Strongest Maid In Another World

"We can’t do this! This is just insane!" The voice of Loraine’s mother rang out in their small home, reverberating throughout the walls as the voices of her parents were engaged in a fierce argument.

"This is the only way! If we don’t do this we’ll starve to death! She was our last hope, and she too turned out to be a dud! This family is doomed!"

"If we don’t sell her off, we’re going to die! Don’t you understand that!?" Her father said, his voice laced with urgency as he tried to convince Loraine’s mother, the woman breaking down in tears at the predicament they were facing.

Loraine, who was just a child at that time, hid behind a corner, watching her parents arguing and her mother breaking down, she didn’t understand what was going on. She didn’t like it when her parents fought, as they were struggling just to get by day by day, as being Common Class beings, they couldn’t do much to earn and live.

"The child is a failure, yes! So what if Loraine is an unawakened being!? She’s still just a child! We need to seriously think this through!" Her mother’s voice rang out.

"We could...we could try harder, perhaps try looking some place else, even if she’s unawakened...she’s still our chil-"

"I don’t care about that damn girl!" Her father shouted, slamming his fist on the table as he glared fiercely at the woman. "We already have 2 other mouths to feed, and Loraine too was a failure!" He said, his voice brimming with rage.

Loraine’s mother was stunned at her husband’s outburst, eyes wide as she didn’t know how to react to this at all. Seeing this, the man calmed himself down and began to spoke in a more rational tone, running a hand through his hair as he did so.

"Look Julie, we can’t keep this up for much longer. We’ve been trying again and again, there’s no hope left, if we’re going to have to do this again, one of them has to go." He said with a sigh.

"Sob...are you sure this is the only way? She’s only a child, Mark..." Her mother sobbed, too terrified at the idea of selling their one and only child. The demand just to live in this world was cruel, as without power to your name, you were nothing, and they had nothing.

But this was the world of Valeria, your Class and Talent determined everything, and if those requirements couldn’t be met, then you were going to have a rough time trying to survive.

"I know this is difficult," Mark spoke up, sighing as he scratched his head. "But this is the only way we’re going to be able to survive a bit longer, Julie," He said, looking out into the village from their window.

"Besides, she’s not going to be living in some dump, I’ve managed to get her a nice home, because of our daughter’s beauty she’ll fetch a high price if we were to sell her off as a servant, and that should buy us some time to figure things out."

Julie didn’t respond for a while, still struggling to come to a decision.

Loraine clutched the teddy bear close to her chest, not able to listen to more of their arguments. She was going to be sold off, she was going to be sacrificed by her own parents, te though send a bone-chilling fear down her spine.

’No....they wouldn’t do that, right?’

’Mom and dad love me....right?’

But young Loraine’s hopes were shattered as just after a few days, Loraine and her family had to travel to a nearby town, her parents having disguised the trip as a fun experience that had Loraine excited and happy to go, as she barely left the village she grew up in at all.

As they arrived at the bustling streets of the town, the atmosphere was immediately tense as a dark carriage made it’s way towards them, a powerful figure stepping out as he walked up to them, his guards following closely behind, the Ashbourne crest on his chest.

’Huh...what’s going on?’ Loraine turned to look at her father, but the man’s gaze was hard focused on the important figure approaching them, Loraine’s heart clenching in her chest from unease and a sense of dread.

"We greet your excellence, Lord Ashbourne." Mark said as he gracefully bowed, Loraine and her family doing so as well to pay their respects.

Kain’s gaze landed on Loraine, the girl’s beauty standing out among her family, his eyes squinting in discernment as if to calculate her value.

"Is this the girl?" Kain asked coldly, raising a brow, Loraine flinching in surprise. "So you weren’t bluffing, I’m surprised someone like her came from a meager village." He said, Mark nodding respectfully as he spoke.

"Yes sir, this is Loraine, my daughter." Mark said, grabbing Loraine by her shoulders and pushing her forward, presenting her towards him like an offering. "I know she is classless, but her beauty more than makes up for it, I’m sure she could become an excellent servant if you let her." Mark spoke, being able to hear a slight sob coming from Julie at his words, but he ignored it.

Loraine’s world shattered, her eyes widening in shock, fear, and mortifying dread all at once as she gazed up at her father, unable to accept the reality of what she had just heard.

’Servant...?’ Loraine thought, recalling back to the argument between her parents, realization dawning upon her that she wasn’t brought here to have fun, and it was all a ploy to get rid of her, to sell her off to a noble family.

Kain remained silent for a moment, contemplating his decision for a bit. She was classless, his mood turning sour the moment those words caught his ears, if it weren’t for how beautiful she was, he would’ve closed off the deal and have them executed for handing him such trash.

"Alright, I’ll take her." Kain said, Mark’s eyes gleaming as a elated smile bloomed on his face. "But only at half price, because she is classless." He said, and just as quickly Mark’s expression turned sour.

’Half price...’ Mark thought, looking back at his family, that won’t be enough to last a while, but if they refused, they might never get a chance like this again.

"Deal," Mark said, as Kain tossed him a pouch of silver coins, the jingle in the pouch signifying Loraine’s purchase as she quickly turned around to face her father, her eyes burning with anger, sadness, and confusion.

"Why did you do that!? I thought we were here to have fun, you lied to me!" Loraine lashed out, Mark ignoring her as he counted the coins in his pouch, further angering Loraine as she grabbed his arm and clawed at his wrist with her nails to get his attention.

"You said you loved me! You told me you’d always protect me! Why are you letting go of me now!" Loraine yelled at him, a crowd starting to form at the spectacle as murmurs and gossip began to surround them.

"That’s enough!"

SLAP

Mark’s hand flew across her face, the slap echoing through the air as time itself seemed to slow down for Loraine, shock plastered all over her face as she couldn’t believe what just transpired. It took her a few seconds to realize that she had been hit, the sharp, burning sting throbbing against her face as she cautiously touched her face.

’He...he hit me....’ Loraine thought to herself, her hand trembling as tears began to stream down her face, her eyes wandering to her family as they felt far more disconnected to her, as if they were strangers she couldn’t recognize.

"Stop looking at me like that and be useful for once!" Mark yelled, turning his attention to Kain as he bowed his head. "Forgive me, she has yet to learn her manners." Mark apologized to the nobleman.

"If all is settled, then we shall leave." Kain said, turning to his guards to grab the girl as he began making his way back to his carriage, the guards grabbing Loraine by her arms and beginning to drag her off, her heart racing frantically in her chest as she started to panick.

"Noooooo!" Loraine cried, tears streaming down her face as she desperately tried to reach for her parents, but they stood still, not moving, not caring, as Loraine’s heart shattered at the sight, unable to believe her parents could do such a thing.

"Don’t let them take me away! Please!" Loraine begged, as she was mounted into the carriage, the door slamming shut and locking her inside as she jumped toward the window, gazing outside as her family began to fade into the distance, slumping back into the seat utterly defeated and hopeless.

’They...they didn’t do anything...’

"Your family won’t be coming to save you," Kain spoke up, his voice sending a jolt of fear through her being.

"Starting today, you belong to me, and you will do everything I say."