Rebellious Grey: The Demon Girl Rises from Slavery
In the city of Granveld, where human greed turns flesh into currency, demons are born already condemned. Gurei—thirteen years old, horned, hungry, and utterly alone—has known nothing but the stinking gutters of the Ash Bottom slum. When a bounty hunter's iron grip drags her from the rain-soaked streets into the slave market's cold machinery, she is stripped of her name, her rags, and what little freedom she had left, reduced to nothing more than "property" to be priced and sold.
But something b
Rebellious Grey: The Demon Girl Rises from Slavery - Passion and Mistakes
The morning air was still cold. Standing in the empty lot by the warehouse district, the wind off the sea carried the smell of salt. Gurei held a wooden sword in one hand and looked down at the boy before her.
Yuuto gripped his wooden sword with both hands, staring up at Gurei with a serious face. His short black hair stirred in the wind, and a faint sheen of sweat stood out on his forehead.
It was the third day of training.
On the first day, Gurei had been at a loss. She hadn't expected that teaching someone something would be this difficult and unfamiliar. What she'd honed in the arena was the art of killing—not the art of making someone stronger while keeping them alive.
On the second day, Gurei noticed how tough Yuuto was. Even when the wooden sword landed on his shoulder, grazed his ribs, or struck his thigh, the boy got right back up. He winced in pain, but he never let go of his sword.
And now, on the third day, Gurei was certain.
(This kid's blessing really does heal bruises and scrapes instantly.)
The welts that had remained on Yuuto's arms last night had vanished cleanly by morning. The blessing of the Sun Goddess. The power to heal wounds, said to be held only by heroes summoned from another world. It was protecting the boy's body.
(Then there's no need to hold back.)
Gurei regripped her wooden sword.
"Here I come."
Gurei's step-in was clearly different from before. Explosive force traveled up from the sole of her foot as she kicked off the ground, and the rotation of her hips gave speed to the wooden sword. The sound of it tearing through the air cut through the early morning stillness.
"—gh!"
Yuuto reacted. He raised his wooden sword into a defensive stance. But Gurei's strike blew through that guard and sent the boy's body flying.
Thud—a dull sound. Yuuto's back slammed against the ground.
"Get up. We're not done yet."
Gurei spoke in a cold voice. Deep in her chest, something ached.
(I'm not breaking him right now.)
(He has the blessing. The wounds won't remain. The bruises will fade.)
(So there's no reason to hold back.)
Yuuto got up, coughing. He pressed a hand to his chest, breathing painfully. Yet his eyes alone were fixed straight on Gurei.
"One more time, please."
Gurei wordlessly raised her wooden sword.
(It's those eyes.)
(Those eyes of his are what dull my restraint.)
(So I won't look.)
Gurei stepped in again. This time she struck in succession. An overhead swing, a horizontal sweep, a thrust. Yuuto desperately tried to meet each with his wooden sword, but every response was a beat too slow.
Crack, crack, crack—the sound of wooden swords clashing echoed across the empty lot.
Yuuto's wooden sword was knocked aside. His palms went numb, and his grip loosened. Gurei's sharpened senses didn't miss that instant.
(Now.)
Gurei lowered her stance, pivoting on her right foot to rotate her body. The wooden sword traced an arc. The target was Yuuto's left flank. A position where his guard couldn't make it in time. Even if the blessing would heal it, she wouldn't shatter bone. That was how it was supposed to be.
But—
The moment Gurei's wooden sword sank deep into Yuuto's flank,
crack.
The sound of bone breaking rang out across the empty lot, terribly clear.
Yuuto's body folded. The wooden sword dropped from his hand and rolled across the ground. A sound escaped the boy's mouth—something between a short scream and a gasp.
"—gh, ah..."
Yuuto crumpled where he stood. He clutched his left flank with both hands, convulsing slightly. The color drained from his face, and cold sweat soaked his forehead.
Gurei couldn't move.
Still gripping her wooden sword, still in the follow-through of her swing, she looked down at Yuuto collapsed on the ground.
(That sound just now.)
(That was the sound of bone breaking.)
(I did that.)
(The blessing will heal it. The wound won't remain.)
(That's what I thought.)
(So why—)
Gurei's hand began to tremble. The shaking spread from her fingertips gripping the wooden sword, to her wrist, to her arm. It felt like someone else's body. Independent of her will, her hand was shaking.
(I can't moderate my strength.)
(I don't know what moderation even is.)
The opponents she'd fought in the arena had all been people it was fine to kill. Kill or be killed. She'd thought only of destroying her opponent with everything she had, with certainty.
(But this one—)
(This one asked me to teach him the sword.)
(He called me Master.)
(And yet I—)
Gurei nearly dropped her wooden sword. No—she did drop it. With a dry clatter, the wooden sword rolled across the ground.
"Gurei..."
Yuuto called Gurei's name in a trembling voice.
Gurei took a step back.
(Don't come closer.)
(If I get close, I'll break you again.)
(I'll break you.)
"I'm sor... I'm sorry... it hurts..."
Yuuto's voice was wet with tears. Still clutching his flank, the boy curled up small.
Gurei couldn't say anything.
No words of apology, no call for help—nothing would come out. She could only stare at her own hands.
(It's the same as when I stabbed Kain.)
(My hands can only destroy.)
Memories of the arena surfaced in Gurei's mind. The sensation of driving her sword into Kain's body. The feel of piercing flesh, crushing bone, taking a life. It came back vividly now, in the palm of the hand that had gripped the wooden sword.
"—What happened here!"
A sharp voice rang across the empty lot.
Gurei turned. Two men of the Holy Knights in silver-white armor were running out from behind the warehouses. Behind them came a priest in white vestments.
"Lord Yuuto! This is... his bones are broken!"
