I must have repeated this about five times before I suddenly realized that the carriage had been stopped for much longer than I had thought.
I don't even know how much time has passed. It's hard to feel the passage of time in a dark and narrow place.
But this was not a good sign. I couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but something very bad was happening.
Knock, knock.
It was then that Enoch's signal was heard again. I knocked twice to indicate that I was listening quickly.
Enoch spoke in a low, quick voice.
“We have a bit of a problem.”
“What’s going on? Did you get stopped at the security checkpoint?”
I asked, forgetting that I shouldn't raise my voice. But I was so anxious that I couldn't stand it.
Enoch seemed to read the anxiety in my trembling voice.
“No, that’s not it. It’s just..."
He had difficulty continuing his speech.
“The Knights have surrounded the area. Don’t worry. They don’t seem to be there to find you.”
"Sure?"
“It seems the entire line has been sold to His Excellency the Grand Duke of Ashkhabad.”
The entire upper section was sold out? I didn't understand right away and asked back.
“What does that mean?”
“It’s a custom that has become very popular in recent years. It’s a custom to buy and send a day’s worth of goods from the upper class to a close noble lady for her coming-of-age ceremony.”
It was still hard to understand. For poor people like us, giving a gift was an act of sharing something precious. Or, you could save and save and buy something new with difficulty.
Is this a gift that is left to chance or fate? What if the items above are useless?
Enoch continued his explanation as if he understood my curiosity.
“It is said that the more precious the item received, the more the gods bless the union of the two. That is why we usually do business with the upper class that has been decided in advance...”
This is the first time I've seen something like this. Enoch's voice was added, but I heard it clearly.
It felt strange. Grand Duke Ashkhabad was one of the few names that even I, a man with no interest in high society, knew.
The great silver wolf was more famous in the harsh and desolate north and east than in the warmer south or center, especially in borderlands like George and Even.
To the people who were frequently exploited by the Tariq tribe, he was a hero. After nine successive expeditions, no barbarian dared to covet our food and land.
Even such a great man was acting like a nobleman with cotton on his head. I felt like the illusion I had secretly harbored was being shattered.
“So what happens to me now?”
“From now on, His Excellency the Grand Duke’s knights will accompany the procession. Fortunately, they only make up about a third of the total. The rest seem to be concentrating on blockading Saxony.”
Enoch added after a short sigh.
“I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t think the young lady should come out of the carriage during the day. It will also be difficult to move to the carriage we prepared for you for the time being.”
Although I couldn't see his face, I could tell from his voice how sorry Enoch was.
It was really hard to be trapped in a place without even a ray of light, even if it was to save my life.
“I will definitely give you a lift for dinner. I am sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s not Enoch’s fault.”
I answered cheerfully. I wanted to ease Enoch's guilt a little, but he seemed to become even more sullen.
Enoch muttered incoherently, 'I'm sorry, she doesn't deserve to be treated like this, what is Sir Zachary thinking...?'
Before long, the carriage began to roll slowly again.
Enoch woke up to the sound of the door opening, and it was already dawn.
I habitually tore off the cloth wrapped around my arms and legs and was horrified to see that it was not my old blanket, but a silk dress.
Five sets of precious clothes, which I would have had to work my butt off for three years to buy, were all tangled up in a miserable mess.
Some of them were even ragged and torn at the seams. I groped and asked, turning pale.
“What, what do I do with all this?”
But Enoch responded nonchalantly.
“These are the clothes I gave you so that you wouldn’t be cold, so it’s up to you how you use them, Young lady.”
“That means...”
“You can dispose of them as you wish. They are damaged and will probably be difficult to wear. I will prepare a few new ones for you.”
Oh my goodness. How should I behave in the face of this enormous power of capital?
Enoch was acting like I had ruined an old cotton handkerchief. I felt like I was going to lose touch with reality if I stayed here.
"It's okay."
“You don’t have to refuse. He told me not to hold anything back from giving you anything.”
People who have ever tried to deal with nobles often get lost. I have seen many such people in back alleys.
Such people are ashamed of everything they have: their clothes, their homes, their neighbors, and even their parents and siblings.
And in the end, you give anything for a small amount of money.
