104. A Woman to Serve

They weren’t looking for me, but seeing the familiar cape fluttering made my heart race uncontrollably again.

The soldier threw the last girl into the cage and locked the door. With the sides open, it was easy to see how many people were imprisoned.

I counted the cages. One, two, three… six in total. It seemed they had rounded up everyone in the village.

The villagers didn’t seem like people who would commit illegal acts. But considering the knives found in the warehouse, it was clear not to judge by appearances alone.

Even a girl with braids and an elderly man with white hair were locked in the cages, making it hard to gauge their intentions.

But one thing was clear from their conversations. These people were considered seeds of rebellion against the Empire and would soon be demoted to slaves. I was caught up in this, guilty by association.

Moreover, I had complicated things further by claiming to be married to Timo.

Solid iron bars enclosed me on all sides. There was no way out.

I looked up at the darkening sky. Even the night sky was clearly visible through the open bars.

An outdoor prison made of bars was not a good environment. Even if one were thirsty under the blazing sun, begging for water would be futile. When it rained, they would be soaked through, likely developing pneumonia, with no one to care. No one worried about the condition of soon-to-be slaves.

“Although we said we don’t need anyone, we should have at least one woman to serve us, right?”

Amid the darkening view, a voice as grating as metal scraping together reached my ears.

A soldier held a torch. As the darkness receded, several soldiers under a tree came into view, engaged in conversation.

They were leaning against the large tree, chatting in groups. Although many soldiers guarded the captives, none paid close attention to the cages.

“Actually, I picked one earlier. A young woman. She’s quite pretty.”

“Are you sure? We were told we didn’t need any. It’s not like we should be taking prisoners out so casually.”

“It’s fine. This is how prisoners should be used. New young officers are always a headache with no flexibility. And if we don’t assign a prisoner to serve, we’ll have to do all the chores ourselves.”

Another soldier agreed.

“Right. What’s the harm in a young woman? All those tales of enemy spies are outdated. Just a bunch of needless fear.”

“Although not mentioned, it’s likely their first time on such a mission, and they’re probably shaking in their boots. Even if they have a knight’s title, how much blood have they actually seen?”

“When I saw them earlier, they didn’t look capable of even holding a sword.”

Everyone laughed at that. They clearly had no respect for their new superior officer.

One of them spun the cage keys around his finger. If he wasn’t careful, he might drop them or have them snatched away, but there was no trace of vigilance.

Lazy soldiers, a new inexperienced officer, and lax prisoner management.

This was a golden opportunity to escape.

I listened carefully to the information they were carelessly sharing. Meanwhile, I fiddled with the bracelet on my wrist.

It was a piece of jewelry I had never taken off, even after escaping. Made in the North, it had been with me through the capital’s banquets and now here.

Its rough design meant no one ever bothered to steal it. Even the corrupt officials who had stripped the villagers of anything valuable hadn’t touched it, likely thinking it wasn’t worth anything.

As my fingers moved along the bracelet, they felt the small emblem on it. Although my body was still thin, I had gained enough weight for my movements to be slightly slower than before. The bracelet rotated slowly and stopped at the emblem of the ducal house.

A laurel wreath and a hawk.

Though small, anyone familiar with the ducal house’s emblem would recognize it immediately.

Perhaps I could use this bracelet to my advantage. The officer in charge was a novice and unfamiliar with this area’s dynamics.

If I revealed my connection to Deon… If I were lucky, I might be released.

A commoner wouldn’t know the ducal house’s emblem. And using a noble emblem without permission was a grave crime.

I decided to lie, claiming I was connected to the royal family, to escape the cage.

Despite the distance from the capital and the lack of transport options, if I could secure a free carriage ride, it would be a fortunate turn of events.

It was like knocking on the tiger’s door to escape the tiger’s den… But I couldn’t stay here forever.

After all, what was the point of the freedom I had gained if I couldn’t truly enjoy it, stuck in hiding in a cabin?

I couldn’t let myself be held back like this.

* * *

As the shift change approached, the soldiers chatting nearby left one by one. With their noisy chatter gone, a deep silence settled over the camp.

Despite the many people in the cages, the quiet was so profound it was as if no one was there.

I looked up at the sky. The stars were shining brighter than before.

Night had fallen deeply, and the darkness was thick. This was my chance. If I missed this moment, the opportunity would vanish.

I needed to act now, before their superior went to sleep and before they took any woman to serve them into the barracks. I had to open the cage door.

“Hey.”

Everyone was already in an early sleep. I called out softly to the guard at the cage, ensuring not to wake the others.

He didn’t move, perhaps thinking he had misheard. He tilted his head slightly, then resumed leaning against the door with his arms crossed.

“Hey.”

I raised my voice a little, and the guard turned his head to look at me.

“Take me with you.”

“What?”

He frowned deeply. The idea that a prisoner would speak to him seemed to irritate him.

“I have something important to tell you,” I continued, keeping my voice steady.

He narrowed his eyes at me, clearly annoyed but also curious. “What could a prisoner possibly have to say that’s important?”

“It’s about the ducal house,” I said, tilting my wrist to show him the emblem on the bracelet. The moonlight caught the metal, making the emblem glint.

