When Dusk woke up, nothing's new today. Everything from yesterday is always the same.
"What should I do today. I barely had anything left on me...
....I paid that old sunk last night, right? So tired I forgot...."
He dragged himself out of bed and threw on his coat. And then he heard a sound of horn from afar, and the people in
'Parade? I forgot about that...It's pretty unbelievable people can celebrate in times like these...
....Well of course, money is the solution for them.'
He didn't go far. The streets were already closing off for the parade. The guards dragged wooden fences and pushed away anyone who looked too poor to be there.
The nobles finally crawl out of their golden holes once a year, and everyone else has to move out of the way.
'Ah... Almost forgot, I was on duty as a damn cleaner.'
So Dusk turned toward the side alleys where the workers were ordered to clean the streets after the royal march.
Buckets clattered on the corner and Dusk joined the line of cleaners, sweeping and mopping what the parade left behind.
"Keep it quick!
...Don't leave a spot of dirt when the royals pass again!"
"I know, I know…"
On the town, everything was full of life. Rare sights for this world, at least in a kingdom barely touched by war.
Or so it seemed. There were also slaves cleaning alongside them, wearing steel collars that clinked with every step. Like that girl over there who's scrubbing the cobblestone near the carriage path.
And the citizens didn't even look at them, or maybe they simply didn't care. They were busy talking about money, money, money, always money, and how their days were going on.
Not to mention, the riches' homes were near the Royal Capital, and they always had contact with the royalties there.
"Try living like us, shiny people."
From the central town, a large number of people gathered and celebrated the banquet after the parade. They also had already built the altar for the royal wedding.
"Cuin, might you set me down, please?"
"So soon? I had thought you'd enjoy the view a while longer."
The princess, known as Yna, had gained popularity for her calm authority and beauty. She wasn't ready for love, but the prince from the allied kingdom, Cuin, had won her heart.
The prince held her hand as they walked through the cheering crowd.
"Shall we? Our people await."
"Yes."
One slave wore a steel collar on her neck and was ordered to clean the marble path after the parade.
But Princess Yna caught sight of her.
"Oh..?"
"Keep your eyes forward, Yna. That filth isn't worth a glance."
Yna's hand from his loosened a bit without him noticing, since he was busy waving to the crowd and that only swelled his pride.
"Right."
It wasn't just the princess who saw the slave. Dusk noticed her too from the side of the plaza, she was blurry from the distance.
The one in charge of the workers cracked a whip across her back for slowing down since she had drawn attention from the princess. She only sobbed quietly and pressed her hand on her wound.
"You garbage! I should be the one the royalties see, not you!"
"I-I'm sorry..!"
Both the prince and the princess walked on and ignored the faint sound of punishment. Yna still wanted to help, but as a princess, she must follow her father's rule.
It was a cruel one of course. To look down upon a human being that was used like an animal.
_ _ _ _ _
The path was cleaned, only the remaining mess was the slaves. Dusk and the other workers were sent back home and they were all paid a little, except Dusk since he's still in debt but reduced as mentioned.
While walking, not even a block away from the apartment, a creaky cart slowed beside him. The driver was confusingly whether an older man or a middle-aged man.
"Hey, kid! You're from the lower block, yeah? Err... Dusk..was it?"
"And? What about it?"
"Name's Harn. Been hauling goods since before you were born. Thing is, I'm short on hands today. My partner got drunk last night and decided to quit this morning."
"....."
"I've got deliveries to finish before sundown. You look able enough to lift boxes. Interested?"
Dusk was already walking toward the given seat next to Harn. Getting called for a hand has never happened to Dusk unless he wanted to. This may be a once in a lifetime.
"Payment's small but decent, no? So don't complain kid."
"...I know...
...Like I'd ever get a higher payment or whatever."
On the central town, the crowds are decreasing. The married Royalties have left a while ago. The remaining crowd are either cleaning their mess or still drunk, and some actually tried to start a fight.
"So, uhh.. Where exactly are we heading."
"Back gate of the Royal Capital....
... They've got the crates lined up, already waiting. Should've been picked it up hours ago but I was late as usual."
They reached the back gate and didn't even try to follow the front gate path, because they shouldn't even bother looking at those golds and stuff even in the gates.
"Can't even look at front huh?"
"Get used to it."
One by one, they picked up the crates, two knights are prepared to accompany them on their way to the allied kingdom after a successful trade pact.
"Alright, that's everything right?"
