Girl and Thief
In the cage of the violently rocking inferior wagon, she grimly endured the pain from the jolt on her buttocks.
The tears had dried up.
“Lilia”, that was the name of this person.
Lilia was the child between the baron’s lord and his servant. Because of her excellent talents and small and cute appearance, she is alienated from the lord’s wife and the children of the lord, which has been the case since birth.
Lilia has a gentle mother who works with her as a servant.
The lord …… also known as Lilia’s father is a man who gives the impression of being harsh and cold, and he treats Lilia and her mother exactly like servants.
For Lilia, who thought this distance was very common, being bullied by her father’s own children and working at the jobs given to her, this was everyday life.
Her body had bruises all year round, and there were countless wounds that wouldn’t go away.
She did not feel incomprehensible, nor did she feel any hardship because of it.
However, at that time, her mother’s words saved Lilia.
“Someday, someone who can see the efforts you’ve made will definitely appear.”
What kind of person will that be?
Out of a child’s mind, her heart leapt at the thought of Prince Charming that came to her mind.
However, just this February …… Lilia’s mother died.
The cause of death, was an accidental death.
It was said to be an accidental death, as if she had been attacked by thieves while returning from a shopping trip.
There was no funeral, but simply buried in a grave.
After that Lilia could only weep alone in her room, dealing with heavy work with a broken heart, and it was hard to sleep even when she lay exhausted on her bed. Every day was spent like that.
As a result, who actually saw her mother’s efforts, why was she in such pain, what was the point of living, only these continued to whirl in her mind.
And then, just when Lilia was finally about to reach her limit-…
“Hey.”
The owner of the voice was the lord. He was a man who didn’t show the slightest interest in Lilia’s mother’s death, cold and very thorough.
Didn’t call her by name, it was the same as always.
At this point, the fact that there was no love at all between this man and his mother, even Lilia could understand that.
“What’s with those eyes?”
“No, I’m not. I’m sorry.”
It doesn’t know if it was because she was too tired, but even Lilia, who was very capable at work, seemed to have inadvertently shown her feelings.
“Hmm. Well, whatever. Come here.”
“Yes.”
Dragging her somewhat faltering footsteps, she kept up with the lord who was walking quickly in front of her.
His footsteps crossed the entrance gate and stopped by a carriage near the entrance.
The square covered by a huge cloth…that might be a carriage with a cage or something.
It always feels like a beast will appear once it is opened.
“Get in.”
“Eh ………”
Lilia didn’t understand what that meant.
It wasn’t that she didn’t understand the meaning of the words themselves, but rather that the act itself was.
And so, the lord, who was frowning with obvious impatience, quickly gave instructions.
“Hey …… hurry! Get your ass in the cage!”
“No, no! Why! No!”
She was forcibly thrown into the cage by a large male servant, and the exit was locked to prevent her from escaping.
“My lord. What should I do with those fine looking clothes?”
“Never mind, do it. But don’t touch the girl. She’s a gift for the Count.”
“Uhm …… okay.”
The middle-aged man who looked like the driver of this carriage was flattering him with an ugly and cheap smile.
“It’s finally refreshing.” (Lord)
“Ah.” (Driver)
The fact that she had been sold made Lilia, who was already at the bottom of the valley of frustration, fall into an even deeper abyss of despair.
“…It’s much easier when getting rid of her mother… ”
There was a blank in her mind.
“My wife just too long-winded I really can’t take it anymore. As an illegitimate child, I can’t just kick her out of the house…. I was worried about that, but it was a good thing I came across this. I really have to thank the Count and God.”
“That’s right. The heavens have blessed you, my lord…”
Even though she could still listen to their conversation, but her body feels difficult to move.
Completely stopping thinking and just shedding tears all the time.
Whether it was cursing this irrational world, or feeling physically and mentally burned by the desire for revenge, such feelings didn’t come out at all.
She wanted to give up even living.
She was floating like a walking corpse, unable to distinguish between the front and back.
There was only a piece of cloth left on her body when she noticed it. From her own arms and body that had become thin, it could be seen that she had been living in the wagon for days.
The man dressed as a carriage driver didn’t seem to have done anything to her, but if she continued like this, the possibility of debilitating and death is high.
If I went to my mother’s, I would have a lot to complain about.
For Lilia, that was the last straw.
Just then, the neighing of the horse was heard and the carriage stopped roughly.
♢♢
I’m in trouble …… ah, I just tried to do a little treadmill ……
I was rescued by five soldiers. After that, they tied me up with a rope in a circle and threw me into the basement where there were several large cages for beasts.
“Why can’t I take this thing off? What a troublesome thief.”
“Forget it, if you can’t put him in a cage, then tie him to a chair next to the cage. Hurry up and help me move the beastmen from the cage.”
“I understand.”
Did he finally gave up?
If my original appearance was exposed, it would be troublesome, so I pretended to be unable to take it off. Thanks to that, they would rather tie me to the chair than put me in a cage.
He dared to snap and knock my ass as a demon king ……
I gently looked back at this basement.
Now in this basement, it was just me and the girl in the cage next to me. There was no surveillance at all.
After all, the job of moving the cage with the beastmen in it upstairs was too much work.
I turned my gaze to the young girl in the cage.
“……”
The one with empty pupils was a small girl with short, light cherry-colored hair, who had a cute, childish face, but was so thin and frail that many scars could be seen on her body.
This child, must have been a victim of the Count here as well.
“…… Please rest assured, someone will come to rescue you soon. Until then-”
“…… I see.”
Hearing those words that were almost devoid of any emotion, I naturally flowed my gaze to her again.
Lying there without power, she looked even weaker than her skinny appearance in my eyes.
“Aren’t you happy?”
“……”
I was simply, a little curious as to why she didn’t care in the slightest whether or not someone would come and rescue of herself.
Then, I didn’t know if he was tired of my unyielding gaze that came from the only small gap in my helmet ……
”It’s just painful to be rescued …… irresponsibly.”
Little by little, she confided in me about herself.
About her own life, about her mother, the beginning and end of coming here.
It’s not a strange thing to do in this world, but she’s really had a rough life.
“…… Maybe, you’ll be able to find happy from now on…”
“Is that the case again… I’m fed up with the words of solace ….”
“That’s…. I can’t deny it.”
Even if Hakuto helped her, there is a possibility that it will happen again, and she understands that.
However, there was something I wanted to tell her no matter what.
“I don’t think your mother was lying…”
“What…?”
The desperate girl jumped up and shook the cage with all her strength, exploding the angry feelings in her heart.
“Do you think my mother was happy? I was born as a result of that man’s random act! And in the end, she get killed!!!”
“……”
“Who can understand her? No one else!!! Not even one person! The results of her efforts were completely unrewarding!”
“……”
“She was working so diligently! He was working so hard! She was so… …… she was so… …… she was so kind… ………… … ”
The strength drained from the girl as she spat out a blood-curdling rage, and she slowly collapsed.
The door to the basement was opened.
“-Bring the girl over here.”
