READING GUIDANCE
" This is a direct sentence in the present time."
" This is a direct sentence in the past time."
' This is a character's inner thought in the present time.'
' This is a character's inner thought in the past time.'
[ This is a direct sentence in sign language in the present time.]
[ This is a direct sentence in sign language in the past time.]
HAPPY READING!
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"Sister, I will go to school! See you later, and have a fun day at work!" Arisha ran all the way out of their house after finishing her breakfast and grabbing her lunchbox. She signed so fast that Irisha found it hard to understand.
It has been three months since they both moved to the capital city of the Malum Empire, and it seems Arisha enjoys her life here more every day. She has entered the academy near their house and has many friends. Every time she comes home, she plays with them in the afternoon.
After Arisha goes to school, Irisha's daily life begins.
She starts by doing house chores like laundry, cooking, and tidying up a little. After that, she takes a bath and prepares to go to work. She takes her lunchbox, her bag, and her notebook. She wears warm clothes because the wind here is completely different from when she was still in the village.
"Ah, hello," said Miranda, whom Irisha meets every day in her little garden. She greets her and then focuses on her garden again within seconds. It gives the impression that she does not really want to get involved with Irisha. It is fine for her, but Miranda's expression shows clearly that she feels awkward around her.
Of course, it is not the relationship Irisha wanted with her landlord. Yet every time she tries to get closer or create a more comfortable relationship, Miranda simply steps back and smiles politely.
Despite all of that, she lives her life quite smoothly.
From the beginning, she did not expect anyone to accept her like the people in the village, or people like Rosan and Haya. She expected something unpleasant to happen, which is why she does not pay much attention when it does. To see Arisha's smile and to view and feel the beautiful scenery that always amazes her is more than enough.
"Ah, you're here," the horseman who keeps her horse at the public stable said, looking confused. "Can you hear me?"
He seemed to be talking to her, but she could not understand.
[Could you please write it down?]
Even though she showed her note, the man brushed her off.
"No, no, no! Just get your horse. I don't have time."
Again, she could not understand. She waited for him to continue, but he had already gone to attend to other people.
So she tried to find her horse by herself. The public stable was crowded, like a daycare for horses, with many people leaving and picking up their animals. After a while, she found her brown horse and led it out. Once outside, she simply dragged it along without riding, while people gave her unpleasant stares and whispered to each other as they looked at her.
Of course, she could ride it now since it is allowed on the main road. But she once had a very unpleasant experience and learned from it.
It was not long after she learned how to ride. She mounted her horse as soon as she left the stable and passed through the first gate. She was looking ahead, not knowing that someone with a large carriage was shouting at her to move aside. It was an important carriage sent by the imperial palace and needed to make an urgent delivery.
But she is deaf, so she could not hear anything.
The only thing she knew was a sudden grip on her arm that pulled her forcefully. She was riding the horse and was not expecting such a strong pull, so she fell hard from her horse.
It hurt badly, but she was not given time to rest. The old man was furious. He grabbed her collar and forced her to stand. He seemed to yell at her harshly and grew angrier when she did not answer.
She tried.
But she is mute.
His voice must have been so loud that he did not realize she was disabled.
"ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!"
He pushed her hard again as she tried to pull away and quickly write something down.
Many people were watching, but no one stepped forward. Only when the guards arrived did they separate them.
The old man spoke angrily, pointing at her with a fierce expression. At that moment, she tried to calm herself while writing. She saw her hands trembling, and it was hard to write...
...yet she tried.
When a knight approached her and seemed to question her, she handed him the note.
[I am sorry if I did something wrong, but I am deaf and mute. Please write it down so I can understand.]
Her hands were trembling badly, but she tried to hold herself together. It was her first time being surrounded by so many people looking at her in such an unpleasant way.
The knight who read her note looked at her with a mixed expression of confusion and disbelief. She tried to force out a sound to let them hear her broken voice, and eventually they believed her. The knight turned his back to the old man, who gave her a death glare.
