Forced to Sell Myself to the Female Lead After Killing the Male Lead

“Why?! Why are you doing this to me?! I'm the young lady of the Duke Family! If you lay a hand on me, Grandpa will never let you off!”

“Heh, you still think you're the young lady of the Duke Family? You're nothing but a slave now. A filthy, worthless slave!”

As those words fell, the man showed not the slightest trace of pity. He pressed a red-hot branding iron against the pink-haired girl's ankle, leaving behind the mark of a slave...

In an instant, the girl's agonized scream echoed throughout the old manor...

The unbearable pain caused her to lose consciousness on the spot.

--

“Big Brother Benjamin! Please, save me!”

“Tch, save you? Keep dreaming. Just obediently become a living sacrifice for the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church. Just like your stupid big sister! Hahahahaha!”

“My sister? Y-You... What did you do to Sister Xia'er?!”

“Hehe, not just Xia'er. Your foolish parents too! But don't worry. The Bishop is very merciful. He'll send you to reunite with your parents and sister soon enough! Hahahahaha!!”

“N-No!!!”

--

“P-Please... give me something to eat... I'm... I'm about to pass out from hunger...”

“Food? Dream on! If you don't want another beating, then get lost!”

“I... I'm begging you... I... I really can't go on...”

“Oh? Is that so? Heh, you're not bad-looking. How about this? Spend one night serving me properly, and I'll give you something to eat. What do you think?”

--

“S-Save... save me...”

“I can save you. But whether you survive in the end will depend entirely on yourself. It'll be extremely painful. Pain so unbearable you'll wish you were dead. And even if you survive, you'll pay a terrible price. Are you willing?”

“A-As long... as... I can live... I... I'm willing...”

“Mm, if you're willing, then very well.”

As a single drop of blood fell from the black-haired girl's fingertip, the dying pink-haired girl lying on the ground completely sank into slumber...

--

“My dear little sister, you no longer need to be afraid. From this moment on, no one will ever be able to hurt you again.”

“N-No one?”

“That's right~”

“B-But... I'm so weak... How could I possibly...”

“No, no, my dear little sister. You need to understand that you've already been completely reborn. Those who once tried to hurt you are nothing more than ants before you now. You can kill them whenever you wish.”

“K-Kill... them?”

“That's right. They're nothing but your enemies. There's no need to feel guilty. And not just your enemies. Anyone who makes you unhappy, anyone who dares lay a hand on you—you may kill them as well. Besides, after being betrayed, bullied, and nearly murdered, I'm sure you already understand that most humans are nothing more than filthy, despicable, deceitful creatures unworthy of existing in this world. You are Mother's child now. You must help Mother cleanse this world of its filth. Especially those creatures who wield Holy Aura or Divine Power~”

“Holy Aura? Divine Power?...”

“Yes~ Those are the filthiest, most revolting powers of all. Once you encounter them, you'll understand.”

“Then... when I meet them... what should I do?”

“Of course, eliminate them~ Wipe out those vermin. That is your most important mission after being reborn~”

...

...

Within her slumber,

a pair of warm, slender jade-like hands gently caressed the girl's cheeks again and again,

while a clear, gentle voice, filled with irresistible temptation, echoed ceaselessly within her mind...

--

At that moment,

inside the basement beneath a small wooden cabin in the eastern region of the Great Winter Forest,

Arela wanted to stop her companion from committing suicide through sheer stupidity.

Unfortunately, she was already too late.

Under the anxious gazes of the members of the Asumos Church, Kabanei leaped high into the air and, without the slightest hesitation, unleashed his strongest technique toward the crimson crystal submerged within the icy spring—

Heaven-Sundering Berserk Axe!

Violent fire-attributed Holy Aura erupted endlessly from Kabanei's body,

continuously coating the giant battle axe!

In the blink of an eye, blazing flames engulfed the weapon!

Terrifying heat instantly spread outward from Kabanei, sweeping through the entire basement!

The overwhelming pressure exploded outward, blasting every member of the Asumos Church except Arela off their feet and smashing them violently into the distant walls!

The shockwaves cracked the surrounding stone walls with countless spiderweb fractures!

The entire cabin began collapsing...

The instant the battle axe containing its horrifying heat struck the icy spring, an endless curtain of steam exploded outward!

The freezing spring instantly vaporized beneath Kabanei's attack!

