I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince

In the darkness of twilight, with my bag slung over my shoulder, I quickly made my way out of the Blackwood estate, taking steady steps.

Even at a fast pace, I knew it would be impossible to leave the estate by dawn, so securing transportation was my first priority. I briefly considered stealing one of the horses from the Blackwood stables, but doing so would undoubtedly give Harold an excuse to pursue me.

Harold had gone out of his way to let me leave without incident, and creating a reason for him to capture me would only increase my chances of being caught—and potentially punished. At this hour, borrowing a horse from the village was also impossible, as everyone would be asleep. That left me with one option for obtaining transportation: theft.

‘If I walk around this area, I’ll probably run into some bandits.’

Intentionally choosing a quiet, secluded mountain path far from the village, I strolled along, aware that a lone woman carrying a large bag would make an appealing target.

At my level, I could easily take down any ordinary group of bandits, and even if a wild monster appeared, it would hardly pose a threat. Remember that Hooked Tusks I faced at level 2? Even if a herd appeared in the woods, I’d wipe them out.

With that thought, I walked down the mountain path leading out of Blackwood territory, when suddenly I heard rustling from the underbrush, and something emerged.