However, the knights did not let her go immediately. They brought her to their office and asked for her family's address or information so someone could pick her up.
Of course, she could not give Arisha's whereabouts, even though she is her only family. But they did not seem willing to release her without confirmation. So she gave Rosan's information, and they sent word to her.
She waited for one hour until Rosan arrived.
Rosan was furious at the knights. It was truly frightening.
She only stopped when Irisha grabbed her with trembling hands.
Later, when they returned to their office in Montar City, Rosan apologized.
"I am so sorry. It is my fault for not thinking further about it," she said. "It's not once but twice... I—"
[It's okay. I am still learning how to adjust to society. So I am okay.]
She smiled, but Rosan did not seem satisfied.
Irisha also had difficulty using public transportation. It was like a bus, but a carriage with many seats. It was manageable when it was not crowded. But when it was full, she could not reach the coachman and would end up far from her destination.
It was a very unpleasant experience when she once panicked and made a loud sound, but no one understood her and thought she was crazy. Every time she tried to hand them her note, they would run away. Their expressions are still vividly etched in her memory.
Eventually, she surrendered to the reality of her condition.
She learned from her experiences. That is why she does not ride her horse until she reaches the gate. Once she passes it, she rides, because the road is much wider, and she stays at the very edge so no one will be blocked by her.
Then she enjoys the beautiful scenery, the strong breeze brushing against her face. She calms herself with the magnificent view and the stunning sky.
Breathing in the refreshing air.
"Woa..."
As always, the dragons flying above her remain magnificent to behold.
.
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"Here! Here!"
After a long ride, she found Haya, as usual, waving his hand at the front gate of Montar City. At that point, he would take the horse and escort her into the office.
After that, she would begin her work as Rosan's assistant. She handled paperwork, looked over financial matters, and did some accounting as well. Only in this place were people patient enough with her — because if they were not, Rosan would give them a lesson they would rather not receive. Irisha did not really support that method, but here, she felt safer.
[This, this, and this are the best places to help us sell our furs.] she signed during a meeting with several people in the trading company, including Rosan.
Haya used to be a delivery man, but when Rosan noticed that he treated Irisha kindly, she asked him to stay by Irisha's side. Especially to be her interpreter, since Haya had learned a lot after spending two months with her.
"Why? Those cities are far from here, and the roads are inconvenient. I'm not saying distance is the main factor, but I don't think the majority of them need furs," Rosan asked.
Irisha nodded to show she understood, then signed,
[I am not saying that these places will be our customers. I said they will help us sell the furs.]
She marked several areas near the cities she had pointed out.
[Our target is the cities far north of them.]
The room fell into confusion. Some raised their brows.
"Is it because most people in those cities are artisans?" a man asked, glancing at Irisha before looking at Haya. "Their raw tailoring is quite good."
Haya interpreted it to Irisha, and she smiled excitedly.
[Yes! That is one of the reasons. The plan is to send raw furs to those cities and hire people there to make coats or jackets. Then we will sell those finished goods to the northern cities.]
"There are many things to handle. Won't our budget increase?" someone asked, while others contemplated the idea.
"...It is expensive to hire tailors in the capital. If we hire people in those cities, it could be cheaper, right?"
[Yes!] she smiled even wider. [...and it also prevents our goods from being damaged during transportation, because the distance will be shorter.]
"Oh, I see. Maybe this is a good idea."
"If so, we need to send someone there first."
"We should inspect the places and prepare."
"Who will be in charge of—"
"Hey, slow down, guys. I'm having a hard time interpreting," Haya said.
They all stopped and looked at Irisha in unison.
"Ms. Irisha, who will be in charge of this project?"
Irisha looked at Haya, then turned to Rosan.
"I will allow it. You decide," Rosan said.
[Then let's study it further first. As usual, data is important. Herlard will be in charge of—]
She continued leading the meeting with Haya's help, and eventually, the meeting ended.
"Good job. You can take a break," Rosan said. "I have something to do, so I can't join your daily walk. Just be careful and don't go near the river."
