I shuddered as if shaking off the unpleasant thoughts. Olga was right this time too. Kindness without reward should be guarded against.
I thought about it for a while, gave up, and just lay down on the couch.
If it weren't for this top, I would have been stuck in Saxony for weeks or months anyway. I was grateful that he didn't hand me over to the Knights Templar.
It wasn't too late to look for a chance to escape after leaving the village. In fact, it might have been better then.
Even Enoch would sleep well, and I was used to moving in the dark.
At least one thing was certain: even if I were forced to go to the capital, I would not be able to receive Zachary's protection.
Whatever Zachary's intentions, it was a completely different matter. I was being protected by a man who was neither my lover nor my family.
Especially if the target is a young woman with no support, it always leads to bad results. This was a fact that all the back alley women knew.
I buried my back in the soft cushion. The tension began to ease a little. A long yawn escaped me without my consent.
I was like that too. Before I knew it, I was starting to feel tired and sleepy. I tried to wake up, but it didn't go as I wanted, perhaps because I had been moving since dawn.
How many times did I fall asleep and wake up? There was a knock on the door.
“Young Lady. Are you awake?”
It was Enoch. I was so surprised that I kicked the couch and jumped up.
Is it already dawn? I thought I had a light nap, but it seems I fell into a deep sleep in the middle of the night.
Enoch knocked on the door again.
“They said they’re leaving in ten minutes. I think you should come down now.”
“I just woke up.”
I answered in a deep voice. I looked out the window and saw that dawn was beginning to break.
It didn't take long since I fell asleep with my clothes on. After shaking off the wrinkles once, I was ready.
Enoch almost got hit in the nose when I opened the door abruptly.
“Hey, are you okay? I didn’t know you were there.”
“I was waiting to help you with your luggage. Please give it to me.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can do it.”
“It’s my job. His Grace...”
Enoch bit his lip and stopped talking. It was just like yesterday when he called Zachary a Lord.
I felt a little relieved for a moment. At least Enoch didn't seem like someone good at lying. The kind of vile people who deceive others.
“Yes. I know, what is it?”
“Ah. You already knew?”
“I know he must have come from a great family. I don’t know anything else.”
Enoch nodded. He finally snatched the bag from my hands.
I asked curtly as I walked down the stairs.
“I have no idea why Zachary is so nice to me. Is he usually so kind to every woman he meets?”
“Kindness... He’s not that kind.”
Enoch said with a look of a fox chewing grass. So did Zachary really fall in love with me at first sight?
This was funny even to me. I didn't know any of the special skills of the ladies. I didn't know how to wave a fan, how to hide my feelings, how to dance gracefully, or how to say what I wanted to say indirectly.
I couldn't even read very difficult words. In short, I wasn't a girl that a guy like Zachary would fall for at first sight.
As we went down to the first floor, people were loading luggage onto carriages. It was a magnificent sight as if so many people and things had been packed into this building.
Piles of wooden boxes, silks, and laces wrapped in fine paper, fine grains, and casks of wine all looked expensive at first glance.
As we approached, a woman who appeared to be a supervisor greeted us.
“You have been ordered to accompany me to the capital. I have something to say, so there is no need for you to look after it separately.”
“Thank goodness. There’s no room left. We’ve been tied up for days already, so we have three times as much luggage as usual. Miss, you can climb onto the thirteenth carriage over there.”
As I nodded, the woman added affectionately.
“Make sure to wear your hood tightly. Someone might see you and report you.”
I did as the woman told me. The carriage was much larger than I had expected, but it was cramped because it was so full of stuff.
There was no space except for a shabby boarded-up space in one corner. That was probably 'my place.'
I put my bag down on the hard floor and sat down on it. I could sit with my knees up for a few hours.
“Young Lady. Are you okay?”
“Yes, quite sufficiently. Will Enoch ride outside?”
“I plan to do so. Please bear with it for a little longer, even if it is frustrating. Once we get out of the lockdown, I will arrange for a separate carriage.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can just walk or ride in the cargo hold like I am doing now.”
“Sir Zachary has asked me to take care of Young Lady as best as I can. It is my duty, so do not refuse.”
He now made no attempt to hide it and just shouted out loud.
It was a good thing. As more and more secrets were revealed like that, maybe I could hear more information about Zachary.
Sharing secrets, and being open and closing always creates a gap. And that gap is the hole through which I can escape.
It didn't matter if it was just wishful thinking. I desperately needed something to believe in right now.
Since following Zachary's instructions, I have only been able to take my hood off in front of very few people.
The implication was clear: I had gone from being an ordinary orphan girl in a back alley to being accused of being behind the disappearance of a Princess overnight.
As for Zachary's hidden plan, well, I wish I knew just that. If he was crazy about women, it would be less uncomfortable.
“Take it.”
“What is this?”
What he handed me was a small package wrapped in paper. When I opened it, I found a loaf of bread, two slices of ham, some cheese, and a small bottle of wine.
