TSS 03

⁜ Chapter 03….

 Count Hamilkar

What is a human being?

More precisely, when can something be called a “human”?

Is it when you can speak? Or when you can express thoughts through language? When you can control your bowel and bladder? Or is it simply the moment you are born?

Until I turned about three years old, I wasn’t sure whether I was really a “human.”
Having to rely entirely on others for every part of life was honestly exhausting.
The more autonomy I gained over my own life, the more relieved I felt—but at the same time, I grew greedier.

And in this place where I was born, District 14, children under the age of three didn’t seem to be considered human either.
Even my cold-blooded mother had held a first-birthday celebration for me, but my father in District 14—who supposedly loved me very much—had not held one.
But when I turned three, he finally threw me a birthday party.

To be precise, it would be more accurate to say he used my birthday as an excuse to throw a party.

“May the daughter of the chief steward be blessed.”

When the king raised his glass, all the nobles followed suit, raising theirs and wishing me blessings.
What a ridiculous sight—adults drinking under the excuse of a three-year-old’s birthday.
But I smiled brightly. At this point, I had already learned that acting cute and harmless here was the best strategy.

“How adorable. She’s so adorable I can’t possibly not give her a gift.”
“Oh my, such a precious item. She’ll remember the goodwill of the lady along with this brooch as she grows up.”

They had realized that the money and gifts given today would become my personal property.
Oh, really? Then I’ll squeeze as much as I can.
I unleashed every cute act, every pretty gesture, every adorable trick I could think of.
Everything a cute child from TV would do, I copied it all.

Looking up like the Cat in Boots, bowing properly with tiny hands in formal etiquette, and clearly reciting praise that was acceptable in this world.
For example, things like, “Your lady’s eyes look as if stars have been set inside them.”
I scattered Casanova-like compliments without restraint.

I am a three-year-old girl. The ladies did not doubt my sincerity and gladly gave me even more.

“Oh my, you’ve brought another courtesan today.”

Suddenly, the tone of the noble ladies turned sharp.
Sitting neatly beside my mother, I glanced toward the woman they were calling a “courtesan.”

Of course, a well-behaved child should not stare openly. Good children must distinguish “adult conversations” and pretend not to hear.

“I heard the Countess may have committed suicide.”
“I don’t like her either. That barbarian.”
“No sense of shame or dignity. Ever since the lady passed away, he keeps bringing different women every time.”
“And now he’s even brought a child. Truly disgusting.”

Listening more carefully, it seemed their target of criticism was not the woman but a man.

Soon, I saw him enter the hall.

A massive man walking in with a slender woman and a boy my age.
He wore armor stained with blood and dirt, walking into the banquet hall as if he carried death itself with him.

Just looking at that expressionless man made my skin crawl.
It felt like the stench of blood clung to him.

“Count, you’re late again this time!”

The king greeted him with a laugh, though his tone carried an edge.

The count responded with a light bow.

“I encountered monsters on my way to the young lady’s birthday party and was delayed. Do not worry. I, Hamilkar, have protected the king’s lands.”

Wait… what? Who?

I quickly covered my mouth and mouthed the words.

“What was the first Revelation again?”

I discovered shortly after birth that even if I only moved my lips without speaking, the “program” (as I decided to call it—because I couldn’t exactly call it those rude floating letters) would understand me.

At first I could only cry “waaah,” but even that had been recognized as communication.
After testing it, I realized that as long as I moved my lips, the program would interpret my intent.
In other words, it did not read my thoughts directly.

[ The first Revelation given to you by Gerka, God of Wisdom and Learning, is to marry Count Hamilkar before the age of twenty. ]

Even when the king openly insulted him—saying something like, “The count is good at swordsmanship and talking, though there’s not much else better than his loyalty”—the count’s expression did not change at all.

Setting aside his attitude, he looked slightly younger than my father.
And I was supposed to marry that man? Seriously, Gerka, are you insane?

No. Wait.