Irisha nodded and smiled before leaving the meeting room.
"And I—" Rosan was about to leave when she saw her employees surrounding Haya.
"Then how do you say 'depart' in sign language?"
"Is this how you say 'profit'?"
"'I will try to work on it.' Is this correct?"
They all asked at once, confusing Haya terribly.
"Please, sirs, slow down," he begged.
Yet the scene somehow made Rosan smile.
"If you want to learn sign language, how about Haya teaching you in a class? Just schedule it."
"Eh, but I—"
"Yes, yes, I know you're already busy. That's why I'll remove you from the delivery schedule. You'll work as Irisha's interpreter and also as a teacher. Don't worry, I'll be the one paying you," she said. "Just once or twice a week, for around two hours. Anyone who wants to learn can join for free."
"Wow? Are you sure, Master?!"
"That's nice. It will be more efficient to communicate with Ms. Irisha."
"Then can we talk about it now? Ah, no, I have to finish the proposal for tomorrow. It won't be good if it's not done yet. Ms. Irisha can be quite scary if I miss the deadline," a man said. "Let me know, Haya. I'll come to your class. See you, Master."
Gradually, they left the room, finally freeing Haya. He sighed in relief.
Then he looked at Rosan, who seemed happy.
"If I may ask... why do you help Irisha so much?" he asked carefully. "I know she is extraordinary and has bright ideas, but... it doesn't really give you profit, does it?"
Rosan looked at him, understanding why he would think that way.
"Well, in fact, I still haven't paid her enough. Even in these past five years, my company has grown so much because of her proposals."
"Proposals?"
Rosan smiled as memories resurfaced.
It was when she went to that isolated village because no one wanted to buy her goods. At that time, she handled everything alone. After her husband passed away, the company gradually collapsed. She was only a woman who had never received a proper education or training related to business. She did not understand how to run it.
Yet she could not let her husband's company go. It was the only memory she had left of him. She knew how important it was and how hard he had worked for it. So she refused to sell it, even though she struggled to buy food for her baby son.
Then that child came to her with a gentle smile, showing a note saying she wanted to play with her son. Rosan thought she was too shy to say it out loud.
"Playing with my son? But he is still one year ol—"
But then she gave her another note.
[I am so sorry, I am deaf and mute. Could you please write what you say down here?]
In that second, Rosan felt so much pity for the little girl in front of her, whom she later learned was an orphan with a baby sister. Her actions back then might have been purely out of pity for someone like her. So at that time, Rosan let her hang around with her baby son and discovered that, despite being so small, she acted maturely.
[I am always brushed off by other merchants who rarely come to this village... To think that you let me. I am truly grateful.]
There was a pinch of guilt when she read that note, because Rosan knew her actions were driven by pity. It was empathy that made her let this disabled girl stay by her side, especially since she herself had just lost someone she loved dearly. Either way, she later realized that there was something different about this child. The way she thought was somehow unlike other children. Especially when she brought up a trading system—something Rosan never expected a little girl to discuss out of nowhere. The idea was clever, yet Rosan denied accepting it because it came from Irisha, who at that time was just a mere child.
[You can use our products, for example. Try to persuade the villagers to sell their goods at half price first. Then sell them to nearby cities at three times the price. Sign a contract with the villagers so they trust you. After that, you will gain more profit if you sell them in the right place.]
It was Irisha who wrote down that complicated idea back then.
Of course, Rosan was speechless and denied Irisha's suggestion even though it made sense. She once thought it was just a child's nonsense. Yet Irisha persuaded her slowly and gradually, in such a smooth way as if she were not trying hard—though she surely was. Even at that time, Rosan did not realize that Irisha was using her own subtle tricks. That Irisha was, in a way, 'brainwashing' her with her ideas and stubbornness.
.
Unfortunately, her second tragedy came, and she fell into deep depression after her son was gone too. She abandoned all her work and left the company in its worst state. In fact, it was almost dead. In that condition, she did not know what to do. She did not even have a reason to live. The thought of ending her life crossed her mind, believing that all the pain shattering her heart would disappear as well... but strangely, she returned to the village and met Irisha again.
