We were escorted back to what would be our final resting place. However, instead of being placed in the carriage that we used before, we were thrown into a prison wagon.

  My shoulders sagged, eyes fixed on the wooden floor. Resistance had long since left me. My body felt heavy, and my mind was consumed by an endless cycle of regret.

  As the iron door slammed shut behind us, two familiar faces approached-a mother and her son, the ones we had helped before.

  The woman, with a sorrowful gaze, gently touched the wound on my face. Her fingers, slightly wrinkled with age, felt warm against my stinging skin. "Are you both alright?" she asked softly, her voice carrying the same warmth as a teacher comforting her students.

  I didn't respond. Even nodding felt difficult. On the other side, her son watched Eve anxiously, noticing how she clutched her leg in pain, struggling to endure it without making a sound.

  Our silence was soon broken when the head guard returned from the forest, walking past us with something in his hand-Elephant Earbud. I froze instantly.

  His cold eyes scanned our group before settling on me. My heart pounded as I realized my mistake. I had dropped one of the most important tools that connected us to Lucky.

  Damn it.

  We had been so close to freedom, yet everything crumbled because of my carelessness.

  The head guard said nothing. He merely gestured to the carriage pullers to start moving and ordered tighter security.

  I remained silent, letting my body sway as the wagon rattled toward Hogmar Kingdom. Throughout the journey, the mother and son watched us with concern, as if ensuring we were still holding on.

  Hours passed in silence before Eve finally spoke with them. I didn't participate-I only listened from my seat.

  The woman introduced herself as Carla Whitmore, a former middle school teacher. Her son, Daniel Whitmore, was a courier. They had been captured while returning home after she finished her classes.

  Carla had dark hair streaked with strands of silver, tied simply at the back. Her once neat, brown teacher's attire was now worn and dirty. Daniel, on the other hand, wore an old leather jacket, his messy black hair adding to his rugged appearance.

  They spoke of many things-how they were captured, their lives before this. Occasionally, they tried to comfort me, but I couldn't respond. I felt like a walking corpse, just like the other prisoners awaiting whatever fate had in store for us.

  Several times, we stopped for rest. After a long journey through the forest, we finally reached a vast grassland. In the distance, the kingdom came into view-grand yet terrifying.

  Hogmar Kingdom.

  Towering walls fortified the enormous city within. Even from afar, we could see how vast and powerful this place was.

  Before long, we arrived at the kingdom's massive gates. The wagon stopped for inspection. A pig humanoid, clad in armor and heavily armed, approached us. His small, beady eyes scanned each prisoner, counting us one by one.

  I noticed the head guard pointing at me and Eve, speaking with the soldier. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but my gut told me it wasn't good news.

  Just before the gates opened, a large cloth was thrown over the wagon, covering the entire interior. We couldn't see a thing-but our sense of smell was immediately overwhelmed.

  Roasted meat. Sharp spices. Sweet, intoxicating aromas.

  Hunger.

  Our empty stomachs screamed for food, but fear kept us silent.

  The scent of food saturated every corner of the kingdom. Outside, the narrow cobbled streets were lined with vibrant stalls. Vendors of various species shouted, offering roasted meat, spiced soups, and strange, tempting sweets. At the heart of the city, a towering castle loomed over the bustling marketplace.

  In the quieter alleys, thick smoke curled from open kitchens. Street chefs worked skillfully, chopping, grilling, and stirring massive pots of simmering broth.

  Meanwhile, at the market's center, long communal tables were packed with crowds fighting for a taste of the kingdom's finest delicacies.

  The world outside was lively, colorful-full of flavor.

  Suddenly, Eve trembled.

  Her eyes widened in realization.

  "So this whole time... they were bringing us here?" she whispered, her voice laced with panic.

  Daniel, who was trying to peek from behind the cloth, frowned. "Why? Isn't this just the same as the previous dog kingdom?"

