Chapter 27: The Songbird in the Cage

I was locked inside iron bars painted white, more like a birdcage than a prison. From outside, an orc grabbed my hair and sniffed it deeply.

"Heh… this silky, flawless skin, golden-thread hair, and that faint, floral scent… There's no doubt about it. Just like the elf from my memories…!"

His face was greasy, his body swollen and flabby—so grotesquely unhealthy that it made me wonder how someone could fall this far. No doubt about it, he was an orc. If I remember right, his name was Count Porno. From the moment I was caged, he leered at me, throwing around obscene and vulgar remarks that made them hard to even repeat aloud.

Just to give a taste: he muttered endlessly about how this body would handle that arrogant man's thing, or how he’d paint me in his own colors, whispering those thoughts in a clinging, pathetic tone. Honestly, calling it gross doesn't even begin to describe it. My skin’s been crawling nonstop.

He was just sniffing my hair, and yet, even being teased persistently under the covers by Master would’ve been better than this. He looked like that, and even with money and power, he probably couldn’t get women. Which is probably why he resorted to gathering slaves—he's so hopeless as a human being that I almost felt sorry for him. Tch.

"You. Bathe her and bring her to my chambers."

"Yes, sir."

He let go of my hair, barked the order at the nearby maid, and casually left the room. So I’m getting a bath? Yay—yeah, no way I’m happy about that. We all know where this is headed.

Honestly, if it’s Master doing stuff to me, I can let that slide. But another man? No way. Especially that disgusting pig—I’d rather die than entertain the idea. I might actually be physically crushed before my revulsion even kicks in.

I just hope the protection enchantments on this collar actually work… Please, Master, I’m begging you. Still wearing the magic-sealing shackles, I was led down the corridor toward the bath, silently praying that rescue would come soon.

After being abducted by teleportation, I’d been tossed into a cage and paraded in front of the orc like part of a routine. Now, after all that psychological torment, I was finally getting a bath.

Not that I was celebrating. Given what’s coming, I could only feel dread.

As I was scrubbed down in the bath, a faint singing voice began to echo softly between the splashes of water. It was so clear, so pure, the kind of voice that could soothe your heart just by hearing it.

“What… is that?”

Even as I murmured, the maids ignored me entirely, treating me like livestock as they washed me. I couldn’t stop wondering. Maybe I was just a side catch, and the one singing was their real target?

While I was off mentally escaping reality, they thoroughly scrubbed off all the grime from my attempted escape. After drying my hair and carefully wiping down my body, they dressed me in see-through underwear and escorted me back to the pig’s room.

I looked for a chance to escape along the way, but the maids had me surrounded front and back. No way I was slipping through that. Come on, you’re just here to do housework, right? You could slack off a little, maybe doze off on the job like a proper lazy servant?

But of course, my silent pleas meant nothing. The dutiful maids shoved me into the orc’s room, sealing off my retreat with the sound of the door closing.

Bracing myself, I looked forward—and there he was. That pig was half-naked, wearing only a gown over his bare torso, puffing on a cigar. His bloated body creaked the bed with every slight movement. I suppressed the bile rising in my throat with sheer willpower forged during my days on the slave market, masking my face like a doll.

This must be what they call visual assault. Honestly, I think I deserve some praise for not throwing up on the spot. When I’m finally rescued, I want Master to pat my head and say, “You did good.” Ehehe.

"Come. Over. Here."

…Please, let reality disappear. I’ll just live forever in my dream world. I’ll defeat those pirates in Neverland and become Pirate King myself. No pigs allowed.

As I stood trembling, trying to stall for time, the orc groaned out of bed and reached a flabby hand toward my ear, caressing my cheek and jaw.

…Disgusting. The revulsion I felt wasn’t normal. Just having his eyes crawl over my body through the translucent underwear made me so nauseous I started tearing up without realizing it. Strange, isn’t it? Even though Master looks at me the same way, this guy’s stare was unbearably terrifying.

When Master touches me, it just tickles or makes me embarrassed—never like this. It’s never been this awful or repulsive. It’s like I’m saying I’d be okay with Master doing those things to me.

No, that’s wrong. It has to be.

This must be that pig’s conspiracy. That’s it, isn’t it? He even went so far as to hire a teleportation mage just to drag me down like this. The nerve—literally and figuratively—makes me boil with rage.

If that filthy pork-bit even tries to come near me, I’ll bite it clean off on the spot. I’m done playing nice. It’s time this bastard learns firsthand how terrifying an elf can truly be!

"Hehh, to think I could get my hands on an elf… and even a Siren, too. Truly, the heavens smile upon me."

…Siren? What’s that? Siren… Siren… Singing voice—Siren as in Sailor’s Temptress? I’ve never heard of that race before. I know about mermaids, though.

So that’s what he was really after, huh? He came looking for this “Siren” and just happened to stumble upon me as a bonus.