“You didn’t even eat breakfast. I prepared some for you.”
"Thank you."
I meant it, Enoch shrugged and added.
“I had to prepare it in a hurry, so the food is not of the best quality for you, Miss. I will prepare a proper meal for you in the evening.”
The bread he gave me was white bread made from wheat that had been refined several times. It wasn't the hard black bread commonly found in back alleys.
I said that this was enough, that it was more than enough, but Enoch didn't seem to believe me.
“Please eat just enough to satisfy your hunger. You must be cold, so I will cover you with some clothes. Please bear with the stuffiness. They may look inside during the inspection.”
With those words, I was buried among the silk dresses and lace that were not even in my fortune.
Apart from being breathtaking, it was incredibly soft to the touch. This is what real nobles wear. Not dresses made of stiff fabric and dyed in crude colors.
It was only then that I realized that Zachary could not possibly have mistaken me for a noblewoman. If he had not been able to tell the difference, he would have been blind.
“I’m sorry, but the back door will be locked like the other wagons. I’ll be right there with you, so if you need anything, just knock on the wall three times.”
I wondered if it wouldn't work if I knocked four or five times. As I was thinking about such useless things, I soon felt the floor vibrating.
It seemed as if the huge procession was slowly starting to move from the front. Since my carriage was at the end of the line, it still needed some time to move.
Saxony was the link between the north and the capital. Although it had a low population density, products from the north had to pass through here at least once.
The amount of trade goods must have been enormous, as the schedule was delayed by almost a week in such a place. It must have been a great sight, but it was a shame that I couldn't see it in person.
Soon the carriage I was riding in also started moving.
It was okay for the first time, but my legs started to feel numb, perhaps because I was cramped in a small space.
I struggled desperately, twisting my whole body. I rubbed my calves, licked my finger, and put it in my nose.
But when I was driving on unpaved roads, it was just unbearable.
“Are you still there?”
I thought about it for a while, gave up, and just lay down on the couch.
If it weren't for this top, I would have been stuck in Saxony for weeks or months anyway. I was grateful that he didn't hand me over to the Knights Templar.
It wasn't too late to look for a chance to escape after leaving the village. In fact, it might have been better then.
Even Enoch would sleep well, and I was used to moving in the dark.
At least one thing was certain: even if I were forced to go to the capital, I would not be able to receive Zachary's protection.
Whatever Zachary's intentions, it was a completely different matter. I was being protected by a man who was neither my lover nor my family.
Especially if the target is a young woman with no support, it always leads to bad results. This was a fact that all the back alley women knew.
I buried my back in the soft cushion. The tension began to ease a little. A long yawn escaped me without my consent.
I was like that too. Before I knew it, I was starting to feel tired and sleepy. I tried to wake up, but it didn't go as I wanted, perhaps because I had been moving since dawn.
How many times did I fall asleep and wake up? There was a knock on the door.
“Young Lady. Are you awake?”
It was Enoch. I was so surprised that I kicked the couch and jumped up.
Is it already dawn? I thought I had a light nap, but it seems I fell into a deep sleep in the middle of the night.
Enoch knocked on the door again.
“They said they’re leaving in ten minutes. I think you should come down now.”
“I just woke up.”
I answered in a deep voice. I looked out the window and saw that dawn was beginning to break.
It didn't take long since I fell asleep with my clothes on. After shaking off the wrinkles once, I was ready.
Enoch almost got hit in the nose when I opened the door abruptly.
“Hey, are you okay? I didn’t know you were there.”
“I was waiting to help you with your luggage. Please give it to me.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can do it.”
“It’s my job. His Grace...”
Enoch bit his lip and stopped talking. It was just like yesterday when he called Zachary a Lord.
I felt a little relieved for a moment. At least Enoch didn't seem like someone good at lying. The kind of vile people who deceive others.
“Yes. I know, what is it?”
“Ah. You already knew?”
“I know he must have come from a great family. I don’t know anything else.”
Enoch nodded. He finally snatched the bag from my hands.
I asked curtly as I walked down the stairs.
“I have no idea why Zachary is so nice to me. Is he usually so kind to every woman he meets?”
“Kindness... He’s not that kind.”
Enoch said with a look of a fox chewing grass. So did Zachary really fall in love with me at first sight?
This was funny even to me. I didn't know any of the special skills of the ladies. I didn't know how to wave a fan, how to hide my feelings, how to dance gracefully, or how to say what I wanted to say indirectly.
I couldn't even read very difficult words. In short, I wasn't a girl that a guy like Zachary would fall for at first sight.
As we went down to the first floor, people were loading luggage onto carriages. It was a magnificent sight as if so many people and things had been packed into this building.
Piles of wooden boxes, silks, and laces wrapped in fine paper, fine grains, and casks of wine all looked expensive at first glance.
