I couldn't sleep.
My eyes were closed, but the pain wouldn't let me rest.
I felt it with every breath.
I don't know how much time had passed since I shut my eyes, but enough for the shackles to loosen again.
Breathing was easier now, not less painful, just easier.
My thoughts raced in that darkness without sleep.
First—the newspaper.
Marquis' bastard son...
I'm not even his son.
These assholes can't even understand the meaning of their own words.
"Agh."
A groan slipped out of me as I shifted too fast, pain flaring through my ribs.
My eyes opened with the pain, the dull light stung.
Assaulting commoners and maids...
Lies.
The newspaper was filled with them.
Rage boiled inside me at the thought, numbing the pain for a moment.
Faces surfaced again.
Favian's satisfied smile.
Anton's cold eyes.
The magistrates' laughter.
Selene's soft voice.
These bastards...
They were behind it.
If it weren't for them—
I balled my hands, then immediately regretted it as sharp pain tore through my torso.
"Aghh!"
My anger died down with the returning pain.
I moved a hand to my ribs, pressing gently as if that might help.
It didn't.
My thoughts drifted back to the guard.
To the words he'd spoken at the end.
'Noble disgrace.'
I shouldn't have cared about the insult.
That title shouldn't mean anything to me—and yet, it cut. As if something inside me deeply despised being called that.
My lips moved before I knew it, whispering.
"I am not a disgrace."
I felt confused after doing it.
Why did I care so much about an insult?
Then—
It clicked.
It wasn't me who cared.
No.
It was me.
But...
That other part of me.
The one who lived his life not to become a burden.
The one who tried to be useful, worthy even.
Even though my memories of Earth dominated, I also spent twelve years as a noble.
It was strange.
The feeling was like being affected by your old self—or your younger self.
Step.
A sound broke the silence before I could dwell on it more.
Step.
Footsteps.
Step.
Not one person, but at least two, or more.
The guard's last words echoed in my mind.
'My shift's over.'
Don't tell me...
Step.
Click.
The door unlocked.
'Fuck.'
I curled in on myself, lowering my head to my chest, making myself small.
Pain flared through my ribs, but I forced it down.
Screech.
The door opened, metal scraping against stone.
Step.
Step.
Thud.
The door closed behind them.
I squeezed my eyes shut, stupidly hoping they'd leave if I didn't react.
It didn't matter.
Bam.
A kick slammed into my back.
"Agghh!"
My body folded forward, head smashing into the wall.
Thud.
Pain exploded through my ribs, and my head throbbed. Blood trickled down toward my eyes, from where my skull had hit stone.
Tears streamed freely now.
A voice cut through the ringing in my ears.
"Wake up, little noble."
They laughed.
"Hahah."
Another voice followed.
"It's time for payback. You owe us our money's worth."
I didn't turn.
I couldn't.
The pain in my ribs pinned me to the floor as I clutched my stomach.
They didn't care.
"How many punches will he take?"
One of them bent down, grabbed the chains at my wrists, and yanked me toward them.
Clang.
"Aghh!"
I groaned, surprised by the sudden pull and the pain.
It felt like something stabbed into my stomach while the metal tightened around my skin.
Another answered.
"If you don't hit with full strength...at least ten."
Clang.
The chains were pulled again, harder.
"Arggh!"
Pain tore through me.
"Ten? I will make it in six."
He pulled me upright, forcing me to face him.
I could barely see—blood and tears blurred everything—but I caught their silhouettes before a fist filled my vision.
"One."
Smash.
"Aggh!"
My head snapped back as he hit me straight in the face.
His other hand kept a tight grip on the chains, pulling my head forward again.
The shackles and collar tightened further under my 'resistance', metal cutting into skin, stopping my breath.
"Two."
The next count was spoken, and another fist descended, filling my vision before I could even steady myself.
My arm raised from reflex, shielding my face.
Thud.
His fist hit my arm.
It hurt—but less than before.
He raised his arm for the next strike but paused mid-motion with a clenched fist.
"Trying to defend yourself now? We should teach you what it means to be a slave. Hahah."
He chuckled for a moment, amused.
Then—
"Three."
His fist descended, aiming straight for my still raised arm.
Far stronger than before.
Crack.
I heard a sickening, crushing sound as my arm dropped down uselessly.
"Gha—!"
My limbs flared around under the immense pain.
It felt like my arm was torn off.
His hold on my chains made any movement useless.
The collar tightened further around my neck, stopping me mid-scream and forcing me to gasp for air.
It hurt too much.
His voice pierced through my pain.
"If we tell a slave to get hit—"
His hand rose again.
My other arm moved again, instinctively shielding myself.
Crack.
The impact smashed through my arm, reaching my face.
Smash.
Pain descended upon me again before I sagged forward, both arms hanging limply—but he didn't let me fall.
Clang.
The chains held me in place.
"—he gets hit."
The shackles tightened further around my limbs as my body was held up.
My vision was already turning dark.
I couldn't move, pain paralyzed me.
I couldn't scream, the collar didn't let me.
He didn't care and continued to speak, voice turning colder.
"You will receive a beating with a smile, you fucking noble."
I didn't even see the next punch.
"Five."
Smash.
I only felt pain.
Blood poured down my face, flooding my vision red, from my nose, over my face, to the floor.
Drip.
Blood.
I couldn't breathe.
Small gasps of air were all I got.
Every second dragged me closer to suffocation.
Still, he didn't stop.
Another fist filled my vision.
Smash.
An uppercut snapped my head back.
Everything went dark.
The last thing I heard was his voice.
"Six."