One of the Holy Knights rushed to Yuuto and carefully lifted the boy's body. Yuuto's face was pale, his consciousness hazy with pain.
"Did you do this? You're a demon—what have you done to the Hero!"
The other Holy Knight glared at Gurei. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his expression ready to cut her down at any moment.
Gurei didn't answer.
(What have I done, you ask.)
(I taught him the sword. That's all.)
(And the result was broken bone.)
(That's all there is to it.)
But Gurei understood all too well just how grave that "all there is to it" was.
"Get Lord Yuuto to the inn at once. Hurry with the healing prayer."
The priest gave orders. The Holy Knights carried Yuuto away at a run. The priest glanced at Gurei. In his eyes were clear condemnation and contempt.
"...You wait here. No—go back to the inn. We'll talk later."
The priest left only those words and followed after the Holy Knights.
Gurei was left alone in the empty lot.
The morning wind blew. The smell of salt flowed past, as if to wash away the smell of blood.
Gurei looked down at the wooden sword lying on the ground.
(I've done it again.)
(I broke someone.)
(Someone I was supposed to protect, with my own hands.)
Gurei picked up the wooden sword. The trembling in her hand still wouldn't stop. The weight of the wooden sword felt terribly heavy.
(I'm unfit to be a guard.)
(No—before that.)
(I shouldn't be near anyone.)
Gurei gripped the wooden sword and started walking toward the inn.
---
When she returned to the inn, the atmosphere had changed completely.
The moment the innkeeper saw Gurei's face, he looked away. As she walked down the corridor, guests she passed whispered to each other.
"That demon woman." "I heard she injured the Hero." "Demons really are dangerous after all."
Gurei walked in silence.
(I can hear you.)
(But it's true.)
(I hurt Yuuto.)
When Gurei reached her room, two Holy Knights stood there.
"Gurei. As of now, you are forbidden to leave this room. Your duties as guard are relieved. The decision has already been made."
The Holy Knight's voice was businesslike, stripped of emotion.
Gurei looked up at the Holy Knight's face.
"...Is there a chance to explain myself?"
"No."
The Holy Knight dismissed it in a single word.
"This was an accident. That's what you want to say, isn't it? But the fact remains that you broke the Hero's bones. You're a demon, a slave, a gladiator. Something like you being at the Hero's side was a mistake from the start."
The Holy Knight declared this and turned his back without waiting for a reply.
Gurei entered her room and closed the door.
It was a dark room. The light from the window cast the dusty air in pale white.
Gurei sat down against the wall and hugged her knees.
She traced her fingers along the collar. The cold feel of iron spread from her fingertips through her whole body.
(Relieved of duty.)
(I've lost my place again.)
(No—I never had a place to begin with.)
Gurei gripped the collar. The chain rattled faintly.
(I'm a slave.)
(A collar-wearing piece of movable property.)
(For something like me to guard a hero—how presumptuous.)
Gurei closed her eyes.
The sensation of stabbing Kain came back to her palm. The feel of gripping a sword. The resistance of piercing flesh. The impact against bone. And the warmth of the blood that flowed out.
(I can only destroy.)
(If I hold a sword, I hurt someone.)
(If I stay close, I lose someone.)
(Then I should be alone.)
Gurei exhaled deeply.
---
Toward evening, three women arrived at the inn.
At the front walked a female knight clad in silver-white armor. Her blonde hair was woven into a braid, and her blue eyes looked sharply ahead. With a longsword at her hip and her back held perfectly straight, she looked like a statue carved from steel.
"Leonora von Heisenberg, of the Holy Knights. I have come to serve as Lord Yuuto's new guard."
The innkeeper, overawed by the female knight's sheer dignity, found himself straightening his back.
Behind her came a young nun in pure white vestments. She looked about twenty. Clutching a golden staff with both hands, she glanced nervously around. Her chestnut hair was cut short, and behind round spectacles her eyes wavered with unease.
"I—I am called Marta. I've come from the Church of the Sun. I'll be handling the healing prayers. P—pleased to meet you..."
Marta bowed again and again. The little bell at the tip of her staff chimed softly.
And last, a woman in a deep green robe slowly entered the inn.
She had red hair. Fiery red hair that fell to her back. Her narrow eyes seemed to be smiling, yet behind them there was no smile at all. The corners of her lips lifted slightly, and with an expression as if appraising something, she surveyed the inside of the inn.
"Serene. A sorceress. Pleased to meet you."
Serene's voice was sweet, with a lingering resonance. The innkeeper froze for a moment at the sound of it.
"Where might Lord Yuuto's room be? I must go and pay my respects."
Serene asked the innkeeper. He hurriedly pointed to a room up the stairs.
"It's at the far end of the second floor. But right now the priests are in prayer..."
"Oh, then all the more reason. As a healing specialist, perhaps I can help as well."
With that, Serene climbed the stairs with light steps.
Leonora and Marta followed after her.
The innkeeper stood staring blankly for a while after the three women went up the stairs.
---
The three women passed by the front of Gurei's room.
Gurei had noticed the presence beyond the door.
(The new guards.)
(My replacement is already here.)
Gurei stayed leaning against the wall, motionless.
The footsteps drew closer. Three different sets of footsteps. The scrape of armor, the rustle of a nun's hem against the floor, the soft swish of a robe.
And then the footsteps stopped in front of Gurei's room.
"...Is this where that demon is?"
Serene's voice came through the door.
"Yes. She's under confinement. Don't get involved."
Leonora's voice was low and brief.
"Hmm. I heard she taught the Hero the sword and broke his bones. What an interesting story."
In Serene's voice was curiosity, and something more.
"It's not an interesting story. That's a dangerous demon. Stay away from her."
"I know. But I'm just a little curious."
The footsteps faded into the distance.
Gurei listened
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