"You’re still giving me that defiant look, but don’t get your hopes up—your master won’t be coming to save you. After all, that Avalo guy blasted him over an entire mountain! I nearly had a heart attack when the royal guard got wiped out, but really, once we mobilized the knights, that brat was nothing—"

I was starting to piece it all together. Most likely, Master got caught in the teleportation spell during the chaos and ended up inside this estate. While waiting for their haul to arrive, this pig and his cronies must’ve gotten into a fight with him.

But of course, mere noble mercenaries are no match for Master. Realizing the danger, that teleportation mage—Avalo or whoever—panicked and flung him as far as possible.

Teleportation magic is seriously a pain. Unless you’ve planned ahead, there’s no way to resist it. It’s just too dangerous. But now I understand why Master couldn’t come to rescue me right away—if he was thrown that far, there’s no way he could return quickly.

And when he finally made it back, the knights had already declared him wanted. Under normal circumstances, that’d be game over. Meanwhile, the pig—still bitter over being beaten—decided to dig into his background, found someone that looked like an elf, and sent his pet mage to grab me.

What a mess… Though I guess technically, this is my fault for getting caught up in it.

"Hehh hehh hehh… That skin, that expression—no one would guess you’ve already known the touch of a man. I’d have thought your former master had broken you in by now."

…I was desperately trying to keep my mind busy, to think about anything else—but I’ve hit my limit. I’m going to cry. His hand trailed along my throat and collarbone, and the combination of nausea and chills had my molars chattering.

"Or maybe that little brat never laid a hand on you? Hmph, no matter. I’ll find out for myself soon enough. Come here—Gwah!?"

Just as he was about to drag me onto the bed, I braced myself hard to resist. In that moment, the collar let out a sharp crackling snap, and the pig collapsed flat on his back onto the bed.

Cautiously, I leaned over to check—his eyes had completely rolled back into his head.

"Ha… haaaaaaah…"

Relief washed over me, and my legs gave out. I was saved. I was really saved!

Thank you, Master… You installed some seriously powerful protection magic in this thing. You really, really saved me. I’ll do anything you ask from now on, I swear…

For a moment, I considered stomping the pig’s groin in for good measure—but if he woke up from that, it’d be a problem. I’ll leave the revenge to Master once he returns. Just for today, I’ll let him off the hook. He better be grateful.

I rubbed my face, ears, and hair with the bedsheet—everywhere that pig had touched—until they turned slightly red, trying to wipe away the feel of him. Then, I gave the room a quick once-over, wondering if anything useful might be lying around.

That’s when I found a keyring tucked inside his jacket pocket. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to include a key for the shackles… Still, no reason not to take it with me.

Next, I carefully unlocked the door, making sure not to make a sound, and peeked into the hallway. Looks like the pig didn’t want anyone interrupting him and had cleared the area. Good job, seriously.

Ideally, I’d make a beeline for the baths and get out of here full speed—but there’s no way I can afford to be that reckless. Even if I tried to escape now, they’ve already taken my belongings, and going solo would be rough. What now…? Master should be able to track the collar’s location, so maybe my best bet is to hide somewhere safe and wait for rescue.

As I crept down the hall, looking for a good hiding place and trying to erase my presence, I heard it again—that same singing voice I’d heard earlier in the bath. A beautiful, haunting melody. Drawn by it, I followed the sound to what looked like a basement. No guards in sight, thankfully. Bit careless on their part, but I won’t complain.

With these magic-sealing shackles still on, if I ran into anyone, that’d be game over. Carefully, I descended the dark staircase, testing each step before putting my weight on it. The singing grew clearer and clearer—gentle, sorrowful somehow, filled with a nostalgic ache that tugged at my chest.

At the bottom, I found a door. I tried a few keys from the ring, and one of them fit. I opened it and stepped into the basement.

There, illuminated faintly by soft light, was a massive, barred tank that resembled an aquarium. Half of it was filled with water, and a platform-like structure sat at the level of the water’s surface.

She was there.

From the waist up, she looked like a human girl—about my age, I’d guess. From her navel down, she had a long fish-like tail. Even in the dim lighting, her cherry-blond hair gleamed. Extending from her elbows down to her wrists were pure white wings.

A creature like a cross between a harpy and a mermaid… So this is—

“…Siren?”

My whisper echoed softly through the chamber. At that, she stopped singing. Her wide, round eyes—exactly the same color as her hair—snapped open and stared directly at me.

◇◆ADVENTURE RESULT◆◇
【EXP】
NO BATTLE

◆【Sora Lv.50】
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Sora Lv.50 [509]

【RECORD】

[MAX COMBO] >> 33
[MAX BATTLE] >> 33

【PARTY】
[Sora] [Lv50] HP 42/50 MP 120/420 [Normal]
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【Comment】

"It was really gross."