I looked at the boy standing like a statue beside the count.
Honestly, he was the most handsome child I had ever seen in either of my lives.

But don’t boys like that usually grow up awkwardly later?

Still, even if he did, he would surely be better than a man old enough to be my father.

Right. Gerka is a god, so the “Count Hamilkar” he meant must be that boy.

There’s no way it could be that blood-soaked, serial-killer-looking old man. Impossible.

Even when I turned twelve, Count Hamilkar remained unchanged.

That’s when I started to doubt.

Could it really be that Gerka meant that exact blood-stinking, serial-killer-looking man?

Just imagining his fierce expression and blood-stained armor sent chills down my spine.
I was supposed to become the wife of someone like that? I wouldn’t even be able to hold his hand.

Ah, right. When I was three, I still didn’t understand this world properly.

It turned out this place was absolute chaos.

A world where a fifteen-year-old girl could become the second wife of a man over fifty.

Well, it’s medieval times, so I guess it makes sense. Didn’t Joseon also have thirteen-year-old marriages? Sure, that happens.

…But still! There are even mages here, right? If magic exists, shouldn’t mentality evolve too?
If magic exists, why is child marriage still a thing? I seriously don’t understand.

Anyway, I’m twelve now. Still young for marriage, but not unheard of in this world.
And in three years, at fifteen, I’ll be of marriageable age.
In this world, fifteen or sixteen is considered adulthood. You’re expected to carry your weight as a human being.
And that includes reproduction. The population is severely lacking in this era.

Of course, I had asked the “program” many things.
Whether I could change the Revelation, whether I could complete the second one first, and even what would happen if I dodged the “fee.”

[ Your soul must devote itself in District 14 until ten gods are satisfied. ]

Was this about the same gods who gave a three-year-old girl a marriage order with a suspicious old man?

What exactly does “devote itself” even mean until they’re satisfied?

[ It is unknown what the gods desire. However, whatever they command cannot be refused. ]

Are there even souls that are currently being “devoted”?

[ Yes. ]

What percentage of those souls have been released after satisfying the gods?

[ 0%. ]

What the hell. That’s basically an eternal slavery contract.

I gave up all thoughts of dodging the fee.
The Revelations must be completed.

Which means I have to marry Count Hamilkar.

Ah. The difficulty spike is insane right from the start.

Still, there is no way back.

I set my resolve and moved forward.

The first step was to create a connection with Hamilkar.

For that, I had to go to his domain.

The problem was that I was only a twelve-year-old girl, and in this world—just like in the modern one—it was impossible for a noble girl that age to travel alone.

So I had to take another approach.

I searched through my father’s study, combing through everything about the Hamilkar territory.
I was desperate for anything useful.

It was fortunate that my father, who adored me so much, allowed me access to books.
Carefully turning parchment pages with lavender-scented powder on my hands to keep them dry, I finally found something useful.

The Hamilkar territory lies at the eastern edge of the continent.
It borders the Amein Empire, and along this border lies a high mountain range called the “Mountain of Light,” where snow never melts throughout the year.
It is the highest mountain in the kingdom, with about fifteen peaks over 2,000 meters stretching across nearly 30 kilometers.

And on one of those peaks, known as the “Grand Cathedral Hall,” there is a legend.

According to legend, the gods once split into two factions and fought a war, eventually descending upon the human realm and agreeing to a truce on that mountain peak.

That peak became the “Grand Cathedral Hall,” though it reeks strongly of propaganda.

Because of this, major temples from across the continent were built there.
Among them is the temple of the very god who cursed me with this fate—Gerka.

In this world, it is highly recommended that noble daughters study at a temple for two or three years before marriage.
Especially at Gerka’s temple, which is top-tier. It would normally be difficult to enter, but as the daughter of the chief steward, I would likely get a free pass.

Once inside the count’s territory, I could study at Gerka’s temple and use it as a way to get closer to Hamilkar.

However, this seemingly perfect plan ran into its first major obstacle.