Jiao Qingyin’s sour face and received the order to bring Nameless to the master bedroom, her shock was beyond words.

Into the bedroom! The Princess has never given such preferential treatment to any slave…!

Jiao Qingyin pretended not to notice the butler’s lack of composure, comforting herself internally: It’s fine to grant such a harmless request. I need to gain her trust anyway, so giving her a few “sweets” is necessary… It’s all to advance the plot!

But she also knew that reality had deviated significantly from the script. In the original owner’s memory, the protagonist’s “bones” were so hard she wouldn’t submit even if her legs were broken. This kind of “yielding to survive” behavior shouldn’t have appeared until the late stages of her script.

Jiao Qingyin rubbed her finger, wanting to investigate the motive behind the protagonist’s actions, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the sensation of the girl holding her hand.

Nameless sat in the wheelchair, pushed by the butler, trailing Jiao Qingyin at a distance. They passed through halls of luxury and countless servants. In the pin-drop silence, the only sounds were the tap of Jiao Qingyin’s boots and the creak of the wheelchair.

The butler walked with her head down, acting as a mere transport tool. Nameless, despite achieving her goal, was not in a good mood. Recalling her act of playing the “good girl” just now made her want to retch. She used to despise those low-level manipulation tactics, but now she had to admit they were surprisingly effective.

The more she felt humiliated, the more she wanted to become strong. And a path had just opened before her—Nameless shifted her gaze to the book in Jiao Qingyin’s hand.

All materials regarding magic were held tightly by the high nobility and the Mage Towers. They used magic to rule the world; for a commoner, accessing such things was harder than reaching the heavens. But now, no matter how vigilant Jiao Qingyin was, she wouldn’t guard against a harmless animal.

Though turning into a dog was unexpected, the opportunity it provided was one she could not afford to miss.

As they reached the antechamber connecting the study and the bedroom, Jiao Qingyin suddenly stopped. The butler halted immediately. Nameless swayed in her wheelchair and looked up. Jiao Qingyin was looking down at her, those rare black eyes as emotionless as ever.

“Are you bleeding?” Jiao Qingyin asked.

Nameless, who had just tensed up, blinked in surprise.

Noticing her distraction, Jiao Qingyin stepped closer, her brow furrowing slightly. She had smelled a faint scent of blood along the way, thinking it was her imagination. But looking down from above, she caught sight of fresh blood at the corner of Nameless’s mouth through a gap in the veil.

It was the wound Nameless had torn open herself when the veil fell earlier… it hadn’t stopped bleeding. The girl’s physical constitution was even worse than she thought.

“Lean forward,” Jiao Qingyin commanded.

Nameless stayed stiffly still. There were many servants working or passing through the antechamber. She keenly felt that every eye in the room was now fixed on her.