But I know how to be careful. I have Olga. Whenever I am caught up in excessive vanity, Olga warns me with her pounding heart.
Don't lose the ground you stand on, don't become someone who wanders off.
“A new dress? I don’t need that.”
"Yes?"
I held the dresses in my hands and examined them closely. The torn parts could be sewn up and made to wear, and the dresses that were completely ruined could be re-cut and laced up to be sold as high-quality handkerchiefs. I didn’t have any regrets about wearing them right away.
“It’s a shame. It’s such a pretty and good fabric.”
I went on and on about my plans, adding that it would be nice to have access to a needle, thread, and scissors.
And when I raised my head, Enoch was looking at me with strange eyes.
When it was mealtime, Enoch disappeared somewhere and returned with food in both hands: a bowl of steaming hot soup, potatoes, soft bread, and a basket of fruit.
When I was in the carriage, I didn't think I could even drink a sip of water, but when I smelled it, I felt very hungry. I sat down on the carriage and hurriedly started to take a bite of the soup.
“Eat slowly. I can always provide you with more.”
I mashed the potatoes and dipped them in the soup as I ate them, studying Enoch's face.
He didn't look tired at all. I was so sore all over my body that I could barely sit up. Seeing this made me realize that he was a real soldier who had undergone rigorous training.
But there are still several weeks left until the capital, and there is no way to avoid the long and arduous journey.
One day, Enoch is so tired that he forgets to lock the back door. Or he loses the key.
It's a wonderful coincidence that the lost key ended up in my pocket. Time will eventually be on my side.
At that moment, loud footsteps could be heard from afar. The sound of people walking is similar, but this is the sound of military boots.
I looked up from my bowl of soup. Several knights were following a man. I knew who he was at a glance.
“Is that person the Duke?”
Enoch seemed to be looking that way too. He immediately placed his hat low on my head.
“Yes, you recognized it immediately.”
Well, his cloak had a silver wolf's head embroidered on it. Few people would wear such thick and fine clothing.
The Grand Duke was a head taller than the others, and even from a distance, his features looked very straight. He had dark blue hair and golden eyes, and he looked just like midnight.
Apart from the stoic expression, it was one of the most handsome faces one could imagine.
“He is so handsome.”
I was delighted to see that the Grand Duke's face looked exactly like what I had imagined. In the portraits I can find in back alleys, he's depicted as some kind of wolf-headed monster, you know.
Suddenly, he turned his head towards me. Perhaps he felt my instinctive gaze.
Fortunately, thanks to the hood Enoch had put on me, he didn't notice me. His eyes roved around the area and very slowly passed me by.
I didn't dare even think of exhaling. I felt as if the criminal the Grand Duke was looking for was here, and I dared to deceive the Silver Wolf right in front of his nose. My heart pounded.
I know what happens to people with those eyes. I have a strong feeling that I will never be able to escape from them.
The longer it took for me to get out of here, the more certain it was that the Grand Duke would find me and get me into his clutches.
But no matter how hopeless it may seem, there is always a way. I grew up among people who believed that if you had a little breathing space, you could survive anywhere.
The harder the path, the more valuable the rewards if you succeed. I clenched my fists in defiance.
The Grand Duke of the North will miss the little rat once again.
The carriages moved slowly like giant dragons just awakening from their slumber. We were traveling in almost five days, a distance that would have taken two days if we had gone alone.
Thanks to Enoch's clever arrangement of the items in the carriage, the carriage was now spacious enough to accommodate a person lying down.
I thought I was being transported like a prisoner all the time, but I was wrong. Enoch had not locked the door since the first day we escaped the Saxony blockade.
I walked in the rain, danced when I was bored, and even hummed a little song. Enoch mostly let me do whatever I wanted.
But on days when the Grand Duke or his knights cast even a glance at me, it was difficult to escape being in a carriage all day.
“I think we will arrive in Nice in two days.”
Enoch offered me buttered bread and wine and said, “Good news. I would give my soul if I could just stretch out my legs and sleep in a place where I wouldn’t be shaken.”
By the way, I also wanted to take a hot bath. I haven't showered properly for several days. I said sincerely.
“That’s good.”
“Since it is His Excellency’s procession, the lord will personally welcome it, and the commotion will be quite great. We plan to escape at that time.”
