For a moment, my mind went blank, but I pretended to lower my voice and imitate the way the maids spoke.
"I'm a maid. Can't you tell just by looking at me?"
“Where do you belong?”
"I'm working on the main castle."
Despite the calm response, the soldier did not easily shake off his suspicions.
The man continued his interrogation, bending down as if to check my face.
"Why would a maid of the main castle go out of the castle at a time like this?"
"I'm on my way to the market in a hurry to run an errand for the maid."
I turned my head away from the man's gaze and spoke in an annoyed tone.
"So, don't be a bother and send me quickly. I'm in a hurry! If I get scolded because it's late, you'll take responsibility, right?"
"Take off your hood first. We can't let you out without even checking your identity."
"Oh, really! If you're really suspicious, why don't you just check with Maid Aretta? She'll know if you said Yvonne. It's so annoying to have to make you do such annoying things...!"
The man sighed and nodded, as if his suspicions were dispelled when the maid's name was mentioned specifically.
"Ugh, you're so dirty, go ahead and do it."
I turned around immediately.
But when I actually tried to take a step, I was nervous that they might recognize my unnatural gait.
I walked as naturally as possible and looked over my shoulder to check on the soldier's movements.
Fortunately, he had already lost interest in me and was checking the cart. I didn't miss the opportunity and diligently moved my stiff legs down the slope.
A wide road and green lawns leading to the castle town unfolded before my eyes.
As I walked along the well-maintained gravel road, I decided that Raedgo Castle was somewhat far away and turned south.
After walking for a while, stepping on the grass, a wide meadow with sheep and horses grazing, and a forest of pure white birch trees came into view. Perhaps because it was late in the day, there weren't many people around.
I pushed forward through the knee-high grass, the damp wind blowing through me.
Beyond the open fields, the gray sky grew closer. The sun, pouring its red light through swirling clouds, sank to the west.
It'll be completely dark in just an hour or two.
Only then did I suddenly feel scared. I had no idea where I was going to spend the night.
'...Should we go to the authorized city first?
Maybe I could spend the night in a barn or something.
I turned toward the castle walls that rose grayly over the hill, intending to find a place to stay in the small town that had formed outside the city.
But before I could even reach the gate, the sky began to darken rapidly.
I suppressed my rising anxiety and dragged my heavy legs as I walked. The pain in my hips and knees intensified, making my pace heavier and slower. In the end, the sun had already set before I even reached the castle walls.
I felt my breathing getting increasingly difficult and desperately rolled my eyes in search of light.
In the distance, I could vaguely see soldiers patrolling with torches.
After limping for a while, chasing the light, my vision, accustomed to the darkness, caught sight of a small garden and a barn that seemed to have been built to store farm equipment.
I staggered toward it, feeling as if she would collapse if I didn't get somewhere right away.
I searched the dark space, wondering if there was a place to rest. I quickly found a pile of straw on the floor and crawled over to it, practically collapsing into a ball.
The musty, dusty smell of dried hay lingered in the air, but for that moment, it didn't bother me at all.
Huddled in a space that might be teeming with rats and bugs, I looked up at the dark ceiling and gasped for breath.
Perhaps because I had suddenly overdone myself, the muscles in my calves and thighs were aching badly. My knees and pelvis were even more numb than the sore spot.
I was groaning in the dark, fumbling under my tunic, and touched my tights.
Because the bandage wasn't wrapped, the scar that was not visible was right at my fingertips.
I felt the skin, which seemed to be a mess, and massaged the tense, knotted muscles. But once the cramps started, they showed no signs of abating.
''I should have brought some medicine...'
I bit my lip in frustration.
At that moment, the surroundings became noisy, and the sound of busy footsteps could be heard from somewhere.
I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and hurriedly sat up. As I tried to crawl into a corner to hide, a bright light poured down on my face.
I looked up, eyes wide with fear. A large, armored man stood there, holding a torch.
He tilted the light so that it illuminated my face closely, then shouted over his shoulder.
“I found her!”
My heart pounded and raced. I curled up like a cornered mouse and quickly scanned my surroundings.
Across the cluttered space, piled high with farm equipment, another exit appeared. Without time to think deeply, I was about to leap toward it when heavy footsteps echoed, and a dark shadow swooped into the narrow space.
For a moment, it felt like the blood in my whole body froze.
I looked up at the dark outline of the man standing with his back to the light, his eyes pierced by the light.
A pair of feet, encircled by black sabaton, approached slowly. For some reason, their measured gait intensified my fear.
"Thalia Roem Sheerkhan."
It was a voice that was eerily soft.
I barely managed to raise my eyes to meet his.
The torches held in the knights' hands dimly illuminated one side of his cold face.
There was no way to know what was in his seemingly usual, calm demeanor that made me hold my breath.
The man spoke with a chilling calmness as he looked down at me, motionless like a beast lowering its body just before biting its prey.
"It's time to go home now."
I unconsciously leaned back.
A cruel light flashed in the eyes of the man when I saw it.
"Would you like to test my patience further?"
The soft voice seemed to scratch my spine.
I had been rolling my eyes to find a way out, and eventually let my arms hang down.
The man who had been standing still and looking down at the scene eventually bent down.
His two stiff arms, as if desperately holding back something, lightly lifted my body, which was dirty with sweat and dust.
I looked up at his taut neck, where the veins were bristling, and closed my eyes wearily.
***
All the way back to the castle, he didn't say a word. I didn't bother to open my mouth either, not even bothering to make excuses.
I kept my eyes closed as he carried me like a piece of luggage, ignoring all the commotion that surrounded me. Then, at one point, I seemed to truly lose consciousness.
I woke up from my nap and realized I was lying on Barcas' bed, and looked around in confusion.
For a moment, I wondered if I had been having a strange dream. As if to mock that thought, a sharp pain shot through my leg.
I, clutching my cramped calf and groaning, reached out to the shelf with a groan.
It wasn't long before I found a vial of painkillers. I grabbed it and tried to open the cap.
A large hand suddenly reached out from the darkness and grabbed my wrist.
I froze, my body trembling. Only then did I realize someone was sitting on one side of the room.
I turned around with startled eyes and saw the outline of Barcas sitting upright in the thick darkness.
He looked down at me with strangely calm eyes and asked softly.
“Does your leg hurt?”
I just stared at him with a face drenched in cold sweat.
I could feel the hand holding my wrist tightening painfully.
"I can't help but ask, where on earth are you going with that body?"
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