Shadow
Chapter 3
Stolen Freedom
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"I am Asma… just an ordinary girl who graduated and worked all my life with relentless effort, dreaming of building a better life for me and my grandfather after my parents’ death. But he, too, left me before I could achieve anything! I am alone now… no, lonelier than ever before…
I don’t know what this place is! Why am I here? And what role do I have in all of this?
Who are these people? And how did my grandfather know them? Yet one thing is certain: everything he described about the Kingdom of the Dark Nymphs in his bedtime stories… matches exactly what I saw with my own eyes here! This is definitely not a dream… In any case, I will trust no one here!"

.................................

At the university hospital, Sundus and her mother wept as they looked through the window of the intensive care unit.
Asma was completely unconscious… or rather, only her body lay there. In the resuscitation room, she hovered at the edge of death.

A policeman came to take Sundus’s statement.

• "Alright, what did you see, miss?"
• "I left Asma asleep at around nine in the evening. About three hours later, near midnight, I was standing on the balcony when I saw her walking alone, still asleep, on the main street. Suddenly, a truck came speeding and hit her!"
• "You live in the apartment below hers, correct?"
• "Yes, sir."
• "You didn’t hear anything unusual?"
• *"No, sir. Everything was perfectly quiet…" *
• "Does she usually walk in her sleep?"
• *"Of course, not… this is the first time I’ve ever seen her like this…" *
• *"Perhaps this state is the result of her grief over her grandfather’s death… according to the doctor’s diagnosis. Anyway, thank you, miss. Be strong…" *

…

No shadow appeared for Asma.
Instead, a shadow moved freely inside the room, revealing a glowing violet eye.

…………….

Meanwhile, in Norton’s grand palace hall, surrounded by guards and servants, Shadow and Asma sat at the lavish table while the servants prepared dinner.
Shadow made a dark cloud above the table, from which an image of Asma’s body in the hospital emerged.

• "That is your body there, as I’ve already told you."
• "Y… you weren’t lying about that…"

Asma looked distressed, and Shadow stared at her coldly.

• "Don’t be afraid! You won’t die… your condition is stable. One of my eyes is there—if anything happens, I’ll act immediately. Do not worry."

But Asma’s eyes showed nothing but discomfort and absolute distrust.

The servants brought the food. She was shocked to see the king’s dishes: raw meat and bones dripping with black blood. Yet, strangely, he ate with perfect elegance. By contrast, they served her a plate of fresh salad.

She pushed the plate away and pinched her nose shut.

Shadow looked her up and down.

• "You need food to survive. You know that well."
• *"No, thank you… no… thanks… haha… hahahaha…" *

Shadow ignored her, continued eating, wiped his mouth with a napkin, then gestured for her and Lady Litchie before leaving.

Since Asma refused to eat, Lady Litchie escorted her to her room.

• "My Queen! This is your chamber, and from now on, everything here belongs to you."
• "Um… if I’ve ever disrespected you in any way before, forgive me. I didn’t mean to be rude."

Lady Litchie froze for a moment, surprised, then blushed.

• *"Y-your Majesty! Thank you for your kindness…" *
• "Hehe… you’re shy!"

Lady Litchie lowered her gaze in silence.

• "Alright, Lady Litchie… I have a favor to ask."
• "At your command, my Queen!"
• "I… I don’t feel safe. You know what I mean… I don’t know why I’m here or what’s happening. But I want to return to my world, even if it means dying there… I’m afraid of the unknown."

Lady Litchie stared at her silently, which made Asma laugh, as if she didn’t understand a word.

• "Will you say something?"
• "My Queen! What exactly should I say? I’m at your disposal!"
• "I said I don’t feel safe!"
• "You… don’t feel safe?!"

Lady Litchie took it seriously and clapped her hands. The door opened, and in walked a distinguished Dark Fairy knight: a striking warrior with long, braided pink hair.

• "Ivanka! How careless of you! The Queen doesn’t feel safe!"
• "Forgive me, Lady Litchie!"
• "Don’t apologize to me! Apologize to the Queen!"

Asma gestured that it was unnecessary—what nonsense was this?

• "Forgive me, Your Majesty! This mistake will never happen again as long as I live," Ivanka bowed.
• "No, no… why all this? You didn’t do anything wrong!"

Lady Litchie quickly covered the situation.

• "Your Majesty! There is no need to be worried anymore! This is Ivanka Baron, the strongest knight and your personal guard. She is now also your royal assistant."

Asma rolled her eyes, but deep down, she understood Litchie’s good intentions despite her hopeless cluelessness.

• "Thank you… it’s an honor to be served by you. I’m also glad to have you with me, Ivanka."
• "It is my honor, your majesty."

Ivanka was calm like a droplet falling on still water, yet sharp-eyed like a falcon. What skills was this girl hiding?

Lady Litchie brought out nightgowns for the Queen, while Ivanka began combing Asma’s hair, preparing her for bed.
Asma resolved to question Ivanka tomorrow…

............................

In the King’s chamber, Shadow lay on a soft-backed couch in informal clothes.
There was a knock on the door. From the sound alone, Shadow knew who it was.

• "Enter."

A red-haired Dark Merman strode in—handsome, mischievous, childish.

• "My King hasn’t slept yet!"
• "Since when are you polite, Evan?"
• "Are you saying I’m impolite? Ha! You’re the one my father picked up from the streets!"

Shadow glared, the veins on his neck bulging.
Evan swallowed hard.

• "Y-you know I was joking, right? Don’t punish me, please! I’m tired of cleaning Shadow Carpet’s feces."
• "Then respect your place as a prince and the rightful heir of Norton. You won’t become king until I name you as such after your father."
• "Alright, alright, I get it… But I came for something else. Something important!"
• "Speak."
• "My King, I heard you brought Asma’s shadow here. Have you begun your plan?"
• "Yes. There’s no other way."
• "But isn’t this against the contract’s rules?!"

Shadow smirked coldly and whispered:

• *"Don’t worry. I haven’t broken a single clause. I am working for the Queen’s comfort…" *

Evan gave him a sorrowful, cautious smile.

• *"You are the king, and after my father’s death you became my guardian. I never opposed you in the five hundred years I’ve lived… except this time…" *
• "You’re still foolish, Evan. You haven’t grown up. You’re still a boy."
• "No! This is essential. I won’t hurt my childhood friend for the so-called greater good! Your plan won’t work, my King!"
• "You came just to say that?"
• "Yes."
• "Then brush your teeth well before sleeping."

Evan groaned and left.

............................

Deep in the night, Shadow rested in his bed.

"I am Shadow… Ruler of the Valley of Darkness. I command every ghostly power, control human shadows, and steal them. All spirits bow to me. The possessions of the war dead belong to my kingdom and enrich my people. I am among the most terrifying, wretched beings alive. I bring doom to the unlucky who behold me. Whoever sees me either perishes or is enslaved, joining my loyal phantoms. The blood of the slain is our perfume! Their wealth is ours! Their shadows, our soldiers—whether human or nymphs! Except for one man…
Yes, that cursed man who dared to enslave me!"

Shadow’s mind blurred with the image of a man resembling Asma’s grandfather in his youth—laughing.

Shadow grimaced at the fleeting memory, then smiled darkly and whispered:

"So, this is what a slave feels like. I will be free… I will free myself, Asma, and my people! I swear it! This is the vow of the Valley of Darkness king!"

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