Digging into a pouch at her belt, she produced a small silver coin and pressed it into my palm. "Here. Enjoy a decent meal when we return to town."
I stared at the silver coin, almost afraid it would vanish if I blinked. Extra pay, given freely and without me begging or groveling? It felt unreal.
"Thank you, Mistress," I managed, closing my fingers tightly around the coin.
One frightening thing about Elfriede was her mastery of the carrot-and-stick method. She dealt out cruel punishment and kind rewards with equal decisiveness, keeping her slaves perpetually off-balance. And curse my pitiful soul, it worked. Despite all my hatred for her, those rare words of praise and that shiny silver now warming my hand sparked a pathetic little glow of pride in my chest. She had conditioned me so thoroughly that even a scrap of approval made me eager to please. Is this what being tamed feels like?
Behind us, the mercenaries watched with sullen faces. I could practically feel their jealousy burning holes in my back. One of them spat on the ground. "Tch. Lucky dog."
"Better watch yourself, slave," the dwarf muttered as I passed. "We won't tolerate insubordination." Even a reward now counted as some affront in their eyes.
I pretended not to hear their grumbling. There was nothing more dangerous than a gang of bootlickers who felt their status threatened. I had no interest in their petty rivalries, especially not on the cusp of my long-awaited freedom.
Without further ado, our group proceeded into the newly revealed passageway. At the front, Elfriede raised her torch and forged ahead confidently, excitement evident in the quickness of her steps. The tunnel beyond was narrow and sloped upward, each footfall echoing off walls that hadn't felt human presence in centuries.
This is it, I thought—the final stretch. According to Elfriede, this underground expedition—this Silver-grade mission—was nearly concluded. After two grueling days in these accursed ruins, we were about to retrieve the prize and head for the surface.
My heart pounded, but not from fear this time. I padded at the group's tail, torch in one hand, and allowed myself to imagine what lay ahead. Elfriede had all but promised to give me extra pay for finding the secret door. That coin she'd handed me was likely just a token; the real bonus would come after the relic was delivered. I hoped I might have a few silvers left over even after buying my freedom. Perhaps it was enough to rent a tiny room at an inn or purchase a used dagger or piece of armor when I became an adventurer myself.
What should I do first as a free man? The question fluttered in my mind, delicious and strange. Eat a full hot meal without worrying about the cost, indeed. Maybe sleep an entire day on a soft bed. When was the last time I slept on an actual bed…?
I was still fantasizing blissfully when Elfriede came to an abrupt stop. I nearly ran into the dwarf ahead of me as the party halted.