Day 1432.

  The same cold iron bars. The same damp, dimly lit prison cell. The same company I had since the first day—the occasional rat scurrying across the filthy stone floor.

  I sat in the corner, arms wrapped around my knees, staring blankly ahead.

  Outside the cell, guards walked past, throwing disgusted glances my way. Other prisoners muttered about me under their breath.

  "That's the guy who kidnapped a little princess."

  "How despicable," another spat.

  I gritted my teeth, my hands tightening into fists.

  "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" I shouted, gripping the iron bars so hard my knuckles turned white.

  They ignored me. Of course, they did. No one believed the innocent guy.

  And Pia? Oh, she was fine.

  I could see it so clearly—her laughing, sipping tea in some fancy town square, surrounded by friendly townsfolk who adored her. She probably told them how she bravely escaped from the evil kidnapper. Maybe they even threw a celebration in her honor.

  Meanwhile, I was left to rot, forgotten and despised.

  I slumped back against the wall, staring at the ceiling.

  "Life is so unfair," I muttered.

  "......"

  No.

  I will not let this happen to me. I snapped back to realaty.

  The three women stood there, glaring at me with expressions that screamed, "You absolute scumbag!" Pia was still clinging to me, sobbing uncontrollably, completely oblivious to the fact that she was making things worse.

  "Let go of me!" I whispered harshly, trying to pry her off before things escalated further.

  "No! You have to take responsibility!" Pia wailed, clinging even tighter. It felt like trying to peel off a stubborn sticker that refused to budge.

  One of the women, the tallest among them, stepped forward, her hands glowing with a faint, ominous blue light.

  Oh great, a magic user. Just what I needed.

  She muttered something in a language I didn't understand, but I could tell from the crackling energy around her that it wasn't a friendly spell.

  "WAIT, WAIT!" I shouted, holding up my hands in surrender. "This is all a huge misunderstanding! I didn't kidnap her! I don't even LIKE her!"

  Pia gasped dramatically, like I had just stabbed her in the back. "How could you say that?!"

  "BECAUSE IT'S TRUE!" I snapped, my patience wearing thin. "And stop acting like a victim! You're making this worse!"

  The second woman, who had long silver hair and was gripping a staff, narrowed her eyes at me. She spoke something to the others, and before I knew it, they were surrounding me.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Oh no. I had no clue what they were saying, but I could tell this was about to get ugly.

  "Marin, you stupid goddess, HELP ME!" I mentally screamed, hoping she was watching.

  Of course, there was no response. Figures.

  The tallest woman raised her hands, and a blast of wind shot toward me.

  "Pia, this is all your fault!" I yelled as I grabbed her and jumped out of the way just in time. The freezing gust struck the ground where we had been standing, turning the grass into dirt.

  "What the hell?! They're trying to kill me!"

  Pia, still clinging to me, finally turned to look at the women. "Oh... um... I think they might be trying to kill you."

  "Wow, you're just now realizing that?!" I hissed, dodging another attack. "Tell them it's a misunderstanding! Do something!"

  Pia hesitated. "I am going to tell them I am a goddess. That would fix this, surely."

  She turned toward the women and said, "Hi, it's a misunderstanding! I am an apprentice god!"

  They all looked at each other.

  Oh no. They can't understand what she's saying.

  Pia turned toward me and said, "They can't understand me. Well, you can't say now that I didn't try," and moved away from me.

  I resisted the urge to scream. "Fine, then let's do it like this, and I will also see how you explain this to Marin, because this is still your fault!"

  The tallest woman once again raised her hands, and another blast of wind shot toward me.

  I have to do something, and fast, or I will…

  Oh, I remember!

  Thinking fast, I grabbed my smartphone. "Please have something useful, please have something useful..." I muttered as I tapped the screen frantically.

  NEW FUNCTION UNLOCKED: TRANSLATE.

  "STOP! I AM NOT A BAD GUY!" I shouted in their language, thanks to the translation feature.

  The women hesitated for a moment. The wind mage lowered her hands slightly, but their expressions remained skeptical.

  "Explain yourself!" the silver-haired woman demanded.

  "She's the one who messed up!" I pointed at Pia. "I didn't kidnap her! She's a goddess who made a mistake and got dumped on me!"

  Pia gasped. "I am NOT dumped on you! I am your divine assistant!"

  The three women exchanged glances. The tallest one sighed and finally said, "You scum, at least lie about something we would believe."

  Pia straightened up and, for once, looked serious. She raised her hand, and a small golden light formed at her fingertips. "I am the apprentice goddess Pia! My superior, Marin, has sent me to assist this human!"

  Silence.

  Then, the shortest woman, who had been silent the entire time, said, "You poor thing, you don't have to defend this bastard. Come this way, we will teach him a good lesson so he will never dare to kidnap or misbehave with anyone."

  This filth needs to die.

  Pia desperately tried to explain, waving her hands around and speaking frantically, but it did absolutely nothing. The misunderstanding was way too deep. The women weren't even listening—they had already decided I was guilty.

  The wind mage was preparing another spell, her eyes burning with righteous fury. The silver-haired one gripped her staff tighter, and the shortest one looked ready to rip me apart with her bare hands.

  I was out of time.

  "Pia, DO SOMETHING!" I shouted, barely dodging another blast of freezing air.

  "I'm TRYING!" she cried, looking panicked.

  "Try harder!"

  The wind mage raised both hands, and I felt the temperature drop sharply. Oh crap, that was going to hurt.

  But before she could unleash whatever spell she was about to cast, Pia's expression hardened. She slammed her hands together, golden energy swirling around her fingers.

  A circular portal—glowing and crackling with divine power—ripped open beneath us.

  "Wait, wait, wait—!" I barely had time to protest before she grabbed my wrist and yanked me through it.

  The world twisted, a blur of colors and light. My stomach lurched, my body feeling like it was being stretched and compressed at the same time. Then—

  WHAM.

  I hit the ground face-first.

  "Owwww…" I groaned, pushing myself up. "A little warning next time, maybe?"

  Pia ignored me, looking back toward the closing portal. Through the shimmering energy, we could see the three women standing there, utterly dumbfounded.

  "Why is she helping her kidnapper?" the shortest one asked, her voice filled with confusion.

  The portal snapped shut.

  I slowly turned to Pia, glaring. "Next time, just explain properly instead of making me look even MORE guilty."

  She crossed her arms, looking offended. "I did explain! They just wouldn't listen!"

  "Yeah, no kidding!" I snapped. "Now they probably think you've been brainwashed or something!"

  Pia pouted. "Well… at least we're safe?"

  I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Where even ARE we?"

  "Pia. You have any idea where we are?"

  She nervously laughed. "Uhh… nope!"

  I sighed, rubbing my temples. Great. Just great.