CHAPTER 421: THE FATE SHE NEVER CHOSE TO FOLLOW.

He looked around the room once before his eyes settled on the large, king-sized bed sitting in the back. More accurately, he was looking at the girl standing beside it, twiddling her fingers. She was the same girl he had his eyes on just earlier, only now she was out of the maid outfit.

Her slender body was wrapped in a short nightgown, the fabric of which was nearly transparent, exposing the contours of her underdeveloped body. Her long blond hair cascaded down her back, and her bare, thin arms quivered ever so slightly. One could tell at a glance that she was doing her best to remain still, but to no avail.

Feeling a smile tug at the corners of his mouth, Starmer walked over and stood in front of her. Though he was far from the tallest man in the world, his bulky frame still towered over the little girl, making her look even smaller. He slowly raised his hand and grabbed her chin, forcing her gaze up. As their eyes met and he saw the tear forming on hers, a twisted sense of joy filled his heart.

"What is your name?"

The girl’s mouth moved, but no words came out of it until he tightened his grip on her chin.

"M-Marie... my name is... Marie."

"Marie, huh? That’s a beautiful name." He said. "Marie..."

He gazed at her for a few seconds, and with each one, his hunger grew more vocal. No longer able to withstand it, he let go of her and took a step back, but not to retreat.

"Listen very carefully, Marie." As he spoke, he began taking off his suit one piece at a time. "Uncle here reaaaally likes good girls. Are you a good girl?"

"Y-yes." She replied, her voice trembling. "I... I’m a good girl..."

As his pants dropped to the floor, he went about removing his shirt.

"Good girl, listen to what they are told, right?"

"Y-yes..."

"Great." Left with only his underwear on, Starmer turned to face the girl. "No need to be scared. Uncle just wants to have some fun with you, that’s all." He said. "If uncle has fun today, he will make sure you are always taken care of, do you understand?"

"... yes..."

"Good." He nodded. "Now, take off your clothes, and get on the bed."

Whether his words registered or not, the girl didn’t move right away. Starmer didn’t mind it at all. In fact, he very much enjoyed this part. The thin gown fell to the floor, leaving the girl completely bare. She squirmed, trying to hide her privates, but to no avail. His orders rang in her head, and she turned to face the bed. Her body froze at that moment, and once it moved again, she staggered back instead of the other way.

Watching her shake her head, tears trickling down her cheeks, Starmer’s smile widened, and he could no longer hold himself back. Stepping toward the girl, he grabbed her by the arm and lifted her effortlessly, and tossed her on the bed.

She let out a yelp as her frail body bounced slightly off the soft mattress. The instant she regained her senses, the girl tried to crawl away, but the large man was already after her.

"N-no!"

He grabbed her leg as he climbed onto the bar, pulling her toward before forcing her onto her back. Holding her in place, he slowly lowered his head, bringing his face close to hers. The sick grin splitting his face parted, and his tongue slipped out. The girl struggled with every ounce of power her small body could muster, but the instant that slimy tongue touched her face, she became as still as a statue.

Something inside her shattered at that moment, and the world around her began to fade into white nothingness. She didn’t know it herself, but her mind had already given in to despair. It saw no path out for her, and thus it decided to shut down everything and spare her the ugliness of the fate she never chose to follow.

As the details began to fade, she saw the man lean back, still looking at her with the same nasty grin he had worn all this time. She didn’t want to look at him, and so she used whatever was left of her will to shift her gaze away.

The bed’s canopy came into sight, like the ceiling of the cage she was trapped in. It, too, began to fade into nothingness, but just as it disappeared entirely, something drew the girl’s attention, momentarily allowing her to forget about the nightmare she was forced to live.

Its shape was hard to discern in the dark, but she was able to make out a few details, including the six thin legs, the long tail, and the large single eye glowing a menacing red. It appeared to be an insect of some kind, one so large it struck fear into anyone whose sight it caught.

Marie couldn’t react. As creepy as it was, a single spider couldn’t possibly make the situation she was in any worse. She entertained the idea that it might be venomous and that it would fall on the monster toying with her and kill him in a single bite. Unfortunately for her, such fantasies were bound to remain just that.

"GAHH!!!"

A pained cry shattered her thoughts, and she felt a faint gust wash over her next. A loud bang startled and echoed through the room, somehow erasing the shock that had left her motionless. It was then that she realized the monster was no longer holding her down.

Fear still gripping her heart, she slowly pushed herself up, her gaze shifting in the direction of the noise. She saw the monster climb out of a hole in the wall, dust and debris falling off his naked body, his face twisted into a horrifying glare. That glare wasn’t directed at her, however. Someone else was with them in that room, and when her eyes caught sight of him, a seed of hope unknowingly sprouted in her heart.