Clatter.
Inside the carriage heading to the Grey Dukedom after being sold at the auction.
Lloyd’s back was covered in calluses from the rough ride, and the straw cushioning his feet and backside had become almost comfortable and familiar.
“Ah, damn it!”
“Drive properly, you lousy coachman!”
Complaints and grumbling surrounded him.
A few boys around Lloyd’s age were also in the carriage. They seemed oblivious to the fact that they were being treated as sl*ves.
Not that it mattered.
Lloyd hung his head low, the straw beneath him rustling. He needed time to think.
The Grey family was undoubtedly an evil household, one that was bound to cause significant trouble.
Just as he was trying to recall his plans, his thoughts were interrupted.
— Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!
The incessant clapping echoing in his mind, along with the sinister whispering of “Let’s destroy the world,” constantly disrupted Lloyd’s concentration.
It was disheartening.
Why was he suffering in this unfamiliar world?
He should have escaped when he had the chance, even if it meant being torn apart.
Or, he should never have tried to defeat the Demon King.
As he mulled over such thoughts, he reached one conclusion.
This tragedy began with his transmigration into this world.
— Rustle
Picking up a piece of paper caught on his foot, Lloyd thought so.
* * *
When he came to his senses, he found himself in another world.
Upon waking up in a medieval European fantasy-style village, he initially thought it was a hidden camera prank.
After seeing a fire-breathing lizard, a couple of frivolous wizards flying on brooms, and witnessing duels to the death over trivial disputes, he became certain this was another world.
He was bewildered.
After all, he had never played a game or read a novel with such a setting.
Moreover, it was not a peaceful world. The guards patrolled menacingly, people were executed at guillotines in the plaza, and others were burned at the stake as witches.
It was primitive.
He had to keep his wits about him to survive.
Lloyd, formerly known as Lee Han, rushed to the library. He read books voraciously. He needed to understand this world’s setting—its continent, empire, monarchy, religion, and economy. He devoured any book he could get his hands on.
In the final shelf, covered in dust, he found a book.
[ A Guide for Otherworlders ]
— This book is written for those who think of this place as another world. You can tell since it’s in Korean, right?
The book’s text was archaic, but its tone was flippant.
Lee Han grabbed the book and ran to the librarian.
— “Ah, this is an old book. It’s written in an unknown language… But you can borrow it. You seem to like the occult, don’t you?”
He nodded without understanding a word the librarian said and hurried to his lodgings. Lloyd opened the book.
“Damn it.”
The pages were missing in places.
No. There were very few proper pages.
Many pages were missing. Most of the remaining pages were either torn or the text was indecipherable.
He scraped together the available information.
The Demon King, who would destroy the world, and the Hero who had to check the Demon King. Details about the Hero’s party, fortuitous encounters, items, and essential background knowledge.
Even this fragmentary information was more helpful in understanding this world than hundreds of other books.
It was this knowledge that allowed Lee Han to join the Hero’s party.
And the pages were not lost.
* To fulfill the conditions of the [ Probability ] of future predictions, a minimal arrangement has been made. Look around carefully. You will find a [ Journal ] appropriate to the situation. Remember, the will to find it is crucial. Then it will appear in the most unexpected places. The Akashic Records are not easily handled.
As stated on the last page of the book, [ Journals ] were scattered everywhere.
Just like discovering [ Survivor’s Journal II ] in an open-world game would reveal related stories.
And then.
The floor of the carriage was covered with straw.
— Rustle.
Lloyd reached down with his toe and laboriously lifted the paper that had touched his foot.
【 Grey Dukedom (II) 】
* Unlock Condition: If captured as an experimental subject or equivalent status under the Grey Dukedom, this journal will be unlocked.
As always, the journal was written in Korean. It wasn’t strange that this was the second journal related to the Grey Dukedom, considering I had already read 【 Grey Dukedom (I) 】.
‘The Grey family is certainly a household to be wary of.’ as advised by 【 Grey Dukedom (I) 】.
A household where you never knew what was being schemed behind your back. Always beware of the Grey Duchess. In certain cases, she could cause great confusion. Make sure to specify the release conditions.
Lloyd recalled the thoughts he had tucked away in his mind.
Typically, the first series of journals didn’t have unlock conditions, so this memory was possible.
But this time, (II)’s unlock condition was equivalent to that of an experimental subject.
‘It must hold significance.’