But it wasn't, because there's still one more left inside the garage. An animal cage with someone inside, and it was obviously a slave.
Not just a random slave but was the same girl Dusk had seen on the plaza. Somehow he recognizes her.
"Our King made a pact with another kingdom....
....It wasn't just stuffs but people as well."
"...I see..."
Harn told Dusk to sit on the back of the cart to look after the slave and then the cart moves.
While guarding though, he felt a little sympathy with the slave, he lived freely but she lived with chains.
And she's not an adult than expected, if anything, she's younger.
"Up-close, you look younger than me for a slave...
...Are you really that slave in the parade?"
Even though she wanted to answer, she wouldn't talk because she's not allowed to.
"Hey! Don't start a conversation with that garbage, lest you want to be one of them."
"....."
So he can only shut up and wait until they get there. Not until Dusk notices the wounds all around her body. At least, he wanted to offer some help.
He found his wrapped half-eaten bread loaf, still fresh. And he splitted it into four pieces to hand it on her secretly.
"...Here, eat silently. Don't get caught..."
She didn't take the bread and just left it there, because she's unsure if this was a set up or not. Or may be just trying to test her.
"...You'll starve..."
Saying that, she forgets her doubts and slowly picked the bread and ate it slowly. Of course she's grateful and thanked him.
"...U-Uhm.... I-..uhm... T-Thank you...
...I-I..don't know what to say..."
"It's alright... You don't have to say anything."
He appreciation hits Dusk with an unexpected Déjà Vu. He seriously thought he heard the same words from before.
_ _
"Thank you, Dusk."
_ _
They had left the gate of the kingdom, but Dusk ignored it as he still couldn't confirm whether he was just hallucinating or he just heard someone else's voice just now.
"That's... weird."
They were in the outskirts and just across was the forest. The two knights riding horses strengthen their guard, because it wasn't just bandits or hunters that roam around on that area but Corrupts as well.
Dusk looked around and it's a little dark inside the forest, good thing is it wasn't dense or anything. Just pile of trees and destroyed huts.
"We're still miles away from our destination. It'll take about several hours to get there, so we're going to take a break by the river there."
They stopped by for a break near the river after hours of traveling and they're still far it's just a matter of time to get there, since they're nearing on the ally's border.
Dusk was still on lookout of the slave and the items, he remained sitting on the cart while Harn admired the river and washes his face.
But Dusk just looks at the slave and studied her since she's utterly quiet, well obviously, but she also looks genuinely afraid even with that quiet eyes.
"Hey."
He leaned closer ti'll his chin touches his knee, he tries to see if she would answer but what it had resulted was only an awkward silence.
"...."
"I.... guess, I shouldn't talk with you."
When he looked away and leaned back to stare on the hazed forest, omly then she talks with a shaky voice.
"...P-Please.... I.. don't want to... go back... in there..."
His eyes were still on the fogs, but he listened to her deliberately. He knew she would talk if he didn't forced her or something.
"....I see...."
Half an hour later, Harn goes back to continue the travel and the knights who'se recently sitting on the log were already riding their horse.
"Let's go. Did you sleep well boy?"
"I didn't even slept."
The cart moves, it's still noon but going back at dawn will be absolutely pain in the ass.
_ _ _ _ _
Hours of travel later, they've reached the allied kingdom where Prince Cuin lives. Right now they will set the traded items down, and collect the exchanged ones.
Dusk and Harn carried the cage together. But in secret, Dusk was talking to her.
"....Wait for me, and I will get you out of here..."
"T-Thank you."
She was given a genuine emotion by Dusk who gave her little tears. Then Dusk grabs her pinky, so their promise is locked in.
"Dusk. My name."
"I-I'm Yuz-"
"Hey! Are you talking with that filth!? Get her down already!"
Dusk instantly obeys, but he's disappointed he didn't catched her name because a knight took his place and carried her cage instead of him.
And after they picked up the exchanged items, they left. Harn didn't think about those much more as they're just going to deliver, except Dusk who's trying to recall her name.
'Yuzu? Yuza? Yuzi?...
... What's her name?'
But Harn noticed his muttering, even though Dusk was trying not to be obvious.
"What's wrong, boy?"
"Uhh... its nothing."
Harn didn't asked further if it was personal for him, and just continued to mind his business.
But the wound all around her body was still very concerning for him as he didn't know what she just went through during the time he saw her.
'Come to think of it.... she has a lots of cuts on her back and arms....
.... I'll definitely save her.'
.
>> Proceed to the next Chapter <<