As we approached, a woman who appeared to be a supervisor greeted us.
“I've heard you say that, but I've been informed that there is only one person in the carriage.”
“Thank goodness. There’s no room left. We’ve been tied up for days already, so we have three times as much luggage as usual. Miss, you can climb onto the thirteenth carriage over there.”
As I nodded, the woman added affectionately.
“Make sure to wear your hood tightly. Someone might see you and report you.”
I did as the woman told me. The carriage was much larger than I had expected, but it was cramped because it was so full of stuff.
There was no space except for a shabby boarded-up space in one corner. That was probably 'my place.'
I put my bag down on the hard floor and sat down on it. I could sit with my knees up for a few hours.
“Young Lady. Are you okay?”
“Yes, quite sufficiently. Will Enoch ride outside?”
“I plan to do so. Please bear with it for a little longer, even if it is frustrating. Once we get out of the lockdown, I will arrange for a separate carriage.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can just walk or ride in the cargo hold like I am doing now.”
“Sir Zachary has asked me to take care of Young Lady as best as I can. It is my duty, so do not refuse.”
He now made no attempt to hide it and just shouted out loud.
It was a good thing. As more and more secrets were revealed like that, maybe I could hear more information about Zachary.
Sharing secrets, and being open and closing always creates a gap. And that gap is the hole through which I can escape.
It didn't matter if it was just wishful thinking. I desperately needed something to believe in right now.
Since following Zachary's instructions, I have only been able to take my hood off in front of very few people.
The implication was clear: I had gone from being an ordinary orphan girl in a back alley to being accused of being behind the disappearance of a Princess overnight.
As for Zachary's hidden plan, well, I wish I knew just that. If he was crazy about women, it would be less uncomfortable.
“Take it.”
“What is this?”
What he handed me was a small package wrapped in paper. When I opened it, I found a loaf of bread, two slices of ham, some cheese, and a small bottle of wine.
“You didn’t even eat breakfast. I prepared some for you.”
"Thank you."
I meant it, Enoch shrugged and added.
“I had to prepare it in a hurry, so the food is not of the best quality for you, Miss. I will prepare a proper meal for you in the evening.”
The bread he gave me was white bread made from wheat that had been refined several times. It wasn't the hard black bread commonly found in back alleys.
I said that this was enough, that it was more than enough, but Enoch didn't seem to believe me.
“Please eat just enough to satisfy your hunger. You must be cold, so I will cover you with some clothes. Please bear with the stuffiness. They may look inside during the inspection.”
With those words, I was buried among the silk dresses and lace that were not even in my fortune.
Apart from being breathtaking, it was incredibly soft to the touch. This is what real nobles wear. Not dresses made of stiff fabric and dyed in crude colors.
It was only then that I realized that Zachary could not possibly have mistaken me for a noblewoman. If he had not been able to tell the difference, he would have been blind.
“I’m sorry, but the back door will be locked like the other wagons. I’ll be right there with you, so if you need anything, just knock on the wall three times.”
I wondered if it wouldn't work if I knocked four or five times. As I was thinking about such useless things, I soon felt the floor vibrating.
It seemed as if the huge procession was slowly starting to move from the front. Since my carriage was at the end of the line, it still needed some time to move.
Saxony was the link between the north and the capital. Although it had a low population density, products from the north had to pass through here at least once.
The amount of trade goods must have been enormous, as the schedule was delayed by almost a week in such a place. It must have been a great sight, but it was a shame that I couldn't see it in person.
Soon the carriage I was riding in also started moving.
It was okay for the first time, but my legs started to feel numb, perhaps because I was cramped in a small space.
I struggled desperately, twisting my whole body. I rubbed my calves, licked my finger, and put it in my nose.
But when I was driving on unpaved roads, it was just unbearable.
“Are you still there?”
Perhaps it was the groaning sound from outside that Enoch heard his horse growl.
I knocked on the wall twice to indicate that I was listening.
“The search will now begin. You must not make any noise.”
Oh dear. I glanced at the wall as if Enoch was right in front of me. If it were that easy, I would have done it a long time ago.
I grumbled that I couldn't even trust Zachary, who had shown me kindness, but I wasn't shameless enough to say something like that out loud. I knocked on the wall twice again to show my understanding.
“If you’re bored, just close your eyes inside. It won’t take long.”
Not long after that, the carriage's speed began to slow down noticeably.
The great procession was slowly losing momentum. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it in the air and in the vibrations of the earth.
I put my ear against the wall to hear the outside sounds.
At first, I thought I could hear something. The creaking of a carriage wheel, someone shouting loudly, the clunking of boots, the sound of things being thrown around.
But soon all the sounds mixed together and it became impossible to distinguish anything.
I didn't feel like eating any of the food Enoch had worked so hard to prepare for me. Instead, I tried to get some sleep as Enoch had advised.
But whenever I heard a sound like someone was coming very close, I would wake up with a thud.
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