Mara whispered a song to herself.
She wasn't afraid that her voice might attract a monster.
That was exactly what she wanted.
She stepped forward eagerly and danced—like a madwoman leaping headfirst into flames.
She was chasing a thrill that might finally soothe her restless heart.
Her laughter rang through the air,
sweet as ripe peaches—soft and juicy.
"Ha-ha... Ha-ha... Come on, let's dance together..."
The moment she stepped further, monsters leapt out from the dark and surrounded her.
They were covered in rotten sludge, moss creeping across their bodies like parasites, squirming.
Their shapes were grotesque, gelatinous, sliding and shapeless.
Mara stared at them with disgust.
"Ugh... how revolting. How could someone as gorgeous as me... be forced to fight such filthy things... I feel like throwing up."
The stench of rot filled the air.
The monsters lunged toward her.
One stretched its body like chewing gum and reached her.
She screamed at the disgusting sight.
"Ahhh... Don't come near me! That's really gross... If I end up smelling bad, I won't be able to kiss the Commander!"
Mara executed an elegant footwork and threw one end of her chained blade toward a thick root ahead,
dodging the monster's attack.
"Ha-ha... Catch me if you can, ugly beast!"
The sludge-devourers growled and slid toward her again.
Swishhh...
Mara tried to stay as far away from the filth as possible.
They didn't seem all that strong—but they were persistent.
And the twitching tendrils from the surrounding roots made the fight harder.
They coordinated with the monsters, attacking right as she deflected their blows.
Mara grew furious, purple flames flaring in her eyes.
"Why are these trash heaps so stubborn…
I can't waste time playing with them...
I need a good gift to take back for James."
Just the thought of him made a beautiful smile bloom on her glossy lips.
"Ha-ha… Maybe this time, I'll finally get to kiss James."
That giddy thought intoxicated her.
She didn't hesitate—
She whipped her chain forward, reached toward a root,
plucked a blue, mushroom-like fruit covered in purple specks,
and hurled it at two nearby sludge creatures.
Then she slashed it midair with her blade—
A cloud of cyan-green powder sparkled in the air and rained down on them.
The two monsters shrieked in pain.
Roar...
Their bodies hardened into stone.
There were other mushrooms too, but they lay deep inside the tangled root maze,
like giant intestines—too risky for now.
She held off.
"Tch... Maybe later. If I don't find anything better ahead, I'll come back.
I'm sure they'll make good gifts—they're super rare."
Then Mara faced off against the three remaining creatures.
She drove one end of her chain into a monster's body,
hooked the next two as well,
then yanked the other end, flinging them toward massive roots nearby.
"Ha-ha... You're done for, trash."
She provoked the tendrils to attack, letting them strike the trapped monsters,
while she sliced them from the other side.
But her black outfit—stitched with silver thread—was now soaked in putrid slime.
She could smell the stench rising from herself.
"No... I'm dirty... This is bad... So bad... I'm filthy...
If I stink... James won't love me anymore…"
Her eyes turned crimson with rage, her pupils twitching wildly like a nervous tic.
She had lost control.
She spun her double-bladed chain through the air.
Whoosh...
Drunk on fury, she didn't notice the shift around her.
The sludge creatures she'd killed came back to life—
As if some unseen force reanimated them.
They fused together, forming a hulking, three-meter sludge giant.
Mara, still in madness, charged forward.
"Die... you filthy monster... Die!"
She struck wildly, slicing at it.
But it kept regenerating instantly.
She grew confused.
"Damn it... Why won't it die…"
Her body grew filthier with each clash, the stench intensifying.
She felt an unbearable itch—
Started scratching herself violently, until her skin bled.
This violation broke a hidden chain inside her—
Unlocked a painful memory.
"I'm not dirty... I'm not dirty... I'm beautiful... Aaahhh…"
The most agonizing part of her life came flooding back.
---
They lived alone—Mara and her mother.
Poverty had worn them down, and debt collectors would pound on their door daily.
Her mother worked in a weaving workshop.
But fate was cruel... The workshop went bankrupt, and she was among the workers laid off.
The debt from the loan sharks loomed over them like a guillotine—
Heavy, merciless.
Mara witnessed her mother's slow decay under its weight.
That once delicate beauty, the grace in her fingers, had faded.
Her hands—once slender and smooth—had turned bony, cracked, lined with calluses and cuts.
Yet she endured.
To Mara, despite how unbearable the poverty was,
She admired her mother's strength—her silent, painful perseverance.
She never felt ashamed for being poor.
Even when she longed for fine clothes and delicious meals,
The hope for a better life sustained her.
She studied hard.
She was among the top students in her class.
But everything changed after one dreadful encounter.
The loan sharks tightened their grip, threatening them for the unpaid debts and the crushing interest.
Her mother couldn't report them—she had no protection.
That left her vulnerable... and it forced her down a darker path.
—"If you care about your daughter's future, it's best you settle things soon.
Maybe what I'm offering isn't 'clean,' but it's a chance.
Next time, it won't be me who comes...
And then your daughter might end up in trouble."
The scar-faced man paused.
—"You're still young... and you have a good figure.
You could work in the red-light district.
At least the money there is better than slaving away in a shop.
Think carefully."
And then he walked out.
Her mother's face was pale, hollow.
That man had spoken an ugly truth—
And there was no escape.
So her mother began working in the entertainment district.
After that, their life improved.
Now and then, they could eat good food.
Mara still remembered that first taste of fried chicken—
She could never forget it.
—"Wow, it's so crispy and delicious.
How can chicken taste this good…
Had I not eaten real chicken until now?"
Her mother had laughed softly, stroking Mara's hair.
—"Then I'll have to buy this tasty chicken again for my beautiful daughter."
Mara nodded, her mouth full. She was genuinely happy.
Her mother, seeing her smile, felt a hint of peace.
She had feared Mara might feel ashamed or angry about what she'd done.
But Mara was still a child.
She didn't understand the adult world.
And life went on like that—
Until Mara entered high school.
That was when the nightmare truly began...
---