“We’re getting out?”
I don't even know how much time has passed. It's hard to feel the passage of time in a dark and narrow place.
But this was not a good sign. I couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but something very bad was happening.
Knock, knock.
It was then that Enoch's signal was heard again. I knocked twice to indicate that I was listening quickly.
Enoch spoke in a low, quick voice.
“We have a bit of a problem.”
“What’s going on? Did you get stopped at the security checkpoint?”
I asked, forgetting that I shouldn't raise my voice. But I was so anxious that I couldn't stand it.
Enoch seemed to read the anxiety in my trembling voice.
“No, that’s not it. It’s just..."
He had difficulty continuing his speech.
“The Knights have surrounded the area. Don’t worry. They don’t seem to be there to find you.”
"Sure?"
“It seems the entire line has been sold to His Excellency the Grand Duke of Ashkhabad.”
The entire upper section was sold out? I didn't understand right away and asked back.
“What does that mean?”
“It’s a custom that has become very popular in recent years. It’s a custom to buy and send a day’s worth of goods from the upper class to a close noble lady for her coming-of-age ceremony.”
It was still hard to understand. For poor people like us, giving a gift was an act of sharing something precious. Or, you could save and save and buy something new with difficulty.
Is this a gift that is left to chance or fate? What if the items above are useless?
Enoch continued his explanation as if he understood my curiosity.
“It is said that the more precious the item received, the more the gods bless the union of the two. That is why we usually do business with the upper class that has been decided in advance...”
This is the first time I've seen something like this. Enoch's voice was added, but I heard it clearly.
It felt strange. Grand Duke Ashkhabad was one of the few names that even I, a man with no interest in high society, knew.
The great silver wolf was more famous in the harsh and desolate north and east than in the warmer south or center, especially in borderlands like George and Even.
To the people who were frequently exploited by the Tariq tribe, he was a hero. After nine successive expeditions, no barbarian dared to covet our food and land.
Even such a great man was acting like a nobleman with cotton on his head. I felt like the illusion I had secretly harbored was being shattered.
“So what happens to me now?”
“From now on, His Excellency the Grand Duke’s knights will accompany the procession. Fortunately, they only make up about a third of the total. The rest seem to be concentrating on blockading Saxony.”
Enoch added after a short sigh.
“I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t think the young lady should come out of the carriage during the day. It will also be difficult to move to the carriage we prepared for you for the time being.”
Although I couldn't see his face, I could tell from his voice how sorry Enoch was.
It was really hard to be trapped in a place without even a ray of light, even if it was to save my life.
“I will definitely give you a lift for dinner. I am sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s not Enoch’s fault.”
I answered cheerfully. I wanted to ease Enoch's guilt a little, but he seemed to become even more sullen.
Enoch muttered incoherently, 'I'm sorry, she doesn't deserve to be treated like this, what is Sir Zachary thinking...?'
Before long, the carriage began to roll slowly again.
***
Enoch woke up to the sound of the door opening, and it was already dawn.
I habitually tore off the cloth wrapped around my arms and legs and was horrified to see that it was not my old blanket, but a silk dress.
Five sets of precious clothes, which I would have had to work my butt off for three years to buy, were all tangled up in a miserable mess.
Some of them were even ragged and torn at the seams. I groped and asked, turning pale.
“What, what do I do with all this?”
But Enoch responded nonchalantly.
“These are the clothes I gave you so that you wouldn’t be cold, so it’s up to you how you use them, Young lady.”
“That means...”
“You can dispose of them as you wish. They are damaged and will probably be difficult to wear. I will prepare a few new ones for you.”
Oh my goodness. How should I behave in the face of this enormous power of capital?
Enoch was acting like I had ruined an old cotton handkerchief. I felt like I was going to lose touch with reality if I stayed here.
"It's okay."
“You don’t have to refuse. He told me not to hold anything back from giving you anything.”
People who have ever tried to deal with nobles often get lost. I have seen many such people in back alleys.
Such people are ashamed of everything they have: their clothes, their homes, their neighbors, and even their parents and siblings.
And in the end, you give anything for a small amount of money.
But I know how to be careful. I have Olga. Whenever I am caught up in excessive vanity, Olga warns me with her pounding heart.
