chapter 1

The sound of horse hooves marching gently mixed in the wind. In the middle of a highway surrounded by trees, a lone extravagant carriage accompanied by ten knights traveled to the royal capital of Corteya, one of the four human kingdoms on the continent.

“Father, how much longer till we arrive?”

The young girl gazed at the scenery outside. She yawned, covering her mouth with the expensive looking fan in her hand, feeling utterly bored out of her mind.

“Lotte, just be patient a little while longer.”

The man sitting opposite the young girl, Charlotte Ionesse, was her father and also the duke with the highest position within the kingdom of Corteya.

(Are….? What's going on? Wasn’t I just sitting in front of my desk a while ago? Where the heck am I!?)

Kana Katsuki tried to comprehend the situation before her, but was at a complete loss. When she tried to move, she was unable to. When she tried to speak, she was also unable to do so. The strangest- or rather, freakiest thing was that it felt as though her body was suddenly functioned on its own!

“Hmm~ but honestly father. Riding in a carriage for this long, my entire body aches.”

“Haha, well, if you say so, then should we take a short break?”

“Gladly!”

Duke Adrian ordered for the driver to stop. With the help of the knights, Charlotte walked outside of the carriage and decided to go for a little stroll to relief her aching bum.

(Again!)

While Charlotte was happily humming to herself, Kana was starting to lose her mind.

(Wait, why does this place look familiar…..?)

While Charlotte still kept on humming, Kana ignored that dying donkey’s cry that came out of her mouth and tried to think.

(Wait a minute…am I dreaming right now or is this place actually….)

She was just about to reach an answer to her own question when all of a sudden she felt all the hair on her body stand up straight.

(Danger!)

-swish~!

A thin silver light flashed behind her and a strand of black hair landed on the ground.

(That was close! Way too close!)

Somehow, just for that split second she was able to move her body before the sword could strike her down.

“Kyaa!!!!”

Charlotte let out a loud scream as she ran away from the knight who was supposed to guard her, but had tried to kill her just then.

“Tsk.” The knight clicked his tongue and tried to capture her before help could arrive. Luckily, they had walked quite a distance from the camp, so it was likely that they might not have even heard her.

(Run faster you moron!)

Kana cursed in her mind as she could only helplessly watch while her body ran at the speed of a turtle. Each time she ran, she almost tripped. When there is a small puddle of water, she actually still had the time to run around it. When she stepped on a passing snake, she would scream like a little girl...well, she was still a little girl actually. And when she bumped into a tree branch, she would still scream while trying to get off anything that might have stuck onto her.

(….How the heck are we not dead yet?)

If she could move her own body, then it was likely that she would slap her own forehead. Behind her, she could hear the footsteps of someone coming closer and closer.

(Instead of running in random directions, shouldn’t you have headed towards where everyone else is, you blockhead!?)

Ah, sadly, no matter how much she screams, no one seemed to hear her.

“Not so fast.”

“Eeek!”

At some point, the knight had already caught up with her and had his blade pointed at her neck. His face was covered with the helmet, but at that moment, Kana realized that this was the exact scene from the game she was about to play!

(Are you tell me I die just like that!?)

If this were a dream. Then she wouldn’t have mind that much. But, something in her guts told her that this was not a dream. If that blade struck her, then she would die for real.

(Argh! Come on! Move body, move!)

But still, it was no use. No matter how much she tried to, she had no control.

(Move damnit!!!!)

The knight held up his sword, then swung down his blade yet again.

(Ah….)

Again, she was able to move for a split second and evaded the swing. But this time, instead of just a hair strand, she had been cut in the shoulder.

(Luckily it’s not too deep that I could die from it.)

But Charlotte thought otherwise and began screaming again.

As for the knight, it seems that he had been thoroughly irritated that he had failed to kill her a second time. Without holding back, he swung his sword at her, each swing aiming to take her life.

(Hey hey hey! Are you seriously trying to kill me- eh, us!?)

And the strangest part was, that with each swing, charlotte managed to dodge the attacks yet again, jumping from left to right, infuriating the knight to a whole new level.

(Looks like I can move if it’s to save my own life….what kind of condition is this!?)

Other than to not get killed, she was unable to move. Truly, it was a nightmare worse than her grandfather’s sparta training.