I am actually nothing.
So I won't bother to describe myself.
I'm just a regular boy who was reading a villainess manhwa and suddenly fell asleep while bingeing until 3 a.m.
When I woke up—
Actually, I wish I hadn't woken up at all.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself tied up with ropes in a carriage with a bunch of kids.
Yeah, I was goddamn unlucky to end up in a place like this.
I'm not one of those fools who thinks it's just a dream. Dreams aren't this vivid—unless they're the kind you don't tell others about. And this isn't one of those.
I don't have a tongue.
I think those kidnappers cut it out.
And the child before me probably died from the pain.
Normally, this is the part where a protagonist shows up to save everyone—
or we get sold to a psycho.
Let's see...
I can't move at all.
There's nothing here to help me break free,
and this body doesn't have the strength to run even if I did.
So, I hope someone saves me. Or saves us.
God didn't bring me here just to die, right?
Ah!
My heart is racing now.
Will I really die at the hands of some perverts who lust after little boys like me?
Or will I be sacrificed? Or experimented on? Who knows...
Cutting my tongue already narrows the options.
Sigh...
God, what did I do to piss you off so badly?
The carriage stopped.
Some men came and took two little girls from the back.
A while later, I heard screaming—
and then silence.
I could hear them talking:
"Hah, yours died too?"
"Yep."
"Never mind. They didn't pay us well for this job anyway. Let's say they weren't sold 'cause of their looks, so we sold their organs."
"Let's stop by Shan's shop next. He can butcher them."
Just horrible.
I'm getting cold sweats just listening to them.
Are they even human?
There are no more girls now.
So, the boys will be next...
The carriage started moving again.
Some of the kids are sniffling.
Well, I get it—
But I'm too scared to even make a sound.
When will this nightmare end?
The carriage stopped again.
Everyone went completely quiet.
Not a single sound.
"Hey, hurry up! That madman's waiting. Let's drop these two corpses and get on with it."
How shamelessly they talk...
God, do you not care for innocent children?
Why did you send me here?
I was living a perfectly normal life back in my world.
I swear I won't ever read manhwa again.
Please take me back—
BANG!!!
The entire carriage shook from a massive shockwave.
I stood up and looked around.
My hands were still tied, but the ropes around my feet had burned away.
I stood in front of ruins.
Houses were on fire.
Some had been completely blasted apart.
The children who were with me were scattered around the wrecked carriage.
All of them seemed to be dead.
What happened?! Why?!
Some were missing limbs, or worse—
"Blarrgh...!"
I had never seen a scene like this.
I felt dizzy.
I collapsed.
My eyes were closing.
It was hard to stay conscious.
Through my blurry vision, I saw some people.
They seemed to be wearing dark uniforms.
"Captain, they all seem to be dead. Except this one. Should we dispose of it too?"
"Hmm... Well, if we leave him, he'll die anyway. No need to dirty our hands with a lowlife's blood.
Wait!"
He snatched me from that disgusting man's grip.
Lifted me up by my collar.
His face was right in front of mine.
Ah—
I was out of strength, otherwise I'd—
He forcefully grabbed my face and looked at me from both sides.
Then, he checked my eyes and muttered:
"Hmmm... Interesting. Finally, I'll get my bonus."
I was half-unconscious and dripping with blood,
and this guy was spouting nonsense.
Then he threw me over his shoulder and barked orders:
"I'll be taking this one.
Simon, tell the healer to come to my carriage."
"As you say, Captain."
Augh—stupid bastard!
Is this how you treat a child?!
Curses! I hope you suffer a fate more painful than mine, you fu**er.
He threw me onto a carriage seat.
> "Reporting. Special Forces healer, Anna, sir."
> "Hmm. Heal the boy in the carriage. Fast.
This is an order.
Also—Simon, Anna—don't let anyone know anything about this boy. That's an order."
> "Understood, sir," they replied together.
A young woman gently placed my head on her lap.
She whispered:
> "Oh merciful goddess Gia,
who brings light to this dark world—
please smile upon this pitiful child, who stands at the brink of death."
After that, a dim green light glowed from her wand.
Tiny sparkles appeared on my wounds—
and slowly, they vanished.
I felt warm.
A kind of relief I hadn't felt in a long time.
Finally... I closed my eyes.
---
["I'm sorry. I'm sorry!
But I have to leave you, my child... I have to."
"No, Mom! Please don't leave me!
How can I live without you?"
(I'm crying... but why?
Whose tears are these I'm shedding?
And why am I—agh...)
"Remember, you are strong.
And I'm sure your family will find you one day."
(I can't move.
My mouth is moving on its own.)
"But you're my everything, Mom!"
She left.
She left me alone.
I'm devastated.
My world is shattering into pieces—
"Noooooooo!!"
I screamed and started running toward her.
But she vanished into thin air.
I collapsed.
"It's all because of me.
If I were stronger, I could've protected her.
It's all my fault.
All... my... fault..."
"Aaaaaaaa!"]