Chapter 2 - Nabel (2/2)

Accursed house. That was how Ronée referred to this place. Although the gods did not listen to her prayers, she did not believe that they had abandoned her.

If the Gods had truly abandoned me, I wouldn’t have been born, would I? She had already come to this conclusion long ago. Curse this house.

Ronée, who had been lost in her thoughts again, closed her eyes and fluttered them open. “Or, if you want, you can stay.”

The place was not a good environment for a child, but it was still better than living on the streets or being locked up inside a slave cart. It was merely a simple act of kindness that served no benefit to her; though, she thought that it might be nice in some ways.

But, while for her it was just a small kindness to let him live in a corner of her room, it could have been more than that for the boy. Such a young child could never have done anything to deserve to become a slave. She was sure his only crime was being born as the child of enslaved parents.

As she had told the boy before, she despised slavery. Perhaps because it reminded her of the images of countless slaves who had been beaten in her place by her father.

Count Rieda had used to beat the slaves in front of her without reservation, as though he was telling her how he would beat her if she were not of his noble bloodline. Slaves of about her age were dragged out with broken bones, bloody and bruised all over.

And there was only one reason for this brutal treatment. It was all because she was a cursed girl, abandoned by the gods, that the holy magic had had no effect on.

The boy stared at Ronée for a while and then nodded his head.

“Get this boy cleaned up first, please.”

Only one maid, Ryne, followed Ronée. Their mothers had been close.

“Yes, my Lady.”

There was a clear distinction in status in their household between the employees that received a wage and the slaves that were treated as less than human. But at Ronée’s instruction, Ryne took the boy’s hand without hesitation and gently led him to the bath.

The boy did not resist, but said to Ronée, “I will not forget your kindness.”

It was the first time the boy had spoken. His eyes were still as dark as an ocean abyss, but he met Ronée’s gaze directly. There was no hostility there anymore. Ronée nodded, though she did not really know what he meant.

“Of course.” She supposed they were just meaningless words of thanks.

“My name is Nabel.” Having said his name, he proceeded towards the bath.

“I have told my name only to you,” he added quietly. His feet, covered with wounds, stepped onto the clean floor of the bathroom.