  Carla, noticing Eve's unease, also asked, "Is this place worse?"

  Eve didn't answer right away. Her breathing became labored, and her face grew even paler. "This... isn't just worse." Her voice trembled. "This is the worst."

  Carla and Daniel exchanged confused glances. "What do you mean?"

  Eve swallowed hard, her body shaking violently. "This kingdom is... a culinary kingdom."

  Silence fell instantly.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  Eve lifted her head, her eyes filled with real terror.

  "And most likely... we are all going to be their food."

  Carla covered her mouth, stifling a scream. Daniel froze, his face drained of color.

  Fear now enveloped us all.

  "We're all going to be killed and eaten by them?" Daniel's voice trembled, his wide eyes searching his mother's face as if hoping this was all just a misunderstanding.

  The prisoners erupted into panic. Some screamed, some whispered prayers with trembling voices, while others backed into the corners of the train, their faces deathly pale. Carla gripped Daniel's hand tightly, her breathing unsteady. "No... this can't be..." she whispered, her voice barely audible over the commotion.

  A deep voice from outside suddenly rang out, followed by a heavy thud against the train's walls. "Silence, or you'll die before you even get a chance to survive!" a guard barked.

  Silence. As if that threat alone was enough to freeze our fear in place.

  Moments later, the wagon came to a stop. Cold sweat trickled down my temple, my heart pounding as the cloth covering our wagon was pulled away, revealing a narrow, dimly lit stone corridor. The distant glow of lanterns, spaced far apart, cast long shadows along the sturdy walls.

  We were forced to disembark and lined up along the wall. In the distance, the Canidran guards handed us over to the Porcusian guards before turning away. I caught a glimpse of Lucky walking off, hoping he would stay safe and that his role in helping us wouldn't be discovered.

  After that, we were given prison uniforms-plain white clothes with strange symbols on the back-and ordered to change into them immediately.

  "I refuse to change in public, especially in front of men," Eve protested, her sharp gaze fixed on the guard.

  The guard stared at her coldly before raising an electric baton. "Your choice. You can change yourself now, or we'll do it for you," he threatened flatly.

  There was no other option. Reluctantly, we all began changing on the spot, leaving no room for objections.

  As I put on the uniform, I noticed something strange-the symbol on my shirt was different from the others.

  My clothing bore the symbol: ???? - ?.

  Eve's had: ???? - ?.

  Carla's read: ????.

  Daniel's was: ????.

  I exchanged a glance with Eve, seeing the same confusion in her eyes. Why did our symbols have an extra character at the end, while the others only had four symbols? What did this mean?

  Once we had all changed, we were led down a long corridor toward a massive prison and then divided into groups. Four people per cell. Since I had been walking with Eve, Carla, and Daniel from the beginning, we were placed in the same cell.

  The moment the iron bars closed behind us, Eve let out her frustration. "Another prison! What's the point of winning the games if we still get treated like this?! Do they have no respect at all?!" she fumed, pacing restlessly.

  Daniel sat against the wall, massaging his mother's leg, which had started to ache again, while I remained silent, observing them.

  A few minutes later, the guards arrived with food. On a dull metal tray, there was a portion of thick corn porridge with a small amount of minced meat on top, accompanied by a slightly hard piece of wheat bread. But the most surprising thing was the small carton of cold milk-an unexpected luxury in a place like this. There was also a metal cup filled with water placed at the edge of the tray.

  We had no other choice but to eat. And surprisingly, the food was quite decent. Whether it truly had flavor or if our hunger made us less concerned about its quality, I couldn't tell.

  I glanced at Eve, Carla, and Daniel, who were starting to eat with slightly brighter expressions. I took a deep breath. I couldn't give up. This failure was just one of many trials I had to overcome. I had to survive, so Marlo's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.

  Eve, noticing the change in my eyes, gave a small smile. "We can't give up. No matter what happens, we'll survive," she said with firm conviction.