Lloyd deciphered the remaining contents of the second journal.
— As advised by 【 Grey Dukedom (I) 】, if release conditions are not specified, the following two items need not be read.
— Make every effort to fulfill release conditions. Actions beyond that hold little significance.
— No matter what sounds you hear, pretend ignorance of events occurring underground. There are no basements in the mansion.
“… Is this the end?”
Lloyd somewhat bewilderedly flipped over the paper.
It was blank.
Usually, there would be more specific information written. For example, advice like “Capture the Demon King alive rather than killing him.”
(TLN: I’m gonna keep the Demon King as he/him for now, it might still be female tho.)
Hmm.
As he attempted to reread the paper carefully.
— Tock.
The paper slipped from his hand.
Before it fluttered to the ground, a hand scarred with numerous wounds caught it.
Did they unlock the handcuffs? Not a wise decision, perhaps?
With such thoughts, Lloyd raised his head, and a rough-looking boy about seventeen or eighteen approached, staring at him.
“This b*stard’s been staring blankly for a while now.”
“…”
“What’s this?”
He unfolded the paper and tried to read it.
He couldn’t read it.
“What kind of writing is this?”
“…”
“You’re reading something you can’t even understand. Are you crazy?”
Pfft.
He crumpled the paper.
“…”
Just a boy.
Just empty bravado.
The same confrontational attitude he had with the coachman now turned towards Lloyd, who chose not to engage in the argument.
Perhaps his nonchalance didn’t sit well with him.
“This b*stard’s really ignoring me…!”
The moment the guy approached Lloyd.
— Rumble!
The carriage shook violently. The guy who was stuck on the ground.
“Ugh!”
And then he let out a groan.
— Rumble!
The scenery beyond the carriage changed.
With a creaking noise, the door of a large mansion swung open.
“Get out!”
It was obvious who the boy would vent his anger on once he got up. Lloyd was the first to disembark from the carriage. Before him sprawled a massive, pitch-black mansion.
The main residence of the Grey family.
It didn’t look ominous just because dark clouds loomed in the sky.
— Caw, caw!
Crows cawed as if welcoming guests.
Even the sound of crows from the mountains around echoed.
The deep twilight shadows cast over the mansion.
Everything seemed to symbolize gloom.
Squelch.
Carefully treading through the sticky mud, which seemed to have been caused by all-day rain, Lloyd’s feet made cautious steps. He wasn’t a neat freak. It was just uncertain when he would have the chance to wash up again, given his status almost equivalent to that of a sl*ve. If possible, he wanted to stay clean…
— Thud!
His vision darkened as clumps of black soil rained down, some of them landing in his open mouth.
“Hehehe! Look at this mess!”
“Watch your back from now on. You.”
Mud smeared across his face.
Lloyd attempted to wipe it off with his hand, but it was futile; his hands were already bound.
Pfft.
He spat out the dirt that had entered his mouth.
“Disrespect Hector again, and…!”
The earlier guy grumbled.
— ‘Are you going to just stand there?’
A voice echoed in his mind.
Of course, he couldn’t just stand there. Not because of the voice.
He wasn’t the type to take a hit without retaliating like a sucker.
Thunk.
Lloyd’s weight shifted momentarily, pushing the mud on the ground aside.
— Gurgle!
Hector choked.
Lloyd was surprised.
He hadn’t hit him.
A rough, hairy fist.
“These sl*ve kids don’t know their place.”
Seeming like a soldier from the Grey Mansion, he grabbed the stunned boy by the hair and began to walk.
“Everyone, follow.”
Only then did they seem to realize the situation.
The children, who had been blinking stupidly, began to tremble and follow one by one. Lloyd also started walking. Until a hand suddenly appeared from behind and grabbed his shoulder.
“You come this way. The Duchess wants to see you.”
Clank.
The restraints that bound his hands were undone.
Lloyd looked up at his captor.
A priest with a bony figure and pale skin.
‘Why is there a priest in a place like this?’
Before he could even shake his head in wonder, the priest walked ahead.
Lloyd quickly followed, well aware of what to expect based on Hector’s example.
However, he had to be careful not to let his anger show, no matter how justified he felt. If even a hint of revenge crept in, he feared he might be consumed by the incessant voice in his mind.
— Step, Step.
As Lloyd passed through the front gates of the mansion, he glanced sideways.
The rest of the children were being dragged into the mansion’s basement.