"I lost my son... I feel like I have nothing that moves me anymore... and I just want to die."
Somehow, she spilled those words in sign language she had only recently learned, in front of a mere fourteen-year-old child who was deaf and mute. At that time, she thought she had already gone crazy... or maybe she truly had. How could she not? All her loved ones were gone, and there was nothing left in the world she cared about.
Yet when she looked at Irisha's sincere face, a strange pain mixed with warmth pinched her heart. She covered her face with her hands and cried out loud. A tiny hand gently patted her, and somehow that simple gesture made her feel even more hopeless. To think she was not strong enough, that she could not even act as a proper adult.
She looked at the girl and saw her sign,
[I don't know how you are feeling right now. I could never truly feel it. At the same time, I also cannot say anything that will help you live, because I know how hard living is.]
[Until now, the reason I keep moving forward is that I want Arisha to be happy. I cannot imagine if she were gone like your son. Maybe I would also choose to die, because it would be hard for me to even breathe and live every day.]
Rosan frowned deeply, hearing such heavy words from a child.
[But... I also want to say that no child is happy to see their parent die.]
She smiled in a painful way that made Rosan think,
' What kind of world has this child lived through to have such an expression?'
It shattered her heart and made her cry while hugging the girl.
Out of a lost sense of purpose, Rosan decided to work with Irisha.
And yes, it was out of pity at first when she chose to try what the child recommended. It was out of pity and the absence of any desire to live. Yet, surprisingly, it worked. Irisha's method worked, and the business grew rapidly when she never once expected it to revive again.
But despite her success, her heart still felt empty.
So when she returned to the village, she said,
"...How about you come with me?"
Out of nowhere, she asked that fifteen-year-old child to be her employee. At that point, Rosan knew she had grown fond of her. She knew Irisha's existence filled the hollow space left by the son she had lost. It was not purely because of Irisha's capability, but because of her own selfish desire to fill the emptiness in her heart.
But then the child replied,
[Please wait for me for three years. Maybe after Arisha grows a little older. After that, I will work with you.]
[I am deaf and mute, but I want to make sure my sister sees how beautiful the world is. So... if you can provide us with safety and a place to live, I will be very grateful to work with you. At least, that is what someone like me can do.]
She said it with stern eyes fixed on Rosan. The child gripped her own hands tightly, though they trembled slightly. Rosan then realized that this child already understood her weakness and was holding onto the single opportunity before her. Irisha knew she was unfortunate in many ways, but she wanted to ensure her sister could see the beauty of the world.
Then Rosan laughed—laughed so hard that it confused Irisha.
"Then it's a deal," she said. "I will wait for you, and one day you will work with me."
And yes, it all started with pity. Then came empathy—the feeling that they shared the same tragedy.
But Rosan could no longer remember when her desire to live returned. She worked tirelessly to grow the company even more. She worked hard to gain power. Because she once lost her child due to her lack of prevention and anticipation, and she learned that lesson in the harshest way.
"So I thought very hard at that time. How harsh must the world be to make a mere child ask me for their safety? How cruel must it be to make a child believe that with someone like her, it would be difficult to see the beauty of the world?"
She smiled faintly, as if tears might fall at any moment.
"Then I realized... they never asked to be born in such conditions. If they had a choice, maybe they would ask to be healthy and normal like us. If they had a voice before birth, maybe they would even ask not to be born at all. In the end, it was the parents who wanted their existence. So it was never their fault to begin with. But why are they the ones who have to apologize? Don't you think that makes no sense?"
Haya found himself speechless while listening to her.
"So that is why I grew my power. Because there are people like her—bright and capable—who struggle to stand in society. Because humans are naturally wary of what they do not understand."
"Sure... it is normal. But somehow, it can also harm someone like Irisha."
"That is why I help her with my power. I use my influence to let many people know that someone like them... is also human."
She smiled softly.
"Just like us."
***