141_Keireki Era_Summer/01
“Snore… nn…
The guard sleeping beside the coachman snored softly.
As a sidearm, he wore a dagger strapped to his waist. I wasn’t exactly confident in my thieving skills, but the dagger was within reach.
Well, if I failed, I’d beg for mercy—and if that didn’t work, I’d die. No big deal. A life without much value was worth gambling on.
I reached out to steal the dagger, though I didn’t even know what deity to offer a prayer to in hopes of success. Still, I prayed to some benevolent force that might hear: “Please help me save this suffering girl!”
“Nggh…”
Was I caught?
“… Mom… Dad… ngggh…”
Nope. Not caught.
I grasped the dagger, carefully sliding it out of its sheath and into my hand. First hurdle cleared.
Next, I needed the water flask strapped to the coachman’s belt. This was where my skills shone.
I planned to sever the string holding the flask with a single throw of the dagger. The flask would fall, roll, and I’d catch it before anyone noticed.
It was risky, though. If the dagger clattered loudly as it hit the ground, it could draw attention. I wanted to keep the weapon, but avoiding discovery was more important.
I threw the dagger.
Cut the string.
The flask dropped.
It rolled.
I caught it before it made a sound.
With the flask in hand, I quickly returned to the girl. Gently, I let a few drops of water fall onto her parched lips. Her faintly twitching tongue reached for the moisture instinctively.
Slowly, I gave her more water. Though it was awkward working through the cage’s bars, the girl eagerly drank what she could.
As she hydrated, her strained, raspy breaths softened.
A human trafficker ought to take better care of their merchandise.
“… Tha… nk… you…”
She opened her eyes slightly and whispered her thanks.
“Rest a little longer, Missy.”
She nodded faintly, then closed her eyes and slipped back into sleep.
Now, I just needed to find some proper food for her.
But all I had was a piece of bacon warmed to body temperature—hardly suitable for a girl in her condition.
It didn’t seem edible, and her state didn’t inspire confidence that she could digest it. I’d wait and see.
Surely, this pompous Dopines guy would provide something to eat.
Or so I thought.
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Nope! This guy is the worst kind of human trafficker!
I mean, I don’t know what lies beneath the title of “trafficker,” but seriously—at least feed your captives!
“Phew, this bumpy ride has worn me out. Let’s make camp for the night.”
Hearing Dopines announce this, his secretary—probably someone who doubled as his assistant—protested.
“We could reach our destination in two days if we traveled through the night, but if we stop to camp…”
“Are you prioritizing the cargo over my health? Do you dare disrespect Dopines, the merchant in service of Count Tuiknok?”
“No, no, of course not…”
And so, thanks to Dopines’ whims, the caravan stopped for the night along the roadside.
The sun had completely set, and a few campfires illuminated the area.
Yet, the fires were not enough to fully dispel the surrounding darkness.
That darkness, coupled with the quiet, acted like a blanket lulling the guards and coachmen to sleep.
The girl was still asleep, though I didn’t know whether her rest was restorative or if it would lead to death.
Without food or proper care, her condition was unlikely to improve.
Even if we made it to the city, her situation wouldn’t get better.
She was destined to be handed over to some “Excellency Wiminea,” who, judging by their reputation, was someone with… peculiar interests.
I glanced at her cage.
The lock was the same shoddy design as mine.
I scanned the surroundings.
No one was paying attention.
I looked at the girl.
Her face was pale.
I closed my eyes briefly.
What should I do?
No, I already knew what I had to do.
The hesitation wasn’t about the plan—it was about accepting that my selfishness could irreversibly alter someone else’s life.
I sighed.
“Sorry, Missy. Blame your rotten luck for getting mixed up with me.”
I slipped out of my cage, quietly unlocked hers, and gently lifted her sleeping form into my arms.
She stirred and opened her eyes slightly.
I gestured for her to stay quiet, and she nodded faintly in understanding.
We needed to escape into the forest—not the obvious choice, but the caravan would likely assume we’d gone into the woods.
Instead, I decided to stick to the road. With luck, we might encounter a patrol of knights. If we did, that would be ideal.
Of course, if the girl had been marked with some sort of binding magic or sigil, escape would be futile.
But from what I’d seen, she bore no such marks—no collars, no tattoos.
If she wasn’t branded as property, the knights wouldn’t consider her anyone’s possession.
In fact, they’d likely turn their weapons on anyone who tried to recapture her.
With those considerations in mind, I began to move stealthily.
Most of the guards were fast asleep, their vigilance apparently forgotten.
All except one.
One person was watching me.
Jedd.
His eyes followed my movements.
He saw us, I was sure of it.
Yet, instead of raising the alarm, he gave a faint smile and pretended to doze off like the others.
He let us go.
I had never encountered a virtue so rare that it seemed almost magical.
I silently thanked him and continued my escape.
What do you think about this chapter?