Don't lose the ground you stand on, don't become someone who wanders off.
“A new dress? I don’t need that.”
"Yes?"
I held the dresses in my hands and examined them closely. The torn parts could be sewn up and made to wear, and the dresses that were completely ruined could be re-cut and laced up to be sold as high-quality handkerchiefs. I didn’t have any regrets about wearing them right away.
“It’s a shame. It’s such a pretty and good fabric.”
I went on and on about my plans, adding that it would be nice to have access to a needle, thread, and scissors.
And when I raised my head, Enoch was looking at me with strange eyes.
***
When it was mealtime, Enoch disappeared somewhere and returned with food in both hands: a bowl of steaming hot soup, potatoes, soft bread, and a basket of fruit.
When I was in the carriage, I didn't think I could even drink a sip of water, but when I smelled it, I felt very hungry. I sat down on the carriage and hurriedly started to take a bite of the soup.
“Eat slowly. I can always provide you with more.”
I mashed the potatoes and dipped them in the soup as I ate them, studying Enoch's face.
He didn't look tired at all. I was so sore all over my body that I could barely sit up. Seeing this made me realize that he was a real soldier who had undergone rigorous training.
But there are still several weeks left until the capital, and there is no way to avoid the long and arduous journey.
One day, Enoch is so tired that he forgets to lock the back door. Or he loses the key.
It's a wonderful coincidence that the lost key ended up in my pocket. Time will eventually be on my side.
At that moment, loud footsteps could be heard from afar. The sound of people walking is similar, but this is the sound of military boots.
I looked up from my bowl of soup. Several knights were following a man. I knew who he was at a glance.
“Is that person the Duke?”
Enoch seemed to be looking that way too. He immediately placed his hat low on my head.
“Yes, you recognized it immediately.”
Well, his cloak had a silver wolf's head embroidered on it. Few people would wear such thick and fine clothing.
The Grand Duke was a head taller than the others, and even from a distance, his features looked very straight. He had dark blue hair and golden eyes, and he looked just like midnight.
Apart from the stoic expression, it was one of the most handsome faces one could imagine.
“He is so handsome.”
I was delighted to see that the Grand Duke's face looked exactly like what I had imagined. In the portraits I can find in back alleys, he's depicted as some kind of wolf-headed monster, you know.
Suddenly, he turned his head towards me. Perhaps he felt my instinctive gaze.
Fortunately, thanks to the hood Enoch had put on me, he didn't notice me. His eyes roved around the area and very slowly passed me by.
I didn't dare even think of exhaling. I felt as if the criminal the Grand Duke was looking for was here, and I dared to deceive the Silver Wolf right in front of his nose. My heart pounded.
I know what happens to people with those eyes. I have a strong feeling that I will never be able to escape from them.
The longer it took for me to get out of here, the more certain it was that the Grand Duke would find me and get me into his clutches.
But no matter how hopeless it may seem, there is always a way. I grew up among people who believed that if you had a little breathing space, you could survive anywhere.
The harder the path, the more valuable the rewards if you succeed. I clenched my fists in defiance.
The Grand Duke of the North will miss the little rat once again.
***
The carriages moved slowly like giant dragons just awakening from their slumber. We were traveling in almost five days, a distance that would have taken two days if we had gone alone.
Thanks to Enoch's clever arrangement of the items in the carriage, the carriage was now spacious enough to accommodate a person lying down.
I thought I was being transported like a prisoner all the time, but I was wrong. Enoch had not locked the door since the first day we escaped the Saxony blockade.
I walked in the rain, danced when I was bored, and even hummed a little song. Enoch mostly let me do whatever I wanted.
But on days when the Grand Duke or his knights cast even a glance at me, it was difficult to escape being in a carriage all day.
“I think we will arrive in Nice in two days.”
Enoch offered me buttered bread and wine and said, “Good news. I would give my soul if I could just stretch out my legs and sleep in a place where I wouldn’t be shaken.”
By the way, I also wanted to take a hot bath. I haven't showered properly for several days. I said sincerely.
“That’s good.”
“Since it is His Excellency’s procession, the lord will personally welcome it, and the commotion will be quite great. We plan to escape at that time.”
“We’re getting out?”
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