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

As the key members of the Duke Family were arrested one after another by the Royal Knights, Captain Aiqinuo gave the order to depart for the Imperial Capital.

The mighty procession of the Royal Knights then left Wind Facing City, escorting the Marquis and Marchioness, along with the relatives and servants who had been branded as "accomplices," under the complicated gazes of countless citizens watching them leave the city they had protected for so many years.

Sitting inside the prison wagon, Yumo did not have any particular attachment to the city.

Even so, when she saw the townspeople come to see them off, the suspicion in their eyes still left her feeling faintly displeased.

"sigh..."

She could only let out a helpless sigh.

The people's reaction was perfectly understandable.

The people of this world—especially those living in the northern frontier—harbored an incomparable hatred, fear, and revulsion toward Abyss Demons. Once they learned that the Duke Family's young lady had transformed into a Demon King-class Abyss Demon, fear naturally took root, along with distrust toward the Duke Family.

Even though the family had protected them for a century, such gratitude crumbled before overwhelming terror.

The Royal Knights had been clever.

Before making their move, they had deliberately allowed the news that Yuan'er had become an Abyss Demon, along with countless rumors about Shadow of Silence Power experiments, to spread throughout Wind Facing City, thoroughly eroding the people's trust in the Duke Family.

Without the support of the populace—and after suffering devastating losses—the Duke Family had been powerless against the aggressively advancing Royal Knights and the distant Second Army that had gathered nearby.

The Marquis and Marchioness...

Looking toward another prison wagon far ahead, Yumo's expression grew complicated.

The couple had abandoned all resistance in order to protect the people.

And this...

This was how those very people repaid them.

With eyes full of suspicion.

If I were the Marquis... I'd probably feel completely heartbroken right now.

Besides...

Riding in a prison wagon is actually kind of a novel experience...

...

...

For Miss Yumo, escaping would have been effortless.

However, there were simply too many people nearby.

Not only were there servants of the Duke Family, but countless Royal Knights as well. If she released the Shadow of Silence Power and fled, the Duke Family would never be able to clear its name.

Two granddaughters? Both Abyss Demons?

Heh...

Taking the Marquis' entire family away with her wouldn't be difficult.

But...

The Marquis and Marchioness probably wouldn't be able to accept being rescued by an Abyss Demon.

Besides, those two elderly nobles most likely still intended to argue their case before the Supreme Court in the capital, hoping to preserve the honor their family had inherited through generations.

Though...

The chances weren't exactly high.

Whatever.

I wanted to meet the Child of Destiny in Tianqiong anyway... I'll just go along for now.

Having reached that decision, Yumo quietly lay back inside the prison wagon.

The journey was unbearably dull, and with nothing to occupy herself, Miss Yumo naturally began thinking of ways to pass the time.

As expected...

She entered Building Mode.

She simply lay motionless on the floor.

While remaining perfectly still, her perception slowly spread outward, enveloping all of the nearby Royal Knights.

After all, the people imprisoned alongside her were merely powerless maids. None of them could sense her abilities.

So...

Yumo began observing the Royal Knights.

She couldn't judge their actual combat experience, but judging from their bearing and the density of the aura within their bodies, this force serving the Child of Destiny was extraordinarily powerful.

Overall, they were an entire level above the Blizzard Knights.

Some of the individual knights were even comparable to elite members of the Asumos Church.

Among the knights guarding their section of prison wagons alone was a squad captain at the High Sixth Tier.

Further ahead in the formation was even a Seventh-Tier powerhouse.

Judging from the crest engraved on his bracer, he was likely the Vice-Captain of the Royal Knights.

Although he was only at the Early Seventh Tier, the battle aura within his body was astonishingly abundant, clearly surpassing others of the same rank.

More importantly...

He was young.

His future was limitless.

The Child of Destiny has quite a few talented people under him...

After carefully observing them, Yumo couldn't help sighing inwardly.

Saiboke-Baniya and the Marquis had mentioned before that many members of the Royal Knights had been personally discovered by Xue Tianao among ordinary commoners.

To find this many talented people...

Could this Child of Destiny really be someone with an eye for hidden talent?

Regardless...

Yumo couldn't help feeling a little pleased.

If the Child of Destiny truly possessed such an ability, then his forces would only continue growing stronger.

And with her assistance...

One day he should be able to join forces with Mengxi and finally destroy her.

Once that happened...

The trial could finally come to an end.

Still...

To build such a formidable order of knights...

Just what kind of person is this Xue Tianao?

Floating within her sea of consciousness, Yumo couldn't help wondering.

Thus, while the Royal Knights continued their journey toward the Imperial Capital of Tianqiong...