  "Yes, let's work together," Daniel agreed.

  As I continued eating my porridge, Carla suddenly pushed her milk carton toward me. "Drink this. You need the extra energy to recover from your wounds."

  I hesitated for a moment but eventually accepted it. "Thank you," I said, a bit awkwardly.

  Daniel also offered me his bread. "Want some?" he asked casually.

  I couldn't refuse, so I simply nodded, murmuring another thank you.

  Eve, watching it all, chuckled softly. "Elio, you're pretty lucky to be surrounded by people who care about you," she teased.

  I chose to remain silent, focusing on my meal instead of responding to her remark.

  "My mom is always like this," Daniel said, glancing at Carla with a gentle smile. "That's why her students love her so much."

  Carla blushed slightly, looking a little flustered by her son's praise. "Don't exaggerate. A teacher is supposed to care for and look after their students," she said, though there was warmth in her voice.

  After eating the food given to us, the atmosphere in the cell became a little lighter. The four of us started talking, sharing stories, and for a brief moment, we forgot about this dreadful place. It was as if the world still had its warm side-where people could meet, joke, and speak freely.

  However, reality struck us again when the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from outside the cell. Almost simultaneously, we turned to see several Porcusian guards escorting new prisoners. Their faces were filled with exhaustion and fear, some even bruised and covered in dust, as if they had just endured a grueling journey.

  One of them was thrown into our cell-a young man in his twenties with messy black hair that nearly covered his eyes. His skin was pale, with small wounds scattered across his hands, though their cause was unknown. When he was given the same food we had earlier, he devoured it hungrily, as if he hadn't eaten for days.

  No one spoke. We only exchanged glances, trying to assess whether he was a friend or a threat.

  A few minutes later, another set of footsteps echoed-this time, steady and authoritative. A high-ranking Porcusian officer, distinguished by the three stripes on his uniform, stepped into the prison area.

  "Prisoners," his voice was deep, carrying both authority and menace, "welcome to the Kingdom of Hogmar."

  His eyes scanned each cell, as if savoring the fear etched on our faces.

  "In two days, we will be holding a game. You are given the opportunity to participate. Those who join and survive will be granted permanent work in this kingdom."

  Silence. His words hung in the air before he continued,

  "And those who refuse..." A thin smile formed on his lips-cold and merciless. "You will become a special delicacy for the nobles."

  Panic-filled whispers erupted across the prison. Some prisoners clutched their heads in despair, while others retreated to the corners of their cells as if trying to disappear.

  I glanced at Carla, who was trembling, her face drained of color. Instinctively, she clung tightly to Daniel's arm, as if afraid of losing the only person who gave her a sense of security. Daniel returned the grip, trying to reassure his mother, though his own eyes held a deep, unspoken fear.

  "I will give you time to decide," the officer continued, his tone almost playful. "But I believe... you all know what little choice you have left."

  With a chilling chuckle, he turned and left the prison.

  The moment the iron door slammed shut behind him, Eve let out her frustration. "Damn it! We already won the last game, and now we have to play again?!" Her voice echoed with irritation.

  Carla lowered her head, her shoulders trembling. Daniel looked at her with concern, then shifted his gaze toward us. "We can survive this, right? If we work together?"

  Eve took a deep breath before answering, "Of course. But the problem is, we don't even know what kind of game it will be."

  The air in the cell grew heavier. Uneasy sighs filled the space, some prisoners gritting their teeth, while others simply sat in silent despair.

  I closed my eyes, trying to steady my thoughts. But my heart kept pounding, like a war drum that refused to stop.

  Slowly, my fingers reached into my pocket, feeling the worn edges of Marlo's old photograph. He had sacrificed himself for me. If I gave up now, what would have been the point of his sacrifice?

  I took a deep breath, letting the fear settle in my chest-then swallowed it whole.

  I will survive.

  And I will save as many people as I can.