The guard’s eyes widened slightly as he recognized the symbol. He took a step closer, scrutinizing the bracelet.

“You’re bluffing,” he said, though there was doubt in his voice.

“I’m not,” I replied firmly. “Let me out, and I can prove my connection.”

The guard hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one else was watching. Then, with a look of resignation, he pulled out the key ring and unlocked the cage door.

“Step out slowly,” he ordered, his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it if I made any sudden moves.

I did as he said, stepping out of the cage carefully. The other prisoners remained silent, watching with wide eyes.

“Now, show me,” he demanded, his eyes locked on mine.

I extended my wrist, allowing him to take a closer look at the emblem. His eyes scanned it thoroughly, and his grip on his sword relaxed slightly.

“How did you come by this?” he asked, his tone a mix of suspicion and curiosity.

“I told you, I’m connected to the ducal house,” I said. “I need to speak to your superior. He’ll know what to do.”

The guard seemed to weigh his options before finally nodding. “Fine. But if you’re lying, you’ll regret it.”

With that, he gestured for me to follow him. My heart pounded as I walked behind him, hoping that this gamble would pay off.

“Take me to your superior. I’ll serve him. You said you needed a woman, didn’t you?”

He turned to look at me, scrutinizing my appearance from head to toe.

With a frown, he opened his mouth. “We’ve already picked someone to serve.”

“I can do a better job.”

I swallowed hard. Even saying this much made cold sweat trickle down my spine.

“And why should I believe you? You look frail and weak…”

He snorted dismissively. Like someone who disregarded his superior, he looked down on everyone, including me, a mere prisoner.

“I… I’ve worked as a maid in an imperial noble household. I’m well-versed in noble etiquette and handling their requests.”

His head snapped back toward me. He stepped closer to the bars, raising his chin arrogantly.

“You?”

He still looked skeptical. I met his gaze without flinching and made my proposal in a clear voice.

“If you have an ordinary village girl serve, you’ll have to teach her everything from scratch. Isn’t that troublesome? Your superior might reprimand you for choosing an untrained girl.”

He lowered his chin, his eyes clouded with hesitation. I needed to convince him.

“The maid hasn’t gone in yet, right? You can replace her with me. If you’re still unsure, test me. In just one hour, I can satisfy your superior. After a grueling march, he must be tired. Nobles usually need someone to bring them wash water around this time.”

As I laid out a typical day in a noble’s household, he finally spoke.

“But you still look…”

“I promise. I’ll make sure your superior is satisfied and come out of the tent.”

If I came out quickly, it would mean I had either conned the noble or ended up dead. At least if I walked out to meet him, it meant I had succeeded in my mission.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance but then nodded. He grabbed the key ring hanging on a nearby branch.

The door creaked open. I had thought that when this door opened, it would be to transfer us elsewhere. I felt a surge of relief.

The door was low, so I had to duck to get through. I bent over and stepped out.

After dusting off my skirt, I watched him hang the key ring back on the branch. The wind could blow it off, or an enemy spy could steal it. He had no sense of caution.

I silently prayed to any god who might be listening that his superior wasn’t as harsh as the soldiers. He gestured for me to follow him, and I quickly walked behind.

Having sat for so long, my legs were numb, but I couldn’t afford to worry about that.

“If you do anything inappropriate, you’ll be beheaded on the spot. If he gets angry, run out immediately. Since you claim to have worked as a noble’s maid, I won’t need to tell you anything else, right?”

“Yes.”

“If anything goes wrong, it won’t be your superior but me who’ll take your head.”

He issued the threat as we walked toward the tent.

As we got closer to the tent, his warnings became more frequent. Though he dismissed his superior as inexperienced, he was still afraid of angering a noble.

The tents were set up haphazardly, yet there was a certain order to them. The closer we got to the center, the more elaborate the tents became. Imperial flags fluttered above the tents, indicating the presence of someone important.

Guards stood outside the tent I was being taken to, indicating the high status of the person inside.

Though the tent sizes were similar, the number of occupants likely decreased the further in we went. The chaotic atmosphere quieted as we moved inward.

Following the soldier holding a torch, I walked across the grass. Most of the soldiers seemed to be asleep, as the tents were silent. Only a few patrolling guards were visible.

“There. Just do as you’re told.”

The soldier gave me a shove. He thought he was being gentle, but it hurt.

I rubbed the sore spot as he turned and walked back toward the prison.

I looked around. Eyes watched me from various tents, but I was the only one moving. All eyes were on me.

Escape was impossible. My only option was to bluff my way through.

I swallowed hard and stopped in front of the tent. The door was adorned with intricate patterns. This was the most luxurious tent I had seen.

Though I had approached confidently, hesitation gripped me.

This was a subjugation unit. Small wars were not uncommon. And wealth and women were often part of the spoils.

If their idea of serving differed from mine…

They might have needed a maid at first, but their demands could escalate. Being a prisoner meant I was vulnerable.

I might be walking a very dangerous path. Perhaps waiting quietly would have been safer.

The torches on either side flickered wildly, mirroring my turbulent thoughts.