Miss Yumo remained in Building Mode, quietly thinking away the hours.

Until...

A sudden scent of blood finally pulled her out of her "statue" state.

...?

Hm?

Blood?

What's going on?

Slowly opening her eyes, Yumo glanced in confusion toward the floor beside her.

A streak of blood had appeared within her line of sight.

At the same time—

A coarse shout rang in her ears.

"You filthy barbarian! Get the hell away from me!"

...

Following the voice, Yumo looked toward the front of the prison wagon.

What's happening? Why's it suddenly so noisy?

—

As night fell, the Royal Knights halted upon reaching Alpiro Gorge and began preparing dinner.

At that moment, one of the Royal Knights approached the prison wagon and tossed some food inside.

Seizing the opportunity while the knight was close to the bars, Duo'er, Xia'er's personal maid, hurried forward, grabbed his wrist through the iron bars, and pleaded desperately,

"Please! Could you find a doctor? Miss... Miss has been unconscious for so long! No matter how much we call her, she won't wake up!"

After repeatedly trying—and failing—to wake Yumo, anxiety had completely taken root in Duo'er's heart.

Although Yumo was still breathing, the fact that she lay completely motionless had left every maid terrified.

Their young lady had only just returned home.

She had endured the invasion by the Heavenly Punishment Holy Church and had already been utterly exhausted.

Now she was being transported to the Imperial Capital under such terrible conditions...

Could she have fallen seriously ill?

Is that why she won't wake up?

The more Duo'er thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Ignoring all concerns over status, she grabbed hold of the Royal Knight's wrist.

Otherwise...

None of the knights outside would even bother listening to them.

"Please, Sir Knight! I'm begging you—Hm?!"

Before she could finish—

The knight whose wrist she held immediately revealed a look of disgust.

He looked at her as though she were nothing more than a rat crawling out of a filthy sewer.

His gaze was chilling.

"Disgusting..."

Seeing the dirt and mud covering Duo'er's clothes and hands, the man completely ignored everything she had said.

He violently shook her hand off.

Then, noticing the muddy stains left on his own wrist, his expression darkened.

"Get away from me!"

As he roared, powerful Mid Fifth-Tier battle aura erupted from his body.

It slammed directly into Duo'er.

Having barely cultivated at all and possessing only Second-Tier strength, Duo'er was instantly blasted backward.

Amid the horrified screams of the maids, she crashed heavily into the iron bars on the opposite side.

Pain twisted across her face.

Even so...

She gritted her teeth, endured the agony, and crawled back toward the knight.

"Please... Sir Knight... Please find a doctor! If we don't... if we don't get one soon... I'm afraid Miss..."

"A doctor?"

The knight sneered coldly before turning his eyes toward the pink-haired girl lying behind Duo'er.

Looking at the seemingly unconscious Yumo, contempt immediately filled his face.

"What could possibly be wrong with her? She's pretending, isn't she?"

"Heh."

"One of your young ladies already turned into a Demon King-class monster. This one has probably been bathed in the Shadow of Silence Power too. You expect me to believe she'd faint from a little travel?"

"Who are you trying to fool?"

"More likely you're hoping we'll open the wagon for a doctor so you can launch a surprise attack."

"No! Miss really is in danger!"

Driven by overwhelming worry, Duo'er began sobbing.

The knight outside the bars remained utterly indifferent.

He even looked entertained.

"It's alright, Duo'er. I'm fine."

At that moment, Yumo's gentle voice reached Duo'er's ears.

?!

Duo'er's entire body trembled.

She immediately turned around with an expression of overwhelming joy and hurried back to Yumo's side.

"Miss Xia'er! You're alright?! Thank goodness! You... you scared me to death!"

"Sorry, Duo'er."

"I was just... too tired."

"I slept too deeply..."

"Miss... sob..."

The enormous weight pressing upon Duo'er's heart finally disappeared, and she burst into tears once more.

The other maids beside her also let out long sighs of relief.

After gently patting Duo'er's head with a trace of guilt, Yumo turned her gaze toward the knight beside the wagon.

"I remember that the fifth code of conduct of the Snow Night Empire's Royal Knights is to respect the elderly, the weak, women, and children."

"Your attitude doesn't seem very appropriate."

"Appropriate?"

The knight burst into laughter.

Several nearby Royal Knights who overheard her words also laughed out loud.

"You northern barbarians broke the law by coming into contact with the Shadow of Silence Power, and you still dare lecture us about the Knight's Code?"

"The code tells us to protect the people."

"But you?"

"Who knows whether you're just Abyss Demons wearing human skin who simply haven't gone berserk yet?"

Yumo: ...