CHAPTER 99: A UNIQUE SKILL!

The boy’s eyes lit up like stars, his fingers trembling as he clutched the food. But the moment he took a bite, heads turned. Hollow eyes locked onto the strip of meat, hungry and desperate. Another hand reached out, then another, tentative but pleading.

Rin scratched the back of his head with a nervous laugh. "You guys are gonna eat me alive at this rate."

Still, he dug deeper into his inventory. One by one, he pulled out more strips of jerky... thick, chewy slices, enough to share among the dozen or so omegas crammed into the carriage. He thanked his past self for being greedy enough to swipe half a log of meat from Evan’s stores. The omegas didn’t care where it came from. They tore into it, some with tears streaming down their faces, others whispering gratitude between bites.

"Thank you..." one murmured, her voice choked with emotion.

"May the goddess bless you..." another said, clutching the meat like it was gold.

"You saved us..." a third whispered, his voice barely audible.

Rin waved them off, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Don’t thank me. I’m not a hero. Just... eat before they notice."

The boy beside him chewed slowly, savouring every bite. After swallowing, he looked up, his eyes softer now. "I’m Kiro," he whispered. "What’s your name?"

"Rin," he replied simply, keeping his voice low.

Others began to speak, their voices hesitant at first, then growing bolder. Names filled the air—Lia, Taren, Soren, Mira—tiny fragments of lives torn apart by betrayal, greed, or fear. Rin listened quietly, his heart heavy but steady. He didn’t tell them much about himself—he couldn’t risk it—but their stories made the iron cage feel a little less suffocating. For the first time since his capture, he felt a flicker of something like hope.

"Lia," a girl with matted red hair said, her voice soft but firm. "My village thought I was cursed. They handed me over to these slavers to ’cleanse’ their land."

"My father sold me to pay his debts," Taren, a lanky boy with haunted eyes, muttered. "Didn’t even say goodbye."

"I ran," Soren, a wiry omega with a scar across his lip, said. "Thought I could make it to the border. They caught me before I got halfway."

Rin’s jaw tightened, but he kept his expression neutral. "You’re all stronger than they think," he said quietly. "They wouldn’t chain you up if they weren’t scared of you."

Kiro looked up at him, his eyes wide. "You think so?"

"I know so," Rin said, forcing a grin. "They’re just too stupid to see it."

A few of the omegas chuckled, the sound soft but real, cutting through the gloom. For a moment, the carriage felt less like a prison and more like a refuge, a tiny pocket of defiance in a world that wanted to crush them.

But the moment didn’t last.

The carriage jolted, slowing to a halt. Shouts echoed from outside, sharp and urgent. Rin stiffened, his heart slamming into his ribs. The omegas fell silent, their eyes wide with fear.

"Huh? Aren’t those... Vortellion knights?" Lia whispered, her voice trembling.

Rin’s blood ran cold. His fingers curled into fists, nails biting into his palms. If Evan’s men found him now, it was over. The system’s mission—his escape—would mean nothing.

A booming voice cut through the air, cold and commanding.

"We’re looking for an omega with silver hair. Bring him out if he’s with you!"

Every head in the carriage snapped toward Rin. He bit his lip so hard it bled, the coppery taste sharp on his tongue.

The slaver outside... the lean one who’d dismissed Rin earlier... responded smoothly, his voice calm but firm. "Silver hair? Haven’t seen anyone like that."

The knight’s voice hardened. They didn’t want to believe the man’s words.

"We’ll check."

Rin’s stomach dropped. His mind raced, searching for a way out, but the carriage was a cage, and the chains on his ankles were real. He was trapped. He was trembling in fear of getting caught again and being taken back to the Duke.

And then, soft fingers grabbed him.

Lia, the red-haired omega, yanked him closer, her movements quick and desperate. Before he could protest, she smeared something foul-smelling into his hair... mud, ash, and something rancid, like rotting leaves. Another omega, Taren, grabbed a handful of dirt from the carriage floor and rubbed it across Rin’s face, dulling the pale glow of his skin.

"Stay still," Lia whispered fiercely, her eyes blazing with determination.

Soren and Mira pressed in, their bodies shielding him, tucking him deeper into the group. Rin’s eyes widened, his breath catching. They were... protecting him? After everything, after he’d given them nothing but a few scraps of food?

The carriage door groaned open, the sound like a death knell. A knight stepped inside, his armour clanking, a glowing mana lamp in his hand. The light swept over them, harsh and unforgiving, casting long shadows across the huddled omegas.

Rin’s heart pounded so loud he was sure the knight would hear it. He couldn’t hide—not really. His silver hair, even smeared with filth, might still give him away.

So he coughed. Hard. A deep, hacking sound that made his chest ache.

One by one, the others joined in. Lia gagged, her body shaking with the effort. Soren groaned, clutching his stomach.

Mira lunged toward the knight, her voice rasping,

"Help me! It spreads!"

The knight recoiled, his face paling under his helmet. "Infectious disease!" Taren wheezed, doubling over for effect.

The guard stumbled back, nearly dropping his lamp.

"Tch—filthy pests!" he spat, kicking Soren aside as he scrambled out of the carriage. The door slammed shut, the bolt sliding into place with a heavy thud.

From outside, Rin heard the knight bark, "They’re sick! The silver-haired brat’s not here. Let’s keep searching!"

The slaver who’d lied earlier strolled back, his boots crunching on the gravel. He bolted the door, his voice low as he muttered to another guard, "Let’s move before they come back."

Rin exhaled shakily, his body trembling with relief. He turned to the others, his throat tight.

"Why... why did you do that?"

Lia smiled faintly, her eyes soft but fierce.

"It’s payback. For the food."

Kiro nodded, his small hand brushing against Rin’s arm. "You helped us. So we’ll help you."

Soren smirked, rubbing his side where the knight had kicked him.

"Besides, I hate those Vortellion bastards. Sticking it to them feels good."

Rin’s chest ached, a mix of gratitude and guilt swelling inside him. He blinked hard, forcing back the tears threatening to spill.

"You guys are terrible at pretending," he said, managing a crooked grin. "But... thanks. Really."

Mira reached out, squeezing his hand gently. "We’re in this together now," she whispered. "Whatever happens."

Rin nodded, his throat too tight to speak. For the first time in days, he didn’t feel alone.

The night stretched on, the carriage rattling over uneven roads as the forest gave way to the outskirts of the capital.

By morning, the wheels clattered against cobblestones, the sound sharp and rhythmic. Rin’s heart raced as a new notification chimed in his mind.

DING!

[System Notification: Escape from Duke Evan Vortellion successful.]

[Reward: Unique Skill acquired—Memory Echo.]

"Huh?..."