Yet the power carried by the axe remained completely undiminished!

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!! DIE!!”

Accompanied by Kabanei's almost insane roar, the enormous battle axe slammed directly into the crimson crystal!

With a crisp crack, countless fractures rapidly spread across its surface!

Almost there!

Almost there!

As long as I kill this Demon King-class monster, my name will be known throughout the world!!

After this... after this, no one will ever look down on me again!!

Kabanei roared wildly within his heart!

As the crystal continued shattering,

as the battle axe in his hands drew ever closer to the pink-haired girl's slender neck,

the smile on Kabanei's face became increasingly crazed.

Boundless excitement had already consumed his entire mind!

He could already picture the girl's head flying from her shoulders!

“It's over!”

With an excited shout, the crimson crystal completely shattered!

Kabanei's battle axe descended mercilessly toward the girl's delicate neck!

However,

at the very instant victory was within reach,

Kabanei suddenly stopped breathing.

His pupils contracted violently.

As though struck by heavenly lightning,

his entire body began trembling uncontrollably.

Because...

at the exact instant the crystal shattered,

Kabanei discovered in horror

that the pink-haired girl, who had remained asleep the entire time,

had somehow already opened her eyes.

Those strange heterochromatic eyes—one crimson, one sapphire blue—were fixed upon him with an eerie gaze.

The azure eye overflowed with icy indifference,

while the blood-red eye brimmed with terrifying madness,

sending chills racing through Kabanei's entire body.

?!!

'S-She...?!

She's awake?!

How did she suddenly wake up?!'

Terror exploded inside Kabanei's heart.

But almost immediately,

the Seventh Brave's expression hardened once again.

There was no turning back now.

The only thing he could do was continue attacking!

Heaven-Sundering Berserk Axe was the strongest strike he had spent so long charging!

This Demon King-class creature didn't appear to specialize in defense!

She had only just awakened, and the Shadow of Silence Power surrounding her body hadn't reached its peak yet!

If he kept attacking...

...he might still kill her!

'Have courage, Kabanei!!'

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”

Suppressing the fear in his heart, Kabanei erupted with a heart-rending roar.

However,

the next moment,

before Kabanei's stunned eyes,

the girl who was about to be decapitated showed not the slightest hint of panic.

Instead,

a beautiful yet sinister smile slowly bloomed across her face.

“Vermin~”

The girl's lips parted gently,

and the moment that chilling word reached his ears,

Kabanei's battle axe sliced straight through her neck.

Effortlessly.

Without the slightest resistance.

??!!

T-That's it?!

Hehe?!

Just... that?!

Ecstasy instantly flooded Kabanei's mind.

The Seventh Brave burst into wild laughter.

Even Arela and the others, who had been holding their breath, stared in utter disbelief.

“HAHAHAHAHA!!! I... I DID IT! I KILLED A DEMON KING-CLASS EXISTENCE! HAHAHAHAHA! I KNEW I COULD DO IT! From now on, no one will ever dare look down on me again! Hahahahaha! I'll become the Fourth Heavenly Apostle— Hm?!”

However,

before he could laugh for long,

Kabanei's expression suddenly changed.

In horror, he looked toward the girl's severed head,

which had somehow floated into the air.

No blood flowed from the severed neck.

Instead,

strands of eerie black energy poured from the wound,

remaining connected to the girl's body.

“Time to exterminate the vermin~”

Looking into Kabanei's terrified brown eyes,

the girl slowly narrowed her own with a sinister smile.

?!!

No!

That's impossible?!

“Why aren't you dead?!”

Kabanei screamed in complete collapse.

But before he could comprehend what was happening,

the next instant,

an endless ocean of pure black Shadow of Silence Power exploded from the girl's body!

BOOM!!!

A world-shaking explosion erupted!

Boundless black energy burst upward from deep beneath the earth!

In an instant,

it transformed into a pillar of black light that shot straight into the heavens!

The small wooden cabin above it was instantly reduced to ashes...

--

Meanwhile,

watching the black pillar erupt in the distance,

feeling the terrifying Shadow of Silence Power sweeping across the land,

Shuoyue, who had been quietly sitting atop the branch of a giant tree, watching the entire spectacle unfold,

revealed a satisfied smile.

“Hehe... just as I thought. If you want little sister to awaken~ she simply needs a bit of stimulation. This disgusting Holy Aura really is the perfect catalyst~”